HR Chapter 44

Chapter 44: The Charlatan

Su Nan was ten years younger than Lu Qinyuan. Lu Qinyuan’s mother, Su Fan, died on the hundredth day after Su Nan’s birth. The moment she stepped out, Min Chu’s knife struck, sending her to the Yellow Springs, severing a loving elder sister’s heart that deeply cared for her younger brother.

Later, after growing up, Su Nan learned that his eldest nephew had once had a profound love affair with the enemy who killed his mother. He had a big fight with Lu Qinyuan, and from then on, the nephew and uncle parted ways, never to see each other again.

The Su family’s elders, in their middle age, painfully lost their beloved daughter and cherished this late-in-life son all the more. He learned martial arts from a young age and was surrounded by countless bodyguards. Once Su Nan’s wings hardened, he ultimately decided to only keep the Qu brothers. Three years after the Su family’s elders passed away one after another, Su Nan opened this bar in Dui Se Wo, working as a boss, being a student, and flirting along the way. Balancing study, career, and love, there was nothing more perfect.

It was perfect for Su Nan, but for Qu Raoliang, it was perfect bullsh*t!

Like nephew, like uncle. From Lu Qinyuan, one could vaguely see a hint of Su Nan’s shadow. The more Qu Raoliang looked, the more displeased he became. Worried that his idiot brother would be used for nothing, he angrily said, “They’re busy stewing soft-shelled turtles in the back. Go find them there!”

Su Nan was naturally intelligent, never lagging behind in reading and learning. He was particularly fond of the Book of Changes and the Eight Trigrams. Every day, he would buy tortoise shells, grill them over a charcoal brazier, and then use the set of deduction methods he had learned to divine fate. Anyone who came to his bar was probably told about their past and future lives. And every time, the fate was different. Last time, it might have been a life of wealth and nobility, some prince, marquis, or emperor, who could ascend to immortality with a pill. This time, it might be a beggar’s life, with a difficult fate, plagued by villains, and clashing with the Purple Star. The worse, the better. There was no worst, only worse. But every time, he spoke with reason and logic. Seeing that he was just having fun, the customers were willing to listen to his nonsense. In reality, he was just a bored and utter little charlatan.

Behind the “Shi Bar” was an old-fashioned courtyard house imitating Beijing style, with a screen wall, covered corridors, and artificial mountains and ponds. A row of birdcages hung on the covered corridors, and various birds chirped incessantly. Su Nan was huddled in front of the stove, grilling tortoise shells, with a big white cat lying at his feet and a big black crow perching on his shoulder, pecking at his hair. Feeling someone approaching, he complained without turning his head, “Touching up the paint, how can it take so long?”

As soon as he spoke, Su Nan felt something was wrong. Usually, Qu Yuyin would reply instantly without any hesitation. Suddenly, the crow on his shoulder fluttered its wings and flew away, and the white cat at his feet quickly got up and silently jumped five steps away. Before Su Nan could turn around to see who it was, his ear was grabbed. That familiar feeling. Su Nan covered his ear and shouted, “Let go! Let go! Let go!”

Lu Qinyuan twisted Su Nan’s ear and turned him around once before letting go. Su Nan touched his ear and looked at Lu Qinyuan with a grievance, “No manners! No awareness of being a junior!”

“I received a call from the school teacher saying you haven’t registered for school in a month.” Lu Qinyuan picked up the fire tongs and poked at the tortoise shells on the charcoal brazier, saying slowly, “Register for school tomorrow. If I find out you didn’t go, I’ll have all your tortoise shells thrown away, pluck all the feathers from all the birds you raise, and stew them to nourish your brain.”

Lu Qinyuan never joked with him. Although he was of a senior generation to Lu Qinyuan, his power was not as good as Lu Qinyuan’s. Su Nan sulked for a long time and weakly defended himself, “I was planning to go today. I woke up late today.”

“Remember not to wake up late tomorrow,” Lu Qinyuan continued along with his words, “I don’t want you to become successful like your Fang family brother. It really doesn’t suit your identity. Uncle.”

This “Uncle” made Su Nan tremble in his heart, and he quickly agreed, “I’ll have Yuyin call me. I won’t forget.”

