SES Chapter 70 Part 1

Chapter 70

Time is life. Efficiency is money.

The renovation workers were already measuring the windows and doors, chalking out distances on the floor. Uncle Zheng felt pretty pleased with himself. His efficiency was top-tier—almost like the legendary pace of Shenzhen in the early days of China’s economic boom.

In a great mood, he looked out the floor-to-ceiling glass window at the gradually bustling street outside.

Huh? That guy walking over… is that Luo Xiaodao?

Uncle Zheng was thrilled. He came to help out? Not bad—this kid’s got potential…

And then, he watched… and watched…

Luo Ren walked into Lianyan.

Inside, Lian Shu was polishing a newly acquired nail guard ring with a silver-polishing cloth dipped in crabapple-scented powder.

Unlike the long, elaborate finger sheaths worn by Qing dynasty women, this one was much simpler. It was made of silver, shaped like a fingernail, engraved with a delicate lotus, and the ring base was cleverly designed to extend from the lotus seedpod. Once worn, it made the fingers look especially slender and fair.

She picked up a celadon cup with her ringed hand. The ring tapped lightly against the porcelain, producing a pleasant, delicate chime.

She felt different. Transformed, somehow.

Just then, Luo Ren pushed open the door and walked in.

She hadn’t expected him to return. Lian Shu froze for a moment, then panicked slightly, instinctively tucking her hand into her sleeve. If she remembered correctly, Luo Ren didn’t like these delicate, feminine trinkets.

Still… she felt a quiet joy rising in her heart.

So… you did come back after all.

Luo Ren looked toward the display shelves. The clay figurine was still there, lit by a small spotlight inside the case, making it glow like a celebrity under the flashbulbs.

He took it down without a word.

Lian Shu walked over but didn’t speak immediately. She waited until he’d looked at it for a while, then said softly, “This is called a Saoqing Niang—‘Rain-Sweeping Lady.’”

Luo Ren hadn’t heard of it before. “What does it mean?”

“It originated in the Han dynasty. People used it to pray for the rain to stop and for the sky to clear. The figure is usually a woman holding a broom, sweeping away the rain god to welcome sunshine. That’s why she’s called Saoqing Niang. In northern regions like Hanzhong in Shaanxi, she’s called Saotian Po—‘Sky-Sweeping Granny.’”

“Is it common across the country?”

“Pretty much. The most common version is paper cutouts hung under the eaves. There are similar things abroad, too—like the Japanese teru teru bōzu. They look different but serve the same purpose.”

She pointed at the clay figurine. “This one is more detailed. See? The right hand holds a broom to sweep the rain away. The left arm carries a bundle—inside is dirt, since earth conquers water. She also carries a basket of rice, a gift from the person making the wish—after all, if you’re asking her to sweep away the rain, you’ve got to pay her for her trouble.”

“Can you still buy this anywhere?”

A flash of pride crossed Lian Shu’s face. “No. Most of what I have here is one-of-a-kind.”

“Then where did you find this? Or how did you get it?”

Lian Shu glanced at him but didn’t reply right away. After a while, she pulled out a brocade box and helped him pack up the figurine. “I found a description of it online. Thought it sounded cute, so I made one myself. Card or cash?”

Luo Ren pulled out his wallet and took out a neat stack of bills from a side pocket, placing them on the counter. He picked up the box and said, “Thank you.”

Lian Shu stood there in a daze for a long time. She counted the bills—twelve exactly.

Which meant Luo Ren had prepared the cash before even coming in. He came specifically for this figurine?

She suddenly felt a bit disappointed. She watched him leave—and then noticed, just as he was about to walk away, he paused and turned into the shop across the street.

——

Mu Dai had been on the road all day. It was nearly midnight by the time she arrived at the Yan family home. She barely washed up before collapsing onto the bed in exhaustion.

Yan Hongsand was summoned away by her grandfather for who-knows-what, and didn’t return until late.

Dead asleep, Mu Dai was shaken awake. “Mu Dai, get up. Time to go.”

Is it morning already? Mu Dai felt like she couldn’t even open her eyes. She groaned and rolled over to check her phone.

3:30 AM.

“I swear to God, Yan Hongsand, I’m going to kill you,” she grumbled.

Yan Hongsand knelt on the bed, hands pressed together in a pleading gesture. “Not my fault. Grandpa’s rules. He says we have to wake up earlier than the roosters. That way we can move discreetly and keep things secret.”

Mu Dai’s face was blank. “Then give me a raise.”

“Yes, yes, yes,” Yan Hongsand nodded frantically like a bobblehead.

“Bring me my clothes.”

Yan Hongsand ran off barefoot to fetch them for her.

Mu Dai sighed and started getting dressed slowly. Halfway through, she said wistfully, “I need to find a way to marry Luo Ren soon. If someone supported me, I wouldn’t have to suffer like this.”

“Absolutely, definitely, totally,” Yan Hongsand agreed with everything, still feeling guilty.

But then Mu Dai reconsidered. “No, that’s not right. A woman needs to be independent and strong. You can’t rely on others—they’re not dependable.”

“Right, absolutely,” Yan Hongsand nodded along obediently.

Breakfast was plain porridge, steamed buns, and pickles. Not exactly the luxury meal you’d expect in a rich family’s house.

Yan Hongsand explained that they’d be eating like this the entire trip. No meat allowed—because meat symbolized blood and death, which was considered unlucky.

If they encountered beggars along the way, they had to give money. Since they were “eating from the heavens,” they had to share their blessings with those who were “hard-fated.”

They also couldn’t wear any jewelry. You had to be “poor”—a blank slate—so that you could claim…