An hour later he was swamped with orders and the prepared manuals were sold out. Ikasa and Xin Ruo rubbed their wrists as they looked at the long roll of paper filled with names.
Chu Qing tallied the number of manuals sold and money received.
"We have sold 25 Cultivation Manuals and 13 Battle Techniques. After deducting the operating costs and taxes, you have made a profit of 2267 Gold."
Ikasa paused mid rub. He narrowed his eyes at Chu Qing.
"This store does not have any operating costs. Where did my 130 silver go?"
Chu Qing nervously shifted his weight.
"Paper and inkstones cost 30 silver…"
"And where did the rest of 100 silver go?"
"Since we helped you in the arena and shop, we paid ourselves 20 silver each."
The rest of the kids had gathered behind Chu Qing and nodded their heads like hens pecking at grains. He couldn't help but smile at this cute sight. Xin Ruo, on the other hand, was staring daggers at Chu Qing for taking money without permission.
"Since you guys are still young and immature that money will be held in deposit with me. So put those coins back in the pouch."
They emptied their pockets with dejection. Only Chu Qing was the one smiling. Yan Xiao noticed this and asked,
"Brother Chu Qing, why are you so happy? We didn't get the money contrary to what you said."
"We got the money, fool. Even though Brother Ikasa is holding it, as long as we want, we can get it."
Xin Ruo, who had heard everything, was ready to explode, but Ikasa calmed her.
"Bring me your deposit slips so that I can amend the amount."
The Kids stood frozen. They couldn't find their deposit slips. How could these kids take care of small pieces of paper while going through numerous activities every day?
"No deposit slips? Does that mean you are giving up your savings to me?"
"Big Brother Ikasa you can't do this!"
Luo Qiqi was the first to lodge her protest. Her aggrieved voice and teary eyes would evoke sympathy from anyone. Other than Chu Qing, all the other kids gathered around Ikasa pleading for a solution.
Chu Qing was still busy finding his deposit slip. He searched through all his sleeves. In the end, he accepted the grim reality. He had indeed lost the slip.
"Since you all are my dear ones, I will offer to make you new slips for a nominal charge of 10 silver per slip."
Outraged, Chu Qing raised his voice against Ikasa's exorbitant charges.
"Why do you need 10 silver to just write on that piece of paper?"
"My bank, my rules."
"Are you willing to pay him this high of charges?" Chu Qing turned his attention to the other kids.
"Are you asking them to give up more than 1000 silver for mere 10 silver coins?" Ikasa questioned back.
The kids hurriedly shook their heads before Chu Qing could answer.
"Brother Ikasa, make one deposit slip for me!"
"Me too"
"Me, three"
"Me, four"
Everyone turned to look at Chu Qing. He knew he had lost this battle. Sighing in resignation, he added, "Me, five"
Ikasa happily made five notes with deposits showing 100 Gold and 10 silver. He handed the slips to the Kids. But before they pocketed them, he stopped them.
"You kids are always playing around. What if you lose these deposit slips too? Wouldn't you guys have to pay me 10 silver to make new ones again?"
The kids looked at the slips in their hands with conflicted looks.
"Brother Ikasa, how about we deposit these deposit slips with you?"
Pei Yuan had a brilliant idea. If they gave the slips to Ikasa for safekeeping, he would have to replace them without charge if he ever lost them.
If the children could think of this, how could he be ignorant of such obvious detail?
"You cannot. I can only keep your money. Your deposit slips are not money. But I can offer you a Locker facility for just 5 silvers."
"Too expensive!"
Chu Qing exclaimed upon hearing the offer. The other kids also hesitated. Ikasa decided to pitch his product to sweeten the deal.
"If you guys lose your deposit slips again, you will have to pay 10 silver to get new ones. But If you place them in my locker, they are my responsibility, and you will not be charged with anything. So, you will actually be saving 5 silvers by getting my locker facility."
Everyone, even Chu Qing, reluctantly gave back the deposit slips to Ikasa. He subtracted another 5 silvers from the amount written on the paper and kept it in his pocket.
Now the kids had 5 silver for helping out in the store, an amount that was acceptable to Ikasa. But he had to do something to prevent another misappropriation of funds by Chu Qing.
He handed a pouch filled with 300 silver to Xin Ruo.
"Originally, I was going to award kids with 50 silver each for their performance in the Arena today. But since they paid themselves, they saved me 150 silver. And you have helped me a lot, so this 150 silver bonus should also go to you."
Chu Qing turned pale. The kids glared at him as he suddenly turned from a hero who earned them 20 silvers to the villain who cost them 30 silvers.
Xin Ruo covered her smile with her hand but Ikasa had no such reservation. He smiled openly and put an arm around Chu Qing's shoulders and led him outside.
"Kid, you are smart. But use that cleverness to earn money for us, not fleece money out of me. Got it?"
What could poor Chu Qing do but accept the reality?