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Hooligans like this man, having seen all sorts of people, their grasp of human nature was perfected through countless struggles. With just one glance, they could tell if someone was easy to provoke and how to manipulate them. A naive, innocent young lady like the one before him was the most tender-hearted.
This tenderness could be manipulated by morality.
The more generously he claimed that "delaying work" didn't matter, and that he would accompany the young lady "for safety" while she "waited," the more guilty the young lady would feel. Along with guilt, her trust would skyrocket, causing her to lower her guard in an unfamiliar environment, thereby falling into the trap.
As the man expected.
The young lady lowered her eyes, timidly asking him, "Is it truly no trouble?"
The man plopped down next to Shen Tang.
He deliberately extended his feet, revealing toes covered in dark mud and frostbite, letting Shen Tang see his severely worn straw sandals. He spoke in a cheerful, open manner: "No trouble at all. At most, the shopkeeper will deduct a few coppers. That gentleman, if he didn't see you leave, should come over too."
Shen Tang's expression subtly changed, her pupils shifting, as if she was in an internal struggle. The man saw this and secretly rejoiced.
Why did he dare to say this?
Because he knew Qi Shan wouldn't return so quickly!
He wasn't worried about his lies being exposed.
He remained calm, silently counting numbers. When he reached "fifteen," the young lady, who had been obediently sitting on the small stool, stood up and said softly, "Since Yuanliang sent you to find me, we should quickly go and meet him. If we're late, not only will it delay your work, but he'll also scold me... Please lead the way."
I succeeded!
The man inwardly crowed with delight, but outwardly said, "This is what I should do. No trouble at all, young lady, you flatter me."
"Young lady, let's go this way." The man pointed, indicating the direction Qi Shan had taken earlier. While leading the way, he also thoughtfully took the rope of the motorcycle Shen Tang was holding and said, "Fanghua Inn is a bit of a walk from here. Would the young lady like to ride?"
Throughout the entire process, the man behaved very properly and appropriately, which subtly increased Shen Tang's trust in his identity as a "helper at Fanghua Inn." Shen Tang, indeed, didn't suspect anything. She laboriously and clumsily climbed onto the back of the motorcycle. The man glanced at the motorcycle, and while pulling the rope, he chatted with Shen Tang: "This one doesn't look like a horse?"
The obedient young lady answered every question.
"Motuo is a mule."
"A mule?"
The man secretly wondered how much this mule could sell for.
Although it was a mule, not a horse, this mule named "Motuo" was good-looking, pure white, and as tall as an ordinary adult man. It looked quite expensive. If he found a channel to resell it, he might be able to get a high price.
At this moment, the man led the motorcycle in front, only showing Shen Tang his back. Naturally, he wasn't afraid of her seeing his current expression, which almost overflowed with triumphant greed. A vendor who had been secretly observing the situation nearby sighed and muttered—some people seeking death simply couldn't be stopped.
This young lady is finished in the hands of this hooligan.
There was a butcher shop two doors down from the tavern.
The butcher saw Shen Tang foolishly follow the hooligan. His expression changed several times. He gritted his teeth, slammed his boning knife onto the chopping block, and picked up another pig-slaughtering knife. Before he could step out of the butcher shop, he was pulled back by his old parents, who were working in the shop, and they fiercely winked at him.
The butcher didn't struggle. He merely watched Shen Tang's retreating figure gradually shrink into a small ball, finally turning into a long sigh.
"What a sin!" He wiped his face with his greasy hand, suppressing his urge to meddle, and then cursed, "What a rotten world!"
He didn't know if he was cursing the hooligan or himself.
Adjusting his mindset, he returned to working at the butcher shop.
A customer buying something suddenly spoke.
"That young master will be fine."
The butcher paused: "What?"
The customer repeated with a smile.
"That young master will be fine. On the contrary, the one who tricked him will be in danger."
The butcher's eyes widened in surprise. He still held the knife, and angrily gestured, "What nonsense are you talking about, old man?"
The customer, undeterred, smiled calmly and said, "How about we make a bet?"
The butcher, hearing the customer say Shen Tang would be fine, breathed a slight sigh of relief. Then he thought for a moment and felt the customer was talking nonsense.
What young master?
The one who was taken away was clearly a handsome young lady.
He grumbled unhappily: "You old pervert, your eyes are blurry, your head is muddled. You're talking nonsense and tricking people. You can't even tell if someone's a man or a woman. You want to make a bet? Then tell me how you want to bet?"
Customer: "That young master will be back safely in half an hour. If I win, you give me today's offal for free."
The butcher agreed without hesitation.
It was just a few catties of unwanted offal. The bet wasn't big.
He was familiar with this customer. He was a scullery helper from Moonflower Inn, who would always buy some unwanted offal. The butcher saw that he was different from other people from Moonflower Inn. He wasn't obsequious or flattering; instead, he was like a scholar, exuding an indescribable elegance. The butcher had a good impression of him and would always give him a little extra whenever he weighed out offal.
He came as usual today, but he unexpectedly spoke nonsense.
Butcher: "And if I win?"
Customer: "I'll buy one more catty of offal."
The butcher said irritably: "Selling one more catty of offal, how much more can I earn? Alright, it's a bet!"
After a while, the butcher cut half a catty of broken bones, wrapped them in a lotus leaf, and placed them with the previous offal. He pointed his finger at the butcher block and said, "If he comes back, this half catty is yours too."
Although the broken bones had little meat, they could still be used to stew a pot of meat.
This customer was skin and bones, and the butcher felt a pang of pity. He also sincerely hoped that the customer would win, and that the young lady would be safe. It would be an act of kindness for him, making him feel better.
The customer cupped his hands in greeting: "Thank you."
The butcher muttered: "That movement is quite proper too."
What kind of place was Moonflower Inn?
A place where men and women sought pleasure.
This customer claimed to be a scullery helper, doing rough work. But a slave bought by Moonflower Inn, to put it harshly, was the lowest of the low. Such a person acting like a scholar was often mocked. The butcher also thought he was putting on airs.
But the butcher didn't laugh.
Only because the customer's demeanor was truly good.
It was comfortable talking to him.
For half an hour, the butcher waited anxiously, constantly glancing in the direction Shen Tang and the man had disappeared, asking the customer: "Old man, why did you say just now that it was a young master? That was clearly a young girl."
The customer didn't mind the butcher's impolite address. Instead, he smiled and pointed to his waist.
The butcher was puzzled: "What? Is your waist hurting?"
Customer: "Wenxin Seal."
The butcher paused: "What?"
Customer: "That person has a Wenxin Seal. Although not as skilled as ordinary martial artists, dealing with a normal person is no problem."
Butcher: "..."
As an ordinary person, even if he hadn't seen a "Wenxin Seal," he had heard of it. He naturally knew what possessing this meant.
"How come I didn't see it?"
The butcher recalled, only remembering that pretty face.
Customer: "That Wenxin Seal is colorless and transparent like crystal. If one doesn't pay careful attention, it's very easy to overlook."
Because of Wenxin and martial courage, it was fashionable for men to wear Wenxin Seals or similar tiger-tally-like accessories when going out. It was difficult to distinguish between ordinary seals and Wenxin Seals, and it was hard for ordinary people to tell them apart immediately.