Chapter 130: Put It All on My Tab! (Bonus Chapter for 360 Monthly Votes)

"Listen, this kid is different. He's sharper than a monkey. You think I enjoy being wrapped around his finger? But to be fair, he’s much more interesting than the average child. I wouldn't go so far as to say he knows everything under the sun, but aside from those old-fashioned tricks from years gone by, I can't get the better of him. Don't believe me? Why don't you give it a try?" Master Na retreated entirely into the water, leaving only his head visible, then covered his face with a steaming hot towel and muttered.

"Stop bragging! How old could he be? Ten, maybe? What could he possibly know? You’re working so hard to clear a path for him—don't tell me you’ve gone and had a son somewhere out there? Though he doesn't really look the part..." The old man didn't take Master Na seriously and started teasing him.

"Grandpa! I think I look quite a bit like you. You must be around sixty, right? Maybe I *am* your son. Having a big son in your fifties—you must be in pretty good shape!" Hong Tao never lost a verbal spar, and this was no exception. He was willing to belittle himself just to drag the old man down with him; it was a sacrifice for the sake of the game.

"Hahahaha... Old Yu! You’ve really been had this time! I do think you two look a bit alike. Why don't you just take him home and let your wife see if he’s your son!" The whole pool erupted in laughter. On the surface, Hong Tao had become the old man’s son, but the age gap was so vast that, in those days, having a son in your fifties was akin to calling someone a dirty old man.

"Fine! You little brat, trying to pull a fast one on your grandfather, eh? See if I don't give you a thrashing!" The old man hadn't expected to be outwitted by a child, but he couldn't truly lose his temper with him. He could only make a show of chasing Hong Tao with a wet towel.

"A gentleman uses his words, not his fists! Ouch..." Having gained the upper hand, Hong Tao turned to run... or rather, swim. He was still in the pool, after all.

"Come back, don't go into the hot pool! Old Ba, block him!" Hong Tao, in his frantic flight, had blundered between the warm pool and the hot pool, intending to climb over the partition. The old man chasing him suddenly shouted.

"Hey, I don't get it. You can all go in, so why can't I? Bullying a kid, are we?" Hong Tao was pushed back by an old man in the hot pool, looking utterly bewildered.

"You little rascal, stop being so stubborn! We’re all old enough to be your grandfather; why would we try to harm you? You’re not grown up yet. If you soak in there now, you won't be able to have kids when you're older. We’re stopping you now so you don't curse us later. Go on, wash your hair and stop stirring up trouble here!" The old man hauled Hong Tao back, gave his bare bottom a pat, and shooed him away from the pool.

"Heh, I get it now. The water's too hot and kills the sperm, right? So that's why you don't have a son—you killed them all off! Hahahaha." Only then did Hong Tao realize why the old men wouldn't let him into the hot pool; they were worried about the temperature affecting male fertility, especially in a child who hadn't fully developed. There was actually some scientific basis to it. Still, Hong Tao wasn't about to let the old man off the hook after being swatted with a towel.

"Hahahaha... Master Na, where did you find such a wicked little brat? Are you trying to kill me off early by making me angry?" Hong Tao’s quip sent the men into another round of laughter, and the man named Yu started complaining to Master Na.

"Don't blame me! I warned you, but you insisted on trying! You don't even recognize him? And you living on Third Alley! You know that little two-story building being built at the entrance of the Yonghe Temple to the north of your place, right?" Master Na wasn't about to take the heat; he cleared his name while subtly looking down on the old man.

"I know it! Isn't that Old Hu’s place? I’ve seen that stubborn old man; he comes here to soak sometimes. This kid is his?" Old Man Yu pointed at Hong Tao, who was washing his hair under the shower.

"Yeah, his eldest grandson! Do you know where I first met him? This kid took a fancy to a few cricket jars at the consignment shop and shelled out over forty yuan for them. I couldn't help myself and taught him a few tricks, and next thing I knew, he had me hooked. One bottle of Moutai, and he dragged me down from the rank of grandfather to grandson. Sigh! It’s hard to bite the hand that feeds you!" Master Na slapped his own cheek, hating his loose tongue.

"Oh, that explains it. The Hu family has been doing well these past two years. I ran into him on Anti-Revisionism Road the other day—wow! A woolen uniform, leather-soled shoes, and a little radio in his pocket, listening as he walked, his face practically glowing with oil! How did his eldest son-in-law suddenly become so savvy? And so bold, letting his daughter run a little business? If the political winds shift, won't the whole family be in trouble?" Another old man, clearly better informed about the background of Hong Tao’s maternal grandfather’s family, chimed in.

