Zhu Pingniang was silent for a mont, then she smiled.
Indeed, the mont she said those words, it was as if she dismissed the girls’ current emotions, efforts, and connections as worthless.
But.
"I’m speaking the truth too."
Zhu Pingniang t the Shopkeeper’s gaze: "I indeed have the ability to give you all a better life, yet I didn’t do it."
"Sis." The Shopkeeper took a sip from the tea poured by Zhu Pingniang, savoring it carefully, then put it down and asked, "In Sis’s eyes, are we just beggars by the roadside?"
Are they beggars asking for food?
"If you were beggars, I would’ve kicked you away long ago." Zhu Pingniang replied, "I don’t like dirty people, you know that."
"Yet you still say things to upset ." The Shopkeeper pouted.
In her heart, the most dazzling one will always be this woman working late into the night doing accounts, this woman finding musician jobs for the girls, this woman who stands in front to protect her.
What Immortal Sect?
It’s completely unimportant.
In the Shopkeeper’s eyes, it was as if deep waves were rippling.
"Whether it’s or the sisters, we’re all content people, we are not greedy, it’s truly selfish of you to see us this way."
Nothing in the world is taken for granted, let alone the belief that Zhu Pingniang should naturally protect them.
These girls see clearer than anyone.
Here, no woman ever feels they’re living poorly, and none thinks Zhu Pingniang ought to help them—a woman who thinks that way wouldn’t survive in this circle.
Yet when the girls who stay realize they might be seen by Zhu Pingniang as ungrateful or greedy, how could they feel happy, how could they not feel angry?
That’s why she said seeing them this way makes Sister Zhu selfish.
But after speaking, she felt anxious, thinking she was too harsh, fearing that if the sisters learned she dared say Sis is selfish, they’d collectively give her trouble.
"..."
Zhu Pingniang listened to the Shopkeeper’s words and sighed lightly.
Her intention was indeed to say she was selfish because for the Refining Heart, she didn’t change the girls’ lives, so she was selfish.
Unexpectedly, after the girl’s words, was feeling guilty also a form of selfishness?
She looked at the Shopkeeper, thinking the once little girl has truly grown up.
"It’s my fault." Zhu Pingniang admitted, "I shouldn’t have said such things."
"Sis is not wrong, moreover if you admitted fault before , word spread... I’m afraid I wouldn’t live past three days."
The Shopkeeper held her teacup, sipping quietly, speaking softly: "Angry as I may be, I can understand your intentions, Sis."
"You understand, what do you understand, less boasting here." Zhu Pingniang scoffed.
She has the ability from the Immortal Sect, naturally thoughtful, what does this silly girl have?
"I also have plenty of silver now." The Shopkeeper took out a stack of silver notes from her chest, slapped them in front of Zhu Pingniang and said, "Now I too have the ability to buy the freedom of the girls entering the building, giving them better lives."
Zhu Pingniang: "..."
Watching Zhu Pingniang’s brow twitch twice, the Shopkeeper smiled, pushing the silver notes gently forward: "But I don’t do it, Sis say... can I understand you?"
"You’re really sothing." Zhu Pingniang realized, these girls grew up with her, naturally eloquent, understanding her personality deeply.
"But I’m not as kindhearted as you, Sis, I’m a bad woman, even if not helping them I don’t feel bad." The Shopkeeper squinted: "It’s my own earned silver, why should they spend it... in this view, Sis, you’re truly the most wonderful girl in the world, anyone who missed you would regret for ten lifetis."
"Go away, go away." Zhu Pingniang poked the Shopkeeper’s face, before seriously asking: "Ni Zi, you don’t... have even a little resentnt?"
"Speaking of resentnt, actually I do." The Shopkeeper said.
"That’s human nature." Zhu Pingniang thought it understandable to have resentnt, but they restrain even more.
The Shopkeeper earnestly picked up the teacup, sipping along the rim of the cup with grievance: "Drinking tea from your used cup, yet you go out of your way to clean the rim, that makes unhappy."
Zhu Pingniang: "..."
Xu Chang’an who witnessed the whole scene: "..."
For a mont, neither had words to say.
To make both the elder and younger simultaneously speechless, this seemingly ordinary Shopkeeper is indeed sothing.
After a long while, Zhu Pingniang returned to herself, sighing lightly: "I won’t say I’m wrong, but those words earlier... I won’t say them again."
"Mm." The Shopkeeper responded, then said.
"Sis, I like you."
"I don’t like girls with daughters."
"That’s truly a sha."
Watching the smile in the Shopkeeper’s eyes, Zhu Pingniang said: "Ni Zi, if I were a man, I would certainly like you a lot."
"If you were a man, I wouldn’t like you though." The Shopkeeper reminded her.
"You... never mind." Zhu Pingniang was about to say sothing, but saw the Shopkeeper suddenly staring at her, so asked: "What is it?"
"Sis, I suddenly rembered, you said you wouldn’t have ti to visit my grave, right?" The Shopkeeper asked.
"No ti, now looking at you annoys , if you beco a ghost haunting , wouldn’t I feel more miserable?" Zhu Pingniang snorted.
"Then... let live a few more years." The Shopkeeper stood up, walked to Zhu Pingniang’s side and hugged her arm, shaking it: "You are from the Immortal Sect and very skilled, so getting so Elixir to prolong life for us isn’t difficult, right."
"???" Several question marks floated above Zhu Pingniang’s head, resting her hand on her forehead: "You said you’re not a beggar, now you’re asking for Elixir."
"Who wouldn’t want to live a few more years, I was speaking fancy words earlier." The Shopkeeper tightened her grip on Zhu Pingniang’s arm: "Sis, I don’t care about that, I just want Elixir."
Xu Chang’an: "..."
He now felt utterly redundant.
Is this what girls are like?
Wasn’t she just a bold, brave Shopkeeper a mont ago, now suddenly... becoming a little girl who can act coy.
At this mont, Xu Chang’an deeply realized the difference between his Miss Yun and ordinary won.
Zhu Pingniang also noticed Xu Chang’an’s discomfort and chided: "Silly girl, what thick skin."
She would give, but didn’t want to admit.
"Would you give or not?" The Shopkeeper squinted: "We knew you were from the Immortal Sect before, didn’t know much else, now you say you’re very skilled... then we won’t hold back."
"In past years, anyone greedy enough to pester like this would die." Zhu Pingniang said with a dark face.
"Everyone dies eventually, besides I haven’t been whipped by you in a long ti, I miss it terribly." The Shopkeeper smiled: "So, Elixir... well, maybe not Elixir, just ask, Sis, give us sothing good."
"Ni Zi." Zhu Pingniang whispered closely into her ear.
"Mm?"
"If I were a man, I would certainly like you a lot." Zhu Pingniang said again.
More serious than before, so different in aning.
"..."
The Shopkeeper’s face visibly blushed, her entire ear seed to be about to drip blood, but... she quickly cald down, sighing: "Unfortunately, you are a woman, you wouldn’t like , I understand."
"Does a mother’s affection for her daughter count?" Zhu Pingniang asked.
"Which mother lets her daughter appear on stage?" The Shopkeeper retorted.
"A mother who goes on stage herself, what’s wrong with her daughter going on stage." Zhu Pingniang replied.
"Makes sense." The Shopkeeper stretched lazily, then winked at Zhu Pingniang.
"?"
Zhu Pingniang still hadn’t understood her aning, when she saw her stand up, taking the sa stack of silver notes and walked to Xu Chang’an.
"Young Master Xu, I have nothing impressive as a eting gift, hopefully you won’t disdain this silver coins."
Xu Chang’an: "...?"
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