Chapter 6: The Beginning of Turmoil

After Tan Qiu left, Fourth Brother handed me fifty yuan and sent me off as well. Of course, I was more than happy to take the money. I quickly ran to the street corner stall to enjoy a bowl of cold jelly, and then headed to the supermarket to buy a few toothbrushes.

On my way back from the supermarket, I saw the entire production street lined with mobile stalls selling New Year prints and couplets. If there’s one thing Henan never lacks, it’s people. Every year, the county is like this, and during the Lantern Festival, a whole street is filled with lanterns.

I was used to being pushed along by the bustling crowd, not knowing how many times my feet were stepped on. I rubbed my hands and looked up, seeing a few snowflakes drift down from the sky. It really brought back the feeling of New Year from when I was a child.

Before I could fully reminisce, a shop assistant came running towards me from the store. He stopped in front of me, panting heavily, and finally pulled out a big red envelope from his pocket. “Young Master Gan, this is your New Year’s money from the boss. The boss is going on a business trip for about a month, so he won’t be able to spend the New Year with you. All the assistants are in the shop, feel free to give any orders.”

“What? Why so sudden? Didn’t he say he was leaving in a few days?” I was caught off guard and started running towards Fourth Brother’s shop.

The assistant sighed behind me, “Business is tough these days. Following Boss Tan and Boss Tian must be a big deal. I heard someone from above specifically came to invite them. The car they sent, we’ve never seen anything like it in our small county.”

I stopped chatting with him and took a shortcut, running all the way. But before I could turn into the alley, I saw three or four Hongqi cars driving down another street. I wanted to chase after them, and in hindsight, maybe I should have. I shouldn’t have let Fourth Brother get involved in this mess.

But in this world, with my abilities at the time, I couldn’t change anything.

The cars slowly disappeared from my sight. I stood there staring at their tails for a long time, unable to understand what could be so important that it couldn’t wait for a meal, or for the New Year to pass. A sense of disgust for this business grew in my heart.

The assistant, shivering from the cold, blew into his hands and tugged at my sleeve. “The snow’s getting heavier. We should head back. The boss should return soon, so don’t worry too much. Oh, right! The boss left a box for you, it’s in the backyard.”

I nodded to him, pulling myself back from my wandering thoughts, and followed him back to the shop. Since everything seemed to stem from this box, I thought that opening it might solve all the problems.

When we returned, a few assistants were still cleaning the jars and bottles on the shelves. I barely paused, bypassing the screen in the front hall and opening an inconspicuous side door to head to the backyard.

Yu Jingzi had left. I wasn’t sure if she left with Fourth Brother, but honestly, I thought they made a good match—a talented man and a beautiful woman. The fact that she could freely enter and exit the owner’s room at Ying Gan Hall showed that Fourth Brother had a special attitude towards her.

Moreover, I really wanted a beautiful sister-in-law. So I made up my mind that when Fourth Brother returned, I would definitely help push them together.

The backyard seemed long uninhabited, with fallen leaves covering the ground. As soon as I stepped in, I saw Tian Yuqing sitting on a stone bench brewing tea for himself. He was bundled up in a thick down jacket, exuding an air reminiscent of intellectuals from before the founding of the nation.

“You’re still here?” I blurted out, realizing too late how naive and foolish my words sounded.

Tian Yuqing expertly brewed the tea. Hearing my words, he smiled and adjusted his glasses. “Don’t worry, I’ll leave when the time is right. Is this how Chen Si usually teaches you? He likes to ponder over every word, but you’re quite straightforward.”

Seeing he meant no harm, I sat down on the stone bench opposite him. Tian Yuqing poured me a cup of tea, which I accepted naturally. For someone like me who doesn’t understand tea, it doesn’t matter how I drink it. Tian Yuqing probably wouldn’t mind, though you never know, since his family has so many rules.

Drinking tea in the snow had a certain elegance to it, though it would be even better with a stove to roast some sweet potatoes or oranges.

Unlike Tan Qiu, Tian Yuqing didn’t put on airs as the head of a family. He adjusted his down jacket and praised, “The Xinyang Maojian tea Chen Si collected is indeed excellent. No wonder he always brews this kind.”

I smacked my lips. “You didn’t drink the ones in the black boxes at the bottom of his cabinet, did you? If you did, you’re in trouble. He’ll bury you when he gets back.”

Tian Yuqing lifted the tea but didn’t drink it immediately. Instead, he laughed lightly and looked at the swirling snowflakes in the air. After a while, he asked, “Did your grandfather really teach you nothing?”

I remembered Fourth Brother’s instructions before he left and shook my head while sipping tea, trying to hide my guilty conscience.

I knew Tian Yuqing wasn’t easy to fool. People like him, who have been in the business for a long time, can usually tell if someone is lying with just a glance. A rookie like me would be seen through immediately if I faced him head-on.

To my surprise, Tian Yuqing didn’t press further on this question. It seemed more like a casual inquiry, not caring about the answer. He took out the Nine-Ring Jade Casket and placed it on the stone table.

Tian Yuqing asked me, “Can you tell me what you see in this box?”

I didn’t react immediately, my eyes drifting for a moment. In that split second, dozens of pieces of information I’d thought about before flashed through my mind. Since my grandfather thought I wasn’t meticulous enough, I’d undergone periodic observation training since childhood. Now, even if I’m careless, I can see details others might miss.

But I couldn’t just blurt out all my thoughts.

So I tilted my head to look at the Jade Casket, hesitated for a while, and said, “It’s jade, not very big, with delicate patterns. You can vaguely see something inside, like paper or maybe something else.”

After rambling, I looked at Tian Yuqing expectantly. He put the Jade Casket back in the wooden box and sighed, “Aside from a good appearance, you haven’t inherited any of Grandpa Kui’s other talents. It seems he was right not to let you enter this business.”

Talent? I’ve inherited plenty of my grandfather’s talents. I felt a sense of satisfaction at having deceived such a seasoned veteran, my sense of achievement swelling. However, I also noticed the information inadvertently revealed in his words.

Tian Yuqing said, “Go back and rest. Tan Qiu mentioned that since you took out this box, it means you won’t be able to spend this New Year like before. So cherish your peaceful life now.”