Chapter 115: Jiang Rou Takes the Helm as Troupe Leader

"When are you and Bai Yulan getting married?"

"Huh?" Zhou Sen was taken aback by the question. He wondered why Jin Suying would suddenly bring this up; her train of thought was truly unlike anyone else's.

"You haven't even slept with Bai Yulan yet, have you?" Jin Suying giggled. "If so, you’re really missing out."

"..."

"Think about it. If you were to suddenly drop dead, wouldn't that massive fortune all fall into Bai Yulan's hands?"

"Jin Suying, I don't think that’s any of your concern," Zhou Sen said, his face darkening. "You’d be better off worrying about yourself. If that Young Master Wu knew about your past, would he still be so deeply infatuated with you?"

"Zhou Sen, you..." Jin Suying’s pretty face turned cold with anger. Her involvement with Wu Qishan was nothing more than a game; she had never taken it seriously.

"If you don't want people to know, you shouldn't do it in the first place. Let’s just leave each other a shred of dignity, shall we?" Zhou Sen replied.

Jin Suying turned pale. She wasn't foolish; she understood exactly what Zhou Sen meant. It seemed he knew about her affair with Akiyama Shinnosuke as well. Was this why his attitude toward her had changed so drastically? It made sense—what man could tolerate being a cuckold, even if the one wearing the horns was his own superior?

Of course, she had never really given Zhou Sen a chance; she had only been stringing him along for fun. It was just that Zhou Sen’s sudden shift in attitude and his entanglement with Bai Yulan had filled her with resentment and irrational jealousy. In truth, she had never held Zhou Sen in high regard.

"Get some rest. I'm leaving. I’ll mention the matter of the Qunfang Pavilion to Director Lin for you, but I can't promise how much I’ll be able to help." Jin Suying stood up to leave.

"Go safely. Forgive me for not being able to stand and see you off."

...

Once Jin Suying left, the room fell silent. Outside, Wu En was chopping wood in the courtyard; every strike of the axe was clean and rhythmic. Bai Yulan must be busy negotiating with the people from the Fucheng Company, and A-Xiang, who had gone out to buy groceries, should be returning any moment.

"Miss Jiang, you're here..." Zhou Sen heard Wu En greet someone. He opened his eyes. What a day this was turning out to be—Jiang Rou had arrived as well. If Jiang Rou was here, Bai Yulan must already be aware.

"Sister Rou, Brother Sen is in this room." Zhou Sen heard another voice—it was A-Xiang. Apparently, Jiang Rou had run into Wu En in the courtyard while arriving with A-Xiang.

"Brother Sen, it's me. May I come in?" Jiang Rou reached the door, which was left slightly ajar, and knocked gently.

"Come in," Zhou Sen said.

Jiang Rou pushed the door open and entered, closing it behind her.

"Brother Sen, I went to the 'Sen' Shop to find you today, but you weren't there. I guessed you might be at the Ningxiang Pavilion, so I came over. I happened to run into A-Xiang on the way back from the market, so we walked together," Jiang Rou explained.

"There were some issues at home, so I've been staying at the Ningxiang Pavilion these past few days," Zhou Sen said with a faint smile. "Sit down. Shall I ask Wu En to bring you some hot water?"

Jiang Rou sat down as requested. Looking at Zhou Sen’s complexion, she felt a pang of heartache: "Brother Sen, why did you suddenly fall ill?"

"It’s just a common cold, nothing serious. Besides, I've already seen a doctor and got some medicine; I'll be fine in a few days." Zhou Sen quickly explained. He didn't want Jiang Rou to know about his affairs, lest it cause unnecessary trouble.

"That's good. Are you and your wife not living together yet?" Jiang Rou asked.

"We aren't officially married yet. Once we are, we naturally will be," Zhou Sen replied naturally.

"Then when do you plan to marry?"

"We don't have a specific plan yet. The Ningxiang Pavilion is undergoing a business transition, and I have some things to deal with. I estimate we won't consider it until the end of the year at the earliest," Zhou Sen said.

"Oh, I see. Well, when you do get married, you must let me know. I’ll be sure to prepare a generous gift," Jiang Rou said.

"That's a given. I don't have much family; you're my little sister, which makes you my kin. How could I not notify you when your brother gets married?" Zhou Sen chuckled and promised.

"It's a deal, then."

"Little Sister Rou is here..." As they spoke, the door creaked open, and Bai Yulan walked in with a warm smile.

"Sister Lan." Jiang Rou quickly stood up to greet her.

"Are you finished with your business?" Zhou Sen asked in surprise. He didn't think the negotiations with the Fucheng Company would be that quick.

"Sister Mei and the others are calculating the total contract price. I stepped out for a breath of air," Bai Yulan explained. She naturally had help when dealing with the Fucheng representatives.

"When does work start?"

"Once we finalize the total price and pay the deposit today, work can begin tomorrow," Bai Yulan replied.

"Good, you make the call on that," Zhou Sen said.

"Little Rou, don't leave at noon; stay for lunch," Bai Yulan said to Jiang Rou.

"Yes, alright," Jiang Rou nodded.

"You two talk, I'm going to check on things at the front." Bai Yulan offered a quick word and left again; she had truly only stopped by for a moment.

This woman claimed she didn't care about him, yet here she was, popping in—surely just to check on him or perhaps to stake her claim.

