Chapter Forty-One: I Quit, I Quit

Seventh Brother was a bit confused. Wasn’t this Li Wenbo just the helper Old Ninth had invited over? What did it have to do with opening an inn, and why was there so much fuss about this man?

But after Wu Ning explained, Seventh Brother began to understand.

Wu Ning wanted Li Wenbo to teach him how to receive guests and run the business.

Not only Seventh Brother—apart from his own courtyard, Fifth and Sixth Uncle’s inns also needed Li Wenbo’s guidance.

It was an issue Wu Ning had only realized after the two new inns opened: the software didn’t match the hardware.

In Xiashan’ao, every household for generations had either been farmers or in military service. Some people could count on one hand the number of times they’d been to Fangzhou City, just five miles away, in their entire lives.

Let alone greeting and serving guests with the proper courtesies—if a stranger came to visit, they might be so nervous they could hardly speak.

Take Sixth Uncle, for example. He’d spent half his life making a living with his hands. To suddenly have an inn to run, to serve guests every day, his skillful hands became clumsy, and even Sixth Aunt would hide whenever guests arrived.

Sometimes, when guests asked for a cup of water in their rooms and Sixth Uncle wasn’t home, Sixth Aunt would be so anxious she’d rather run all over the village to fetch him back than step into the guest room herself.

How could you run an inn like this?

Moreover, with Wu Ning’s vision for a modern-style scenic guesthouse, with rustic charm and rural hospitality, such awkwardness was even less acceptable.

To put it plainly, Xiashan’ao’s inns were all about “class”—about having a certain style. They were meant to attract scholars and poets, or those who fancied themselves as such.

There’s a world of difference between an inn filled with an air of refinement, where an otherworldly gentleman sits in the courtyard, and one where a bumbling villager stands awkwardly among the guests.

Now, Xiashan’ao had the best rooms, the best cook, and the best pastoral experience. But these were just the hardware. What was lacking was the service—the people who matched the “class” of the place.

That was the software.

Why spend a string of cash to bring in Li Wenbo, who hadn’t even trained as a proper servant?

What Wu Ning valued was Li Wenbo’s smooth, tactful manner, and his keen ability to read people, honed at Cui Xin Tower.

“Li Wenbo!”

“Here!” Li Wenbo, hearing his employer call, put down his bowl and hurried out.

“What would you have me do, sir?”

Wu Ning smiled, “I have a job for you. Think you can handle it?”

Li Wenbo grinned obsequiously, “That depends on what the task is, sir.”

“If I know how, I’ll do it. If I don’t, I’ll learn, and I won’t let you down.”

“Can you manage the household?”

“I can,” Li Wenbo replied reflexively, “but…”

He’d already learned that there were only two people in the household. Did two people really need a steward?

Wu Ning went on, “Not just my courtyard. After we finish eating, I’ll take you to see the other two inns in the village. Get to know the place.”

“From today on, these three inns are in your hands—receiving guests, arranging meals and lodging, everything. The staff at all three inns will listen to you and learn from you.”

“If something isn’t done right, you have the authority to organize everyone to make improvements.”

“Well? Can you do it?”

“Yes, I suppose I can…” Li Wenbo thought to himself, this is no small authority!

“That’s good.” Wu Ning then turned to Fifth and Sixth Uncles and said, “Li Wenbo has gained much experience at Cui Xin Tower. He’s much more adept at running an inn than either of you. You can learn a lot from him.”

“Of course!” Sixth Uncle nodded right away—he knew his own limitations.

He looked at Li Wenbo and said, “No need to stand on ceremony with us, Master Li. We’re just plain folk, not much experience. If we do something wrong, just say so—we’ll listen to you!”

Li Wenbo dared not put on airs. “Uncle, you’re too kind. You are my elders, and I have only learned a bit about hospitality in the city—nothing special at all. It’s the master who’s entrusted me with this responsibility. I will do my best to make sure business flourishes for all the inns!”

Not a word out of place.

With the promise of good business, how could Fifth and Sixth Uncles refuse?

“It’s settled, then. When it comes to running the inns, we’ll follow Wenbo’s lead!”

Crash!

No sooner had they finished speaking than a bowl shattered loudly in the kitchen.

From the sound, it was clear it hadn’t just slipped—the black-faced cook had smashed it on purpose. Otherwise, the noise wouldn’t have been so dramatic.

“Luo Li!” Wu Ning frowned. “What’s gotten into you?”

“Nothing!” The cook crouched by the stove, growling, cheeks puffed out.

“If nothing’s wrong, why smash a bowl?”

“I quit.”

“Why quit?!”

“This is just bullying.”

“Who’s bullying you?”

“All of you!” the cook muttered, head lowered. “Why’s everyone praising some waiter as if he’s a scholar?”

Li Wenbo was furious. Did this guy have any sense? After all these years, if not brothers, they were at least friends. Without him, would Luo Li even be earning these five strings of cash?

Wu Ning, however, was more amused than angry. He said to everyone, “A grown man, still sulking like a child?”

…

Of course, the cook wouldn’t really quit. He’d already left his job at Cui Xin Tower, and without Wu Ning, he wouldn’t even have a bowl to eat from.

Besides, for five strings of cash, he couldn’t bear to give up the job!

Five strings of cash were enough for him and his mother to live well in the city.

Wu Ning had no time to argue with him; he drank and joked with the patriarch and the uncles, savoring the cook’s fine dishes.

Yes, this was the classic scene: eat your fill, then scold the cook.

…

With good food and drink and the cook’s antics enlivening the mood, the meal should have been merry.

Unfortunately, as the feast was winding down, an unexpected guest arrived.

…

“Well, well!”

A shrill, drawn-out voice made everyone at the table pause.

“Auntie’s only been away from the village two months, and Ninth Brother’s days are looking grand! If the front door didn’t still face north, I’d have thought I’d walked into the wrong house!”

…

Wu Ning stared straight at the woman entering the courtyard, cursing inwardly.

Oh, my dear Seventh Aunt—life in the village was so much quieter without you!

He had no choice but to rise and greet her. “Seventh Aunt, when did you get back? Come, sit, have a bite while it’s hot.”

“How rare!” Seventh Aunt grinned, showing her yellowed teeth. “Rare that Ninth Brother even remembers he has an aunt like me.”

She eyed the dishes on the table. “I won’t eat, thank you. I’m just a woman; I wouldn’t dare sit at the table.”

She gave a mock-curtsey toward the old matriarch. “Niece pays her respects!”

Without waiting for a response, she grabbed a low stool and sat right beside the table.

“Go on, everyone, keep eating. I’ll just sit here and watch. When you’re done, I’ve got business with Ninth Brother!”

…

Everyone looked at each other—was it us who were odd, or was it her? We’re eating, and you just sit there staring at us?

…

———

There aren’t many words today, I know you’re all left wanting more, but that’s how it is with new books. Please save up the chapters, toss me a vote, and of course, if you can log in to Qidian and click, that would help Cangshan a lot. Thank you!