Wen Yuanbai nodded and teased, "Your methods of accumulating wealth are simply unmatched!"
He had long heard of Fuxilou; it was a very famous restaurant.
"Hehehe, I knew it! Senior Brother would definitely praise me!" She popped another meatball into her mouth, then said to Shen Zhangyu, "You can also add some chopped yam, which will make it both sweet and refreshing. Make four different flavors and call them... Four Happiness Meatballs!"
Shen Zhangyu was completely convinced, "Young Master is truly a culinary genius!"
After saying that, he got up and was about to leave.
Wen Yuanbai casually remarked, his tone indulgent, "Also a little money-grubber!"
Upon hearing this, Shen Zhangyu stopped in his tracks and said earnestly, "Your Highness is mistaken. In our hearts, Princess Su is a little goddess of wealth! We worship her every day to pray for good fortune!"
Snap!
Wen Yuanbai was so shocked that he dropped the dumpling in his mouth. "What? You're praying to her for wealth?"
He suddenly remembered the statue of the Goddess of Wealth that he had seen when he went upstairs, and was utterly shocked. For the first time in his life, he was incoherent: "Could it be...could it be that the statue in the hall...is really you?!"
Su Youran nodded smugly, "Hehe, of course it's me!"
Wen Yuanbai suddenly stood up, grabbed Su Youran's hand, and ran outside.
So what did she mean when she said "everyone worships"?
Shen Zhangyu, not understanding why, followed behind.
Wen Yuanbai didn't even have time to go down the stairs. He leaped down the corridor and went straight to the portrait in the center of the hall. With a wave of his hand, he peeled the portrait off.
An old shopkeeper ran over, "Sir, what brings you here...?"
Then he saw Su Youran standing to the side, "Princess...he..."
Su Youran waved her hand, put her hands on her hips, and asked, "Senior Brother Da Bai, what do you mean by this?"
Wen Yuanbai's expression was furious. "Don't you know that begging from a living person will shorten your lifespan?! They're harming you by worshipping you like this!"
"What?!" A voice suddenly rang out from the side, "Sister, is this portrait really of you?"
Su Youchen strode up to Su Youran and asked in shock.
Su Youran was also shocked, "Brother, what brings you here?"
Su Youchen snorted, "I brought a few senior brothers here for lunch. Tell me the truth, was that portrait really of you?!"
Su Youran nodded, "It's me. They insisted on worshipping me, I couldn't stop them!"
Su Youchen retorted angrily, "Nonsense! How can a young lady like you display a portrait in front of others? And expect people to worship it? Do you really have a death wish?!"
He did indeed learn some supernatural and ghostly ways on Guigu Mountain, and naturally knew that living people should not accept offerings, as it would shorten their lifespan.
Su Youran pointed at the painting in Wen Yuanbai's hand, "I... that painting... is just me when I was six years old... what do you mean by 'young lady'... besides, they weren't really worshipping me, they were just thanking me! You don't know how they worshipped me, what do you mean by shortening one's lifespan, it's not that serious!!"
Wen Yuanbai's brow twitched, and he pointed at Shen Zhangyu, "Alright, then...you, you tell me, how do you usually worship her?"
Shen Zhangyu ran down, panting, and upon hearing this, walked to the blank space where the original portrait had been, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "Thank you, County Princess, may our business prosper today."
“That’s it!” he said, turning to Wen Yuanbai.
Wen Yuanbai:......
Alright, if I don't light incense or make any wishes, but just express my gratitude... it seems... maybe... it won't shorten my lifespan.
"No incense burning? No wishes made?"
"I will never burn incense, and I will never make a wish."
Su Youchen also breathed a sigh of relief.
Wen Yuanbai folded the portrait and was about to put it into his sleeve when someone snatched it away.
He looked at Su Youchen in surprise.
Su Youchen quickly put the portrait into his bosom. "Your Highness is too kind. Although this portrait is of You Ran when he was young, it is not appropriate for it to be kept in the hands of an outsider. It is better for me, his own brother, to keep it."
Wen Yuanbai paused for a moment, then nodded in agreement, and asked Shen Zhangyu, "Are there any other portraits at the other Fuxi Restaurants?"
Shen Zhangyu shook his head, “No, there isn’t any more, just this one! The Princess and the Duchess both gave orders back then that no one was allowed to imitate or draw a portrait of the young county princess, nor were they allowed to burn incense, make wishes, or kowtow. Anyone who disobeyed would be punished for offending the royal family! Therefore, no one dared to draw it anymore, and no one dared to disobey the Princess’s orders.”
At this moment, a weak voice said, "Without incense, without wishes, and without bowing, you are not worshipping a living person, so it will not affect your lifespan. However, may I ask, why do you bow to the County Princess?"
It turned out to be the eldest brother and his companions who had arrived at some unknown time, and it was the eldest brother who asked the question.
Shen Zhangyu puffed out his chest. "Princess Su is our little god of wealth. We believe that thanking her every day will bring us even better fortune."
The eldest brother was somewhat incredulous. "What?"
Shen Zhangyu said, "Seven or eight years ago, my brother and I were kicked out of our home by our uncle, who seized our restaurant. We were destitute. We managed to get some money on credit to start a small business. It was only after meeting Princess Su that we were able to turn our small wonton stall into the Fuxi Restaurant chain with eighteen branches, and even defeat the large restaurant that our uncle had taken over. If she's not a little money-maker, then who is?!"
The eldest disciple's eyes lit up, and he bowed deeply to Su Youran, saying, "Thank you, County Princess Su!"
Su Youran smiled and asked, "Thank me for what?"
The senior brother was dumbfounded. Did he still need to explain what he was thanking him for?
When someone is thanked, shouldn't she say, "You're welcome"?
Shen Zhangyu then laughed and said, "It's useless to thank her randomly. Only if County Princess Su helps you will you have a proper reason to thank her! That way your luck will be a little better."
The eldest brother blinked, then suddenly turned to Su Youchen, "Junior brother, you just said she's your biological sister?"
Su Youchen nodded, "Yes."
Suddenly, the eldest brother rushed to Su Youran's side, "Little sister! I'm your half-brother! Please enlighten me and let me become rich overnight!"
Su Youran's lips twitched violently: ...
Several senior brothers nearby exchanged glances, then simultaneously rushed to Su Youran's side, bowing and saying, "Little sister! I am also your half-brother!"
"No, no, I'll be your half-brother too!"
"What brother or sister? I'm your brother's senior in the martial arts world, so by the way, I'm practically your senior too! Forget about getting rich overnight, just let me make a fortune!"
"Little God of Wealth! Little Aunt! I don't want any brothers, fellow disciples, or senior brothers. I'll just be your grand-nephew! I'll call you Little Aunt! Please guide me on the path to wealth!"
The senior students started talking all at once.
Su Youran: ……
What's going on with this sudden large-scale family reunion?
And this group of Taoist priests... the eldest brother must be... around forty years old, right?
Their almost kneeling posture was a bit of an eyesore!
Su Youchen had already retreated three feet.
It's a terrible sight!!!
From now on, if anyone in Kyoto asks him, he must never admit that these bastards are his senior brothers!
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