Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Today, Wang Sanhu was going to try storytelling at the teahouse, and he had hardly slept all night.

He couldn't stop mulling over and planning things in his mind, and now, walking on the road, he yawned every now and then.

The sky outside was still dark; by modern reckoning, it was around three or four in the morning.

When Shen Yuan transmigrated, he had been in the middle of filming, so his sleep schedule unexpectedly coincided with the people here.

"Brother Sanhu, when we get to the teahouse, I'll fetch you some water to splash your face with. It'll help you wake up."

Wang Sanhu yawned again. "It's fine, the walk will wake me up. I was just too nervous last night, couldn't sleep."

The more he wanted to sleep, the more he couldn't. It was really strange.

As the two neared the teahouse, they found a large crowd already gathered at the entrance.

There was still well over an hour until the teahouse opened. Normally, there wouldn't be a soul here at this time.

It went without saying—they were all here for the story.

Shen Yuan had a good memory. Even people he had only met briefly yesterday, he still remembered today.

The tea guests remembered Shen Yuan even more vividly. Spotting him from afar, they swarmed toward him in a rush.

Having spent several years in the entertainment industry, Shen Yuan was all too familiar with handling such scenes.

He immediately put on a flawless smile, the curve of his lips impeccable from every angle. With a gentle demeanor, he nodded in acknowledgment to the tea guests calling out to him from all sides, responding from time to time.

"Ah! Young Shen, there you are! Will you be storytelling at the same time today as yesterday?"

"Yes, Manager Liu. Both sessions today will be at the same times."

Manager Liu was both surprised and delighted to hear this. "Young Shen, you actually remember who I am!"

"Of course I remember. Manager Liu even made a special point of tipping me yesterday. Thank you for your kind patronage."

Before Manager Liu could say more, he was jostled aside by Madam Xu next to him. "Young Shen, do you remember me? And will you be telling the next part of the story today?"

Shen Yuan maintained his smile. "Of course I remember Madam Xu. Yes, it will be the continuation."

Madam Xu was pleased, but another voice immediately drowned hers out. "Me! What about me? Do you remember me? Did you slice the ginseng I gave you yesterday to make tea? Is your throat still holding up?"

Shen Yuan had an especially deep impression of this person. He nodded and said, "Thank you, Head of the Wang Family, for the reward. Ginseng is highly nourishing, but my constitution is too weak to drink ginseng tea directly for now. I am sucking on ginseng slices instead. Once my health improves a bit, I will be sure to properly enjoy it."

The tea guests never expected Shen Yuan to remember them. For a moment, they all clamored to ask him questions.

Wang Sanhu was jostled back and forth in the crowd. He wanted to protect Shen Yuan but found himself powerless.

Yet Shen Yuan remained steady, even managing to slowly inch forward, leading the crowd along.

He was truly impressive.

By the time they reached the teahouse entrance, the tea guests still tightly surrounded Shen Yuan, making it impossible for him to enter.

Fang Zaoshang and Ji Xingwang were on the other side of the door, also unable to push through the crowd. They wanted to pull Shen Yuan out but couldn't.

Wang Sanhu himself could barely stand steady in the throng, let alone pull Shen Yuan out.

Shen Yuan seemed completely unfazed by the crowding, still smiling as he said, "I understand everyone's eagerness to hear the story. For now, could I trouble you all to make a path? I need to enter the teahouse to prepare properly so I can meet with everyone as soon as possible."

The tea guests heard this and realized—yes, if they blocked him, they wouldn't get to hear the story!

"Come on, come on! Everyone, move aside! Let Young Shen in!"

"Move aside! Hurry up and move aside!"

As they spoke, the crowd parted to both sides, creating a path just wide enough to pass through.

Wang Sanhu reacted quickly, shielding Shen Yuan as they hurried through.

Ji Xingwang stayed behind to talk with the tea guests, while Fang Zaoshang was called away by Shen Yuan.

Shen Yuan took Fang Zaoshang and Wang Sanhu upstairs to the second floor. Taking advantage of the teahouse not being open yet, he had the two of them give it a try first.

Before starting, he introduced Wang Sanhu and Fang Zaoshang to each other. After they got acquainted, he had them sit down, ready to begin.

The test passage Shen Yuan gave them was exactly what he himself would be telling today.

So, while telling the story to the two of them, he was also doing a rehearsal.

Wang Sanhu hadn't seen Shen Yuan perform storytelling before. He was immediately captivated.

Emotions surged in his heart—so this was how stories could be told!

Fang Zaoshang had heard both sessions yesterday. Today, listening to Shen Yuan tell it separately gave him a different feeling.

