Due to the talent competition, the Lin family’s rental area had been fully occupied days ago, yet people kept coming to inquire, leaving Dalang with no choice but to express his helplessness. The rental area in the northern part of town, having learned from past experiences, had significantly improved in order and public security, and was also fully booked these days. Some quick-witted residents even cleared out a room or two in their own homes to rent to visitors, turning it into an additional source of income.
Latecomers had no choice but to rent accommodations in the surrounding villages, planning to arrive early on the day of the competition.
Dalang’s search for a cotton-fluffing master for Shilang had also yielded results. The master didn’t require Shilang to visit him; instead, he would come over himself. By now, cotton bolls were beginning to open, and in a few days, the cotton would bloom in abundance. Once the master arrived, they could start their business. Lin Fang found it amusing—was her father’s move akin to inviting a wolf into the house? Or was it more like attracting investment? Neither seemed quite right. It was more of a mutually beneficial arrangement.
Meanwhile, Master Shi Liaoliang was at home, beating his chest in regret. Over the past month, land prices in Liangping Town had doubled. Why, of all things, had he been so bewitched as to sell a fertile field to the Lin family? He had assumed the Lin family would build houses on the land to expand their rental business. Instead, they simply erected a wall around the perimeter and made no further moves, except for recently purchasing a group of servants, all skilled in farming.
Master Shi was itching with curiosity. He once sent someone to bribe the guards to find out why the field was walled off and what its purpose was, but the man was sent back to the Shi family, humiliating Master Shi. Still unwilling to give up, Master Shi had his trusted aide infiltrate the labor market, hoping Dalang would buy him. But before Master Shi could rejoice, he was informed that the man had been sold off to an unknown location. After much back-and-forth, as winter approached and the medicinal herb business grew busy, Master Shi was forced to set the matter aside for the time being.
Setting aside Master Shi’s petty schemes, his son, Shi Binhua, was living quite the exciting life.
Since the summer break began, as out-of-town competitors arrived in Liangping Town, the streets grew increasingly crowded. Small vendors seized the opportunity, adding to the bustle. Lin Fang pestered her parents daily to go out and explore. Her family knew she was a foodie, eager to try exotic snacks, so they indulged her, though they always sent extra hands to accompany her. After consulting Li Cuimei, Nanny Liu gradually handed over her duties as head housekeeper to Xiao Geng’s family, focusing entirely on attending to Lin Fang.
“Nanny Liu, I want those fried dumplings.”
“Sixth Miss, the Second Elder Lady said fried foods can cause internal heat if eaten too much.”
“Nanny Liu, is that candied hawthorn?”
“Sixth Miss, you’ve already had one stick today. More would be bad for your teeth.”
“Nanny Liu, I want lamb bone soup.”
“Sixth Miss, autumn dryness hasn’t passed yet. Let’s wait a while, alright?”
“Nanny Liu, go buy me some malt candy with sesame on top.”
“Hehe, Sixth Miss. This old servant isn’t comfortable leaving you. Let Qian’er go instead.”
Sigh. Nanny Liu was endlessly attentive, but her fussiness over food was a drawback. Lin Fang knew Nanny Liu meant well, but every time she tagged along, the fun was inevitably dampened. After a few such outings, Lin Fang grew sullen and quiet.
Seeing the young lady lose her cheer, Nanny Liu couldn’t bear it. “Sixth Miss, are you bored?”
“Nanny Liu, life is all about eating and drinking. If I can’t eat this or that, what’s the point of living?”
Nanny Liu was momentarily speechless, torn between laughter and exasperation. Where did such strange ideas come from in such a young girl? Her tone even sounded like the Elder Lady Li’s. Smiling, she asked, “What would Sixth Miss like to eat?”
Lin Fang sulked. She wanted to eat everything, but even if she said so, Nanny Liu would still nag.
“Sixth Miss, there’s a wonton stall ahead. Qi Biao says it’s decent. Would you like to go?”
Blackie? Lin Fang was startled to see Qi Biao suddenly appear before her, followed by his seemingly eternally youthful sidekick.
The streets were too crowded for carriages to move, and Lin Fang, being small and not very mobile, was carried in turns by Qian’er and Xian’er during outings. Nanny Liu also wanted to carry her, but she was too old, and Lin Fang was a little chubby. After a few steps, Nanny Liu would be out of breath and had to hand her back to Qian’er. Over the past two years, Qian’er had shot up in height—Lin Fang estimated she was now around 1.7 meters tall. Earlier, while sulking at Nanny Liu, Lin Fang had deliberately looked everywhere but at her. Perched on Qian’er’s shoulders like a dwarf on a giant’s, she had a clear view of the streets but hadn’t spotted Blackie anywhere.
Nanny Liu had grown accustomed to Qi Biao’s presence around the Lin household. Though not a member of the family, he showed up daily, treating it more like an inn for nighttime lodging. Even so, Nanny Liu found his sudden appearance on the street somewhat abrupt and immediately stepped in front of Qian’er, shielding Lin Fang from Qi Biao.
Wontons? Lin Fang adored a certain regional specialty. During a business trip there once, she’d eaten wontons for breakfast seven days in a row. Her colleagues teased her: “If she doesn’t like it, she won’t touch it; if she likes it, she’ll eat herself to death.”
