Chapter Nine: Inspection

Originally, Su Yuan had hoped to sleep in on his biweekly day off from school, but under the insistent invitation of the plump woman eager to gain favor, he was forced to rise early and board the vegetable vendor’s carriage headed for town. The vegetable vendor was someone Su Yuan knew well—the very man who had saved his life from the vat, and whom the plump woman always referred to as Brother Xiang. Perhaps it was yearning from long deprivation, but the plump woman was relentless in her attempts to charm this outstanding, single, middle-aged man, constantly chattering in search of conversation, though the vendor only responded with perfunctory replies.

Leaving the village meant passing through the eastern gate, and at the gate, one would inevitably encounter the stooped, silver-haired old man with no beard, who seemed never to be troubled by anything. Each day, he greeted every passerby with a cheerful smile, like a warm-hearted security guard.

Amidst the plump woman’s incessant banter, the carriage arrived at the town. The vendor departed to find his stall and sell vegetables.

After the plump woman devoured three baskets of buns and two bowls of spicy soup, she led Su Yuan to the shop. With each relocation, the storefront had moved closer to the bustling heart of the town’s main street. Apart from the “Fragrant Remains” signboard Su Yuan had replaced for the original “Clean Face,” everything else was quite satisfactory. The square display cabinets showcased lard soap in various colors and prices, and several sample products were arranged in the center of the room. Most notably, the two “counter girls” that the plump woman had hired were slender and fair-skinned, perfectly meeting Su Yuan’s aesthetic.

When these two counter girls saw their adorable young boss, each bestowed upon him a spicy kiss, leaving Su Yuan utterly spellbound.

To die in the arms of beauty—what a glorious fate!

Because of these young ladies, Su Yuan found himself growing fond of this place. If not for his nightly martial arts practice, he would have liked to stay here permanently.

The shop gradually filled with people: budding maidens and young women with children in tow. Su Yuan never imagined that selling lard soap could not only make money but also provide the opportunity to admire beautiful women. With mischievous intent, he took the hands of entering girls and enthusiastically introduced them to the various soaps—regardless of their looks, figure, or age.

“Sister, this one suits you best. It’s infused with peach blossoms—after bathing with it, your skin will be silky smooth and fragrant, absolutely delightful!” Su Yuan enjoyed himself immensely. His clever words and cute, handsome persona prompted girls in their prime to pinch his cheeks affectionately.

After a busy half day, Su Yuan leaned against the counter, sipping tea offered by the counter girls, and rested for a moment. Squinting with a smile, he observed each guest, thinking, “This is how life should be! All day at school, surrounded by childish classmates—how dull!”

Just then, out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a ragged child about his own age, attempting to steal a bar of soap. Su Yuan shouted, “Thief! Where do you think you’re going?” The child, startled, dropped the soap and bolted out the door.

One ran, one pursued. The townsfolk paid little mind, seeing only two children in a chase. After nearly two months of martial arts, Su Yuan's strength showed. He finally caught the child in a nearby alley, pinning him to the ground.

The child pleaded for mercy, but Su Yuan ignored him. “Tell me, why did you try to steal that? A kid like you doesn’t need it.”

The child replied, “I don’t need it myself. I steal it to sell cheaply to those who do, so I won’t go hungry.”

Su Yuan, adopting an adult tone, scolded, “At your age, you should know better. Where are your parents? How did they raise you?”

The child sneered, “If I had parents, I wouldn’t be starving.”

Learning the boy was an orphan, Su Yuan could not bear to humiliate him further. He helped him up and repeated something his teacher had said: “Stealing is always wrong! Even if you must crawl on the ground to beg, you must never steal or rob.”

He recited only half of the old man’s words, leaving out the rest, for his teacher had warned that the second half should only be spoken to those of great virtue.

“I’m Su Yuan. What’s your name?” he asked.

“My name is Zhang Ju—Ju as in ‘to lift’,” the boy replied.

Su Yuan’s mind wandered mischievously. “You should be called Zhang... rising up!” He laughed, but the boy only scratched his head, not understanding.

Su Yuan arranged for Zhang Ju to help out at the Fragrant Remains shop and instructed the plump woman to give him a monthly wage.

Back in modern times, Su Yuan had always wanted to help the homeless or those struck by misfortune, but his own circumstances left him little room for charity. Now, with the profits from the Fragrant Remains shop, he did not aspire to be a grand benefactor to all, but when he encountered someone in need, he would lend a hand.

After a busy day, Su Yuan rode back to the village on the vegetable vendor’s carriage, which had sold few vegetables. The plump woman, now busier than ever with the shop, rarely returned home, so she did not go back this time either.