Chapter 13: If Life Could Always Be Like Our First Meeting

The voting was quickly drawing to a close.

The seven young women were dressed to the nines, doing their utmost to unleash their charm in the main hall.

They were still canvassing for the final votes.

Every scholar who boarded the ship had one vote.

As long as they gave silver or a poem, and wrote down their name, it counted as a vote.

As for how much silver to give, there were no specific rules.

But if one gave too little, it would certainly be embarrassing, as Liu Mama would have to read it out in public later.

As for the poems, they would be evaluated by those few old gentlemen.

Unlike silver, poems were different; the one with the highest score could receive ten votes at once.

After all, the theme of this gathering was a Literary Gathering, so it naturally had to lean more toward poetry.

If such an ostensibly elegant activity were blatantly filled with the stench of copper, what scholar would dare to attend in the future? Those few highly respected old gentlemen would likely not deign to come either.

The maidservants were already collecting the poems, and those few old gentlemen were already reading them.

Liu Mama, meanwhile, was counting the silver.

Su Bie and the other two returned to their seats together and asked curiously, "Brother Luo, have you voted? Which young woman did you vote for?"

Luo Zijun had just returned from outside; seeing that everyone was giving at least five taels of silver and had signed their names to the poems they wrote, he realized he had just made a fool of himself—not only had he given a single copper coin, but he had also forgotten to write his name on the poem.

Of course, even if he had remembered, he would not have written his own name.

Seeing the three of them asking, he could only say, "I haven't voted; I don't know who to vote for yet."

Wang Dafu hurriedly suggested, "Vote for Young Lady Mei'er! Young Lady Mei'er not only dances well, but her figure is also top-notch! Tsk tsk, you didn't see it just now; she came down to the stage to canvass for votes and danced another segment—it was enough to make one's nose bleed!"

Su Bie immediately said with disdain, "Tacky! The Flower Chant should be about elegance; how can that kind of seductive dancing be presentable!"

Wang Dafu sneered, "I wonder who is the most excited every time we go to the Brothel to watch that kind of seductive dancing!"

"Hmph!"

Su Bie did not bicker with him further and continued to watch the young woman dancing on the stage.

Wang Dafu did not pay him any more mind either, continuing to urge Luo Zijun to cast a vote for that Young Lady Mei'er.

Luo Zijun asked, "How much money did you all give?"

Wang Dafu said, "Not much, I only gave ten taels. Tonight, poetry is the priority, and I also wrote a good poem to give to Young Lady Mei'er; hehe, it might be the grand finale later!"

Su Bie said, "No need to give too much, five taels is enough."

He knew that this youth was an apprentice at a Pharmacy and had only passed the exam to become a scholar yesterday, so he likely did not have much money on him.

Zhang Yitian, who was to the side, said, "I only gave five taels as well."

The corners of Luo Zijun's mouth twitched: "Never mind five taels, I don't even have one. Even if I did, I wouldn't be willing to give it."

He said this frankly and openly, without any sense of inferiority or shame.

The three of them could not help but be stunned.

Su Bie smiled and said, "Then forget it. Since it's your first time here today, just consider it a chance to see the world; it doesn't matter if you don't vote."

Wang Dafu immediately took out five taels of silver and said with an air of wealth, "Brother Luo, if you vote for Young Lady Mei'er, I, your brother, will pay for you!"

Luo Zijun shook his head and politely declined: "Many thanks, Brother Wang, but I think I'll pass on voting; perhaps next time."

Just as Wang Dafu was about to persuade him further, Su Bie nudged him with his elbow and said, "Then let's do it next time; let it be for now."

Wang Dafu sighed and had no choice but to give up.

At the same time.

Liu Mama, with a dark face and swaying hips, went to the innermost side room behind the flower stage.

Inside the side room.

The young girl sitting before the vanity mirror was knitting her brows, suppressing her nausea, and slowly unfolding the rice paper in her hand.

The little maid beside her said, "Young Lady, you should just throw it away; it's very dirty. This servant saw with her own eyes that the person didn't even wash his hands before writing it; who knows, there might even be..."

"Hmm, I'll just read..."

Just as the young girl was about to speak, her body suddenly trembled, her gaze fixed on the first line of the paper, and her words came to an abrupt halt. At this moment, it was as if even her breathing had suddenly stalled.

"If life could always be like our first meeting, why would the autumn wind grieve the painted fan? When the heart of an old friend easily changes, one only says that the heart of an old friend is easy to change..."

At this moment, the door creaked as it was pushed open.

Liu Ju walked in with a very unpleasant expression.

"Chujian, everyone is outside canvassing for votes and collecting silver; why are you still hiding in the room and not going out? If you continue to put on those airs of a Young Lady, don't blame me, your Mama, for forcing you out to entertain guests."

"If you can't earn money, what use are you?"

