The Villain Has A Yuri Halo [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 49.2

In public, she was an academic researcher; in private, she was Master Fugui, a master of astronomy, geography, and treasure appraisal.

Li Ju and the blonde girl had collaborated many times and were old acquaintances.

“Hehe, Sis, this time it’s not an old thing—it’s something new!”

“What is it?”

“Gems! So many gems!” The blonde girl was an extroverted and lively person. Anyone who met her would become her “sister” within three sentences. She dealt in antiques, but she had sworn on her chest that she only sold family heirlooms and never touched anything dug up from the ground.

The blonde girl didn’t bother to hide her face. Her delicate features were completely ruined by her sleazy expression. Li Ju reluctantly looked away and said, “Peipei, didn’t you only deal in antiques? How did you get your hands on gems this time?”

“It’s all because I broke my vow of chastity! Anyway, Sis, just come with me. I’ve been waiting for you for ages!”

Peipei urged Li Ju forward, greeting acquaintances along the way. To an outsider, it would seem Peipei was the local big shot.

“Sis, this is the place,” Li Ju said cautiously, glancing at Peipei. Understanding the cue, Peipei grinned and pulled back the curtain. “After you, Sis.”

The Black Market was a chaotic mix of characters, so caution was paramount. Li Ju’s apprehension was justified.

“Is this the Wealthy Boss you mentioned?”

Every time Li Ju heard this alias, she felt an embarrassing urge to turn and flee. It was all her fault for choosing such a ridiculous name back then. Why couldn’t she have picked something less obvious? It was practically screaming, “This is a fake name!”

Though the name was vulgar, it carried a grand ambition: Li Ju’s family’s hopes for her to strike it rich.

Peipei glared at the woman who spoke. With her slender eyebrows and flirtatious eyes, the woman exuded a seductive charm that Peipei found unsettling. She always felt there was something unnatural about her.

“Flower Snake,” Peipei snapped, “I’ll forgive your ignorance. How do you think my sister earned her reputation? By defeating countless challengers! Do you think just anyone can summon her? It’s my influence that brought her here!”

Li Ju didn’t call out Peipei for continuing to act like she was invisible.

The disdain in Flower Snake’s eyes softened slightly as she smiled coquettishly. “My apologies, I can be a bit brash. But I meant no harm—I just didn’t expect Master Unexpected Fortune to be so young. After all, ‘Wealthy’ sounds like an elderly man’s name. I figured you’d be at least in your forties or fifties, but…”

Li Ju felt even more awkward. She needed to change the subject quickly.

“It’s fine. My name is a bit misleading. Peipei, what about the gemstone you mentioned?”

Peipei slapped her forehead, realizing she’d been so focused on waiting outside that she’d almost forgotten about her important client.

She hurried into an inner room, her attitude fawning and her voice pitched high with forced sweetness.

Li Ju was surprised, but Flower Snake covered her mouth and chuckled. “She’s got a crush on that young man.”

Li Ju wondered what kind of man could make Peipei—who could talk to anyone and adapt to any situation—fall for him. The moment the tall, imposing man appeared, Li Ju instantly understood.

Whoa, no wonder Peipei said she’d broken her vow against lust.

So she’s got her eyes on the male lead, huh?

But why did Li Ju recognize the male lead at first glance?

It was because the male lead, Mu Rongguang, was a melancholic man. His sentimental nature gave him a tendency to cry, often leaving his eyes misty with tears.

Such a man with such a distinctive aura was rare. Combined with Peipei’s mention of the gemstones, Li Ju was absolutely certain this was the male lead.

Peipei stood beside him, her face beaming with excitement. “Hurry up and get the gemstones out,” she urged. “Once my sister authenticates them, I’ll transfer the money to you immediately.”

Mu Rongguang pressed his thin lips together and silently produced a pouch.

Peipei retrieved a red velvet tray and instructed him to pour out all the gemstones, allowing Li Ju to examine them more clearly.

Li Ju took her seat, this time not even bothering to take out her authentication tools. After all, these were Merman gemstones—they couldn’t possibly be fake.

But as soon as this thought flashed through her mind, she frowned.

The gemstones were so crudely crafted that Li Ju didn’t even need a magnifying glass. One glance was enough to tell they were fake.

She examined the other stones—all supposedly the most expensive gemstones on the market—but they were all counterfeit.

Li Ju looked up at Mu Rongguang and said coldly, “Not a single one is real.”

“What?!” Peipei, who had just been captivated by Mu Rongguang’s handsome looks, immediately turned hostile. She pointed a finger at his nose and snarled, “You pretty boy! You deliberately brought fake goods here to cause trouble! Aren’t you afraid of getting beaten up?”

Mu Rongguang’s eyes widened in genuine surprise—this was an outcome he hadn’t anticipated.

He exclaimed excitedly, “You’re the first human to recognize these as fakes! It seems the rumors were true—the Black Market really does harbor formidable individuals!”

Li Ju frowned, cutting to the chase. “You didn’t come here to sell gemstones.”

“Exactly. I wanted to use this method to weed out the incompetent.”

Now that Peipei realized he wasn’t here to sell anything, even his striking looks couldn’t stave off her disgust. She angrily grabbed Li Ju’s arm, ready to leave, but the crowd surged forward, blocking their path. “Master, I still have items I need you to appraise!”

Flower Snake stomped her foot impatiently. “Master Fugui, please don’t leave yet!”

Li Ju desperately wanted to tell her, Stop calling me Fugui!

Mu Rongguang bowed courteously. “Circumstances forced me to resort to this tactic. Master Fugui, may we discuss this further later? If you agree, this entire bag of Aquamarine will be your reward.”

