Seeing the slave contract torn to pieces, Wu Jinliang almost grinned from ear to ear, chuckling as he glanced at Old Dong.
Relieved that Old Dong behaved sensibly, he relaxed.
Actually, he hadn't wanted to bring Old Dong along when he went to fake the deal earlier.
To be honest, he didn’t want Old Dong to witness it.
However, being unfamiliar with the area, finding a place to sell such specific items in a short amount of time was difficult.
Not to mention he needed someone to cover the payment.
Watching the slave contract shred into dust on the ground, Bian Weikang breathed a deep sigh of relief.
Bowing to Shi Chun, he declared, “Senior Brother… rest assured, I’ll repay the money you lent me as soon as I can. I’ll write an IOU right away,” and he was about to step inside to find brush, ink, and paper.
Shi Chun grabbed his arm, “Enough, it’s the thought that counts. No need for an IOU. Don't you think I trust your character, Brother Bian? If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have lent it to you. Repayment can wait, take your time, pay back when you can.”
Old Dong smirked to himself, shaking his head.
The Big Boss was still the Big Boss, never missing a chance to play the good guy while secretly scheming.
Despite what he said, Shi Chun refused to take any IOU.
With a wave of his hand, he briskly left with his people, asking not to be seen off.
Yet Bian Weikang insisted on escorting them to outside the Carefree Pavilion, watching them depart for a long time before returning inside.
Once back inside, he saw his beloved waiting, and was unable to resist moving forward for a warm embrace, only to have his arms firmly pinned down by Xiang Lan'er.
“Weikang, do you think that just because I hail from a brothel, you can behave frivolously?”
When he looked up, Xiang Lan'er’s eyes were swimming with tears, her charming self turning pitiful, anyone who saw her would feel pity.
His denial came quickly, waving his hands frantically to show he didn’t mean it, avoiding Xiang Lan’er’s misunderstanding.
Xiang Lan’er didn’t say much more, wiping her tears before quietly finding bandages, she pulled Bian Weikang to sit.
Tenderly, she attended to the cuts on his forehead and hands, engulfing Bian Weikang in a warm, blissful sensation.
Men are indeed easily consoled…
Once down the cliff, Big Stone couldn’t hold back anymore and asked Shi Chun, “Big Boss, why didn’t you ask for an IOU? Bian Weikang already seems incapable of repaying. Without an IOU, when will those fifty thousand gold be returned?”
Wu Jinliang chuckled but said nothing, and Old Dong joined in with a couple of chuckles, planning to spill the beans to Big Stone later.
Big Stone wasn’t dumb and noticed the mischievous smiles between these two, indicating there must be something going on beneath the surface…
At the exit of the canyon, right by the lake, stood the Bowang Pavilion of Sky-Illuminating City, nestled against the cliff, lavish in design and large in scale, bustling with a steady flow of customers.
The "Bowang" referred to the vast range of goods being traded, like an immense general store.
Aside from boutique or specialized shops and certain special places like the Graceful Cloud Pavilion, Bowang dealt in just about everything, leaving little room for competitors.
Atop the high building, a serene room faced the scenic lakes and mountains.
Ledgers piled neatly within the elegantly furnished room.
A composed woman arose from the desk, stepping out to the balcony to gaze afar.
Her poised beauty exuded elegance, adorned in a bright yellow dress fluttering in the wind, her skin fair and translucent, appearing like a fresh snowfall against the landscape, picturesque amidst the beauty of Heaven and Earth.
Large-eyed, she resembled her mother, Lan Qiaoyan, the one in charge of Bowang Pavilion.
She herself was Miss Miao, her name, Miao Yilan.
Che Si detailed the entire process of lending money to Shi Chun, recounting it accurately.
Finished listening, Miao Yilan softly repeated to herself a certain phrase, “If people are heartless, what’s the point of living in this world? Mutual affection is worth more than countless riches…” Her gaze drifted towards the distance, seemingly longing for someone who could share a mutual love with her.
Che Si hastily clarified, “Claiming to admire Bian Weikang’s integrity is just a noble excuse. He merely wants to earn from the double repayment.”
Miao Yilan turned her head towards him, humor twinkling in her eyes, “Is it not possible that he genuinely acted because of integrity?”
Had it been when she first met Shi Chun, she might not have said such a thing.
Back when Shi Chun attempted to approach her with the intent she suspected was to latch onto her influence.
Whether or not it was to latch on could be discussed separately.
The key issue was no matter how amusing Shi Chun acted, no matter the lengths he went to please and amuse her, she simply couldn’t accept him.
From the start, she knew there was no possibility between them.
The disparity in status was one thing.
More crucial was her inability to accept the peculiar scent present on those from the Exile Lands, a grime impossible to wash entirely, which wasn’t exactly contempt, but friendship was one thing.
