Chapter 21: As Expected Of A True Daban Person
“Master Duo, what do you mean by that? How is it one thing one moment and another the next?” Third Sister-in-law was clearly a bit unhappy. She had been busy running around here and there, only to get told it’s one thing one moment and another the next?
“Of course it’s different!” Cao Weida hadn’t even spoken yet when Duomen started shouting,
“Prostitutes have no feelings, actors have no righteousness—it’s the reason from ancient times to now!”
“If Cao’er was just when he first came to Beiping, that would be one thing, but now Cao’er has put down roots. If he’s going to marry, he should marry a respectable woman!”
Turning to Cao Weida, he advised kindly: “Cao’er, Master Duo won’t harm you. You’re different now from before. There are girls all over the street to pick from casually. You can’t lower your status to marry an actor!”
“If he has to marry her, she can only be a concubine!”
“No, Master Duo, what do you mean by that?” Third Sister-in-law was a bit unhappy. “Don’t blame me for speaking bluntly. Cao’er is just wearing black leather now. You know yourselves what people say behind your backs about your reputation.”
“With your salary and status, she didn’t even look down on you. How come you’re the ones picking now?”
“Didn’t you say it’s one thing one moment and another the next? Come on, tell me how it’s one thing one moment and another!”
“We’re all neighbors in the same courtyard. Would I introduce something bad to Cao’er?”
“This…” Duomen was speechless. How was he supposed to explain this?
Was he supposed to tell her blatantly that Cao’er now had a big official backing him and was making money?
“Fine, forget I said anything. Cao’er, you decide for yourself. Me? I’ll shut up.” Duomen shook his head and staggered to his feet, walking into the room.
Duomen had dodged, but Third Sister-in-law kept muttering, “What’s wrong with Master Duo today? He talks as if I’m harming Cao’er. Where am I supposed to go to reason this out?”
“Third Sister-in-law, don’t mind him. Master Duo was just concerned about me. Come, sit.” Cao Weida smilingly moved a stool for Third Sister-in-law to sit down. He didn’t blame Duomen for meddling in his business.
Was what Duomen said wrong?
Not wrong at all.
Prostitutes have no feelings, actors have no righteousness. Since it’s been passed down for so long, it must have its reason.
Any family with a bit of status—who would marry a woman from the lowest professions as a main wife?
Even if marrying one, at most it would be a concubine or concubine bought with money.
Not even talking about families with status—ordinary families, if they have any choice at all, few would pass up a respectable woman to marry an actor.
He didn’t believe the ancients were all idiots. Though he didn’t fully understand yet, he knew how to copy their homework.
He hadn’t thought that way before, but looking back now, he really had been a bit muddleheaded.
He wasn’t the Cao Weida who had just transmigrated anymore. He had initially stood firm in this era. His future wife really couldn’t be decided too casually.
“Third Sister-in-law, I know you definitely don’t have any intentions of harming me. But I’ve thought it over, and marrying an actor really isn’t quite right.”
“Like this: I’ll raise the money to 100 silver dollars. If Du Shiniang agrees, I’ll marry her back as a concubine.”
“Third Sister-in-law, you know what kind of person I am. I definitely won’t mistreat her.”
Third Sister-in-law was stunned for a moment, but when she reacted, unexpectedly she wasn’t angry. Instead, she looked at him with an appraising gaze.
“Oh, Cao’er, looks like you’ve gotten rich these past few days. You’re being so generous. Looks like I worried for nothing. I was even worried you couldn’t come up with fifty silver dollars.”
“I was just wondering what was up with Master Duo today. Now I get it.”
“Hey, what getting rich or not? I just drank a bit of soup following Master Duo. Not worth mentioning.” Cao Weida smiled modestly.
Though Third Sister-in-law was an uneducated woman, she wasn’t a gossip. She was silent for a moment, then said:
“If you really just want to marry her as a concubine, that’s not impossible. But the house you’re living in now won’t do. A wife and a concubine are different.”
“With the conditions, it’ll be easier for me to go talk.”
If marrying a wife, naturally no such high requirements were needed. But since she was going to be a concubine, good living conditions had to be met.
If there weren’t good living conditions, why would she agree to be a concubine?
Was this a problem?
Not a problem at all!
It was just money. What was money for if not to spend? He wasn’t a miser.
Money sitting in the space was just a pile of hard lumps. Only when spent was it really money!
Besides, would he be short of money in the future?
Not at all!
With heroic generosity, he waved his hand:
“No problem with that. These next couple days, I’ll scout out a house nearby!”
Third Sister-in-law thought to herself, looks like Cao’er really had gotten rich. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have the confidence to be so lavish.
“Alright, leave this matter to your Third Sister-in-law. In a bit, I’ll head back to the opera house. I’ll definitely get this done for you!”
Cao Weida grinned and cupped his hands: “Then thank you, Third Sister-in-law. I’m counting on you completely for this.”
