Chapter 203 The Rich Kid Is Surprisingly Reliable

Chapter 203: Chapter 203 The Rich Kid Is Surprisingly Reliable

​The private room was quiet, filled with the faint smell of fresh ink and paper. Jade’s designs were spread across the table. The sketches, the architectural plans, and the floor layouts were right there. They were detailed, comprehensive, and genuinely beautiful.

​But there was a major problem hanging over the project.

​Jade knew nothing about figurines.

​She could design the physical space, create the right vibe, and tell the contractors where to put the shelves or how to hang the overhead lights. But she could not tell them which fictional characters to choose, which specific figurines would work for the central Figure Rain display, or which pieces would actually fit the shop’s niche theme.

​"I don’t know," she admitted, looking a bit stressed as she pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "I have been researching for days, but there are just too many options out there. Anime, movies, games, comics. I am completely lost on what to pick."

​Mia frowned and crossed her arms. "So we need someone who actually knows figurines inside and out."

​"Someone who knows them well enough to curate a real collection," Jade added. "Someone who understands the market trends."

​Megan turned her head and looked straight at Percy. "Isn’t that the exact reason why you are here?"

​Percy was leaning back comfortably in his chair with his arms crossed over his chest and a lazy smile playing on his lips.

​"I know figurines," he said casually.

​Jade rolled her eyes. "Unfortunately, he actually does."

​Veyra studied Percy closely from across the table.

​He looked casual, relaxed, and almost bored out of his mind. But Veyra had noticed something earlier. She had seen the quick shift in his eyes when they first walked into the room, when they talked about the shop layout, and when Jade mentioned the figurines.

​There was something hidden behind that lazy smile. Something sharp, focused, and deeply knowledgeable. He was not just a spoiled rich kid playing around. He was an absolute expert.

​"I have been collecting them for fifteen years," Percy said, his tone shifting just a bit. "I know every character, every series, every limited edition, and every rare release."

​He paused for a second.

​"I can help you guys out."

​They quickly explained all the design requirements to him.

​They talked about the Figure Rain centerpiece, the glass showcases, the themed booths, and the overall cozy vibe they wanted.

​Percy listened carefully. He nodded at the right moments and asked smart questions about the budget and spacing. Then he stood up and said, "I need to actually see the store."

​Jade blinked in surprise. "The store right now?"

​"I cannot pick figurines just by looking at paper sketches," Percy explained. "I need to see the real space, the natural light, the exact dimensions, and feel the atmosphere."

​Veyra nodded right away. "Let us go take a look."

​The store was quiet and peaceful when they arrived.

​The afternoon sun streamed warmly through the large front windows which reveals the space was completely empty, dusty, and full of exciting potential.

​Jade led Percy through the rooms one by one. She pointed to where the coffee bar would go, showed him the high ceiling for the Figure Rain area, pointed out the booth locations, and even led him up the stairs to the second floor.

​Percy followed her without saying a word. He just walked around and looked at everything with wide, observant eyes. When the tour was over, he walked right back to the Figure Rain area, stood in the exact center, and stayed completely silent.

​He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small leather notebook, a pen, and a metal ruler.

​He started measuring the space step by step. He wrote down numbers, drew quick sketches that Veyra could not quite see from where she was standing, and then sat down directly on the dusty floor. He stared up at the high ceiling and did not move an inch.

​Mia leaned over toward Veyra and whispered, "Is he actually okay?"

​Veyra just shrugged.

​Megan whispered from the other side, "He has been staring like that for ten whole minutes."

​Jade crossed her arms and tapped her foot. "I think he is just stalling."

​Veyra shook her head slowly. "No, he is not stalling. He is thinking."

​The hours slowly passed by.

​The afternoon sun moved across the sky and the room grew warm for a bit and then turned cool as the evening breeze picked up.

​Percy still did not move from his spot.

