Can't Stand Seeing the Sidekick Unhappy

With a youthful and innocent face, she put on a stern expression while spouting such unreasonable words—the contrast was unexpectedly adorable, making her quite endearing.

Unable to hold back, Long Aotian burst into laughter. "Alright, alright, as long as you're happy."

Li Qingxue had originally wanted to say something more, but when she looked up and saw the sweat at Long Aotian’s temples, she forgot her words. She stood up, pulled a tissue from her pocket, and carefully wiped the sweat from his face.

This was her first time wiping someone else’s sweat, so her movements were gentle and tender.

Though she always bickered with Long Aotian, when it really mattered, she could be incredibly soft-hearted.

As she gazed at Long Aotian’s profile, her eyes shimmered with emotion.

"If you keep wiping, you’ll rub my skin raw," Long Aotian teased, turning his head to look at her with amusement.

The moment their eyes met, Li Qingxue’s heart fluttered uncontrollably—like a kitten caught stealing fish, her cheeks instantly grew warm.

"That’s not true! I was being very gentle," she retorted before starting to pedal the boat again.

The rippling water no longer made her dizzy as it had before. Now, she could look at it without feeling queasy.

And just like that, the lively and cheerful Li Qingxue was back.

Long Aotian found her antics thoroughly entertaining.

Honestly, he thought the version of her from earlier—pouting, miserable, and pitiful—was far more amusing.

Perhaps his smile was too obvious, because Li Qingxue immediately noticed. "Why are you staring at me with such a creepy grin?"

"Because you’re pretty, alright?"

Li Qingxue froze, flustered. You jerk! Why do you have to say it so bluntly?

"Fine, I’ll admit I am a little pretty. If you want to look, then go ahead," she huffed, wrinkling her nose in a show of pride.

Though her words sounded confident, only she knew how her cheeks were burning uncontrollably again!

Long Aotian gave her a deadpan look. Still, she was undeniably beautiful, so her words weren’t entirely out of place—just a bit conceited.

Soon, they returned to the shore.

Hu Yuying and Lin Wanning had already started walking toward them as the boat made its way back.

The moment Li Qingxue stepped onto the dock, her tension melted away.

Forgetting all about her earlier discomfort, she happily clung to Hu Yuying, chattering excitedly about her experience.

After sharing with Hu Yuying, she didn’t forget to do the same with Lin Wanning.

Long Aotian glanced at Hu Yuying.

As if reading his mind, she met his gaze with a serene smile, rising slightly on her toes to silently reassure him that she was fine.

Walking around, taking photos, and playing together made the afternoon fly by.

Eventually, the group left to grab a bite to eat.

At the restaurant, Li Qingxue glanced toward a nearby shopping mall. "After we eat, let’s go shopping, okay?"

Shopping was practically ingrained in a girl’s nature—something no guy should ever argue against.

Lin Wanning had no objections.

But Hu Yuying hesitated slightly as she looked at the towering, luxurious mall.

Long Aotian noticed. Truthfully, Hu Yuying was already incredible.

She earned her own tuition and, instead of spending the extra money on herself, sent it to her grandparents.

At her age, Long Aotian could honestly say—whether in his own world or this one—he’d never met anyone as selfless as her.

Pulling out his phone, he casually asked, "By the way, remember how I mentioned wanting to start an online store? Think you’d dare to follow me on another venture?"

Hu Yuying blinked, then recalled how Long Aotian had once talked about e-commerce while they were street vending. He’d predicted that society would soon shift toward a digital era, where people could buy anything they wanted from home with just a phone.

"What kind of online store?" Li Qingxue asked.

Hu Yuying glanced at Long Aotian for permission before explaining his earlier vision.

"I’ve seen stuff online before, but it never feels as reliable as trying clothes on in person."

"So, is that what you want to do, Brother?" Lin Wanning also turned to Long Aotian.

He nodded. "I’ve considered it before."

Though he’d set the idea aside for now. His main focus was waiting for a certain cryptocurrency to surge before cashing out, then buying undervalued properties to resell later. After that, he’d open a small supermarket and live comfortably as a landlord...

But bringing it up now? Maybe it was just to give his loyal follower a side gig.

After spending so much time together, he couldn’t stand seeing her unhappy.

Hu Yuying trusted Long Aotian unconditionally. If he was willing to lead, she’d follow without hesitation.

So when he looked at her, she nodded firmly. "Long Aotian, I’m in."

Her unwavering faith warmed his heart.

Immediately, he laid out his plan.

Online shopping wasn’t mainstream yet.

But the arrival of 4G was revolutionizing society.

E-commerce, short videos—these would reshape entire industries in the future.

That wasn’t an exaggeration. Tourism, food service, even the music industry could experience explosive growth just through short videos.

These were the massive changes 4G would bring.

But its greatest impact? Digital payments.

Though mobile payment apps existed, they weren’t widespread yet.

The fact that Long Aotian had still been using a keypad phone until recently proved that.

Once digital payments became universal, they’d transform traditional business models across all sectors.

This shift would also propel society into a fully connected era.

At this turning point, even a mediocre entrepreneur with basic marketing skills could make money—enough to escape poverty, at least.

Short videos, especially, would launch countless ordinary people—even those with only elementary education—into success, letting them buy cars, houses, and even start families...

Traffic equaled money, equaled demand.

After Long Aotian finished speaking, not just Hu Yuying, but even Li Qingxue and Lin Wanning were stunned.

His ideas were bold predictions about a future that hadn’t yet arrived.

If phones really could handle payments seamlessly one day, then an online store might indeed be a profitable venture.

Because right now, people were still stuck in traditional mindsets.

For example, when buying clothes in person, you’d try them on first. If they fit and looked good, paying felt natural.

But online? You’d hand over money without ever seeing the product, unsure if it would fit or if the quality was decent. That uncertainty made people uneasy.

For example, think back to the days before the village had plowing machines. Everyone tilled the land by hand—exhausting and painfully slow work. When the first plowing machine arrived, people were skeptical, convinced it couldn’t match the precision of human labor.

But what happened in the end? Not only did plowing machines become commonplace, but seeders, harvesters, and even pesticide-spraying drones followed. From manual farming to mechanized agriculture—this is progress, an unstoppable trend that no amount of human resistance could hold back.