Seeing that the two of them had started quarreling, Jiang Mingxi sauntered over and interjected, “Why don’t you both stop for a moment? Arguing like this will only affect business.”
The Huoji, seeing this, closed his mouth in frustration, so she turned to the still indignant young boy and said with a cheerful smile, “Is this your first time buying clothes at a secondhand clothing shop? It’s really not that the Huoji is trying to cheat you— this is just how the business works. Think about it: if there weren’t these rules, some unscrupulous people might purposely damage clothes after buying them and try to extort compensation. Wouldn’t the shop suffer a big loss then?”
Faced with the Huoji’s contemptuous gaze, the young boy flushed and hurriedly said, “I’m not trying to scam you! This coat really is falling apart— the seams are coming undone!”
He even took out the coat to show Jiang Mingxi.
What a coincidence, he had also bought a patched-up coat, but unfortunately, the tailor’s workmanship was so poor that as soon as he put it on, the seams split and the coat fell to pieces.
The Huoji responded, “Of course, I know you’re a good and honest person, but our secondhand shop has kept these rules for hundreds of years. We can’t make an exception just for you.”
The boy’s eyes reddened at once. He didn’t argue anymore, but hugged his coat, looking dejected, and was about to leave when Jiang Mingxi suddenly called out, “You grew up in Hangzhou, didn’t you?”
Hearing authentic Hangzhou dialect, the young boy immediately looked surprised. “You’re from Hangzhou too? Which part do you live in?”
Of course, Jiang Mingxi wasn’t from Hangzhou, nor had she ever been there.
But in her previous life, she’d sold clothes for two months in a secondhand shop, and both the Boss and the Huoji were from Hangzhou. She’d heard them talk so often, she picked it up naturally.
After years of drifting, Jiang Mingxi had already mastered over a dozen southern and northern dialects, each one spoken with uncanny accuracy.
Back then, there was even a gentleman in a long gown who exclaimed she had a gift for languages and should become a diplomat.
However, when he found out Jiang Mingxi was a woman, he tried to marry her as his concubine instead.
“My mother’s from Hangzhou, so Hangzhou’s half my hometown. Seeing you get taken advantage of really makes my heart ache.” She winked at the young boy. “Wait here a moment, I’ll go put in a good word for you and see if I can persuade him to be lenient.”
Meeting an old acquaintance in a strange place, and one willing to stand up for him, the young boy instantly perked up, eyes still red, looking at Jiang Mingxi with the hopeful gaze of a kitten not yet weaned.
Over there, the Huoji at the secondhand shop was equally baffled.
At first, although this southerner spoke with a heavy accent, he could still understand a bit.
But as the two of them started chatting away, their dialect became so thick he couldn’t understand a single word.
When Jiang Mingxi approached the counter, he instinctively became wary, and quietly asked in thieves’ cant, “What are you two up to?”
Jiang Mingxi also replied in thieves’ cant, her words meaning: her master is someone tough, not to be messed with.
Xiao Zhu saw the two of them muttering for a while, and then the Huoji’s harsh and unyielding attitude suddenly softened— he readily agreed to accept the return and even apologized.
Xiao Zhu clutched the twenty yuan he’d recovered, still dazed, and walked out of the shop.
Suddenly, he remembered he hadn’t thanked her. Looking back at Jiang Mingxi, he stared in shock, the words on his lips forgotten.
He hadn’t gotten a clear look inside the shop, but now he saw this helpful compatriot was dressed with an air of distinction.
Her skin was slightly tanned, her eyes bright and spirited, with a dignified aura in her gaze.
An ordinary camel-colored Coat looked especially good on her, making her appear energetic and elegant.
Xiao Zhu had grown up in the Xiao Family since childhood and had a sharp eye.
Although the clothes this unknown Young Master wore were of ordinary fabric, the whole outfit would have cost at least a hundred or two hundred yuan.
In these times, locals still preferred long gowns. Even when doing business with foreigners, at most they’d wear a Western Suit for the occasion.
Only those used to Western ways— like Overseas Chinese or learned gentlemen returning from abroad like his own Young Master— would wear Coats, shirts, and trousers in daily life.
So, no matter what kind of person this Young Master was, he was not someone a mere servant could treat lightly.
