Chapter 35: 035: Returning to the Old Trade (Part 2)

"Shopkeeper."

She tied her motorcycle at the bookstore entrance and jogged inside. The shopkeeper was looking down, busy with his abacus, and only looked up upon hearing the youth's clear voice. He gave a subtle, sweeping glance around the room before lowering his head again, the *clack-clack-clack* of the abacus resuming. "What kind of booklet is the customer looking to buy?" he asked indifferently.

Shen Tang pointed toward the sign posted outside the door.

It was an announcement offering high prices for commissioned artwork.

"Does this shop accept commissions? What is the rate?"

As her voice fell, the shopkeeper's fingers, which had been moving across the abacus with fluid grace, froze. The rhythmic *clacking* of the beads came to an abrupt halt, leaving a lingering silence in the air.

He looked up, pausing on her face for a moment as if to confirm something, then offered a smile tinged with profound meaning. "Does the customer wish to sell paintings?"

Shen Tang nodded. "Yes, yes, yes. I want to give it a try."

To her surprise, the shopkeeper shook his head. "Customer, I'm afraid the kind of paintings this shop requires are not something you can provide. It wouldn't be suitable. Perhaps you should look elsewhere."

"I draw, and you buy. How is that not suitable?"

The shopkeeper let out a helpless laugh. Thinking Shen Tang was simply too young to understand, he changed to a more tactful explanation: "As for this work, this shop generally seeks older, married artists. The technical skill required isn't exceptionally high—as long as it is pleasing to the eye—but age and life experience are the most important factors."

At first, Shen Tang didn't quite catch the drift, but upon hearing the hint that "age and experience are most important," her expression turned peculiar.

Her brow twitched repeatedly before she offered a subtle hint of her own. "Oh, oh, I see. So that's what you mean. *Ahem*, I understand your point, Shopkeeper, but sometimes age and experience aren't actually that important. I believe a wealth of knowledge and worldly insight are far more vital."

The shopkeeper choked on his words. "You do?"

Shen Tang countered, "Why wouldn't I?"

She was, after all, the "profligate youth" described by Qi Shan as someone who "roams the pleasure quarters, luxuriating in elegance and playing through the mortal world." If she didn't understand these things, wouldn't she be doing a disservice to the persona Qi Yuanliang had so recklessly assigned to her? Shen Tang felt as though she must have made a living from erotic art in her past life.

As everyone knew, before her transmigration, she had been an ordinary freelance artist—a shut-in who supported her family through her craft.

In her meager, precious memories, her professional scope had been quite broad—ranging from cheap private portrait commissions to expensive commercial work; she had drawn emojis and fan art. Whether it was for educational purposes or "expanding one's horizons," she had dabbled in it all.

In terms of pure technique, she couldn't compare to the legendary masters who commanded worship, but earning a living shouldn't have been difficult.

She possessed a mysterious, unshakable confidence in her professional skills.

The shopkeeper froze. Had he misjudged her?

Recalling that his sign had been up for several days without anyone volunteering, and that his clients were pressing him for work, he figured that since someone had finally shown up, he might as well let her try. After all, the arrangement was to deliver the work before payment; if the quality was poor or unsatisfactory, he would lose nothing.

After a few moments of deliberation, the shopkeeper decided to let Shen Tang try.

He had to lay out the unpleasant truths beforehand—such as the payment method and the content requirements. The "Secret Play" illustrations the client wanted this time had specific demands. The client was the top courtesan of the Yuehua Pavilion, and he requested a set of erotic portraits where he was the protagonist, styled to be sensual without being vulgar.

Shen Tang didn't pay attention to the other details for the moment.

She only caught the three words: "Yuehua Pavilion." What a coincidence—the Yuehua Pavilion was the workplace of Old Mr. Chu.

"Is it spelled 'Yuehua Pavilion'?"

Using her finger as a pen, she dipped it in a bit of tea and wrote the three characters on the wooden desk. The calligraphy was bold and sweeping, exuding a heroic spirit; it was wild yet disciplined, flowing beautifully to the eye.

