Dong Qiaoqiao also understood the reasoning behind it. After all, the purchasing power is limited, and the wealthy scholars who should buy have already made their purchases. There is not much profit left in the secondary market. If more copies are printed, it will surely be a loss.
She is an easily satisfied girl. Earning five thousand taels of silver in one morning is definitely a miracle. It's something she wouldn't have dared to imagine before.
"Brother Lin, are you really going to work as a servant in the Xiao family?" Dong Qiaoqiao, no longer concerned about additional printing, looked at Lin Wanrong who hesitated for a long time and finally asked, "Is it because of Miss Xiao?"
Lin Wanrong deliberately feigned surprise, "Oh, Qiaoqiao, you've figured it out. You are truly clever and insightful, a prophet."
Dong Qiaoqiao showed a strange expression, her face seemed not too good.
Lin Wanrong, seeing the girl looking a bit distressed, didn't want to tease her anymore. He shook his head, smiled, and said, "Hehe, I'm just kidding with you. Don't worry, I have no interest in Miss Xiao. Think about it, no one has seen what she looks like. If an ugly monster clings to me, I might as well find a tree to hang myself."
Dong Qiaoqiao found his words amusing and couldn't help but chuckle, "You're so good at making up stories."
Lin Wanrong chuckled and said, "Life is unpredictable. I'm working in the Xiao family out of necessity. You know, even though our trade in these booklets is good, it's just a one-time deal, not a long-term plan. I have to eat and support my family. If I can find a place to stay, that's already good. The treatment for Xiao family servants is not bad. As for me, I'm a person without much ambition, I like to go with the flow. Besides, I don't have many strengths. I just look a bit handsome, have a good temper, and a few more ideas. If the Xiao family chooses me as a servant, it's barely finding the right person."
Lin Wanrong wore a face of hardship, and this time, he didn't need to pretend. If it weren't for falling into Wei's trap, he wouldn't have come to serve someone.
Dong Qiaoqiao blushed and covered her mouth, smiling, "Brother Lin, you have thick skin. But, talking to you is very enjoyable. You are not only a good person but also knowledgeable. I like chatting with you."
Lin Wanrong laughed, "Of course, do you know, in my previous pub—I mean hometown, many girls liked to listen to me talk. When I started working, everyone gathered around me to listen to my stories. How about that, quite charming, right?"
This was not a boast. Lin Wanrong was an optimistic person with good eloquence. He got along well with everyone. In the business world, you had to have a thick skin.
"Really?" Dong Qiaoqiao glanced at him and said, "I don't know which lady is fortunate enough to be engaged to Brother Lin."
Lin Wanrong recalled the girlfriends he had in the past, those who loved him and those he loved. They all passed like flowing water, and he would never see them again.
A trace of melancholy flashed across his face. He shook his head with a wry smile, "What fortune? I'm now a single man, nowhere to go."
His loneliness was fully conveyed to Qiaoqiao. She bit her lip gently, and after hearing his words, she raised her head. A bright light flashed across her face.
"However, Brother Lin, when you put on a serious face, you look quite intimidating," Dong Qiaoqiao imitated Lin Wanrong's manner and deliberately deepened her voice, "Face is given by others, but one earns respect with one's conduct."
Lin Wanrong wanted to laugh but couldn't. He put away his smile and said seriously, "Qiaoqiao, don't judge things by appearances. You may find talking to me enjoyable, but how do you know I'm not a bad person?"
Lin Wanrong remembered the deceit and betrayal in the business world. Smiles on the face during meetings, but stabbing each other in the back afterward. He had seen and participated in many such things. Now looking back, it all seemed like a dream.
Dong Qiaoqiao was stunned. She had been with Lin Wanrong for a few days, seeing him always cheerful, but she had never seen him like this.
She made a soft sound and looked at Lin Wanrong, saying gently, "Brother Lin, do you have something on your mind? You seem unhappy. Can you tell Qiaoqiao?"
Lin Wanrong laughed, "Don't be too clever, little girl. I'm having a great time."
Dong Qiaoqiao looked at him, firmly saying, "Brother Lin, you are a good person. I knew it from the moment I saw you."
After saying this, she looked deeply into Lin Wanrong's eyes, then carried the empty lunchbox and ran away quickly.
Lin Wanrong touched his nose helplessly. Am I a good person? Well, I think so too. But watching this girl run, her small butt twisting so quickly, if she were to practice short-distance running, she might be a talent.
Having eaten and drunk enough, Lin Wanrong didn't want to go home. He leaned against the tree, covering his face with the remaining booklet he had sold, and peacefully fell asleep.
He didn't know how long he had slept. Suddenly, he felt an itchy sensation in his nostrils. Before he could sneeze, he was already awakened.
Lin Wanrong opened his eyes in a daze, only to see a face as beautiful as flowers and jade looking at him with a half-smile.
"Oh, which family's girl is this? So delicate," Lin Wanrong yawned, clearing his mind a bit. But then he saw the girl holding a booklet, smiling at him.
This girl, about sixteen or seventeen years old, with curved eyebrows, big eyes, cherry lips, rosy cheeks, wearing a yellow satin floral skirt and light red boots, exuded a rebellious charm. Although young, her chest was high, developed well, a perfect beauty.
This girl seemed somewhat familiar. Lin Wanrong was puzzled; he was sure he hadn't seen her before. He had a memory of all the beautiful women he had seen, regardless of age.
Seeing the girl staring at him, Lin Wanrong didn't think too much. He smiled and said, "Miss, although I'm tall, handsome, a genius, and cute, if you stare at me like this, I'll feel embarrassed."
The girl blushed, gave him a stern look, and raised the booklet in her hand, "Hey, you, did you create this little booklet?"
Holding it high, she was referring to the booklet Lin Wanrong had placed on his face while sleeping, not knowing when the girl had taken it down.
Lin Wanrong chuckled, "How about it, young lady, do you want to buy this booklet too? Do you have brothers or cousins at home? Ah, those guys are really
thin-skinned. Instead of coming themselves, they sent you."
The girl rolled her eyes and said, "Yes, yes, my brother told me to come. Is the person in this painting Miss Xiao?"
Lin Wanrong nodded, "Of course, this is a rare copy circulated within the Xiao family. It wasn't easy for me to get it. Well, I'm a soft-hearted person. If a beautiful girl like you comes to ask, so be it. Fifteen taels of silver, I'll sell it to you at a loss."
The girl snorted, "You are not honest. Hmph, I've been following you all morning. Most of the time, you sell it for ten taels of silver to others, but when it comes to me, you want fifteen taels of silver."
Note: The translated text aims to maintain the meaning of the original Chinese text while presenting it in a more elegant and refined English style.