"How can you go to work in someone else's shop? Don't forget that it was Boss Wu who gave us a job and taught us the skills to survive. We've only just started to achieve something, and you're going to work for someone else's shop. This is ungrateful," Lu Zi said, looking at Hua Hua, whom he had always treated as a sister, with disbelief. The latter had simply packed a small bag and bid them farewell.
At first, Lu Zi thought she wanted to leave the capital and rushed to persuade her. To his surprise, after some hesitation, she revealed the truth: someone had paid her a large sum of money to work in their rouge shop, and she had agreed.
In Lu Zi's opinion, this was a foolish act. The reason he had asked Wu Caiwei if she needed help was because he knew she was kind and wouldn't cheat them after dealing with her so many times. But the other party clearly had ulterior motives. Although they seemed to have given her a lot of money, he knew that some people could be ruthless. If she were to lose her usefulness one day, he couldn't imagine what her fate would be.
"Brother Lu Zi, this is the last time I'll call you brother. We are all unfortunate people. I don't want to work for others my whole life, only to earn a few coppers after all my hard work. You are content, but I am not. Although I know this is somewhat unfair to Boss Wu, just let me be selfish this once. I am determined to get those hundreds of taels of silver. With this money, I can buy a small courtyard as my dowry. When I marry, no one will look down on me. I want to live for myself," Hua Hua said, looking at him with teary eyes. No matter who tried to persuade her afterwards, she was determined to head straight for Wu Caiwei's rival.
When Wu Caiwei heard about it, she showed no reaction. Everyone's experiences were different, and their thoughts were different. When a fortune that could change their destiny was placed before them, some chose to step back rationally, while others wanted to seize it tightly. Both were understandable.
Although she had trusted Hua Hua implicitly before, handing over eighty percent of her rouge-making skills to her, Wu Caiwei had habitually kept a backup. Besides, she had plenty of recipes. The current business targeted common people, so she hadn't even used her best recipes. While the business seemed booming, the actual profit was not much, a far cry from her previous high-end business, almost insignificant.
A few days later, Boss Liu launched several new rouge products, claiming they were the same as Wu Caiwei's, made by the same craftsman. At first, people felt they were similar when they applied them to their faces and bought them in droves, especially since the price was half of Wu Caiwei's. Seeing the endless stream of customers at her shop and Wu Caiwei's deserted stall, Boss Liu couldn't help but smile triumphantly. How could that person, with no background in the capital, dare to compete with him? Impossible.
"Boss, what should we do now?" Lu Zi asked, looking at her with guilt. When the boss had asked him who was reliable, he had recommended Hua Hua. He couldn't bear to see a pretty girl begging on the streets all day, but he never expected his good intentions would harm the boss.
"It's alright. True gold fears no fire. Remember, in business, you'll encounter all sorts of people. We must respond to all changes with constancy. Do you believe that our business will slowly pick up before long?" Wu Caiwei said to him with full confidence. Hua Hua's betrayal had not caused Wu Caiwei any emotional disturbance. She knew that if it wasn't Hua Hua, it would be someone else. As long as Lu Zi didn't betray her, everything would be fine.
He was Wu Caiwei's chosen right-hand man. When her business grew stronger, she planned to hand over all her shops to him for management. If he betrayed her, although Wu Caiwei wouldn't be particularly heartbroken, it would still be troublesome, and she would have to find someone else.
Hearing Wu Caiwei's words, Lu Zi's heart steadied, and he couldn't help but worry about Hua Hua. Having been in contact with the boss for so long, he knew she had her ways and wouldn't speak without reason. Perhaps Hua Hua would be discarded after being used, or maybe their products had some flaws that consumers hadn't discovered yet. Once they did, it would backfire on Hua Hua.
It had to be said that Lu Zi was indeed the person Wu Caiwei had her eye on. His mind worked quickly. He understood that Wu Caiwei had been subtly guiding him, and he was very grateful for that. Having been a beggar for so long, he knew how difficult it was to change one's destiny. Now that the boss was willing to teach him, perhaps he could work under her for a long time.
He didn't believe he had the ability to stand on his own, nor would he betray the boss for a little bit of money. He was determined to learn her skills diligently, so that if one day the boss no longer needed him, he could still support himself.
Wu Caiwei nodded secretly as she watched his thoughtful expression, feeling that he was quite perceptive, understanding her implied meaning and drawing inferences from it.
As for Hua Hua, she occasionally saw Lu Zi. At first, she would consciously lower her head, feeling that what she had done was indeed against her conscience. But with hundreds of taels of silver in her hand, and people showing her respect, she felt a sense of pride. This was how a person should live. Lu Zi and the others were too foolish to stick to Wu Caiwei's shop and work diligently for her, gaining so little in return.
Boss Liu couldn't help but smile as he looked at the wealth Hua Hua brought him. He had also sent people to try and learn from her, but unfortunately, this woman was too cunning. Whenever it came to a crucial moment, she would retreat to her room alone, allowing no one to learn any of her secrets. Sudancn.com
Boss Liu looked at Hua Hua's rather delicate face and slender figure, and couldn't help but have impure thoughts. It was just rouge-making techniques, wasn't it? If he could take her into his own household, wouldn't her skills be his? The more he thought about it, the more he felt it was feasible. Thus, Hua Hua noticed that Boss Liu would often approach her, either giving her a hairpin or a handkerchief.
Having grown up among beggars, she wasn't that naive. Although everyone was equally poor and pitiful, there was no lack of scheming among them. After a few overtures from him, she understood his intentions and secretly considered the feasibility of the matter.
She knew that Boss Liu was trying his best to pry her techniques from her, but she also knew that she couldn't hold out for long. A woman with no background in the capital was no match for him. If she were to enter his household, with her skills, even if the main wife was difficult to deal with, as long as Boss Liu was alive, he would definitely protect her, especially since she brought him considerable income every day. It would also put his mind at ease. The more she thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. Besides, Boss Liu was a decent-looking man.