Chapter 19: Lady Qin (Second Update, Requests for Recommendations and Bookmarks)
Chapter 19: Madam Qin (Second Watch, Seeking Recommendations and Bookmarks)
Knock, knock, knock!
Wu Furong pulled the door knocker and knocked a few times. Soon, the door opened to reveal a young girl of about fifteen or sixteen, dressed as a maid. She had a round face, gracefully arched eyebrows, large eyes, and two small braids.
“Uncle Wu.”
Seeing Wu Furong, the girl quickly bowed.
“Hmm.”
Wu Furong nodded and hurriedly said, “Xiao Tao, come greet Young Master Li.”
Xiao Tao glanced at Li Qi with a flicker of doubt in her eyes, then performed a deep kowtow and said, “Your servant greets Young Master Li.”
Li Qi waved his hand and smiled, “Hello, Miss Xiao Tao!” In his eyes, there was no distinction between master and servant.
It was the first time Xiao Tao had seen such an unconventional way of greeting, and she couldn’t help but cover her lips and chuckle softly.
Wu Furong was unfazed by this and asked Xiao Tao, “By the way, is Madam at home?”
Li Qi thought the question was a bit unnecessary; the madam didn’t even visit her own shop, so where else could she be?
Sure enough, Xiao Tao nodded, “Madam is watering the plants in the backyard. Please come in first.”
Since it was Wu Furong, there was no need for further formalities.
Upon entering, Li Qi’s first impression was that the place was desolate. The courtyard was vast and, aside from a few of them, there wasn’t a single person in sight. It was as if everyone was trying to hide the fact that a widow lived there.
Li Qi sighed deeply.
Wu Xiao Liu, upon seeing Xiao Tao, lunged at her like a fly drawn to a cake, only to be met with one disdainful glance after another.
Wounded, Wu Xiao Liu returned to Li Qi’s side, looking dejected. Li Qi found it amusing and patted his shoulder, whispering, “Hey, Liu, are you trying to court Xiao Tao?”
“Court?” Wu Xiao Liu asked, confused.
“Uh—court means to pursue. Tell me, Liu, are you trying to pursue Xiao Tao?” Li Qi teased.
Wu Xiao Liu blushed and denied it, “No way, Xiao Tao and I are very pure.”
Whether Xiao Tao was pure or not, Li Qi wasn’t sure, but Wu Xiao Liu certainly wasn’t someone to be associated with purity. Li Qi despised him silently and sighed, “If that’s the case, forget it. I was going to teach you some tricks for wooing girls.”
Wu Xiao Liu’s eyes sparkled as he grinned, “Brother Li, what kind of tricks?”
“These tricks are—uh, why are you asking? Didn’t you say you like to keep things pure with Xiao Tao?” Li Qi tried to suppress his laughter.
“Used to be, but now that I have a master, I have to learn from him,” Wu Xiao Liu laughed.
Well, that was—no, this kid was indirectly calling Li Qi impure. Damn, except for not being a virgin, Li Qi was very pure in all other aspects. Li Qi was secretly angry but sighed aloud, “Alright, since you call me master, I’ll teach you a couple of moves. The art of wooing includes three essential qualities and two auxiliary ones.”
“Three essentials and two auxiliaries?” Wu Xiao Liu scratched his head in puzzlement.
Li Qi nodded, “Yes, listen carefully. The three essentials are boldness, attentiveness, and thick skin. The two auxiliaries are money and power. Once you have these five, you’ll be unstoppable in pursuing girls—invincible and unconquerable.”
“*Cough, cough, cough!*”
Just as Li Qi finished speaking, he heard a cough from ahead. Looking up, he saw Wu Furong’s face flushed bright red, his mouth twitching repeatedly.
Sweating heavily! The old man had been eavesdropping. But Li Qi’s skin was thick too. Seeing Wu Xiao Liu’s puzzled expression, he cleared his throat and said seriously, “Liu, these tricks come from years of experience. It took me ten years to master them, so it’s okay if you don’t understand now.”
“Oh.”
Wu Xiao Liu nodded, half understanding.
