519: Chapter 519 He called her a heartless boss to her face!

"Right away, Boss!"

Having received the order, Qian Duoduo acted as if he had been given an imperial decree, scurrying downstairs to invite the guest.

The atmosphere in the private room became subtle due to this uninvited guest.

"Someone from the Lingbao Trading Firm?"

Hua Nongying used her ever-present peach blossom fan to cover her red lips, a glint swirling in her fox-like eyes.

"That's a massive entity. They wouldn't visit for no reason; their goals must be significant."

Jian Buping didn't stop wiping his precious sword, but everyone saw his ears perk up.

The monk Monk Jiese pressed his palms together, muttering softly, "amitabha, I hope it is a well-intentioned guest rather than a malicious one."

Su Chen remained reclined on the lounge chair, not even changing his posture, but his internal monologue was already flowing like a waterfall.

[Those who come are not well-intentioned, and those who are well-intentioned do not come.]

[No matter how extravagantly she speaks later, I must hold my ground. Every extra word is a waste of saliva.]

[Want to take advantage of me, Su? Not a chance; I’ll even weld the windows shut!]

[My money—every single Immortal Stone—is for my wife fund and team expenses. How could I let these black-hearted capitalists have it cheap!]

[Hmm... I need to find a way to test her. Ideally, I can fish some insider info about the immortal body marrow core out of her mouth.]

In his mind, Su Chen quickly formulated a complete "Anti-PUA" battle plan.

A moment later.

Step, step, step...

A steady, unhurried rhythm of footsteps sounded outside the door.

Qian Duoduo pushed open the door with a face full of fawning smiles, respectfully stepping aside and making a "please" gesture.

"Shopkeeper Shen, please come in. Our boss is inside."

A figure stepped inside.

The newcomer wore a gray-blue shop assistant's uniform that was slightly faded from washing, and her face was covered by a pair of Black Jade Lenses that hid most of her features.

She carried a rather heavy food box in one hand and a rolled-up jade slip in the other.

Upon entering the room, her gaze bypassed everyone else and locked precisely onto the Youth in White Robes reclining by the window.

It was him.

The words from the diary, the complaints that made her teeth itch with annoyance, and those shameless grumbles all converged at this moment, becoming the living person before her.

Xie Jinghong's heart skipped a beat without warning.

He was even better looking than she had imagined.

His features were so exquisite he didn't seem like a Mortal, and his skin was as fair as the finest warm jade.

He was also even... lazier than she had imagined.

It was a laziness that seeped from his bones and the depths of his Divine Soul, an utter lack of interest in everything in the world.

It was as if the entire vast Immortal Realm was nothing more than a boring drama not worth investing in.

Su Chen also lifted his eyelids, his gaze sweeping over her indifferently.

His internal monologue went online instantly.

[Eh? This is the deputy manager?]

[She looks quite young and refined, not at all like a nickname...]

[Wait! This is a pawn! The real nickname is her black-hearted boss hiding behind the scenes!]

[Look, she’s been sent to scout the area, to see if we newly ascended folks are just foolish suckers with too much money, making it easier for them to strike precisely at the auction.]

[Look at her outfit, all drab and gray, without even a decent immortal robe. She’s probably a bottom-tier employee at the guild being squeezed by KPIs every day.]

[Sigh, poor soul.]

In his mind, Su Chen had already slapped a series of labels on her, and his eyes even held a trace of faint sympathy.

Xie Jinghong had no idea that her incognito visit had turned her into a "poor corporate slave" being ruthlessly exploited by a black-hearted boss in his eyes.

She forcibly suppressed the strange feeling in her heart, took a deep breath, and stepped forward.

She placed the food box and jade slip gently on the table and gave Su Chen a flawless merchant's salute.

She deliberately lowered her voice by half a tone, stripping away her usual liveliness and playfulness, leaving only a professional detachment.

"This humble one is Shen Que, the Deputy Manager of the Lingbao Trading Firm's Pengcheng Branch. I have come by the manager's order to assist with the auction on the first of the month."

"I heard that Young Master Su and your companions are distinguished guests who have recently ascended, so I have come to pay my respects. I wonder if there is anything the guild can do for you?"

Her rhetoric was airtight.

Her posture was humble and polite.

However, after Su Chen finished listening, he only let out a lazy "mm" from his nose.

He decided to take the initiative and use the most direct method to disrupt her rhythm and see if he could fish out some intel.

He sat up slightly straighter on the lounge chair, his casual manner making it seem like a random question.

"Shopkeeper Shen, you've come at the right time."

"I happen to have something I'd like to ask your Lingbao Trading Firm."

Thoughts raced through Xie Jinghong's mind, but she maintained her professional smile. "Please speak, Young Master Su. This humble one will tell you everything I know."

The corners of Su Chen's mouth slowly curled into a playful arc as he dropped a bombshell of a question.

"Your Lingbao Trading Firm posted a price hike notice at the entrance two days ago."

"The starting price for all auction items has been increased by fifty percent."

"Especially that... immortal body marrow core. Its price was hiked by an additional seventy percent on top of that fifty percent."

He looked at Xie Jinghong leisurely, the mockery in his eyes almost undisguised.

"What is the meaning of this?"

"Is the shop bullying its customers? Or... has your black-hearted boss recently lost even their underwear in stone gambling and is desperate to recoup the losses?"

Boom!

These words were like a bolt of lightning from the Nine Heavens, striking Xie Jinghong squarely on the head!

The professional smile on her face froze instantly, looking like an exquisite but cold mask.

Black-hearted boss... lost everything in stone gambling?!

Desperate to... recoup losses?!

This bastard!

This god-damned bastard!

How did he dare!

He actually dared to say I'm a black-hearted boss right to my face?!

Xie Jinghong's molars ground together, making a cringe-inducing creaking sound.

On her face behind the Black Jade Lenses, her professional smile began to take on a dangerously stiff curve.