Xiao Zhu’s face turned pale. The more he thought about it, the more frightened he became, breaking out in a cold sweat.
He hurriedly bowed and apologized, “Just now, I failed to recognize you, Young Master, and spoke out of turn. Please forgive my rudeness.”
Of course, he said this in Hangzhou dialect, but Jiang Mingxi habitually translated it into her usual northern dialect in her mind.
Seeing this servant’s drastically changed attitude, she couldn’t help but think to herself, “Truly, in this world, it’s the clothes that get respect before the person.”
So even though she was short on money, she’d spent a fortune on this outfit.
Thinking of the six silver dollars she’d wasted, she still felt a pang of pain. When she’d worked as a maid, her monthly wage had only been two yuan.
Jiang Mingxi continued chatting in Hangzhou dialect, drawing closer, saying that since they were fellow townsfolk, they should help each other out when away from home, and he needn’t be so reserved.
Jiang Mingxi had always been a clever talker, and since this man was the opportunity she’d been waiting for, she pulled out all the stops.
Soon, she’d coaxed Xiao Zhu into smiling and they exchanged names, becoming half friends.
……
Xiao Zhu was still a bit dazed, with a hazy smile on his face, even when he returned to the residence where his Young Master was temporarily staying.
When Steward Xiao Zheng saw him, he laughed, “Did you pick up a treasure today?”
Xiao Zhu looked up, his face lighting up with a radiant smile.
He ran over to Xiao Zheng, chattering away about how impressive this Jiang gongzi he’d met was.
“He’s nothing like the other Young Masters I’ve seen— so kind, so polite, incredibly knowledgeable, and understands everything about the ways of the world…”
For the first time in his life, Xiao Zhu had experienced what it meant to be respected. And the person who respected him was actually a Young Master from a respectable family.
That made him feel all the more flattered and moved.
So Xiao Zhu used every flattering word he knew to praise Jiang gongzi, and in the end, he felt dejected, thinking his clumsy tongue couldn’t even capture a fraction of Jiang gongzi’s charisma.
Xiao Zheng, however, frowned. He knew there was no such thing as unprovoked kindness in this world.
As Xiao Zhu described, this was a very distinguished Young Master, while Xiao Zhu was just a servant with a sold body contract.
For the other party to lower himself and win his favor, he must have an ulterior motive!
Xiao Zheng watched him grin foolishly, then suddenly asked, “Did he also say that he knows a lot of people and has many connections? That since you’re new here, if you need anything, you can go to him for help?”
Xiao Zhu jumped, eyes wide. “How did you know?”
Jiang gongzi had indeed said something like that.
“Fool!” Xiao Zheng roared, slapping him on the head, then kicked him hard for good measure. “You really don’t deserve the good name Young Master gave you— you’re just a dumb pig! Wait, I’ll go report to Young Master and have you thrown out!”
Xiao Zhu was so frightened he forgot to cry, prostrating himself and kowtowing to beg for mercy.
Xiao Zheng took a deep breath, then said coldly, “Now tell me every single thing you two talked about—don’t leave out a word, or I’ll have you thrown out for good.”
Xiao Zhu was already scared out of his wits, so he spilled everything in detail.
When Xiao Zheng heard that Xiao Zhu had actually asked this Jiang gongzi to help look for Historical Relics and ancient texts, he was so angry he laughed.
“Young Master’s been gloomy for days now, and I just wanted to help ease his worries,” Xiao Zhu explained timidly, “I didn’t mention our real identity, used a fake name, and didn’t mention Young Master at all. I just said I was bored and wanted him to help find some local records to pass the time.”
Xiao Zheng sneered, “No need to say more. Since he came looking for you, he must already know your identity. He’s here to try his luck at our door.”
Xiao Zhu jumped, “But the County Magistrate swore he’d keep it secret!”
“When is there ever a wall that doesn’t let wind through?”
Xiao Zheng thought to himself: These days, even the County Governor is racking his brains to curry favor with the Young Master, pestering him so much that Young Master’s got a headache and is pretending to be sick to avoid guests.
If it weren’t for the new Historical Relics they’d gotten and needing Young Master to check the county records for clues, who would bother dealing with them?
As for this Jiang gongzi whose background is unknown, who knows which faction in the city sent him.
