Duan Rong and Kong Bin, each carrying a bundle, followed behind Zhao Mu, walking briskly.
Thinking of the wonderful expression on Old Sun's face when he heard about his promotion to apprentice, Duan Rong secretly felt pleased, finally releasing the evil fire that had been suppressed for several days.
This Old Sun was just like those perverse frontline managers in Duan Rong's previous life, only knowing how to exploit disciples like him doing miscellaneous tasks, while he loafed around himself.
Yuan Shun Escort Agency is divided into the front courtyard, the central courtyard, and the back courtyard.
Duan Rong's martial arts practice room and the horse stable where he worked were both in the front courtyard, and generally, disciples doing miscellaneous tasks were not qualified to enter the central or back courtyards.
Zhao Mu led Duan Rong and Kong Bin to the moon gate that connected the front courtyard to the central courtyard.
As Zhao Mu approached, a guard with a knife in front of the moon gate smiled and said, "Little Mu, where are you headed?"
"Brother Liu, is today your shift? Well, these two are the newly promoted apprentices, and I'm taking them to learn the ropes."
Zhao Mu greeted the guard with a smile and chatted a bit, then led Duan Rong and Kong Bin into the central courtyard.
This was Duan Rong and Kong Bin's first time entering the central courtyard, and they couldn't help but look around curiously.
In the central courtyard, the houses were orderly, and bamboo groves were hidden away, clearly different from the chaos of the front courtyard.
Zhao Mu took Duan Rong and Kong Bin to the central courtyard's management office to obtain waist tags and dormitory keys.
With the waist tags, they could freely enter and exit the central courtyard in the future.
And the keys had dormitory numbers on them, marked with the characters C7 and D3 respectively.
Zhao Mu patiently led them to their respective dormitories, instructing them to first place the bundles inside.
After being promoted to apprentice, there was a single-person dormitory, although it was simple and cold, it was much better than a communal bed.
They weren't in the same courtyard, but the C Courtyard and D Courtyard were adjacent.
The dormitory courtyard had a door that led to a row of low houses side by side. The two each found their room and placed their bundles inside.
Zhao Mu showed them the dormitories and then walked towards Xiao Zongting's place, pointing to a shadow wall along the way and saying that around the corner was the central courtyard's dining hall, and the meals were much better than those in the front courtyard.
To the east of the dining hall was the Martial Arts Arena in the central courtyard, where the two could practice their skills.
Zhao Mu didn't actually have to explain everything so thoroughly, but he was in a particularly good mood today, Xiao Zongting had taught him well, relieving the burden he had been bearing in his heart.
Thus, the more Zhao Mu looked at Duan Rong, the more pleasing he found him, and couldn't help but say more, leaving a good impression.
Zhao Mu led Duan Rong and Kong Bin to Xiao Zongting's courtyard, a well-situated residence in the central courtyard, with a two-entry courtyard, simple and refined.
With Zhao Mu leading the two as they stepped into the courtyard, they saw a thirteen or fourteen-year-old girl in red clothes, whose body had not yet matured, tightly clutching the wooden bucket's beam, carrying a bucket of water.
The bucket was almost as wide as her waist, swaying from side to side in front of her, occasionally spilling splashes of water...
Seeing the girl in red, Zhao Mu called out, "Xiaoqi, tell Elder Xiao I've brought people."
The girl only turned her face slightly and carried the bucket into the back courtyard.
Duan Rong felt puzzled, not knowing whether the girl had responded, but seeing Zhao Mu leisurely admiring the scenery, Duan Rong felt his worry might be unnecessary.
Sure enough, before long, the girl in red came out, gave Zhao Mu a look, and said, "Go in, Elder Xiao's having tea in the study in the back courtyard."
"Thanks a lot, Xiaoqi," Zhao Mu happily responded, and Duan Rong had not seen him so enthusiastic since arriving.
