Chapter 173: Chapter 173: Misfortune
Translator: 549690339
“Exactly, grown-ups can’t see them, isn’t it said only we children can, right?” Another boy echoed, while frowning, adding: “However, we’d better stop watching after a few days. Although it’s fun to watch this creature do its tricks, we don’t know what it really is. My mom says, it’s a little demon raised by someone. It seems playful and cute now, but someday it could become angry and harmful.”
“So it’s that scary? Why didn’t you tell me earlier, I will not come to watch next time.”
“What’s there to fear? We’re not doing anything evil, why would this little demon trouble us? Moreover, my mom said these demons care more about money than life, they only want wealth and hate people stealing it. They can only bring bad luck, not death. So, we don’t have to be afraid. The shopkeeper of this shop should worry as they arc doing well in business. This surely would make the little demon unhappy and when it becomes angry, this shop will definitely face its downfall.”
The boy continued, “I fear that when the time comes, not just this shop, but those who bought from the shop may suffer, losing not just money, but even their good luck.”
“Good luck has always been a mysterious thing, if your luck goes bad and your fate has changed, you might never get to turn your life around in this lifetime…”
“Really, is that true? You are too young to be talking about such spooky stuff. It’s all nonsense, just go away and stop scaring people.”
Some customers didn’t like hearing what the kid was saying, especially their claims about how customers’ good luck could fade after buying from the shop, so they shooed them away angrily.
“They don’t believe me? My mother is the renowned Bai Banxiancr from West Street. Can what she says be wrong?”
The kid says confidently, “If you still don’t believe, go ask at my mother’s stall. Anyway, this shop has had bad Feng Shui and an ill reputation all because it belongs to a demon. Nobody who comes here gets any good.”
“Then how is it that the tofu shop business is going great since it was opened by Zhang. What you said isn’t fitting the situation, what you have mentioned here isn’t accurate.” Another one chipped in.
“My mom said that’s because the owner of the shop has a strong character that can temporarily suppress it. But people with such a character aren’t always effective. The demon is also gradually growing stronger. Now it’s becoming even more powerful, and gradually it won’t be suppressed anymore.” Replied the kid.
“Indeed, what he said makes some sense. They say the shop manager is a young girl who lost her parents. Being able to resist the harsh reality, her character must indeed be strong and helped in suppressing this for a while.” “So, should we buy this tofu or not? It tastes very good, especially the hot tofu…”
“Go ahead if you want to buy, I won’t. Although it tastes satisfying, if our luck gets tainted, what will we do later?”
“Well, you have a point, I’m not buying then…”
The two people chatting, despite their longing, repeatedly looked back at the tofu shop, but thinking again about what the kid said earlier, they decided to leave.
The crowd standing around listening and yet to enter the shop, all seemed indifferent, still headed into the shop to purchase their stuff and then happily left. However, some people changed their minds after thinking for a long time and left.
Zhuang Qingning stood there for a while, noticing how out of every four or five people, at least one or two would change their minds and leave.
As for the boy who was speaking about the demon, he clapped his hands to get the attention of the other three kids, who were still engrossed in watching. “Let’s go, my mother said it’s not good to watch for too long. After all, it’s something full of evil spirits, it’s not good for us.”
The three kids agreed and followed the boy away.
“Hold on a minute.” Zhuang Qingning called out to the boy leading them.
“What’s up, Miss?” The boy looked up at Zhuang Qingning: “If you’re asking about the demon, you’ll have to find my mother, I don’t know much.”
“My mom has a stall in West Street. My mom is blind, so she’s easy to find. If you can’t find her, just ask anyone.”
“Ok.” Zhuang Qingning replied with a smile and a nod. “You guys get going, but take it slow.”
“Alright.” The boy led the others away, bouncing merrily down the street.
“Miss Ning.” Mrs. Cao, having finished serving customers, came out of the shop holding a rolling pin: “Where are those mischievous boys?”
“They left.” Zhuang Qingning replied nonchalantly.
“They got away with it.” Mrs. Cao was immediately displeased. “I don’t know where they came from, they have been here the past few days causing a ruckus, even affecting our business.”
“I was thinking about telling you this when you were busy earlier, but we didn’t get a chance to chat. You saw just now, those brats. They always come here at this time, talking nonsense about a blue monkey doing somersaults and demons ruining one’s luck.”
“It’s not all nonsense.” Zhuang Qingning laughed. “There might really be a little demon in our shop.”
“I told you…” Zhang Qiuying suddenly paled, she reached out and grabbed Mrs. Cao’s sleeve. “I told you that children can see things that adults can’t. Even Big Sister Ning is saying there’re demons now…”
“The little demon I’m talking about isn’t a ghost.”
Seeing Zhang Qiuying’s frightened face, Zhuang Qingning laughed: “The little demon I am referring to is someone who uses dark, conniving tactics to ruin the reputation of our shop.”
“What do you mean by that, Big Sister Ning…”
Zhang Qiuying was confused.
“What she means is that all the talk about demons, bad Feng Shui, is coming from someone who’s jealous of our thriving business and wants to cause trouble.”
Mrs. Cao explained, becoming irritated again. “These people are so malicious. I wonder who it is. Are they jealous every day?”
“They are envious of other people’s successful businesses all day long, but they never stop and think. With their eyes always on others, it’s no wonder their own business can’t do well.”
“If we can find this person, we must bring him to the Pavilion Chief and have him punished severely. However, we don’t know who it is that’s acting so mysteriously and damaging our shop’s reputation.”
“Right, right, those few children come to our shop every day, they must be instructed by someone. By interrogating them we can definitely find out. Just now we should have stopped those children….”
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