The purchase of the fruit trees was done. Xu Ran also gave the village chief the names and numbers of trees that were required and requested him to assemble a team to dig. Xu Ran also stated that if the trees were insufficient, he would attempt in other places. They wouldn't return until they'd acquired all of the trees they needed because they were already there.
Digging up hundreds of fruit trees was no little task. Xu Ran didn't want to be there for too long, but he also didn't want to be working against the clock. If the people dug the trees too rapidly, the roots may be damaged. Even if they were transported back, all trees would perish if that was the case. Furthermore, several trees had produced fruit, necessitating extreme caution.
Xu Ran repeatedly told the village chief everything he needed to know, and the village head assured him that there would be no problems. As a result, Xu Ran was relieved to return with Du Xin and the others.
On the way back, Zhuo Yun said to Xu Ran, "I have the impression that I am simply here to accompany you, and that I am not exerting any energy."
Xu Ran smiled, "Go to the village and help them dig trees if you really want to put in some effort! I swear I'm not going to stop you."
Zhuo Yun rolled his eyes at him. "Where's your conscience? We're good brothers. How can you say such things?"
Xu Ran couldn't help making fun of Zhuo Yun.
Du Xin had witnessed everything when the two were bickering, but he didn't say anything. He really wanted to, but he wasn't daring enough! Because as soon as he started talking, he became wordy, and it was simple to go wrong. Would all of his past efforts be in vain in that case?
Du Xin didn't keep it from Xu Ran out of kindness, of course. He just intended to use this to threaten Xu Ran and force him to accompany him to his house. He wanted to visit Second Childe, after all.
Du Xin's calculations were good. Xu Ran was now the lone variable. If Xu Ran owed him a debt of gratitude for the fruit trees, he would gladly comply with his request.
As a result, he had to exert considerable effort in order to keep Xu Ran from discovering the truth. If Xu Ran had known, he would have returned quickly to prevent the people from digging up the fruit trees. Xu Ran was well-known to Du Xin.
However, Xu Ran was completely in the dark. He was only tricked into believing that everything was going smoothly.
When Du Xin returned to town, he instantly reverted to his former self and asked Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun to play. He believed that as long as he left the Li family village, he would be able to keep his mouth shut. More significantly, he could redirect his focus to something else.
Du Xin also dispersed the group that had been following him. Despite the fact that these people didn't contribute anything and were only there to fill up the numbers for their Young Master, Du Xin viewed them as expendable.
After Du Xin stated so, these individuals intentionally departed. Even Du Xin's so-called personal footboy walked away without saying anything. They appeared to be well-versed in the situation. Having a master like this, Xu Ran thought, was a pity!
Xu Ran thought about it for a while and agreed to Du Xin's request and followed him together with Zhuo Yun.
Green Willow Alley turned out to be the location where he brought them. Xu Ran pulled up his sleeves and proceeded to beat him up right there on the spot. Although Zhuo Yun was not as irritated as Xu Ran, he did not intervene when Xu Ran was ready to beat Du Xin.
Xu Ran was not a merciful man. He didn't punch Du Xin in the face, but he did beat him severely in other areas. Du Xin shouted in agony, but no one else saw his injuries. After all, he couldn't take off his clothes and display them to others on a public occasion!
Zhuo Yun was such a happy onlooker that he even clapped.
Du Xin only endured it for a short while. Then he started to beg Xu Ran for mercy, "Xu Ran, I'm wrong, forgive me! Ouch!"
When Xu Ran saw how sad Du Xin cried, he came to a halt and decided to depart with Zhuo Yun. He didn't imagine they wouldn't be able to find anything to do in Half Moon Town if Du Xin wasn't leading the way.
Seeing that they were about to leave, Du Xin quickly stopped them, "Don't! Don't leave! Listen to my explanation! It's not that I don't know that you two have gotten married. There's a reason for me to bring you here, so just believe me once!"
