CFSMS -Chapter 19 The Shady Dealings of the Masked Bandit

Stepping into the night, and amid the eager anticipation of countless people, Lu Wu arrived right on schedule with her bun stall.

Her familiar cries advertising the buns swept away some of the worldly atmosphere of Yanliu Street. An unusually large number of respectable customers had gathered on this otherwise less-than-respectable street.

“Boss Lu, good evening!”

“Meeting again, Boss Lu. Got any new buns today?”

A crowd greeted Lu Wu enthusiastically. Their heated gazes followed her every movement as she prepared the stall, unwilling to look away even for a second.

Smiling, Lu Wu responded to everyone while hanging up today’s signboard.

Spicy Beef Vermicelli Bun

Soul-Hooking Soup Dumpling

“Huh? There really is a new flavor!”

“I have to get one tonight!”

The customers chatted cheerfully. Courtesans stood mixed among the queue, flirting with some of their regular patrons while they waited.

“Miss Furong, how about I trade two buns for your company tonight?”

A self-proclaimed suave gentleman sidled up to Furong with a mischievous grin.

Unfortunately, instead of looking charmingly roguish, he simply looked ridiculous and painful to watch.

Furong, who only entertained high-quality clients, rolled her eyes. Extending a finger, she lightly pushed his shoulder away.

“Get lost. This lady isn’t interested in you.”

“The only person I’d willingly throw myself at is Boss Lu.”

As she spoke, Furong cast Lu Wu a flirtatious glance. Her alluring and enchanting expression left countless men weak in the knees.

The notorious demoness of the Acacia Sect, said to be capable of making men surrender with a single look, truly lived up to her reputation.

As for Lu Wu, whose orientation was functioning perfectly fine, she simply experienced signal loss and rejected the transmission.

Furong’s words caused the man’s face to turn bright red. Forced to give up, he turned around—

Only to discover that the spot he’d reserved in line was gone.

“That’s my place!” he shouted, nearly exploding with anger.

“You left it. Doesn’t that mean you didn’t want it anymore?”

“Besides, who can prove it was yours?”

The old man occupying his place replied arrogantly.

Even moving forward by a single position meant eating Boss Lu’s buns a little sooner.

As for the customers behind him, they suddenly gained a little more hope of getting buns themselves and conveniently ignored the man’s pleas for help.

“Y-You people have gone too far!”

Not only had he failed to win over the beauty, but he’d lost his place in line as well. Who could he even complain to?

He was so angry he nearly started a fight. Unfortunately, the collective pressure emitted by the crowd was enough to crush him, and he immediately chickened out.

Though he should have slunk away in defeat, he couldn’t bear to give up on the buns. In the end, he lowered his head and trudged to the back of the line, secretly praying that he’d still get a chance tonight.

“The buns are ready!”

Unaware of the minor disturbance, Lu Wu called out.

The first customer instantly tossed over two spirit stones.

“Boss, two soup dumplings.”

That request was unusual.

Most customers bought two different flavors. Could this be a regular customer?

Lu Wu glanced at him and found his face unfamiliar.

“Are you sure?”

She offered a reminder anyway. Once sold, there would be no refunds. If he regretted it later, she wouldn’t be responsible.

“Absolutely.”

The man nodded seriously.

Lu Wu didn’t press further and packed up his order.

“Boss, two Spicy Beef Vermicelli Buns.”

The next customer’s request was exactly the same style.

Now that was strange.

Paying closer attention, Lu Wu noticed that the first two customers didn’t eat their buns after receiving them. Instead, they headed toward a nearby corner.

Her appearance had revitalized business throughout Yanliu Street.

She had become the cash cow in the eyes of the brothel owners.

To make things more convenient for her, numerous lanterns had been hung throughout the street over the past few days.

The bright red lanterns illuminated every dark corner.

And so Lu Wu witnessed some sort of transaction taking place in that corner.