Lu Qinyuan glanced at Su Nan, but thought in his heart, ‘You little brat, if it weren’t for my mother’s sake, I would have beaten you into submission long ago. Why would I be standing here talking to you?’

Su Nan was insightful and understood the disappointment in Lu Qinyuan’s eyes. He immediately raised his hand and swore to the sky, “I definitely won’t forget, really!”

Seeing Lu Qinyuan’s expression softened, he pulled Lu Qinyuan to read his palm. Lu Qinyuan stretched out his hand for him to see. As Su Nan looked, he exclaimed in surprise, “That’s not right, Nephew, how has your palmistry changed so much?” After saying that, he realized what he had called Lu Qinyuan and coughed, saying seriously, “Look, you used to have a jinxed fate. Whoever touched you would be unlucky. Now it’s gotten better. You’ve met a benefactor, haven’t you?”

Lu Qinyuan glanced at him sideways, “You’re asking me?”

Su Nan quickly coughed to cover up his stupidity and continued, “Beneficial is beneficial, but it’s too beneficial, which isn’t good either. Extremes beget reverses.”

Lu Qinyuan slapped Su Nan’s head, “Nonsense!”

Su Nan covered his forehead in grievance, “If you don’t believe me, then don’t. Why hit people!”

The tortoise shell on the charcoal brazier made a slight crackling sound. Su Nan hurriedly pushed Lu Qinyuan aside to look. The lines split from the middle, blooming like fireworks, but on closer inspection, they looked like ferocious claws, or withered amaryllis. Su Nan looked for a long time and let out a long sigh.

Although Lu Qinyuan didn’t understand these unorthodox methods, he could tell that it wasn’t a good omen. He picked up a bucket of water next to him and poured it directly on it. The charcoal brazier instantly emitted hot white steam, like white smoke floating upwards, making a frighteningly loud noise, sizzling for a while before stopping.

Su Nan seemed to be stunned by the sound. Realizing what had happened, he immediately exploded, pointing at Lu Qinyuan’s nose and scolding, “What are you doing? You ruined my stove! What did you come here for today? To cause trouble! Qu Raoliang! Qu Raoliang! Who let him in? Get him out!”

Qu Raoliang didn’t come. Qu Yuyin stepped in, “I invited Mr. Lu here. Su Nan, do you have a problem with that?”

Su Nan opened his mouth and said, “Yes!”

“Okay, I understand.” Qu Yuyin responded and turned to Lu Qinyuan, “Mr. Lu, the person is in the Tail Street.”

“Thank you.” Lu Qinyuan threw away the bucket in his hand, grabbed the Totoro plush toy thrown on the rocking chair next to him, held it in his arms, and said to Qu Yuyin, “Take care of your people. Don’t spoil them blindly. Look at what they’ve become. If you can’t control them, I’ll help you.”

Su Nan jumped up like a firecracker but was pressed down by Qu Yuyin’s palm. Qu Yuyin said with a smile, “I will definitely take good care of him. This time, I’ve caused Mr. Lu trouble.”

“Don’t let it happen again.” Lu Qinyuan walked past Qu Yuyin towards the front of the bar.

Qu Raoliang was mixing drinks for a customer. As soon as he saw him, he stopped what he was doing and glared at Lu Qinyuan, “Well, you sent someone to run errands for you, and then you come here to sell favors. Mr. Lu, you’re a good accountant!”

Lu Qinyuan picked up the drink Qu Raoliang had mixed and took a sip, “Yuyin isn’t stupid. Why are you watching him so closely? Who can bully him?”

Qu Raoliang immediately straightened his back, raised his head, and shouted, “Who’s bullying him? Isn’t it your people? Despite all the precautions, that brat found a loophole!” Thinking of this, Qu Raoliang became angry.

Lu Qinyuan gently tapped the bottom of the glass on the edge of the table, raised his head, and drank the wine clean, smiling with the corners of his mouth hooked, “Your eyes are blind. Where did you see him being bullied? Stupid!”

He put down the glass, hugged the Totoro plush toy, and left.