"Anti-Revisionism Road? It's called North Small Street now. What ancient history are you digging up? If this were the Qing Dynasty, you’d be accused of treason and marched off to the execution grounds!" Old Man Yu, annoyed that someone else knew more than he did, began nitpicking.

"Heh, I’ve realized something: the bold survive, while the timid starve. I’ve been holding back for years, and look where that got me—still miserable! Anyway, brothers, I, Na Er, am asking a favor of you all. If anyone sees any old items—furniture, knick-knacks, anything—let me know. I won't take them for free; I’ll pay more than the consignment shop, that’s for sure. You’re selling them anyway, right?" Master Na pulled the towel off his face and got down to business.

"What do you want with that stuff? Isn't that all part of the 'Four Olds'?" the one who had interrupted earlier asked again.

"I won't hide it from you. Thanks to this... this young master here, I’m planning a comeback. I’m opening a shop specifically for trading old curios, right above his house. It's being renovated now. It's a nice space, big and airy, but I don't have any quality stock. I can't even put together a decent set of furniture. I’ve been looking for over two months and only found two yellow rosewood armchairs, and they don't even match. The rest were either poor quality or cheap wood. If I display that, I’ll lose face. People will think I’m just a fraud trying to scrape by. So, I need you brothers to help me out. I won't promise much, but I can at least treat everyone to a duck dinner at Bianyifang." Master Na laid out his plan to open the shop.

"Oh! That’s wonderful! Now I’ll have a place to go. Master Na, when the time comes, you have to take a look at my cricket gourd. I’m a complete amateur and have been swindled more than once! With you around, I won't have to worry about being cheated anymore!" Another thin old man sat up, firmly supporting Master Na’s decision.

"Master Na, you’re really coming out of retirement! Are you going to show us your full range of skills? I thought you were going to take them to the grave! Fine, don't you worry. I’ll ride my tricycle to the South City this afternoon and spread the word. Whoever has things to sell will have to let us haul them over. As long as you like the look of them, I’ll bring them straight to you. If you pay more, who wouldn't be happy?" Old Man Yu was also pleased. It turned out he was a tricycle driver, and his suggestion was practical. In those days, there were no moving companies; if you wanted to sell a large item, you had to hire a tricycle. Even if you found your own transport to the consignment shop, the tricycle drivers waiting at the door would just snatch the business anyway.

"Alright, for that promise, I’m treating everyone today. Every single person here, the whole works—it’s on me. Uncle, give me a scrub first, then I’ll go back to my locker and get the money." Hong Tao, having finished washing his hair, overheard Old Man Yu’s pledge. To boost Master Na’s morale, he feigned generosity with a booming voice before lying down on the small massage bed to let the attendant start the scrub.

"You’re going to be the death of your Master Na—he’ll have to pawn his pants to pay for everyone’s scrub tickets! Not a hair on your chin yet and you’re already learning how to play the big shot. You’ve got a sturdy little frame, though; I’ll give you a good rubdown!" The middle-aged attendant was familiar with the old men and didn't take Hong Tao’s words seriously. He patted Hong Tao’s bottom and deliberately used a bit more force, making Hong Tao wince.

Scrubbing, pedicures, and haircuts were all part of the bathhouse services and were usually paid for separately. Scrubbing techniques were categorized into Southern and Northern schools. The Southern school, primarily from Yangzhou, emphasized delicate, light, and even movements, along with head massages. The Northern school, from places like Dingxing, Yi County, and Laishui in Hebei, emphasized stability, precision, and strength! The secret lay in the power of the hands; after the scrub, one would be bright red, like a steamed prawn.

It was demanding work, relying entirely on arm strength. Usually, an attendant could only handle twenty or thirty people a day before needing to rest. A full set of services—scrubbing, pedicure, and foot massage—took anywhere from forty minutes to an hour.

"Don't be shy, brothers. This little spendthrift has money in his pocket, let him pay. If he’s broke, we’ll keep him here to learn the trade from Old Wu, and he can go home when he’s worked it off!" Master Na knew what Hong Tao was capable of, and treating this small group wouldn't cost the boy much—just over a yuan per person. But the effect was significant; this was about 'face.' From now on, whenever people talked about it, they wouldn't look down on them.

Hong Tao didn't need a pedicure or foot massage; his small feet would have had him squealing like a stuck pig before the work even began—those were for middle-aged and elderly folks. After the scrub, he rinsed off under the shower with soap, wrapped himself in a clean towel, and returned to his bunk to wait for Master Na.

"Young master, this gentleman is looking for Master Na. I told him to wait here for a while. Are you with him?" When Hong Tao returned, he found a man in his forties or fifties sitting on the bunk. While everyone else was naked, he was fully dressed. The attendant, before Hong Tao could even ask, stepped forward to introduce him.