Chapter 176: Chapter 176: Teach
Translator: 549690339
If this matter blows up, let alone buying that shop at a low price later, even his own tea shop might not be able to continue operating!
Feng Ershu paced back and forth twice inside his shop.
No, he must speak with Mrs. Bai, she must keep this matter to herself and not involve him.
With these thoughts, Feng Ershu decided to close his shop and go to West Street to find Mrs. Bai.
But just as he reached out to close the door, his hand suddenly froze in mid-air.
Could Zhuang Qingning be lying to him?
Perhaps she didn’t have any evidence at all and was just making an educated guess, trying to make him anxious to suppress this matter and hurry to find Mrs. Bai. Meanwhile, Zhuang Qingning just had to wait and she could catch him red-handed.
By then, he really wouldn’t be able to explain himself.
The more Feng Ershu thought about it, the more he suspected Zhuang Qingning’s visit was a trap. He could not walk into it, so he returned to his shop.
He even thought that waiting in the shop seemed unnatural, so instead, he went to the door and greeted customers with a friendly smile.
Zhuang Qingning, who was not far away against the wall, saw Feng Ershu’s behavior and curled her lips at the corner.
As expected, Feng Ershu was not a foolish person. Afraid that his deeds would be exposed if he sought Mrs. Bai at this time, he simply ignored it and pretended nothing had happened.
Given this, she could now go boldly to find Mrs. Bai without having to worry about bumping into Feng Ershu.
Zhuang Qingning smiled slightly and headed towards West Street.
The street was bustling with passers-by. Some of them often frequented the tofu shop. Zhuang Qingning greeted each of them with a smile.
West Street was not long, and the fortune telling stall was very conspicuous. Zhuang Qingning had no trouble finding it.
There was an old man at the stall, who was thanking the fortune teller dressed as a Taoist nun: “You really are a half-immortal as people say. You truly saved my life.”
“You are afflicted by evil spirits. I have only temporarily spared you. If you want to live peacefully, you should return periodically for me to calculate a solution for you.” The woman sitting behind the table, with her eyes closed, said solemnly.
“Sure, definitely.” The old man thanked her profusely, handed over some silver, and then left.
Zhuang Qingning approached the stall and sat down on a small stool in front of the table.
“What would the lady like to know?” Mrs. Bai asked.
Indeed, she does have some ability.
Zhuang Qingning lifted her eyebrows and smiled said, “I wonder if the
half-immortal can predict what I want to know?”
“Ordinary people who come to me for divination usually ask about their fate, wealth, marriage, or life span. But you are different. You come to ask only one question. Let’s see if I can predict it?” Mrs. Bai smiled and leaned slightly forward.
“The half-immortal lives up to her reputation,” Zhuang Qingning chuckled, “But this matter, it is not only I who want to ask, but also the half-immortal. Since both of us want to ask, this matter can only be regarded as a negotiation.”
Mrs. Bai’s smile stiffened slightly. “It seems you are indeed destined.”
“Xiao Liuzi, prepare a pot of tea for our guest and invite her in for a chat.” Mrs. Bai ordered.
“Coming.”
The boy who Zhuang Qingning had seen before at the tofu shop and chatted at length with, stepped out. He first smiled at Zhuang Qingning, “Sister, please.”
Then he walked in front leading the way towards a narrow alley.
Zhuang Qingning followed them.
The first house in the alley was open. Mrs. Bai and Xiao Liuzi walked into the courtyard and sat down on a small stool.
“Sister, please sit.” Xiao Liuzi fetched a stool for Zhuang Qingning and then brought her a cup of tea.
The most ordinary tea, with a layer of tea foam on it, usually tasted astringent and bitter.
Zhuang Qingning accepted it, thanked Xiao Liuzi without taking a sip, and just placed it on the small table.
“Since the half-immortal invited me here, let’s not beat around the bush and say what you have planned.” Zhuang Qingning said loudly.
Mrs. Bai’s expression suddenly became interesting, she chuckled, “Indeed, the lady is insightful and understands the hidden meanings.”
“This incident happened suddenly, and naturally, I paid special attention to what Xiao Liuzi was doing and where he was. I suspected that there were hidden meanings in his words, so I came to find out.”
Zhuang Qingning smiled and said, “I came to see what advice the
half-immortal has for me.”
“Advice is certainly not necessary, but since this matter has been exposed, I will not conceal it any longer.”
Mrs. Bai said, “Feng Ershu gave me a tael of silver, asking me to spread rumors that there are evil spirits in the shop, that it is an ominous place, disrupting your business. Therefore, I arranged for Xiao Liuzi to do this job.”
“Usually, when I do divinations for people, I help them avoid disasters and difficulties. This is the first time that I have caused trouble. This time, doing this has made me feel quite guilty. You have to understand, my family is poor. I am just a blind woman and a widow trying to survive, so I had to accept this job to scrape by.”
“But I feel guilty about it, so I had Xiao Liuzi give you a message to let you know what’s going on.”
Mrs. Bai spoke with a radiant smile on her face.
Most people would feel touched by her sincerity and integrity. But Zhuang Qingning noticed her calculating expression beneath the upturned corners of her mouth.
“But since you’ve taken Feng Ershu’s money, naturally you have to do his work. But now, you have revealed this to me, could it be you feel that the silver was not enough, and you want to make money from both parties?”
Zhuang Qingning narrowed her eyes and said leisurely, “Feng Ershu only asked you to do this job, he probably didn’t specify how to do it, for sure he didn’t tell you to make it public. So you did not tell me directly, you only confessed under duress when I confronted you.”
“As for Feng Ershu, even if he knew you told the truth, he probably wouldn’t make a fuss about it and would have to swallow his anger. On the other hand, you took Feng Ershu’s money, and now you are being open and honest with me. Naturally, I can’t just be the beneficiary of your kindness, I have to express my gratitude.”
“All in all, this deal is quite profitable for you. Am I right?”
The smile on Mrs. Bai’s face stiffened once more..
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