Dislikes Purple

Yang Ning looked up at Shi Xuanfei's face. A light veil covered it, leaving only a pair of alluring foxlike eyes exposed. Though he found it a little strange, he didn't ask any questions. Instead, he deftly tore away the wrapping paper around the gift box. The box was a regal purple and gold, and he gently lifted the lid before launching into his enthusiastic introduction:

"Senior Disciple Sister Shi, please take a look." First, he held up a purple glass bottle about the length of a finger. "This is Essence Dew. It penetrates deep into the skin, awakening its vitality and radiance from within."

Next, he picked up a slightly shorter purple jar. "This is Eye Cream, specially formulated for the delicate skin around the eyes. It can effectively fade dark circles and fine lines, making your bright eyes look even more vibrant."

"And lastly, this larger bottle is our luxury Face Cream." He pointed to the largest bottle in the box. "Its effects are extraordinary. It refines the skin's texture, visibly fades and even smooths out fine lines and wrinkles, while replenishing the deeper layers of the skin to restore its bounce and elasticity."

Shi Xuanfei reached out with her slender jade fingers and picked up the bottle of Essence Dew. Her fingertips touched its cool surface as she examined it carefully. "The bottle holding these Skincare Products is made of a rather unusual material. It's neither gold nor jade. I wonder how effective the contents are?"

Yang Ning knew that this "Lai Bo Ni" skincare set was the most expensive premium item in the skincare section of the System Mall. The Cultivation World was rich in spiritual energy, and Cultivators had extraordinary physiques. True Qi already circulated endlessly within their bodies, giving them a far greater ability to absorb nutrients than Mortals.

He had personally seen many disciples from Jade Maiden Peak use nothing but the ordinary moisturizing lotion from his shop. By the next day, they would be radiant, with noticeably improved skin. And this set was the supreme "Lai Bo Ni" collection, infused with pure ingredients.

He immediately thumped his chest and promised with absolute confidence, "Senior Disciple Sister Shi, you can rest easy! This set is worth every Spirit Stone!

"If you're still unsure, take it home and try it first. If you don't feel it works, I won't charge you a single coin!"

At his words, a hint of surprise flashed in Shi Xuanfei's beautiful eyes above her veil. Could it be... he recognized who I am?

She composed herself and pushed down her suspicions, then turned the purple glass bottle over in her hand, playing with it. Her voice held a hint of amusement. "This is my first time visiting your shop, Boss Yang. How can you dare let me try something so expensive for free? What if I take it and never pay? This costs two hundred Spirit Stones, after all—not a small sum."

Yang Ning wore an open, sincere smile as he explained, "First of all, your junior sister, Senior Disciple Dong, is a regular customer here. Over the past year or so, she's spent at least five hundred Spirit Stones with me—probably closer to eight hundred. Since she brought you here, I trust that someone she recommends wouldn't stoop to skipping out on a bill."

"Besides..." As he spoke, his gaze naturally swept over Shi Xuanfei's attire. "Look at your clothes. The fabric is precious, and the Gold Thread embroidered on them alone is probably worth more than two hundred Spirit Stones. Then there are your pearl earrings, jade bracelet, and white-jade hairpin... Your entire outfit must be worth at least three thousand Spirit Stones." He paused deliberately, then added with a trace of flattery, "I'd wager it's worth more than all the merchandise in my little shop put together." (Actually, it wasn't.)

Yang Ning couldn't see Shi Xuanfei's expression beneath her veil, so he continued earnestly, "So, someone as distinguished as you isn't like certain people... Ahem, like that Senior Disciple Brother from some hall who wanted to buy a bottle of Essential Oil on credit. I'm not worried you'll skip out on a mere two hundred Spirit Stones."

Beneath Shi Xuanfei's veil, her red lips curved upward despite herself. "It seems Boss Yang has not only a keen eye, but a real knack for doing business, too."

Yang Ning was still dressed in that ridiculous Blue Fatty onesie, but his eyes gleamed with shrewdness. "To be honest, those of us in business know that giving certain distinguished customers a little credit can be a useful trick. It makes them remember your kindness."

Listening to Yang Ning, Dong Xiaojie was momentarily taken aback. She instinctively tried to remember whether he had ever let her buy on credit over the past year or so... Perhaps once or twice, but the amounts had been tiny—one or two Spirit Stones at most.

After hearing Yang Ning's explanation, Shi Xuanfei nodded in agreement. She took the purple "Lai Bo Ni" set, then gave Dong Xiaojie a look.

Dong Xiaojie understood at once and took a specially made "voucher" from her Storage Bag. It was a payment certificate used by the Sword Sect for large transactions, clearly stamped with Jade Maiden Peak's unique seal. The voucher could be exchanged for an equivalent number of Spirit Stones at Tianbao Pavilion, which oversaw the sect's spiritual ore deposits.

Shi Xuanfei took the voucher, then reached out with her jade-like hand and gently took Yang Ning's hand. She placed the voucher securely in his palm, then folded his fingers over it one by one, making him hold it tight.