The Boss Lady

Dugu Yan stared fixedly at the illustration of the immortal herb Ye Guchen was sketching.

Dugu Bo appeared calm, yet the way he kept drinking water unconsciously betrayed his inner tension.

What Ye Guchen was drawing were the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and the Infernal Delicate Apricot.

Just as he finished outlining the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass based on the illustrations in the Dou II herb compendium he had been perusing, Dugu Bo's tea-drinking motion stiffened, and he set his cup down involuntarily.

Dugu Bo was intimately familiar with this immortal herb; was it not the very same strange plant growing in his own herb garden?

Dugu Bo rose slowly, his eyes locked onto the pattern on Ye Guchen's paper.

"This is?"

Facing Dugu Bo's instinctive inquiry, Ye Guchen did not pause his brush, responding calmly.

"Oh, this is called the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass. Its growth environment is extremely harsh; it can only grow in places of extreme cold..."

Upon hearing that it grew in extreme cold, Dugu Bo was certain that this was indeed the herb from his garden.

"Hahaha, to think that after searching for a way to detoxify for so many years, the antidote was in my hands all along without me knowing!"

Dugu Bo shook his head slowly, unable to help but sigh.

This antidote could have been difficult to find, or perhaps impossible to find, yet it had been right there in his possession.

For a moment, an inexplicable sorrow surged into his heart, immediately followed by self-doubt and resentment toward his own incompetence.

"Why didn't I think of this detoxification method sooner? If I had, Xiao Xin and Pan would not have..."

He looked at Dugu Yan, feeling an increasing sense of guilt. "It was my own lack of ability that caused Yan-yan to lose her parents so early."

Seeing the old man suddenly sink into a sorrowful state, Ye Guchen, though unaware of the reason, felt it necessary to offer some comfort, given that they were now partners.

"It seems, Your Excellency Dugu, that you recognize this?"

Ye Guchen feigned surprise, pretending not to notice Dugu Bo's distress, and asked.

Dugu Bo forcibly suppressed the emotions that had suddenly welled up, regaining his composure.

"I will not hide it from you; I possess a herb garden, and within it, there grows the very immortal herb you speak of, the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass."

But how could such sudden emotions be suppressed so easily? Dugu Bo still sighed inadvertently.

"If I had met you sooner, perhaps Yan-yan's parents would not have..."

Having said this, Dugu Bo realized he was being too emotional and hurriedly cut his words short.

"Sigh! Never mind."

Compared to Dugu Bo's sudden melancholy, Dugu Yan appeared much more relaxed. Upon hearing that the antidote was in her grandfather's garden, her clenched fists loosened unconsciously.

"That's wonderful! Grandfather, that means you'll be alright too!"

Dugu Yan threw herself into Dugu Bo's arms.

Ye Guchen and Zhu Zhuqing sat to the side, quietly watching the heartwarming scene.

Dugu Bo patted his granddaughter's back gently, a rare softness appearing on his usually sinister face.

He did not speak, merely stroking Dugu Yan's hair in silence, as if trying to pour all the regrets of these past years into this embrace.

A moment later, Dugu Yan lifted her head from her grandfather's arms, her eyes slightly red but filled with a smile. She turned to look at Ye Guchen, her voice still trembling slightly:

"Young Master Ye... when will you be able to detoxify my grandfather?"

Seeing the emotional state of the grandfather and granddaughter, Ye Guchen did not rush to suggest going to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

"I can see you two have much to talk about, and detoxification is not something that can be completed in a moment."

Ye Guchen paused, pretending to ponder, before responding.

"Why don't you take me to your herb garden tomorrow? That will give me time to arrange matters at the shop today."

Hearing this, Dugu Bo nodded. "Good! I've waited this long, one more day won't hurt." He then stood up and cupped his hands in gratitude toward Ye Guchen.

"Then I shall not linger. I will come to pick you up tomorrow morning!"

Ye Guchen stood up and escorted the pair to the shop entrance.

"Phew..."

Watching them walk away, Ye Guchen let out a long breath.

"The first step is done!"

Returning to the courtyard, Ye Guchen finally dropped his facade and sat back down at the stone table.

He poured himself a cup of tea. After all, before transmigrating, he was just an ordinary person. Transmigration did not automatically make one brave or decisive; facing Dugu Bo and plotting to access his herb garden had been quite nerve-wracking.

Ye Guchen drained the tea in his cup.

"Still need more tempering!"

After calming his mood, Ye Guchen called the managers currently in charge of acquisitions at the Hundred Treasures Pavilion to his side.

There were only three of them in total: one responsible for acquiring rare ores, one for medicinal herbs, and one for Whale Rubber.

All three were Soul Ancestor level experts, each possessing a deep understanding of their respective modules.

At this moment, the three sat across from Ye Guchen, awaiting instructions from their young boss.

