NOVEL NEXT Chapter 27: Background
Chapter 27: Background
“Have you thought it through?”
Xu Lian looked at her lovely face. Aunt Fang had said that she had the potential to be a flower girl, and it wasn’t just flattery. “Being a flower girl may not be as beautiful as you imagine. The hardships behind it are only known to oneself”.
Chuntao knelt down and pleaded, “I’ve thought it through. Please, Manager Xu, grant me this.”
“Alright.”
Xu Lian’s principle was not to force anyone, and for the sake of affection, he had to let her follow her chosen path.
“Aunt Fang.”
Xu Lian called.
Aunt Fang hurried in with a sway of her hips. “Coming, coming. Manager Xu, has Chuntao not served you well?”
She scolded Chuntao, “What’s wrong with you?”
Xu Lian said, “No, I called you here to discuss something.”
Aunt Fang was confused. “What is it?”
Xu Lian said, “Besides the three taels of silver for food each month, I’ll add another three taels to have someone who can sing and dance teach her.”
Aunt Fang’s eyes lit up when she heard an additional three taels every month. “Alright, I’ll make sure that someone teaches her well. When you take her home, she’ll be able to sing and dance.”
Xu Lian smiled. “She wants to compete for the flower girl of Pingyang County.”
Aunt Fang’s smile froze as she looked at Chuntao. “I said you have the potential to be a flower girl just to praise your beauty and get a good price. Did you take it seriously?”
Chuntao lowered her head and didn’t speak.
Xu Lian said, “Isn’t that possible?”
Aunt Fang shook her head. “Manager Xu, you may not know this, but Green Bamboo Town only has our Lichun Brothel. There’s no competition. Pingyang County is different; it’s a grand event with many beauties competing. And it’s not just about being beautiful; you need a strong backer to be a flower girl. Just getting an entrance ticket to the pageant is not something ordinary people can get, let alone winning the title.”
Xu Lian fell silent.
The path to becoming a flower girl was much harder than he had anticipated.
However, in order to help Chuntao achieve her dream and increase her affection, he had to try.
Chuntao would need time to practice singing and dancing, at least a few months, maybe a year or more. During this time, his strength would also improve, and obtaining an entry ticket for the selection wasn’t impossible.
Xu Lian made his decision. “I understand. Just train her as best as you can; I’ll figure out the rest.”
Aunt Fang looked at him meaningfully and then smiled. “Alright, since I’m not the one spending the silver, even if it fails, I won’t lose anything and can still earn some.”
Chuntao’s eyes welled up with tears as she bowed to Xu Lian. “I’ll work hard on the singing and dancing and won’t let you down.”
“It’s okay, don’t put too much pressure on yourself. If you fail, just come home with me and live a normal life.”
Xu Lian wiped away her tears, comforted her, gave Aunt Fang three taels of silver, and left.
Back in the private room.
Han Du was listening to the music with his eyes closed, not knowing if he was asleep or not.
Xu Lian remembered the salt and firewood he needed at home, and the soap and bronze mirror he had promised Sister Xiya and Chan’er. He bowed to Han Du and left silently.
Leaving the Lichun Brothel, he mounted his horse and went to the market, spending a few taels of silver on these items before returning to the mine.
There was not much to do at the mine; everything was well organized under Pu Ling’s management.
Zhang Yuan held a whip, supervised the miners, and shouted loudly, fully displaying the authority of an overseer.
Yang Ye was more lenient, having worked as a stone carrier for most of his life and understanding the miners’ hardships. He would turn a blind eye to those who slacked off, at most gently nudging them to work faster.
The most gentle overseer was the snake catcher’s son, Lin Bufeng. He was so gentle that it was almost tender. When he saw someone slacking off, he would hesitate and then shyly ask, “Uncle, could you work a bit faster?”
This made Zhang Yuan so angry that his blood pressure rose, and he had to teach Lin Bufeng how to scold and whip people, with Lin Bufeng blushing as he followed.
Xu Lian found it amusing, but he didn’t say anything. He made a simple tour of the mine, sat down in the stone house to drink tea, and waited for the end of the workday.
“Pei Heng said that he would help me get a tiger skeleton. I wonder how long it will take.”
“And I accepted the house deed and agreed to arrange a meeting with the Quarry Patrol Inspector for Pei Heng. I wonder when the inspector will come to inspect this mine. I need to meet with the inspector to discuss this matter.”
A white shadow glanced in through the window, causing him to pause. Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.
With its pure white fur without a single strand of impurity, lively eyes, and graceful posture, who else could it be but the White Fox Quarry Patrol Inspector?
Xu Lian quickly stood up, bowed his head, and said, “I pay my respects to the Quarry Patrol Inspector.”
The white fox seemed to sense something and stared at him with lively eyes, a bit surprised. “I feel that your physical vitality is even stronger. In just a few days, your strength has improved?”
Xu Lian thought that it was impressive. The perception of the Inspector of the White Fox Quarry Patrol was incredibly sharp. “Nothing escapes the inspector’s attention. I have advanced to the Muscle Refining Stage.”
The white fox snorted lightly. “If I remember correctly, last time you told me that you accidentally ate a spiritual herb, which made you a Skin Refining Stage martial artist. What have you accidentally eaten this time to advance to the muscle refining stage?”
Xu Lian felt a bit uncomfortable. “I didn’t want to lie. The first time I met the quarry patrol inspector, I was worried about the inspector’s background, so I found an excuse to hide it.”
The white fox’s eyes flickered. “You are indeed cautious.”
Xu Lian sighed. “I come from a humble background and know little about this chaotic world. I tread carefully for fear of making a mistake and losing my life, so I have to be like this.”
The white fox nodded slightly. “This world is not something you can see through, and even I dare not say that I fully understand it. It is not wrong to be cautious. I won’t ask you how you cultivate. Every practitioner has his own little secrets, which is nothing strange.”
“Thank you, Quarry Patrol Inspector, for your understanding.”
Xu Lian bowed again, but he didn’t know how to entertain the white fox. “Would the Quarry Patrol Inspector like some tea?”
“No need…”
The white fox shook its head. “You have just taken over this new mine. I’m only here for a simple inspection. Have you completed the blood sacrifice?”
“Yesterday, I took people to capture bandits from Sand Gully, and I have already performed the blood sacrifice. I will continue to do so on time. Rest assured, Quarry Patrol Inspector.”
Xu Lian honestly reported the blood sacrifice.
As for the mine’s financial expenses, there was no need to report them; the higher-ups didn’t care.
The White Fox asked curiously, “Why are you using bandits for the blood sacrifice?”
Xu Lian said, “I was originally a miner and couldn’t bear to sacrifice miners.
The White Fox was silent for a moment. “For a practitioner, kindness might not be a good thing.”
“I will remember the teachings of the Quarry Patrol Inspector.”
Xu Lian also knew that in this chaotic world full of malice, it might be better to be ruthless.
The white fox said, “The Muscle Refining level is still too low. When you reach the Bone Refining Stage, I will guide you into the Yi Sect.”
Join the Yi Sect?
Xu Lian hadn’t thought about it.
He had his own Golden Finger… he didn’t need to join a sect.
However, joining the Yi Sect would also be a good thing. At least he would find an organization and have a “background”, unlike now where he was like a floating weed, always worried about someone harming his life.