Uncle Nine, where are you running to?

Her chaotic thoughts were interrupted, and she slowly opened her eyelids, but her eyes were dazzled by the lantern that was close to her. She squinted her eyes and looked up again.

Oh, it’s the boss.

She stood up and brushed the grass debris off her skirt. She looked at the moonlight, her mind still a little confused, and asked:

"Boss, what are you doing here so late?"

The class owner rolled his eyes in annoyance, then raised the lantern to her face and carefully examined her expression:

"Are you sick? I called you for a long time just now and you didn't respond."

She can't get sick, otherwise who will take care of Erdi, the sick girl?

Jingzhi was a little embarrassed, but she couldn't tell the truth about the bizarre thing that had just happened, so she pretended to stretch, yawned loudly, rubbed her eyes, and made small movements:

"No, no, I'm not sick. I'm just tired from taking a shower. I'll just lie down and take a nap."

The class owner looked down at the washed clothes at her feet and sighed:

"Let's go now that you've washed your clothes. You'll catch a cold if you sleep here."

Seeing that she had been fooled, Jingzhi happily picked up the basin on the ground and followed the class leader.

"Jingzhi..." The class leader slowed down his pace and moved the hanging lantern to her feet to light her way. He called her softly, opened his mouth, as if it was difficult for him to say anything, and suddenly closed his mouth, just frowning and sighing.

"...What's wrong?" she asked.

He stopped, his face showing worry and a little apology:

"Erdi doesn't have bad intentions. He just... has a stubborn temper and doesn't want you to take care of him. If he gives you trouble again in the future, you... hope you can be more tolerant."

After all, she was his benefactor, and Erdi treated her like this, so he felt really bad.

Jingzhi stared blankly at his worried face, feeling that things were not that simple. So, she observed the owner's expression with inconspicuous but extremely careful eyes, pretending to ask casually:

"Boss, you're quite nice to her."

By the way, does this boss have any unspeakable secret with Sister Erdi?

She wanted to listen, but was afraid of hearing an answer she didn't want, and her thin eyebrows were about to be twisted into a knot.

If he has an affair with Erdi, it means he has an affair with Afeng. Then...should she break up the couple?

As he was thinking, the class owner sighed again, then walked forward slowly, holding his hand behind his back and saying:

"You don't know, he's a good singer and good at martial arts, but he has one flaw: he's weak."

Jingzhi's heart skipped a beat, and he felt a little confused, so he turned around and looked at the old face with a frown under the dim light and asked:

"But when I saw him fighting today, he was more than capable of defeating three people at once. Even though he's skinny, he's still very strong."

"He has the strength, but not the stamina. He can't overexert himself. Didn't you see that he only used his hands in the fight today and didn't use his feet much?"

Jingzhi thought about it and found that it was true. When she fought, she either sat on a chair or on the back of the gangster.

"So... didn't you see a doctor for treatment?"

"I've looked for him, and the doctor said he was born in the womb and can only be taken care of. That's why I asked you to take care of him."

"...Oh." Jingzhi suddenly realized, but a trace of worry suddenly arose in her heart. It was true that she wanted to go back early, but she didn't want to think that Afeng died early due to illness in his previous life, which was so pitiful.

"Oh, by the way, boss, I... I have a request." Jingzhi twisted the wet handkerchief in the basin and said it with a stiff face.

"You said."

"I want to...I want to ask if you can advance me the first month's salary. I need it urgently."

Seeing the owner's puzzled expression, she hurriedly explained, "Don't worry, I signed the contract and I will definitely not run away. I will take good care of Erdi."

For some reason, the troupe owner actually felt relieved. He had already felt guilty towards her, so upon hearing her request, he quickly agreed and took out a piece of silver from his purse and handed it to Jingzhi:

"Now, here you go."

Jingzhi was a little confused when she took the change.

How much is this...?

Seeing her stunned, the owner quickly took out another piece:

"Why? Two cents isn't enough? I'll give you a month's advance."

