Chapter 38: Chapter 36: Grand Opening, Qin Shaoyou’s Misunderstanding
In late July, Xianyu Shop officially opened for business.
Huo Sining didn’t know many people in S City, so the day before opening, she only notified the Su Siblings, Mrs. Xu, Jin Chenyu, and a few shop owners nearby.
However, what Huo Sining didn’t expect was, just after she opened the door that morning, she saw many unexpected people.
Su Qingqing was the first to arrive, not only bringing a flower basket but also setting off firecrackers, which surprised and delighted Huo Sining.
Old Lady Xu came with a large group of fish enthusiasts to support the event.
Seeing that the quality of Huo Sining’s fish was indeed good, Old Lady Xu’s fish enthusiast friends had gleaming eyes and kept urging Huo Sining to lower the price more and more.
A group of old men and women chattered noisily; it was lively but also left Huo Sining almost in tears of laughter.
Not long after, Jin Chenyu arrived and when he saw Huo Sining’s store, his eyes flashed with confusion and complexity.
He was aware of Huo Sining’s family background in Rongcheng, but why, in just a short month, had this girl undergone such a huge change that she could afford a shop in S City?!
Jin Chenyu’s mind was filled with many thoughts, but now was not the time to ask.
He didn’t come empty-handed either; besides a potted money tree, he also brought Huo Sining the S University admission notice that she had been eagerly awaiting.
Upon seeing the notice, Huo Sining’s eyes instantly brightened. She held the notice in her hands, caressing it, unable to let go, her eyes moist with emotion.
This was something she had hoped for in her past and present life, as it was truly earned through her own hard work and effort.
“That’s wonderful, Ningning, now you’re really going to be my junior,” Su Qingqing exclaimed joyfully, but upon seeing the major listed on the notice, she felt a bit downcast and came up with an idea with a twinkle in her eye.
Huo Sining could hardly contain her amusement. She had chosen a major in mathematics initially because the admission threshold for that program at S University was the lowest, and she had selected it as a sure thing.
According to her plan at the time, as long as she could get a degree, she could find a job even if the major was not directly related to her future work; if all else failed, she could go back to Rongcheng and become a math teacher.
Su Qingqing was suggesting she study appraisal, but Huo Sining had no clue about antiques, jewelry, jade artifacts, or any of that. She was completely ignorant.
And her family didn’t run a jewelry business—what use would that knowledge be to her?!
If she were really to switch majors, she would prefer to switch to animal husbandry, breeding, or biology to learn how to breed fish or study which valuable aquatic species in rivers and oceans she could sell for money.
Thinking this, Huo Sining had an idea—if she really wanted to change her major, she could consider looking into a field related to aquatic species.
“Who wants to study archaeology?”
As she was thinking, a voice came from outside, and when Huo Sining turned her head, she saw Su Jinyuan walking in with an elderly man.
Seeing the man, Huo Sining was stunned.
“Professor Xie, you came as well?” Huo Sining was surprised, as the elderly man was none other than Xie Daoyuan, the professor who had previously helped Su Jinyuan appraise pearls.
Professor Xie smiled and said, “I heard from Jinyuan that Miss Huo’s shop was opening today, so I followed him to join in the fun. I hope my old self isn’t intruding?”
Huo Sining hurriedly replied with humility, “How can you say that? Your presence brings honor to my humble shop. It’s quite small here, but if you don’t mind, you’re welcome to sit upstairs.”
Professor Xie waved his hand, “No rush, attend to your customers. I want to buy a couple of fish to give to my spouse, so I’ll look around first.”
Su Jinyuan and Xie Daoyuan had looked at every aquarium in the shop without discerning anything special.
After pondering for a while, Xie Daoyuan took out his phone and called someone, “Xiao Qin, let me ask you something. What’s the name of the fish your teacher keeps in the living room again?”
Whatever was asked on the other end, Xie Daoyuan clarified, “No, one of your teacher’s two fish died a few days ago, and it just so happened that a young friend of mine opened a fish shop near Chenghuang Temple, so I came over to have a look since I had nothing better to do, and also to buy a couple of fish for your teacher’s wife. I don’t understand this stuff, so I’m asking you how to choose. You’re coming over? You’re not busy in the lab today? Alright, then, I’ll send you the name of the shop, and you can come along.”
