After waiting for a whole day, no one came to ask the price. Su huanli was so worried that he almost pulled out all his hair. In the twilight of the day, the Qinghe Province was still bustling. But there were less people on the street where Su Huanli’s shops was located. Occasionally one or two people could be seen passing by.
The moon climbed up the sky gradually. The entire Qinghe Province was quiet, and people went to sleep while the oil lamps of the shop were still on.
“Master, it’s late.”
Li Yin arranged the temporary bed and couldn’t help but remind him.
Su Huanli, sitting at the door, still didn’t move.
Another day passed. When the sun gradually rose on the third day, Su Huanli, with his bloodshot eyes, stared at the pedestrians outside the door like a ghost who was about to choose people to eat.
“Butler Li, cut the price! Cut the price to 40,000 or 50,000 taels. I don’t believe that no one wants to buy such good shops!”
Su Huanli said with his teeth gnashed. Li Yin shook his head and uncovered the paper sticking to the door. Then he changed the price and pasted it again.
But there is still no one coming to ask. It was going to the noon, and Su Huanli’s heart was completely cold. His heart was bleeding when he thought that Baiwei Building, which earned hundreds of thousands taels a month, was about to collapse.
At this moment, Qu Qingning appeared in front of the shop. Looking at the price posted on the door, he smiled and went into the one that Su Huanli was in.
As soon as he appeared, he had drawn Su Huanli’s eyes. The more Su Huanli looked at Qu Qingning, the more he was shocked.
The person was obviously young. He wore a servant’s clothes, but the clothes were actually made of good satin. From the hidden wealth and dignity of him, Su Huanli guessed that the young man must be a servant from a large family of high status.
“Welcome… little brother, do you want to buy the shop?”
Su Huanli asked with laughter and held his fist with another hand.
Qu Qingning forced a smile and said, “Master, please don’t make a joke on me. It’s my master who is a bit interested in the shop.”
Su Huanli thought right, so he was even more excited. He said again and again, “Little brother, your master has a good taste. If it wasn’t for the urgent need to spend money for my family, how could I sell such good shops at such low price? They were built for only several years…”
Before Su Huanli finished, Qu Qingning frowned and interrupted, “Master, don’t make a mistake. If my master buys the land, we must demolish the houses and rebuild them. You’d better say something else.”
Su Huanli smiled stiffly and immediately said, “Yes, yes. I was abrupt. So, how about seeing the land with me?”
Qu Qingning nodded and then slowly strolled around the shop. Although Su Huanli was anxious, he dared not to urge him. He didn’t want to frighten Qu Qingning away.
Watching Su Huanli sweating, Qu Qingning laughed in his heart. After walking for a while, when the sun was about to set, Qu Qingning stopped, pointed to the next shop and asked, “Whose shop is that over there?”
“It’s mine too!” Su Huanli replied quickly, “That shop was a little small, so no one wants to rent it. There was a tenant in this shop before. I gave him a sum of money to let him go because of the urgent family affairs.
“I see.” Qu Qingning picked his nails and looked slightly dissatisfied, “Master, tell you the truth. My master didn’t expect that the land is so small. But, since he is not short of money, then we are going to buy both of your shops at…50,000 taels. How do you think?”
Two shops, only 50,000 taels!
Su Huanli almost screamed out. What was the difference between this and robbery?
“What? Master, you seem reluctant. Then, see you.”
Qu Qingning was about to leave without hesitation as he said.
The twilight was casted on Su Huanli’s face when Qu Qingning turned around. At this moment, Su Huanli trembled and immediately came to his sense.
“Little brother, please don’t go!!”
…
During the two days when Su Huanli left, new changes took place in Dasu Town.
It turned out that the headmaster of the Muyang School ordered someone personally to put an official notice on the local authority notice board of Dasu Town. It’s Su Li’s general condition in the Muyang Girls’ School. Su Li returned to the town just for a rest, not for what the Su Family said that she was expelled from the Su Family due to her misbehavior.
People of the whole town were immediately shocked by the official notice. The Su Family was even more embarrassed!
“Why did the Su Family say that Su Li was so unbearable?”
“Do you remember that the mammy of Miss Su Li said that all these things were framed by the Old Lady of the Su Family?”
“The Baiwei Building was run by Miss Su Li before. Maybe the Old Lady of the Su Family was so jealous that she tried to drive her out of the Su Family?”
“Old fool! It’s even worse to think of such a poisonous plan to force Miss Su Li to leave. No one knows her whereabouts now.”
“Is it possible that Miss Su Li has been killed by the Old Lady?”
“I remember that Miss Su Li was expelled from the Su Family a year ago. The Su Family seems to be very dirty!”
“…”
People who were deceived were angry, and in less than one day, they made up several versions about the reason why Su Li was kicked out by the Su Family. For a time, the Su Family had become a bully family that everyone had to criticize!
Mam. Su-Cui almost died of anger. She didn’t know that the people of the Muyang Girls’ School were so foolish. What on earth is the Yang Family doing?
