Speculation and Profiteering Ends in Failure

"Freshly made mutton soup is here!"

A loud voice echoed as Jin Wan carefully carried a wooden tray and walked into the main hall with small, deliberate steps.

On the tray were a bowl of mutton soup and two roasted flatbreads.

Since the soup was filled to the brim, Jin Wan couldn't spare the effort to look up, completely unaware that his grandson was no longer in the room.

Clack, clack!

After placing the soup and flatbreads in front of Gu Ning'an, Jin Wan made a polite gesture and said with a smile, "Mr. Gu, please enjoy."

Even before tasting it, Gu Ning'an could already tell the difference between this bowl of mutton soup and the one made by Granny Sun.

Take the knife work, for instance. Granny Sun's sliced mutton was uniformly sized, with a perfect balance of fat and lean meat. Whether eaten alone or with flatbread, it was neither overwhelming nor greasy.

But the bowl in front of him? Some mutton slices floated on the surface of the soup, while others sank to the bottom. The balance of fat and lean meat was all over the place—some slices were entirely lean, while others were pure fat.

As for the aroma of the soup and flatbreads, there was almost none. The flatbreads even looked half-baked.

Gu Ning'an remained silent for a moment, then looked up and said, "Jin Wan, no matter what you do, perseverance is key. It's not something that can be perfected at the last minute."

"If you're serious about taking over Granny Sun's mutton soup business, you should calm your heart and truly dedicate yourself to learning."

Jin Wan naturally understood that he had botched it. He clearly remembered thinking it was simple enough when he practiced at home, but when it came to doing it alone, he found himself flustered and at a loss.

However, whether the mutton soup turned out well or not wasn't his main concern. It was merely a segue into the topic he truly wanted to address:

"Mr. Gu, you're absolutely right. I've indeed been too impatient all these years. My mother is getting old, and I cannot let the mutton soup skills die with her. I will focus on learning and strive to make soup worthy of the Sun family's reputation."

At this, Jin Wan shifted the conversation, beckoning with his right hand. "My grandson Xingwang has always been bright. I believe he has the makings of a scholar."

"Would you consider taking him as a disciple, whether to teach him reading and writing or the principles of life?"

Not hearing a response from behind him, Jin Wan didn't turn around but awkwardly laughed and called out, "Xingwang, come closer so Mr. Gu can see you."

Gu Ning'an cleared his throat and said flatly, "Your grandson just ran out of here with a jar of wine."

"What?!" Jin Wan exclaimed, spinning around to see none other than the round-eyed and dumbfounded Hu Shi staring back at him.

"What happened to my grandson? Why did he suddenly run off?"

"He's just a child and doesn't understand things yet. Did he say something wrong and offend you, sir?"

As he spoke, Jin Wan repeatedly clasped his hands together in apology, carefully observing Gu Ning'an's expression for any sign of displeasure.

There's an old saying: You don't hit a smiling face.

The opportunistic tricks of the Jin family might work elsewhere, but they were entirely ineffective with Gu Ning'an.

Were it not for the connection to Granny Sun, Gu Ning'an would have already refused their request outright, likely addressing the matter directly at the doorstep.

"Jin Xingwang was disrespectful earlier... he insisted that the store-bought wine was homemade!" Hu Shi interjected, his words straightforward and unfiltered.

Hearing this, Jin Wan—quick on the uptake—immediately pieced together the situation. Realizing the mess they had created, he could only keep apologizing profusely.

Gu Ning'an shook his head and said, "It's fine. I won't hold a grudge against a child. However, I don't take on disciples, so there's no need to try and win me over anymore."

"This… this…" Jin Wan opened his mouth several times, trying to salvage the situation, but he didn't know what to say. Left with no choice, he replied, "Then I'll take my leave for now. Apologies for disturbing you."

"Go on, and take the six hundred copper coins on the table with you," Gu Ning'an said calmly.

Jin Wan let out a quick acknowledgment, grabbed the string of coins from the table, and left the small Ansi courtyard with brisk steps.

Not long after he walked out, Jin Xingwang came running up from where he had been hiding around the street corner.

Seeing Jin Wan's sour expression, Jin Xingwang pouted and said, "Grandpa, there's no point in trying to become his disciple. Didn't you see how shabby that so-called immortal lives? Having porridge with pickles in the morning—he's obviously struggling to get by."

"How many immortals have you actually seen?" Jin Wan frowned and continued, "And you—when you were caught in a lie, couldn't you just apologize? Why did you have to argue back?"

Jin Xingwang replied irritably, "It's all that Hu Chi'er's fault! He kept insulting me, and I just couldn't hold it in!"

"And that Mr. Gu—our wine was clearly better, yet he insisted on drinking that fool's wine. He's obviously looking down on me!"

"Enough!" Jin Wan raised his hand as if to strike, then let it fall with a sigh. "Forget it, forget it. It seems the Jin family just doesn't have this kind of luck."

Clang! Clang!

Heavy footsteps echoed from the corner of the street. The Jin grandfather and grandson turned toward the sound and saw a tall man in rough clothes walking toward them.

The man had a pale complexion and carried iron tools and a bamboo basket at his waist. His sharp, hawk-like eyes were fixed on the Jin family pair.

"A snake catcher... Just our luck!" Jin Wan muttered under his breath, pulling his grandson to the side to let the man pass before continuing toward home.

However, as the snake catcher neared, he stopped and called out, "Excuse me, sir. Could you tell me how to get to Mr. Gu's residence at Ansi Courtyard?"

Hiss… hiss!

The sound of snakes came from the bamboo basket at the man's waist, causing Jin Xingwang to cower behind his grandfather, trembling in fear.

Jin Wan swallowed hard and forced a smile. "May I ask, sir, what business you have with Mr. Gu?"

The snake catcher, Meng Wu, furrowed his brow. "You know Mr. Gu?"

"Of course I do. I just left his courtyard a moment ago," Jin Wan replied, maintaining a calm demeanor.

"I see… Are you asking because you're worried I might mean him harm?" Meng Wu's words made Jin Wan's expression grow serious as he replied, "Naturally. With iron tools and venomous snakes on you, I must ask before giving you directions."

Meng Wu glanced down at his attire and chuckled. "Fair enough. But I doubt I could harm Mr. Gu even if I wanted to..."

"Well, it's no secret, so I'll tell you."

"A few days ago, I sought out Mr. Gu for a divination. He truly is an immortal. Were it not for his guidance, I would have been a corpse in the forest by now. I've brought over a hundred taels of silver today to thank him for saving my life..."