Ci Jinzhi

  Chapter 49 Manuscript

  Compared to Xiaolian's excitement, Xinyou is much calmer.

  Two thousand taels, that's a lot, but compared to Kou Qingqing's family wealth, it's so small, and it's still far from the 60% that she promised Xiaolian.

  Xiao Lian wasn't excited for a long time, but became worried again: "Two thousand taels is a lot, but such a big bookstore, if it keeps losing money, it won't last long, right?"

   "Then work hard to make a profit." Xin You patted Xiaolian on the arm, telling her not to worry.

   "There must be a good story. It's all the fault of that poor scholar, who writes nonsense and speaks bad things about our bookstore everywhere. Girl, why don't you let someone stop him?"

   "It's okay, he said everywhere, people will remember our bookstore." Xin You took out a manuscript from the hidden compartment on the car wall and handed it to Xiaolian.

   "This is—" Xiaolian took it curiously.

   "Look first."

  Xiao Lian's first glance fell on the title of the book, there were only two words: "Painted Skin".

  The name is so weird, what does it mean?

  Xiao Lian read on with curiosity, and soon forgot even to blink.

   "Xiao Lian—"

   Arriving at Qingsong Bookstore, Xin You called out to the fascinated little maid, but she didn't respond.

  She had no choice but to tug on Xiaolian's sleeve: "Xiaolian, get out of the car."

  Xiao Lian woke up like a dream, staring at Xin You with burning eyes, her voice trembling with excitement: "Girl, where did this story come from?"

   "Does it look good?" Xin You asked.

   "It's beautiful! It's so beautiful!" Xiao Lian completely forgot to get out of the car, "Ah, what happened next? Why didn't you finish the story?"

   Xiaolian's incoherent speech made Xin You feel more at ease.

   It seems that the stories she likes are indeed popular.

   "The story is divided into upper and lower parts, and now there is only the upper part."

   "Only the upper part?" Xiao Lian looked disbelieving, "Then, when will there be the lower part?"

  Xin You smiled: "Wait until the first part is released, and if it sells well, then the second part will be released."

  Xiaolian burst into tears: "Wouldn't it be a long time before I knew what Wang Sheng saw from the window..."

   "Others have to wait for a long time, Xiaolian, you don't have to wait."

  Xiao Lian looked blank.

  Xin You smiled: "I know what the lower part is talking about."

   "Ah, girl, tell the servant girl quickly!"

   "Wang Sheng peeked in from the window and found that the stunning woman he rescued turned out to be a green-faced evil spirit, who was carefully drawing on the human skin with a colored pen..."

   "Hiss—ah—" Xiao Lian listened intently, her emotions fluctuated with the progress of the story, and she covered her mouth and let out an exclamation from time to time.

When Xin You finished telling the story of "Painted Skin", Xiao Lian was stunned for a long time, and grabbed Xin You's sleeve: "Girl, this story is so attractive, although it is a bit scary, it is better than those flower demons, fox fairies and scholars who are in love with each other." The story is much more interesting!"

   "This story should be popular, right?"

   "It will definitely be!" Xiao Lian blushed with excitement, "It is definitely more popular than Mr. Ping An's story!"

"hope so."

  Xiao Lian suddenly realized: "Girl, where did this story come from? Ah, you probably wrote it yourself?"

  Looking down at the elegant font, the little girl's eyes were bright: "Girl, you can write books!"

  Xin You shook her head: "I didn't write it."

   "It's not you?" Xiao Lian was stunned, "Who is that?"

  She was with the girl all day, why didn't she know where this manuscript came from!

   "The person who wrote this story is Mr. Songling. I grew up listening to Mr.'s stories. I just opened a bookstore, so I wrote the stories Mr. told for everyone to see."

   "So that's how it is." Xiao Lian wanted to ask where Mr. Songling was, but thinking of the girl's mystery, she suppressed the question.

   No matter where Mr. Song Ling is, it is enough for her to have a story to listen to anyway.

  Xin You whispered: "I will hand over the manuscript to Shopkeeper Hu later, when the time comes..."

  Xiao Lian nodded from time to time.

  The two got out of the carriage and went straight to the bookstore in front of them without rushing back to the East Courtyard.

   Shopkeeper Hu was staring at his buddy.

  In just a few days, those who sold the stories and those who joined in the fun disappeared, as quickly as a dream.

   "Shopkeeper, why don't I put that poor scholar in a sack and beat him up."

   "Don't mess around, the owner has his own opinion."

   "What's the owner's idea? Up to now, I haven't even seen a good story."

   "I don't know, anyway, the boss has his own ideas. Let me tell you, the boss is not an ordinary person."

  The buddy came to his senses immediately: "Why is my boss not an ordinary person, tell me quickly."

   "Oh, that can't be said."

  Man: "..." Why don't you beat up the shopkeeper's sack.

   "Master." Seeing Xin You, shopkeeper Hu rushed up to greet him.

   "Shopkeeper, go inside and talk."

   After entering a room on the other side, Xin You handed over the manuscript: "The shopkeeper, take a look."

   "This is—" Shopkeeper Hu had a guess in his heart, took the manuscript and couldn't wait to read it.

   Time passed by, Xinyou waited patiently.

   After an unknown amount of time, shopkeeper Hu suddenly woke up, his hands trembling so much that he could barely hold the manuscript: "Master, where did you get this from!"

   "On the way back to Shaoqing Mansion, I met a gentleman. He knew that I was the owner of Qingsong Bookstore, so he showed it to me. I thought the story was good, so I bought it. What does the shopkeeper think?"

   "This story will definitely become a hit!" Shopkeeper Hu slapped the table excitedly.

  Xin You bent her lips: "It's good that I didn't miss my eyes."

   "But this story is not finished yet, what about the rest?" Shopkeeper Hu asked impatiently.

   "The gentleman said that the rest has not been finished, and he will come to me when it is finished."

   "What's the name of that gentleman?"

   "He calls himself Mr. Songling."

   Shopkeeper Hu sighed: "I have never heard of such a talented book writer in Beijing before."

   "Maybe he just came to the capital."

   "Why didn't Mr. Song Ling come directly to the bookstore?"

Xin You shook her head: "Mr. Song Ling didn't want people to know his identity and appearance. I promised him that he would not reveal it, so he handed over the manuscript to me. The shopkeeper doesn't have to think too much. The most important thing is that the bookstore has a good story to sell. .”

   "My boss is right." Shopkeeper Hu was so excited that he turned around and stopped suddenly, "Boss, what did Wang Sheng see from the window?"

  The first half of "Painted Skin" stopped at Wang Sheng, who was suspicious when he heard the Taoist said that he was surrounded by evil spirits. He quietly went back to his study and peeked in from the window.

   "Then we won't know until the second half of Mr. Songling's book comes out."

   Shopkeeper Hu was struck by lightning when he heard it: "This is how people can sleep!"

  Xin You: "..."

  Xiao Lian quietly patted her chest.

   It’s okay, it’s okay, she is the girl’s maid!

  Thinking of Shopkeeper Hu's heart-scratching mood, Xiao Lian expressed deep sympathy.

  Business Manager Hu didn't bother to be curious about the plot behind it, so he hid the manuscript in his arms, and cupped his hands at Xinyou: "Young man, let's go to the printing house and arrange for the block printing!"

  The buddy Liu Zhou was almost falling asleep in the lobby by himself, when he saw shopkeeper Hu coming out from the side and going to the back with the wind on the soles of his feet.

  The shopkeeper, why are you here? How did you fly?

  (end of this chapter)