Chapter 18: with translation of chapter title

18 Looks like she needs to find time to collect some debts.

Tushan Jiu didn't return to the Xie Family's old residence; when she came out, she kept thinking about eating hot pot, so she told Old Master Xie she wouldn't be back at noon.

As soon as Xie Jingzhou got home in the early morning, he transferred that one thousand yuan remuneration to her, and adding Zhang Xuefeng's one thousand from just now, she now has two thousand yuan in her spare change balance.

She knew consumption in Nan Cheng was high, but she didn't expect it to be this high.

When the server brought the bill, Tushan Jiu froze.

Because after that hot pot meal, her two thousand yuan wasn't enough!

She also had to add five hundred from her own little vault.

She admitted she eats more than ordinary people, but a hot pot costing twenty-five hundred is indeed rather expensive.

Before, in Yun Shi, when she came down the mountain to eat hot pot, the most she ever spent was nine hundred yuan.

Tushan Jiu pursed her lips, looking pained.

As the saying goes, heavenly secrets must not be leaked, but these sword-peddlers are constantly leaking heavenly secrets.

For the people of the Tushan Family, not living long is the norm; but whoever does live long inevitably has a fate marked with some five flaws and three deficiencies.

And she said that her grandfather being able to laugh and live to the end is already not easy; in reality, it's just that being 'poor' is not easy.

So living with her grandfather, she naturally is also quite straitened.

Fortunately, she inherited all of her grandfather's lifetime ledgers and the ancestral account books; she has looked them over, and on the white-covered ledger many people are in Nan Cheng, and thanks to the original prophecy, they are now doing quite well.

Nan Cheng is a big city, so naturally its consumption is several times higher than that of Yun Shi.

That night, grandfather also said, don't forget to 'collect' some dowry for yourself, so you won't be too shabby when you get married.

Looks like she needs to find time to collect some debts.

The server Ning Hao standing beside her didn't show too obvious a change in expression.

From the start, he was stunned by Tushan Jiu's appearance and was scheming something; then he was shocked that she alone ordered ten plates of lamb rolls and a tableful of other ingredients; upon seeing her pained expression at the bill amount, he instantly turned contemptuous, with a hint of a sneer at the corner of his mouth.

He thought, where did this big-eating country bumpkin come from? Being able to eat is fine, but she still looks like she's never seen the world; doesn't she know this hot pot restaurant is the most popular chain internet-famous hot pot place?

Fortunately he hadn't acted yet; there are countless pretty girls, but if she has no money for him to spend, that's a no-go—he wouldn't waste his time.

Tushan Jiu was thinking about things, so naturally she didn't notice Ning Hao's expression toward her.

'Slap,' the sound of the tablet being heavily placed on the table brought Tushan Jiu back to her senses.

Her train of thought was interrupted, and she lifted her brows in puzzlement to look.

Only to see the server standing beside her roll his eyes, his tone mocking as he said, 'Miss, how will you pay 2,580 yuan? We don't accept installment payments in our shop, and there are people waiting for tables outside—could you please settle the meal fee promptly?'

Ning Hao's contempt in his eyes was not hidden at all, and Tushan Jiu understood.

She picked up her phone and calmly said, 'Half via WeChat, half via Alipay.'

The money from her little vault she had kept in her Alipay balance, while Xie Jingzhou and Zhang Xuefeng had transferred the WeChat portion to her.

Ning Hao rolled his eyes again, 'Pfft~ either WeChat or Alipay, our store doesn't support split payment!'

Tushan Jiu furrowed her brows, she was a bit angry.

She opened WeChat, withdrew the money to her bank card, and then also withdrew the Alipay money to her bank card.

Instantly credited, Tushan Jiu, while operating the payment for the meal, said, 'Those who often stand by the river rarely keep their shoes dry; I advise you to create less verbal karma for yourself, otherwise after death you'll not only suffer the Iron Bed Hell but also be sent to the Tongue-Pulling Hell.'

As soon as she said that, Ning Hao's face changed instantly, a flash of anger passing, but soon his eye sockets turned slightly red as he said:

'Miss, it's obvious you came out to eat without bringing enough money; I merely said we don't allow split payment, and you actually cursed me to die? Do we service industry workers really deserve to be insulted like this by you?'

He deliberately raised his voice, drawing the attention of the surrounding people toward Tushan Jiu.

Tushan Jiu froze, her mouth slightly opening, and a flash of 'Amazing~' crossed her eyes.

What is called reversing right and wrong—she today has broadened her horizons.

No wonder they can spin those women around like tops!

Clearly it was his bad attitude toward her, yet after his one 'grievance,' it miraculously became her problem.

Tushan Jiu inexplicably recalled in her mind: 'Your servant cannot do it~'

At this moment, more and more people were looking over.

At the same time, two people met on a narrow path at the second-floor railing.

The second floor of this hot pot restaurant is a row of private rooms; from the hallway one can see the full view of the first-floor hall.

Xie Jingting had just come back from the restroom, preparing to continue eating with his friends.

Suddenly he heard a loud voice from someone on the first floor, sounding like they were about to argue.

He was about to stick his head out to watch the excitement when the neighboring private room opened, and out walked the person he least wanted to see—his archrival Chen You nan.

Chen You nan had lost his favorite car to Xie Jingting yesterday, and he heard that Xie Jingting had people park the car in the club's most conspicuous spot and hang a banner, so upon seeing Chen You nan's face, it instantly darkened.

Xie Jingting pushed up the sunglasses on his nose and drawled, 'Yo, this isn't a defeated subordinate, is it? No wonder my sister-in-law said I shouldn't go out today—turns out I'm destined to meet something unlucky.'

Chen You nan glared angrily, but he quickly caught the mention of 'sister-in-law' in Xie Jingting's words.

'Sister-in-law?'

'Is that the country bumpkin fiancée of Xie Shiyu from the mountains who's come to Nan Cheng?'

As everyone knows, the Xie Family's eldest grandson Xie Shiyu has had an engagement since childhood, and his fiancée is some sort of sword-peddler from a mountain valley.

He heard others say that sword-peddlers are those who carry a knife and walk the streets, selling knives based on the gimmick of a knife and a prophecy.

Isn't that just a very common sales tactic?

As for that prophecy thing, it's like a blind cat hitting a dead mouse—if they hit it, they've made it, charging you tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands; if they miss, how much capital is that knife really worth?

So most people in the circle whisper behind backs that they never expected the shrewd Old Master Xie to be deceived, sacrificing his eldest grandson's entire life.

Who doesn't know that Xie Shiyu is a rare genius in the business world, mild and polite in demeanor, yet with keen insight and decisive judgment in the marketplace?

Taking over the Xie Clan at twenty, in just four years he multiplied its market value of ten billion by ten, firmly securing the position of richest person in Nan Cheng.

And the Chen Family's foundation is far deeper than the Xie Family's, yet nowadays they too have been overwhelmed by the Xie Family, becoming the 'rich family second' in people's mouths.

Even he envies Xie Jingting for having such an older brother as Xie Shiyu.

However, they only dare to say such things behind his back; no one dares to gossip openly.

Thinking of this, Chen You nan curled the corner of his mouth; Xie Jingting actually resents his older brother's marriage quite a bit.

Now this is good; there's some excitement to watch.

In front of Xie Jingting, he took out his phone, not knowing who he had called.

"Hey, spread the word, Xie Jingting's sister-in-law of the knife-dealer has come to Nan Cheng~"