Chapter One Hundred and Nine: The Milk Tea Shop Opens

The page number had just flashed across his eyes when he froze in place, utterly at a loss.

What on earth was going on with Master Hou? How could he be here at the schoolhouse… And wasn’t Master Hou’s wife never supposed to come here? Then who was the woman inside?

The page’s face turned scarlet. He even forgot what he had come to ask and hurriedly turned away.

Before long, the business in the room came to an end.

Lin Shuimei straightened her clothes, the flush on her cheeks still not yet faded.

She leaned in Lin Tianlu’s arms, her expression shy and coy. “You’re terrible. It isn’t even night yet, and you’ve dragged me into doing this sort of thing.”

“Haha, and whose fault is that for being so tempting?” Hou Tianlu said with a lewd grin, his hands still roaming shamelessly over her body.

In truth, Lin Shuimei was deeply unwilling, but she had no choice.

Her parents had been thrown into prison, and there was not much money left at home.

She could not farm, could not sell vegetables, and possessed no real skill; the only thing of any value about her was her face.

Then she remembered that when she had come to the Ruwen School before, she had seen that Master Hou seemed to take a certain interest in her.

So she had come to the schoolhouse to try her luck.

And indeed, Hou Tianlu had taken her in, let her stay at the schoolhouse, and even waived the fees for her younger brother, Lin Xiong.

“Master Hou, when are you going to marry me?” Lin Shuimei asked, her tone tinged with yearning.

She knew that continuing in this arrangement with Hou Tianlu was not a proper thing.

Only if she married Hou Tianlu would she truly have something to rely on for life, even if it were only as a concubine.

Though Hou Tianlu was still far from the rich husband she had once imagined, she had no other choice now.

At her words, a trace of disdain flickered in Hou Tianlu’s eyes.

“Don’t be in such a hurry. Things aren’t that easy.”

He was already a married man. His wife at home was fierce as a tigress, and she held his secret in her hands.

So he did not dare take a concubine at will.

Besides, a woman like Lin Shuimei was only fit for a little amusement. He knew very well that when she came to him, she was no virgin at all.

How could he possibly bring such a woman home as a wife?

Still, he had not yet grown tired of her youthful body, so he would not lay everything bare to her.

“How is it not easy?” Lin Shuimei grew anxious. “Are you afraid your wife at home won’t agree? Then just send her away! If you marry me, I’ll serve you well, I promise!”

“I said it isn’t that simple.” Hou Tianlu was growing impatient. He pushed Lin Shuimei away, got out of bed, and straightened his clothes.

What then would you have me do? Lin Shuimei looked at him in grievance.

“Don’t be anxious.” Hou Tianlu soothed her with false gentleness. “Stay here in the schoolhouse for now. You’ll have food and drink, and your brother won’t have to pay a single coin. Isn’t that good? As for marrying you, we can speak of it later. Rest assured, I’ll talk it over with my wife.”

With that, he left.

Lin Shuimei was not clever enough to see through him, and truly believed Hou Tianlu’s lies.

She lay on the bed, silently plotting her future.

Even if she really did end up marrying Hou Tianlu as a concubine, she could not be a concubine for the rest of her life.

Either she would bring down Hou Tianlu’s principal wife, or she would find an opportunity to attach herself to some other wealthy man.

In any case, there would always be a chance.

Slowly, Lin Shuimei’s mind once again conjured Lin Sangqian’s face.

Despicable! Everything that had befallen her today was all because of Lin Sangqian!

She would never let this matter rest!

...

Lu Chengren found three more honest, dependable workers for Lin Sangqian, two women and one man. After training them for seven days, everything was ready, and Lin Sangqian’s milk tea shop opened for business right beside the fried chicken shop.

Hanging above it was still the McCluck Chicken sign, though in the lower right corner were four added words: Milk Tea and Juice.

Because the fried chicken shop had already made a name for itself, the milk tea shop also drew plenty of attention.

“What is milk tea and juice?”

“Probably separate things? Milk tea and juice.”

“So what exactly are milk tea and juice?”

A young worker in the milk tea shop, named Gui’er, had already begun brewing milk tea. The sweet fragrance drifted out and left everyone pleasantly dazed.

“Whatever it is, I have to go buy some and try it!”

“Come on, let’s go!”

On the counter of the milk tea shop sat a menu, filled with names of milk teas and juices for customers to choose from at will.

Two workers were responsible for making the milk tea and juice, while one was in charge of collecting money and drawing well water.

Since conditions were not yet suitable for making ice, anyone who wanted their milk tea or juice a little colder could only chill it with ice-cold well water.

And that meant the well water had to be changed often.

For a time, the fried chicken shop and milk tea shop were both endlessly busy, and the merchants nearby watched with envy, jealousy, and resentment.

At noon, Lin Yanbei and Lin Beitao came over.

“Second Brother, Third Brother, why have you come?” Lin Sangqian asked in delight. “Is school on holiday?”

“Not yet. We heard your new shop was opening today, so we asked the master for a half-day leave to come have a look,” Lin Yanbei said with a smile.

He had grown a little taller, and now he truly had something of a scholar’s refined bearing about him.

“The master actually gave you leave?” Lin Sangqian asked as she led them into the fried chicken shop to sit.

“Of course,” Lin Beitao said. “Master Ge likes Second Brother the most. He always says Second Brother is gifted beyond measure and will surely become an exceptionally rare talent in the future. Now the little brats at the schoolhouse practically revere Second Brother like some deity!”

“Beitao, don’t talk nonsense.” Lin Yanbei was a little embarrassed.

“How am I talking nonsense?” Lin Beitao said. “Actually, Second Brother’s lessons are already different from ours now. The master often gives him individual instruction.”

“Is that so?” Lin Sangqian was taken aback.

She had originally planned to send Lin Yanbei to the academy after a while.

After all, the things taught at the schoolhouse, Lin Yanbei should already have learned long ago.

But hearing Lin Beitao say this, she hesitated a little.

“Second Brother, what do you think of Master Ge?” she asked Lin Yanbei.

Lin Yanbei thought for a moment and said, “I think Master Ge is the truly extraordinary one. His literary talent and breadth of knowledge both impress me greatly. In the future, I want to become someone as learned as he is. Studying under him now has benefited me enormously.”

Lin Sangqian nodded.

From this perspective, the schoolhouse in town truly was a place where hidden dragons and crouching tigers dwelled.

The master at the Ruwen School had once been a third-place laureate of the imperial examinations, and this Master Ge also seemed formidable...

Still, recalling Master Hou’s lecherous manner, Lin Sangqian felt a wave of disgust.

Was he really a third-place laureate? Or had he just been boasting?

At that moment, Lin Wenyan walked in, his expression seeming somewhat unpleasant.

“Big Brother, what’s wrong?” Lin Yanbei asked.

“I just saw Lin Xiong,” Lin Wenyan said with a frown.