Chapter 51: Please Come

“Yes! Yes! Come for a free meal!” Senior Manager Gao said, looking at Zheng Fa with anticipation, his tone much more courteous than last time: “Is it convenient?”

“Please come in, Uncle.”

Zheng Fa invited Senior Manager Gao and his son into the small courtyard, where his younger sister Zheng Shan hurried over with two small stools.

“These stools were still given to us by Uncle Gao,” Zheng Fa said with a smile, looking at the stools: “I should have thanked you long ago.”

“What’s this little thing?” Senior Manager Gao quickly waved his hand, though his initial stiffness had noticeably faded since entering.

“Uncle, what is this…?”

“Young master, I heard from Gao Yuan that you taught him a secret immortal technique?” Senior Manager Gao put down his chopsticks and spoke cautiously.

“I wouldn’t call it an immortal technique.”

“So you did teach him!” Senior Manager Gao slapped his thigh, revealing his purpose: “I came here specifically to bring him to sincerely thank you.”

“Last time, Uncle Gao sent us so much food—we still haven’t finished it all,” Zheng Fa hadn’t spoken yet, but Zheng Mu opened her mouth.

“Madam, that’s nothing! It’s nothing compared to the immortal technique!” Senior Manager Gao disagreed.

Seeing Zheng Mu still wanted to refuse, he added: “I heard you’ve been looking for a tailor shop.”

Zheng Fa looked up at him.

“Young master, don’t misunderstand—you’re focused on studying and martial arts and don’t know, but there are many eyes watching you in the Zhao residence now.” Senior Manager Gao hurried to explain.

Zheng Fa wasn’t surprised—he had no roots in the Zhao residence, but now he was a figure of some note, naturally drawing attention.

What interested Zheng Fa more was Senior Manager Gao’s mention of the tailor shop; he turned to Zheng Mu and saw, as expected, her expression was hesitant.

Zheng Mu had always wanted to earn money through work; she glanced at Zheng Fa, who gave a slight nod.

“If you can find a shop, then I’ll be indebted to Senior Manager Gao.”

Senior Manager Gao was overjoyed: “Perfect—I have a shop under my wife’s younger brother’s name; Madam can go over in a couple of days.”

He pulled out a piece of paper and placed it on the table.

“Wait…” Zheng Fa frowned: “What does it mean for my mother to go over?”

“To take over the shop!”

Zheng Mu quickly spoke: “I just want to find a shop to take on some work.”

“Madam, this shop isn’t worth much—come on, we’re not strangers. This shop is mine, just registered under my wife’s younger brother’s name.” Senior Manager Gao admitted frankly.

“If you have someone you trust, transfer the shop to them. If not, and you trust me, I’ll keep it under my wife’s younger brother’s name and have someone send you the monthly profits.”

This was standard practice in the Zhao residence.

Although servants who signed indenture contracts couldn’t own private property, at Senior Manager Gao’s position, such arrangements were extremely common.

Madam probably knew this well.

Otherwise, why would so many people vie for the position of a mere bookboy to Seventh Young Master?

Zheng Fa was certain that as long as he remained in the Zhao residence, Senior Manager Gao would always send this money.

Gao Yuan suddenly spoke: “Zheng Fa, just take it. My father has more than one shop.”

Zheng Fa: … Are you really going to embarrass your father like this in front of him?

Sure enough, Senior Manager Gao’s face darkened; he glared at his foolish son, then turned to Zheng Fa with a pained smile: “Young master… I know my family is taking a huge advantage, but even this feels too little. If you won’t even accept this shop, I won’t be able to sleep…”

Zheng Fa looked at Senior Manager Gao, whose face screamed “I won’t leave unless you agree,” then glanced at Gao Yuan beside him, and nodded.

After they left, Zheng Mu stared blankly at Zheng Fa: “Did we just get a shop?”

…

Senior Manager Gao let out a long sigh as he stepped out of Zheng Fa’s home.

Behind him, Gao Yuan asked curiously: “Father, is that enough?”

“Enough? Seventh Young Master said Zheng Fa has powerful backing—he’s got an immortal technique. Is one shop enough? We’re here just to show our stance.” Senior Manager Gao glared at him: “From now on, if Zheng Fa tells you to go east, you don’t dare go west!”

“We’re servants of the Zhao family—why listen to Zheng Fa?”

“…As long as it doesn’t involve betraying the Zhao family, you follow Zheng Fa’s orders!”

“What if there’s a conflict between Seventh Young Master and Zheng Fa?”

“I think Seventh Young Master is also wary of the person behind Zheng Fa. I think Zheng Fa’s leg is thicker than Seventh Young Master’s.” Senior Manager Gao gritted his teeth: “Stand with Zheng Fa!”

“Father, isn’t this betraying our masters?” Gao Yuan fretted.

“Don’t talk about me—I’m the steward of the second branch. What do I have to do with the eldest branch’s young master?” Senior Manager Gao spoke with clear conviction.

“But I’m Seventh Young Master’s bookboy…”

“Exactly—you betray them, but I don’t.”

…

“Wait, wait, wait…”

In the study, Seventh Young Master wailed: “I just blinked once—how did we get to this point?”

He stared at Zheng Fa, who was sketching equations before him, his eyes filled with innocent confusion.

“…It’s obvious!” Zheng Fa’s expression was equally baffled.

“Obvious? How can I see it?” Seventh Young Master protested: “This secret technique is too hard!”

Gao Yuan beside him also looked miserable.

Neither of them was learning well.

Seventh Young Master, aside from the talisman diagrams, was practically illiterate—he couldn’t grasp anything no matter how hard he tried.

Gao Yuan was slightly better—he’d studied accounting with the bookkeeper and could understand about half, but it was still excruciating.

Neither had the kind of mind Zheng Fa needed.

Teaching them made him want to apologize to Old White—turns out teaching idiots is truly painful.

In fact, out of caution, Zheng Fa had already trimmed the “Elementary Mathematics Volume One,” focusing mostly on applications rather than deeper axiomatic proofs.

But for these two, who had never received modern education, it was still hard to grasp.

“Zheng Fa, do you have a simpler technique?” Seventh Young Master, sensing he’d never master this, pleaded.

“I do have one.” Zheng Fa pulled out “Primary School Mathematics.”

“I knew it—you were hiding something!” Seventh Young Master eagerly took it.

“I didn’t hide it. This one is for my sister.”

Seventh Young Master froze: “How many sisters do you have?”

“One. You’ve met her. She’s six years old.”

Seventh Young Master and Gao Yuan exchanged glances, both seeing the same conflicted expression on the other’s face: No immortal technique ever required such shameless effort to learn!

…

The next day, Seventh Young Master didn’t show up—he’d skipped like a truant.

Wu Manager, whom they hadn’t seen in a long time, stood in the study as if waiting for them.

Seeing them enter, his gaze settled on Zheng Fa.

“Zheng Fa, Madam requests an audience with you.”

“Requests?” Gao Yuan was puzzled by the word.

Zheng Fa, however, seemed to have been waiting for this day; he nodded to Wu Manager and said calmly: “Please lead the way, Manager Wu.”

This “Elementary Mathematics Volume One” was written for Seventh Young Master—but also for Madam.

Since mastering “Spirit Crane Body,” Zheng Fa had repeatedly asked himself the same question:

As a woman who controlled a thousand-year-old clan, as a mother, what would she do when her son suddenly gained a bookboy of unknown origin, beyond her control?

How would she act?

And every answer he imagined seemed bleak.