Xiu's casual mention of official Ōto Bookstore guides seemed to flip a switch in the housewife's mind. Her eyes narrowed slightly, calculating. "Official guides?" she repeated, her tone shifting.
Xiu didn't wait for her to dwell on it. He leaned in slightly, his expression conspiratorial, excited. "Yes! And it's perfect timing! Our company, Ōto Books, is launching a special promotion right now – a 'trade-in' event! Bring us any old edition of our official guides, even slightly damaged ones, and you can exchange them for the brand-new, updated editions at a significantly reduced price! Almost half off!" He delivered the lie with practiced enthusiasm.
The woman's skepticism visibly melted away, replaced by greed. "Trade-in? Really? Half price?"
"Absolutely!" Xiu confirmed brightly. "It's a limited-time offer, of course, to clear out old stock and encourage customers to upgrade to the latest editions. Do you happen to have any older guides you'd be interested in trading?"
Predictably, she did. After a brief rummage inside, she returned with two slightly dog-eared but intact official Ōto Bookstore Pokémon guides – the Kanto Illustrated Guide and a basic 'Prime Care for Pokémon'. Xiu examined them quickly, declared them eligible for the 'promotion,' quoted her an absurdly low 'trade-in price' for the 'new' books (which were, of course, his own high-quality counterfeits), and completed the transaction swiftly.
A short while later, Xiu and Xiaoyuan walked away from the house, Xiu now carrying the two genuine Ōto guides acquired through his fabricated trade-in scheme, the smile fading from his face as soon as they were out of sight.
Xiaoyuan looked bewildered, still processing the interaction. "I... I don't understand," she stammered. "I thought we were selling our books? How did it turn into… buying their old ones?"
"It's all part of the process," Xiu explained calmly, tucking the acquired books into his backpack. "Selling directly, especially door-to-door, is risky. People are naturally suspicious. You need to build trust first, establish legitimacy."
He broke down his technique for her. "Observe the target. The housewife was initially wary and dismissive of us, but mentioning Ōto Bookstore by name lent us credibility. The survey was just a pretext, a foot in the door. The 'small gift' lowered her guard further, made her feel like she was getting something for free, appealing to her sense of thrift, maybe even mild greed. By the time she accepted the gift, her defenses were down."
He continued, "At that point, directly offering to sell her something, especially something potentially counterfeit, would likely trigger suspicion again. So, instead, we offer a 'benefit' – the trade-in program. It frames the interaction differently. She's the one getting the deal, saving money, upgrading her old books.
We compare the 'trade-in price' with the 'official new price' – emphasizing the savings. Add a little time pressure – 'limited offer,' 'while supplies last', – and she feels compelled to act now." He shrugged. "The result? We acquire genuine copies for future reference or resale, offload our own product at a decent profit, and reinforce our cover story as legitimate bookstore representatives. Three birds with one stone."
Xiaoyuan listened, fascinated and slightly horrified. She'd never considered the intricate psychology behind sales, the layers of manipulation involved. 'No wonder he made me gather all those supplies beforehand – the fake questionnaires, the 'gifts'… it was all planned.' Seeing Xiu's seemingly worthless gift turn into a successful sale, acquire genuine books, and gather 'market research' data… it was a masterclass in calculated deception.
"Come on," Xiu said, already moving towards the next house on their list. "Next target."
— — —
Weeks later, back in the relative sanctuary of the printing factory's dusty attic office. Xiaoyuan stood before Xiu, reporting on their progress. The transformation in her demeanor was remarkable. Gone was the timid, downtrodden girl. Her hair was cut short, practical. She wore a simple but clean second-hand business suit that, while not perfectly fitted, conveyed an air of newfound confidence and professionalism. She held a notebook, referencing figures as she spoke.
Xiu sat nearby, leisurely flipping through one of the genuine Ōto guides they'd acquired, occasionally making notes in his own binder, listening intently.
"...and that brings the total sales for the first month to just over 1.3 million Poké Dollars," Xiaoyuan concluded, looking up from her notes, a triumphant grin spreading across her face. "After deducting printing costs, materials, and our minimal operating expenses, the net profit is over 700,000. Xiu… we're rich!"
Xiu smiled faintly at her excitement, closing his book. "Good," He said calmly. "Phase one successful. We've recovered our initial investment and established a foothold." He stood up, pacing the small office space. "Now, we expand. Phase two. Time to be bolder. Start cautiously approaching actual Trainers, maybe leverage contacts at the technical schools. Simultaneously, we need to establish a legitimate front."
He outlined the next steps. "Set up a real second-hand bookstore. Small, discreet, maybe in a neighboring town, not here in Light Red City itself. It becomes the public face, the distribution hub for our 'used' and 'slightly defective' merchandise. Keep it completely separate, legally and logistically, from this printing operation." He gestured around the factory. "This place remains hidden, our production facility. We'll also need a new hidden printing site eventually, maybe smaller, even more secure, perhaps also in another city."
