25 Chapter 25
◎Not a liar◎
The next afternoon, as soon as the private school was over, Su Yuheng excitedly pulled Jiang Jingyun out, leaving Xie Weicai and others standing there with grim expressions.
When the others saw the oppressive atmosphere emanating from the surroundings, they all took detours. A few followers stared at the gloomy face of their boss and stood still like grandsons, not daring to move. They were very nervous, fearing that they would suffer an unexpected disaster.
Just because the followers don't want to get into trouble doesn't mean that I'm willing to let it go.
Xie Weicai glanced at them with a sinister look, and several of them shuddered in fear. "Are they all dead? What are you doing standing there without saying anything?"
Several people looked at each other, huddled in place with their heads down and dared not move forward.
As the boss's face became increasingly ugly, the henchman who usually had a good reputation in front of Xie Weicai took a deep breath, stepped forward cautiously, bent his body slightly, and asked tentatively in a low voice: "Boss, in this situation, should we still bother that kid?"
When he didn't get a response, he tried to quietly look up to see the boss's face, but was kicked to the ground by the angry Xie Weicai, "Are your eyes just for show? Didn't you see that guy hangs out with Su Yuheng every day? How are you going to find him?"
"Ah...!" The henchman knelt on the ground with a painful expression on his face. His legs were twisted at an unnatural angle, obviously broken by the kick. His forehead was covered with beads of sweat, and his voice was trembling and hesitant. "Then...then let him go like this?"
Xie Weicai clenched his cheeks and asked with a voice that seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth: "What do you think?"
Facing the deadly gaze hanging over their heads, the followers dared not to respond this time, and the others lowered their heads and held their breath, fearing that they would be the next ones to be taken out on.
There was another suffocating silence.
After a long while, Xie Wei spoke again: "Wait..."
Everyone looked up, only to see Xie Weicai staring straight ahead, his eyes as if filled with poison, "I don't believe he can hide with Su Yuheng forever..."
…
On this side, Jiang Jingyun was dragged south by the excited Su Yuheng.
On the south side, closer to the city gate, shops are neatly arranged on both sides of the street. They are all teahouses and wine shops with green tiles, red bricks and flying eaves. There is a constant stream of pedestrians, and the sound of shouting is everywhere. You can even hear the laughter of the drinkers while walking.
Jiang Jingyun looked at the familiar surroundings and asked in confusion: "Didn't we come here yesterday? The location of the shop here is good, but I can't afford it..."
Su Yuheng patted his chest proudly, with a determined look on his face: "Just follow me, and you can rest assured, there will be no problem."
Jiang Jingyun followed Su Yuheng and walked towards the center of the street. The street became more and more prosperous. When he couldn't help but want to stop, he finally stopped in front of a restaurant. Before they could even stand still, a man dressed as an attendant came up to them, bowed and said, "Greetings, gentlemen. I am Li Erniu. I will take you to see the shop today."
Su Yuheng gestured: "Tell me about the situation of this shop."
Li Erniu bowed and pointed at the restaurant to introduce it to the two people: "Please look, gentlemen. This shop is only 500 meters away from the center of South Street. It has three floors. There are mainly clothing shops and bookstores around it. On weekdays, most of the dignitaries come and go, and it is very lively." As he said this, he led them into the shop and gestured with his hand, "This shop is about 300 square meters, and there is a small courtyard of more than 10 square meters in the back, with a well in it. The decoration inside the house is still very new, and it can be used after adding some tables and chairs."
Su Yuheng looked very satisfied, leaned close to Jiang Jingyun's ear and whispered, "How is it, is it okay?"
Jiang Jingyun nodded. This is great. This one looks even better than the one yesterday. But it must be more expensive, right? He looked at Su Yuheng who assured him that he could afford it, and asked hesitantly, "How much does this shop cost?"
Li Erniu, who was standing next to him, held up eight fingers and said with a big smile, "Sir, this number is eight hundred taels of silver."
"Eight hundred taels?!" Jiang Jingyun shouted in surprise.
He didn't say anything for a while, frowning and wondering what he was thinking. Su Yuheng, who was standing next to him, thought he was hesitating because he felt the price was still too high, so he winked at Li Erniu.
Li Erniu looked embarrassed, thinking about what he was told before coming here, and asked Jiang Jingyun hesitantly: "Sir... do you think the price is not suitable? If the shop suits your taste, we can discuss it again..."
When Jiang Jingyun heard him say that, his brows furrowed even tighter, and he became alert in his heart. He politely refused, "I don't think it's appropriate. Let's take a look at it again."
Su Yuheng was puzzled: "What's wrong with it? Isn't this good?"
Jiang Jingyun pulled his sleeve to signal him to keep quiet, and after they left the shop, he quietly explained, "The prices in this shop are too cheap, I suspect they are scammers."
Su Yuheng's eyes widened, his face full of disbelief: "This is impossible..."
"Why not? This shop is very good in every aspect. It should cost at least several thousand taels of silver. This person only offered eight hundred taels of silver. He must be trying to attract people with a low price and then give us a fake deed to fool us. Once he gets the money, he will run away without a trace."
