Chapter 25: I’m So Damn Unlucky

The stone table and stools arrived on two ox-carts. Four stonemasons carried them through the gate and placed them under the jujube tree, as instructed by Ji Yuan.

The table, stools, and labor cost Ji Yuan one silver tael, making it the most expensive purchase among his recent expenses. After placing the items and collecting their remaining payment, the four stonemasons promptly left Jū'ān Pavilion. Ji Yuan didn't even get a chance to offer them water.

With a place to rest, Ji Yuan sat on the stone stool in the courtyard, watching the people busy themselves in the main and side rooms. From time to time, he would go over and instruct them on where to place things.

Ji Yuan thought to himself, "These ancient market vendors actually have quite a strong professional ethic; they work so efficiently!"

He observed the cleaning crew—the women and men—and was struck by their incredible diligence. They had initially estimated it would take half a day for a thorough clean, but given how hard they were working, drenched in sweat, Ji Yuan now guessed they would be done in just over an hour.

Interestingly, some shops that delivered goods, like the bedding seller, wouldn't even enter the gate. Other shop assistants would carry items in, collect their remaining payment, and then leave promptly, barely speaking or glancing around, as if they were in a great hurry.

Only the hired cleaners seemed relatively normal. They worked bustlingly and efficiently, and if anyone tried to chat, their supervisor would stop them. Ji Yuan wondered if their work discipline was always this strict.

"Ancient people are truly diligent!" Ji Yuan mused.

Ji Yuan sighed with emotion, then propped his chin in his hand and continued to stare blankly.

The cleaning process was essentially one of thorough dusting: all rooms were dusted, then wiped down with wet towels and mops. Someone also specifically re-pasted the paper on the windows.

Out of curiosity, Ji Yuan specifically touched the paper with his hand and found it to be incredibly tough, similar to the oiled paper used for umbrellas. It wasn't at all like in TV shows where a bit of saliva could puncture it; it could withstand wind and rain without any issue.

***

After some unknown period, Ji Yuan, who had been yawning while listening to the bustling activity in the rooms, suddenly felt a chill. He instinctively turned his head towards the well, frowning as he stared at it for a long time.

The well cover had been removed for cleaning, as water was needed. Ji Yuan had just felt a coolness emanating from that direction, and now, looking at it, the well's surface appeared very dark, though he wasn't sure if it was just because of the tree's shadow.

As Ji Yuan's eyes widened slightly, the shadows beneath the well's surface looked increasingly unsettling, giving him an eerie and ominous feeling.

For some reason, he found himself recalling horror movies he had watched in his previous life, which sent shivers down Ji Yuan's spine.

"I'm just scaring myself," he thought.

He rubbed his arms, forcing himself to stop his wild imaginings.

"Mr. Ji, Mr. Ji?"

At that moment, a seemingly deafening voice echoed as if from the horizon, startling Ji Yuan.

Ji Yuan's body jolted, and he woke with a start, realizing he had fallen asleep leaning on the stone table.

He turned his head and saw that the hired cleaning crew, all eight of them, were standing beside him in the courtyard, holding their buckets and tools.

"Mr. Ji," one of them said, "we've finished cleaning. Would you like to take a look?"

"Finished cleaning? That fast?"

"Uh, hehe, yes," the cleaner chuckled. "Please take a look. If you're not satisfied, we can clean it some more."

Since they had put it that way, Ji Yuan stood up from the stone stool.

"Alright, I'll take a look!"

He toured the various rooms, occasionally running his hand along window sills, checking under beds, and inspecting every corner. It was all quite clean.

Earlier that day, when he was hiring, many people had refused to come, citing the distance to the corner of Tianniu Square. Ji Yuan had to double the price to get this team, but now it seemed they were well worth the money.

When he returned to the courtyard, the group was standing there, waiting.

"Excellent work," he said. "You all worked very hard."

Ji Yuan took out his money bag and arranged a pile of Dangwu Tongbao coins. He counted forty in front of them, then added two more on top.

"This is your payment," he said. "The extra ten coins are for tea!"

"Thank you, Mr. Ji!" they chorused. "Thank you so much, Mr. Ji!"

"Well then, we'll be heading off now?"

Amidst their chorus of thanks, the leader quickly scooped up the money and bade farewell.

"Alright, alright, take care!"

Ji Yuan adopted a refined and elegant demeanor, smiling and nodding. After all, he hadn't yet had a chance to show off his new look and needed to practice.

The helpers' reactions, both before and after, were consistently enthusiastic, making it hard to tell if their demeanor was due to the money or Ji Yuan's elegant presence.

It wasn't until the group's footsteps had faded into the distance that Ji Yuan faintly heard some muffled, fragmented discussions.

"This house is actually quite good!"

"Hey, Mr. Ji is a decent fellow; he seems quite learned!"

"The name of this residence sounds vaguely familiar..."

Hearing this, the leader simply urged them on.

"Enough talk! Let's go, quickly, quickly!"

"You can't tell how old that gentleman is, but he's really handsome!"

"Still talking? Let's go! What good is being handsome?"

Ji Yuan was quite satisfied to hear those last few comments, though he wondered what "can't tell his age" implied—could they have thought he looked old? And "What good is being handsome?" he mused. "It's certainly better than being unattractive!"

The sun was setting in the west, and dusk was approaching.

Although the furnishings in the rooms were still relatively simple, they were at least fully equipped. Ji Yuan sat in the courtyard, once again lost in thought.

It was a pity there was no internet or mobile phone, nor were there any naive young heroes constantly seeking him out and calling him "Mr. Ji."

"Sigh, I feel a bit lonely... hiss..."

As he sighed, Ji Yuan suddenly turned his head nervously towards the well. He stood up, walked over to it, grabbed the wooden cover, and with a decisive thud, placed it back over the well opening.

"Phew... that's much better," he muttered. "I should have watched fewer damn horror movies in my last life; I'm just scaring myself!"

***

In the middle of the night, the watchman's voice carried far through the silent air, reaching Ji Yuan's ears.

"Dong... dong dong..."

"All's well~~~~"

"Dong... dong dong..."

"All's well~~~~"

For some reason, Ji Yuan tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep. He tried counting sheep, doing exercises, and various other methods, but nothing seemed to work.

When the watchman struck his clapper, Ji Yuan, with his eyes closed, realized he had somehow stayed awake until the third watch; he knew that three knocks indicated this time.

Although this was only equivalent to a little past 11 PM, it got dark early here, and there were no entertainment options, so going to bed and waking up early was the established norm.

"Could it be that I'm sensitive to new beds?" he wondered. "Or am I just too excited about finally having a house?"

As he pondered this, Ji Yuan suddenly noticed the temperature dropping considerably.

"Creak... creak... creak..."

A faint creaking sound, like old wood, emanated from the courtyard beyond his door. It was very light, yet it certainly didn't escape Ji Yuan's ears.

Ji Yuan froze, remaining absolutely still and listening intently, hoping it was just his imagination.

"Creak..."

"Thud..."

It was the sound of the stone, which had been weighing down the wooden cover, falling to the ground. Ji Yuan's heart gave a violent lurch, mirroring the thud of the stone.

The wooden cover was pushed aside, and dense, thick hair began to overflow from the well opening...

"Gulp..."

As the chill intensified, Ji Yuan swallowed hard, then slowly and quietly pulled the quilt over his head.

"Oh, my god," he thought. "I can't be this unlucky! Damn that broker!"