Chapter 49 Goodbye, Lover
Sometimes, Ji Mingxiu doubted Yanru's sanity. He had seduced countless young women, and every one of them had avoided him after they'd separated. As long as he honestly said he wouldn't take them as concubines, wouldn't set up a separate household with them as sidekicks, and certainly wouldn't divorce Qi Fengning to marry them as the principal ladies of the Ji Mansion, they would be even more worried than he was about the past being exposed. They feared being involved again, causing trouble, ruining their reputation, losing their credibility, and being cursed by millions for the rest of their lives. Remarriage would become a problem, let alone living a life of integrity.
Zhuangzi said: "An honest man values reputation; a virtuous man values ambition." Ji Mingxiu, now over forty, reread this line and laughed, thinking Zhuangzi hadn't spent much time in the land of pleasure. An honest man values reputation? Then not women! The world treats them far more harshly than men. If a man indulges in prostitution, whores every night and then sleeps with them, then finally turns his back on his wife, cultivates benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness, he might even earn the reputation of "a prodigal son who returns is worth more than gold." Women, on the other hand, face a pitfall: one misstep, one mistake concerning chastity, and the world becomes worse than hell. Ji Mingxiu understood this principle well, and he became even more unscrupulous in his dealings with innocent young women of pure family backgrounds. He treated them as a bundle of firewood, built a stove with the teacher-student relationship, used his talent as the ignition to stir up their worship of men, and poured a jar of strong liquor filled with lust on them. Then he used his burning heart to draw sparks, igniting them, burning them, and turning the cold and harsh river of time into a Huaqing Pool, allowing him to soak in it, enjoying the evaporation of youth and desire, and stretching his increasingly loose skin.
Anyway, they wouldn't make a scene outside, so there was no need to worry if they did. If the fire got too big, either they would consume themselves, or his good wife Qi Fengning would come out to put out the fire for him.
But Yanru, like a seven rolled on the dice, a hot chestnut popping out of a cold pot, was unexpected and beyond imagination. Ji Mingxiu scratched his head, unable to understand. He threw the letter Yanru had sent to him to the servant Wang'er and said, "Show it to Nian Nian. Is it my eyes that are blurring, or is she crazy?"
Wang'er knew how to read and said fluently, "Xiu Lang, I've missed you so much lately. My husband has just built a pawnshop for me, and I wanted to invite you to come and have a chat. Master, you're writing in plain language, you're definitely Miss You."
Ji Mingxiu's solar plexus twitched violently. "Headache! Isn't she married? Why is she still looking for me?"
Wang Er said, "Maybe she really missed the master? She heard that the master was in the capital recently, so she-?"
"Then why should it be arranged on her husband's territory? Even if a person is crazy, there must be a limit?" Ji Mingxiu was puzzled. Although he flirted with her once for Bu Yibo last time, there was no contact since then. Rumor has it that she married well, the couple lived in harmony, and her parents-in-law loved her. If that's the case, why did she still want to find him? This girl You Yanru is really too sticky. In order to have a fresh taste, she would stick to her back teeth. She would lick it until the root of her tongue was sore and soft, but it wouldn't fall off, and she couldn't pick it off with her hands. It was really annoying. He patted his thigh and lamented: "My heart is hesitant and suspicious. I want to be content but can't."
Wang'er stepped forward tactfully, gently patting Ji Mingxiu's legs and saying, "Master, based on my understanding of Miss You, she seems to have some ulterior motive by asking us to go look for her for no reason. However, among all the girls, she is the most affectionate towards you, so she won't let us suffer any great harm. I heard that her current husband is not a simple man and has some connections in the capital. If we don't go directly, it will make you look stingy, and we are also afraid that... his followers will hear something unfounded and delay our business. I think it's no big deal! Let's go and meet her. What if she has good intentions and is waiting for you?"
"Can anything good happen to her? Do you believe it yourself?" Ji Mingxiu laughed. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "Let's go. She won't dare to do anything in front of her husband."
He found some paper and ink, picked up his pen, and replied to her. Two days later, Ji Mingxiu arrived as promised, at the most luxurious shop on the riverbank. As soon as he entered, the pawnshop clerks lined up to welcome him, their smiles respectful and somewhat fawning. The manager led him into the backyard, to a room richly decorated and filled with fragrance. Inside sat You Yanru, wrapped in silk and satin, with a smile on her lips, and every pore on her face exuding a charming and cloying charm. After all, there were other people outside, so Yanru stayed at her ease and only dared to say to him, "You, your student, greets Teacher Ji."
从前若是旧情人在外头碰面，每回都能让他生出一种隐秘的刺激，仿佛在旁人面前同她们说话，能让他穿越千年，化身韩信，体会明修栈道、暗度陈仓大获全胜后的快感。而今日，他竟没有丝毫惬意，心里发毛，生怕嫣如的丈夫已经得知他同嫣如的往事，安排有人冲出来揍他一顿。他没有接她的问候，问道：“你丈夫不在？”
"He's not here. He specifically left the room for me and Teacher Ji to catch up." Yanru's expression was frank, making the cautious Ji Mingxiu seem a bit sleazy. He looked around, making sure nothing was unusual, walked in, and went straight to the point: "Student You called me here today, what's the matter?"
Yanru smiled sweetly: "Then I'll be frank. Look, my pawnshop now looks really nice and elegant, right?"
Ji Mingxiu took a quick look around and nodded, "Hmm... It's not bad. Although the decoration seems ostentatious, it's also quite elegant. I heard that your business is also good."
"It's not bad. Business has been good these days, and I've received a lot of good things from customers. It's a pity..." Yanru changed the subject, "Teacher Ji, you see, I have known you for so many years, and you have painted so many paintings, but when I think about it, I don't even have a single piece of your calligraphy on hand..."
