“Caught” Reading Novels, Preparing for the Interview

Liu Xing's little breeding facility wasn't home to just those four pet beasts.

He also showed Lin Yuan the research areas, communal breeding areas, and rearing areas.

They housed quite a few ordinary-grade pet beasts, and even animals that hadn't reached a grade at all.

Liu Xing explained why. He hadn't spent all his time idling since graduating from high school.

Even if beastmaster high school graduates had a two-month break before university, that didn't mean they could spend both months doing nothing but play.

Different university majors had different entrance requirements.

Those pursuing combat had to spend the summer battling and exploring. Those studying support and healing had to intern at pet beast hospitals or tend to casualties caught up in wild pet beast battles.

As for those pursuing breeding, besides interning at the Breeding Center, it was best if they could write a short paper beforehand.

Liu Xing's current research topic was "The Effects of Music on Different Types of Pet Beasts: An Experimental Analysis Based on the Kodal Index."

Seeing that it was nearly time, Liu Xing stopped holding forth. "Anyway, your talent and abilities are well suited to breeding too. Speaking from experience, if you can write a paper that gets published in a national journal while you're still in high school, it'll earn you a lot of points."

"Teacher Chen Xuanbai is good at this. You should ask him about it."

"And when it comes to writing papers, I'm definitely more experienced than you. If you have any questions, you can ask me too."

When it came to writing papers, Liu Xing might not actually be better than him—after all, Lin Yuan had published quite a few papers in international journals in his previous life.

He had studied how papers were structured in this beastmaster world. They placed greater emphasis on experimental data and analyses of pet beast behavior, but there really wasn't a unified standard for writing conventions and formatting.

"Got it, Senior Liu Xing," Lin Yuan said with a smile.

Hearing Lin Yuan call him "senior" made Liu Xing feel oddly uncomfortable.

Surely this kid couldn't have secretly written a pile of papers already?

Impossible. Absolutely impossible!

"Well, school starts for you in a couple of days, and you've still got a business to run. But I reckon money will start getting less tight for you soon. If you need help with anything, like hiring staff, just let me know!"

"Remember to balance work and rest, too. Listen to some music now and then, admire a few flowers. There have been more and more tragedies these past few years involving high school beastmasters staying up for days studying and training their pet beasts. You strike me as someone who pushes himself hard in private, so know your limits."

At that, Liu Xing adopted the air of a man speaking from experience. "It's fine to watch a few short dramas once in a while, too. Just don't tell anyone."

Lin Yuan scratched his head. Why did watching a short drama sound like sneaking around as a thief? "Yeah, I usually read novels to unwind."

Liu Xing looked startled. "Good grief! I thought getting hooked on short dramas was bad enough, but you've gotten hooked on novels? You know those things can keep you reading day and night. Where are beastmasters like us supposed to find that kind of time?"

Lin Yuan didn't know what to say to that.

In this world, it was considered "shameful" for beastmaster students to spend time on entertainment.

"The lives of pet beasts in some novels are fascinating. They give me ideas, too," Lin Yuan said. "We put too much weight on the word 'beastmaster.' We treasure high-quality pet beasts and treat low-quality ones as tools. Sometimes that means missing out on something valuable in spirit."

"At the end of the day, we're human. We should stay close to everyday life and keep our feet on the ground."

Those two remarks took Liu Xing by surprise again.

That wasn't something teachers taught at school.

But coming from Lin Yuan, it did make some sense.

"Have you read any novels about Illusion Dream Butterflies?" Liu Xing asked suddenly, his thoughts taking a turn.

"No... Search for them yourself." Lin Yuan was at a loss with him. Whatever topic they discussed, Liu Xing could somehow steer it toward fate, then back to Zizi.

"Mm-hmm..." Liu Xing looked thoughtful. "I'll take you to the banquet hall first. Message me when the meeting's over. You've got to eat here before you leave."

Five minutes later, Lin Yuan reached the banquet hall.

Liu Xing turned back toward his small breeding facility.

On the way, he agonized over it for three minutes before downloading the red app Lin Yuan had recommended. Then, without hesitation, he searched for the five characters meaning "purple Illusion Dream Butterfly" in the title field.

A novel titled Illusion Dream Butterfly: Transformation and Rebirth Begin with Discovering Beauty soon appeared before his eyes.

"Well, Lin Yuan will probably be busy for over an hour. I'll just read a little. Maybe it really will give me some ideas."

Inside the banquet hall.

The business expert Liu Xing had found within his Lineage had just arrived. Carrying a briefcase and dressed in a suit, he had the refined air of a scholar.

"Hello. I'm the deputy head of the Liu Family's business division. Just call me Huo Yu. The young master said a very good friend of his was coming to consult me about some business matters. I've already reviewed the basic information you provided." Huo Yu held out his hand.

Lin Yuan shook it and smiled. "I'm Lin Yuan. Sorry to trouble you today, Brother Huo."

"Please, sit."

At the conference table, Huo Yu took out a folder containing a thick stack of papers. Clearly, he had prepared thoroughly.

But he didn't open it. Instead, he said to Lin Yuan, "Young Master Lin, Huo Yu is fine. I've done an in-depth analysis of your Spirit Dew, the Yellow Crane Tower Shop you plan to work with, and several factors concerning its main lines of business."

"Would you like to hear my report first, or tell me your thoughts so I can factor them into my analysis?" He opened his laptop as he spoke.

