Chapter 624: The Money Was Well Spent

Chapter 624: The Money Was Well Spent

Jiangnan fell silent. He had come from an orphanage himself, so of course he knew the feeling of not knowing where his next meal would come from...

When the teacher asked for tuition fees and the whole class had paid except for him, all eyes would be on him...

That suffocating feeling—Jiangnan never wanted to experience it again!

Why did Jiangnan love money so much?

Because he had been poor and afraid!

In an instant, Jiangnan's heart softened.

Wait—could Yao Hong be lying to me?

She definitely knew his background. If she was making up a story to trick him...

A murderous intent flickered in Jiangnan's eyes!

He pulled out a bottle of Big Green Stick and tossed it to Yao Hong. "Here~ I've got the booze, you've got the story! I want to hear it!"

Yao Hong stared blankly at the Big Green Stick Jiangnan had thrown over, her pretty face darkening.

"We're in the bathroom! Are you serious?"

Who drinks while sitting on the toilet?

Doesn't this scene feel a bit off?

Wouldn't it usually be on a rooftop, a park bench, under a streetlamp...

And here I am sitting on the toilet?

[From Yao Hong: Resentment +333!]

Jiangnan lay sprawled in the bathtub, his chin resting on the edge.

"Drink it! If you don't, I'll kill Gu Xiaowei!"

Yao Hong rolled her eyes, tipped her head back, and downed the Big Green Stick, her eyes growing slightly tipsy and hazy.

Jiangnan's eyes lit up. "Was everything you just told me real?"

Yao Hong smiled bitterly. "Do I have any reason to lie to you?"

Jiangnan was stunned. It was all true?

Damn! So Yao Hong was actually a good person?

She used all the money she made as a scalper for charity?

And I had tricked Dandelion? I was even eyeing their money? I'm not exactly a good person!

Did that make me the big villain?

Jiangnan covered his face. "No one in the underworld does things like you do. There has to be a reason!"

Yao Hong bit her lip. "I've never told anyone this. And don't you go spreading it around..."

Jiangnan thumped his chest. "Lips sealed—that's me, Little Jiangnan!"

Yao Hong fidgeted with the hem of her clothes, her expression conflicted. "My parents died in an earthquake. I was twelve that year. Everything was gone..."

"I thought it was all over, but then that man appeared. He sponsored my education, gave me living expenses as a benefactor."

"He was a professor. I was so grateful to him. I saw him as a father figure. When my world had completely turned dark, he reached out and pulled me up."

"I made up my mind—I would repay him one day, give him back ten or even a hundred times what he'd given me."

Jiangnan listened quietly. Yao Hong had drunk the Big Green Stick—she wouldn't lie.

Yao Hong gritted her teeth. "But that was just wishful thinking on my part. That night, he asked me to come over to his place to play."

"During dinner, he started getting handsy, trying to touch me. I kept telling myself not to think that way. I still believed he was helping me out of kindness, not for some ulterior motive."

"When he saw I wasn't cooperating, he slapped me and said, 'What are you acting all pure for? I've spent so much money on you—what's wrong with having a little fun?'"

Two veins bulged on Jiangnan's forehead. This wasn't a professor—this was an animal!

Yao Hong's eyes reddened. "Once the pretense was broken, he didn't hold back anymore. He tried to force himself on me. I still remember the twisted expression on his face."

"I struggled with all my might. Every last hope in my heart shattered. He wasn't trying to help me—he just wanted my looks, wanted to pick up a girl on the side."

"And I... wasn't the first one he'd picked up. Pretty pathetic, right?"

Jiangnan pressed urgently, "What about the professor? Did he..."

Yao Hong shook her head. "He didn't succeed. I was sixteen that year. That very day, I awakened my petrification ability. I accidentally broke him after turning him to stone..."

"I was wanted. I couldn't go to school anymore. From that day on, I fell into darkness. The light no longer belonged to me. I started learning to be an assassin to make money."

"I built things up from scratch, and later Dandelion came along. I've been pushing forward ever since."

Jiangnan was silent. That day at sixteen was Yao Hong's turning point. Little Yao Hong, full of hope for the world, might have died right then...

Yao Hong rubbed her eyes. "The reason I sponsor Xiaowei and the others is because I don't want anything like that to happen to them again."

"Sometimes I wonder—did I do the wrong thing? That man only wanted my body. If I had just gone along with him that day, maybe everything would be different."

Jiangnan smiled. "There's no such thing as right or wrong in this world. Why make things so complicated?"

"As long as you have no shame in your heart, it's fine. If you hadn't killed that animal, how would I have met you?"

