Chapter 27: A Windfall

Feng Yuan led Zhao Qingxue into the study. He pulled a rolled-up novel from the porcelain brush pot beside his desk and handed it to Zhao Qingxue.

“Read it, but be careful not to damage it. I haven’t taken it out to sell yet!” Feng Yuan reminded her as he watched.

Zhao Qingxue said nothing, just nodded excitedly, her head bobbing like a pecking chick as she quickly accepted the book and eagerly opened it.

Feng Yuan sat down behind the desk, watching Zhao Qingxue become utterly absorbed in the novel. His mind was already spinning. Here was the young lady of a wealthy family—her family ran a cloth business, one of the top ten in Fengcheng, with rumored assets in the hundreds of thousands of taels of silver. In his previous life in China, such wealth would be akin to a billionaire’s fortune. With so much money, if he didn’t find a way to get some from her, he’d be doing a disservice to his reputation as Feng the Great Trickster.

Watching how entranced Zhao Qingxue was, Feng Yuan quickly hatched a scheme, a mischievous smile curling on his lips.

Zhao Qingxue, oblivious to his plotting, was completely enraptured by the unfolding story, so immersed she felt as if she’d entered the novel’s world herself. In her era, stories like these were extremely rare—virtually unprecedented. She had once been an avid reader of “The Legend of Immortal Fate,” but after finishing Lu Yan’s “Shrouding the Heavens,” the former paled in comparison. She was utterly captivated by “Shrouding the Heavens,” with its fantastical world, filled with wonders she’d never heard of—everything was new and waiting to be discovered, like exploring an unfamiliar realm where everything was fresh and full of promise.

That’s exactly how Zhao Qingxue felt now, constantly gleaning new things from the novel, thrilling in the sense of adventure.

In no time at all, she’d finished reading the ten-odd thousand words, yet she was left unsatisfied, reluctant to tear her eyes from the pages. Looking at Lu Yan, she asked, “Is there more?”

Lu Yan looked at her and let out a long sigh. “Ah, Miss Zhao, you don’t know how difficult it is to write this novel. I stay up all night, every night, barely resting two or three hours a day. There is more, but lately I’ve been unwell, and I’m afraid I can’t go on. I saw a doctor yesterday—there’s a cure, but the medicine is so expensive I simply can’t afford it. So I’ve had to stop writing. At least that way my illness won’t worsen as quickly, and I’ll live a little longer to settle my affairs. I’m sorry, Miss Zhao, but thank you for your appreciation. Even when I’m in the afterlife, I’ll be grateful to have had such a devoted reader as you.”

“What! Feng the Scoundrel, what illness do you have? You look perfectly healthy to me!” Zhao Qingxue’s face changed at once, her voice full of concern.

Feng Yuan nearly spat blood at the nickname—could she not get his name right? He was Feng Yuan, not some scoundrel. But this was no time to argue; fleecing the rich girl was the priority.

Putting on a sorrowful face, he replied, “Miss Zhao, you can’t tell by looking. It only flares up at night when all is quiet—I cough endlessly, even spitting blood. The doctor said my lungs are bad, part of them already hardened, and soon the rest will be too. When that happens, I won’t be able to breathe and will die just like that!”

“No, you can’t die! Your novel is too good—I want to keep reading!” Zhao Qingxue cried.

“Ah, Miss Zhao, I don’t want to die either, but I have no choice. The medical fees are too high—I can’t afford treatment,” Feng Yuan shook his head helplessly, then looked up with melodramatic lament. “Ah, poor me—so talented, so handsome, yet destined to die young, not even twenty, without leaving an heir. My line will end with me!”

Hearing this, Zhao Qingxue’s face softened with sympathy. “Young Master Feng, how much would it take to cure you?”

“It’s better not to mention it. I can’t afford it anyway, so why trouble myself further?”

“No, Young Master Feng, tell me. Perhaps I can help you!”

“Miss Zhao, I appreciate your kindness, but the sum is simply too great for you to help,” Feng Yuan said, raising a single finger as he spoke.

“Oh, just a thousand taels? That’s not much. I’ll lend it to you!” Zhao Qingxue responded at once.

Feng Yuan’s eyes lit up with greed. Damn, she really was the daughter of a wealthy family. He’d only meant ten taels with his gesture, but Zhao Qingxue had interpreted it as a thousand—and to her, it wasn’t even a lot. Definitely the extravagance of the rich—he’d have to make the most of this windfall.

Suppressing his delight, Feng Yuan shook his head. “Miss Zhao, thank you for your generosity, but I dare not borrow money I can’t repay.”

“It’s nothing, just a small amount. You don’t have to repay me. Just get well and write more stories for me every day!” Zhao Qingxue said.

“You’re not joking, Miss Zhao?”

“Of course not! My word is my bond—I never deceive.”

“Then I thank you, Miss Zhao, from the bottom of my heart. I will remember your kindness for the rest of my days,” Feng Yuan said, his face brimming with emotion, almost as if he were about to weep.

“No need for thanks, Young Master Feng. I’ll go fetch the money right away—wait for me, I’ll be back soon!” With that, Zhao Qingxue turned and hurried off.

“Take care, Miss Zhao! Watch your step—I’ll be right here waiting!” Feng Yuan called after her, waving with a beaming smile as he followed her out to see her off.

“Oh, young ladies really are easy to fool! A thousand taels, just like that—if I’d known, I’d have held up two fingers!” Feng Yuan said to himself, a broad grin on his face as he turned back toward the study.

But as he turned, he saw Hu Xiao standing opposite, holding a teacup, looking at him with disapproval. “Master, you lied. You’re not sick at all.”

“Shh… Don’t speak the truth out loud. Knowing is one thing, but don’t say it!” Feng Yuan gestured for her to keep quiet.

“You shouldn’t lie. It’s wrong. My mother taught me to be honest,” Hu Xiao said.

Feng Yuan looked at her in exasperation. “I have no choice. If I don’t lie, how will I feed you? You eat so much I’ll be bankrupt in two days. I only lied for your sake!”

“Really?”

“Of course!”

Hu Xiao brightened at once, looking at Feng Yuan with delight. “Master, if you ever need help lying, let me know! I’m really good at it—I fool my mother all the time!”

Feng Yuan: “…”

Ah, women…