When Xu Ran heard him say it, he spun around and gave him a look that said, "Say whatever you have to say immediately!"
Du Xin cut the crap this time. He said to Xu Ran, "In the last two days, a newcomer has arrived. A performer. He is said to have a highly attractive appearance. Today is his first night of auctioning, and I'd want to take you guys along to see the excitement. I'm not going to let you do anything. I've heard that this newcomer is a natural on the instrument."
Xu Ran shook his head lightly. "I'm not interested in this."
Zhuo Yun also shook his head, indicating that he was not interested either.
Du Xin quickly continued, seeing their reactions "That's not all. He allegedly sold himself, according to what I've heard. He is reported to have done it in a fit of rage with his partner, and that he was humiliated as a result. Every person who knows their tale predicts that his sweetheart will abduct him today. Why don't you have a look since you have nothing better to do?"
Xu Ran was speechless. How melodramatic it was!
Xu Ran said, "Why are you interested in it? This is someone else's business. What does it have to do with you?"
Du Xin said, "Let me tell you why. In Half Moon Town, new information is scarce. Today, many people who have never visited Green Willow Alley plan to do so. It will begin late at night. We've come to reserve a spot upstairs. Then we'll be able to enjoy the festivities with ease. We won't be able to get seats if it's too late."
Fine! Xu Ran understood now. After all, everyone was curious about fresh things. As long as they wouldn't do anything else, it was acceptable to only be the on-lookers.
However, Xu Ran looked at the closed gate and asked Du Xin, "The gate is closed. How do you get in and order seats? Besides, only you want to book seats now. How come others didn't think of it?"
Du Xin was stunned after hearing Xu Ran's words and then said happily, "Xu Ran, have you agreed?"
Xu Ran looked at Zhuo Yun and said, "If it's just to watch, it'll be fine. After all, the story you have told is so lively."
Zhuo Yun nodded when he saw that Xu Ran agreed.
Du Xin went around in circles happily and said to Xu Ran, "Don't worry, I'm very familiar with this place. I'll go in whenever I want to."
His smug tone made Xu Ran want to beat him up.
After the three came to agreement, Du Xin started knocking at the gate.
Green Willow Alley was the collective name for all brothels, and Wind Moon Pavilion was the one at which Du Xin was knocking. Although you could tell what it was by its name, the word 'Wind Moon' had a certain elegance to it.
Someone arrived to unlock the gate not long after Du Xin knocked. It was an elderly man with a ferocious expression who appeared to be the hatchet man.
"What are you knocking at? It's not time yet. Why are you so anxious?"
Of course, it was before he saw Du Xin. At the sight of Du Xin, he immediately changed his tone, "Master Du! Why does Master Du come here so early? Master Du, as a regular guest, you should know that we only open at night."
Du Xin nodded. "Of course I know it, but you know what day today is. I'm here just to join in the fun. Is there still a place now? Reserve me one at the second floor."
The man smiled knowingly. "Today's indeed an extraordinary day. I didn't expect that Master Du would come personally today. There has to be a place for you. There must be plenty of people here at night."
Du Xin nodded. "It will be nice, reserve me a good position on the second floor. I will treat honored guests today. If anything goes wrong, don't blame me for being rude."
Xu Ran stood behind him, arms folded, watching him. He didn't think this man could actually be a threat.
The man nodded in a hurry. "Definitely. Don't worry, Master Du, no problem."
Du Xin nodded with satisfaction. "Alright, I'll come back tonight."
Du Xin turned and left.
The man said behind Du Xin, "Master Du, go slowly."
Before swaggering away, Du Xin came up and motioned Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun. His attendants were Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun.
Du Xin promised to take the two to supper after they left Green Willow Alley. Regardless, they would only follow Du Xin's direction because they were unfamiliar with Half Moon Town. They ate at a regular restaurant with nothing remarkable to offer.
They truly don't have much to do after lunch. They needed to find something else to do because the Wind Moon Pavilion would only open its doors at night.
