Chapter 78 Finding a Job:

Shen Bingsi was not afraid of Lu Yinglin at all; what he was afraid of was hearing them discuss the details of selling the photovoltaic white orchid.

It's as if as long as Guangdian Bailan is still around, the intricate connection between him and Rong Xie remains; but once Guangdian Bailan is gone, their connection is severed.

Although Shen Bingsi already knew that Rong Xie was going to sell the Guangdian Bailan, as long as he didn't inquire or confirm, he could pretend that it hadn't happened yet.

...

But now, things are different. That scoundrel from Yuanbao Auction House is going to sell his and Rong Xie's treasures. Upon hearing this, Shen Bing Si felt as if her heart was being torn apart and had no choice but to flee in panic.

He ran for dozens of miles in one breath. It was completely dark outside, and he didn't know where he was. It seemed that he had run out of the sect's surveillance range.

The old handyman's figure straightened from hunchback to upright, his shoulders relaxed, and he returned to being a tall and upright young man, but the air of decadence around him still lingered.

"Damn it, which bastard is eyeing the Light-Powered White Orchid?" Shen Bingsi muttered to himself. A moment later, he transformed into a golden light and flew towards the location of the Yuanbao Auction House's main store—the Liujin Sect.

North Gate Market, Restaurant.

“I really don’t intend to sell the Guangdian Bailan,” Rong Xie said seriously, refusing the wine glass that Lu Yinglin offered. “No matter how much they offer, please ask Manager Lu to decline it for me.”

"Junior Brother Rong, don't be angry. I was just standing here at the auction house asking about the customer's wishes. If you're not willing, I'll just decline." Lu Yinglin rubbed his nose awkwardly and laughed. "There will be many more times like this in the future. This is only the first time, and Junior Brother Rong is already angry with me. How am I supposed to talk business with you in the future?"

“My mind is made up. It’s not that I blame Young Master Lu, but it’s normal for me to be worried since your firm has already put the things I’ve decided to pawn out up for sale,” Rong Xie said.

"Of course, of course. It's normal for Junior Brother Rong to be worried because he's not familiar with the rules of the auction house. It's my fault for not explaining clearly, which caused Junior Brother Rong's concern. Actually, this bid doesn't mean anything..."

Lu Yinglin used his more than ten years of experience in the business world to explain many things, and they all sounded very reasonable, as if Rong Xie was really overthinking things.

However, Rong Xie ignored all of that and insisted on his original idea: he would only mortgage the Guangdian Bailan, not buy it, and Lu Yinglin would not need to mention the price to him in the future.

“I understand Junior Brother Rong’s feelings, but people’s feelings can change at any moment. Perhaps Junior Brother Rong will not think so tomorrow?” Lu Yinglin never spoke definitively, so he stopped talking about the Guangdian Bailan at this point.

Seeing that he no longer mentioned the orchid, Rong Xie's attitude softened considerably. The two chatted for a while about the bustling scene in Shengjing and strange tales, and the atmosphere became harmonious again.

Lu Yinglin observed Rong Xie's expression and felt that the time was right. He once again suggested taking Rong Xie to Shengjing to "broaden his horizons," eat some good food, and do some fun things.

Rong Xie hesitated.

"How about we wait a little longer? I've only just settled in, and there are still many things to take care of. The clothes I ordered from Uncle Wang will be delivered every now and then, so I have to wait at home," Rong Xie said.

Lu Yinglin said with some helplessness, "This is such a small matter. Just have your servant handle it at home. Are you suggesting that you shouldn't go out just because of a few pieces of clothing?"

"Hmm..." Rong Xie lowered his eyes, "I think I'll wait a little longer."

“Junior Brother Rong, you’ve already escaped that cage, so why are you still acting like before, never stepping out of the house? Even if you’re out now, what’s the difference between you and before?” Lu Yinglin couldn’t help but say, his gaze towards Rong Xie filled with strong disapproval.

"How could that be? I think the difference is huge. I've been happy every day since I moved here. There are so many places to visit around here, why go to all the trouble of going far away?" Rong Xie said in a relaxed tone.

Of course, there is another reason. Rong Xie now has some money, but it is just savings. Savings will continue to decrease if you sit at home every day and don't go anywhere. Even though the money doesn't disappear immediately, it shrinks invisibly with the wear and tear of the house, the depreciation of materials, and the wear and tear of daily necessities. When you take stock of the accounts next time, you will be surprised to find that even though you haven't gone out much, your savings seem to have been robbed.

Before finding a way to make money, Rong Xie dared not make any big moves. He spent so much money at home, and even more when he went out. As the saying goes, poverty cannot sway one's will... It's best to avoid places like Shengjing, a den of extravagance.

“Junior Brother Rong, I think you’re being too frugal. That’s not good. Life is short. You’ve finally come to the vicinity of Shengjing. You’re right next to such a large and prosperous place, but you don’t go out and explore. Isn’t that a waste?” Lu Yinglin’s tone even carried a hint of reproach. “How about this, I’ll cover all the expenses for the trip to Shengjing. Junior Brother Rong, just have fun and don’t worry about anything else. How about that?”

"How can that be? I have savings, how can I let Young Master Lu pay for it?" Rong Xie sighed when he saw that he couldn't refuse the invitation and told the truth, "It's just that I just moved here and haven't found a way to make a living yet. I feel uneasy about spending my savings. I think I should wait until I have some income before thinking about having fun."