"Ah? You want to buy a painting? Just say it earlier, why beat around the bush." Ji Mingxiu let down his guard, relaxed his limbs, found a comfortable sitting position, and crossed his legs. "Do you want to order a painting, or buy one of my ready-made ones? Others usually negotiate the price with my wife, but it's inconvenient for you two to meet. Just talk to Xing'er directly. I don't care about such mundane matters as money."
You bastard, you actually want to settle accounts with me openly? How stingy! Yanru was dissatisfied and pouted: "Teacher Ji, you and I have been in love for such a long time, and now you still want to do this, weighing and measuring, are you sure it's all clear?"
Ji Mingxiu said, "You want me to give you a lower price? That's fine. Just tell me first, do you want a ready-made one or do you want me to paint it?"
"No, no, Xiu Lang, why don't you understand?" Yan Ru was anxious and changed her address. She simply stood up and squatted beside his knees, acting like a puppy acting like a spoiled child. She raised her head high, lowered her voice, and said pitifully, "Xiu Lang, can't you just not take my money and paint me a new one?"
"What?" Ji Mingxiu didn't react. Yanru looked up at him and said, "You've painted so many paintings for me before. Now that I'm married, can't you paint one more for me and give it to me as my dowry?"
It was so ridiculous that it was hilarious. Ji Mingxiu laughed and said, "Me? Give you? A dowry? Listen to it yourself. Do you think this is funny? You Yanru, let's not talk about our relationship. You got married before the Mid-Autumn Festival. Now it's the twelfth lunar month, and the New Year is almost here. You're still asking me for a dowry? You really are something."
Yanru pouted. Actually, Xue Jia had given her a sum of money specifically for buying paintings from Ji Mingxiu, but she wanted to enrich herself, so she asked Ji Mingxiu for a free painting and swallowed the money herself. In this case, she could only bargain with Ji Mingxiu: "Xiu Lang, you said that I have been your goddess of painting for a long time, and now you don't even give me a painting. I am so sad. You said before that your private seal is managed by Qi Fengning, so you can't give me anything casually. I understand, so I haven't asked you for anything in all these years. But you don't know, you don't know, I miss you so much after I got married, and I often think of our past. Unfortunately, we are not destined to be together in this life. I really feel sad, oh, oh, sad, so sad. Please, Xiu Lang, just paint me a picture, paint me a picture of my current appearance, as a memory for the rest of my life. Okay?" After saying this, Yanru blinked hard and squeezed out a few tears.
Seeing an old friend weeping in front of him would move even the most heartless person, let alone Ji Mingxiu, who was always kind to women. He quickly helped Yanru up and let her sit back on the stool. "You know that my private seal is in Qi Fengning's hands, yet you still make such a tricky request. My paintings always have private seals. Without them, they are equivalent to waste paper. This has been the unwritten rule between my wife and me for many years when selling paintings. Could it be that you still want me to give you a worthless painting?"
"I told you, I just want a thought. Xiu Lang, please just paint for me, please." Yanru quietly held his hand, thinking: If you don't want to stamp it, then don't stamp it. Anyway, I've tested it. Xue Jia, that ignorant fool, doesn't know anything. If he gets your painting, he will definitely treasure it and won't sell it. As long as I have a painting for Xue Jia to brag about and the money goes into my pocket, I don't care about other things.
Ji Mingxiu pondered for a moment and said, "Okay, I promise you, I will paint for you without using my personal seal. But you have to promise me that after the painting is finished, we will not contact each other again. We must not make appointments like this time. And you don't make any more requests of me. Let's live our own lives."
This heartless seed is truly a piece of shit. Yan Ru made up her mind and agreed to him: "Okay. When can I draw?"
Ji Mingxiu said, "Okay, in that case, tomorrow you should get dressed and come to my villa—remember, come with your husband so that others don't gossip."
He loosened his lips, but she hesitated. She was reluctant to spit out the words, but she was afraid to swallow them, as if she were sitting back in a bridal sedan. Her hesitant look made Ji Mingxiu feel uneasy. He hurriedly asked, "What? Are you still not satisfied? You Yanru, I've treated you much better than others."
Yanru rolled her eyes around a few times before squatting back down, looking at him eagerly: "Don't go to your place. I'm afraid I'll be reminded of the house next to Qiushui Academy, which will make me sad. Just now you said my pawnshop is good, so you can paint here, okay?"
Ji Mingxiu didn't say anything, but raised his eyebrows and smiled contemptuously, "You Yanru, you were waiting for me here. You wanted me to paint your pawnshop and let you go out and brag about your shop under my name? Yanru, I haven't seen you for a long time. You are very different from before, much smarter. I brought you to the capital, and you turned your life around and became a noble lady. Now you want me to help your husband? Aren't you terrible at arithmetic? How come you can count so loudly and so well? Not only me, but my wife heard it in Handan."
Is she different? Of course, isn't this all thanks to him? Because of him, she's gone through hardship after hardship, and has long been reborn. Even when exposed, she can remain calm and composed: "Xiu Lang, you care about me, and my reputation, so just paint here. Don't think I don't know that you have another one in your other courtyard. If she sees me and I get sad, she might tell some lies, which would be terrible and hurt our relationship. I promise you, if you paint in the pawnshop, I'll give you some silver, how about it?"
Yanru gritted her teeth and decided to give Ji Mingxiu half of the money Xue Jia had transferred. Seeing her take a step back, Ji Mingxiu pondered for a moment and said, "Okay, I promise, I'll paint it here. You arrange a place tonight according to my custom, and I'll come tomorrow."
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