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墨書 Inktalez
Amid the crisp sound of clinking teacups, the gazes of the two individuals met, carrying a hint of determination.
At that moment, Liu Qingxi had no idea she would once again be caught in an innocent crossfire, as she was busy sending off a stream of customers.
"Thank you for your visit! We hope to see you again!"
"Hahaha, absolutely! You do a great job here, very impressive!"
One by one, people left while others entered. Those who initially hesitated to come in were surprised by the bustling atmosphere and the series of delightful experiences awaiting them.
Chenxi Tavern was lively, with people coming and going. The staff remained composed and organized despite the influx of customers, each fulfilling their roles effectively.
The servers carried dishes, cleared tables, and guided guests, all working in harmony.
Finally, Liu Qingxi and Yang Yichen, the two bosses, sent off their invited guests and returned to their private room.
Inside, Elder Ying and Yang Yichen were engaged in an animated conversation. Despite their age difference, they quickly bonded like old friends.
"Lord Zhou, Master!"
"Back already?" Elder Ying's flow of words was interrupted by Liu Qingxi's call as he turned to ask.
He glanced out the window and exclaimed, "Oh my, is it this late? I lost track of time. Lord Zhou, I hope I haven't delayed your official duties!"
County Magistrate Zhou smiled slightly. "Not at all. It is my fortune to have such an in-depth conversation with Elder Ying."
"You're too polite. As an old man and a commoner, I naturally can't compare to your busy schedule. Let me send you back!" By this time, it was already afternoon, and several hours had passed at Chenxi Tavern without feeling bored; in fact, Elder Ying felt completely relaxed.
"No need for that. I can get back to the county town faster on my own. But do you still need to return to the Provincial Capital?"
Elder Ying waved his hand, saying, "I won't be going back for now. It's not often I get to see my disciple; I'll stay for a while before leaving!"
Upon hearing this, Liu Qingxi was both surprised and delighted. "Master, are you really going to stay?"
"Is there any doubt? I'm quite bored at home, so I came here to unwind. What? Aren't you welcoming your master?"
Liu Qingxi immediately grabbed Elder Ying's sleeve and shook it playfully, her big, sparkling eyes making it hard for anyone to resist. "Master, how could I not welcome you? You can stay whenever you want and for as long as you want! I welcome you with open arms!"
"Hahaha!" Elder Ying's laughter echoed far and wide.
Thus, on the way home that evening, there was an elderly companion. Elder Ying enjoyed the different scenery along the way and couldn't help but express his feelings: "It's been years since I've taken a good look at the crops and walked along this kind of road."
Since becoming famous and living in Lingjiang Province, he had rarely interacted with the land or the countryside. At this moment, everything felt extraordinarily familiar.
It reminded him of himself many years ago when he ventured out to make a living, carrying a bundle as he walked out of his home alley, enduring countless hardships and taking many detours before achieving what he had today.
And Liu Qingxi, regardless of her background or determination to strive forward, seemed like a younger version of him: "Master, when you were my age back then..."
Elder Ying recounted stories from his youth, which served as motivation for Liu Qingxi as well.
Liu Qingxi did not expect that everything Elder Ying has today is achieved through his own efforts, not through family protection or the legacy of ancestors.
Ten Li Pu is right in front of him, where children are wearing thin cotton clothes, playing and laughing in the Village.
Some adults with a childlike spirit are accompanying the children in their games, whether it’s eagle catching chickens or hide-and-seek. With the adults joining in, there’s even more fun to be had.
Liu Qingxi remembers when he used to play hide-and-seek with the neighbor's kids. There was an Aunt next door who was particularly playful; she would always help them find hiding spots and even went so far as to offer her own wardrobe for their game.
The two children giggled as they squeezed into the upper shelf of the wardrobe, hiding their shoes on the lower shelf. This Aunt would then help lock the door, and for a long time, until the game was almost over, no one would discover them.
They would sit quietly in the cabinet, covering their mouths to stifle their laughter.
They laughed at their friends' foolishness and at their own cleverness.
Compared to a year ago when everything felt lifeless, this year's Ten Li Pu clearly has a warmer atmosphere. People are no longer exhausted from running around in the cold winter nor are they pinching pennies just to get by.
