Immortality begins in Goose City

Chapter 58 Acrobatic Troupe

"But when I saw him today, he seemed completely different from what you'd told me and the rumors I'd heard!"

"He doesn't seem like a spoiled brat at all; on the contrary... he's quite interesting."

Lu Yu leaned against the car window, watching the street scene recede into the distance.

"It's just a good disguise." Her voice was indifferent.

"I know him better than anyone. I've known him since I was a child."

"A gambler, a womanizer, a bully—who in Goose Town doesn't know the infamous name of Young Master Huang?"

"It's just that I've learned my lesson recently and become a bit smarter, so I know to restrain myself now."

"Oh?" Murong Xue tilted her head, her eyes curving into crescents. "Then wouldn't you two be considered... childhood sweethearts?"

"Pah!" Lu Yu spat, a look of disgust on her face. "Who said he was her childhood sweetheart? I wish I could..."

She paused for a moment before speaking.

"Xiaoxue, Goose City is in complete disarray."

"The Huang family held absolute power, and the people suffered terribly, yet no one dared to resist, leaving them at their mercy."

Murong Xue giggled and patted her on the shoulder: "Xiaoyu, what are you saying?"

"In Goose City, besides the Huang family, there are only your Lu family and the Li family."

"So, according to you, isn't your Lu family also oppressing the people?"

Lu Yu fell silent, looked down at the hem of her skirt, and slowly said.

"Yes, that's why the world is so rotten."

"That's why we exist, that's why the National Salvation Society exists, isn't it?"

Murong Xue grasped Lu Yu's hand.

"Believe in the Salvation Society, and we will surely be able to change this rotten world."

"However, we also need to win over families like the Huang family, don't we?"

Lu Yu remained silent for a long time without saying a word.

Silence fell over the carriage.

Only the monotonous rumble of wheels rolling over the stone pavement echoed.

……

As night falls, the lights of Goose City begin to illuminate the city.

Huang Shujian left the Huang family manor with Xiu'er and Zhao Ming.

This time, instead of taking a carriage, the three of them walked towards the apricot and pear orchard.

The summer night breeze felt pleasantly on my face.

Xiuer seemed particularly excited, walking ahead and chattering incessantly:

"Young master, young master, this afternoon I saw those little monkeys from the acrobatic troupe running all over the streets!"

"Carrying flags and banging small gongs, they were quite the show-off!"

"They said there's only one big performance tonight, and they're leaving tomorrow!"

She turned around, her eyes sparkling.

"I heard there are tons of shows going on, and oh yeah..." she lowered her voice, a hint of mystery and curiosity in it, "I heard they even clear the place out late at night!"

"They kicked the kids and the young wife out, they're going to be on a 'cool' show! I wonder what that is..."

She herself was only a teenager, and she was full of imagination about these taboo and exciting things. As she spoke, she couldn't help but gently shake Zhao Ming's hand.

Zhao Ming, pulled along by her, looked somewhat confused: "Don't a variety show troupe always want as many audience members as possible? Why are you trying to drive them away?"

Xiuer chuckled and whispered in her ear, "Da Ming'er, some shows aren't for kids! They're for adults!"

"Me neither... I've seen it either, I don't know what it's like."

Just then, a clear gong sounded from the street ahead, accompanied by laughter and chatter from the crowd.

Three monkeys wearing red vests and melon-shaped hats hopped and skipped out of the alley.

The two monkeys in front each had a small triangular flag tied to their backs. One flag read, "Tonight at 8 PM, Xingliyuan, Zhao's Acrobatics."

The other side reads "Monkey jumping through a hoop of fire, beautiful snake, crane fortune teller..."

The last little monkey carried a small basket woven from bamboo strips. Whenever it saw someone, it would nimbly do a somersault, then hold the basket in its two front paws and raise it in front of the passerby. Its bright black eyes blinked, and it made squeaking sounds, as if asking for a reward.

This novel and interesting scene immediately attracted many passersby to stop and watch.

Some people found it amusing and took out a few copper coins from their pockets, dropping them into the bamboo basket with a clinking sound.

Some people took out their own dry food and fruit, broke off a small piece and threw it in.

Upon receiving the reward, the little monkey immediately bowed and kowtowed, even doing two somersaults on the spot, making the adults and children watching laugh heartily and marvel.

"Oh! Little monkey!" Xiu'er's eyes lit up, and she immediately let go of Zhao Ming and ran over excitedly to see.

When the three little monkeys saw that someone else was coming, they worked even harder.

Two monkeys carrying flags began performing simple acrobatics, banging gongs and tossing balls.

The little monkey carrying the bamboo basket hopped and skipped over to Xiuer, holding the basket high.

Xiuer was overjoyed and quickly took out three copper coins from the small pouch at her waist and carefully put them into the bamboo basket.

After thinking for a moment, he felt it wasn't enough, so he counted out a dozen more copper coins. This time, instead of putting them into the bamboo basket, he stuffed them directly into the little monkey's furry paws.

"I'll buy you some more bananas!"

The little monkey paused for a moment, looked down at the copper coin in its paw, then looked up at Xiuer, as if it understood something, and became even more excited!

It stuffed the coins into the pocket of its vest, then not only bowed, but also performed a series of backflips with fluid movements that amazed the audience.

"Amazing!" Xiuer clapped her hands, watching with great interest.

Looking at the monkeys that seemed to understand human emotions, Zhao Ming smiled gently, "They're really smart."

Huang Shujian simply stood not far away, quietly watching this scene with a faint smile on his face.

Only after the little monkeys finished their performance and hopped off to the next target did Xiuer reluctantly return, still muttering to herself:

"These little monkeys are so cute! I don't know how the acrobatic troupe trains them; they don't even need anyone to watch them."

The three continued on their way.

The closer you get to the apricot orchard, the more people there are on the street.

Many of them brought their families or friends, all heading in the same direction.

Clearly, the Zhao family's acrobatic troupe's publicity was very effective. Goose City hadn't had any outside acrobatic performances for a long time, and everyone wanted something new.

The area in front of Xingliyuan was bustling with activity.

In addition to the audience waiting to enter, a circle of small stalls were set up in the open space at the entrance.

There were vendors selling candied hawthorns, blowing sugar figurines, sculpting dough figurines, and selling inexpensive but novel little toys...

The vendors were all dressed in the same colorful juggling troupe costumes, clearly members of the troupe, trying to earn some extra money before the show started.

These stalls are the most popular with children, and they are always surrounded by crowds of people.

Xiuer looked at the bright red candied hawthorns coated with glistening sugar and couldn't help but swallow.

She was about to pull Zhao Ming to buy some when her gaze suddenly swept over the sugar-blowing stall, and her eyes lit up!

"Da Ming'er! Look!" She tugged at Zhao Ming's sleeve, her tone teasing, "You've met your match!"

Zhao Ming was puzzled and followed her gaze.

The stall owner selling sugar figurines was a woman in her early thirties.

She was also dressed in the colorful costumes of a juggling troupe, but what was most striking was her extremely impressive figure.