Rejected Beauty Practices the Villain Play-Chapter 936 - 911: Selling Smiles

Xie Jue was pretending to nap for a moment when he caught the scent of meat. He opened his eyes to see Fang Chuning holding a bowl of steaming food—a bowl of noodles with chunks of beef. The five or six pieces of beef were nicely marbled, exuding a delicious aroma, and there were also some small greens nestled among the noodles. It looked perfect in color, aroma, and taste. The hunger in Xie Jue’s stomach immediately protested with a rumble.

Fang Chuning flipped out the side table with one hand and placed the noodles down, carrying it over. His hand was red from the heat, yet he didn’t mind at all. "Eat it while it’s hot. Don’t really starve yourself," he said.

"Where did you get the money?"

Fang Chuning winked mischievously. "Sold my charm for it."

Xie Jue chuckled lightly. Fang Chuning was now cheerful and lively, slowly returning to how he was before he lost his memory. He joked and bantered with him again. Fang Chuning really went through great lengths to get this bowl of hot noodles, and although he was also quite hungry, he willingly served this little ancestor, Prince Yan, who was obviously accustomed to being served.

Xie Jue didn’t stand on ceremony since he was indeed hungry. He lowered his head to eat the noodles. These were northern-style noodles, which he had gotten used to during his years in Ningzhou. Watching him eat with relish, Fang Chuning felt quite gratified; he certainly didn’t want Xie Jue to starve.

"This matter will be delayed for a few days. We need to find a way to make money. Xie Tingfeng, do you have any ideas?"

Xie Jue shook his head. Making money wasn’t his forte. Managing industries was something he could do, but with no money or industry, he couldn’t magically conjure silver. Fang Chuning crossed one leg over the other, counting on his fingers, "Living expenses will all cost money. We can’t just beg on the streets. Given our looks, that’s unrealistic. Do you think I should perform for money?"

"Selling charm would be faster!" Xie Jue said offhandedly.

"Indeed, we could both sell it together!" Fang Chuning laughed. "Buy one, get one free; the customers wouldn’t lose out."

This work was also very easy and quick to bring in money; it was just a matter of whether the ladies and young women of Pingnan County were willing to spend. Fang Chuning had a sudden flash of inspiration. "Why don’t you just reveal your identity outright?"

"The Pingnan County Magistrate has never seen me, and there’s no proof. Why would he believe me?" Xie Jue retorted. If a random person could convince the County Magistrate that he was Prince Yan, then the magistrate wouldn’t have a very sound mind.

"You don’t even have a token?"

"You should thank that group of bandits for having mercy and at least leaving us with our travel documents."

But their travel documents were issued by the Yangzhou Prefecture, and they didn’t use their true identities along the way to avoid causing a stir. Just showing the travel documents to the County Magistrate wouldn’t make them believe.

This path didn’t work, so Fang Chuning thought of another way. The aroma of meat and noodles continuously attracted him, making his mouth dry and parched. He really wanted to eat, but resisting this instinct was very hard. He couldn’t help but look at that enticing bowl of noodles.

"Don’t you have any businesses in the county? Doesn’t your Empress’ trade spread across the world?"

"The Xie and Feng family businesses have no branches in Pingnan County; they are mostly concentrated in the Capital City." Xie Jue looked at the remaining noodles. Honestly, one bowl wasn’t enough for an adult man. He pushed the remaining half to Fang Chuning. "You eat it."

"..." Fang Chuning didn’t hesitate, grabbing the chopsticks Xie Jue had used and devoured the noodles. The corners of Xie Jue’s mouth lifted slightly. He got off to clean his hands and wipe his face, and by the time he returned, Fang Chuning had finished, wasting not even a drop of soup.

After barely filling their stomachs, they worried about where their next meal would come from and where they would stay the night. Fang Chuning, used to living wild, wasn’t shy to ask, "These two families have their doors tightly shut. Do you think...we could take some silver from them?"

"That would be stealing!"

"Same thing. We can’t really sleep out in the open. I can handle it, but you can’t!"

"Who says I can’t?"

"I don’t think you can." A young master whose fingers had never touched spring water, who even made a mess of herbal concoctions, couldn’t possibly sleep out in the street and eat unsteady meals. It seemed like if Xie Jue really starved, someone would make him pay for it.

Xie Jue’s upbringing wouldn’t allow him to be a thief. Even if he could repay it later, he wouldn’t permit it because he didn’t know if that money was critical for the owner. What if someone in the family was seriously ill and needed money for treatment? Or if they took someone’s life-or-death money and didn’t know if they would turn bad without it? If he became the cause, leading to someone else’s misfortune, Xie Jue could never forgive himself.

Fang Chuning whistled under the blazing sun and swirling tree shadows, racking his brain for a way to make money. Xie Jue said, "You should perform. You can sing, play, and perform all kinds of music."

Fang Chuning was taken aback. "Are you serious?"

Xie Jue nodded. It was the only idea he could think of. Fang Chuning’s musical skills were already highly developed, better than the Lute Master in the flower houses. If he performed, he would definitely draw a crowd.

"I’m not going!" Fang Chuning propped his head up. "A gentleman’s six arts, aren’t you skilled as well? Why don’t you sing and perform?"

"My musical skills are far below yours."

"Really?"

"Really!" Xie Jue looked at him steadily. "Whether it’s the qin, flute, or xiao, yours is the best I’ve ever heard."

"Are you saying love is blind?" Fang Chuning blurted out, completely disbelieving that someone like Xie Jue, who wielded a long spear and was an incredibly powerful Great General, could be so skilled in music.

Yet Xie Jue seemed even more skilled than him!

As soon as he said this, he regretted it and couldn’t help but ask himself: had he come to joke about this now? Did he really not mind at all?

At the start, he would have avoided it intensely due to taboo!

Xie Jue smiled, feeling quite pleased. He laughed lightly and said, "I’m not saying love is blind. Your musical talents are famous throughout the entire Capital City."

"Your plan is quite sinister. You praised me first, making me feel elated and unable to refuse, so I would willingly perform for money." Fang Chuning saw through his scheme with a single glance.

Xie Jue said, "If you perform and earn silver, you won’t need to sell your charm to beg for food."

"If I perform, what will you do?" Fang Chuning raised an eyebrow. Are you just going to wait for me to make money and serve you? "I perform, you sell your smile then."

Xie Jue was expressionless. "I’m naturally not inclined to smile."

Fang Chuning, "..."

He was both amused and annoyed. If someone else said this, it would surely be just arguing for the sake of it. But it was Xie Jue who truly was naturally disinclined to smile or even speak much.

Normally, saying even an extra word seemed to require patience, almost putting on a face of "don’t talk to me," a very cold demeanor indeed.

"Perform or sell your smile; pick one!" Fang Chuning spread his hands, insisting Xie Jue join him. He couldn’t be the only one to lose face. A noble clan’s young master performing in public would be an extremely shameful thing. If people knew, they’d surely laugh their heads off!

"Then let’s starve!" Xie Jue, having just eaten enough, was fearless.

Fang Chuning, "..."

He shouldn’t have fetched that bowl of noodles for Xie Jue. Let him go hungry a few more meals and see if he is still so stubborn!