Eternal madness

Chapter 41 Good Seedling

Zhang Laifu was making lanterns in the courtyard with a group of apprentices.

This job looks simple, but it's not so easy. Chen Xiaowang has been here for two days, but he can't seem to get the amount of paste right. If he applies too much, the paste will seep out from the cracks in the paper; if he applies too little, the lantern won't stick.

Not to mention him, even Deng Yuechuan, who had only been an apprentice for a month, was not skilled at making lanterns. Sometimes he would paste them crookedly, and the seams of the paper would not align, so he had to tear them up and start over. Sometimes he would paste them too loosely, and the lantern would wobble and the paper would fall off. And sometimes he would paste them too tightly, and the paper would tear before it was finished.

Wang Tiaodeng kicked and shoved him from the side, saying, "What else can you do? Deng Yuechuan, you've been here for a month and you still can't even use a simple paste."

Look, you've wasted two more sheets of paper. How much paper do you need to make just one lantern? You're practically bankrupting your lantern shop, and you don't even realize it!
"Stop making lanterns, and don't learn any trades from me. I can't bear the embarrassment. Go home!"

Each lantern costs two coins; with such a low price, the labor and materials used must be cut to the bare minimum.

While making the lantern frame, Master Wang scolded his apprentice. He originally wanted to scold Zhang Laifu as well, but when he remembered what Zhang Laifu had said about the trivial matters of material selection and blueprints, Master Wang felt angry.

But looking at Zhang Laifu's work, there's really nothing to criticize.

This was Zhang Laifu's first time making lanterns. His hands were steady, and he used the paste very accurately, making sure the pieces were perfectly sealed and the fit was just right. It was a qualified finished product.

Moreover, he worked very quickly. He pinched the rough-edged paper with his thumb and forefinger, and used the remaining three fingers to paste it along the direction of the lantern frame. He pasted one circle at a time, and pasted one lantern in a short while. Even the old workers around him who had been doing this for many years were not as fast as him.

There was a big order tonight, so Wang worked late into the night. After he finished, he called out to Zhang Laifu, "Have you studied this before?"

Zhang Laifu said, "I have learned how to make gauze lanterns, but I didn't learn it completely. I brought one with me."

This is pure nonsense. Zhang Laifu himself couldn't explain why he was so skilled.

He felt that the rough-edged paper and paste were perfectly compatible with him, just like dressing his wife.

Seeing that Zhang Laifu had brought a gauze lantern, Wang Tiaodeng was skeptical: "You bought this lantern from Ruihuafang, right? Gauze lanterns are not from our trade."

"Different professions may have different principles," Zhang Laifu casually replied before heading off to have a late-night snack with Chen Xiaowang.

Wang Tiaodeng watched Zhang Laifu's retreating figure, his eyes shining brightly.

An older worker standing nearby asked, "Master Wang, have you spotted any promising young talents?"

"What a promising talent! What a promising talent!" Wang Tiaodeng's eyes shone brighter and brighter.

……

That's the good thing about the old lighting shop; whether you're a worker or an apprentice, you're never shortchanged on food. Today we're working hard to finish the day, so for supper we have chicken, fish, and braised beef.

After eating and drinking his fill, Zhang Laifu went back to his room to rest. He wasn't picky about where he lived. When he worked during the summer vacation, he lived in a dormitory with twenty people in one room.

The accommodations here are quite spacious. Each room is about 20 square meters and has three beds. Deng Yuechuan, Chen Xiaowang, and Zhang Laifu, the three newcomers, live here.

Zhang Laifu looked around: "Is this spacious place just for the three of us?"

Deng Yuechuan snorted: "How many more people can live here? Do you think we're raising livestock?"

After blowing out the oil lamp, it was time to sleep, but Deng Yuechuan couldn't fall asleep and sat on the bed in a daze.

Chen Xiaowang comforted him, saying, "Brother Deng, that's just how our master is—sharp-tongued but kind-hearted. Don't take it to heart."

Deng Yuechuan shook his head and said, "That's not how it is. You should go to sleep first."

Just then, two coughs suddenly came from outside the door.

Chen Xiaowang waved to Deng Yuechuan: "Go to sleep, your master is here."

Just as Deng Yuechuan was about to lie down, he heard Master Wang call out from outside the door: "Yuechuan, come to my room, I have something to tell you."

What could you possibly want to talk about so late at night?
Deng Yuechuan was uneasy, but he had no choice but to go.

After he left, Chen Xiaowang tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep, worried about Deng Yuechuan.

Zhang Laifu couldn't understand: "Master Wang didn't come to you with anything, why are you so scared?"

