Chapter 200 - Longmen Inn (1/2)

The waiter’s att.i.tude annoyed Li Chengru. “We don’t want woodsheds. What rooms do you have?”

The waiter replied impatiently, “What kind of rooms do you want then? There are only two top-cla.s.s rooms, each two silver taels per night. A middle-cla.s.s room is one silver tael and a lower-cla.s.s room is half the price.”

Li Chengru thumped two silver taels down on the table and said, “I want a top-cla.s.s one.”

Squire Liu ordered the other top room and Liu Qianqian a medium one. Ye Xiaoxian also wanted a medium one, which proved to be as stark as a village hut. After all, a low-cla.s.s room was even worse.

But Old Mr. Xiao stopped her from paying. “Don’t be so extravagant or compare yourself with the rich. You’re just a village woman. We don’t need to live as well as them.”

However, Ye Xiaoxian didn’t like to put herself at the mercy of others. Besides, she paid with her own money, not Old Mr. Xiao’s. So she raised her chin like Li Chengru and threw two silver tales onto the table. “A medium room, please.”

As usual, the men and women lived separately. However, the inn allowed only four adults to a room. Children were free to stay with them. So Ye Xiaoxian shared the room with Li Hongmei, Wong Mudan, Chen Ju and Baoxue.

Xiao Tieshu and Xiao Tongshu thought it expensive. But they hadn’t spent much money on the journey. They had brought food from home and Ye Xiaoxian, Squire Liu and Li Chengru had paid all the other fees. Thinking about this, the two men decided to order two medium rooms. In any case, they wanted to have a warm bath.

…

Li Chengru was the first to go upstairs. When turning a corner on the second floor, he almost b.u.mped into an enchanting lady. She was in her twenties and had an oval face, rosy cheeks, slanted eyes and long black hair cascading over her shoulders. Her fair right shoulder was bare, making her look even s.e.xier.

“I’m sorry,” Li Chengru said indifferently before pa.s.sing her by.

But she groaned in a cutesy voice, “Sir, I’m hurt.” She stroked her knee while giving him a glad eye.

Li Chengru knew he hadn’t run into her and that she was obviously flirting with him. He said coldly, “I’m not interested in you. Get out of my way!”

Rather than being irritated, the lady continued flirting with him. “Sir, why are you so angry? I’m not asking you to be interested in me. I just feel hurt and can’t walk.”

He asked, “What do you want then?”

“Sir, could you help me back to my room?” she asked suggestively.

But he pushed her away and said, “Why don’t you ask the next man for help?” After saying this, he walked straight to his room without turning back.

Just then, Ye Xiaoxian reached the second floor and saw the scene. Embarra.s.sed, she moved aside slightly. This charming lady must be the legendary innkeeper. Ye Xiaoxian learned from a movie that this coquettish lady wasn’t so bad. She looked interested in all men, but all she wanted was money. Li Chengru, rich and handsome, was such a good target.

Noticing Ye Xiaoxian’s gaze, the lady flipped out easily, “What are you looking at, you ugly woman!” Her initial gentle and coquettish att.i.tude vanished into nothing.

Ye Xiaoxian gave a wry smile. All right, I’m neither a man nor rich.

…

Jin Xiaoyu went back to her room, followed by a waiter.

The waiter asked, “Madam, as far as I know, that man is really rich.”

“Of course.” Jin Xiaoyu crossed her legs on a chair and gulped down a cup of water. “Or he wouldn’t resist my beauty.”

The waiter asked, “Do we need to…” He made a gesture across his neck.

“No. I can feel that he’s excellent in martial arts. Let’s wait a while longer.”

…

Ye Xiaoxian and her relatives went into a room with two beds. She and Li Chengmei shared one, and Wong Mudan, Chen Ju and Baoxue slept in another. They threw themselves on the beds at once. They couldn’t wait to enjoy the luxury of sleeping on soft mattresses.

Wong Mudan said, “The room is so expensive. I don’t want to go anywhere else and just sleep here for a whole night until we have to check out.”

Chen Ju said, “Anyway, we don’t have anywhere else to go. We are in the middle of a desert where bugs, snakes and lizards come out at night.”

“Then I have a reason for being lazy. What about ordering some steamed buns for dinner? I’d like to lie here and fill my stomach.”

Ye Xiaoxian smiled at this good idea.

Wong Mudan seemed to think of something and said, “Wow, did you see the flirtatious woman who ran into Mr. Li? I was so startled. It’s hard to imagine what she will be like when she’s old!”