Chapter 1674: Lucky Guess
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
A mermaid much akin to the ones in fairytales swam out from the backroom.
“Steward Pi, why did you bring people here?” she asked.
Her tail was covered in pink scales that glittered like gems and gave off an opalescent hue. The upper half of her body was slender and her exquisite facial features were complemented by her long, wavy hair and fair skin. She was, in other words, a gorgeous, flawless lass.
“Greetings, your royal highness!” Steward Pi saluted her.
“Who is this?” The pretty mermaid regarded Chen Xiaobei uneasily due to Chen Xiaobei’s peculiar manner of gawking at her.
“Ahem…” Steward Pi coughed. “Allow me to introduce to you – this is a friend of Prince Liancheng, Childe Chen!”
“Childe Chen, can you please stop looking at me like that?” The little mermaid was not pleased.
“Childe Chen… Childe Chen…” Steward Pi tugged at Chen Xiaobei’s sleeve nervously. “I know the princess is good looking but you cannot stare at people like that!”
“Huh…” Chen Xiaobei snapped out of his stupor. “I apologize! I’m very sorry, princess. It’s just that you look very much like a character from the stories of my childhood. I was so surprised that I was completely bewitched…”
The mermaid pursed her lips, still half-suspicious.
To ease the awkwardness, Steward Pi quickly jumped in, “Childe Chen, please allow me to introduce to you Neptune’s youngest little princess, Ao Chun’er!”
“How do you do, princess!” Chen Xiaobei smiled as courteously and as gracefully as he could.
Ao Chun’er’s furrowed brows seemed to ease a little. “How do you do? I overheard that you want to try your luck at Ambergris gambling.”
“Yes, I do! Because Childe Liancheng is busy, I was hoping to have a flutter of two to pass the time.” Chen Xiaobei shrugged.
“I’m afraid you can’t!” Ao Chun’er shook her head. “This Ambergris Corner operates under my name. I’ve come here today to shut it down temporarily!”
Ambergris were a rare and valuable resource. Only a member of the imperial family could afford running a business like that.
“Is it because of the problem with the supply?” Chen Xiaobei asked.
“Yes…” Ao Chun’er answered frankly. “There’s problem with the supply. So, our business of Ambergris gambling will only be a liability. If the business continues to run, we’ll go bankrupt real soon!”
Chen Xiaobei blinked, activating his Golden Gaze Fiery Eyes to survey the rocks. “It’s not all that bad, the merchandise here! I’ve spotted a few that I’d like to buy. How many Spiritual Stones would they cost?”
Ao Chun’er and Steward Pi shared a look, furrows in their brows.
Chen Xiaobei had chosen the largest stone in the corner of the store.
“Childe Chen!” Ao Chun’er said solemnly. “First of all, there really is a problem with the supply and you really are such an amateur! When it comes to Ambergris gambling, bigger is not always better! There’s nothing inside! It’s been in the store for three years and no one has ever been interested in it!”
“Since it hadn’t been sold for three years, why don’t you just get rid of it?” Chen Xiaobei asked, smiling cheekily.
Ao Chun’er sighed. “The shopkeeper I hired is a little superstitious. He hired a Feng Shui master to inspect the shop, and was told to put that grounding rock at that corner to maintain luck and prosperity. That’s why we haven’t thrown it away yet!”
“Since it’s not important, give me a price and sell it to me!” Chen Xiaobei smiled.
“Childe Chen! Are you even listening to what I’m saying?!” Ao Chun’er was getting frustrated. “I already told you that there won’t be any Ambergris inside that rock. Why do you still want to buy it?”
Chen Xiaobei grinned, “We have this saying in our family that a guy who likes to smile would have good luck! I believe in my luck!”
“You…” Ao Chun’er stared at Chen Xiaobei like he had lost his mind.
Steward Pi also advised against it. “Childe Chen, just listen to the princess…”
“Don’t try to convince me!” Chen Xiaobei said firmly. “I want that rock!”
“You know what…” Ao Chun’er sighed. “Ugh… you know what? I’ll just give this rock to you. I’ll ask the shopkeeper to find us another grounding rock!”
“Give it to me? How can I accept it?” Chen Xiaobei smiled. “Princess, just give me a price. If there’s Ambergris inside, I’m afraid you’ll regret it!”
“No, I won’t.” Ao Chun’er shook her head. “First, there’s no way that there’s any Ambergris inside, and second, I care a lot about my reputation. I would not want to take it back after giving it to you!”
“Alright! I’ll take your word for it!” Chen Xiaobei walked over to the rock, formed a blade with his Ethereal Force and cut the rock.
In a blink of an eye, the rock was split in half.
And in the middle of that rock was a coal-black Ambergris the size of a basketball!
“That…that that that…” Ao Chun’er’s big beautiful eyes widened and her mouth formed a perfectly round O.
“My goodness… Am I dreaming…” The steward was befuddled and was left dumbfounded. He even pinched his chubby cheeks to convince himself that he was not dreaming.
“The both of you, don’t get distracted. Tell me, did I hit the jackpot?” Chen Xiaobei smiled.
“Chen… Childe Chen…” Ao Chun’er bit her lip. “How did you know that there’s an Ambergris inside?”
Chen Xiaobei shrugged. “I am an amateur. That’s probably just dumb luck.”
“Impossible! There’s no way you’re an amateur!” Ao Chun’er said in disbelief. “You must have been able to tell, or you wouldn’t have been so adamant in wanting this rock!”
“It was really just a blind guess!” Chen Xiaobei said. “Because there are problems with the recent supply, I decided to go with this one which has been here for three years! I thought that it’d be interesting to try my luck. I really didn’t expect to have guessed correctly!”
Chen Xiaobei could not reveal the secret which was his Golden Gaze Fiery Eyes.
Ao Chun’er frowned as she stared hard at Chen Xiaobei, obviously doubtful over his stroke of luck.
Chen Xiaobei smiled cheekily. “Your royal highness, please don’t stare at me like that. People might get the wrong idea!”
“You must be hiding something!” Ao Chun’er pouted, dewy eyed. “Can you please, please, please tell me? I’ve been in the Ambergris business for so many years, but I’ve never seen anyone quite as skilled as you!”
Seeing the adorable puppy-dog expressing the pretty Ao Chun’er put out, Chen Xiaobei suddenly felt a burning desire to add this mermaid into his harem.
“Childe Chen! Finally! I’ve found you! Prince Liancheng requires your presence in the palace immediately!” Octopus man came running into the shop, shouting. But he was suddenly distracted. “My god… How… How is it that there’s a 100,000-year-old Ambergris here???!”