After listening to Jiang Jingyun's inference, Su Yuheng categorically denied it: "This is absolutely impossible!"
Jiang Jingyun was suspicious: "How can you be so sure?"
"This..." Su Yuheng avoided his gaze and stammered in reply, "Anyway, he's not a liar..."
Jiang Jingyun stared at the man without saying anything.
"......" Su Yuheng felt uncomfortable being stared at. Finally he couldn't stand it anymore and confessed, "He is my servant. The shop is mine..."
"..." Jiang Jingyun looked at the ancient version of the naive girl in front of him, a little speechless, "We just met yesterday, you helped me wholeheartedly, and now you are thinking of paying for it yourself. Aren't you afraid that I have other motives and am approaching you deliberately for money?"
"What's wrong with this being our first meeting? I like you," Su Yuheng said carelessly, "Besides, I have many shops, so I can afford one or two more..."
Well, the foolish and rich prodigal son of a landlord must have been coaxed into spending money many times before.
Tsk, why do I feel a little envious for some reason?
This damn rich man, what is Versailles in front of him, it's a bastard not to take advantage of the opportunity, he has even lost his conscience...
Fortunately, Jiang Jingyun finally maintained his moral bottom line and reluctantly refused: "I appreciate your kindness, but I can't accept this shop without merit."
Zhuangzi once said: "The friendship of gentlemen is as pure as water, while the friendship of villains is as sweet as honey; gentlemen are close to each other with indifference, while villains are willing to break off friendships with each other. [1]" The purpose of making friends is to find common interests; a friendship mixed with interests is not always reliable. If the other party treats him sincerely, Jiang Jingyun is unwilling to disappoint this kindness for the sake of immediate benefits.
Although he didn't say it out loud, Su Yuheng knew what he meant and didn't force him.
"If you don't want to, forget it. However..." Su Yuheng changed the subject, "I have asked someone to find another shop. Shall we go and have a look?"
"......" Jiang Jingyun looked at Su Yuheng who was determined to help him find a suitable shop today and would not give up until he achieved his goal. He secretly complained that if he had this drive, even if he was not born in a high-class family, he could still make a successful person on his own...
Let Li Erniu lead the way. After turning several turns, we arrived at the end of a relatively remote street. There was a two-story building, which was close to the West Market. There were some wine shops and grocery stores nearby. The environment was much worse than the previous one. Moreover, the wine shop looked shabby from the outside and seemed to be quite old.
Su Yuheng took one look and showed disdain on his face, "This house is too shabby."
Hearing that the young master was unhappy, Li Erniu hurried forward to explain: "Young master, you don't know, although this shop is not as lively as the one on South Street, it is close to the dock of West Market. It is convenient for goods to come in and out on weekdays, and the flow of people is also large. The house looks a little shabby, but it is basically a minor problem. It will be fine if we spend some money to repair it."
Jiang Jingyun went in and took a closer look. This house was slightly smaller than the previous one. There was also a small courtyard with a well at the back, but it looked very shabby as no one had taken care of it for a long time. The paint on the walls of the house is peeling off a bit, and it's empty with little furniture. If I buy it, I'll have to redecorate and renovate it, but it should be fine after some tidying up.
Although Master Su looked down on it, he was somewhat tempted: "How much silver does this one cost?"
Li Erniu did not answer immediately, but looked at his young master hesitantly.
Su Yuheng waved his hand: "Just tell the truth."
Li Erniu understood and replied, "Sir, this shop needs five hundred taels of silver." Fearing that Jiang Jingyun would misunderstand again, he explained, "This shop was originally a food business, and it was passed down from the shop owner's ancestors. If it weren't for the fact that the shop owner's wife was seriously ill and in urgent need of money, he would never have sold it. The owner wanted to sell the shop for money so that he could go to the capital to seek treatment from a famous doctor, so the price is cheaper."
"It costs five hundred taels of silver for something so shabby. How can it be cheap?" Su Yuheng was a little dissatisfied, but Jiang Jingyun thought the price was quite fair.
Jiang Jingyun had inquired about the prices of shops in the town. For example, most of the people who frequented South Street were high-ranking officials, and all the items sold were expensive luxury goods. The cheapest shop would cost over a thousand taels, and the best could cost over ten thousand taels. The location of West Market was not as good, and the prices ranged from a few hundred to a thousand taels, which was just within his budget. He had originally planned to look for a shop in West Market, but he didn't expect Su Yuheng to help him and drag him to South Street to broaden his horizons. Unexpectedly, he actually found a good shop for him.
Jiang Jingyun carefully calculated the money he had and found that it was enough. After thinking for a while, he made a decision, "I want this shop. I wonder when I can sign the contract?"
"Do you really want it?" Su Yuheng asked.
"Well, I'm quite satisfied." Jiang Jingyun replied.
Finally, the task was completed, and Li Erniu breathed a sigh of relief: "If it is convenient for you, I can send someone over tomorrow."
"Okay, then after school tomorrow afternoon, we'll hand over the money and the deed."
"Yes." Li Erniu stepped back and turned around to report today's events in full.
【Author’s words】
[1] From Zhuangzi: Mountain Wood
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