It was even more captivating.

Not just the plot; with fewer people in the private room, the nuances of voice and emotion were felt more keenly than in the main hall.

He couldn't help but wonder: if the teahouse arranged storytelling in the private rooms in the future, could they make more money?

Would the rewards from tea guests in the private rooms also go to the storyteller of that session?

The more Fang Zaoshang thought about it, the more fervent he felt.

Although household servants couldn't buy their freedom, life was still about living. Having money in hand versus having none made a world of difference.

Xiao Yuan was giving him this opportunity, and no matter what, he had to seize it!

Heaven knows how excited he was yesterday when he heard from the manager that Xiao Yuan wanted him to try storytelling.

Similarly having slept poorly all night, Fang Zaoshang showed no signs of fatigue. On the contrary, he was full of energy.

He said to Shen Yuan, "Xiao Yuan, let me take the first turn later. Let Brother Sanhu prepare a bit longer."

He had watched both sessions yesterday, while Wang Sanhu hadn't. It was better to give him more time to prepare.

Wang Sanhu looked gratefully at Fang Zaoshang. Seeing that neither of them had any objections, Shen Yuan nodded and agreed.

Today's story segment was about Seventh spending some time at the thatched cottage, developing bonds with both Liu Mingqing and Grandpa Liu.

At the same time, after experiencing life-and-death situations with Liu Mingqing several times, the two developed mutual affection.

Liu Mingqing, taking advantage of a trip into the city, wanted to secretly inquire about Seventh's identity. However, upon reaching the city gate, she discovered Seventh's true identity. Returning to the thatched cottage, she found both Seventh and Grandpa Liu gone.

After searching for a long time and returning again, Grandpa Liu had come back. He stopped her and informed Liu Mingqing of Seventh's true identity.

There was a blood feud with that family.

This part calls for deep emotion and strong dramatic tension; it’s quite difficult for a storyteller to convey the feeling of heartache and anguish.

Shen Yuan chose this as the audition piece to see what both men were currently capable of.

That way, when it came time to teach them later, he would know how to guide them.

Shen Yuan only went through the story once for the two of them, since a storyteller’s memory was part of the test too.

He yielded his seat to Fang Zaoshang and sat across from him with Wang Sanhu.

Fang Zaoshang took a deep breath, fighting down his nerves.

After all, he had been a tea server for many years, and his nerve had been steeled. Daily tasks like remembering teas and customers, and taking quick notes, had sharpened his abilities.

Shen Yuan smiled, reassuring the nervously watching Fang Zaoshang.

Fang Zaoshang genuinely relaxed a great deal upon seeing Shen Yuan’s smile. Regardless of the outcome, he had given his all, and that was enough.

"Brother Sanhu, it’s your turn," Shen Yuan reminded Wang Sanhu.

"Alright, here I go."

Wang Sanhu sat down opposite him, his movements stiff and awkward. His head was filled with worries about not disappointing Shen Yuan; the family needed money for taxes, and he wanted to buy an old hen to make soup for Shen Yuan.

Isn’t it just telling old stories? Xiao Yuan said this was his strong suit, that he was really good at it!

After a quick mental pep talk, Wang Sanhu launched into the story.

When telling old tales, he was a world apart from his usual simple, honest self.

His face was animated, brimming with emotion, utterly captivating.

Fang Zaoshang listened, rapt, thinking to himself that Wang Sanhu was really a dark horse!

Finishing the segment, Wang Sanhu, caught up in the story’s emotions, seemed a little subdued. Shen Yuan patted his shoulder, saying, "Brother Sanhu, well done."

A faint smile touched Wang Sanhu’s lips as he waited for Shen Yuan’s verdict.

Having heard them both, Shen Yuan realized that Fang Zaoshang remembered accurately and quickly, but his emotional delivery was somewhat lacking.

Wang Sanhu’s emotional pull was powerful and his storytelling flowed smoothly, though he fudged some of the specific details. Were it not for his powerful delivery, the holes in the plot would have been obvious.

In short, each had his own strong points and was promising.

They just needed to watch more and practice more to make up for their imperfections.

Seeing the two men holding their breath with nerves, Shen Yuan, worried they’d pass out from tension, didn’t drag it out. "Brother Sanhu, Brother Zaoshang, starting today, you’ll follow by my side and watch me tell stories. After lunch, you’ll practice the first story on your own. If you have any questions, just ask me. In three days’ time, I’ll schedule you each for your first storytelling session, one session each."