Chen Xiaowang sighed while lying in bed: "I think it's good that we're learning together. Let's not hurt our relationship with our master over some trivial matter."

Brother Deng is a proud man, and he'll probably argue with his master. His master has a bad temper, and if he really attacks, Brother Deng will be dead.

"Surely not, would Master Wang really kill someone?"

Chen Xiaowang sat up and said to Zhang Laifu in a low voice, "You don't know, our master killed a lot of people back then. He had some special skills."

Amazing skill! Zhang Laifu really wanted to learn an amazing skill. Li Yunsheng had introduced him to some amazing skills, and the skills he had seen were all incredibly powerful.

"What's the name of our paper lantern shop's specialty?"

"Call for a shot!"

This young man knows quite a lot.

Zhang Laifu took a silver dollar out of his pocket and handed it to Chen Xiaowang: "What's the 'One-Pole Bright' for?"

One silver dollar? How could Zhang Laifu be so extravagant?

Chen Xiaowang quickly pushed the silver dollar back: "Brother Laifu, why are you giving me money?"

Zhang Laifu genuinely wanted to give: "You've told me such an important thing, I certainly can't treat you unfairly."

Chen Xiaowang waved his hand: "I've only heard about it, I've never seen it. It's said that once Master uses his special skill, he can use a small paper lantern he makes by hand to see through a person's internal organs."

Isn't this just a X-ray vision machine? It's far inferior to Zhu Laoshan's trick.

"So what if you can see through it?"

“It’s not just about seeing!” Chen Xiaowang lowered his voice even further. “I’ve heard people say that if you master a skill well, you can even set fire to your internal organs. Our master has that ability.”

Zhang Laifu became interested!
Setting fire to internal organs is a different story; it turns into a radiation weapon.

"Did our master ever say how to practice this special skill?"

Chen Xiaowang shook his head and said, "How could he tell me? I've only been here for two days, and this is a matter for the craftsman. It wouldn't do me any good to tell him."

I just want to be a lackey, and after I finish my apprenticeship, I can go home and make lanterns, or maybe work as a laborer for our boss. That would be enough for me in this life.

After saying that, Chen Xiaowang turned over and tried to sleep, but he was worried about Deng Yuechuan and couldn't fall asleep no matter what he did.

In fact, his worries were completely unnecessary; Wang Tiaodeng did not reprimand Deng Yuechuan.

He set up a table of wine in the house and invited Deng Yuechuan to come and eat.

Deng Yuechuan had been learning his craft for over a month and had never seen his master give him a kind look. He was terrified by the treatment he received today.

"Master, what are you going to do..."

"Yue Chuan, sit down first and have a couple of drinks with me."

After the master and apprentice had drunk a few cups, Wang Tiaodeng asked Deng Yuechuan, "Yuechuan, do you know why I always criticize you in front of others?"

Deng Yuechuan lowered his head and said, "Master is doing this for my own good."

Wang Tiaodeng laughed and said, "You say nice things, but you definitely don't mean them. You've probably cursed me countless times in your heart."

Deng Yuechuan quickly shook his head: "I wouldn't dare, I don't have that kind of guts."

Wang Tiaodeng poured Deng Yuechuan a glass of wine: "It's okay to scold me, but please don't hold a grudge against me. You're a worldly kid, and your family already had a good foundation. If your father hadn't lost money in business, you wouldn't have had to come out and learn this."

"But now that you've started learning, I hope you learn it well. I've been a bit strict with you sometimes because I wanted you to build a solid foundation. Now that you have a good foundation, it's time to teach you some real skills."

Wang Tiaodeng took out a bamboo strip and heated it over the oil lamp for a while: "Do you know when it's ready? You not only have to look, but also smell it. I'll tell you the secret now."

Deng Yuechuan was extremely grateful and stood up to repeatedly bow to Master Wang.

Wang Tiaodeng waved his hand and said, "Stop talking nonsense. You're lucky, kid. What I'm teaching you now are real skills. Don't think that just because you've only been with me for a month, even those who have studied with me for three years and all the way to becoming apprentices have learned these real skills."

I'm teaching you these skills because I look down on that brat who's so arrogant with me. Do you know which brat I'm talking about?

Deng Yuechuan thought for a moment and asked, "You mean the new guy who arrived tonight?"

Wang Tiaodeng nodded: "Children from wealthy families have a different perspective than others. You can tell at a glance that this kid's background is not right."

He's already a disciple, but he's not telling the truth. You need to keep an eye on him. Come to me every night and tell me everything he says and does.

Deng Yuechuan bowed deeply: "Master, don't worry, I'll take care of this."

PS: Why is this Mr. Wang staring at Zhang Laifu?
(End of this chapter)