He would surely want to sleep if these were contemporary times, but it doesn't appear to be an option here. Others are expected to believe he is excessively lazy. Xu Ran reasoned that he couldn't let his image to crumble in one day since he had worked so hard to keep it for so long!
Therefore, Xu Ran told Xu Du Xin, "Is there an opera house? If you can't find a place to entertain, we might as well go and listen to the opera.
Du Xin thought for a moment, "There's a place for this scene. But I am not sure whether you will like it. I don't like it anyway."
Xu Ran waved his hand. "That doesn't matter. All we have to do now is pass the time."
Zhuo Yun agreed with a nod. It was really tough to find anything to occupy my time when I was not at home.
_____
Du Xin brought them to a theater after noticing that they both wanted to see the play. The theater was quite crowded and exciting. Xu Ran was first perplexed by the situation. He was perplexed as to why these guys were doping in broad daylight.
The platform was pointed out by Du Xin. At first look, Xu Ran deduced that these individuals were most likely after the person on the stage.
Xu Ran wasn't sure if the person was a Ge'er or a Xiaoz, but he could tell by his well-proportioned physique that he was very stunning.
That person the stage began to sing soon after. He had a lovely singing voice, and Xu Ran couldn't help but compliment him.
Du Xin sat the two of them down first, and then explained to them, "The theatrical troupe's prima donna is the one singing on stage. He only arrived this year, just as the company was ready to disband. The group, on the other hand, became well-known as a result of this person's arrival. As you can see, the theater is constantly packed."
Hearing this, Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun couldn't help but praise, "This person is quite capable."
Du Xin answered, "Yes, indeed! He truly knows how to play his cards. He has become the master of the troupe, which means he is now the owner of the troupe, despite the fact that he has only been here for a short time."
Xu Ran asked, "Is this person a Ge'er or a Xiaozi?"
Du Xin replied, "No one knows this. He never shows his real look, so no one is sure about it. What do you think about it? Is he a Ge'er or a Xiaozi?" Du Xin asked Xu Ran instead.
Xu Ran added, after a brief pause, "This person, in my opinion, should be a Ge'er. If he is a true Xiaozi, he does not need to hide his true appearance. If he is a Ge'er, though, things will be different. Take a look at the people in the audience. They're all on their way to get him. You can imagine how things will go if they discover he is a Ge'er."
Du Xin nodded showing his agreement.
Xu Ran continued, "But this is none of our business. Let's just listen here quietly!"
Xu Ran then closed his eyes and planned to be a quiet appreciator.
When Zhuo Yun saw this, he did the same as Xu Ran and closed his eyes. He wasn't much of a companion in the first place, and he had no sense of his own existence. He'd be OK as long as the fruit tree purchasing was taken care of. When the trees were returned, he refused to leave the house and instead stayed at home with his spouse and children, planting fruit trees.
Du Xin saw that they were both closing their eyes and that they didn't plan to talk. He was both astonished and bored. As a result, he began to glance about, and he noticed a waiter moving a platter of cakes from one table to the next.
Du Xin was reminded that there were cakes for sale here. He had previously visited with his friends, but they had always spent their time chatting and joking until the show ended.
However, no one was talking to him at the time, so he had little choice but to find other methods to spend the time. In any case, he had no idea what was being sung on stage. As a result, Du Xin approached a passing server and requested that he serve a couple signature cakes.
Because Du Xin was a frequent visitor, the waiter recognized him. The waiter was taken aback since he had never ordered food before. After all, he was only a waiter here, and he was supposed to follow the rules. He responded as follows: "Please wait a moment, Mr. Du. Your cakes are on their way up."
Xu Ran opened his eyes at hearing the voice. He saw a man dressed as a waiter running away quickly. Xu Ran then asked Du Xin, "What are you doing?"
Du Xin replied, "I've ordered some cakes. As you don't talk to me, I have to find something to do myself."
