After the luncheon, Xu Maoxiu and his companions finally stepped out the door, all letting out a collective sigh of relief.
“Master Dong was way too generous—was that a gift or a brawl?” Xu Bangchui muttered as he smoothed out his clothes that had been tugged and wrinkled just moments ago.
“Master Dong really treats us well,” Fan Jianglin said with a sigh.
“Especially Third Brother,” another one chimed in. “He held onto him at the end like he just couldn’t let go.”
Everyone burst into laughter.
Xu Maoxiu’s face darkened, and he glared at them sternly.
“Watch your mouths,” he scolded. “Now is not the time for careless jokes.”
A few of the brothers pursed their lips.
“Third Brother’s just too uptight.”
“It’s not uptight… it’s… what’s the word—aloof?”
“Aloof? You don’t need books to tell. We know even without reading.”
“Third Brother has lofty ambitions—he’s not looking to marry into someone’s family and live off them…”
“If you ask me, that Dong family girl probably isn’t his type… not like the kind of beauty that steps straight out of a book, with a face like jade…”
Their teasing only grew bolder.
Xu Maoxiu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
“Enough nonsense!” he shouted.
The group of brothers chatted and laughed as they walked onto the main street.
“But… did we say the most important thing?” Fan Jianglin suddenly stopped in his tracks and asked.
Everyone came to a halt.
“What’s the most important thing?” Xu Bangchui asked blankly.
“It’s that we won’t be keeping in touch from now on,” one of the brothers finally smacked his forehead and said, remembering.
Xu Maoxiu looked slightly embarrassed.
“Th-that… really was hard to say,” he admitted.
Master Dong had been so enthusiastic and welcoming. The young couple had accompanied them the whole time. Saying something like “we won’t be seeing each other anymore” just didn’t feel right.
A group of grown men stood at the street corner, all unconsciously scratching their heads.
“Brother Jianglin.”
A voice called out from behind.
Everyone turned to look and saw Xiang Qi hurrying toward them.
“Father’s still worried, so he asked me to bring you some money,” he said, pulling out a flying cash note and handing it over.
Fan Jianglin quickly waved his hands and stepped back.
“We’ve already said—we’re not short on money right now,” he replied.
Xiang Qi smiled.
“No matter how much money you have, Father still won’t feel at ease,” he said. “Besides, working as helpers in a restaurant… how much can you really make? Since you won’t come work at the family shop, he just can’t rest easy. So please, take it. In the capital, even a lot of money doesn’t go far.”
As he spoke, a hint of guilt crept into his voice.
“This is from Father, not just a little something from me. Please accept it. There’s not much else I can do for you… I just came to persuade you to take it. And thank you—for not telling anyone about what happened last time…”
At this point, his expression was filled with remorse.
“You guys must resent me, don’t you?”
“No,” Xu Maoxiu said with a slight smile. “In fact, we should be thanking you.”
If Xiang Qi had generously taken them in back then, they never would have met Jin Ge’er that night. And without meeting Jin Ge’er, they wouldn’t have met his sister.
Of course, they had come to the capital to find Lady Cheng, but the capital was so vast—finding her would have taken a great deal of effort.
But look how things turned out. As soon as they arrived in the capital, they ran into his sister. And somehow, in a muddled way, they even managed to help her a little.
And just for that tiny bit of help—she, who should have been the one they owed a debt to—repaid them with such generosity, without a moment’s hesitation, placing her trust and reliance in them…
“Reliance”—the word sounded strange when used on a woman like her, someone so capable… But still, he could feel it, just a trace of reliance from her. Or maybe it was just his imagination.
Either way, the life he was living now almost felt like a dream.
Someone reached out and waved a hand in front of him.
“Third Brother? Third Brother?”
Xu Maoxiu snapped out of his thoughts and saw his brothers—and even Xiang Qi—all staring at him wide-eyed.
“Bro, what are you grinning like an idiot for?” Xu Bangchui asked.
