LATEST UPDATES

Published at 24th of April 2024 07:14:05 AM


Chapter 44: The Black-Haired Duo Of Chilgok County (3)

If audio player doesn't work, press Stop then Play button again








Chapter 44: The Black-Haired Duo Of Chilgok County (3)

I was kicked out of the room I rented.

It didnt feel unfair like the time I was chased away for offering to clean the pigsty for my mother. Since they didnt seem to open the door, I eventually gave up and went back down to the first floor of the inn.

I hadnt eaten much earlier; maybe I should order something light, like noodles.

Ah? Were you here?

As I descended to the first floor, a familiar face recognized me.

Mr. Wang? What brings you here?

It was Mr. Wang from the fabric store, a surprise encounter here.

Ive been so busy today, I didnt get a chance to eat. Finally got some free time to order a meal.

Mr. Wangs fabric store was near this inn.

I was about to eat too. Would you care to join me?

I was going to take it to go because Im busy, but I might as well eat here.

Mr. Wang and I sat down and ordered some simple dishes.

Hows business these days?

Terrible. Its been chaotic lately.

Whys that?

I inquired casually, curious about the problem.

The head of Gapsu Trading Company was assassinated. They supply most of the silk to Chilgok County. They cant deliver any silk for a while due to the mourning period.

It must be hard to make big sales without silk.

Fabric stores mainly sold linens and cotton, but silk was the luxury item that brought in the most profit.

Exactly! You catch on quick! Why arent they selling silk at the regular price? Why not supply as much as we want? Are they hiding it? Every customer is arguing about it.

Ah, its tough. People can be unreasonable when you dont have silk.

It reminded me of when I worked at a convenience store.

-Do you have that white soup ramen here? How about honey snacks?

-No.

-You must be hiding it, lying to me. Ive been a regular here for 10 years, show me the storage.

-This store has only been open for a year. Maam! Why are you trying to open the storage without permission!

People always find a reason to cause trouble. So I ended up writing in big letters on a piece of paper: If youre looking for that item, its not here. Try the next convenience store.

Troublemakers were a problem everywhere.

Its true, we are hiding some.

Mr. Wang whispered cautiously to me.

Oh, I see.

So these kinds of people were the reason for such troublemakers.

If we sell it right before the supply resumes after the funeral, well make a huge profit. This is an opportunity.

Mr. Wang seemed proud of his perfect plan.

Youll have to time it right.

Even if I miss the timing, Ill just sell it at the original price, so its a risk-free business. By the way, arent you doing your street performances anymore?

I do. I was even called to perform at the head of Gapsu Trading Companys 60th birthday party recently.

The performance was well received, and I was well paid. However, the horrendous events that followed posed the real problem.

I meant the ones you do on the streets. You performed for a few days when you first came, and then you never showed up again.

Things got busy, and I couldnt perform on the streets anymore.Read latest chapters at nov(e)lbin.com Only

I had done street performances for a few days, then met the Cheongsapa. The ending condition window popped up. I wrote The Tale of Martial Heroes, and it was a flop. It felt like I had ruined my life! Then I got invited to the Gapsu Trading Companys birthday party.

I hit the jackpot at the birthday party and was marveling at how life is full of ups and downs when I met the Heavenly Death Star. This wasnt just an up and down; it was like a series of sports car-level incidents happening one after another.

You know, part of the reason its busy these days is because of you.

An unexpected comment came from Mr. Wang.

What?

What was he talking about?

These days, the streets are abuzz with stories about you.

Me?

Your performance at the Gapsu Trading Companys 60th birthday party has become incredibly popular. The VIPs there were very pleased with your portrayal of Prince Hamurin. They say it was quite a spectacle.

I remembered the reaction was indeed positive. I had been in top form, having eaten and drunk well, so my performance was satisfying.



Fortunately, the Heavenly Death Star just watched quietly as I placed the food beside her.

Cheon Sohee glanced at the menu of the food I had put down, her gaze unsatisfied.

Maybe she wasnt happy with the menu choice.

She was crossing a line here.

Some survived eating just a loaf of bread, but demanding ros tteokbokki twice a day was too much.

I placed the food beside Cheon Sohee and sat on the bed. She didnt eat, just kept looking at me.

Not interested in food? Maybe I should start a conversation. Asking why she locked the door would be a low move. Perhaps I should reminisce about non-existent memories.

Escape.

Cheon Sohee spoke in a soft voice.

Huh?

You didnt run away. I thought you would.

Haha, Sohee. Why would I run away from you?

Escaping from Cheon Sohee, who had chosen the assassin path, was like raising a death flag in martial arts stories.

If I showed even a hint of fleeing, Id either be a former brother or cut into three pieces as a con artist.

I still had traces of the Thousand Li Fragrance in my system, so fleeing wasnt the right choice. If we were to part ways, Cheon Sohee should be the one to leave, not me.

Right.

Cheon Sohee nodded slightly and buried her face in her knees.

I didnt have anything more to say, so I decided to organize my clothes.

I took my precious work-related Joseon clothes out of my luggage.

Wow, they cleaned it well.

Ragged clothes could be washed in a stream, but not a durumagi. I would have liked to dry clean it, but there was no laundry service here.

At the Gapsu Trading Company, I had asked a passing servant to wash it for me.

When it was returned to me, I thanked them and put it away, but I didnt expect it to be this clean. It looked like new. I should have thanked them more, especially since I had to prepare for my meeting with Cheon Sohee.

I have to work tomorrow.

I subtly hinted at my schedule to Cheon Sohee. Tomorrow, I will be going out, whether she follows or not.

I needed to work to survive. If I continued to endure this tense atmosphere with Cheon Sohee in the room, I would develop neurosis.

It was better to go out and earn money as a storyteller.

You. You speak well.

While I was organizing the clothes for tomorrow, Cheon Sohee spoke up from behind. Her voice was low, but I could sense it was a compliment.

She must have been talking about the incident at the Gapsu Trading Company.

I did all that to keep Sohee from getting hurt. Im not usually good with words, but just then, I felt an unusual strength.

I thought of my younger sister and how she gave me strength. I wrapped up my explanation by saying that I spoke well only because of my concern for her.

You also tell stories well.

What story was she referring to? It couldnt be about the childhood friends lie. Has she seen me working as a storyteller?

Did you hear the story I told at the Gapsu Trading Company?

I heard a bit of the Joseon story.

Cheon Sohee nodded again. So, she had heard it.

Knowing that you listened to my story makes me feel a bit embarrassed.

I scratched my cheek and showed a bashful expression.

Cheon Sohee looked at me intently, then hesitated with her lips pressed together, as if pondering whether to say something. She continued to gaze at me and finally decided to speak up.

Were you always this good at storytelling even when you were young?

The question Cheon Sohee had hesitated to ask concerned my past.

This was an opportunity.

It was the first time since yesterday that Cheon Sohee had shown curiosity about me. It was evidence that she had developed an interest in me.

Yeah, I had always been good at talking since I was little. I could charm anyone with my words. Throwing out a self-praising comment like that would be the lowest of lows. This question deserved a sincere answer, not a casual one.

I smiled inwardly with relief.

Thankfully, I was prepared for such a situation.

A scenario in which Cheon Sohee interrogated me.

A tactic I could use when she still couldnt trust me despite yesterdays logic.

It was for the moment when Cheon Sohee became curious about my past. I had crafted it for just such an occasion.

Shall I use that strategy now?




Please report us if you find any errors so we can fix it asap!


COMMENTS