Upon entering the room, Liu Ju looked at the young girl inside with great anger.

The young girl named Liu Chujian was currently sitting quietly before the vanity mirror, looking down at the piece of rice paper in her hand, her expression dazed, as if she had not heard the words filled with anger.

Seeing this, Liu Ju became even more furious: "Chujian! Mama is talking to you! You wore a veil when you performed earlier, not letting people see you, and now that the other young women have all gone out to canvass for votes and get silver, you are still hiding in the room daydreaming. Are you trying to anger me to death? With your looks and talent, if you were more proactive, tonight's Flower Chant would definitely be yours! You would even have a chance at next month's Flower Courtesan! Why must you be so disobedient!"

The maid Bi'er, who was to the side, could not help but whisper in defense: "We did go out to canvass for votes."

!

Liu Ju turned her head to look at her, eyes wide, and said, "When did you go out? Why didn't I see you?"

Bi'er lowered her head, not daring to speak again.

The terrifying scene that had just occurred at the railing outside had left her completely shaken, and the shock in her heart had not yet subsided; how could she dare to bring it up?

Liu Ju snorted coldly, and just as she was about to scold her further, the young girl sitting before the vanity mirror seemed to have finally come to her senses: "Mama..."

Liu Ju was overjoyed, thinking she had come to her senses, and hurriedly softened her tone: "Chujian, although it's a bit late to go out now, you should still be able to get some votes. Who knows, once those Young Masters see your true face, they might immediately take back their previous votes and cast them for you instead."

Liu Chujian continued to look down at the rice paper in her hand, her expression dazed, and said softly, "The contract I signed before, it clearly stated... I sell my art, not my body; whether I perform or not is for me to decide. You cannot force me; you shouldn't have forgotten that, right?"

Liu Ju frowned, her voice turning cold: "Naturally, I haven't forgotten. In the few months you've been here, have I ever forced you? Today you played the zither on stage wearing a veil; did I say anything then? I am asking you to go out and canvass for votes now for your own good, for your future; don't be ungrateful!"

Liu Chujian was silent for a moment and said, "I know Mother is doing this for my own good, but that kind of thing, I really cannot do it."

Liu Ju stamped her foot, and just as she was about to speak again, Liu Chujian slowly stood up, handed the rice paper in her hand to her, and said with a complex expression, "Bi'er helped me beg for this."

Liu Ju was stunned for a moment, took the rice paper, and said, "Just one sheet?"

She glanced at the poem on it, and a look of surprise appeared on her face: "If life could always be like our first meeting... It reads quite well; although I don't quite understand it, it should be a good poem."

A misty haze clouded Liu Chujian's eyes, and she murmured softly, "It is more than just a good poem..."

Liu Ju looked at her, sighed, and said, "I just took a look; although you didn't go out to solicit votes, there are still some Young Masters who voted for you. However, if you don't go out to solicit votes, you certainly won't obtain the Flower Chant today."

Liu Chujian lowered her head slightly, the expression on her face still somewhat dazed: "It's fine, I don't care."

"You... sigh..."

Seeing that she truly could not be persuaded, and seeing that the time was about right, Liu Ju had no choice but to shake her head helplessly and prepare to leave.

When she reached the door, she suddenly looked at the rice paper in her hand again, turned back, and said, "Right, which Young Master wrote this poem? Why is there no name? Also, did he give any silver?"

Liu Chujian's lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but she held back and shook her head slightly.

Bi'er, who was to the side, said, "That Young Master might have intentionally not written his name, and he didn't give any silver either."

That guy was peeing by the railing and was seen by her, so naturally, he didn't dare to write his name.

As for that copper coin, it was better not to mention it; mentioning it would only be embarrassing. How could there be such a stingy person? Honestly!

Liu Ju did not ask any further, took the rice paper, and prepared to leave.

Liu Chujian suddenly spoke up: "Mother, remember to bring this paper back; I... I still have a use for it."

Liu Ju gave her a somewhat strange look, agreed, and walked away quickly.

After she left the room, Bi'er could not help but ask, "Miss, that paper is so dirty, why do you still want to keep it? There might even be that scoundrel's urine on it."

Liu Chujian did not answer; light rippled in her eyes as she remained dazed for a moment, then suddenly asked in a low voice, "Bi'er, do you still remember what that Young Master looked like?"

Hearing this, Bi'er tilted her head to think for a moment, then made a bitter face and said, "I forgot..."

Liu Chujian was startled: "How could it be so fast? Didn't you just see him a moment ago?"

Bi'er's little face burned: "This servant... this servant was only focused on looking at... woo, that scoundrel scared me to death at the time, and he even invited this servant to... to pee together... wuwu, this servant forgot to look at his face..."

"Then where were you looking at him?"

"This servant... this servant..."

(End of this chapter)