In a corner of a market street on the Xianzhou Luofu that wasn't particularly bustling but had stable foot traffic.
Baiheng had already set up her small cart stall.
Neatly displayed on the cart were various small and exquisite accessories: Q-version Herta Puppet pendants, badges that were popular for a while in the Interstellar Peace Corporation, and some processed small toys.
Several fluffy, well-made Herta Cloth Dolls were placed in a prominent position, serving as the "Treasures of the Stall."
She herself sat on a small stool behind the stall, seemingly organizing the goods, but secretly checking the updated mission list on her phone.
[Target Character Data Collection Progress]
Guinaifen (Street Performer): Collected.
Sushang (Cloud Knights Recruit): Collected.
Jingliu (Former Sword Master): Collected.
Bailu (Medicine-Carrying Dragon Girl): Collected.
Pending Completion:
Jing Yuan (Luofu General)
Qingque (Diviner of the Divination Commission)
Fu Xuan (Head of the Divination Commission)
Huohuo (Judge of the Ten-Lords Commission)
...Baiheng looked at the list of names, especially the latter ones who clearly held high authority or key positions, and couldn't help but twitch her lips.
(There are still so many people... and each one is harder to deal with than the last.)
She sighed internally.
(Can Jing Yuan be approached casually? Would Fu Xuan be interested in my little stall?)
She looked up at the narrow strip of sky framed by the surrounding buildings and let out a deep sigh.
(No choice. I'm dependent on others, and the mission comes first. If the Master says collect data, then I have to find a way to collect it...)
Just then, the clear, melancholic sound of an erhu drifted faintly from a nearby street corner, like background music, persistently entering her ears.
Baiheng didn't need to look to know who it was.
She shook her head helplessly, lacking even the energy to complain.
(Seriously... a persistent ghost. Didn't they leave yesterday? Are they back today to 'cultivate their sentiments'?)
She tried hard to refocus on her stall. Just as she picked up a cloth doll to adjust its position, a smiling female voice sounded in front of the stall:
"Hello, Boss. Business is thriving."
Baiheng looked up and saw a graceful and elegant Foxian woman standing before the stall.
She had dark brown hair and matching fox ears, gentle green eyes, wore gorgeous Xianzhou clothing, and lightly fanned herself with an exquisite Round Fan. Her smile was perfectly measured, indicating at a glance that she was skilled in social interaction.
Baiheng found the woman somewhat familiar. After a brief thought, she remembered.
That's right. A few days ago at another market, this woman seemed to be selling things too—some kind of holographic memorabilia?
She had even bought a beautiful casual photo of Jing Yuan from her.
So she was also a traveling merchant.
"Thanks to your kind words, I'm barely making a living."
Baiheng quickly stood up, putting on a professional smile. "Miss, you look familiar. Were you doing business nearby before?"
"My name is Tingyun. I do a bit of small business and travel around."
Tingyun bowed slightly, her manners impeccable.
Her gaze had already quickly and professionally swept over all the goods on Baiheng's stall, lingering for a moment particularly on the Herta Cloth Dolls and small mechanical toys. A hint of assessment and appreciation flashed in her amber eyes.
"Boss, these goods of yours are very interesting."
Tingyun lightly tapped a Herta Cloth Doll with her Round Fan. "The craftsmanship and the material—these are definitely not from an ordinary workshop. And these little mechanisms,"
She looked at a badge that popped out a small star when a button was pressed. "The design is clever. Though they are small items, they show great ingenuity. What's even rarer is that some of these styles don't seem common on the Luofu?"
Baiheng felt a slight chill in her heart.
This Tingyun has such sharp eyes!
She chuckled vaguely, "You flatter me, Miss. They're just small trinkets not fit for display. I got the blueprints and materials from some traveling merchant friends and just messed around making them myself."
Tingyun's smile deepened. She leaned forward slightly and lowered her voice, speaking with the sincerity of someone sharing a business secret. "Boss, you are too modest. To be honest, I belong to the Sky-Faring Commission and have some knowledge of commercial trade. Given the quality and uniqueness of your goods, if the channels were open, you would certainly not be 'barely making a living' here. Might the boss be interested in... expanding operations?"
Seeing Baiheng adopt a listening expression, she continued smoothly, "I have some connections in the Luofu business world and know some buyers interested in novel interstellar goods. If the boss trusts me, we can cooperate. You handle the supply, and I handle contacting sales channels and smoothing out certain processes. The profits gained will naturally be distributed fairly. This way, the boss can focus on refining your craft, obtaining better raw materials and blueprints, and won't have to worry about trivial sales, while also bringing these interesting products to more discerning people. Wouldn't that be hitting two birds with one stone?"
Tingyun's words were clear and logical, and the terms sounded quite tempting—it was practically a heaven-sent opportunity for an ordinary itinerant merchant.
Her expression was sincere and her gaze clear. She was clearly not making empty promises but had genuinely seen the business opportunity and value in cooperation.
However, Baiheng was inwardly complaining bitterly.
Expand operations? Cooperate? Where would she find the time and energy for that!
Her primary mission was to quietly approach the target individuals on the list and collect data, not to actually start a business on the Luofu and become a big boss!
A tall tree catches the wind. The more cooperation she had and the wider her contacts, the greater the risk of her "Bai Heng" disguise being exposed, and it might even interfere with the Master's plan.
"Well..."
Bai Heng put on an appropriate expression mixing flattery and regret. She rubbed her hands, appearing somewhat inarticulate and content with her current situation. "Miss Tingyun, I appreciate your kindness. It's just... I'm used to being idle, and my craftsmanship is crude. I'm satisfied just making small things for my own enjoyment and earning some living expenses. Expanding operations and cooperating with others... is truly beyond my capabilities, and I'd worry about letting down your trust."
Her words were very tactful, but the refusal was clear.
A flicker of surprise crossed Tingyun's eyes, but she quickly returned to normal.
She didn't show any displeasure at being rejected. Instead, she nodded understandingly, her smile still gentle. "Everyone has their own ambitions. It was presumptuous of me. The Boss's contented nature is rare."
As she spoke, she took an elegant Calling Card from her sleeve and handed it to Baiheng. "This is my contact information. If the Boss changes your mind later, or if you create a new, special piece, feel free to contact me anytime. Even if we don't cooperate, making a friend and exchanging information is always good."
"Certainly, certainly."
Baiheng quickly accepted the Calling Card with both hands and put it away carefully.
Since the other party had been so gracious and respectful, she naturally reciprocated. "If you don't mind, Miss, please choose any small item from the stall as a token of my goodwill."
Tingyun didn't refuse, laughing, "Then it would be impolite of me to decline." Her eyes scanned the items, and she finally chose the Herta Cloth Doll she had commented on earlier, the one with the most arrogant expression.
"I'll take this one. It's very interesting."
She paid the money, took the doll in her hand, and nodded to Baiheng. "May the Boss's business continue as always, peaceful and carefree. I won't disturb you further."
With that, she offered a graceful curtsy, turned, and walked away elegantly, quickly disappearing into the market crowd.
Baiheng watched the direction she left in and let out a soft sigh of relief.
(What a sharp woman... A person from the Sky-Faring Commission really isn't simple. Thankfully, I managed to fool her.)
Meanwhile, at the other end of the market, Tingyun played with the cool-looking Herta Cloth Doll in her hand, a trace of deep thought flashing in her amber eyes.
(Unwilling to cooperate... is she truly content, or is there something else going on?)
(The source of those goods is definitely not as simple as she claimed.)
(This "Baiheng" is quite interesting.)
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