"Just call me Lin Yuan." In two lifetimes, this was the first time anyone had called him "young master." It felt strange...

"I'd like to start by explaining how I see things and what I hope to achieve." With that, Lin Yuan took a document envelope from his backpack.

Inside were neatly organized printouts, with handwritten notes and different tabs visible on the pages.

That surprised Huo Yu a little.

He knew Lin Yuan was only a second-year high school student, though running a pet food shop on his own for two years had given him some business experience.

Still, given Lin Yuan's age and experience, Huo Yu had prepared a comprehensive overview and set of recommendations.

But Lin Yuan had clearly done his homework.

That immediately made things more interesting. As deputy head of the Liu Family's business division, Huo Yu wouldn't have come if not for Liu Xing.

When giving business advice, he believed an exchange of ideas was what really made sparks fly.

He closed his laptop again and listened quietly.

Lin Yuan turned to the last page of his notes and read out the points he had summarized:

"First, Spirit Dew is only a Transcendent-grade product. The Yellow Crane Tower Shop sells many things, but the products it dominates the market with are high-end luxury goods, including clothes and bags made from high-quality beast materials. That means my product won't affect its main product lines."

"Yet Huang Tao seems to attach great importance to it. I still can't pin down why, though I have a guess. I'd like to hear your analysis and advice on that."

"Second, regardless of the terms the Yellow Crane Tower Shop proposes, the raw material for Spirit Dew can still only be sold through my Yuanming Pet Food Shop."

"They can use it to make different products, but they must state that the raw material comes from my shop."

"I've already mentioned this to Liu Xing, so I believe he's said a little about it to you."

"What worries me is that, in business partnerships, most companies want exclusive rights. My bottom line may clash with Huang Tao's, and if so, the negotiations could end with us trying to draw water in a bamboo basket."

"I'd like your advice on that. I agreed to meet because I want a deal and I want to profit from it. Nobody wants to waste time."

"Finally, the Yuanming Pet Food Shop needs to expand its range of products. Right now, there are glaring gaps in what it offers."

"Money isn't my first priority in this partnership with the Yellow Crane Tower Shop. I also want access to some of its supply channels so I can broaden my shop's offerings."

"But I'm not sure how to arrange that exchange, or in what proportions."

Huo Yu nodded as he listened.

Those three concise points saved him a full half hour of the report he had planned. He now knew what Lin Yuan wanted, what he understood, and where he drew the line.

After a moment's thought, he said, "I'll address each question in turn. Take it as a reference."

"First, from what I've gathered, the Yellow Crane Tower Shop has placed great importance on all healing-related products for the past five years, regardless of grade. Some say it's collecting ingredients and products to develop its own 'miracle cure' and branch into medical products."

"Others say it may have discovered a new evolutionary path and needs materials with those functions."

"In any case, it buys a lot, but almost none of it goes back out. It's all used internally."

"That brings us to your second question. I think the Yellow Crane Tower Shop probably won't want exclusive rights. What it's more likely after is a stable supply from you."

"So for now, you needn't worry too much about a clash of bottom lines."

"What matters more at this point is how much we can sell it for."

"Based on how badly it needs the product and how much it needs, I think the price could fall between sixty thousand and one hundred thousand Alliance Coins per ten drops. The specifics will depend on tomorrow's negotiations."

"Third, you want to fill out your shop's offerings and gain access to supply chains. To some extent, that will depend on Spirit Dew's final price."

"But an even bigger factor is whether the Yellow Crane Tower Shop sees you as worth investing in and partnering with. In other words, whether Spirit Dew is the limit of what your pet food shop can offer."

After hearing the first point, Lin Yuan had more or less confirmed his earlier suspicion—

This might really have something to do with Huang Tao's Fortune Dog.

Huo Yu's straightforward answers also helped Lin Yuan see new possibilities.

The two went back and forth, discussing and anticipating the situations they might face tomorrow and working out how to respond.

The discussion lasted nearly an hour, but it flowed as smoothly as drifting clouds and running water. Huo Yu remarked several times on Lin Yuan's quick thinking and business instincts.

If Young Master Liu Xing hadn't said Lin Yuan was such a close friend of his, Huo Yu would have asked whether Lin Yuan was interested in interning in their division.

Lin Yuan learned a great deal as well. Having a professional help him sort through the logic, practice thinking on his feet, and develop concrete plans was far more efficient than puzzling it out alone.

During the discussion, Lin Yuan also told Huo Yu about what he had discovered concerning the Fortune Dog and how he had interpreted it.

Once again, Huo Yu marveled at Lin Yuan's unusual angle. As a professional, he focused on market data, cash flows, and trend indicators. It would never have occurred to him to search a gossip forum for relevant information.

Huo Yu thanked him with a smile, saying Lin Yuan's approach had given him a new perspective.

The whole discussion was thoroughly enjoyable.

Lin Yuan felt more certain than ever.

He had completed a practice run and prepared for the various possibilities.

But he had a feeling: if that Fortune Dog appeared tomorrow, everything would become much simpler...

After thanking Huo Yu again and saying goodbye, Lin Yuan took out his phone and messaged Liu Xing:

"I'm done here."

Liu Xing, who normally replied in an instant, took a full three minutes this time.

"Lin Yuan, my brother, you've ruined me. I'm hooked on novels..."