“Young Master Qi, where’s the wonton stall? Can you take Fang’er there?” Her voice brimmed with excitement.
At some point, Lin Fang had stopped using her full name in front of Qi Biao, unconsciously calling herself “Fang’er.” Every time he heard it, Qi Biao felt a corner of his heart soften. Nanny Liu wanted to object—though young, the young lady was still a proper lady. Following a man like this might be improper. But remembering Lin Fang’s earlier gloom, she held back, bowing to Qi Biao and asking him to lead the way.
The wonton stall was set up by a small river. Over the years, Liangping Town had grown increasingly prosperous, expanding until the once-distant river was now within its borders. The stall owners, perhaps arriving late, had no choice but to set up by the water.
The stall was run by an elderly couple. The old man worked deftly, wrapping and boiling wontons, while his wife only collected bowls. Her movements were slow, her right hand the only one she used, her left arm oddly bent and pressed against her abdomen. Her right hand wasn’t agile either—she could only carry one set of bowls and chopsticks at a time, clutching them tightly as if afraid they’d fall. The old man frequently reminded her to be careful, taking over whenever he had a spare moment.
A long table made of four smaller ones stood in front of the stall, with benches that could seat at least eight people loosely.
Lin Fang’s group arrived and ordered several bowls of wontons. With no seats available, they stood waiting for other customers to finish.
Just then, Shi Binhua arrived with a retinue of servants. His lackeys aggressively drove away the customers eating at the stall. Shi Binhua, as if oblivious to Lin Fang’s group, swaggered to the center of the bench, flanked by two beautiful maids who simpered and cooed, nauseatingly. The lackeys stood behind him, glaring at passersby. Who would dare approach with such behavior? The old couple didn’t dare protest, hastily preparing wontons for Shi Binhua.
Disgusted, Lin Fang wanted to leave immediately but worried about the elderly couple being bullied. She stayed silent, waiting to see what would happen. For the safety of the women, the servants Lin Fang brought had been specially trained by Dalang—none were weaklings. If Shi Binhua truly resorted to violence, the odds might not be in his favor.
Qi Biao frowned and signaled his sidekick, who sauntered over to Shi Binhua with a smile. The lackeys tried to block him, but somehow, before they could act, the boy was already behind their master. In a blur, both Shi Binhua and the boy vanished. The maids looked around in confusion, asking where their master had gone.
Before the Shi family’s servants could react, the boy reappeared. A series of thuds and splashes followed, accompanied by cries for help—the lackeys and maids had all been tossed into the river.
Before the onlookers could fully enjoy the spectacle, shouts rang out from across the river: “Help! Let me down! Father! Mother! Ah! Help! Ah—!”
Everyone turned to see a figure clinging desperately to the spire of the Shi family’s pigeon tower. The panicked cries startled the pigeons inside, sending them flying. The figure’s attire identified him as the recently swaggering Shi Binhua.
The river wasn’t deep—an adult could stand with the water only reaching their waist. By the time the terrified Shi family servants crawled out, Shi Binhua was exhausted, sliding down the spire. His struggles were futile—the lower he went, the harder it was to hold on. He was on the verge of falling.
The pigeon tower had been built by the Shi family three years prior, standing four stories tall. At the time, the Lin family was constructing their north-south rental areas, with buildings no higher than three stories. The Shi family, originally the wealthiest in Liangping Town, had lorded over the locals. If the Lin family succeeded, the Shi family would be overshadowed. Knowing he couldn’t afford to provoke the Lins, Master Shi consulted a fortune-teller, who advised him to suppress the Lin family’s feng shui. The fortune-teller claimed that if he could do so, the Lin family would soon decline.
Master Shi loved the idea and asked how to achieve it. The fortune-teller suggested building a tower taller than the Lin family’s highest structure, placing it across the river. Now, this very tower made it difficult for anyone to rescue Shi Binhua quickly.
Nanny Liu feared a death might occur. Though the Lin family wasn’t directly involved, everyone in town knew of Qi Biao’s ties to them. With Qi Biao accompanying their group, any mishap would bring trouble to the Lins. She turned to Qi Biao: “Young Master Qi, what should we do—?”
Qi Biao replied calmly, “Don’t worry. Young Master Shi will be fine.” He then urged the old couple to hurry with the wontons.
Sure enough, just as Shi Binhua lost his grip and fell, the sidekick was already at the tower’s base. He caught Shi Binhua and, without a glance, tossed him toward the wailing Shi family servants, who—already in disarray—became human cushions once more. The crowd erupted in laughter.
Lin Fang watched with fascination. She’d once envied the high-flying antics of characters in TV dramas, only to lose interest upon learning they were achieved with wires. Now, witnessing real qinggong (lightness skill), even if she couldn’t see it clearly, thrilled her. Truly, masters hid their skills. She wondered if the sidekick was as young as he looked. Never mind—she’d ask her father later if he knew qinggong too.
Though Nanny Liu also thought Shi Binhua deserved it, she didn’t share Lin Fang’s delight. She mused that Young Master Qi’s ruthless methods might one day bring trouble. In the future, she’d have to keep the Sixth Miss at a distance from him to avoid collateral harm.
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