Having him as her partner was quite another.
She deemed her own morality commendable and despised hierarchical distinctions among people.
However, after setting foot in the Exile Lands, she understood a stark truth: the chasm between wealth and poverty couldn’t simply be bridged by morality.
Sometimes recalling this saddened her.
Shi Chun’s deliberate approach then raised alarms with her mother, Lan Qiaoyan, who discreetly investigated him.
The findings surprised her mother, leading her first remark to be, “That boy is one peculiar gem,” followed by a sigh saying, “A man of integrity.”
Naturally, she pursued what was the matter, leading to her mother relating Shi Chun’s upbringing, raised on shared meals at Eastern Nine Plains, his vow to the people that he’d always remember the kindness in their struggles, promising to do all in his power to send everyone out and that he would be the last to leave.
Over years, he upheld his words, gradually sending away dozens.
That number might not seem much, but in that timeframe and region, even she could comprehend; this ratio was remarkably high.
Yet her mother’s true point regarded the location being no ordinary place but the Exile Lands.
Those natives, suffering immensely, harbored an unfathomable yearning to leave and change fate, leading to no small amount of bloodshed, their bodies innumerable.
Forsaking dozens of chances to leave over the years spoke volumes, beyond outsiders’ comprehension.
Just recently, rumors spoke of Eastern Nine Plains sending out over a hundred people at once, with Shi Chun indeed being the last to depart from it.
After probing Shi Chun’s background, her mother ceased worrying over Shi Chun’s approach, opting to overlook it.
Thus, when Che Si mentioned Shi Chun helped because of Bian Weikang’s integrity, she rather believed it, since those words from her mother often described Shi Chun as a person of “integrity.”
Hence, that phrase, “If people are heartless, what’s the point of living in this world? Mutual affection is worth more than countless riches,” somehow resonated with her deeply.
Unaware of these complexities, Che Si firmly stated, “Impossible. Purely an excuse; it’s the promise of double repayment he’s after. The problem is Bian Weikang doesn’t have the means to repay. What will Shi Chun do about those forty thousand gold?”
Miao Yilan chuckled, “Even if it’s unrepayable, he must find a way. We’ll arrange employment for him at Bowang Pavilion and dock his wages monthly until it’s paid off. Defaulting won’t be tolerated.”
Shi Chun’s request for such a considerable amount, four thousand gold, didn’t surprise her.
Her mother once mentioned, “A person of integrity, if truly helped, won't forget the kindness.”
Of course, she believed Shi Chun must have encountered some pressing crisis because in all this time, Shi Chun never borrowed or asked for anything from her, much less money.
“…” Che Si was slightly blindsided.
Helping someone land a job if they’re unable to repay? Not just any place, but Bowang Pavilion? Was this about collecting debt or paying it off?
He had heard whispers of Shi Chun pursuing this Miss Miao when in and out of the Exile Lands.
Could it be…? He discreetly observed her reactions.
At this moment, Old Dong’s voice echoed outside, “Miss Miao.”
Miao Yilan turned, “Come in.”
Old Dong promptly stepped in, cautiously reporting, “Shi Chun has arrived downstairs, requesting to visit you. Shall I bring him up?”
Without permission, not just anybody could access the floors of Bowang Pavilion.
Miao Yilan lightly smiled, “Every three months without fail, we meet. Surprising, being out of the Exile Lands yet still meeting face to face. Since he’s here, invite him up.”
“Understood.” With a slight bow, Old Dong promptly left.
Miao Yilan approached her desk, motioning to a feather perched in a holder, watching as tiny snowflakes fluttered around when she did.
This feather, from what was told, belonged to an almost extinct bird species, giving off a dancing snowfall impression at a mere breath, a captivating sight indeed.
Shi Chun obtained it from the Exile Lands and gifted it to her, claiming it was only fitting for her exquisite beauty.
Later, she too appreciated its charm, placing it on her desk as an ornament.
Often, when weary from her work, she’d pause to admire it, finding it somewhat soothing, thus she brought it with her beyond the Exile Lands for companionship.
Down in the main hall, different sale sections were distinctly categorized.
Shi Chun acted on his word, guiding Big Stone with him to the bookstall.
Faced with numerous book types, Shi Chun hesitated on selection.
He casually inquired, “Shopkeeper, which book sells best?”
Noticing Shi Chun’s tattered appearance, the attendant was unimpressed.
However, with Big Stone’s attire matching Bowang Pavilion’s servants, he refrained from snide remarks, grabbing a book off the shelf and tossing it toward Shi Chun, “This one, currently the bestseller.”
Shi Chun took a closer look and saw on the cover, “Lamp of the Mountains and Seas.” Without checking the content, he decided, “Great, I’ll take two copies.”
(End of Chapter)