But Mrs. Han had no money and no power. How could she possibly come up with a way to deal with Yue Chang Shou? After much deliberation and after pondering about it for several days, she couldn't come up with any solution. While Yue Chang Shou came to hassle her again.
"Wan Qing, from afar, I thought I saw you. Didn't expect it is you. I haven't seen you for a few days, but you look a little better." Smilingly, Yue Chang Shou stopped Mrs. Han who came out to shop today. He acted as if he didn't see Mrs. Han's ugly face and chatted to her.
Seeing him, Mrs. Han's face turned dark on the spot. She didn't want to talk to him and wanted to detour around him.
After much difficulty, Yue Chang Shou met her, how could he let her go so easily? He stretched out his hand and halted Mrs. Han: "We're husband and wife after all. You and I are still husband and wife now. Isn't it too heartless of you to act like this? If I have a bad life, aren't you afraid of having a bad conscience?"
This was already obviously a threat.
Mrs. Han's face was a little pale. She clenched her fists tightly under the wide sleeves. Suppressing the nausea and rage in her heart, she asked in a low voice: "Yue Chang Shou, what exactly do you want?"
"I know you are working for Su Family now. You can't bear us husband and wife to separate for the long-term, can you?" After Yue Chang Shou left that day, he inquired around again. It turned out Mrs. Han worked for Su Family, who only made a fortune in recent years. One must know that Su Family had a good few big shops in Luohe Prefecture. As long as he can work in Su Family's shop, he wouldn't have to worry about money! "Go and beg the owner to arrange a vacancy for me. No matter what, I had managed the shop for more than ten years. Being a supervisor, no, being a manager is more than enough!"
Hearing him mentioning Su Family, Mrs. Han's heart immediately rose to her throat. But after hearing the latter half, Mrs. Han's heart returned to its original position. She looked at him with a sarcasm. The corners of her lips and brows were full of sarcasm : "You really don't give up. But I'm just a servant of Su Family. How can I have such a great ability to arrange you to work in Su Family?"
Yue Chang Shou didn't accept her answer. He had been in Luohe Prefecture for more than a year. He originally thought that with his intelligence and eloquence, he could do well in Luohe Prefecture. First, he was tricked by someone and all the savings in the family were reduced to less than a third. Later, he finally found a job in a small grocery store. He just took some sugar and salt home and the manager detained a month's salary and kicked him out.
Thinking of this, Yue Chang Shou was filled with resentment. Didn't he make a lot of money for that stingy man? For a little bit of sugar and salt, he kicked him out without even caring for past affection! Wait until he becomes famous and he'll go back and show that stingy old man some color! In front of him, Mrs. Han whom he disliked before was the stepping stone to success. He must seize this rare opportunity!
As if he couldn't hear the sarcasm in Mrs. Han's words, he thinned his face and grinned: "Wan Qing, look how you are now wearing silk and satin and decked in gold and silver jewelry. You can't possibly just watch your husband keep suffering, right?"
She had nothing to do with the owner of Su Family? Who would believe it! If she, Han Wan Qing, was really just an ordinary servant, how can she afford to wear such a big silver hairpin? There was also the shiny gilt lotus bracelet on the wrist. That was worth a few silver liang!
Mrs. Han was so annoyed by his no face behavior. And seeing the passers-by who peeked over with excitement from time to time, she was even more unwilling to entangle with him: "I can't be bothered to waste saliva with you. I have something to do. Let go of me immediately!"
"Wan Qing, is there anything more important than us husband and wife catching up with each other?" Yue Chang Shou could see that this lowly person Mrs. Han didn't want to care about his life at all. How could he possibly let her go? If this opportunity was passed, it would be really difficult for him to wait for another opportunity to make a fortune.
"What's the matter?" A slightly deep voice interrupted the stalemate between the two.
Mrs. Han looked up. It turned out that Third Master Huang was passing by this street and saw her being hassled by a man and came over to rescue her. Her heart was inexplicably washed with relief. She greeted him with some embarrassment: "Third Master."
Being interrupted, Yue Chang Shou was a little disgruntled at first. But when he heard Mrs. Han addressed him in this way, he took in the man in a dark purple satin gown with silver ingots and dark patterns with a few jade pendants hanging around his waist. The middle-aged man was a little round and rich-looking and had an attendant following. Therefore, he misunderstood that he was a master of Su Family and immediately changed into a groveling expression. Letting go of Mrs. Han, he bent slightly, and imitated Mrs. Han's way of addressing as he cheerfully greeted: "Hello, Third Master, I am Mrs. Han's husband."
Third Master Huang probably knew a bit of Mrs. Han's past. He recalled that she had established a female household on her own? Where did this husband come from? Although he was a bit puzzled, he didn't show anything on his face. He indifferently glanced at Yue Chang Shou before nodding slightly in acknowledgement. He turned his head to look at Mrs. Han again and asked her with his eyes if she needed his help.
Mrs. Han slightly shook the arm that was painful from being grasped by Yue Chang Shou and responded, "Don't worry, Third Master. This servant has already bought the things that Madam ordered. I will send them back to the wife right now."
Third Master Huang didn't change his expression when she uttered these inexplicable words. Instead, he maintained his cold attitude and acted along with Mrs. Han: "Alright. Just don't delay Madam's business and go back earlier. While you're at it, tell Madam I won't return for dinner and have an appointment with someone to discuss business."
Before Master Han could answer Third Master Huang's words, Yue Chang Shou cut off the conversation halfway: "Third Master, I'm the best at socializing with people. You may wish to bring me along when you talk about business. I will fulfill tasks for Third Master Huang with all my heart!"