"As for monthly wages, the base pay is fifty wen per month. You get an extra twenty wen per storytelling session. If all goes well, you’ll each get at least five sessions a month. Tips from the guests are split fifty-fifty with the teahouse."

The compensation for storytellers had been discussed between Ji Xingwang and Shen Yuan.

Each person would earn at least one hundred and fifty wen per month, with two meals provided—the same treatment as the teahouse’s tea servers.

But in practice, they would take home more than a hundred and fifty wen. Tip income was unpredictable and couldn't be capped, and with a minimum of five sessions, the maximum was also up in the air.

All in all, it was hard to pin down an exact monthly figure.

Fang Zaoshang was overjoyed. Even in the worst-case scenario, he would earn as much as he did as a tea server.

But he had witnessed the tipping frenzy yesterday. Even if a whole session only earned twenty wen in tips, he would still get an additional ten wen per session.

Moreover, judging by how well-liked the stories were, he calculated that it was impossible for him to only get five sessions a month.

Fang Zaoshang was extremely satisfied with the storyteller’s monthly compensation.

Wang Sanhu’s hands were trembling, his heart pounding with excitement.

He had succeeded!

He could now have a stable job, no longer exposed to wind, sun, or rain, no longer toiling. All he had to do was move his lips every day to earn money, and he would even have meals provided!

At least one hundred and fifty wen per month, plus the family’s previous savings, meant he could fully pay the summer tax starting in May by the end of June!

He wouldn’t have to worry about the autumn tax later either; his monthly earnings would be more than enough, and he could even save some.

With two meals a day, he could also bring more home like Xiao Yuan, saving a lot on food.

"Xiao Yuan, Brother Sanhu will definitely tell stories well! Later, whatever you want to eat, just tell me, and I’ll buy it for you!" Wang Sanhu grinned from ear to ear, his eyes slightly moist—he was just so happy.

Over there, Fang Zaoshang also laughed, "Brother Zaoshang will buy you delicious food too!"

Shen Yuan didn’t stand on ceremony with them and nodded directly, saying, "That’s great. From now on, I won’t have to worry about food."

After discussing the monthly wages and some details with the two of them, it was almost time, and Shen Yuan had to go on stage.

Wang Sanhu and Fang Zaoshang sat on either side of Shen Yuan like two guardians, observing him closely with utmost seriousness.

Besides earning money, storytelling could also lead to deductions.

This was a guarantee to the tea guests.

If the storytelling was poor and affected the guests’ experience, deductions would naturally be made.

However, Shen Yuan also said that if tea guests made unreasonable demands, it wouldn’t be the storyteller’s fault.

Since Shen Yuan said so, both Wang Sanhu and Fang Zaoshang believed him.

In this session, Shen Yuan stopped at the part where Liu Mingqing prepared to send Chu Chuqi back to the Chu family.

It brought many tea guests to tears.

Why was it so difficult for the two lovers?

Grandpa Liu was also tough on the outside but soft on the inside. Knowing his granddaughter would go to save him, he deliberately left clues and scattered medicine powder to protect her along the way.

If not for the actions of Young Master Chu’s parents, their story might have had a different ending.

Ah, it’s truly fate playing tricks, and the will of heaven is unpredictable!

Madam Lu wiped her tears with her sleeve and tossed ten taels of silver into the tray as Ji Xingwang passed by.

"Young Shen, could you later let the physician Liu and Young Master Chu be together happily? The faults of Young Master Chu’s parents really shouldn’t be blamed on him."

After she spoke, others quickly chimed in, "Yes, Grandpa Liu’s push was meant to take his life. In the end, he didn’t die—that was his luck—but it can be considered repaid. Think about him wanting to escape but not daring to return, waiting desperately around the pit for the beloved who might or might not come to pick him up again. It’s truly pitiful."

"That’s not quite right. Master Chu may be pitiful, but aren't Doctor Liu's parents just as much so? She lost both her parents, and Grandpa Liu lost his son and daughter-in-law—the Liu family was essentially destroyed because of the Chu family. How can such a deep-seated grudge be so easily set aside?"

"Exactly! Even if it wasn't Master Chu's doing, and even if it's hard to hate him, loving him would be truly difficult."

Everyone had their own perspective, and you could make a case for any side.

While the tea guests debated, they didn't forget to offer their tips.

Hearing the story again, Ji Xingwang was still choked up, his eyes welling with tears. With reddened eyes, he collected a round of gold, silver, and jewelry, then stepped to the front and addressed the crowd: "Esteemed guests, starting today, our teahouse's storytelling sessions will feature a tip leaderboard!"

The tea guests looked puzzled: "What’s a tip leaderboard?"