​He would occasionally write something in his notebook, measure a wall again, stare at the ceiling, and sketch a bit more.

​Mia and Megan eventually got bored waiting around. They sat down together in a clean corner and started scrolling through their phones. Jade paced back and forth across the floor, checking her watch every few minutes and letting out soft sighs of impatience.

​But Veyra kept watching him. She understood what he was doing. He was not wasting time. He was selecting pieces. From the vast collection of figurines stored in his memory, he was carefully choosing the ones that would fit the store, match the theme, and create the right mood. Good curation simply took time.

​The sun finally set below the horizon.

​Percy finally closed his notebook with a snap. He stood up slowly and stretched his arms above his head.

​"I am done," he announced.

​Jade walked toward him quickly. "Well? What is the plan then?"

​He shook his head with a slight smile. "I am not going to explain the whole thing right now."

​Jade blinked, looking confused. "What do you mean?"

​"It is too complicated. There are way too many pieces and tiny details. It would literally take hours to explain it all."

​He paused, looking right into her eyes.

​"But if you trust me, I will handle the procurement. I will handle the arrangement. I will make sure it works out."

​Jade stared at him for a long moment, trying to read his expression.

​Mia and Megan exchanged glances behind her back.

​Veyra decided to step forward to break the tension.

​"We trust you," she said clearly.

​Percy blinked in surprise, as if he did not expect her to say that so easily. Then his face softened into a real, genuine smile. It was not the lazy, mocking one he usually wore.

​"Thank you," he said softly.

​He looked back at Jade, and his voice dropped to a quieter tone.

​"I know I let you down before. Back at the banquet. I acted like a total idiot."

​Jade’s face immediately turned bright red. "Don’t bring that up."

​"I am sorry," Percy continued. "I should have said this years ago." He paused, taking a breath. "I am going to do a really good job on this project. I promise you that."

​Jade said nothing to that.

​But her shoulders visibly relaxed, losing just a fraction of their stiff tension.

​Veyra spoke up to keep the mood from getting too heavy. "We should go eat. I am absolutely starving."

​She looked at Percy. "You should come with us. My treat, as a thank you for your hard work."

​Percy shook his head gently. "I cannot make it tonight. I have a prior commitment I have to take care of."

​Veyra blinked. "Oh, is that right?"

​"Can we take a rain check?"

​"Sure, no problem."

​He turned and walked toward the front door. Just before he stepped outside, he stopped and looked back over his shoulder.

​"I will send you the complete list of figurines I need and where to source them. Just give me a week to get it sorted out."

​Veyra nodded. "A week sounds good."

​And with that, he left the shop.

​The four girls locked up the store and walked over to a small, cozy restaurant nearby.

​The place was warm and smelled delicious. They ordered simple, comforting food like steaming bowls of noodles, hot dumplings, and clear vegetable soup.

​As they ate, they talked, laughed, and chatted about their design ideas for the upcoming opening.

​But even though the atmosphere was light, Veyra’s mind was somewhere else entirely.

​Her thoughts kept drifting back to Dorian. She thought about the ongoing cold war between them, the strict demand from the matriarch, and the tight one-day deadline hanging over her head.

​She desperately needed to find out why he was upset, and she needed to report back soon. She could not ask him directly because he would just close off, and she certainly could not spy on him like a criminal. She needed help from someone who knew him well.

​She pulled her phone out of her bag and unlocked the screen.

​She opened her messaging app and scrolled through her contacts until she found Wesley Wynn.

​She typed out a quick message: Are you free tomorrow? I need to ask you something important.

​She paused for a second, biting her lip. Then she added another line: It is about Dorian.

​Hew hit send before she could change her mind.

​She tucked the phone back into her bag and took a sip of her warm soup. Tomorrow, she would see Wesley. She would bring along some nice desserts to sweeten the mood, and she would ask him all about Dorian’s romantic current situation.

​She really hoped Wesley would have the answers she needed to fix this mess.