The shopkeeper's eyes lit up, and his anticipation grew.

With handwriting like this, her painting skills were likely nothing to scoff at.

"Yes, yes, that is indeed the Yuehua Pavilion."

There was only one Yuehua Pavilion in the entire Xiaocheng.

Shen Tang asked again, "Portrait-style erotic art is no problem, and the other requirements are fine, but—I haven't met that courtesan."

The shopkeeper waved it off. "Don't worry about that."

Generally, the subject of a portrait would meet the artist. Unless they were extremely famous, they would humble themselves and dress up meticulously to act as a model, all for the sake of a beautiful painting.

One must understand that commissioning an artist for erotic art wasn't something just any courtesan or madam could arrange; it was a privilege usually reserved for the top-tier or rising stars of the pleasure quarters, used as a way to build their reputation.

Firstly, to consolidate their popularity, and secondly, to attract potential patrons.

If the erotic art was well-done and sold well, they could rely on it for sustenance as they aged and their beauty faded.

In short—

It was somewhat like a personal photoshoot.

The goal wasn't just to "expand horizons," but to highlight the beauty of the subject.

Shen Tang gained a new piece of knowledge. "Then should I come back later?"

The shopkeeper replied, "Why later? Now is the perfect time."

Shen Tang was surprised and glanced out at the blazing sun.

"Now? In broad daylight?"

Even with her limited memory, she knew daytime wasn't quite suitable.

The shopkeeper laughed. "That courtesan is a celebrity. If you wait until night, he won't have time to host you, let alone pose for a painting. Those places are quite chaotic; it's not suitable for a young lady to wander there at night. This hour is the most appropriate."

Shen Tang had no doubts about this.

However—

"Are you very familiar with the Yuehua Pavilion, Shopkeeper?"

The shopkeeper answered casually, "I wouldn't say 'familiar,' but with so many pleasure quarters in Xiaocheng, I've had dealings with all of them. It's just that the Yuehua Pavilion is famous, has good business, and is easier to deal with."

Shen Tang looked thoughtful and asked, "If... I wanted to buy one of the laborers from the Yuehua Pavilion, roughly how much would it cost?"

Seeing her serious expression, the shopkeeper's mind immediately conjured a melodramatic scene of a "younger sister trapped in misery and a poor artist stepping up to redeem her." After all, aside from such a reason, no sane person would waste money buying a laborer just to work in such a place.

"Well, it depends on whether the laborer is male or female, old or young. Prices vary based on conditions." Having secured a potential artist to satisfy his client, the shopkeeper was in a good mood and didn't mind her prying. "But everyone in the pleasure quarters knows: aside from their pale skin, everything else is dark. They demand exorbitant prices and won't let go until they see the money. Even for a mere laborer, they'll ask three to five times the normal rate."

Shen Tang murmured, "True. To escape a place that devours people whole, one really would have to shed a layer of skin."

She had a bold idea.

If Old Mr. Chu was willing, she wanted to buy him.

This "Guide NPC," Qi Yuanliang, might fly away any day; if she bought Old Mr. Chu, wouldn't she be able to take over Qi Shan's role?

She didn't know Old Mr. Chu's home address, but she could certainly intercept him at his workplace. You can escape a monk, but you can't escape the temple.

Shen Tang had thought the shopkeeper's use of "so many" regarding the pleasure quarters in Xiaocheng was an exaggeration, but she never expected it to be the literal truth. In the heart of Xiaocheng, the sides of five entire long streets were lined with the entrances to such businesses.

However, since it was daytime, the streets were quiet and desolate.

She gasped, "So... so many?"

The shopkeeper looked as if he had seen it all before.

"The prefectural government encourages their establishment; how could there not be many?"

"The government... encourages... their establishment?"

Shen Tang was stunned.

The shopkeeper led Shen Tang to a newly decorated building and courtyard, telling her to wait outside while he went in to explain her purpose. A moment later, he emerged and said, "Perfect timing. He just woke up and can come over as soon as he's finished his makeup. Let's go to a private room in the tea house across the street and wait."