Urbaner Blumentraum - Kapitel 279
With Liu Yue placing such a huge bet, it's a situation where there's no chance of winning!
Zhu Huihui was calculating how she could gain an advantage—in fact, she had her doubts that Brother Liu Yue might not be so stupid after all. However, when she thought that if she lost, the worst that could happen was that she would just have to take a bath, she felt that this gamble was well worth it.
She always prided herself on being "cunning," and in order to lull Liu Yue into a false sense of security, she not only dared not show any joy, but also deliberately acted as if she was in a difficult position. After thinking it over and over, she finally said "reluctantly" after a long time: "I think all you can do is help me eat!"
Liu Yue asked, "So, you agree?"
Zhu Huihui sighed and said, "Alright! I know I'm at a disadvantage, but I still can't refuse you!"
Liu Yue almost burst out laughing. Is this child clever or foolish?
Actually, he had suggested that she join him before, but she agreed and then regretted it, making excuses and refusing to do so. Now, however, she is quick to scheme and is trying to win over his people!
Haha, just different wording, but the same outcome. This silly kid can't understand it and thinks he's gotten a huge advantage...
Zhu Huihui tilted her head: "Brother Liuyue, what are you laughing at?"
Liu Yue smiled and patted her hair: "I remembered a story, so I smiled."
"What story?"
"It's—the story of a group of monkeys sharing chestnuts!" Actually, it's about the idiom "to change one's mind frequently."
"What?"
Liu Yue smiled and slowly read aloud: "The Zhuangzi's 'Discourse on the Equality of Things' records that there was a monkey keeper in the state of Song who loved monkeys and raised them in large numbers. He could understand the monkeys' thoughts, and the monkeys also understood his heart. He reduced his own household food to satisfy the monkeys' desires. Soon he was short of food and was about to limit their food. Fearing that the monkeys would become unruly, he first tricked them, saying: 'I will give you acorns, three in the morning and four in the evening, is that enough?' The monkeys all rose up and became angry. Then he said: 'I will give you acorns, four in the morning and three in the evening, is that enough?' The monkeys all submitted and were happy."
After listening to a bunch of classical Chinese phrases, Zhu Huihui felt a headache coming on. She blinked for a long time, completely bewildered, and didn't understand a single word.
Liu Yue smiled and said, "This story is about an old man in the ancient State of Song who loved monkeys. So he kept a large group of them. Over time, he was able to communicate with the monkeys. The old man fed the monkeys every day until he became poor. Fearing that the monkeys would be unhappy, the old man tricked them by saying, 'I'll give you chestnuts, three in the morning and four in the evening, okay?' The monkeys were very unhappy. The old man then asked, 'Then, four in the morning and three in the evening, okay?' The monkeys immediately lay down on the ground happily."
Zhu Huihui frowned: "What does the monkey story have to do with me?"
Suddenly I remembered that Brother Liuyue told a story last time because he opened his arm and saw a bird pattern. Now a group of monkeys have appeared. Could it be that my background is also related to monkeys?
Liu Yue smiled slightly and said, "I just think that the old man's kindness to the monkey is similar to your kindness to Hua Hua."
Zhu Huihui laughed: "Of course!"
Liu Yue smiled and nodded. Sigh! This child is so cute when he's being silly, so...easy to fool...
"Alright then! I'll guess!"
"Guess! Guess!" Zhu Huihui urged. Thinking to herself, whatever you guess, I'll say it's wrong!
Liu Yue smiled and said, "I guess you're thinking about your mother."
Zhu Huihui immediately shook her head vigorously and said, "Of course not! Why would I want to think about her for no reason!"
Liu Yue asked in surprise, "How could this be wrong?"
Zhu Huihui said gruffly, "Of course that's wrong! What does my mother have to think about!"
Liu Yue repeatedly expressed her regret, saying, "I've spread the pattern on your arm throughout the martial arts world through various channels, hoping your mother would see it and come looking for you. Alas! Who knew you wouldn't care about that at all!"
Jianghu Sky is Clear II 12 2009-08-20 13:08 Zhu Huihui tightly shut her mouth. Although she really wanted to ask clearly, she thought that asking would mean losing, so she finally insisted on not speaking.
Liu Yue asked, "So, what are you thinking about?"
Zhu Huihui's eyes darted around as she said, "I have so many things on my mind. Like what to eat for breakfast tomorrow, why the people from the Blood Pavilion were killed, whether Song Xiaobei died in the cabin, and whether the great hero's eyes have been healed..."
Liu Yue's face darkened slightly, and she interrupted, "Alright, alright! You don't need to think about it anymore, I give up!"
Zhu Huihui immediately jumped up, grinning from ear to ear: "Great! Let's go sign the indenture!" She pulled him away.
Oh dear! This child has suddenly become shrewd again; he even knows about indentures! Liu Yue was quite troubled: "Well, we don't need to sign this, do we?"
"Sign it! Sign it!" Zhu Huihui said immediately. Otherwise, what if you back out?
Liu Yue took her hand and patted it gently. Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly heard a noise. He turned around abruptly and looked back. He saw a fast boat sailing on the lake, and a person standing under the boat's lantern.
Zhu Huihui saw the figure in the bright red python robe and with the pale face from afar and exclaimed, "Ah! It's Steward Qin!"
Chief Steward Qin leaped across the waves and knelt on one knee: "Greetings, Young Prince!"
Liu Yue's face was ashen: "What is it?"
Steward Qin dared not raise his head and said, "The Prince summons you back to the manor!"
Liu Yue narrowed her eyes slightly, remained silent for a moment, and then gave a soft "Oh".
He looked at Zhu Huihui with eyes full of reluctance: "Huihui, I have to go home for a while, I'm afraid I won't be able to go to Hidden Spirit Island with you."
Zhu Huihui glanced at Steward Qin, wanting to say something but holding back. Finally, she said with a sigh, "Brother Liuyue, don't worry, it's very close to Hidden Spirit Island. I'll be there soon."
Liu Yue nodded slightly and gave a few instructions. The speedboat and the dragon boat moved closer together. The two hall masters of Fengxue City carried the unconscious Song Xiaobei to the speedboat, and Zhu Huihui also moved over.
The two boats passed each other and sailed away. Liu Yue stood under the palace lantern at the bow of the boat, waving goodbye to Zhu Huihui from afar.
Zhu Huihui watched from afar as that warm orange-yellow hue quickly blended into the night. She felt nothing but deep regret. If that damned eunuch had arrived even a little later, she could have forced Brother Liuyue to put his fingerprint on the contract of indenture. Now, well, the cooked duck had flown away…
The Sky is Clear in Jianghu II 13 2009-08-20 13:36 Hidden Spirit Island, a quiet room.
Feng Xuese sat peacefully on the couch, her eyelids lightly closed. Silver needles, tinged with a deathly gray color, were inserted into acupoints such as Yintang, Zanzhu, Yuyao, Sizhukong, Taiyang, Qiuhou, Tongziliao, Sibai, Chengqi, and Qingming.