Suddenly remembering something, I turned around.
"Brother Liu, what does 'cut sleeve' mean?" she asked curiously.
"This..." After thinking it over, "it means... the sleeve is torn, which describes someone as very poor, you know?"
"Oh, okay." He nodded knowingly.
"Master Sun, this is the room." The madam said obsequiously.
"Okay, call those girls over."
I'm still eating the grapes that Ping'er peeled for me.
Suddenly the door was kicked open.
"I...I...I'm called Sun Hai." He said cautiously, with an apologetic smile.
Ping'er, ever vigilant, shielded Dugu Ziyi behind her.
Sun Hai took a breath and smiled amicably, "I have absolutely no ill intentions, I just want to make friends."
Dugu Ziyi emerged from behind Ping'er, saying, "You're gay, we won't be friends with you."
"Purple Robe..." My shouts were useless. With an embarrassed laugh, I said, "Kid...you're too quick to speak..."
Sun Hai felt a pang of sadness welling up inside, his face turning a deep purplish-red. He quickly waved his hands, "No... I absolutely didn't..."
Suddenly the door opened. A group of women entered, each exceptionally beautiful, carrying a zither, a flute, or a xiao (a type of vertical bamboo flute)...
"This is……"
Sun Hai laughed and said, "They are the Thirteen Beauties of Jinling from Baihualou, each a woman with unique talents."
Watching them get ready one by one.
Suddenly, the music began to play.
After I yawned for the twelfth time.
"Young master doesn't like it?"
I opened my drowsy eyes and said, "Very good."
Sun Hai smiled happily.
My eyelids couldn't stay open and closed immediately. "Hypnosis is good."
Sun Hai's lips twitched, and he quickly gestured for them to leave, "Young Master..."
Ping'er patted me on the shoulder. "Young Master, she's calling you."
Dugu Ziyi was fast asleep in my arms.
"Oh, what is it?"
Sun Hai lowered his head dejectedly and said, "Young Master, it seems none of these suit your taste..."
I suddenly realized, "What does that mean?"
"I am actually the owner of Baihualou. My business is too big, with too many restaurants, pawnshops, and clothing stores. I can't manage them all. I want to sell them. So today, I counted upstairs and decided to choose the 999th customer who enters as the owner of Baihualou."
Her eyes nearly popped out of her head in astonishment. "So, you're going to give me Hundred Flowers Pavilion?"
“Yes.” He pulled out a piece of paper. “Once you sign this, the Hundred Flowers Pavilion is yours.”
Close your eyes and go back to sleep. Hehe... I dreamt I won a million-dollar lottery prize; the best thing to do is go back to sleep.
"Young Master..." she looked on in surprise.
Ping'er was speechless with surprise, shaking her young mistress. "Young Master, it's true...it's true..."
He opened his eyes. "How do you know it's true?"
Pointing to the paper, he said, "It has the official seal on it."
"Tch...that can be faked too."
Sun Hai grew anxious, "Young master, just sign this and keep it."
"don't want……"
Sun Hai stared at the piece of paper that had fluttered lightly onto the table, feeling utterly frustrated. Why was someone so reluctant to accept something delivered right to their door? "Young Master..."
Ping'er didn't know what to say.
Even seeing that person, they refused to leave.
"Call your master out before I'll consider whether to agree or not."
"Huh?" Sun Hai looked surprised.
Slowly opening her eyes, she said, "You say you're the owner of Baihua Tower? Please, I'm not blind. You're supposed to be the owner of a chain business, where's your aura? Where's your reputation? If you're going to pretend, at least do it convincingly. This outfit should have black sleeves with gold trim, and that ring on your finger looks like it doesn't even belong to you..."
Sun Hai stared at the person speaking so eloquently and nodded repeatedly, completely bewildered.
"What you say is right, young master." That was the last sentence.
"What do you mean, 'right'?! Call your real boss over here."
Sun Hai nodded. "I'll go report right away."
"It's really strange. Who would just give away such a business for nothing? Miss, you find it strange too, don't you?"
I nodded. "Do you think I should take it or not?"
Ping'er was at a loss for words. "Perhaps... Miss should make the decision herself..."
"Let's meet this boss first."
The person in my arms suddenly moved.
She lowered her head, her long, fan-like eyelashes fluttering a few times, revealing eyes as bright as stars. "Sister Liu..."
Suddenly, he jerked his head up and his face went limp.
"Pop..."
"Miss..." Ping'er was terrified.
"It's nothing." I wiped the drool from my face. "Why did you kiss me?"
Dugu Ziyi touched her head shyly, "Sister Liu, this is the sweetest sleep I've ever had. I dreamt of Mother. When I woke up and saw you, Sister Liu, I thought I was still dreaming!"
He poked his head in the air and said, "You think I'm your mother again?"
"No, no." She quickly shook her head. "I like Mother, and I like Sister Liu... Mother said that liking someone is sweet. So I gave her a kiss, and it really did taste sweet."
Ping'er thought that the child was still naive and said, "Xiao Zi, you can't kiss like that in the future."
Why?
"Because only a wife can be this intimate."
“Okay!” Dugu Ziyi said happily, “Sister Liu, you will be my wife.” She jumped down as she spoke, “I will go and tell my father to let me have Sister Liu as my wife.”
Ping'er was startled. "Miss..."
"Alright, alright... Little Purple, come here." He patted his head. "Don't run around." Children say the darndest things.
“If Sun Hai doesn’t come soon, let’s leave. Miss, it’s not good if we’re away from the manor for too long and someone finds out. If the Old Madam…” Ping’er’s expression changed, “That would be terrible!”
"It's alright." He glanced at Ping'er. "Let's eat something first."
"Young Master." Sun Hai entered the room.
"Our master requests your presence at the Liuli Hall."
I stood up. "Ping'er, you watch over Xiao Zi. I'll be right back."
Dugu Ziyi insisted on coming along, but I threatened him and he finally gave up.
He followed behind Sun Hai.
"By the way, what does this goddess's competition include?"
"Talent show includes both talent and art. The talent aspect includes three parts: poetry quiz, impromptu lyric writing, and assigned poem writing. The art aspect also has three parts: assessing singing voice, musical instrument skills, and calligraphy and painting skills."
"Wow...this really is an exam." I didn't expect it to be so formal. "How will it be graded?"
"This is determined by the selection and evaluation of the customers who enter Baihualou on that day, as well as some professional judges, who decide who will be eliminated and who will remain."
The more I listen, the more it sounds like a modern talent show. Seriously…
Are there any prizes?
Sun Hai smiled happily, "I really doubt whether you are even a citizen of this country. This prize is the Emperor's golden words from back then. The chosen woman can choose her own husband and decide her own marriage."
"That's really strange. Why doesn't that Xue Rou marry the man she loves?"
Sun Hai stared at me with even more bewilderment, as if I were a monster from another planet. "Young Master..."
"I am Chinese."
"No wonder... it's not from this country after all..."
Hearing his soft murmur, I was speechless.
"The reason why Miss Xue Rou has been the goddess for three years is because there has been no selection of the Flower Fairy Festival goddess for the past two years. Due to the death of Consort Chun in the palace, folk activities are not allowed. As for the competition three years ago, it was because Miss Ruo Shui withdrew at the last minute that Miss Xue Rou was selected."