Chapter 92: Kicked Out

Chapter 92: Kicked Out

Soon, the rumor that reading *Painted Skin* could reform unfaithful husbands spread.

Could a storybook really have such an effect?

Some female customers who had heard that *Painted Skin* was terrifying were either skeptical or curious but still couldn't resist buying it.

In a well-off household, a maid handed the newly purchased *Painted Skin* to her mistress with some concern: "Are you sure you want to read this? I've heard it's very scary."

The mistress took the book, hesitated for a moment, and then opened it: "It's just a book."

In truth, she was quite timid, especially since her husband was often away, leaving her alone at night. The shadows of trees outside her window would make her imagine all sorts of things, and she would call on her maid to sleep with her.

But hearing that this book could make men more honest, and thinking about her recent suspicions, she decided to give it a try.

The woman bit her lip, gathered her courage, and started reading.

She saw Wang Sheng peeking through the window, watching as a green-faced demon meticulously painted on a human skin.

Mr. Songling's writing was vivid, making the scenes come alive before her eyes.

Chills ran down her spine, causing her to shiver, yet the plot drew her in further. When she reached the part where Wang Sheng was torn open and his heart taken out, she felt both fear and a subtle sense of satisfaction.

After finishing the story, the woman sighed and said to her maid, "This story is quite good; let me read it to you."

She read *Painted Skin* aloud, smiling as she asked her maid, "What do you think of this story?"

The maid knew her mistress was kind and spoke honestly: "I feel sorry for Wang Sheng's wife. He was seduced and killed by the demon, and she endured such humiliation from a beggar to save him."

The mistress listened quietly, then laughed to cover her thoughts, tapping her maid's forehead lightly: "At your age, you always have such strange ideas. Go do your chores now."

That evening, the master of the house returned unexpectedly.

The woman casually mentioned, "I bought the second part of *Painted Skin*. Would you like to read it, my husband?"

Unlike his wife, who loved stories, the master had no particular interest in them, but he could use it to pass the time.

He took the book and began reading slowly.

Manager Hu noticed more and more women buying *Painted Skin*, grinning widely and remarking, "Our boss truly has talent."

Liu Zhou nodded in agreement: "Indeed, even the previous owner said they should have sold the bookstore to our boss earlier. He also urged me to ask when Mr. Songling will release another new book."

Manager Hu's lips twitched.

There was no need to mention the previous owner, that wastrel who squandered his family's wealth. Otherwise, he would feel sorry for the old boss.

Suddenly, a voice came from the entrance: "Is your boss here?"

Manager Hu looked up and saw a young woman with a married woman's hairstyle standing in the hall, accompanied by a little maid.

"Our boss is out. If there's anything you need, you can tell me, and I'll relay it to her when she returns."

"I'm here to thank your boss." The young woman hesitated, glancing at her maid.

The maid quickly placed the gift on the counter next to Manager Hu.

"What is this—" Manager Hu was confused.

"My husband hasn't been home much over the past six months. After reading *Painted Skin* two days ago, he came back to apologize. It turns out he had been involved with another woman and stayed at her place frequently. After reading *Painted Skin*, he became suspicious and discovered that the woman was plotting to take over our business."

The young woman bowed to Manager Hu: "Thanks to your boss for releasing such a wonderful story, which saved our family from disaster."

Manager Hu was speechless. He never expected their counterattack against Yaxin Bookstore to actually work!

Not only did Manager Hu hear this, but other customers entering the bookstore also overheard it.

For the gossip-loving citizens of the capital, this story had all the elements worth spreading, and soon it spread widely.

No one knew who the couple was, but the story itself was fascinating. Suddenly, not only were many women buying the book, but even those who didn't usually read stories were coming to buy a copy.

They couldn't help it; everyone was talking about *Painted Skin*, and those who hadn't read it couldn't join in the conversation.

Everyone at Qingsong Bookstore was swamped with work, each wishing they had eight hands.

Shitou mustered the courage to ask Manager Hu, "Manager, my mother is almost fully recovered. Can she come back to work?"

Shitou's mother had worked at Qingsong Bookstore before falling ill, so Manager Hu immediately agreed: "No problem, but we need to inform the boss."

Xin You hadn't anticipated that changing the promotion strategy for *Painted Skin* would have such an effect. She was so busy that she had no time to investigate Count Gu Chang.

Hearing Manager Hu mention Shitou's mother, she readily agreed: "Manager, handle it as you see fit. If any positions are short-staffed, hire some people. Don't overwork anyone."

Although Manager Hu was touched by the boss's consideration, he had no immediate plans to hire more staff.

Qingsong Bookstore was now a target of envy, and hastily hiring could bring in troublemakers. It was better to endure the extra workload for now to avoid any mishaps.

Soon, Shitou led his mother to Xin You, and she bowed deeply to her. Qingsong Bookstore gained a skilled seamstress.

While Qingsong Bookstore thrived, Yaxin Bookstore grew increasingly quiet.

Manager Gu was scolded by the owner and, following instructions, kicked Mr. Ping'an out.

"Sir, I'm sorry, but our business isn't doing well. Please find another opportunity."

Mr. Ping'an, a tall man in his forties with a goatee and a scholarly demeanor, felt deeply insulted.

"Manager, when you invited me to Yaxin Bookstore, you didn't say it would be like this."

"At that time, we never expected Mr. Ping'an's new book to be completely defeated by an unknown writer, causing significant losses for our bookstore."

"You're not keeping your word!" Mr. Ping'an pointed angrily at Gu the Shopkeeper.

Gu the Shopkeeper's face darkened. "I advise you to part ways amicably, to avoid any unpleasantness."

Mr. Ping'an knew that Gu the Shopkeeper's backer was no good person. He huffed coldly, picked up his bag, and walked out of Yaxin Bookstore.

Gu the Shopkeeper had deliberately chosen early morning to evict him, when the opposite Qingsong Bookstore was still closed.

Mr. Ping'an stood on the windy autumn street for a while, then strode towards Qingsong Bookstore.

Liu Zhou opened the door upon hearing the knocking: "Who is it? So early in the morning—"

Recognizing the person outside, the young apprentice was taken aback, then spoke with a hint of surprise: "Oh, isn't this Mr. Ping'an? What brings you here so early?"

Seeing him carrying a bag, he must have been kicked out by Yaxin Bookstore, right?

Heh!