The moment Peipei heard “Aquamarine,” she snatched the bag and handed it to Li Ju.

This time, Li Ju felt around inside the bag with her fingers, raised an eyebrow, and said, “This one’s actually real.”

Mu Rongguang chuckled. “It’s a token of my sincerity, of course it wouldn’t be fake.”

Li Ju didn’t know what he wanted, but how could she possibly help the male lead? Refraining from sabotaging him was already an act of kindness on her part.

So Li Ju remained cool and indifferent, showing none of the usual fervor at the sight of gemstones.

“I’m afraid I’m not interested in your invitation.”

Mu Rongguang’s smile froze. Hearing this, Peipei began shooing him away. “Go, go, go! Trying to trick us instead of selling your wares? You’d have better luck if you just came to me and said you couldn’t tell if the gems in your hand were real or fake. I’d definitely introduce you to my sister, just for your looks. But now? I won’t say a single good word for you!”

Li Ju’s attitude was clear. She sat back down and turned to Flower Snake. “Your wares? Let me see them.”

She genuinely had no interest in Mu Rongguang’s gemstones, which shocked him deeply.

“There aren’t just one, but ten Aquamarines in the bag. Are you sure you don’t want to talk?”

Peipei swallowed hard, her gaze wavering as she looked at Li Ju.

But Li Ju remained composed, smiling faintly. “Twenty stones? Still not interested.”

Mu Rongguang saw the indifference in her eyes and knew he couldn’t persuade her.

As the man left, Peipei said with a pained expression, “Sis, you’re really not taking this job?”

Li Ju nodded. “No. I don’t like complicated matters. You think a job that pays ten Aquamarines would be easy? I’d rather sit here appraising old artifacts for some extra cash.”

Peipei gave her a thumbs-up. “Sis, you’re so steady!”

The others nodded in unison. “Master Fugui truly lives up to her reputation as a Wealthy Boss!”

Li Ju pinched the bridge of her nose, speechless. Please, stop calling me that!

Having been away for so long, Li Ju worked late into the night, until nearly dawn. Peipei stayed by her side the entire time. As they walked past the bowl-sized phoenix tree, they left the Black Market.

Peipei finally spoke up. “Sis, that man is the only son of Hai Xi’s jewelry tycoon. Why would he leave Hai Xi and come here? What’s he after?”

Li Ju wasn’t surprised that Peipei had uncovered Mu Rongguang’s identity. She removed her mask and smiled faintly. “Who knows? Maybe Hai Xi just doesn’t have any truly formidable figures.”

“It’s really strange,” Peipei said. “Even with my connections, it was hard to track him down. I never imagined the sole heir of Hai Xi’s jewelry magnate would be like this. He’s been shrouded in mystery for years, rarely showing his face. His sudden appearance here must mean something big is about to happen.”

Li Ju listened to Peipei’s musings without comment.

Peipei continued, “Sis, do you think he’s here because of the bankrupt Mu Clan? They share the same surname—could they be related?”

Li Ju couldn’t exactly tell her that Mu Rongguang and Mu Linglong were distant relatives, not family in the true sense.

She shrugged dismissively. “What do the affairs of the wealthy have to do with us nobodies?”

Peipei chuckled. “Sis, if you’d ditch that researcher job and focus on your Black Market side hustle, you’d be famous by now.”

Li Ju stopped walking and asked with a smile, “Are you trying to escort me home?”

Peipei shook her head. “I have something else to discuss with you. Let’s talk while we walk.”

“Alright.”

The matter Peipei was referring to concerned Xiao Xue’s biological father. Li Ju was shocked to learn that he had remarried in the countryside. His new wife was a strong and forceful woman who would beat and scold him whenever he refused to work in the fields.

“Who would want a man like that?” Li Ju exclaimed in disbelief.

“Auntie said she might as well keep him around for the rest of her life. If she goes, she’ll definitely take that old geezer with her the same day. Hahaha, I find it quite amusing. Everyone has their own way of thinking. If Auntie wants to keep that old geezer, let her.”

Li Ju chuckled, “As long as he doesn’t cause trouble for Xiao Xue and Grandma.”

“He won’t be running back here anytime soon,” Peipei said confidently. “My people aren’t pushovers.”

Under the hazy moonlight, the two unconsciously found themselves at Li Ju’s doorstep.

“It’s late,” Li Ju asked. “Are you going home or back to that place?”

Peipei pondered for a moment. “I haven’t collected enough stuff yet. I’ll head back there. Grandma at home has recently developed a fondness for gemstones, so I need to gather more for her. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have let that pretty boy fool me.”
“What kind of gemstones are you looking for?”

Peipei’s eyes lit up as she whispered, “Sis, do you have any?”

“Tell me what you want first.”

“Aquamarine!”

Li Ju’s expression immediately soured. “I don’t have that.”

The mere mention of aquamarine reminded her of the male lead, filling her with frustration. Ugh, this is so annoying!

“Sis, you really don’t have any?”

Seeing Peipei’s hopeful gaze, Li Ju suddenly felt mischievous. “I don’t have aquamarine,” she said, “but I do have a Pink Gem. Someone gave it to me.”

“Holy shit! Someone gave you a Pink Gem? What kind of rich girl or sugar daddy is that?!”

“I gave it to her.”

Mu Linglong opened the door and added, “Still chatting so enthusiastically this late? Why don’t you come inside? Don’t disturb the neighbors.”

The petite, beautiful woman seemed to glow in the night, her fair skin luminous in the darkness.

Peipei’s eyes widened with envy. “Sis, no wonder I haven’t seen you around lately! You’ve been sneaking around with a boyfriend behind our backs!”

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