The conversation basically ended there. Third Sister-in-law set down her vegetable basket and immediately hurried out again without stopping.
Watching her departing figure, Cao Weida couldn’t help sighing to himself. You really can’t underestimate anyone.
Don’t think just because Third Sister-in-law is uneducated and mild-mannered that she doesn’t have a clear mind like a mirror.
In the just-concluded conversation, even knowing Cao Weida had probably gotten rich, she hadn’t said a single word throughout about having him look after her San’er.
Stupid?
Wrong. That was actually the smartest thing to do.
Still, Cao Weida didn’t mind such little thoughts. He could just look after San’er more in the future.
As for Du Shiniang refusing…
If she refused, so be it. There were plenty of beautiful women in this world. He didn’t have some TV series plot where he absolutely had to marry Du Shiniang.
If it worked out, great—collecting a TV series female character gave a sense of accomplishment.
If not, no big deal.
“Talked it over?” Seeing Third Sister-in-law leave, Duomen came out.
“Talked it over. Added some money to marry a concubine.”
“That’s good. I didn’t say actors are no good—there are good ones among them. But the reputation really isn’t great.
My ancestors were well-off too. The family precept is just like that. I won’t belabor the reason. If you listen, great.”
Cao Weida nodded. “Of course I’ll listen. This is all the wisdom crystallized from our old ancestors.”
He couldn’t help recalling the scene from the TV series in his mind: Master Lu coming to the courtyard to collect debt, chopping off a hand if no money was paid. Du Shiniang back then hadn’t shown the slightest worry or fear.
Thinking about it now, even if it wasn’t necessarily that actors have no righteousness, who knew.
Six in the evening. Cao Weida arrived early at the door of Youtaojing Restaurant and waited.
Not long after, Ono Shiota came down from a military vehicle with Fujita and a few others.
“Cao Sang, we’re putting you to some expense today.”
“Not at all, not at all. You gentlemen are busy with national affairs every day. I’m already very happy that you grace us with your presence to eat. Please, inside.”
As they walked in, Cao Weida noticed that Duobian Yi, who before had looked like everyone owed him eight million, unusually wasn’t keeping a straight face today. Instead, he even nodded at him.
This left Cao Weida momentarily flattered, but then he realized: What the hell flattered? This was money in his pocket!
This was money stuffed in his pocket!
After entering the private room, Cao Weida called for wine and dishes.
“Thanks to all of you for gracing us. I’ll toast everyone a cup!” After the wine and dishes arrived, Cao Weida raised his glass and downed one first.
Everyone laughed and very obligingly drank a cup too.
Immediately after, the familiar hostess segment began.
Cao Weida knew deep down that his being selected by them as the middleman was mostly luck.
Saying he had a clean background or whatever—in this day and age, there were plenty with clean backgrounds. Without him, there were still others.
At most, it was because he knew how to handle things, understood the rules, and was obedient.
In the end, his cooperation with these little devils wasn’t solid and could be replaced at any time.
So, to make the relationship between them more solidly reliable, he had spared no expense.
Assigning two hostesses each to them all at once.
This delighted the little devils. Their mouths grinned like chrysanthemums.
After three rounds of drinks, Ono Shiota’s face was flushed red, his hand roaming nonstop over the hostess’s body, even slipping in through the collar of her kimono.
Leaning over closer to Cao Weida, reeking of alcohol, he said: “Cao Sang, you’re righteous and generous. I recognize you as a friend! Burp~~”
“With such a generous friend, I should introduce more friends to you.”
“One of my big fellow townsmen is very interested in you. Three days from now, I’ll bring him to meet you. Burp~”
Another from Daban?
Cao Weida found it amusing inside. A little devil interested in him—what could it be about?
It had to be business.
Sure enough, worthy of someone from Daban. Finding a good partner, he came right over like a cat smelling fishy.
“Thanks for Ono-kun’s trust. Come, I’ll toast you a cup!”
After downing a cup, the mood soared even higher. “Ono-kun’s friends are my friends. Rest assured, I’ll definitely entertain him well!”
“Right, can you give a hint—what field is he in?”
“Him? He’s different from us. He’s in the army, Osaka Division.”
Oh ho, looks like big business was coming!
In later generations, few World War II military buffs didn’t know the Osaka Division. Why was the Osaka Division so famous?
Of course, because what they did was truly laughable.
Invading Japanese Army troops generally underwent brutal inhuman training and militarist brainwashing before going to the battlefield. Especially the first batch of invading troops—they were practically mad fanatics.
And the inhuman training and brainwashing created these beasts’ brutality and inhumanity, committing countless crimes.
But even in such an army, a freak unit appeared.
They resold arms and were cowardly and afraid of death.
For example, on the battlefield, once the situation turned bad, they would basically shout ‘Long live the Emperor’ and charge to their deaths.
Yet Osaka Division officers and men would often say ‘Take care of your precious body,’ ‘Life is most important,’ ‘Hurry and run, survival first.’