"Sister Lan is truly capable. Brother, you're a lucky man," Jiang Rou remarked.

"Well, you're quite capable yourself. Your reputation is growing, and you're becoming the golden signboard of the New Stage. Have you negotiated a residency?"

"It's being discussed, but my godfather handles those matters. I don't interfere," Jiang Rou said.

"If you don't interfere, you'll be in trouble. You're a famous performer now. If the New Stage negotiates a residency contract with your troupe, they'll certainly include specific clauses regarding you. I know Sun Qingkui well; for the sake of profit, he would sell you out in a heartbeat," Zhou Sen said. "Little Rou, I have an idea. Would you like to hear it?"

"Brother, go ahead."

"The Ruiqing Troupe will only continue to decline under Sun Qingkui. His management style is outdated. I think it's time for a change."

"Brother, what are you trying to say?" Jiang Rou asked, puzzled.

"Reform the Ruiqing Troupe. You should become the troupe leader. Discard those traditional, exploitative 'master-apprentice' practices and establish a modern theatrical system," Zhou Sen proposed.

"Me as the troupe leader? I don't think that's possible," Jiang Rou said, startled. While the suggestion was tempting, she knew she lacked the capacity and authority.

"Why not? Being a troupe leader is just management—finances, personnel, and performances. Your group is small, so it's easy to manage. As you grow, you'll need a strict system. If you don't know how, you can learn, consult others, or hire professional talent. You don't have to do everything yourself," Zhou Sen said. "It won't affect your artistic exploration or growth."

Jiang Rou looked troubled. It wasn't that she hadn't thought about it, but with Sun Qingkui taking the lead, she didn't have to worry about such mundane matters and could focus entirely on her art. Furthermore, she had another identity to consider.

"It wouldn't be appropriate for me to step forward; that man certainly holds a deep grudge against me. But if Bai Yulan were to approach him, it shouldn't be a problem," Zhou Sen added. "Let her negotiate the terms with Sun Qingkui. Once he agrees, the rest should be easy."

"Brother, what are you thinking?"

"What could I be thinking? I'm doing this for your own good," Zhou Sen said. "Can I just stand by and watch you be controlled by that old wretch Sun Qingkui for the rest of your life?"

"By the way, he still has your deed of indenture, right?"

"He gave it back to me long ago, but I signed a twenty-year agreement with him, and I'm obligated to take care of him until he passes away," Jiang Rou said.

"Shameless!" Zhou Sen cursed.

"In a way, he raised me and taught me this craft. Providing for him in his old age is only right," Jiang Rou replied.

"If you're willing, I'll handle it. At worst, I'll pay him a lump sum for his retirement. I can afford it!" Zhou Sen insisted.

"But Brother, if I do that, wouldn't I be an ingrate?"

"You know what kind of person Sun Qingkui is. There must be many others in the troupe like you—suffering in silence and being exploited for years. The old man must have saved up a fortune for his retirement. He's back now intending to settle down, isn't he? Otherwise, why would he sign a residency agreement with the New Stage?" Zhou Sen sneered.

"Godfather does have those intentions," Jiang Rou nodded.

"Test the waters first. Ask the others if they are willing to work with you. If they are, we can mount a pincer attack from the inside and out, forcing Sun Qingkui to relinquish control of the Ruiqing Troupe. If he wants to retire, let him retire. He’s nearly sixty; isn't the money he's made enough to live on?" Zhou Sen said.

"Brother, I think you're just out for revenge against my godfather."

"Back then, he locked me up for three days and nights without food. I nearly starved to death. Do you think I can just let that go?" The memories of the original Zhou Sen were something he found difficult to suppress. Even though he had been purchased by Sun Qingkui, he was a human being, not a beast. How could he forget the experience of nearly starving to death?

"Brother, if I don't agree, will you take revenge on him?"

"Little Rou, I have no feelings for the Ruiqing Troupe, except for you. Does a man like Sun Qingkui deserve a peaceful end?" Zhou Sen countered.

Jiang Rou remained silent. She knew full well what kind of man Sun Qingkui was. If she hadn't managed to earn her freedom after becoming slightly famous, her fate would have been no better than the others in the troupe. Of course, even if she wanted to leave, Sun Qingkui couldn't stop her, but she needed this identity to carry out her work for the Party. Otherwise, why would she tolerate his exploitation?

"Brother, let me think about it. This is too big, and too sudden," Jiang Rou said tactfully.

Zhou Sen understood. His proposal was too abrupt; it was only natural that Jiang Rou couldn't accept it immediately. If she had agreed without a second thought, she wouldn't be the kind, innocent girl he knew.

"Fine, give me an answer as soon as you can. If Sun Qingkui signs that contract with the New Stage, it will be too late," Zhou Sen reminded her. He didn't want this naive girl to be sold off while she was still counting the money for someone else. They were both orphans; they only had each other to rely on.

"Brother, I'll go to the kitchen and help A-Xiang," Jiang Rou said as she stood up. It truly wasn't appropriate for a man and woman to be alone in a room for too long.

"Alright, go ahead," Zhou Sen nodded.

Jiang Rou had much more she wanted to say to Zhou Sen, but seeing his current state, she knew it wasn't the right time. She could only bury it in her heart and wait for another opportunity.