Xu Maoxiu gave an awkward cough.
“Third Brother, you must still resent me,” Xiang Qi said with a self-deprecating smile, lowering his head. “If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t be where you are now…”
“Brother Xiang,” Xu Maoxiu interrupted, shaking his head and straightening his expression. “I’ve never resented you. I’m living a good life now. And as I said back then, I’ll say it again today— even if I could do it all over, I still wouldn’t have agreed.”
Xiang Qi gave a faint smile.
“We really don’t need the money,” Xu Maoxiu said as he patted him on the shoulder. “We’re truly not short on money anymore.”
Fan Jianglin and the others nodded with smiles as well.
“Alright, we should get going,” Xu Maoxiu added. “And also, we’ll be quite busy, so we might not be able to visit often. Please pass that on to Master Dong and ask for his understanding.”
Watching the group gradually disappear down the street, the smile on Xiang Qi’s face slowly froze.
What a nice way to put it—“can’t visit often.” If you really can’t come often, then why don’t you get out of the capital entirely? Why do you still have to appear in front of him? Why is it that the person he despises most, the one he least wants to see, just keeps haunting his sight like a lingering ghost?
Last time they came sneaking around to find him, he thought it was because they were still mindful of the past and didn’t want to face Master Dong. But now he realized—it was just laying the groundwork, taking the long way to secure a foothold.
Compared to showing up at someone’s door, a “chance encounter” always stirred up more emotions, didn’t it?
Feigning reluctance while actually inviting attention!
Those poor army men—maybe they didn’t learn much out in the Northwest, but they sure picked up some sly tricks from the camp prostitutes. No wonder—they didn’t waste their time with them after all.
Xiang Qi lowered his head and slowly clenched the flying cash note in his hand.
“Of course you look down on this money,” he muttered. “What’s this money even worth, anyway?”
At the break of dawn, several people were gathered in the backyard of Immortal’s Abode.
A handful of coins was scooped up, then scattered into a box with a clinking sound.
“How’s the Courier Office doing?” Xu Maoxiu asked.
“No problem,” said Manager Wu, fiddling with his counting rods as he replied.
Nearby, a few of the brothers were noisily closing the lids on several boxes in the yard, covering the stacks of silver coins inside.
“These here are from Tai Ping Residence, and these are from Tai Ping Tofu…” Manager Wu said as he pointed and counted. “As for Immortal’s Abode, well, there isn’t much yet… but by the end of the year, I reckon it’ll be about the same.”
Everyone burst into laughter.
“Alright, alright—let’s get moving,” Fan Jianglin called out.
Soon, the cartload of heavy coins was taken away, and in exchange, they received a thin stack of flying cash notes.
“This is for you, Manager Wu. This is for us brothers. This is for my sister. And this is for Young Master Han…” Xu Maoxiu said as he separated the flying cash notes one by one.
Manager Wu took his share without hesitation, grinning with satisfaction.
Meanwhile, Xu Bangchui and the others were visibly excited, ready to take theirs.
“I’ve got money now!” Xu Bangchui exclaimed happily, rubbing his hands on his clothes before reaching out.
But Fan Jianglin pulled back the money he was about to hand over.
“Better let me hold onto it,” he said. “Who knows what kind of nonsense you lot will blow it on.”
The room erupted in playful groans and laughter as the brothers crowded around Fan Jianglin, trying to snatch the money from him in a cheerful scuffle.
Manager Wu stroked his beard and walked out with a smile, spotting Li Dashao sitting under the eaves in the courtyard, idly turning a walnut in his hand.
“Before we knew it, it’s been more than half a year,” he said. “Time really flies.”
“It sure does,” Li Dashao replied. “But at least there’s been a lot to show for it.”
“Are you talking about yourself or someone else?” Manager Wu chuckled, sitting cross-legged beside him.
Li Dashao chuckled but said nothing.
“So… any regrets?” Manager Wu asked.
Li Dashao looked a bit puzzled.
