### Chapter 45: I Hold the Future in My Hands
Xu Xiaofeng started with her living arrangements. Actually, it wasn’t anything fancy; she just wanted peace and privacy.
Then she asked Ryan to introduce her to reputable merchants.
She was out to make money—and a lot of it!
Ryan looked Xu Xiaofeng up and down, frowned, and asked, “You want to talk business?”
“Uh-huh! Grandpa, don’t let my appearance fool you; I’m actually quite good at making money! I’ve earned tons of gold coins back home.”
Ryan thought about the letter’s description and realized this girl was no ordinary child, so he nodded, “I’ll arrange it. But I’ll send someone to accompany you during the talks.”
“Don’t get the wrong idea; I’m not trying to meddle in your business. The person I send won’t interfere; they’re just there to lend an air of importance, after all…”
Xu Xiaofeng got the hint. With her looks, trying to negotiate business alone might raise a few eyebrows.
“Thank you, Grandpa Ryan.”
She sat back, browsing the forums for some nonsense posts by hilarious netizens while waiting.
About half an hour later, the same clerk returned: “Boss, all set.”
Xu Xiaofeng just glanced at the living place, decided she liked it, and quickly pulled out some gold coins to pay the rent.
Then they headed toward a big shop.
On the way, they encountered the guy who was supposed to beef up their presence.
He was dressed very sharply and radiated an air of arrogance—possibly a noble, even.
After chatting with the shop clerk for a bit, he bowed slightly to Xu Xiaofeng: “Miss, I’m Steven, and I’ll be accompanying you from now on.”
“Uh, okay, thank you,” Xu Xiaofeng responded, feeling a bit awkward.
She wasn’t used to this kind of formal setup. Back in Falling Leaf City, everyone was super chill—even the city lord had no airs about him.
Now, even doing something simple required an entourage, and the guy looked like he could turn her into a frog with just a glare.
But as an adult, her adaptability was top-notch.
After gathering her thoughts, she glanced at her outfit. “How about I change into something else first?”
“Very well.”
They made a detour to a clothing store.
After being fussed over by the shop staff for a while, Xu Xiaofeng emerged in a more dignified outfit.
Her previous attire was like a wildflower, but this one transformed her into a peony from a well-tended garden. Paired with her delicate features, she went from neighborhood little sister to an elegant young heiress in an instant.
“This is… a bit scary.”
Recalling the sales attendant’s hungry gaze, Xu Xiaofeng felt her scalp tingle.
If she hadn’t quickly grabbed an outfit and paid the gold coins, she swore the staff would have had her try on every piece in the store.
“Miss, you’re naturally beautiful, and that’s why others admire you.”
“Thank you, let’s go.”
After about ten minutes, they arrived at a large trading company called “Qingfeng Chamber of Commerce.”
Steven smoothly approached: “My lady wishes to discuss a significant business deal with your chairman, may we be introduced?”
The receptionist glanced at Steven and then at Xu Xiaofeng, thought for a moment, and nodded, “This way, please.”
Although they were in the Imperial Capital, this area was still a bit of a backwater, mostly populated by common folk. With two noble-looking individuals arriving, they didn’t dare act disrespectfully.
In the Jade Emperor Kingdom, nobles held a high status—even the lowliest noble still wasn’t on par with commoners.
While their trading company might have financial power comparable to many lower or even mid-level nobles, they lacked one crucial element: strength.
In this kingdom, the line between nobles and commoners was firmly defined by power.
If a noble family became weak and lost their superior strength, they would be stripped of their noble status.
Conversely, if a commoner somehow gained enough strength to surpass an entire noble family, they could be promoted to noble status and gain the right to start their own family.
However, such occurrences were rare, only happening every few decades or even centuries, while the decline of noble families happened more frequently.
Their chamber could assemble a team and hire plenty of adventurers, but those people weren’t enough on their own.
Bound by law, they couldn’t compete with nobles directly; otherwise, they’d be enemies of the entire empire.
The pair was soon led to the chairman’s office.
Steven walked half a step behind Xu Xiaofeng as they entered the room.
“Welcome, esteemed guests! I apologize for not greeting you sooner,” the chairman, Harry, said with a cheerful smile, directing them to take a seat.
Xu Xiaofeng sat down while Harry took the seat across from her, and Steven stood behind her, radiating a “don’t mess with my lady” vibe.
“Distinguished Miss, I am Harry, the chairman of Qingfeng Chamber of Commerce. How should I address you?”
Though the girl looked young, her aura was anything but ordinary. Harry treated her with the utmost respect.
Xu Xiaofeng thought for a moment and replied, “Just call me Wind; I feel a connection with your esteemed chamber.”
“Ha ha ha! Very well! So, what brings you, Miss Wind, to our Qingfeng Chamber of Commerce?”
“I have a business opportunity and wish to collaborate with a reputable chamber, so I was referred here.”
“Qingfeng Chamber of Commerce is among the best in strength and reputation in this outer city area. I wonder what opportunity you have in mind?”
“Let’s not rush into that. Before we discuss, I’d like you to introduce me to some high-demand products currently selling well around Emerald City, preferably ones that have abundant sources nearby—it should only require processing before they can be sold.”
Harry nodded and quietly whispered to a few people, then casually engaged in small talk.
Xu Xiaofeng kept it simple too, but Steven answered a lot of the questions for her.
After a while, someone brought in a few boxes and set them on the table. These were the hot-selling products of the Qingfeng Chamber of Commerce.
Harry introduced them one by one, but none of the items were particularly appealing to Xu Xiaofeng.
They were things that could earn a bit of money, but only a bit. The chamber certainly wouldn’t show her their real money-makers.
Just then, she spotted a certain fruit.
“What’s this?”
“This is the Sunfruit. Taking it in small amounts can strengthen the body; it’s a good supplement for warriors, and it can grow abundantly near Emerald City. But its taste is quite terrible, and it’s hard to pick and preserve, which is why it’s always sold in small quantities, creating a bit of revenue.”
After listening to Harry’s introduction and checking the item’s description panel, Xu Xiaofeng was suddenly sure—this was the breakthrough material she had seen in promotional materials for “Otherworld.”
This was a must-have for players!
Once players hit level ten, they faced the breakthrough issue; only by breaking through could they continue leveling up, or they’d be stuck playing in the mud for life!
If she got her hands on this, wouldn’t her pockets be overflowing with gold coins?
Bad taste? Do players care about that?
Difficult to preserve? That’s a problem for NPCs; what player’s bag isn’t pausing time?
Difficult to pick? Perfect! Come find me to pick!
Xu Xiaofeng could already see a brilliant path ahead of her.
“This is it!”
