Back at the inn, the innkeeper, seeing the two men walk in, asked curiously, "Weren't you two gentlemen out for a river trip? Why are you back so early?"
"I only realized I'm afraid of water when I got to the water's edge, so I came back early." Feng Guang lied quite naturally, then asked the innkeeper, "I ran into You'er outside, has he come back yet?"
"Of course he's back. He just got a scolding from his mother. If you ask me, this kid is really naughty. His mother raised him with great difficulty all by herself, and he doesn't know how to be obedient. He's always making his mother worry. You don't know, because his mother is the only one taking care of him, and because she needs to do needlework to earn money, she doesn't have time to play with him. So, to attract other people's attention, he often tells a lot of lies."
Si Jia, standing beside Feng Guang, suddenly spoke up, "I wonder what lies he's told?"
"It's just that Aunt Zhang's house caught fire, and Wang Er's chickens were killed by the neighbor's dog... Oh, and something about a monster in the river." The shopkeeper stroked his beard and smiled nonchalantly. "How could there be a man-eating monster? If there really were, then every person in our town who goes to play by the river every year would probably be eaten by the monster."
Feng Guang chimed in, "Perhaps You'er is indeed too lonely. Children need companions."
She remained silent about the water monster that You'er had also told them.
“Our town isn’t very big. He’s the only child his age. There’s nothing we can do about it. Oh well, it’s their family matter. Why should I worry about it? Let’s keep doing the accounts.” The shopkeeper shook his head and started fiddling with the abacus again.
Fengguang and Sijia exchanged a glance and went upstairs to their guest rooms in perfect unison. In the corridor, they ran into the female troupe leader, the still-charming woman.
"Gentlemen, we meet again." The woman laughed heartily, "I must thank you both for showing us the way."
Feng Guang hurriedly replied, "Madam, you're too kind."
The road was entirely pointed out by Si Jia, so there was no need to be rude to her.
The woman said, "My surname is Chen, and everyone calls me Master Chen. May I ask how you, young lady and young master, should address me?"
"My surname is Xia, and this is..."
Si Jia said, "Just call me Thirteen."
“Miss Xia, Young Master Thirteen…” Master Chen didn’t find the name Thirteen strange. Wasn’t that how it was in their opera troupe? Almost everyone had a stage name, and their real name didn’t really matter.
Feng Guang knew that the fewer people who knew Si Jia's name, the safer it would be. She wisely refrained from speaking out of turn and instead asked, "Master Chen, have you decided when you will perform on stage?"
"It'll be tomorrow night," Master Chen said with a smile. "I've already spoken with the manager, and they'll set up a temporary stage for us in the main hall. My people will be performing on this stage. Would you like to come, young lady? My special skill is different from others; I can do magic tricks."
Magic trick? Isn't that just magic?
Even though she was excited, she didn't rush to agree. Instead, she looked at Si Jia and saw him nod before smiling and saying to Master Chen, "Okay, I'll come to see it tomorrow night too."
"That's wonderful! I'll definitely reserve a good spot for you two tomorrow."
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