Chapter 103 Street Stall

Chapter 103: Setting Up a Stall

Yan Zhoubai had been with Zhan Jiayu for a week, and he felt that his life hadn't changed much, except for Zhan Jiayu constantly seeking opportunities to get close to him.

He didn't mind it; being in a relationship meant being affectionate.

However, he was definitely not love-struck. Even though he was dating Zhan Jiayu, who was incredibly capable and a big shot, Yan Zhoubai still wanted to have his own career. It might not compare to Zhan Jiayu’s, but it was essential for him to have one.

So, that weekend, Yan Zhoubai went to set up a stall on Nantian Street.

He woke up a little after seven and lingered in bed, planning to get up by eight, but Zhan Jiayu pulled him back.

Oh, and he had already moved from the room next to Zhan Jiayu’s to sharing a room with him.

“Where are you going, Xiao Chuaner? It’s Saturday—why aren’t you sleeping in?”

Zhan Jiayu wrapped his arms around Yan Zhoubai’s waist, preventing him from leaving. Although he hadn't gotten out of bed, his voice indicated he wasn’t just waking up; he was fully alert.

Zhan Jiayu had a habit of exercising in the morning, but ever since he started sharing a bed with Yan Zhoubai, he had shifted his workout to the evenings. Mornings were now reserved for lingering in bed with Yan Zhoubai.

“Oh, I told you I’m going to set up a stall on Nantian Street today.”

Yan Zhoubai patted Zhan Jiayu’s arm around his waist, hoping he would remove it, but it was no use. With a gentle pull, Zhan Jiayu pressed him back down onto the bed.

“Hahahaha, stop it, that tickles! I really need to go set up my stall—it’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time.”

After pinning Yan Zhoubai down, Zhan Jiayu leaned in, nuzzling and kissing Yan Zhoubai’s neck, which made Yan Zhoubai laugh uncontrollably because it was so ticklish.

Too ticklish? Zhan Jiayu was tempted to give him a bite and let him feel what “too painful” meant, but given that they were currently just sharing a bed and nothing more intimate had happened, he decided to save all that for later—to indulge fully when the time was right.

"Nantian Street is quite crowded and a bit chaotic. I'm not comfortable with you going alone. How about I come with you?"

As it happened, Zhan Jiayu had no work scheduled for today. Ever since he and Yan Zhoubai became a couple, he felt like they had almost become inseparable this past week. He couldn’t bear to let Yan Zhoubai out of his sight.

"No, you're so big and you have such a strong presence. If you sit by my little stall, who would dare to come to me for a feng shui consultation? No, no."

As he spoke, Yan Zhoubai gave Zhan Jiayu, who was nestled in his shoulder, a push.

He had always known that Zhan Jiayu was tall and had a larger frame than him, but it wasn’t until they shared a bed and Zhan Jiayu effortlessly held him snugly in his arms that he truly realized just how big Zhan Jiayu really was.

"What? Are you already tired of me?"

Zhan Jiayu reached out and pinched Yan Zhoubai’s cheek, making his lips pout like a duck’s beak.

"No, no. But you really would affect my business."

Yan Zhoubai shook his head but found he couldn’t break free from Zhan Jiayu’s grip, so he slapped the back of Zhan Jiayu’s hand with a "smack," finally making him let go.

*You ungrateful little thing*, Zhan Jiayu cursed silently in his heart, then sat up.

"Then be careful on your own. Call me if anything comes up."

Zhan Jiayu walked to the bathroom to start washing up, and Yan Zhoubai scampered after him.

The two stood side by side brushing their teeth at the sink. Yan Zhoubai was noticeably smaller than Zhan Jiayu. He wore a cat-ear headband to keep his hair dry while washing his face, and his long hair was tied back with a hair tie.

"It’s fine, Nantian Street just has a lot of tourists, but the area is safe. This is Jing City, after all."

Yan Zhoubai mumbled while brushing his teeth, trying to hold a conversation with Zhan Jiayu.

Zhan Jiayu, of course, knew that Jing City was safe and nothing would go wrong; he said that just to find an opportunity to get closer to Yan Zhoubai.

After getting ready and having breakfast, Yan Zhoubai slung his small bag, pulled a small cart, and prepared to head out.

"Are you sure you don't need me to drive you?"

Zhan Jiayu looked at Yan Zhoubai's outfit and felt like a child heading off on a field trip—all that was missing was a sun hat. Dressed so innocently and with such an innocent face, would anyone actually come to him for fortune-telling or feng shui advice?

Ah well, if no one shows up, it wouldn’t be hard to send a few people his way.

Since Xiao Chuaner was so eager and enthusiastic about starting his own business, he couldn’t just crush his confidence. He still remembered how happy Yan Zhoubai was when he transferred that 5,000-yuan payment to him.