When they couldn’t bribe their way in, they turned their attention to us servants, trying to find out Young Master’s interests to flatter him.
This time, Young Master came out to study and do research, intending to keep a low profile and travel light. But those bootlickers are as annoying as flies and just won’t go away!
Xiao Zheng cursed, “Even the bumpkin officials and landlords from the sticks dare to set their sights on the Xiao Family. Really don’t know their place!”
Young Master got a PhD from Cambridge, but for some reason suddenly got obsessed with Epigraphy.
He refused a cushy job as an advisor at the Presidential Palace and spends all day digging up Historical Relics in the wild.
The Old Master and Madam have both been sick with worry more than once.
Only the Old Master fully supports Young Master, saying he’s rescuing history and leaving roots for future generations— a deed that will go down in history.
Xiao Zheng didn’t care about history or not. Honestly, he didn’t want Young Master to work as an advisor at the Presidential Palace either— too much trouble!
The Xiao Family has been a scholarly household for a thousand years, living by poetry and books— true gentry.
The Presidential Palace is full of upstarts and boors— how could they deserve Young Master’s efforts?
Besides, the times are chaotic. The emperors of thousands of years are gone. Who knows how long this President will last?
The government changes like running water, but the Xiao Family is as solid as iron. As long as Young Master sits tight, the new regime will come begging for him in the end.
Xiao Zheng glanced at the pitifully stupid Xiao Zhu. After all, he’d watched him grow up, and couldn’t really throw him out.
He’d already scolded and beaten him, so now he’d have to clean up the mess.
“All right, no need to bother Young Master with this. If that person comes to the door, just say he’s a swindler and throw him out.”
Xiao Zhu mumbled his agreement.
He recalled his meeting with Jiang gongzi, feeling both dejected and sad, yet with a faint thread of hope.
He wasn’t the type to open up to strangers. He was always sensitive to people’s attitudes.
From Jiang gongzi, he hadn’t felt even a hint of contempt or disdain. It really seemed like he saw him as an equal.
Was someone like that really just a scheming liar?
……
“Jiang gongzi, your new clothes are really impressive!”
As soon as Jiang Mingxi stepped into the inn, the Huoji greeted her with enthusiastic compliments.
Jiang Mingxi smiled and exchanged a few pleasantries.
“Did something good happen to you, Jiang gongzi?”
“What makes you say that?”
“You were smiling as soon as you walked in.”
Only then did Jiang Mingxi realize she’d been smiling all the way back, and subconsciously touched the corners of her upturned lips.
Jiang Mingxi returned to her room, closed the door, stood silent for a few seconds, then couldn’t help letting out a long sigh of relief.
She took off her Coat, shirt, and trousers, hung them up, and carefully smoothed out every wrinkle, feeling a heavy sense of satisfaction.
Even though these were just cheap knockoffs.
But wearing them still gave her the illusion of being someone important.
Jiang Mingxi, now in her underclothes, lay back on the bed, hugging her quilt and rolling around in delight.
At last, she’d caught a bit of good luck.
To connect with the Xiao Family so easily— it was truly… too lucky.
And on the way back, thanks to her outfit, the soldiers and officers at the checkpoints had all tacitly ignored her.
Having another chance at life, everything seemed to be getting better.
She covered her mouth, not daring to laugh out loud, afraid that the Divine Being in the shadows might notice her straying from fate.
Jiang Mingxi stared at the ceiling, her eyes unfocused, as if she could already see a bright, dazzling future entirely different from her past life.
This time, she hadn’t been sold into the Qinglou. As long as she left the city and found a way to get a new Family Register, she’d be a respectable, clean citizen.
She had many skills and could easily find a new job.
After saving up some money, she’d take the college entrance exam.
She wanted to major in the Foreign Language Department. Even if she couldn’t become a diplomat, she could do business with foreigners— or at the very least, work as a translator.
In her past life, Jiang Mingxi had never believed in gods. But after her Rebirth, she found herself half-believing in the supernatural.
She thought, if there really is a Divine Being, since you’ve given me a second chance, please bless me and grant me a little luck.
In this life, she only wished for the Divine Being’s blessing— that ten times her effort would bring her at least a tenth in return.
She never asked for much.
She really wasn’t greedy.