“Mother! What should I do now?” Zhu Yan hurriedly came, “I heard that few visitors come to the Baiwei Building nowadays. Everyone says that the Su Family is bad in character. No matter how delicious the food of the Baiwei Building is, they won’t go there!”
“Ning Yunzhi, the old scholar!” Mam. Su-Cui scolded with hatred in her eyes, “Sooner or later I’ll get you about this matter!”
“Old Lady, something bad is happening!”
An old mammy ran in panic outside the door with many leaves hanging on her head, “People in Dasu Town are crazy. They are picking up the dung from each family and putting it in front of the Baiwei Building. They say that if we don’t restore Miss Su Li’s reputation, they will turn the Baiwei Building into a manure pit!”
“What?”
Mam Su-Cui couldn’t help but was astonished. She said at once, “What a bunch of untouchables! Notify the local government! Quickly!”
The old mammy left the house in a hurry. The soldiers went to suppress the riot temporarily. However, it was inevitable that a few buckets of dung were splashed on the gate of the Su Family. There was full of stinking smell.
After getting the news, Su Li changed her appearance and opened the Baicao Tang. Many people were injured by the collision when the soldiers came. A batch of wounded people poured in when she opened the door.
“Doctor Shui Li, finally you open the door!”
“The soldiers are going too far!”
“Doctor Shui Li, where have you been these days? The Baicao Tang didn’t open for a long time.”
Many patrons came and asked. Su Li kept diagnosing as she said with a smile, “I went to a place far away from here. And I only came back to have a look today. I’ve heard about things of the Su Family. I know Miss Su Li’s character very well. I have nothing to say for the Su Family…”
Su Li casually talked without further discussion.
But her attitude convinced everyone even more that Su Li was wronged.
“Doctor Shui Li saves people with her talented medical skills and is indifferent to fame and wealth. What she said must be right!”
“Doctor Shui Li said so, and I believe her!”
“I remembered Doctor Qi, master of Doctor Shui Li, once went to the Su Family to be a teacher. He must know a lot about the Su Family. Now that Doctor Shui Li said that, it seems that the Su Family is really hiding something!”
Agitated by Su Li, many people immediately joined the team to harass the Su Family. Mam. Su-Cui had to take out the last bit of money that she saved and let Li Shanbao order that anyone who made trouble with the Su Family would be put in jail. Then the chaos finally subsided.
At this moment, Su Huanli returned from Qinghe Province with 400,000 taels of banknotes and rushed to Sanhe Bridge without stopping by. He had no time to learn that the Baiwei Building was closed now.
At about midnight, Su Li appeared on time. She handed over all the remaining raw materials to Su Huanli. Looking at Su Huanli’s reassuring expression, she disappeared with light laughter.
“Inborn hurdles!”
Li Yin’s pupils contracted, as if he had seen some horrible things. He remembered that a few months ago, the man only acquired the ninth hurdle. He broke through so quickly to the inborn hurdles. Maybe he was seriously injured and was in the state of inborn hurdles. He just used the money of the Su Family to treat his injury. Was his injury cured…
There was deep fear in Li Yin’s eyes. He helped Su Huanli push the cart and left quickly, just like leaving evil spirits after them.
A senior with inborn hurdles was the supreme person in martial arts circle!
Su Li took 400,000 taels and returned to the valley. Qu Qingning looked at the banknotes piled high on the table, and swallowed his saliva hard.
“400,000 taels! It’s the first time to see so much money in my life!” Qu Qingning said and couldn’t help but laugh, “The old guy is badly teased by me. He had no time to go back to the Dasu Town. When he knows that the Baiwei Building has been closed, he will be invariably furious.”
Su Li propped her chin and pushed half of the bank note to Qu Qingning, who was laughing loudly, “Qingning, it’s your turn to work hard.”
“What?” Qu Qingning looked at the 200,000 taels of banknotes in front of him and couldn’t help but swallow his saliva.
“Demolish the two shops and rebuild them.” Su Li took out a pile of drawings and put them on the table as she said, “Hire the best craftsmen to finish it in the shortest time.”
Qu Qingning was instantly dumbfounded. He didn’t expect that the lie he told Su Huanli that they would buy the two shops came true.
Fang Yuan picked up the drawings and looked at them one by one. Although he could not understand many concrete structures, he could see that the drawings were extremely extraordinary. He couldn’t help looking up and asking, “Su Li, are these all painted by you?”
“Is there anyone else but me?”
Su Li squinted her eyes like two crescent moons and said in her heart, “Disabled husband’s painting of course are mine.”
Fang Yuan smiled bitterly and sighed, “Is there anything else that you cannot do?
He was afraid that he was not qualified to compete with such person. Only Young Master like that person…had some possibilities to do so.
But, maybe it’s his happiness to stay by her side and protect her silently.
Fang Yuan thought so and smiled warmly, “Let’s go for supper first. Ling has prepared for us.”
Su Li put away the rest of the banknotes. It was rare for them to eat so happily. At the same time, Su Huanli returned home and got the news in the Dasu Town. He was so angry that he spat a mouthful of blood and fell to the ground.
The Su Family was completely messed up.