Xu Ran glanced at him but didn't say anything. He just muttered silently in his heart, 'This man is indeed a chatterbox.'
Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun, of course, did not stand on ceremony after the cakes were presented. They consumed numerous plates of pastries as well as copious amounts of tea. As a result, they were able to make it until dark after spending the entire afternoon listening to a play they couldn't comprehend.
Xu Ran had intended to remain for supper, but Du Xin proposed that they go to Fengyue Pavilion for supper since the meals there were more delicious.
Xu Ran retorted, "Isn't Fengyue Pavilion a brothel? Why is the food there delicious? "
Du Xin stretched out two fingers to swear, "Why am I lying to you? Because I frequent the Fengyue Pavilion, I am very familiar with it. You may also think about it for yourself. We've been watching the show for quite some time now. You know what it's like to have nothing to do! Isn't it thus preferable for us to go out to eat and enjoy ourselves?"
Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun exchanged glances. Both of them felt that his idea sounded quite good. Xu Ran patted Du Xin on the shoulder and said to him, "I didn't expect you would enjoy your life this way. You actually treated the Fengyue Pavilion as a restaurant for you and went there just to eat."
Du Xin was embarrassed, "Well, I just have nothing to do every day and I have to find some fun for myself."
He was decided upon by Xu Ran. He understood that, unlike him, Du Xin was not short on cash and did not have to rely on his own resources. He didn't have any children of his own to look after. He also didn't have to take any kind of test to get any recognized rank. He was, of course, bored. Xu Ran, on the other hand, did not enjoy such a life. He was clear that someone who had nothing to do all of the time would eventually become a useless person. He'd always be around in search of thrills or amusement. It's preferable to be occupied.
They exited the theater and made their way to the Fengyue Pavilion. The sun had set and darkness had descended. The Green Willow Alley, particularly at the Fengyue Pavilion, was already bustling with activity.
Despite the fact that no Ge'er came out to solicit customers at the door, groups of people continued to wander inside. Everyone was aware of the reason, which was to witness the fun tonight.
Xu Ran suggested waiting at the door for a bit until there were less people because it was so busy. Du Xin, on the other hand, told them, "It's alright to wait here for a while during the day, but nighttime it's difficult. Inside the Fengyue Pavillion, it's almost certain to be suffocating. I was lucky enough to make a reservation throughout the day. Let's go in now! I'm so hungry right now."
With that, Du Xin walked inside. Xu Ran took a look at Zhuo Yun but found that Zhuo Yun was looking at him, too. Xu Ran said, "This is the first time I've come to this kind of place. I'm a little nervous."
Zhuo Yun nodded, "No matter how many times you come to this kind of place, you will feel nervous. After all, this is not the place you want to come."
Xu Ran agreed. Seeing that Du Xin was about to be out of sight, Xu Ran said to Zhuo Yun, "No matter what, let's go quickly. Anyway, we are coming for eating while watching the fun."
Zhuo Yun agreed, and the two of them entered the building together. They noticed Du Xin talking to someone as soon as they walked in. It was a Ge'er, and he was attractive. Of course, the powder on his face had a big role in his appearance. He was also fairly old. Xu Ran did not believe he was attractive. He mistook this individual for the so-called procuress! He had no idea what it was called in this place.
Du Xin turned to look in their direction after talking with that Ge'er. He thus saw Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun. He waved at them, "Come here! Let's go upstairs first. There are too many people on the first floor."
His remarks were plainly heard by Xu Ran. There were far too many individuals in the room. He was concerned that the throng might separate him and Zhuo Yun, so he took his hand in his and walked over to greet Du Xin jointly. And the Ge'er's gaze, whether he wanted to be labeled a procuress or not, was always on Xu Ran and his hand clutching Zhuo Yun's. He also showed him double his mean at the same time.
At the same time, he also showed him twice his meaningful expression.
Xu Ran calmly held Zhuo Yun by one hand, while touching his nose with the other to hide his embarrassment.