Zhu Xiaoqi was amused by Zhao Mu's comical appearance, gave him a glare, wiped her wet little hands on the apron before her, and turned to collect sun-drying lentils on the stone steps in the front courtyard.
Duan Rong then took a good look at Zhu Xiaoqi's appearance, she was short, rather small, with a sharp chin, a slightly yellow complexion, and beneath her dark black eyes was a patch of freckles, but those little lips were moist and tender, like freshly peeled lychees.
"Did you see that young lady? So young, she's handling all of the chores inside and outside this courtyard by herself. This girl, her hands are all calloused... alas... if I were to marry, I'd marry someone like her..."
Zhao Mu muttered all the way, rather excitedly.
Duan Rong chuckled silently, seeing that Zhao Mu seemed quite interested in Xiaoqi.
Zhao Mu led Duan Rong and Kong Bin to the door of the study in the back courtyard.
Zhao Mu stood at the door and called, "Elder Xiao, their dormitories have been arranged, and I've brought the people to you."
Xiao Zongting took a sip of tea, spat out the tea leaves, lifted an eyelid, and said, "Come in."
Zhao Mu was about to lead Duan Rong and Kong Bin through the door.
Xiao Zongting glanced over and said, "I said let them in, you can get lost!"
Zhao Mu, far from being angry, happily clasped his hands, "Elder Xiao, then I'll take my leave first."
Xiao Zongting, placing down the tea dish, didn't answer.
Zhao Mu pushed Duan Rong's shoulder and gestured toward an empty spot diagonally opposite Xiao Zongting, then quickly ran to the front courtyard.
Duan Rong turned his head to glance at Zhao Mu's departing figure, a smile flickering briefly across his brow.
He was sure that Zhao Mu was certainly running back to the front courtyard to find the girl called Xiaoqi.
Duan Rong stepped over the threshold and obediently stood opposite Xiao Zongting, with Kong Bin following closely and standing side by side with him.
Xiao Zongting's gaze swept over Duan Rong and Kong Bin, both felt a chill run through their hearts.
Xiao Zongting stood up, limping toward the door.
Duan Rong watched Xiao Zongting's back, feeling puzzled, not knowing why he always felt a little scared of this skinny, limping old man.
Facing this old man felt like having the muzzle of a gun pointed at your forehead, making you involuntarily start to shiver and feel nervous.
Xiao Zongting reached the door, pressed a hand on the door frame, leaned half out, and shouted, "Rongyi, bring over two contracts!"
Xiao Zongting shouted, then limped back to the tea table, leisurely sipping tea.
Before long, a figure in purple stepped into the room.
It was a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl wearing purple clothes, with a graceful stature and a lovely form, except her fair face had an expression of unshakable melancholy.
Xiao Baijiao extended her lotus-like arm, placed two contracts on the table, and turned away with a fragrant breeze, gracefully leaving.
Duan Rong and Kong Bin were stunned there for a moment.
Kong Bin can be excused, but Duan Rong, having lived two lives and even owned a 200G hard drive in his past life, was also stunned there.
Duan Rong turned to look at the empty door, while at this moment, Kong Bin remained like a stone man, dazed.
"So pure yet alluring!"
Duan Rong sighed, somewhat envious as he looked at the skinny old man before him.
He had already learned from Zhao Mu that Xiao Zongting's wife had passed away, leaving behind two daughters.
His elder daughter Xiao Yu was a famous heroine in Xianggu County and had recently followed the Escort Team to Ruyang Prefecture for escort duties.
His second daughter Xiao Baijiao was often ill from childhood, unable to practice martial arts, and grew up in the inner chamber, rarely going out.
Merely from Xiao Baijiao's appearance and charm, one could imagine the splendid demeanor of Xiao's wife in her days.
"This old man really has good fortune!"
Xiao Zongting looked at Duan Rong and Kong Bin, pointed to the pen and ink pad on the table, and coldly said, "Sign the contracts, remember to make the hand seals!"