Chapter 2: Brothels, Freebies

Time passed day by day, and the Su family gained a new neighbor outside their gates.

But the neighbor was a small household, hardly worth the Su family’s notice.

He was merely a wandering street physician.

Yet Su Wan, who often left the estate, frequently ran into that man by chance.

“Young brother, would you like to learn medicine?”

Cang Ye was holding his practice session, seated outside the Su family’s side gate, having just seen off his last patient.

A smile lingered on his face as he looked at Su Wan, as if seeing the childhood of his late wife.

“Medicine?”

Su Wan had stood nearby watching the commotion for a while.

Today was another one of his mother’s wild revelries, and his mother’s courtyard had been commandeered by his father, so it wasn’t suitable for him to return.

“Yes, medicine.”

Cang Ye smiled lightly at Su Wan and said, “Medicine can save people, and it can also… harm people.”

Cang Ye glanced at a passerby approaching from the side, another customer arriving.

He caught a glimpse of Su Wan’s furrowed brow, but he merely smiled and warmly invited the patient to sit down.

After finishing the consultation, Cang Ye turned back once more.

He saw that Su Wan had already left.

A light smile crossed Cang Ye’s face as he said, “No rush, no rush. There’s plenty of time ahead. Today… I can wrap up the stall soon and go look elsewhere.”

…

Su Wan walked along the roadside.

As the Ninth Young Master of the Su estate, he was usually treated coldly by his own family.

But walking outside actually made him feel more at ease.

Around him were uncles and aunties who smiled at him, along with some pretty, gentle shopkeeper sisters.

“Little brother Su Wan, won’t you come play with big sister over here~”

A beautiful sister in a flowing purple gown, elegant and knowing, called out to him.

She placed her left hand on her lower abdomen, gently raised her right hand to cover her mouth, her eyes brimming with laughter.

Her casually raised right hand, however, gathered her full, alluring curves, drawing Su Wan’s gaze to linger for a long moment.

“No thanks, Sister Ling, I have things to do today, so I’ll pass.”

Su Wan glanced at Wang Ling, then at the cat and dog shop behind her.

Usually he’d be the one teasing the cats and dogs, but the sister would deliberately tease him instead.

It was utterly embarrassing.

“Then come play another day~” Shopkeeper Wang Ling said with a smile, gently waving at Su Wan.

“Alright, Sister, see you another day.”

Su Wan smiled in farewell, waved at the pretty big sister, and quickened his pace.

He walked toward the street ahead.

Soon, he arrived at a place.

A pleasure house!

A smile on his face, Su Wan strode boldly inside.

Guards stood at the entrance, but he was just a child, not a beggar, so no one paid him any mind.

His gaze turned to the stage in the middle of the pleasure house, where singing girls and dancing girls were already performing songs and dances.

The Su family kept many singing girls, dancing girls, and even household courtesans at home.

But those belonged to his elders, and he didn’t care for them.

Besides, his mother kept a sharp eye on him, making things inconvenient.

The good life outside, the joy of freeloading, was far more real and satisfying.

In his spare time, he’d often come to various pleasure houses to listen to tunes.

He had just borrowed a small stool and sat down, leaning against the wall in an inconspicuous spot.

“Young brother, we meet again. I still don’t know your name.”

A gentle voice sounded right by Su Wan’s ear.

Annoyed at having his music listening interrupted, Su Wan furrowed his brow and turned his gaze toward the source. “It’s you?”

“Mm.”

Cang Ye nodded, then took a seat to Su Wan’s left.

He sat beside a wooden table.

“Coming right up!”

A waiter hurried over carrying a tray and called out, “Your wine, and…”

The waiter quickly set out the snacks.

Then he left.

Cang Ye turned back to Su Wan and asked, “Want a peanut?”

A smile was on Cang Ye’s face.

Su Wan hesitated for a moment and patted his stomach.

Today his mother was engaging in… daytime activities.