With half a year’s income from working on construction, families can now enjoy a worry-free winter.
The person who led them to this better life is undoubtedly Liu Qingxi. She provided them with job opportunities, helped them leave Ten Li Pu, and reach Biqi Town, where they became a top-notch Construction Team.
As for the restaurant project, those who participated have been paying close attention. Today’s Opening Ceremony has invited several elders to attend, and much of the conversation revolves around this topic.
“Indeed, Qingxi is impressive. To build such a large and tall restaurant is no small feat; it's something only extraordinary people can accomplish.”
"Isn't that right? How much silver would that cost? At least a few hundred taels, right?" A person who had never seen it and only heard about it from the villagers could only imagine that it was an astronomical figure.
"Pfft, a few hundred taels? That's just the tip of the iceberg. The decorations inside are made from the finest wood, the best craftsmanship, plus Azure Brick and Glazed Tile, among other things. It won't come down to less than a few thousand taels."
"Hiss~~~" A sound of someone gasping in disbelief. Wow! That's so much money; it's the first time they've ever heard such a number, let alone seen it.
That's a figure they wouldn't even dare to dream of: "This Miss Liu is really too..."
They could no longer find words to describe their feelings and the shock within them at that moment.
So when they saw Liu Qingxi's carriage stop at the village entrance, several women hurried forward: " Miss Liu is back!"
"How did it go today? We heard there were many people!"
"Yeah, yeah! It would be great if we could see it."
Perhaps there was no other intention; they were simply expressing their envy or excitement.
The curtain of the carriage slowly lifted, revealing Liu Qingxi's delicate face to everyone. Her red lips parted slightly, and a voice as clear as an oriole rang out: "Thank you, Aunts, for your concern. Everything is progressing smoothly."
As the girl in a Long Skirt gently stepped down from the carriage, an elderly man in his sixties followed her. Although his hair was gray, he still appeared vigorous and healthy.
"Uh, who is this?"
A few women found their words caught in their throats, surprised to discover that there was another person among them. Would their loud conversation still continue?
Looking at the other person's attire, it seemed simple yet exquisite in every detail. The silk threads used for the edging were of extraordinary quality, and the aura emanating from this person was far from ordinary, instantly overwhelming the women's casual chatter.
"Aunts, please don't be so formal. This is my master, who has come to attend the opening ceremony of the restaurant and will be staying with us at Ten Li Pu for a while. I hope you can take good care of him in the future."
So this was Liu Qingxi's master, the legendary figure from Lingjiang Province!
No wonder! No wonder this elder had such a commanding presence; even without speaking, one could feel an undeniable aura standing beside him.
"Oh, so you are Miss Liu's master! Greetings! Please don't mind what we said earlier," Elder Ying waved his hand casually.
"There's no need for such politeness. I will be staying in the village for some time, and we will have plenty of opportunities to interact. Just treat me like family," he replied.
Elders tend to connect well with each other. Elder Ying was no stranger to grand occasions and was not a person of few words. In no time, he blended in with the villagers.
That day, when Liu Qingxi returned home, she happened to encounter Elder Ying coming back from across the street with his hands behind his back. "Master, what have you been doing today?"
"Oh, just wandering around the village. By the way, I heard that you can hunt?" Every compliment he heard about Liu Qingxi added to his inner joy.
What he didn't expect was that his disciple not only knew how to build houses but also continued to surprise him time and again.
"Ah, Master, I've never hunted in my life, let alone captured any prey myself. Why not let me show you?" Elder Ying wanted to understand every aspect of his disciple, both her strengths and weaknesses.
This way, he would be able to create a practical and feasible study plan for Liu Qingxi, formulating more detailed and easily acceptable teaching methods.
Of course, it cannot be denied that he had been eyeing the mountains in front of him for a long time; he just felt embarrassed to bring it up in front of his disciple.
"Ha ha, of course, no problem! But Master, I only know how to dig traps. Should we go check? If we're lucky, we might find several; if not, then nothing. Since it's still early, we can go now."
"Great! I've been eager to see it. Let's go!" The urging voice was even more intense than Liu Qingxi's towards this student.
The master and disciple walked together, slowly approaching the mountains.
