Chapter 84: One Hundred or One Thousand Taels of Silver
Translator: Storm in a Teacup
Greatly surprised, Zhao Xiaotao asked in a hurry, “Mr. Cheng, why is that?...” She stopped to look around at the shabby restaurant. Suddenly realizing he was in a difficult state, Xiaotao bit her lower lip and asked in sorrow, “Are you in trouble?”
Trouble?
Mr. Cheng turned to her with a bitter smell, “Trouble? Ha-ha. Everybody lives a hard life since being born! Just leave. You can’t help me.”
Considering he didn’t intend to say more, Zhao Xiaotao sighed and came to An Rushuang before murmuring, “Miss An, let’s... Let’s go.”
It was beyond Xiaotao’s ability to help Mr. Cheng. As for Miss An...She had done too much for her, even saving her life. She would be so ungrateful if begging An Rushuang to help a stranger.
What’s more, Mr. Cheng seemed to have a big trouble that couldn’t been solved in a short period.
“All right.” An Rushuang nodded while glancing at the silver in Zhao Xiaotao’s hand with a smile and left for the carriage.
Zhao Xiaotao followed her outside in helplessness.
Standing in the shadow, Mr. Cheng seemed to collapse, his legs too weak to carry his body.
Would the Baiwei Restaurant go bankrupt like this? Would he abandon a good chance to realize his ambition in business?
Staring at An Rushuang who totally had no intention to stop, Mr. Cheng clenched his fists, his eyes filled with unwillingness.
No, absolutely no way...
Seeing the lady already in the carriage, he rushed outside in a hurry. “Lady! Please wait...”
Even before he finished speaking, Zhao Xiaotao suddenly got off the carriage in pleasure and shouted, “Mr. Cheng!”
Her rapture was so dazzling against his heavy sorrow.
“Take this!”
Zhao Xiaotao stuffed the money into Boss Cheng’s hand with a glamorous smile and added, “Her ladyship has agreed to lend you some money. Is it enough? If not...”
She scratched her head and had a second thought before continuing shyly, “If not, I can provide you with my monthly wage...”
Mr. Cheng lowered his head and glanced blankly at the oil paper bag with four Chinese characters, Nanqi Bao Chao (the currency issued by Nanqi Kingdom). It was a pile of bank notes. With his heartbeat quickening, Mr. Cheng caught a red stamp under which there was several characters, one hundred taels of silver.
Boss Cheng glanced at Zhao Xiaotao in gratitude and then the carriage, his heart almost rising to his throat. “Lady!”
Frightened by his sudden shout, Zhao Xiaotao, thinking he intended to acknowledge An Rushuang, saw he come to stand at the right front of the carriage with his hands outstretched, like a bandit wanting to rob the passers-by of their belongings.
What would he do?
“Lady! Please give me several minutes...”
In confusion, Hong Yu, sitting in the carriage, seized An Rushuang’s dress at once before saying nervously, “Does he want to rob us... I have reminded you not to show your wealth in public. It is really unwise to give him so much money...”
With a sigh, An Rushuang covered Hong Yu’s mouth with her hands immediately. She mustn’t give this chatterbox a chance to speak, or she would be annoyed to death.
“Be quiet, Hong Yu.”
Hong Yu had to stop talking, her cheeks bloating, her eyes filled with grievance.
As bothered as An Rushuang was under Hong Yu’s gaze, she had no choice but to take some action in order to hear clearly what Mr. Cheng said. Obviously, when An Rushuang lifted the curtain, his speech had already ended.
“...My lady, I’m Cheng Gong. Since you are willing to help , I promise I won’t disappoint you!” Considering An Rushuang had lifted the curtain, he definitely would success!”
Staring at his eyes full of hope, An Rushuang tried her best to recollect what he said just then, but totally in vain. “Pardon?” She asked very politely with a smile.
What?
With his mouth wide open, it was after a period that Mr. Cheng regained his consciousness before stuttering, “Of, of course.”
Since the lady was willing to talk to him, his restaurant would stand a chance.
Mr. Cheng patted his clothes, intending to wipe off the dust, as well as the oil spots impossible to be removed before stating unhurriedly, “My lady, I can’t take the banknotes.” Even saying so, he still held it so fast that his knuckles turned lightly pale.
Since he needed money urgently, there was merely one reason for his refusal—he wanted more!
With a smile, An Rushuang asked gently, pretending to be confused, “Why?”
Mr. Cheng swallowed in nervousness, his hands dangling beside his body. Since she, as an inexperienced young girl from noble family, hardly had a chance to know the real society, it should be easy to deceive... no, to persuade her. However, given her bright dark eyes flickering with smartness, it seemed that she was not a common girl. Mr. Cheng wasn’t sure whether he had chosen the right person.
“Firstly, I must thank you for lending me one hundred taels of silver to save my business, but...” Mr. Cheng said sincerely and cupped his hands slowly to show his respect to An Rushuang.
Failing to stop him in time, An Rushuang closed her eyes in helplessness.
Unsurprisingly, upon hearing his words, Hong Yu, with her eyes wide open, interrupted Mr. Cheng with a shrill. “What? One hundred taels of silver!”
She remembered Miss An said twenty taels of silver when giving Xiaotao the banknotes!
“Miss An, you...”
Catching a glimpse of An Rushuang, Hong Yu said in grievance, “Humph, I will never mind your business again!”
Upon finishing speaking, she went to squat in the carriage and refused to utter a word.
With a bitter smile on her face, An Rushuang sighed. What a grumpy maid...
Given Hong Yu’s fury, Mr. Cheng was a little worried, hesitating whether he should continue.
At such a young age, it was very likely that she didn’t have much deposit...
But how could a poor noble lady be that generous to a restaurant boss she had never met before?
If she was rich, why would her personal maid make a fuss about such a little sum of money?
Mr. Cheng was in bewilderment.
As broad-minded as he was, Mr. Cheng would never dwell on the thing he couldn’t figure out. After all, it was all up to the lady!
“One hundred taels of silver are far from enough to save the Baiwei Restaurant. If you trust me, please lend me one thousand taels of silver. I swear I will pay you two thousand liang back in half a year!”
This 𝓬ontent is taken from f(r)eeweb(n)ovel.𝒄𝒐𝙢