Farm Tough Girl
Chapter 418 - 418 419 Want to Return to Mei Garden_1

Chapter 418: Chapter 419: Want to Return to Mei Garden_1 Chapter 418: Chapter 419: Want to Return to Mei Garden_1 But naturally, Muniang couldn’t speak openly about this matter. After all, in ancient times, everyone believed in confirming kinship through blood. To undermine that, she had to provide evidence. But she did not understand medicine, which made it hard to explain. She felt quite powerless about things related to medicine; such matters were best left to doctors.

Ten days had passed, and “The Condor Heroes” was becoming ever more popular, rivaling the success of the previous play “Swordsman.” Mei Garden was packed at every performance.

People initially regretted that Linghu Chong and Ren Yingying could not share the stage again, but now everyone praised the pairing of Little Dragon Girl and Yang Guo as a match made in heaven. These were the topics of discussion after meals.

Compared to the booming success of Mei Garden, New Moon House was in dire straits. Not only was attendance dismal, but the investment was also largely sunk with little return. Huang Bin had stopped managing the business and spent his days at home sighing with frustration.

The manager came again today, and the moment Huang Bin saw him, he knew there was no good news. He said irritably, “What now? I’m trying to recover every day; why do you only seem to disturb me?!”

The manager bitterly smiled inwardly, thinking, how was it his intention to disturb him? It was Huang Bin who had thrown this mess onto him! Did he expect to hear good news from him every day?

“Master, we really can’t keep New Moon House running. Performing now is like doing it for free. We have no audience. This…” The manager spoke with difficulty.

Huang Bin clenched his teeth, veins throbbing, “Is it really that there are hardly any spectators?”

“Yesterday’s audience could be counted on one hand. What’s the point?” The manager spoke earnestly. “Each additional performance only adds to the losses. We should cut our losses quickly.”

“Doesn’t that mean admitting defeat to Mei Garden?” Huang Bin said unwillingly.

“You’ve already lost,” the manager thought to himself, but he didn’t dare say it out loud and remained silent.

“Enough, enough!” Huang Bin waved his hand irritably. “Stopping the play is fine by me. What’s the point of continuing to waste my silver every day!”

“Then I’ll go back and arrange for a grand finale. After performing it tomorrow, we can wrap things up.”

Huang Bin glared, “A grand finale? Will there be an audience? It seems the silver isn’t coming out of your pocket, is it?”

“Just end it abruptly? But that doesn’t seem right…”

“Do as I say! Get out, and don’t irritate me further with your whining!” Huang Bin said irritably, flicking his sleeve.

The manager dared not say more and sighed before leaving.

When Guo Yuehua learned of the decision to stop the play, she practically stood up with a start, crying out, “This sudden? Would the audience accept it?”

The messenger replied disdainfully, “Who would object? Are there really any viewers? You really think you’re something special!”

Guo Yuehua quickly said, “What about me? Did Huang Bin mention me? Is he planning to arrange a new play?”

The messenger glanced at her, already fed up with her prima donna attitude. He had no patience for her now.

“No, New Moon House is preparing to permanently close. Which other theatrical group in Chatu Town can survive besides Mei Garden? A new play? You think our master is a fool, huh? Look at what you’re performing. Even if he really starts a new play, he wouldn’t use you. Look at your acting skills and your current rotten reputation. Doesn’t everyone look at you as if you were performing in a monkey show?”

Guo Yuehua glared, about to erupt in anger, but the young servant, seemingly not afraid of her at all, turned around and walked away directly.

Guo Yuehua collapsed defeatedly into the Taishi Chair, her heart completely chilled.

“Besides Mei Garden, which other theater troupes in Chatu Town have survived?”

This sentence hit her like a stark warning, a heavy blow to her face. She didn’t even know what all the fuss with Qiao Muniang had been about in the first place. She had promised her so much, yet she stubbornly came here and now, looking like a beaten cur, she almost turned blue with regret.

Having had some idle days in the village, Muniang made a special visit to Mei Garden today, mainly to check the accounts. Zhong Yulang was in charge of everything else, and she trusted him. Although she knew there was little chance of Zhong Yulang fudging the books, it was nonetheless wise to be cautious, as not checking the accounts for an extended period could embolden even the faint-hearted.

Zhong Yulang had delivered the account books, and Muniang started to go through them one by one. Seeing the figures, her eyes sparkled with delight, “Not bad at all, the revenue is so good now.”

“Indeed, it’s quite substantial.”

“It seems you all have performed well, and the customers are really buying into it. Next time, I’ll distribute bonuses,” Muniang said with a smile.

Zhong Yulang understood well enough what a bonus was and nodded. Then, he said, “Lady, are you aware that New Moon House has halted performances?”

Muniang raised an eyebrow, “Closed down?”

“Yes.”

“That quickly? But then again, I expected it. Lousy plays like theirs were bound to fail at captivating the audience.”

No sooner had Muniang spoken these words than a high-pitched female voice was heard from outside.

“Let me in! How dare these servants not recognize me? I want to see the Lady; how dare you block my path!”

The young servant spoke with difficulty, “Lady didn’t give permission for entry, so I dare not let you in. Lady Guo, please go back.”

Guo Yuehua pushed the servant aside and barged in. The servant, unable to stop her in time, could only look to Muniang with distress. Muniang gestured, “You may step back for now.”

The servant acknowledged and immediately left.

Muniang eyed Guo Yuehua: “What brings you here?”

Guo Yuehua immediately burst into tears, “Lady, I want to come back to Mei Garden. I don’t want to stay at New Moon House anymore. Not a single person there respects me; they show me a long face every day. I truly can’t stand it any longer. Thinking back to all the kindness you’ve shown me, I feel like I was blind to have made such a mistake.”

Muniang replied indifferently, “Oh? Is it because they looked down on you there that you want to come back, or is it because New Moon House can no longer satisfy your ambition?”

Guo Yuehua’s expression faltered, not expecting Muniang’s bluntness, yet she still clenched her teeth and said, “Lady, it was my fault to have abandoned Mei Garden. But I was forced into a corner. That *** went out in a huff on the streets, only to be kidnapped by New Moon House’s people and brought before Huang Bin. He compelled me; I had no choice, Lady, believe me. I’ve always appreciated your kindness and the efforts you took to promote me. Even after our quarrel, how could I have betrayed you?”

Her words were touching, laced with sobs. If Muniang didn’t know of Guo Yuehua’s bad nature, she might have almost believed her.