Chapter 882 Temptation (Part 2)
Yang Haoran didn't linger long outside the shop. After a brief look, he stepped towards the entrance of the Yin-Yang Emporium.
Upon entering the Yin-Yang Emporium, Yang Haoran's gaze swept around. Indeed, there were quite a few customers inside—a fact he had already surmised from outside, so it came as no surprise.
The shop's interior had undergone significant changes compared to before. While the area hadn't changed, it now appeared grander and felt much more comfortable.
Furthermore, Yang Haoran noticed a substantial increase in the variety of goods available. Some of the peculiar items were things he had never even seen before, prompting him to take a few extra glances.
Several shop assistants were busily attending to customers. One of them spotted Yang Haoran as he entered and immediately approached him with a wide smile.
"Greetings, Esteemed Underworld Official. How may I assist you today? We have a complete selection of goods here, whether it's items from the mortal realm or the Underworld, we have them all for sale."
The female assistant spoke to Yang Haoran with a respectful smile.
"What if you don't have something I want? " Yang Haoran asked with a smile.
The female assistant replied fluently, clearly indicating that Yang Haoran was not the first to ask this question, and their Yin-Yang Emporium had a well-established procedure for such matters.
"Heh heh, you've thought of everything. For now, I'm not sure what I want to buy. I'm just idly browsing, you don't need to mind me. " Yang Haoran said with a smile.
"My apologies for disturbing you, Esteemed Official. If you require anything, please feel free to instruct any of our shop assistants at any time."
After respectfully bowing, the female assistant went to attend to other customers, showing no intention of lingering.
Watching the female assistant's retreating figure, Yang Haoran fell into thought. He then retracted his gaze, scanning the other assistants in the shop as if searching for something, his eyes finally settling on a female assistant behind the counter.
This female assistant had an ordinary, unremarkable appearance. However, she was different from the other staff; while they were busy greeting customers on the shop floor, she was at the counter handling payments and appraising valuable items customers brought in.
Though her looks were plain, Yang Haoran remembered her vividly. His primary reason for coming to the Yin-Yang Emporium today was this very woman.
Seeing that the female assistant had just seen off another customer, leaving the counter temporarily free except for herself, Yang Haoran walked towards it with a smile on his face.
Before he even reached the counter, the female assistant spotted him approaching. She paused for a moment, then a smile bloomed on her face, clearly recognizing Yang Haoran.
"Esteemed Underworld Official, long time no see. What brings you to our Yin-Yang Emporium today? " the female assistant greeted him proactively.
"Heh heh, I don't come to the Underworld often, so I haven't had the chance to patronize your esteemed establishment," Yang Haoran replied with a smile.
"You're too kind, Esteemed Underworld Official. Even if you're not here to make a purchase, it's always good to just drop by. Perhaps you might even stumble upon a treasure you need here," the female assistant said, smiling.
Yang Haoran nodded with a smile, his gaze sweeping over the various goods in the shop, then he turned back to the female assistant.
"You're right. I just had a quick look, and I already found a few things that would indeed be useful to me. It's just a pity that I'm a bit strapped for cash lately, so I can't afford to buy them even if I wanted to."
Hearing this, a hint of confusion flashed in the female assistant's eyes.
"Does that mean you've encountered some difficulties recently, Esteemed Underworld Official?"
Yang Haoran nodded again, a wry smile on his face.
"I'm preparing to open an apothecary in the Underworld, and to achieve this, I've exhausted all my savings. So now I'm completely broke. Forget about buying a few treasures to carry around; I can barely afford to top up my phone bill."
The female assistant didn't believe that Yang Haoran was truly this impoverished. In her opinion, he was simply joking.
However, the news that Yang Haoran was opening an apothecary in the Underworld did surprise her somewhat.
"Esteemed Underworld Official, you're opening an apothecary in the Underworld? Congratulations! An apothecary is much easier to run than our general store, and the profits are greater too. Oh, when will it open? " the female assistant asked, not bothering to hide her surprise.
"Everything is ready; all that's missing now is a shop manager. As soon as I find a suitable one, we can open for business immediately," Yang Haoran replied with a smile.
"Heh heh, with your capabilities, Esteemed Official, finding a shop manager shouldn't be difficult," the female assistant said with a smile.
"If I were merely looking for any shop manager, then of course it wouldn't be difficult. But to find a shop manager that satisfies me—now that's not a simple matter," Yang Haoran chuckled.
"Heh heh, it seems your requirements are quite high, Esteemed Official," the female assistant said, smiling.
Yang Haoran did not answer this question from the female assistant, instead asking about her current situation.
"How are you doing at the Yin-Yang Emporium?"
The female assistant was slightly taken aback, not expecting Yang Haoran to suddenly ask such a question. But her surprise lasted only an instant before she recovered.
"Thank you for your concern, Esteemed Official. I'm doing well here. Our boss treats me very kindly. Now, he has entrusted me with the full management of this Yin-Yang Emporium. He has high expectations for me, and I don't want to disappoint him," the female assistant replied with a smile.
Upon hearing this, Yang Haoran's expression remained unchanged, but a deep sense of regret welled up in his heart.
He understood what his previous words implied, and the female assistant's response had naturally made her meaning clear as well.
"Heh heh, it's good that you're doing well. My name is Yang Haoran. May I know your name? " Yang Haoran asked with a smile.
"To answer you, Esteemed Official, my name is Si Ying," the female assistant replied.
"Si Ying, a beautiful name. If you ever encounter any difficulties in the future, you can come to my apothecary for help."
Yang Haoran said with a smile, leaving the detailed address of his apothecary. He chatted with Si Ying for a while longer, and only when a customer came to check out did he bid her farewell and leave the Yin-Yang Emporium.
Walking out of the Yin-Yang Emporium, Yang Haoran gave a wry smile and let out a low sigh.
The first time he met Si Ying, Yang Haoran had noticed that she was quite knowledgeable and capable, leaving a profound impression on him.
His main purpose in coming to the Yin-Yang Emporium this time was to see if he could poach her for his own use. However, the outcome left him somewhat disappointed and regretful; she had subtly refused him.
Although he felt regret, he wasn't surprised. He could see that Si Ying was a talent, so how could Huo Laoban not see it? He didn't believe Huo Laoban was dumber than him, Yang Haoran.
Knowing that Si Ying was a talent, Huo Laoban would certainly cultivate her diligently and find ways to retain her. In that case, it wouldn't be so simple for others to "dig at the wall's corner."
To retain someone, the best method is to win their heart. As long as their heart is won, others will find no place to "dig at the wall's corner."
From Si Ying's reply, Yang Haoran knew that Huo Laoban had indeed won Si Ying's heart. In this situation, poaching Si Ying would be incredibly difficult, not just for him, Yang Haoran, but for anyone else.
And even though Yang Haoran knew that poaching Si Ying was unrealistic, he still told her to seek him out if she had difficulties. This was merely a contingency plan, albeit one that now seemed somewhat feeble.
Only if Huo Laoban and Si Ying had a complete falling out one day might this contingency plan prove useful. Otherwise, it was nothing more than a polite formality.
Whether that day would come, he didn't know, but one thing he did know was that he didn't have the time to wait for it.
Of course, he could also try to sow discord to achieve his goal, but it was uncertain whether such a method would succeed. Even if he did succeed in the end, if Si Ying ever learned the full story, how would she view him, and how would he face her?
Therefore, he had no intention of sowing discord. "A forced melon isn't sweet," and since Si Ying didn't want to follow him, he wouldn't force the matter.
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