One participant wore a black hood that revealed only his eyes, looking exactly like the masked criminals from a police-and-robbers movie.

Everything about him screamed suspicious.

Sneaky.

Secretive.

Definitely up to no good.

When the third customer also headed in that direction, Lu Wu was stunned.

Could her customers be getting extorted by some evil underground organization?

Then she remembered her own combat ability—or lack thereof—and concluded there was nothing she could do.

However…

She quickly realized she had misunderstood.

Because every customer who left that corner wore a broad smile and carried a storage pouch that appeared considerably heavier than before.

Whatever was going on, it was voluntary and mutually beneficial.

Satisfied, Lu Wu stopped paying attention.

Among the dozens of customers at the front of the line that night, many conducted transactions with the masked bandit.

Strangely, nobody commented on it.

Those customers who usually wished they could buy out the entire bun stall themselves didn’t attempt to stop it either.

In fact, they didn’t even dare look too closely.

They seemed extremely wary.

Fortunately, the situation wasn’t widespread.

“Good evening, Sister Lu.”

“I’d like a red bean bun and a soup dumpling.”

Xiaohua set down her spirit stones and flashed Lu Wu a sweet smile.

Now, only the faintest traces of the dark blotches remained on Xiaohua’s face.

Having recovered her original appearance, she looked adorable, like a porcelain doll.

Confidence radiated from her expression, and her eyes sparkled brightly.

“Coming right up.”

Seeing Xiaohua’s transformation, Lu Wu was genuinely happy for her.

“Sister Lu, the Awakening Day will be in eight days. Will you come watch?”

After stepping aside to make room for the next customer, Xiaohua moved closer to Lu Wu and asked softly while nervously fiddling with her clothes.

Perhaps from shyness, her little face was bright red.

At only twelve years old, with her large watery eyes fixed on Lu Wu, she nearly melted Lu Wu’s heart.

“That depends.”

“If I don’t have to run the stall that day, then I’ll come.”

After all, she had no idea what arrangements the system would make by then.

Still, she was curious about Qingyuan Realm’s Awakening Day.

The event lasted three days and attracted numerous sects seeking new disciples. It was considered one of the grand annual celebrations.

“Okay then.”

Xiaohua looked slightly disappointed but sensibly didn’t press the matter.

Before long, Lu Wu had already sold ten steamers’ worth of buns.

Looking up, she found the queue still stretching endlessly into the distance.

Shaking out her tired arms, she continued working.

“Boss, one beef vermicelli bun and one red bean bun.”

A gentle voice sounded.

The moment Lu Wu looked up, she felt as if she’d seen a fairy descended from heaven.

The woman appeared to be in her twenties.

She wore a flowing crimson dress with wide sleeves that perfectly outlined her graceful figure.

Her exquisitely beautiful features were as dazzling as blooming flowers. Every smile and glance was unforgettable.

Struck by such beauty, Lu Wu’s heart skipped a beat.

“Boss Lu, this is my mother.”

Then Lou Xiaotian suddenly poked his head out from behind and said that.

?

A giant question mark appeared over Lu Wu’s head.

Not only was this fairy-like beauty already married—

She had somehow produced a son like Lou Xiaotian?

“Pfft—”

Understanding the look in Lu Wu’s eyes, the beauty couldn’t help laughing.

With gentle brows and soft eyes, she said warmly:

“My disappointing son has troubled Boss Lu quite a bit. Thank you for looking after him.”

Being thanked by such a beautiful woman instantly put Lu Wu in an excellent mood.

Although she honestly had no idea how she had supposedly taken care of Lou Xiaotian.

“Little girl, I’d like two soup dumplings.”

A large man stepped forward and spoke as well.

His arm rested naturally around the beauty’s waist, making their relationship obvious at a glance.

So these two were Lou Xiaotian’s parents.

“Of course.”

Lu Wu responded.

Out of the corner of her eye, she secretly observed Lou Batian.