Chapter 64: The Pickpocket

Chapter 64: The Sneaky Move

When the family of five arrived in town, there were already tons of people crowded around Carpenter Wang's shop.

Carpenter Wang had really gone all out over the past two days—everyone who bought something from the shop got a free little wooden pen holder.

He'd also been spreading the word that in two days, the shop would be selling cabinets that could keep bugs and dampness out.

On top of the folks who'd bought stuff in the last couple days, Carpenter Wang had also given his regulars each a wooden pen holder and a wooden ornament.

The ornament was designed by Gu Wen—a goose with a wiggly butt.

Along with the gifts came the same pitch about the bug-proof, damp-proof cabinets.

This way, even if people weren't necessarily thinking of buying, at least a good number would come by to show some support.

In addition, he'd hired guys to holler the news up and down the streets, and today he'd even hired an acrobatic troupe.

When Gu Wen and the others arrived, the acrobatics were already going full tilt, which was why so many people were packed around the shop entrance.

Gu Wen was blown away by Carpenter Wang's bold move, thinking he'd made the right call teaming up with his master—if it were up to him, he wouldn't have the connections, and he sure as heck wouldn't have risked that kind of money.

Even a grand opening wouldn't have been this over the top!

Little did he know, Carpenter Wang was bold enough to do this because he had a sharp eye and could already tell the cabinets would sell like hotcakes.

He was ready to rake it in!

And when you mix new products with big profits, it doesn't take long for people to get jealous.

There were other good carpenters in town besides him, and he figured knockoffs would show up within five days.

By making a big scene now, he had two goals: first, to plant the idea in everyone's head that whenever they thought of bug-proof, damp-proof cabinets, they'd instantly think of him, Carpenter Wang, and his shop.

Second, he wanted to sell as many as he could and rack up as many orders as possible in those five days before the knockoffs hit the market.

The front was packed, so Gu Wen didn't bother squeezing in. He took his husband and the kids around to the back door and slipped in that way.

Inside, everyone was all smiles.

Of the three kids, Gu Wen's fellow apprentices only knew Gu Chaoning. When Gu Muan was born, Gu Wen had already moved back home and hadn't felt right about inviting everyone over.

As for Yin Hongxue, forget it—nobody really knew him. Carpenter Wang could probably guess who Yin Hongxue was from his age, but he was busy out front and wasn't in the back.

Seeing that Gu Wen had somehow ended up with three kids, everyone was totally shocked.

Since everyone was there, they didn't waste any more time. After a little ribbing from the guys, and Gu Wen having the kids say hi to everyone, they all headed out front together.

Carpenter Wang had been running the show out front until his voice gave out, and he was just sipping tea. When he saw them taking their sweet time, he was about to shoot them a dirty look—but then he spotted the three kids and Chen Youyan next to Gu Wen and quickly held back.

In the short time it took to walk around from the front, even more people had shown up outside.

Some of the regulars had already come in and sat down.

Seeing that Carpenter Wang was dragging his feet on bringing out the goods, they couldn't help but start pushing him.

"Old Wang, where's the stuff? Bring it out and let everyone see! Look at all these people—what are you waiting for!"

"Yeah, Brother Wang, we've been coming here for years. Hurry up and let me get a look—I've got stuff to do later."

"Everyone's here already, it's so packed there's barely room to stand!"

...

Everyone started yelling, and once a few got going, the rest piled on.

Seeing he was about to lose the crowd, and that his yells were getting drowned out, Carpenter Wang panicked. He scrambled up onto a table, hollering and holding up his hand in a stop gesture.

When the noise finally died down, Carpenter Wang breathed a sigh of relief.

"I, Old Wang, know you're all eager. You're all regulars at my shop, so I won't string you along any longer."

He turned and waved at the folks behind him. "Lin Qi, take the younger guys and bring out three cabinets."

With this many people, three wasn't really enough, but cabinets took up a lot of space and were a pain to set up. He was also worried that if people got curious and started poking and prodding, they might mess something up, and then he couldn't sell them.

Lin Qi said "okay" and led the group back inside.

Gu Chaoning and the other two kids stood off to the side with Chen Youyan.

The cabinets came out quick. The moment they were set in the middle, people swarmed all over them.

But then someone piped up: "Old Wang, these cabinets look a little fancier, but other than that, what's the difference between them and any other cabinet?"

"Ah? That's exactly where all our hard work comes in! If you could see the difference from the outside, what would be the fun in that!"

Everyone laughed, and Carpenter Wang waved his hand again. "Go on, Lin Qi, tell everyone about our bug-proof, damp-proof cabinets!"

"Everyone, please take a look..."

Gu Chaoning scanned the crowd, and seeing the amazed, interested looks on their faces as they listened, he knew—it was in the bag.

With so many people around, seeing Yin Hongxue and Gu Muan also oohing and aahing at the presentation, he couldn't help teasing them: "Come on, let me walk you two to class."

Yin Hongxue: "?"

Gu Muan: "?"

The two little boys said in unison: "We're excused."

"You can still go even if you're excused. We came to help, but looks like they don't need us three here. Might as well go to class."

Gu Chaoning did have a point.

Yin Hongxue pressed his lips together, and Gu Muan pouted, neither wanting to admit it nor wanting to go.