Du Xin introduced them. He pointed to the Ge'er by his side and said, "Xu Ran, Zhuo Yun, this is Daddy Procuress of the Fengyue Pavilion. You can just call him Daddy."
Daddy Procuress bowed and greeted Xu Ran and Zhuo Yun, "Nice to see you two misters."
Xu Ran didn't know how to respond, but fortunately, Du Xin went on with his introduction.
He introduced Daddy Procuress to Xu Ran "These two, Daddy Procuress, are my friends, which means they are the distinguished guests I must entertain tonight. I'm not sure where the room I reserved is today. Could you, Daddy Procuress, arrange for someone to take us there?"
Daddy Procuress covered his mouth and smiled charmingly, "Of course, Mister Du. And will you also order some food to eat?"
Du Xin smiled and replied, "Of course. I remember that I was here before! Daddy Procuress, have you forgotten my usual practice so quickly?"
Daddy Procuress waved the handkerchief in his hand, "How can I be so forgetful? Just follow Mr. Du's usual practice, right? I've deeply remembered them. Don't worry, Mr. Du. I'll let someone take Mr. Du and the honored guests upstairs. There are so many people today. Please forgive us if we can't serve you properly. "
Then a big man appeared. This individual was clearly a thug. He'd most likely never done something like taking a visitor upstairs before, and his motions were awkward. Daddy Procuress informed the big guy of his departure for Du Xin. The big man gave them a nod and led them upstairs.
There was, in fact, a spot set out for Du Xin. They did, however, notice that it was a touch crowded once they sat down. Du Xin said to them, "The Fengyue Pavilion is busier than normal today. There are people in the area, and allowing them to go away is not a smart idea. Let's simply make due with what we've got!"
Xu Ran shook his head, indicating that he didn't mind it. He said, "You'd better quickly let them serve the food! Even though we had eaten a lot of cakes in the theater, that could not be regarded as a meal."
Du Xin replied, "I've told Daddy Procuress about it downstairs. Let's just wait for a while. Someone will bring us food as soon as possible. I'm guessing the Fengyue Pavilion has been hopping all day. Otherwise, the employees who have been temporarily assigned to set the table or cook the meals will be overworked. "
When Du Xin abruptly stopped Xu Ran, he was going to sip some water from a cup on the table "The items at Fengyue Pavilion, especially the wine, cannot be handled lightly. Tonight, you must keep your cool! You should have had enough tea by now because you drank so much in the afternoon!"
Hearing Du Xin's words, Xu Ran immediately retracted his hand and asked Du Xin, "You said we can't touch this wine, so the food can be eaten?"
Du Xin smiled and replied, "This is natural. They don't dare to do anything in the meal, especially the food for me. Everyone knows that I'm specially here to eat. If they offend me, they will find it difficult to get out of it."
Xu Ran pouted and said disdainfully, "Why are you so proud of eating in Green Willow Alley?"
Du Xin, on the other hand, was even more pleased when he heard this inquiry. He said, "This is something you aren't aware of! Many people can afford to eat at restaurants, but only a few can afford to eat on Green Willow Alley. You don't realize that after you get here, you'll need to spend at least 100 taels of silver every night. You'd be better off not coming in if that's the case."
Xu Ran was stunned, "This meal is so expensive? I can order a few tables of dishes in the hotel!"
Du Xin nodded, "Yes! Only the wealthy are allowed to dine here, and the food is delicious. Otherwise, I won't be able to visit as frequently."
"A wastrel," Xu Ran muttered. Du Xin didn't hear it but Zhuo Yun did.
Zhuo Yun said, "Green Willow Alley's cuisine is also said to be pricey, but I wasn't expecting it to be that way. A hundred taels of silver would possibly last a lifetime for some poor people."
Xu Ran echoed, "That is true, and you should punish the greedy wealthy people."
Someone brought their meal over as soon as Xu Ran finished ranting about the wealthy.