Hearing this, Liu Ergou finally understood the whole story.

So, the man and woman in front of him were here to discuss a partnership with Lu Shuangyue.

But their attitude really didn't seem right.

To me, they look more like… COUGH, COUGH... well, anyone with eyes could see what was really going on.

Just as Liu Ergou understood the situation and was about to speak, the pot-bellied man cut him off.

"Manager Lu, are we going to discuss this partnership or not!" he demanded. "You leave your guests sitting here while you have a nice chat with some little country bumpkin. That's incredibly disrespectful!

"Besides, what's wrong with asking for 20,000,000? That price is perfectly fair. Don't you know what state Baozhi Hall is in? We need a top-tier influencer to livestream and save your business. That 20,000,000 is their appearance fee! Understand?!"

Hearing the middle-aged man, Liu Ergou sneered and cut him off. "Alright, stop spouting nonsense! Extortion is extortion, don't try to dress it up with such pompous words! I, Liu Ergou, don't need you so-called influencers today. Now, get the hell out and go back to wherever you crawled from! Do you understand me?"

At this, Liu Ergou glared and took a step forward.

In the next second, the man and woman felt an immense, oppressive pressure bearing down on them, so intense it was hard to breathe. They stared at Liu Ergou, wanting to retort, but the crushing aura emanating from him made it impossible to even open their mouths.

Ultimately, the middle-aged man just snorted coldly before scurrying away with the flamboyant woman in tow.

Before leaving, he didn't forget to shout one last threat.

"Manager Lu, I'm telling you, if you keep listening to this country bumpkin, Baozhi Hall will never recover! Sooner or later, you'll regret this. When that day comes, you'll be the one begging me!"

With that, the pot-bellied middle-aged man and the flamboyant woman quickly fled.

Now, only Liu Ergou and Lu Shuangyue were left in the office.

After the pair left, Lu Shuangyue, who was nestled in Liu Ergou's arms, couldn't help but let out a long sigh.

"Ah, Er Gou, now we're really in trouble!"

Hearing this, Liu Ergou asked with a smile, "Why are we in trouble? We're not at the end of our rope yet. What's there to be troubled about?"

Lu Shuangyue didn't answer his question. Instead, she said something completely unrelated.

"Forget it. It doesn't matter anymore. If Baozhi Hall goes bankrupt, then so be it. I've saved a good amount of money over the years. We can still live a carefree life with it, wanting for nothing for the rest of our days. Let's just leave it at that."

With that, Lu Shuangyue slipped out of Liu Ergou's embrace and went back to sit behind her desk. She leaned back in her chair and sighed again.

Watching her dejected expression, Liu Ergou just smiled and shook his head. It was clear Lu Shuangyue was grasping at straws.

Liu Ergou knew a little about online livestreaming. While he wasn't an expert, he was certain of one thing: it wasn't the right solution for Baozhi Hall right now. The hall was missing something—something that would make it truly memorable to everyone.

With this in mind, Liu Ergou sat down across from Lu Shuangyue and said with a smile, "Alright, Shuang Yue, things aren't as bad as you think. Baozhi Hall still has a chance. It just needs a little time."

The moment he said that, Lu Shuangyue, who had looked as dejected as a frostbitten eggplant, suddenly sat bolt upright. Her eyes lit up as she stared at him.

"Er Gou, are you sure? I know the state of Baozhi Hall better than anyone! To be blunt, unless we get an injection of over a hundred million in capital, saving it is next to impossible!"

Despite her words, Liu Ergou's confident expression didn't waver in the slightest.

"Of course I'm sure, Shuang Yue! I have a rough idea, but I'll need your help. If we succeed, saving Baozhi Hall will be a piece of cake!"

Seeing his confidence, Lu Shuangyue took a deep breath and decided to trust him. He was her man; he wouldn't lie to her.

Thinking this, she said, "Tell me what you need, Er Gou. I'll do anything to help, even if I have to go through hell and high water!"

The talk of hell and high water made Liu Ergou chuckle, and he gently tapped her on the head.

"You're exaggerating. I don't need you to do anything that dramatic. I just have a few questions for you. Tell me, whose money is the easiest to earn? Men, women, or children?"

The question had barely left his lips before Lu Shuangyue answered without a moment's hesitation.

"Women's, of course! Take me, for example. I try to be frugal every month, but I still end up buying clothes and cosmetics. The cosmetics are the biggest expense—each purchase can easily be over a hundred thousand!"

As Lu Shuangyue counted on her fingers as if listing her family treasures, Liu Ergou's smile widened.

"Is that so? Then let me ask you, what are the main functions of the cosmetics you buy?"

Again, she didn't hesitate.

"What else? Besides whitening, they're for removing spots and acne or for moisturizing. But in the end, it always comes back to whitening!"

She laughed a little sheepishly, but her laughter trailed off. Her gaze turned skeptical as she looked at Liu Ergou.

"Wait a minute, Er Gou... Don't tell me you're planning to get into cosmetics?"

Seeing she'd caught on, Liu Ergou just smiled and nodded.

But as soon as he did, Lu Shuangyue's face filled with worry. "Ah, your idea isn't bad, but it's incredibly difficult! I know exactly how women think. They want good, immediate results, and the price doesn't really matter. Do you really think that's possible?"

At this, her shoulders slumped again.

Seeing her deflate again, Liu Ergou said nothing. Instead, he rose, walked over, and pulled her into his arms. Only then did he speak. "What's so impossible about it, Shuang Yue? Have you forgotten? I'm a doctor. Think about your own illness. Back then, you were basically handed a death sentence. But what about now?"

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