But seeing Gu Chaoning about to head out, no matter how much they didn't want to, they grumbled and followed.

Yin Hongxue rarely let his feelings show like that, which made Gu Muan and Gu Chaoning, who'd been grumbling and sulking, both turn to look at him.

Seeing this, Yin Hongxue felt a bit embarrassed.

It was just...

Just that today, Father, Daddy, Chaoning Ge, and An Geer had all come out together, and the vibe was so nice. The uncles and older folks all looked at him with such kind eyes—"the Gu family's second little one."

Yin Hongxue...

Yin Hongxue really didn't want to go.

But he also knew that his family had spent money and made up their minds to send him to learn painting.

Otherwise, a boy his age would have already started working for the family.

Learning to paint meant not only paying tuition every year, but also having regular daily expenses and being gone for nearly the whole day.

Not to mention helping with chores at home—he even needed the elders to take care of him.

Yin Hongxue silently scolded himself and decided to go to painting class today and not be unhappy.

Unexpectedly, when he looked up, he came face to face with an amber sugar painting.

Behind the sugar painting were Gu Chaoning's eyes, crinkled in a smile.

Gu Chaoning couldn't bear to keep teasing him: "Just kidding. With that many customers buying cabinets today, I figured it'd take a while. Let's go out and have some fun, then bring some food back for Dad and Master."

Gu Chaoning opened his other hand, revealing a small pouch with a little green bamboo jar embroidered on it.

It was the salt jar from home.

This was Dad's pouch.

Gu Chaoning said with a smile, "This is a task Dad gave specifically to the three of us."

Yin Hongxue couldn't help but laugh.

Gu Chaoning put the pouch away, handed the sugar painting to Yin Hongxue, and ruffled his hair.

Gu Muan licked his sugar painting, looking back and forth between the two, and said loudly, "Brother's hand that ruffled Xue Age's head has sugar on it!"

Yin Hongxue: "!!"

Gu Chaoning: "??"

Yin Hongxue quickly stepped back and patted his head.

He'd just washed his hair yesterday! And they were going back to the carpentry shop soon!

Gu Chaoning looked at the little boy licking his sugar painting again, and couldn't help but use the hand holding the sugar painting to ruffle Gu Muan's head too.

Whose fault was it that his hand had sugar on it!

Gu Muan immediately hopped out of the way.

The three of them were messing around and didn't notice that the street ahead was even more bustling than their current spot.

"Thief! That man stole my pouch! Somebody help!"

"Thief? Ah! My pouch is gone too! Catch the thief!"

"My pouch is gone too, damn thief! When did he even do it!"

...

The crowd shouted, and when they snapped out of it and tried to chase the thief, they could only see a figure moving with exceptional agility and speed.

"What's all the shouting up ahead?"

Gu Muan dodged Gu Chaoning a few times, and seeing that he wouldn't let up, quickly pointed ahead to change the subject.

Yin Hongxue and Gu Chaoning looked over.

They saw a young man in gray clothes running over extremely fast.

He moved too quickly, his small eyes darting left and right. Seeing that the other side was full of adults, he changed direction and made a beeline for Gu Chaoning and the other two.

Gu Chaoning's expression changed, and he immediately grabbed Yin Hongxue with one hand and Gu Muan's collar with the other, yanking them behind him.

Yin Hongxue looked up in surprise, just in time to see the man in gray glaring at him with a fierce look.

Because of his painting training, Yin Hongxue instinctively took in the man's entire expression and demeanor in the blink of an eye.

The most striking feature of the man's face was a distinctive black mole on his eyelid.

But as he widened his eyes, even the mole looked even more menacing.

Yin Hongxue: "..."

He quickly lowered his head.

The man almost brushed past them as he ran, and if Gu Chaoning hadn't reacted quickly, Gu Muan and Yin Hongxue would've definitely been knocked down.

Gu Chaoning's expression turned grim.

Shortly after the man ran off, another group of people came running from the distance.

They shouted as they ran: "Catch the thief! That man in gray is a thief!"

Hearing this, Gu Chaoning instinctively stepped forward half a step, but then suddenly remembered he wasn't alone—he had two boys with him.

He stopped himself and took back that half step, watching others chase after him.

But the man in gray was so fast that he disappeared into an alley in the blink of an eye.

The commotion was so loud that someone had already reported it to the authorities.

The constables arrived quickly, but the thief was even faster.

"Who here had their pouches stolen?"

"Sir, me! Mine was stolen!"

"Me too, sir!"

...

After a quick count, there were twenty-three people in total.

The constable was annoyed.

"You... twenty-odd people couldn't catch one thief, and twenty-odd of you only noticed your pouches were missing after they were stolen..."

The constable was so angry he couldn't even finish his sentence.

"Did anyone get a clear look at the thief's face?"

"Well..."

"Uh..."

Hearing the hesitant murmurs from the crowd, the constable's anger surged, almost knocking him over with rage.

With over twenty people robbed, not one of them could clearly recall the thief's face?!

"I saw him clearly."

A child's voice spoke up from behind Constable Wang.

He turned to look and saw a lad and two younger boys—three kids in all.

Among them, the older boy raised his hand, his look calm and sure.

"I got a clear look at the thief's face."