"No need, the subway and bus both go straight to Nantian Street. Nantian Street’s a pedestrian zone with lots of tourists—driving there would be really inconvenient."

Yan Zhoubai waved at Zhan Jiayu, indicating that he would take the bus, and then left home.

It was already August, and though the weather was still hot, it was much better than July. Yan Zhoubai felt lucky he’d been recuperating in the hospital during the hottest part of the year.

Nantian Street was as bustling as ever, packed with tourists, and of course, plenty of locals came here to scout for rare finds.

Yan Zhoubai found an empty spot and set up his stall. His sign read, "Fortune-Telling by a Taoist from Cangru Temple."

He had to leverage the name recognition of Cangru Temple; otherwise, someone as young as him would never get anyone willing to have their fortune told.

There were quite a few fortune-telling stalls on Nantian Street, but compared to antiques and curios stalls, they were much fewer, so Yan Zhoubai hadn’t run into any competition in this spot.

Even though no one was competing with him, business was slow. He had been sitting on his little stool for almost an hour, and no one had come up to ask for a reading.

Yan Zhoubai thought to himself that this couldn’t go on—he couldn’t end up with no business on his first day out.

But he was a bit shy, and he believed that fortune-telling and feng shui were about fate—it felt too strange to sit by the roadside and call out to customers.

Just as Yan Zhoubai was debating whether he should put aside his pride and actively draw in customers, someone came to his stall.

"Is this legitimate fortune-telling? And you’re using Cangru Temple’s name—won’t they come down on you if they find out?"

The person was a middle-aged man around forty or fifty, with a strong Jing City local accent. His face didn’t look particularly fierce or friendly, and Yan Zhoubai couldn’t quite figure out what his intention was.

"It’s legitimate fortune-telling. I’m a disciple who trained at Cangru Temple, and my master knows I’m out here fortune-telling," Yan Zhoubai replied earnestly.

"You trained at Cangru Temple? But you don’t look like a little Taoist at all. What little Taoist dresses like a high school student and has hair like yours? Are you even an adult?"

The middle-aged man looked Yan Zhoubai over several times, his eyes still filled with blatant distrust.

Lao Qin was a common, everyday antiques vendor on Nantian Street, getting up there in years. Selling things was just a hobby for him—making money wasn’t important, as long as he was happy.

No one knew that he had once worked for the old man of the Zhan family, who had made it big in Jing City before moving abroad.

It wasn’t until after the old man of the Zhan family passed away and one of his illegitimate sons took his place that he got in touch with Lao Qin.

Lao Qin had long since left that life behind—the money he made when he was young was enough to live on, and he didn’t want anything to do with the Zhan family anymore.

But he never expected that the young head of the Zhan family would ask him to do something so simple:

While setting up his stall, he should try to stay close to that young man with the Cangru Temple sign offering fortune-telling, and look out for him if anything unusual happened.

For this, the young Zhan Jiayu offered a very generous payment.

Lao Qin truly hadn't expected that in his old age, he would come across such a lucrative and low-effort gig.

Although he didn’t understand why Zhan Jiayu was so interested in this young man who clearly had no business sense, keeping an eye on him occasionally was no trouble at all.

After all, even though he seemed low-key, Lao Qin had been around Nan Tian Street for over a decade and had built up a decent network of connections.

"Mister, I really am an adult. I’m about to start college soon."

Yan Zhoubai felt a bit indignant at having his age questioned—he couldn’t help it if he looked young.

"So you’re running a fortune-telling booth for extra cash?"

The middle-aged man was full of questions. He casually pulled over a stool next to Yan Zhoubai, looking as if he was ready for a long chat.

Seeing this from a distance, Lao Qin finally relaxed.

The young man’s stall had been empty from the start, and it was no surprise—nobody did business the way he did. His appearance didn’t look like that of a fortune teller at all, so it was natural that people avoided him.

But Zhan Jiayu’s task for him only involved stepping in if any problems arose, not teaching him how to run a business, so Lao Qin hadn’t interfered.

Earlier, when he saw the middle-aged man standing at the stall asking questions with a less-than-friendly expression, he thought someone was causing trouble. But now that the man had settled down, Lao Qin felt relieved.

He figured it must be another young scion from a Zhan family business partner, out to experience life. Even though he no longer worked for the Zhan family, everyone knew how publicly the new Zhan Jiayu had returned to the country.

Ah, these young masters just don’t understand the hardships of life. They think they can just set up a sign and start telling fortunes, probably copying some TV drama. And even using the Cangru Temple’s name—he must have no idea how deep the intricacies run.

Lao Qin didn’t pay much attention to Yan Zhoubai’s situation. He leaned back in his recliner, picked up his woven fan, and began humming a tune.

But just as he settled in, a shout jolted him upright.

"Incredible! Truly incredible! This young guy’s got real talent!"

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Author's note: Here we go [thrilled].