He hadn’t eaten anything yet.

“No thanks.”

Su Wan hesitated at first, then turned his gaze back to the show.

The three young women on stage all had remarkably soft and slender figures, clad in red, looking absolutely lovely.

Their attire could also be considered quite breezy.

Making this scorching summer feel a little cooler, thanks to them.

Slap~

Without him noticing, a small stool was placed to his left.

The man carrying the white banner reading “Hanging Pot to Help the World” had also brought another stool and sat down on his left side.

A stool lay between them, and on that stool was set a plate of…

Peanuts, along with a small jug of wine.

A small white porcelain cup was placed on the side of the stool near Su Wan, and then someone asked, “Want a drink?”

“Forget it,” Cang Ye said with a light laugh, “Kids can’t drink alcohol.”

“Who says I’m a kid? Whatever, I won’t lower myself to argue with you. Hmph!”

Su Wan glared at Cang Ye, watching him eat peanuts and sip wine, looking utterly at ease.

Unable to resist, he secretly took a peanut and quickly stuffed it into his mouth.

“Thief, I saw you steal that bite.”

Cang Ye said with a chuckle.

“Where?! I snatched it! This is outright snatching, outright taking.”

Su Wan retorted loudly, drawing the stares of the guests to his right, who looked at them oddly.

“Forget it, let’s just eat snacks and watch the show together.”

Su Wan said, then added, “Give me some of the wine and the cold dishes with peanuts too, and we’ll split the bill when we leave.”

Su Wan had money, though not much, but he was just reluctant to spend it and preferred freeloading.

But if someone ate in front of him and tempted him with food, that wouldn’t do.

“Alright, eat up.”

Cang Ye smiled, then sat quietly on his stool listening to the tunes.

Everyone else sat on chairs by wooden tables, while only the two of them leaned against the wall on low stools, looking like they were together, yet also seeming oddly out of place.

Elsewhere, near and far, other children also watched the commotion, listening to tunes and watching shows, but none of them had adults beside them.

Cang Ye stood out as the odd one, yet he showed no embarrassment at all.

Su Wan munched on peanuts, eyes fixed on the stage, and asked:

“How long have you been traveling? I haven’t seen you on these streets before. You’re not from around here, are you?”

“Oh?”

A light smile crossed Cang Ye’s face as he said, “Not long, not long… just a few years, really. I’ve only just learned the basics of some jianghu rules.”

“A few years?”

The ten-year-old Su Wan was wise beyond his years.

He merely nodded and said, “That’s indeed not long.”

Cang Ye glanced at Su Wan, smiled, and said, “You this year…”

Cang Ye suddenly touched Su Wan’s hand.

Su Wan exclaimed, “What are you doing?!”

Cang Ye smiled and said, “My apologies, young brother, you’re ten this year?”

“Yes, what about it?” Su Wan wiped his own hand and looked at Cang Ye curiously.

Cang Ye smiled and said, “I’ve been out traveling… about nine years in total, so I’m actually still a bit younger than you.”

“Hmm? Hmph!”

Su Wan curled his lips, feeling that this man’s words carried hidden meaning, which made him slightly displeased.

He put down the peanut in his hand, set it back on the small plate, and said angrily, “Forget it, I’ve changed my mind. I’m not eating. When you’re done, you can settle the bill yourself. We’re not splitting it anymore.”

“Hahaha! Petty.”

Cang Ye said, making Su Wan furious.

Su Wan glared at Cang Ye.

“Eat up, it’s my treat, no money needed. Freeloading.”

A peanut was directly stuffed into Su Wan’s mouth by Cang Ye.

“Freeloading?”

Su Wan murmured to himself.

He watched Cang Ye eat another peanut himself, take a sip of wine himself, with a faint smile still hanging on his face.

“How do you know the word freeloading? Could it be…”

Hesitation rose in Su Wan’s heart.

“Of course…”

A mysterious smile spread across Cang Ye’s face.