"I won't spend your money. Didn't I say I'd cover all your expenses in Shengjing?" Lu Yinglin had never met someone so difficult to invite out, and his tone became somewhat impatient.

"I'm sorry, but it seems Mr. Lu still doesn't understand what I mean. We're not that close yet, so I appreciate your kindness in letting me spend your money without any burden." Rong Xie's tone turned cold, as if he intended to end the dinner.

Lu Yinglin, who was usually quick-witted, was speechless for a long time. After a moment of silence, he scratched his eyebrow and said awkwardly, "Never mind."

"Young Master Lu won't blame me, will he?" Rong Xie felt a little apologetic. After all, Lu Yinglin meant well, but if he didn't explain clearly, Lu Yinglin seemed not to understand. He had no choice but to speak frankly.

"How could I blame you? It's just a bit of a pity that it seems I won't be able to travel around Shengjing with Junior Brother Rong for a while." Lu Yinglin chuckled. He found that this beautiful woman with little worldly experience was more difficult to deal with than any of the targets he had ever pursued. Not only was she not tempted at all, but she was also very clear-headed. She really intended to make a living on her own in Lanyuan. Although he could imagine how rare the scenery was at the top of such an insurmountable snow-capped mountain, the cost would be too high. As a businessman, Lu Yinglin was having second thoughts.

He plans to "disappear" for a while longer to find some approachable targets to fill the boring gaps in his schedule.

At the subsequent dinner, the two returned to their polite but distant relationship, with no further interaction.

Although he didn't gain anything from Lu Yinglin, Rong Xie realized one thing: to make a living, he had to find a way to earn money.

But what kind of business should I look for to make money?

Helping people write letters? There are quite a few literate old scholars on this Blue Plain. The price for writing letters for people at the North Gate Market has dropped to the level of doing pure manual labor.

Become a tutor? Rong Xie really didn't know much about the imperial examinations. In a place like Lan Yuan, where old scholars were concentrated, just knowing basic phonetics wasn't enough, and Rong Xie wasn't competitive.

Teaching others incantations and spells? That's possible, but Rong Xie's spiritual power is limited. He wouldn't even use it to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage, let alone waste it on teaching others.

Another point is... cooking? But he had no desire to be stuck in a kitchen filled with choking smoke, spending his days with small animals in dark corners.

After thinking it over, Rong Xie realized that he really didn't have any skills in making money. Just like what the Shen family said, if he hadn't used his "seductive tricks" to "get close to the second young master," he might have starved to death in some corner.

No, that won't do. He's already started his own business; how can he still be thinking about Shen Bingsi's benefits? He has no way out; he has to find a way to break this deadlock.

After racking his brains for a long time, Wang Mu said from the side, "Brother Rong can continue to be the steward. With your experience, the mansions of princes and nobles would all want a steward like you."

Continue... as a housekeeper?

Being a butler is indeed a very suitable profession for Rong Xie. He doesn't have to do anything himself, but he needs to know a little about everything. He needs to be able to manage a large house and coordinate all aspects. Apart from interpersonal skills, Rong Xie excels at everything.

Rong Xie had considered continuing to work as a steward, but stewards in wealthy families were usually trained by the family itself, requiring long-term tacit understanding and trust. More importantly, these stewards were usually promoted from servants and had indentures held by the master.

Rong Xie would never become a servant for money, so he couldn't do the job that was most suitable for him, which was being a steward.

...

It's really hard to find a way to make a living in this world.

Fortunately, Rong Xie wasn't entirely without income. He used his self-developed recipe to make flower tea, which Wang Mu then sold, earning him some extra money.

However, this money was not readily available, and there were patrolling constables on the streets. If they found out that Rong Xie was doing business without a license, there would probably be some trouble. Rong Xie could only sell in small batches and accumulate some loyal customers from his neighbors. Apart from that, he could not expand his business channels.

Just as Rong Xie was about to take a gamble and go to the North Gate Market to find a shop to sell his flower tea, an unexpected acquaintance appeared, bringing a new turning point.

This acquaintance is none other than Bai Shuishanren!

Bai Shuishan was always elusive, appearing and disappearing without a trace. In the first few days after Rong Xie arrived at Lan Yuan, he wondered if he might run into him somewhere by chance, but as time went on, he forgot about it.

Unexpectedly, one day while brewing tea in the flower hall, he heard a familiar chanting sound coming from outside the wall. Rong Xie put down the teapot and ran outside, catching up with Bai Shui Shan Ren, who was wearing a wide cloth robe, at the entrance of the alley.

"Junior Brother Rong, what are you doing here?" Bai Shuishanren asked in surprise.

"I've moved in. I'll be staying here from now on," Rong Xie said with a smile.

"Where is Shen's friend?" Bai Shuishan looked around but didn't see Shen Bingsi.

“He didn’t come with me,” Rong Xie said.

"I see, then you can relax a bit," Bai Shuishanren said with a smile.

The two stood at the alley entrance and talked for a while, exchanging information about each other. Bai Shuishanren learned that Rong Xie had just moved in and did not have a proper business for the time being, so he invited him to come to Lanyuan Villa to be a retainer.

"Retainers?" Rong Xie knew nothing about this profession. According to Shen Bingsi, they were people who freeloaded. Combining this with what he saw at the gathering of retainers at Lan Yuan Villa last time, Rong Xie roughly sketched out an impression in his mind—some eccentric geniuses who could gain the master's appreciation were freeloaders.

Is he going to join this line of work too?

That's... great!

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