As they talked, they reached the front hall. Wu Furong asked Li Qi to wait there while he went to inform the madam, then he and Xiao Tao entered the inner room.
No sooner had Wu Furong left than Wu Xiao Liu leaned toward Li Qi with a mischievous grin, “Brother Li, is that friend you mentioned actually yourself?”
How did he know? Li Qi was startled and blurted, “How do you—nonsense! You’re just a kid with no hair yet. Go play with some mud outside instead of being an eyesore here.”
Wu Xiao Liu stuck out his tongue and didn’t ask further but wore a look of indifference.
Li Qi knew he couldn’t hide it from this kid and didn’t bother explaining. A cold smile curved his lips. It seemed he hadn’t disciplined this kid well enough, but it didn’t matter—they had plenty of time.
About the time it takes to drink a cup of tea passed before Wu Furong came out, waving to Li Qi, “Young brother, Madam invites you in. Come quickly.”
Li Qi’s heart lifted. He answered and followed Wu Furong inside.
Wu Furong led Li Qi to a door and whispered, “Young brother, when you see Madam, don’t say anything reckless.”
What did he mean by reckless? There was no clear rule. Li Qi smiled slightly, “Uncle Wu, I understand. Don’t worry.”
Wu Furong nodded, then knocked three times and respectfully said, “Madam, Young Master Li has arrived.”
“Please come in,” came Xiao Tao’s voice from inside.
Wu Furong pushed the door open and led Li Qi inside. The room was spacious, clean, and tranquil. The scent of sandalwood filled the air, invigorating the spirit. Four wooden chairs stood on either side, and above them hung a round screen embroidered with lotus flowers. Before the screen sat a beautiful woman in her early thirties, with Xiao Tao standing respectfully beside her.
Li Qi’s eyes fixed on the woman and could not look away. She wore a long white silk robe, her eyebrows delicately arched, phoenix-shaped eyes bright and clear, skin as smooth as snow, a full figure, her demeanor dignified and composed. Especially those clear, bright eyes—they seemed to hold a magical allure that intoxicated the soul. Even the faint sadness between her brows was captivating, especially to a man like Li Qi, with his strong masculine pride, it was a fatal temptation.
Wu Furong noticed Li Qi’s staring and his face darkened. He quickly whispered, “Young brother, young brother.”
“Huh? What is it?”
Li Qi was momentarily stunned, then snapped back to reality, feeling embarrassed. He hurriedly stepped forward and bowed, “I am Li Qi. I apologize for this unexpected visit. If I have offended you, Madam, please forgive me.”
Even with no further proof, it was clear this woman was the owner of Drunken Immortal Residence—Madam Qin. Yet she was even younger and more beautiful than Li Qi had imagined.
Madam Qin silently frowned at Li Qi’s indiscretion but did not show it. She nodded slightly and said calmly, “Young Master Li, please have a seat.”
“Thank you, Madam!” Li Qi sat in the first chair on the right, exhaling deeply. He dared not look at Madam Qin again but thought, “Damn, even her voice is so enchanting. No wonder she hides at home every day. If she walked the streets, she’d be tempting men to sin.”
Following Madam Qin’s gesture, Wu Furong sat opposite Li Qi.
After Xiao Tao poured tea for Li Qi and Wu Furong, Madam Qin asked calmly, “Young Master Li, I heard from Uncle Wu that you have a friend who wishes to buy Drunken Immortal Residence?”
Sweat! Was this woman crazy about selling the shop or what? She didn’t even bother with pleasantries and came straight to the point. The question dampened Li Qi’s earlier hope of making a good impression. He stood up and first clasped his fists toward Wu Furong, “Sorry, Uncle Wu. I wasn’t honest with you.”
Wu Furong’s expression changed drastically. He stood and asked, “Young brother, what do you mean by that?”
“Uncle Wu, please calm down first,” Li Qi said, turning to Madam Qin. “Madam, actually, that ‘friend’ I mentioned was a fabrication. The one truly interested in purchasing Drunken Immortal Residence is myself.”
(End of Chapter)