The Teahouse was chilly today.

After listening to that “The Painted Skin”, everyone felt a shiver in their hearts.

At the key parts, they even got scared inside.

Chen Changsheng took a sip of tea, then said, “The so-called painted skin, firstly, is a demon’s mask. Facing the outside world, one has to decorate oneself. With evil in the heart but unable to show it, or with goodness but unable to express it, one uses a fake face to deal with others. But this is just how the world is, not strange at all.”

“Secondly, it’s a human’s painted skin, beautiful on the outside but terrible inside. Like what people often say, enemies can smile but hide knives inside—friendly and kind on the surface, yet attacking secretly behind the back. An open sword is easy to avoid, but a hidden arrow is hard to guard against. It catches you off guard when you least expect it. You end up hating them, and your view of the world grows colder. Thinking that human feelings are so fickle—that’s the deepest pain.”

“As they say, it’s hard to draw the bones in a portrait, hard to know the heart behind a face. Demons aren’t the scary part; what’s more frightening is the human heart.”

Listening to the Storyteller’s steady words on stage, everyone slowly snapped out of their emotions.

“It’s hard to draw the bones in a portrait, hard to know the heart behind a face…”

After hearing it, Jin San slapped the table and said, “This deserves a reward!”

Under that sound, everyone woke up thoroughly.

“Mr. Jiucha is so talented!”

“The Painted Skin” story earned cheers all around.

Clerk Cao took a basket to collect rewards.

That day, the coins were strangely many, almost overflowing.

Jin San rewarded three taels of silver—so generous.

Chen Changsheng thanked everyone from the stage, “Thank you all!”

After Chen Changsheng left the stage.

Manager Zhuang came forward and said, “Manager Zhuang got some fine tea from an old friend recently. If you’re free, sir, why not sit and have a cup?”

“I was just thinking that.”

Chen Changsheng went with Manager Zhuang to the backyard of the Teahouse.

Manager Zhuang brewed the tea right and pushed it toward Chen Changsheng.

After a small taste, Chen Changsheng couldn’t help praising, “It’s like shoots after the rain.”

“Exactly!” Manager Zhuang nodded with a smile. “Sir, you think just as I do.”

They talked about tea and chatted for a long while.

After a while, Manager Zhuang finally spoke, “Since you’re free today, Manager Zhuang has a little doubt to ask you.”

“Manager, please go ahead.”

“I hear you telling stories daily, always stopping at just the right point. You pick one piece each day but never leave a hook. Why is that?”

A “hook” means suspense, like saying “to know what happens next, listen next time,” to keep people wondering and wanting to hear more.

Chen Changsheng said, “Manager, do you think it’s better to leave a hook or not?”

Manager Zhuang thought about it, then said, “That’s a tough one for Manager Zhuang.”

He decided to act clueless, to see what Chen Changsheng would say.

Manager Zhuang was a smart man. For matters on stage, he always pretended to know nothing. He knew he was just a watcher, like the guests in the Teahouse—an outsider who shouldn’t say too much.

Chen Changsheng said, “In truth, I just didn’t want to do it…”

“Didn’t want to?” Manager Zhuang hadn’t expected Chen Changsheng to be so honest.

Chen Changsheng continued, “I felt that when telling stories, they should have a start and an end. Besides, the Teahouse is almost too full to stand. Leaving a hook or not shouldn’t matter anymore.”

Hearing this, Manager Zhuang paused, then laughed, “So true, so true! What you say is very right.”

From then on, he never said another word about stage affairs.

A clerk tallied the rewards, and Manager Zhuang gave six out of ten parts to Chen Changsheng as usual.

Chen Changsheng was quite shocked when he took it.

“So much?”

Manager Zhuang smiled, “All thanks to your fine storytelling.”

Chen Changsheng wasn’t shy and took the rewards.

Just today’s portion alone totaled over three taels of silver!

In previous days, rewards were good too, but at most one tael.

In one day, he earned almost a year’s salary!

“Thank you, Manager,” Chen Changsheng said, cupping his hands.

“You deserve it, sir,” Manager Zhuang replied with a smile. “We still count on you for the Teahouse in the future.”

After the tea, Chen Changsheng left the Teahouse and headed to Chuanfeng Lane.

Doctor Wang had already been waiting there for a good while.

He looked up and finally spotted Chen Changsheng.

“Mr. Chen!”

Doctor Wang picked up the noodles on the steps nearby and walked over.

“Quick, try them. How are they?”

Chen Changsheng glanced at Doctor Wang, then at the noodles.

“How long has Doctor Wang been waiting?” Chen Changsheng asked.

“Try them first, try them first,” Doctor Wang couldn’t wait any longer.

Chen Changsheng nodded okay, then picked up the chopsticks and started eating the noodles.

His eyes lit up, and he said, “This time it’s right! This is the taste!”

“Do you really mean that?”

“Would I trick you?”

Doctor Wang then took a bite himself, but sighed, “For me, it felt a bit off, alas…”

Chen Changsheng smiled, “Doctor Wang eats it so often, it’s natural to feel that way.”

Doctor Wang then said, “No, I need to find someone else to try it!”

Doctor Wang was a stubborn man.

With food, he left no room for doubt.

So he began walking the alleys, asking people to taste his noodles. Chen Changsheng naturally went along too.

Li Lao’er at the wine shop saw Doctor Wang walking with noodles, so he asked, “Doctor Wang, Mr. Chen, where are you headed?”

Doctor Wang said, “Perfect timing, Li. Quick, try these noodles.”

Hearing that, Li Lao’er shivered, “Please, old man, no! I can’t stomach that stuff!”

Seeing Li Lao’er’s reaction, Chen Changsheng smiled, “This time it’s different.”

“Huh?”

Li Lao’er said, “Mr. Chen said that?”

Doctor Wang added, “It really is different!”

Li Lao’er was half believing, half doubting.

“Try one bite, just one bite, come on.”

Under Doctor Wang’s urging, Li Lao’er pinched his nose and tried a bite.

At first, he was still a bit afraid.

But after he realized, he smacked his lips.

“Hmm…”

Li Lao’er felt puzzled, then said, “This taste…”

“Let me try again.”

Li Lao’er took another bite.

His eyes suddenly lit up, and he said, “Fragrant! So fragrant!”

Hearing this, Doctor Wang laughed happily.

“Success, success! Hahaha…”

Seeing Doctor Wang suddenly laugh, Li Lao’er got startled.

“Doctor Wang, you…”

Chen Changsheng patted Doctor Wang, saying, “Maybe we should try with someone else.”

“Right, right, right.”

Doctor Wang snapped out of it and started heading to the next place.

Li Lao’er asked, “Hey, why leave? Let me have another taste, Doctor Wang!”

But Doctor Wang seemed to hear nothing and went on to find another tester.

Li Lao’er smacked his lips, then muttered quietly, “It was really fragrant…” 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

He craved some more, but could only wait and ask Doctor Wang later.

He needed to ask clearly how that bowl of noodles was made.