"You, Yao Hong—I want you. And I want Dandelion too!"

Yao Hong shook her head. "I don't want to follow you. The Dandelion money still has to go to..."

Jiangnan stepped forward, lifted Yao Hong's chin, looked straight into her ruby-like eyes, and gave a brilliant smile.

"I don't want Dandelion's money. You can develop Dandelion however you want—I'll support you fully!"

"Also, Dandelion can officially become the international distributor of Southern God's Street Stall! I'll supply the goods. You can take three... no, five percent of the profits for your charity work."

Yao Hong stared at Jiangnan, utterly incredulous.

The reason she had stubbornly refused to yield, preferring death over relying on others, was because she feared that once she became dependent, she wouldn't be allowed to use the money to support those students anymore.

After all, no one would be stupid enough to throw away the money they worked so hard to earn just for nothing.

But Jiangnan wasn't just "stupid"—he was ridiculously "stupid," even giving up his own five percent profits to let her do charity!

And he was still willing to take over a Dandelion like that?

At that moment, Yao Hong truly couldn't understand this man.

Jiangnan smiled. "It hasn't been easy carrying everything on your own all this way, has it?"

"Follow me! Jiangnan will watch over Dandelion! If you run into any problems, tell me, and I'll solve them."

"If anyone bullies you, tell me, and I'll bully them back. With me, Dandelion will go even further."

"Here—just trust me this once, okay?"

Yao Hong looked at Jiangnan, tears shimmering in her eyes. Since Jiangnan had spoken to this extent, if she still refused, she would truly be ungrateful.

She had been secretly reselling Jiangnan's goods all along. She wasn't unaware of his actions.

Though he was usually a demon—a bit arrogant, sharp-tongued, unreliable, and infuriating—

In matters of principle, Jiangnan had never let anyone down.

This was a man worth entrusting herself to.

Yao Hong: "I..."

"Pffffff~"

(⑉Ծ﹏Ծ⑉)

Jiangnan's smile froze. "Listen—she even said yes! So you..."

[From Yao Hong: Resentment +555!]

Bullshit! How do you know what she said?

How are you so amazing?

Yao Hong's face turned completely red. How could this be so awkward?!

Why did this conversation have to happen while she was using the bathroom!

Frustrated, Yao Hong kept punching Jiangnan's stomach with her little fists, but she couldn't help laughing either.

She wiped the moisture from the corner of her eye. "I'm with you! Southern God!"

Jiangnan grinned. That one phrase "Southern God" from Yao Hong meant she had fully acknowledged him as her boss.

"So... could you get out first? I'm still in the bathroom!"

[From Yao Hong: Resentment +888!]

That night, everything that should and shouldn't have been done had been done.

Didn't she have any dignity left?

Jiangnan pouted. "It stinks in here anyway. I don't want to stay!"

Yao Hong: ٩(ŏ﹏ŏ、)۶

Jiangnan teleported back to the room and found Gu Xiaowei pressed against the bathroom wall, listening intently. He was utterly speechless.

Then he grinned. "Haven't you met your new boss yet? Come on, give me a 'Southern God Boss'!"

Gu Xiaowei had naturally overheard the entire conversation in the bathroom.

A look of reluctance flashed across her pretty face, but she obediently said, "Southern God Boss!"

"Heh heh~ Good girl!"

Gu Xiaowei shot Jiangnan a vicious glare, then wrapped herself in the curtain and ran out.

Jiangnan: "Wait! Here—a reward for you!"

He tossed a Luxuriant Beauty Pill her way.

Gu Xiaowei stared blankly at the candy in her hand. Giving her candy?

Was he treating her like a kid?

She grudgingly ate the candy and stormed out of the room like a gust of wind.

Jiangnan lay back on the bed, arms behind his head, humming a little tune. He felt a bit happy.

Even though he hadn't gotten any money—and even felt like he had taken a loss—Jiangnan felt the money was well spent.

Helping more kids who couldn't afford school get an education was a good thing. It could also nurture talent for Dandelion.

People like that, with known backgrounds and high loyalty, were invaluable to an organization.

No wonder Shanmiao had said before that their plan to infiltrate Dandelion had failed. Compared to other organizations, the members of Dandelion felt more like family.

As for this loss—couldn't he just recover it from the Blood Alliance?

Maybe he wouldn't make a profit, but he definitely wouldn't lose!

Jiangnan lay in bed for over two hours, almost falling asleep.

Suddenly, the sound of running water came from the bathroom. Jiangnan groggily opened his eyes. Finally done?