Page 53
by AdminChu Yuening was startled and quickly grabbed a marker from the stall to write a price tag on the board.
Two hundred yuan for a reading.
Afterward, she showed it to the crowd with a strained smile. "Starting today, fortune-telling will be priced clearly, no haggling allowed. I suggest you only come if you have genuine concerns. For minor issues, there's no need to queue up – it's a long wait and quite an ordeal."
Sure enough, some were deterred by the price, while others, curious about whether Chu Yuening was truly that miraculous, said they would return the next day.
The remaining ones suggested, "Since there's no fortune-telling today, I see you still have sweet soups available. Why don't we buy some before we leave?"
The others agreed enthusiastically.
Unable to get a fortune told, buying some sweet soup could still forge a connection with the master.
Chu Yuening let out a slight sigh of relief as her new autumn moisturizing sweet soups sold out swiftly.
One person was left.
It was the middle-aged man who had waited for a long time to have his fortune told a few days ago. He missed his chance then, and now the sweet soup was gone too. With a disheartened look, he stepped forward and asked, "Is there anything else left?"
"In addition, I have an invigorating syrup." Chu Yuening took out two bottles of the enchanted syrup. "Fifty-one yuan per cup."
She had deliberated for quite some time before deciding on the price.
Although its effect was merely to refresh, she had expended mental energy to draw the charms.
"I don't overcharge. You can choose not to buy it if you don't want it. Unlike the exorcism water that's burned at temples, which only serves to refresh."
The middle-aged man, after his initial astonishment, found the price reasonable. After all, he had waited for several days and was well aware of Yuening's abilities.
Instead, he smiled wryly. "It invigorates? Perfect, I haven't slept for two nights. Something to perk me up would be great."
"One cup, please."
After saying that, the middle-aged man accepted the refreshing syrup, took out his wallet, and paid for it.
As Chu Yuening packed it for him and handed it over, the man looked at her once more, smiling. "I'll be back tomorrow."
Chu Yuening offered a small smile. "Welcome back anytime."
All the sweet soups were sold out.
The crowd in front of the stall had dispersed.
Chu Yuening closed the lid of the ice cream box before unzipping her small black waist pouch, counting the money one bill at a time.
Ten yuan after another ten yuan.
As she counted, her eyes narrowed slightly, and she grew increasingly delighted.
The feng shui shop's compass proved to be quite useful. Recalling her yet-to-be-mastered peach wood sword, which could only be relied upon during fights through the use of talismans, she thought about making another trip there after closing up the stall.
Shanpo had also sold out all her fruits. Closing the foam box, she saw Chu Yuening's money-loving expression and teased, "I already thought I was quite the miser, but you surpass me."
"Shanpo, that's not how you should put it," Chu Yuening said as she put the three hundred yuan revenue back into her waist pouch. "Earning money brings joy!"
"I'd rather not earn anything at all," Zhang Jiande mumbled, his shoulders slumped as he rubbed his belly, standing behind them. He looked as if someone had drained his energy.
Shanpo turned around, startled. "My goodness, did Brother De run into a banana spirit last night? You look completely drained."
Chu Yuening studied Zhang Jiande and noticed that he didn't seem resentful. She couldn't help but ask curiously, "Why do you look so worn out?"
"Journalists are killers," Zhang Jiande sighed, taking out the newspaper and pointing at Chu Yuening's address before shifting his finger to point at the tea restaurant's location. "They exposed our addresses, mine included. Now, so many people want to try the food at the restaurant from the paper. I've been working non-stop since early morning, not even daring to take a bathroom break. It's like the God of Wealth came and made me earn so much money that I'm scared."
Zhang Jiande waved his hand, "No way, my legs still tremble at the mention of money now."
He finally understood why Ning Ning was afraid of fame.
Fame was truly terrifying.
Chu Yuening handed him a refreshing sugar drink. "Try it, it'll refresh you."
Shanpo glanced at it and praised, "It's really refreshing, but you should finish it in one go. Don't save it for later. The other day, Ning Ning gave me one, and after drinking it, I was full of energy all night. I even played mahjong until dawn. Everyone else was sleepy, but I was wide awake and won quite a bit of money."
Shanpo decided she would buy a cup of the refreshing sugar water before every mahjong game in the future.
"Is it really true?" Zhang Jiande took the drink and took a big sip through the straw, showing his support. "Not bad, I feel much more alert now."
Chu Yuening sighed. "Don't pretend, Brother De. It's not that effective so quickly."
"Oh, then I'll praise you later," Zhang Jiande said with a grin.
"Right, Brother De, do you know if there are any houses for rent nearby? Ideally, not too far from Chongzhong School." Chu Yuening thought about how in Hong Kong, rental ads were usually posted on small flyers, and she wouldn't have the time to look for them while running her stall.
"Do you need a place to rent?" Zhang Jiande sipped his sweet soup and casually took out a cigarette holder as he spoke. "Smart girl to come to Brother De. With my decades of experience running a tea restaurant, I know all the neighbors and their news. Don't worry, Brother De will definitely find you a nice place with great value for money."
"Thank you."
A white Toyota Corolla pulled up, and Zhong Guoming was already seated in his wheelchair when he got out. He wheeled himself across the road using both hands.
"Master Chu."
Chu Yuening looked over and noticed that the black aura surrounding Zhong Guoming's legs was gone. He had originally been marked by the Heaven's Wrath Life Borrowing Formation, but since the formation was destroyed, he would naturally be fine.
"How long until your legs recover fully?"
"The doctor said another two months," Zhong Guoming said gratefully. The doctor had initially warned that he might end up paralyzed, but fortunately, he was able to retain mobility.
He understood.
If not for Chu Yuening's willingness to break the curse, he wouldn't have just lost his leg – he would have lost his life.
Zhong Guoming took an envelope from his chest pocket, a thick stack of papers, and handed it to Chu Yuening. "According to the plan, the boss has already taken care of the deceased workers. Compensation for the illegal laborers and financial aid for their families have also been fully settled."
"Not only that, the injured workers from that night have been admitted to the hospital with paid leave. They'll remain there until they've fully recovered."
0 Comments