"I will be leaving the Hundred Treasures Pavilion for a period of time to handle some matters with Poison Douluo. During this time, acquisition tasks will continue as usual, but remember: if anyone maliciously inflates prices, stop the acquisitions immediately."

Upon hearing this, the three nodded in unison.

The moment the name Poison Douluo was spoken, any thoughts they might have had about skimming off the top were completely extinguished.

Joking aside, one needed to be alive to spend the money they earned.

At this point, the middle-aged manager in charge of medicinal herbs stepped forward and asked, "In the days the boss is away, to whom should we report our work?"

Ye Guchen turned his gaze toward Zhu Zhuqing. Since Zhu Zhuqing will be one of the high-level figures of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion in the future anyway, I might as well use this opportunity to let her learn some business management skills. Even if she messes up, it's just a small amount of money spent on experience.

Seeing Ye Guchen looking at her, Zhu Zhuqing immediately understood his intention and waved her hands repeatedly.

"I can't do it; I have never been involved in business."

But Ye Guchen had already made up his mind, casting an encouraging look at Zhu Zhuqing. "I believe you can! Believe in yourself."

He then turned his attention back to the three managers.

"Everything will be left entirely to her!"

Hearing this, the three looked at each other in confusion. Tie Yan, the burly middle-aged man in charge of ore acquisition, spoke up first.

"Is the boss's wife not going with you?"

As soon as these words were spoken, Zhu Zhuqing's face flushed red. Ye Guchen, however, remained calm, though he couldn't help but give the man a silent thumbs-up.

Ye Guchen then looked at Zhu Zhuqing with a playful glint in his eyes before turning back to the three.

"Your boss's wife is not going. While I am away, she has the final say on all matters, big or small."

Seeing the three nod in unison, Ye Guchen waved his hand.

"Since there are no questions, you may go."

With the new shop just opening, there wasn't much work to be done, so the three rose and left together.

Once everyone had departed, Zhu Zhuqing gently punched Ye Guchen on the shoulder.

"Who... who said I was going to be your boss's wife?"

After Ye Guchen helped her resolve her inner turmoil, Zhu Zhuqing had long since fallen for the man before her. After these days of being together, their relationship had grown much closer, but having it pointed out so suddenly still made her feel shy.

Watching Zhu Zhuqing's maidenly demeanor, Ye Guchen pulled her into his arms, lifted her chin with one hand, and met her gaze.

"Then, Miss Zhu Zhuqing, would you be willing to be the mistress of my Hundred Treasures Pavilion?"

Faced with Ye Guchen's sudden confession and this strange posture, Zhu Zhuqing's face turned bright red. She broke free from his hand and buried her head in his chest.

Ye Guchen felt a warmth in his arms, accompanied by the sound of a rapid heartbeat against her soft body.

After a moment, Zhu Zhuqing whispered three words.

"I am willing!"

Hearing this, Ye Guchen pulled her closer and kissed the half-exposed, flushed, and incredibly smooth face of Zhu Zhuqing.

A sensation of softness and heat spread across his lips.

A moment later, Zhu Zhuqing rose from his arms, sat beside him, and leaned against his shoulder.

"I'm worried I won't do a good job..."

Ye Guchen reached out and flicked the tip of her nose.

"Silly girl, the Hundred Treasures Pavilion will grow big and strong sooner or later. Take advantage of this development stage to learn some management experience. Even if you accidentally mess up, it's only a small loss."

Hearing this, Zhu Zhuqing's eyes became firm as she looked at Ye Guchen.

"Go ahead with peace of mind; I will manage the Hundred Treasures Pavilion well for you!"

As soon as she finished speaking, while Ye Guchen was taking the previous bills out of his storage soul tool ring, Zhu Zhuqing suddenly reached out, cupped his face, and kissed his lips.

Instantly, a moist, soft sensation, mixed with Zhu Zhuqing's unique fragrance, flooded his senses. Ye Guchen unconsciously set the files on the table, wrapped his arms around her soft waist, and responded to her.

Although he didn't know why the usually cold Zhu Zhuqing had become so passionate, Ye Guchen—having been "educated" by Ma Xiaotao—was no longer the novice who only dared to talk big. He could have taken things further.

But considering Zhu Zhuqing's age, he suppressed the heat. A moment later, they parted.

After the impulse faded, what remained was an even more intense shyness, and Zhu Zhuqing's face began to burn.

Seeing this, Ye Guchen gently rubbed her cheek and began to analyze the bills on the table for her.

Though shy, Zhu Zhuqing listened very carefully.

Unexpectedly, Zhu Zhuqing grasped this knowledge very quickly. After just one explanation, she mastered the business concepts he had brought from his previous life, while also managing to combine them with the actual situation on the Douluo Continent.

Ye Guchen couldn't help but hold her in higher regard.

It seems the idea of leaving the Hundred Treasures Pavilion to her was absolutely correct.

However, the pent-up fire clearly wouldn't disappear into thin air. Since Zhu Zhuqing was still young, it seemed Ma Xiaotao would have to suffer for it.