He continued, "Delegate the day-to-day running of the second-hand bookstore. Use the profits from the pirated books to fund its legitimate inventory, expand its reach. Let it grow organically as our influence spreads quietly."
Xiaoyuan scribbled notes furiously, absorbing the new directives. When Xiu finished, she turned to another page in her notebook. "I've started recruiting cautiously, as you suggested," She reported. "Placed feelers out near the Pokémon Center, the schools, the train station. But… some of our initial contacts, the families we sold to… they mentioned hearing whispers. Rumors about cheap books circulating. It seems the official bookstores, maybe Ōto Books specifically, are starting to notice something's amiss."
Xiu just smiled faintly, a hint of disdain in his expression. "Let them notice," He said dismissively. "Their bureaucracy and due process is slow and inefficient. Based on their usual practices, it'll take them three months, minimum, just to go from 'noticing a problem' to launching a formal investigation, let alone taking concrete action. By then, we'll have saturated the Light Red market, established our second-hand front, and moved production elsewhere. This factory," He gestured again, "becomes expendable if necessary. As long as the bookstore exists, as long as the demand we've tapped into remains, we can always set up another print shop somewhere else."
"Understood," Xiaoyuan nodded, reassured by his foresight. "I'll proceed with the arrangements." She paused, looking at Xiu with open admiration. He spent most of his time here, studying or training his Pokémon, yet he seemed to anticipate every problem, always had a solution ready. His strategic thinking, his understanding of systems… it was beyond anything she could comprehend.
"Alas~"
Xiu suddenly let out a soft, unexpected sigh, breaking the confident mood. Xiaoyuan felt a prickle of concern. "What's wrong?" she asked hesitantly.
He looked at her, his expression turning serious, almost somber. "Their arrogance… the big players like Ōto Books… it stems from their control," He said quietly. "They control the official channels, the flow of information from the top – the researchers, the League itself. Our little operation, however successful locally, is just petty trouble to them. We can't shake their foundations. If they ever decided to take us seriously, coordinate with the authorities… they could crush us easily."
He met her gaze. "We can look down on their inefficiency, yes. But we must never underestimate their potential power. Because," His voice softened slightly, "I can't afford to lose you, partner."
The unexpected vulnerability, the implied trust in that last statement, made Xiaoyuan's breath catch. Her cheeks flushed slightly.
Xiu quickly shifted back to practicalities. "The key is separation," He reiterated. "Two distinct operations, so recruit reliable people for the bookstore front, people who don't know about this place and keep inventory moving directly from here to designated drop points, never directly linked— should the moment ever come that we are called for a subpoena in court, we need grounds for plausible deniability. If one part falls, at least the other can survive."
Listening to him, Xiaoyuan felt a renewed sense of purpose, of belonging. This past month, working alongside Xiu, being treated as an equal, entrusted with real responsibility… it had been transformative. She looked back at the timid, hopeless girl she'd been just weeks ago, enduring daily abuse, and felt like she was looking at a stranger. Xiu hadn't just given her a job; he'd given her agency, respect, a chance at a real future.
As Xiu finished outlining the next phase, he seemed to remember something. "Speaking of time," he asked casually, "it's been about a month since you joined, right?"
"Yes!" Xiaoyuan replied, unable to keep the joy from her voice. "A month and five days, actually!"
"Ha~" Xiu smiled genuinely this time. "See? I wasn't wrong about you back at that convenience store. Most people couldn't have adapted this quickly, handled everything I've thrown at you. You've been the biggest contributor to our success so far, Xiaoyuan."
"No, really," Xiaoyuan protested, though her face beamed with pleasure. "I just followed your plans." She felt shy suddenly, overwhelmed by the praise.
"Don't be modest," Xiu insisted gently. "Facts are facts. You proved me right. Which is why," He stood up, looking at her seriously again, "I've decided to adjust our initial agreement. To reward your efforts, your profit share is increased to seven percent, effective immediately."
The announcement ignited something within Xiaoyuan. Pure, unadulterated joy burst through her usual reserve. Forgetting herself completely, she impulsively stepped forward and threw her arms around Xiu in a tight hug, letting out a series of happy, slightly giddy laughs.
Xiu stiffened in surprise for a fraction of a second, then awkwardly patted her back. "Okay, okay," he said softly, a hint of embarrassed amusement in his voice. "You earned it."
He gently disentangled himself. Then, just as the joyful moment seemed complete, he dropped another bombshell, his tone turning quiet again.
"Xiaoyuan," He said, meeting her gaze. "I need to leave for a while. I have… other things I need to attend to. I'll be gone for some time. Which means," He paused, letting the weight sink in, "I'm leaving everything here… in your hands."