Mrs. Han glared at Yue Chang Shou with displeasure and apologetically apologized to Third Master Huang: "I'm really sorry. He's full of nonsense. Third Master, please don't bother with him."
Third Master Huang picked up some details and said with a smile: "It's okay. How do I call you, Brother? Since Brother self-recommends and I can be regarded as a person who cherishes talents. It's just that there was an urgent matter today. Why don't you go with me, Brother?"
Surprised and delighted, Yue Chang Shou nodded again and again: "Thank you, Third Master! Thank you, Third Master!"
Then he followed Third Master Huang like a tail and left. Finally, he seized the opportunity to change his position and was already dazzled by the great ecstasy. How could he possibly have the mind to remember what he said to Mrs. Han? Not to mention questioning why the owner family was surnamed Su when Third Master's surname was Huang.
Seeing Third Master Huang walking slowly on the street with his hands behind his back and Yue Chang Shou who bowed and showing his servile appearance, Mrs. Han couldn't help feeling a little annoyed. She originally wanted to find a way to solve Yue Chang Shou's trouble slowly. Unexpectedly, Third Master Huang got involved all of a sudden. She was afraid that Yue Chang Shou would talk nonsense with Third Master Huang and cause trouble for her. A headache emerged.
***
When Yue Chang Shou got the chance, he naturally tried his best. In all fairness, Yue Chang Shou was somewhat eloquent. When he was in Dingyuan, he followed old Master Han in managing the grocery store for more than ten years. Master Han had taught him with all his heart. It can be said that he practiced until he excelled at socializing and how to behave.
"Thanks to Brother Yue today, our business can be negotiated so smoothly. Consider this money as Brother Yue's hard work fee." Third Master Huang drank a cup of Zhuyeqing with a smile and motioned to the servant beside him to hand over a purse .
Yue Chang Shou accepted the purse. The heavy weight made his heart surge a little more. He smiled more eagerly, saying: "I thank Third Master Huang for your support. I only have a little strength. I hope that Third Master can give me a chance and will definitely do my best for Third Master!"
Third Master Huang let a hearty laugh, patted Yue Chang Shou on the shoulder, and stated, "I, Third Huang, have always cherished talents. Alright, go to Wanjialou in city west tomorrow and find Manager Li. Just say that I told you to. He will make arrangements for you."
Wanjialou was Third Master Huang's own property, a small teahouse aimed at civilians. Although it wasn't as famous as Sujiayan, it was good enough place for Yue Chang Shou to go.
"Thank you, Third Master! thank you, Third Master!" Yue Chang Shou was short of kowtowing to Third Master Huang a few times on his knees as he sent away good-natured Third Master Huang with gratitude. Then he stuffed the purse that Third Master Huang had rewarded just now into his bosom and went home happily.
Yue Chang Shou and Jiao Niang were still living in the donkey alley outside the West City Gate. Yue Chang Shou was in a good mood today. He bought wine and meat and returned home humming a little tune. He bragged to Jiao Niang who had been looking forward to him for the whole day at home and explained his great achievements today: "Your master just made that Third Master Huang highly look upon me with just a few words. I will go to work in Wanjialou tomorrow. Today when Third Master Huang was discussing, I spoke a word or two and Third Master Huang rewarded me with ten silver liang! Jiao Niang, it won't be long before we can live a happy life decked in quality-clothes and lavish food!"
Jiao Niang tightly held the two silver liang that Yue Chang Shou gave her. Internally, she was scolding Yue Chang Shou for being stingy and would give herself two silver coin when he got ten silver liang, while getting close to Yue Chang Shou. She leaned against him weakly and bonelessly and breathed out like an orchid: "Jiao Niang believes that Master will be able to achieve great success!"
Yue Chang Shou's description of being served by servants and the days of wearing gold and silver was what she yearned for. She was poor for her whole life as well as being sold into the brothel by her father. She hated those old acquaintances. Every day, she hoped that she would live a good life and then she'd go back and slap those damn people's faces until they were disfigured. Make them regret it!
After a good night's sleep, Yue Chang Shou put on his best clothes early the next morning and went to Wanjialou in the west market. Wanjialou was a two-storey tea house located in West City and covered a relatively small area. Still, its location was great and the cooks wasn't bad. The daily business was good.
Standing in front of Wanjialou, Yue Chang Shou took in Wanjialou. It was quite different from what he had expected. Gritting his teeth, he went in, stopped a server and asked, "Excuse me, is Manager Li here? Third Master Huang told me to come."
Manager Li had received orders from his master. When he saw Yue Chang Shou, he arranged for him to work as a waiter: "There are no vacancies now. You can do this for the time being. Third Master had instructed once there's a good vacancy, it'll be yours."
Yue Chang Shou didn't expect that Third Master Huang, who seemed easy-going yesterday, would arrange such an embarrassing job as a waiter for himself! Immediately, his complexion became ugly. Still, he didn't dare to walk away on the spot. After all, Third Master Huang was the richest person he can come into contact with now. If he offends him, life will be even more difficult. Without a choice, he gritted his teeth and took the job.
However, Third Master Huang had shown a little sincerity. He paid Yue Chang Shou twice as much as a normal waiter. It can be regarded as giving him face. Once Yue Chang Shou knew this, his initial displeasure changed. He secretly thought to himself: "Master Huang must have the intention to recruit me, otherwise he wouldn't have given me this salary."
This side, Yue Chang Shou was still immersed in pride on finally finding a chance to rise up. Over this side, Mrs. Han sought Third Master Huang. One was to thank him for saving her from the siege yesterday, and the other was to apologize to him. Because her own mess involved an outsider. She went back yesterday and couldn't sleep all night. She was annoyed with Yue Chang Shou as well as guilt-ridden toward Third Master Huang.