Qu Raoliang suddenly understood and looked shocked. Qu Yuyin walked out from behind at this time, saw him in a daze, and knocked on the table, “Pillar, come back to your senses! Seriously entertain the customers.”

“Brother…” Qu Raoliang couldn’t accept that the brother he had been protecting under his wings was actually bullying others. The expression on his tangled face twisted and changed, and he couldn’t say a word to describe his mood at this time.

Qu Yuyin patted Qu Raoliang’s head and went out to buy a stove for Su Nan.

Qu Raoliang came back to his senses and slapped the table, “Don’t call me Pillar!” scaring the customer next to him.

The wooden sign, a signature of the bar, had been painted bright red, and the pattern on it had been repainted with black paint, making it look brand new again. It was still crooked and lying on the ground, as if it had never been straightened, or perhaps it was most suitable to be crooked.

As Qu Yuyin went out, he saw Lu Qinyuan standing straight in front of the sign, seemingly waiting for him on purpose. Qu Yuyin walked over and stood side by side with Lu Qinyuan, looking at his new masterpiece. He asked, “Besides the color, what’s different about the words and the painting compared to before?”

Hearing this, Lu Qinyuan looked intently and seriously for a moment and said, “It looks like there’s no difference.”

Qu Yuyin chuckled, “Mr. Lu is an understanding person and knows best in his heart that the same is the biggest difference. There are no identical things in the world. If there are, they’re high imitations.”

“I don’t understand these words,” Lu Qinyuan said, “Speak plainly.”

Qu Yuyin’s gaze fell on the Totoro plush toy that Lu Qinyuan had been holding in his hand. It seemed that he had been holding it for a long time, and the transparent packaging on the outside was already crumpled. Qu Yuyin said, “There aren’t many people that Su Nan cares about. I have to admit that Mr. Lu is number one in Su Nan’s heart. So please don’t disappoint Su Nan’s good intentions and let him worry about you.”

Lu Qinyuan raised an eyebrow, “Feeling sorry for him?”

Qu Yuyin shook his head, “No, it’s jealousy.”

Lu Qinyuan laughed softly, “Yuyin, the smartest thing about you is your honesty. Even lies sound like the truth. I admire that. But I can’t help you with this matter. I’m a human, not a god. I can’t control people’s hearts.”

Qu Yuyin also smiled slightly, “So, I can only settle for second best and ask Mr. Lu to take care of himself more and not always worry about others.”

Qu Yuyin was different from the sharp-edged Qu Raoliang. He looked a little dull and stupid on the surface, but his mind was clear and restrained. He didn’t not understand many things, he just didn’t say them, and he wasn’t willing to fuss over them. But once you touched his bottom line, this man would use actions to tell you how serious the consequences of mistaking him for being dull and stupid were.

And Qu Yuyin was particularly calculative about things related to Su Nan. He continued, “Mr. Lu is already thirty years old. Things that should be stood up shouldn’t be helped by others anymore. I also know that Mr. Lu doesn’t like others interfering in your private affairs.” Especially emotional matters. Qu Yuyin didn’t dare say this and only hinted at it.

Lu Qinyuan naturally understood the meaning in Qu Yuyin’s words and frowned slightly in displeasure. He glanced at Qu Yuyin and warned, “Don’t forget the boundaries. You’re five years older than Su Nan and have more experience. You have to think for him about what Su Nan can’t think of and tell him not to meddle in other people’s business, or else you’ll feel sorry for him again.”

After Lu Qinyuan finished speaking, he raised his foot and left. Qu Yuyin stood on the spot with an ugly expression, clenching his fists hatefully. He hated the most when others talked about his age. Although it was only five years, it was a chasm between him and Su Nan, and even an insurmountable obstacle.

It was said that Qu Yuyin had fallen in love with Su Nan first, but Su Nan had flatly rejected him, saying that “other conditions were pretty good, but he’s a bit old.” Counting on his fingers, he shook his head like a rattle, “No, no, we have a generation gap.”

Qu Yuyin almost died of depression but also had a shadow deeply carved into his heart by his lover.

Lu Qinyuan was always precise in grasping people’s sore spots, like hitting a snake seven inches from its head – not killing you, but hurting you!