As spring turned to autumn and autumn faded into winter, time passed. The lush trees shed their leaves, leaving the ground covered in a thick layer of foliage. Walking on it made a rustling sound. From a distance, the bare mountains were left with only a few evergreens.
The leaves rustled in the wind, slowly drifting down as the two figures casually moved through them. "Master, we can only look around the outskirts; we shouldn't go inside yet. Since no one came with us today, I'm afraid of encountering any accidents."
"Alright! To be honest, I've been up the mountain before but have never dug a trap." The elderly man was like a child filled with curiosity about new things.
The thick layer of rustling leaves covered the original appearance of the traps. If it weren't for Liu Qingxi having come here many times and remembering the locations well, they would have been impossible to find.
The cold air signaled that animals were busy storing food for winter, quietly hiding it in their burrows for sustenance during the cold months ahead.
Thus, this was a time when prey did not frequently appear; they had already hidden away to adapt to the changing weather conditions.
After clearing away some leaves and inspecting an intact trap, Liu Qingxi shook his head helplessly. "Master, you came at just the wrong time. This is not a good season; otherwise, I would have had some catches as soon as I arrived."
"Hahaha, just wait, I'll still be staying here next year." Although there was no prey, both body and mind felt satisfied.
"You're always welcome. Let's go take a look up ahead." Finally, after much effort, they managed to catch a wild chicken. "Master, at least we didn't come here for nothing. I'll make you something delicious when we get home."
Delicious? Elder Ying's eyes suddenly lit up. Ever since he had tasted the crisp and tasty dishes, his appetite had increased tremendously. Even when the person changed, he couldn't eat anything.
During this stay, even simple dishes made him exceptionally satisfied. He wondered what kind of dish his disciple would make with this wild chicken.
Liu Qingxi smiled mysteriously. Once back home, he quickly cleaned the wild chicken, rubbed it with fine salt, filled its belly with mushrooms and star anise among other spices, wrapped it in a layer of dried Lotus Leaf, then covered it with gauze and clay.
After that, he placed it under the stove for roasting. As the intense heat grilled it, the wild chicken wrapped in yellow clay slowly released its unique aroma.
While Liu Qingxi was enjoying his culinary delight, two individuals in town began to plot.
"No way, your method is too gentle. Since we're doing this, we can't leave any future troubles; we must eradicate it completely."
"But?" Liang Siji still felt conflicted. He had never done anything so ruthless in his life. This time, for revenge, if it led to someone's death, wouldn't that...
However, beside him was someone urging him on. Ren Qiangsheng squinted his eyes, revealing a sinister intent. "Do you really think you have a way out?"
Ever since Elder Ying had expelled him from the construction industry, no one wanted to hire him anymore; he had become like a rat everyone wanted to chase away.
After gathering information about Liu Qingxi's residence, he disregarded the long journey and immediately headed to Linyi County, Biqi Town. On the way, he had already heard about Liu Qingxi's shocking reputation that spread hundreds of miles around; he couldn't express how resentful he felt.
Why is it that she is so down and out while the other person is living so well? It's unfair!
However, this person never considered that the concepts of fairness and unfairness are relative.
All he knew was that things were not developing according to his expectations. He did not analyze his own mistakes, but instead consistently complained, even rallying Liang Siji to take action.
At the same time, in a courtyard in Jinru County, a woman with exquisite makeup, a perfectly proportioned figure, and alluringly upturned eyes was laughing charmingly.
"Oh my, you finally came! I thought I would die waiting for you." She blinked her eyes suddenly, exuding an enchanting charm. "It took so long to get rid of that person; you have to keep me company now."
"Keep company? How could I not? You little enchantress, isn't that man enough for you? I bet you'd only be satisfied if someone died in your arms!"
The man was dressed in white, with a fair complexion, shiny hair, and eyes filled with a mischievous glint.
But the woman liked him just the way he was; she adored it.
This man was none other than Ren Qiangsheng's wife, Yin. While her husband struggled outside, she enjoyed herself at home and even kept such a pretty boy around.
As soon as he left, the two couldn't wait to get together. It was uncertain whether he knew that his wife was doing such things behind his back while he toiled for their livelihood.
It could be said that karma operates in cycles; good and evil ultimately receive their due rewards. His situation could be seen as just desserts.
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