: A powerful alliance doubles the value!

Liu Dong's eyes lit up instantly: "Great!"

They had to get to work quickly.

But she was a step too slow; Chen Xueru stood up first, saying, "Let me do it!"

Mei Lanfang took a sip of wine and smiled, "I'm not very good at painting, so how should I thank this young friend?"

As Qi Baishi wielded his brush, he said, "After I finish painting, you can inscribe it. Master Mei's opera singing is superb, and his calligraphy is also remarkably elegant!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Dong was overjoyed.

Mei Lanfang could also paint, but his paintings were not as valuable as his fame.

But what if Qi Baishi's painting was paired with Mei Lanfang's calligraphy?

That's different.

A powerful alliance doubles the value!

Qi Baishi felt exceptionally comfortable today.

After drinking that medicinal wine, Liu Dong's body felt completely transformed. Although he wasn't strong enough to carry heavy beams, at least he no longer needed crutches to get out of bed, and he could stand tall in front of his children.

In a good mood, with Mei Lanfang by his side, he picked up his brush and painted five shrimp pictures in one go before stopping. He put down his brush and said with a smile, "Alright! These five shrimp are for Xiao Liu. Thank you for helping me recover and allowing me to move again!"

Liu Dong quickly clasped his hands in a fist and bowed, saying, "No, no, this is nothing. I wouldn't dare accept such a generous gift from you. I should be the one thanking you!"

Qi Baishi glanced sideways at Mei Lanfang: "Wanhua, don't just stand there like an idiot, write an inscription!"

Mei Lanfang had already prepared, and he picked up his brush to add inscriptions to each painting, each stroke elegant and refined.

Then, the two of them stamped their seals, the ink smeared on them, the bright red ink striking.

In the blink of an eye, five lifelike shrimp paintings were created, each one worth its weight in gold.

"Great! That's fantastic!"

The tavern erupted in cheers as everyone clapped their hands, creating a deafening cacophony.

Vladimir and Elena also came running in to join the fun, chattering away.

Not long after, the two masters got up to take their leave.

But even after they left, the excitement didn't dissipate; the whole little shop was still bubbling like boiling water.

Xu Huizhen walked over, nodded to Liu Dong, and said sincerely, "This time, it's all thanks to you. Now, my little shop is bound to become famous!"

Liu Dong smiled and said, "Don't mention it. Your business is booming, and my pure brew is selling like hotcakes too. We can't do without each other."

"That's called a win-win situation!"

Suddenly, Chen Xueru interjected, her voice tinged with sarcasm, "Then I'll stock some of your wine and sell it at my silk shop!"

Xu Huizhen immediately stopped her: "Hey, stop! That stuff is strong liquor, it catches fire instantly. Your pile of fabric will burn down to ashes!"

Chen Xueru stiffened her neck: "Hey, do you need to tell me? I know exactly what I'm doing!"

"You can keep arguing," Liu Dong said, picking up the wine jar and turning around. "I'm going to have a chat with Old Cai..."

He walked to the corner, squatted down next to Cai Quanwu, and handed him a bowl of wine: "Here, have a sip, let's chat."

Cai Quanwu's eyelids twitched: What's this guy up to?

"Old Cai!" Liu Dong grinned, "Let's have a heart-to-heart talk, you and I."

"Uh..." Cai Quanwu forced a simple smile and waved his hand, "I won't touch alcohol. I'm a coward and I'm afraid I'll get addicted."

"Don't worry!" Liu Dong shoved the bowl into his hand. "This isn't medicinal wine; it's just ordinary bulk wine from Huizhen's shop. It won't make you hallucinate!"

"Ouch..." Cai Quanwu couldn't refuse, so he had no choice but to take a sip.

Liu Dong cut to the chase: "Old Cai, you're not simple-minded, are you?"

Cai Quanwu was taken aback: "What do you mean by 'not simple at all'? I'm just a laborer in Beijing, carrying loads to make a living, I don't know anything."

"Can you read?" Liu Dong pressed.

"I don't recognize you!" Cai Quanwu immediately shook his head. "You're completely blind!"

"Stop acting, Cai Quanwu!" Liu Dong stared at him. "Before Liberation, your family was quite wealthy. You were educated from a young age, and you even went to junior high school, right?"

"Then the Japanese invaded, and your family fell into ruin, which is why you've ended up like this today, right?"

"You're so fake!"

Liu Dong pointed at him with one finger, his voice not loud, but it was so forceful that it made it hard for the man to breathe.

Cai Quanwu's face turned several shades pale.

At this moment, Xu Huizhen and Chen Xueru also came over.

"What's wrong?" Xu Huizhen frowned. "Weren't you said you were illiterate? How come you went to junior high school?"

"Old Cai, you weren't telling me the truth before!"

Cai Quanwu shrugged: "Boss lady, you didn't ask!"

Xu Huizhen paused for a moment, then nodded in agreement: "It really is... I had a preconceived notion that you were just a laborer, who knew you had even gone to middle school!"

Liu Dong continued, "That's strange. The country is just starting out, and there's a shortage of people everywhere. With only a junior high school education, you could easily get a decent job!"

"Why don't you go to work? Why are you pulling a tricycle and carrying sacks here?"

Don't forget what year this is—the early 1950s!

Our Soviet big brother supported us with more than 150 key projects. People across the country who could read and write were eager to use our talents. Being able to write and calculate was a highly sought-after skill!

Graduating from junior high school is considered being educated.

Upon hearing Liu Dong's words, Xu Huizhen frowned: "Cai Quanwu, you have absolutely no ambition!"

"There's no future in making a living by brute force. Isn't it better to find a proper job?"

Chen Xueru chimed in, "With your education, getting a factory job would be a piece of cake!"

"Yes!" Liu Dong said with genuine concern, as if he were truly worried for him. "You're almost forty; you can't keep wasting your life like this. I'll introduce you to a good job later!"

Cai Quanwu listened silently, then suddenly stood up and said calmly, "You're all right, but there's no need to trouble yourself. I'll go find it myself."

After saying that, he turned and left without looking back.

His plan collapsed.

Liu Dong didn't expose him in public, but a few words of provocation had already planted a seed in Xu Huizhen's heart—this person is lazy and has no ambition.

Still trying to win people over with an honest appearance?

No way.

Cai Quanwu had no choice but to admit defeat and retreat.

In fact, he already had a job with an official title at the bus company. The titles like "carrier" and "tricycle driver" were all just for show.

Once the person left, Liu Dong had achieved his goal, so he didn't linger any longer and left as well.

……

The news of Qi Baishi and Mei Lanfang painting in a small tavern spread like wildfire throughout the alleyways.

This place is no longer just a place for drinking and chatting; it has become a wonderful place with stories, human touch, and unique skills.

Add to that the incredibly mellow and fragrant pure brew, and you won't want to leave once you've arrived.

In just three days, Xu Huizhen's tavern was packed with customers, with tables and chairs set up on the street and customers having to wait in line.

She couldn't hold on any longer! She had no choice but to turn her backyard into a storefront for her business.

Xu Hui's business was booming, and money was flowing in like water.

Liu Dong wasn't idle either; he counted money until his hands were sore.

In the past, he would only sell one jar of wine every ten days or so, and nobody paid any attention to him.

Now, all the famous people in the city are coming to his door, just to have a sip of his "divine brew".

He's currently selling a jar of his pure brew almost every day.