Jin Chenyu was sitting at the counter and hadn’t paid much attention when Xie Daoyuan made the call to Xiao Qin, but then he heard Xie Daoyuan ask the other party if he was busy in the lab.
Jin Chenyu’s eyelids twitched violently as he thought to himself: It couldn’t be that coincidental, could it? Surely it wasn’t Qin Shaoyou, right?
However, his hopes were shattered the next moment when Su Jinyuan, seeing Xie Daoyuan hang up, asked curiously, “Who’s coming over?”
Xie Daoyuan replied with a smile, “A student of your teacher’s wife, currently working in the research lab at S University. He specifically researches ornamental fish, much more professional than we are at picking them.”
A Qin who studied ornamental fish in the S University lab— if it wasn’t his older cousin, then who was it?
Upon hearing this, Jin Chenyu knew trouble was coming. His cousin was exceptionally clever, and he would surely guess that the person who sold the angelfish to him was Huo Sining.
Jin Chenyu was frantic. He had helped Huo Sining scam Qin Shaoyou, but would that guy take out his anger on Huo Sining?
The more he thought about it, the more restless Jin Chenyu became, and he immediately stood up, preparing to slip away unnoticed.
“Hey, Brother Jin, where are you going?” Huo Sining had just come out of the back partition and saw Jin Chenyu about to leave, hastily grabbing him, “I’ve already booked tables at the hotel. Let’s have the opening banquet before you go.”
Jin Chenyu’s expression stiffened, and he tried to find an excuse to leave. But Huo Sining would not let go, his face stern, and Jin had no choice but to dejectedly sit back down, feeling nervous and uneasy.
Sure enough, it wasn’t long before Qin Shaoyou arrived casually dressed in a plaid shirt and slacks, appearing at ease in front of the shop.
Seeing Jin Chenyu, he curled the corners of his mouth, looking at his own cousin with a mocking smile.
Jin Chenyu, feeling utterly guilty, didn’t dare meet his gaze and turned his head away, pretending not to have seen him.
Idiot! Qin Shaoyou silently cursed in his heart, turning to walk over to Xie Daoyuan, “Professor.”
“Ah, you’ve arrived.” Xie Daoyuan nodded with a smile, “How do you pick that Dragon Pattern Dottyback your teacher has? Help me choose, I don’t understand fish, but I see that the young girl here has indeed raised some very fine ones, much livelier than the ones your teacher has! Such talent at a young age, she’s not a simple one, this girl!”
Speaking unintentionally but overheard with purpose, Qin Shaoyou instinctively looked towards the girl who was bustling in and out, busy with work, and thought to himself:
Isn’t that remarkable? She has the ability to make a near-dead angelfish “come back to life” and fooled my cousin into helping her swindle my money; this girl’s skill and tactics are extraordinary.
Having followed Jin Chenyu to Mrs. Xu’s building, Qin Shaoyou had become suspicious of Huo Sining.
Later, using an excuse, he visited Mrs. Xu’s home again, only to discover that her home had one more angelfish than before.
On inquiry, he found out that the fish was a gift from Huo Sining, and Mrs. Xu sang high praises for the mysterious fish expert mentioned by Huo, zealously calling him a miracle worker.
Having studied ornamental fish for so many years, Qin Shaoyou could tell the difference even in fish that looked identical to laypeople.
Just as there are no two leaves in the world exactly alike, there are no two ornamental fish that look precisely the same.
The “resurrected” Rainbow Fish that Mrs. Xu spoke of was identified by Qin Shaoyou at a glance as not the same fish. The patterns and colors were different.
The girl’s pillar-switching scam was masterfully and skillfully executed, instantly earning her a following of admirers with the switch of an angelfish!
Thinking of this, Qin Shaoyou couldn’t help but snicker. Most likely, the skilled fish expert she mentioned was none other than herself!