Jingzhi immediately came to his senses, but asked doubtfully:

"Boss, didn't you say you'd cut my first month's salary in half? Just give me one cent."

She handed back both pieces of silver, but the owner waved his hand and said, "No need, keep them. It's getting late, go back quickly."

After saying this, without waiting for Jingzhi to refuse, he stuffed the change in his hand and the lantern he was holding into Jingzhi's hands, turned around and walked towards the already dim and silent stage.

……

Jingzhi pinched the lantern handle with his thumb and index finger, spread out the other three fingers, looked at the two pieces of silver in his palm, and couldn't help but sigh.

If you accept money from others, you have to do things for them well.

She clasped her hands together and quickly followed the class leader.

She walked through the darkened stage in front of her, and lifted the curtains of several dressing rooms and changing rooms. She saw the troupe owner standing beside a small bed waiting for her. There was a screen inexplicably placed to the left of the bed.

It is called a small bed, but it is actually just a thin wooden board with a few benches underneath. A thin quilt is spread on the board, and there is a long cloth pillow at the head of the bed. The pattern in the center of the pillow is lighter than that on the sides, which shows that it has been used for a long time and washed many times.

Jingzhi looked around and found that thirty or forty people in the troupe were sleeping like this, lying down in rows. Some of them fell asleep quickly and even started snoring.

She simply blew out the candle in the lantern, hung it on the hook in front of the door, and then walked towards the owner with light steps.

Seeing her approach, the class owner lowered his voice and said:

"You'll sleep here from now on. These bedding and pillows belong to Erdi. She's the most tidy person in the troupe, so you can use them for now. Tomorrow the troupe will be closed, so you can go buy some daily necessities."

Seeing Jingzhi staring at the small bed, the troupe owner felt a little embarrassed, then smiled and said, "This is how the troupe is. The conditions are a bit simple, don't mind."

"I……"

She was about to reply when a voice suddenly came from behind the screen:

"If you mind, please leave immediately and tear up the contract~"

The night was quiet, and although the voice was gentle, it still seemed a little abrupt. Everyone who had been whispering just now suddenly shut up because of this slightly sarcastic remark, and the atmosphere froze for a moment.

Jingzhi recognized the voice of the person next door and the veins on his forehead throbbed.

Seeing her gloomy face, the class owner bowed and smiled awkwardly:

"That's Erdi. He has trouble sleeping, so I put up a screen to block out the light."

He was afraid that Jingzhi would overthink things and think that Erdi put up the screen because she disliked her.

Jingzhi looked at his gray hair and hunched back, closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and tried her best to calm down.

After a few seconds, she opened her eyes, squatted down, and gently pushed the wooden basin through the gap under the screen. Then she waved to the owner to rest, and then she lay down on the bed with her clothes creaking, saying leisurely:

"I don't mind. I can sleep anywhere."

After a long time, there was no sound coming from next door, and she thought Erdi was asleep.

She was staring at the spider web on the wooden beam above her head, thinking about something, when suddenly a soft hum came to her ears.

It turns out she hasn't slept yet.

Jingzhi suddenly stopped being angry.

What's the point of getting angry with a girl, especially a sickly and arrogant girl? Even if she gets mad, you still have to take care of her.

Tsk, it’s not worth it, it’s not worth it.

After thinking about it, she ignored Erdi, turned around, faced the screen, put her hands under her head, closed her eyes and went to sleep.

The other side of the screen.

Erdi opened his eyes wide without any sign of sleepiness. The palm-leaf fan in his hand had stopped fanning long ago. He tilted his head slightly to look at the still damp wooden basin. When his eyes fell on the wet handkerchief, his thumb could not help but press hard on the fan handle. The fan turned half a circle under the force and gently hit his face. He inexplicably breathed a sigh of relief.

So he raised his hand and placed the palm-leaf fan on the small table beside his bed. He moved his butt and simply turned his back to the screen, clasping his hands around his chest to slow his breathing.

I thought to myself that for someone like him, with a body like his, it would be best if he had less to do with others.