Chapter 292 (1/2)

The regret on her slightly tanned face was obvious. It was evident that Sangsang had thought she would be victorious once she found the book. She would have been able to win plenty of taels of silver from her young master's pudgy Senior Brother. The slight blush on her face was because the books Ning Que had brought back from the Academy's cave were a bit unsightly...

Chen Pipi was an intelligent person. He could tell what the little handmaiden was thinking based on her expression. The disdain made him shame. Angrily he said, ”Find another way!”

Sangsang looked at him with wide eyes. She thought that he was rather interesting. His soles had only left the ground no more than two inches, but he landed forcefully. She was actually worried that the new urn she'd bought might be shattered by the shock.

Chen Pipi was indeed an intelligent person, even when he was upset. He could clearly perceive what Sangsang was thinking just by looking at her expression. He could not stop the shame creeping up on him and he quickly held down the quivering fat on his body. He said in a sad and aggrieved tone, ”Ning Que's words have hurt my pride! If I don't win you today, I will write my name from right to left!”

Sangsang thought to herself that Pipi's name written from the right to the left was still Pipi. It wouldn't make a difference unless he tacked on his surname. However, she was just a young girl with a desire to win. Her heart had wavered only because of the taels of silver, which had gotten her into trouble. She did not single out that point, but instead, looked at him seriously and asked, ”Young master Chen, how much will you bet?”

Chen Pipi extended a finger and said solemnly, ”A hundred taels.”

Sangsang's willow leaf shaped eyes brightened considerably. ”What would young master Chen like to bet on?”

Chen Pipi asked, ”What do you have plenty of in this shop?”

Sangsang furrowed her brows as she thought. She chewed her lips and speculated that young master Chen wouldn't do anything against them. He was a close friend of her young master after all. So, she undid her ap.r.o.n and entered the house.

Chen Pipi looked at the tightly shut door and thought of something. Startled, he called out anxiously, ”You can't use Ning Que's calligraphy! You look at them all day, that's not fair!”

Sangsang brought out a large box and said to him, ”Would you bet with these notes?”

Chen Pipi looked at the thick wad of notes in the box and could not help but be surprised. Ning Que, the fellow who could not even bear to treat him with crab porridge, had hidden such wealth in his home. He was indeed a stingy fellow. He scolded Ning Que under his breath before asking, ”How are we going to bet with these notes?”

”Every note has its own unique serial number,” Sangsang said as she lowered her head. She spoke faster than usual as if she was afraid that Pipi would not agree to her suggestion. ”n.o.body would be so lame as to look at them.”

Chen Pipi thought about it and found that the idea was indeed decent. In order to prevent counterfeiting, every bank had their own unique note coding system. Every note had numbers on it and they did not have a fixed order. They were extremely difficult to remember. It was an excellent choice for this compet.i.tion.

Chen Pipi said, ”Not bad. Let's use them.”

Sangsang smiled slyly and said, ”Let's look and memorize them at the same time. You can recite first.”

Chen Pipi waved his hand and said generously, ”How could I take advantage of a young woman like you. You can recite first.”

”Tong Bao Chen. Two-Eight-Eight-Nine-Four. Sheng Ji Gen Er Li Feng. Four-Five-Five.”

”Yi Mo Xin Bao Yin Sai. Nine-Seven-Five-Two-Four-Five-Six. Qi Yan Tang. One.”

Chen Pipi's face fell as Sangsang's child-like voice reverberated in the backyard. He no longer cared about the compet.i.tion rules. He reached out to grab the notes off the table and found that Sangsang had not made a single mistake.

He knew that the serial numbers on the notes were odd and difficult to memorize. He himself could only memorize up to fifteen or sixteen notes. However, Sangsang had already recited the serial numbers of her 27th note. Judging by her expression and her speed, it would not be difficult for her to recite another ten serial numbers or more.

Chen Pipi rubbed his numb and shocked face. He could not believe his own ears. He could not imagine that there was someone out there with such an amazing memory. Even Second Brother could not do this. No... Even Eldest Brother would not be able to beat this little handmaiden.

Na Tian Xing Yun Feng. Four-Five-Five-Five-Seven-Nine...”

Chen Pipi held out his hand despondently to stop Sangsang from continuing. He looked at the notes dejectedly and sighed. ”You don't have to recite them anymore. I admit it. Your memory is better than mine.”

A rare sweet smile appeared on Sangsang's face. She spread her palms before him and said, ”Many thanks.”

Chen Pipi took out some notes and placed them in her palms. He shook his head and said, ”This is incredible. So incredible indeed. I can't believe that what Ning Que said was true. There are indeed many incredible people in the marketplace.”

Sangsang ignored his exclamation. She kept the new notes that she had won together with the ones she had and stacked them up, placing them in the box. Then, she carried the box carefully into the house.

Chen Pipi suddenly thought of something. He yelled, ”Hold on!”

Sangsang's body stiffened. She rushed into the house, walking faster than she had before.

Chen Pipi had a sudden epiphany. He said incredulously, ”You've memorized the words on these notes before!”

The door was tightly shut and it was silent.

Chen Pipi was shocked. After a long while of staring at the tightly shut door, he said sorrowfully, ”I have never heard of anyone being so bored they would look at notes at home all day! And even memorize their serial number! Ning Que acts like he's never seen taels of silver in his entire life. But it seems that he's very different from you, money-minded wench! What kind of people are you two!”

Sangsang hugged the box full of notes to herself and leaned against the wooden doors anxiously. What would she do if he forced his way in? She listened to the cursing and the yelling outside. She was frightened but at the same time she felt like laughing.

Indeed, she had said that no one would be so lame to look at notes, but she had not expected Chen Pipi to believe her. Before Ning Que could earn notes with his calligraphy, these notes had been the best things on earth to her. Huddling beneath the blankets and counting notes in the middle of the night was the most interesting thing in the world when there was nothing else to do.

Chen Pipi yelled outside the door, ”Come out!”

Sangsang pressed her back against the door. With her head lowered she said softly, ”These notes are mine.”

Chen Pipi clutched his forehead and said, ”I admit that they are yours.”

Sangsang lifted her head and asked curiously, ”Then why do you want me to come out?”