Manager Wu pulled out his own flying cash note and waved it at him, raising his brows and giving him a wink.
“It could’ve been yours, you know. But now it belongs to that Young Master Han instead,” he said with a laugh.
Sitting in the courtyard in the fading summer, the two couldn’t help but recall that day in the harsh winter—when they sat in a half-ruined restaurant waiting for repairs, and a few rough-looking men, fierce as mountain bandits, slid a contract across the table.
“…Can’t have you working for nothing. Besides covering your meals, we’ll give you a share of the profits too.”
Li Dashao smiled and looked away from Manager Wu’s money.
“You’re wrong. That was never mine to begin with,” he said. As he spoke, he picked up a knife beside him and twirled it in his left hand. “This is mine.”
Manager Wu burst out laughing and gave him a hearty slap on the shoulder.
“But if it weren’t for me, you old bastard would still be lazing around at home waiting to die. You’d better treat me to something nice with that money to thank me properly.”
“Oh come on, I’m already an old bastard, and you’re still eyeing my funeral savings? Truly, people these days have no shame!”
The courtyard filled with laughter and teasing once again.
Meanwhile, Cheng Si-lang let out a sigh of relief after leaving Desheng Pavilion, but couldn’t help turning back for one more glance.
“See? You’re not ready to let go yet, huh?” Wang Shi’qi said, yawning widely with swollen eyes. “It’s alright, don’t worry. Once the money comes from home, I’ll bring you back here.”
Cheng Si-lang gave him a sharp glare.
“You’d better hurry up and go see my sister, then head home!” he said.
They had only taken a few steps when a female voice called out behind them.
“Chun Ling.”
Seeing the little maid running up, Cheng Si-lang smiled warmly.
“Where are you staying?” Chun Ling asked.
Cheng Si-lang told her the name of the inn.
“Chun Ling, are you really sure you don’t want us to help buy your freedom?” Cheng Si-lang asked. “Although your family’s gone, you could come live with me. It’d be better than… better than staying here…”
No matter what, this wasn’t a good place. He himself had wasted seven or eight days inside, reluctantly dragged along by Wang Shi’qi. But during that time, he had also composed poetry and played the zither with Lady Zhu, and had even seen her blush and flutter…
To be stuck in such a bad place yet act all high and mighty saying it’s no good was really…
He trailed off, muttering to himself.
“No need,” Chun Ling smiled, shaking her head. She looked at Cheng Si-lang with a hint of gratitude. “Sister Zhu treats me very well. I swear I’ll stay with her for life.”
Then she smiled again.
“Besides, if I leave, it’ll be much harder for you all to see Lady Zhu again,” she said.
Wang Shi’qi laughed heartily.
“Well, well, good girl,” he said with a smile. “I won’t ever treat you badly in this life.”
Chun Ling smiled and turned her gaze back to Cheng Si-lang.
“Will you be staying in the capital for a long time, young master? When you leave, you must be sure to let me know,” she said with a hint of reluctance.
Her pitiful eyes made Cheng Si-lang quickly nod.
“I still have to study here for a while longer. Shi’qi will leave after seeing my sister,” he replied.
Chun Ling’s eyes sparkled.
“Your sister is also in the capital? Isn’t she from Jiang-zhou? Did she come here to study too?” she asked, blinking in surprise, confusion, and curiosity.
“No, no,” Wang Shi’qi interrupted, pulling Cheng Si-lang aside and grinning. “His sister lives with her maternal grandparents here.”
“Ah, that’s so nice. I don’t even have relatives to go to,” Chun Ling said softly, lowering her head in sorrow.
“What’s so nice about that?” Wang Shi’qi couldn’t stand to hear her say that and quickly responded, “She’s a fool—kicked out by her family, forced to live with her maternal grandparents. Nothing to envy there.”
A fool!
Chun Ling suddenly lifted her head sharply.
A fool! Ha! Ha! A fool!
The Cheng family fool!
