Chapter 231: Teach Us to Dance
Auntie Houjun said eagerly, “I mean it, really!”
“Little sister, you have no idea. Back when I lived in the city, I attended a senior academy. There were twelve dance classes a semester, and I never missed a single one!”
“It’s a pity Jinmen Town is still too small. There are a few dance training schools, but they only accept children. I’ve never seen one for elderly folks.”
“Even if there were, it wouldn’t be convenient for us living in the village.”
Auntie Houjun pulled over her newly formed Lu’an Village square-dancing squad, and they all swarmed around Ruan Xiang.
“You’ll be staying here for a few days, right? Can you teach us to dance?”
Auntie Houjun was from the big city and knew the proper etiquette, so she quickly added, “We won’t take up your time for nothing. We’ll pay, alright?”
Ruan Xiang looked at Jian Xingxia in utter bewilderment.
Jian Xingxia was also quite surprised—she had just obtained the Manor Academy and had only set up its virtual placement location. Before the construction crew had even arrived, an immediate demand for teaching had suddenly popped up right here?
She had originally thought the Scholar would be the first to teach a class, so she hadn’t been in any rush.
But looking at things now, Ruan Xiang was going to open a class first!
Jian Xingxia was absolutely thrilled.
It was just that the class fee was hard to determine. She had never attended this kind of interest class, training school, or senior academy, so she didn’t know how to price it appropriately.
But Auntie Houjun knew!
Auntie Houjun could tell Ruan Xiang was Xiaoxia’s friend and would defer to Xiaoxia’s arrangements, so she pulled her over to discuss it together.
“At our senior academy, it was five hundred and sixty yuan per term, with twelve classes over three months. That averages out to less than fifty yuan a class.”
“But over there, they have a proper dance studio, and it’s more convenient in the city. Here in the village, the ones learning with me are all village grandmas and aunties. How about we make it a bit cheaper… forty yuan a class?”
Auntie Houjun felt a little self-conscious as she spoke.
Sometimes, because a place was remote and didn’t have many customers, the price would be exceptionally cheap.
But other times, precisely because it was remote and lacked a customer base, the cost per person would rise, making the price much higher instead.
Auntie Houjun split the difference and suggested forty.
Jian Xingxia narrowed her eyes, quietly running the math in her head.
“No need for that much. Let’s make it thirty yuan a class. We’ll provide a dance studio too, though that will take a few days. I’ve contacted a construction crew, but they haven’t arrived yet.”
“A construction crew? You hired one?” Auntie Houjun, Auntie Lu, and the others were all dumbfounded.
“When did you hire them?”
“A few days ago. Isn’t life in the mountains a bit too dull with nothing fun to do? So, I thought about building a small single-story house to teach some traditional arts and skills.”
Jian Xingxia said with a bright smile, “I’ve already submitted a report to Party Secretary Hu and Director Qi. It’s being approved, probably within the next couple of days.”
She had indeed submitted the report, though she didn’t know exactly when it would be approved.
Fortunately, Hu Da had helped her check it out. The land near the old house wasn’t classified as agricultural land or forestry; it belonged to Jian Xingxia’s grandmother, so legally speaking, a house could be built there.
With the current rural revitalization and targeted poverty alleviation policies, they could use a fast-track channel for an all-in-one approval process.
Auntie Houjun was overjoyed. “That is just wonderful, truly wonderful! Our Lu’an Village will finally become lively, and more people will join the square-dancing at night!”
Jian Xingxia chuckled. “Yes, so everyone, don’t worry. Experiential courses like traditional dance, bamboo weaving, calligraphy, and specialty snacks will be rolled out one after another in the future. As for the price, there will be a discount for our villagers, but the timing will have to coordinate with the manor’s business operations.”
To be precise, it had to coordinate with the times the temporary workers could come.
Auntie Houjun and the others nodded repeatedly. “We understand, we understand!”
Auntie Houjun was the happiest of them all. She had been too embarrassed to mention that the other aunties her age in the village were truly terrible dancers, and she had wanted to recruit a team to enter a competition!
In the end, she had only managed to scrape together five or six people, let alone hiring a professional teacher.
She hadn’t expected to stumble upon such a golden opportunity today—Xiaoxia’s manor was going to open an experiential class for traditional dance!
That was absolutely fantastic!
The manor stayed lively for the entire day. Jian Xingxia saw everyone off down the mountain, giving them some of the fruit produced in the greenhouses over the last few days as a parting gift.
On this side, Ruan Xiang’s shift was about to end.
Full of anticipation, Jian Xingxia handed the handmade essential oil soap to Ruan Xiang. “Try it again. You can definitely carry it back this time.”
Previously, because she hadn’t performed, she hadn’t fulfilled her work duties, which was probably why she couldn’t take it back, right?
Surely she could now.
However, Ruan Xiang tried holding it. “Still no.”
“Huh? What’s going on?” Jian Xingxia thought left and right, and suddenly remembered—Ruan Xiang had signed a deed of sale!
Good heavens!
In disbelief, she pulled up the system and issued an inquiry.
[The employee’s status is a slave of the Dayong Dynasty, and she has undergone judicial punishment from the local authorities. Holding a dual status as a slave and a criminal convict, the recommended remuneration is no higher than 0.5 yuan per hour.]
Jian Xingxia: “…”
She was completely speechless. Previously, Da Hei and Shang Yue—one a slave and the other a criminal—had both received very low wages.
It seemed the system strongly preferred hiring law-abiding, down-to-earth temporary workers. Once someone broke the law, the consequences were severe.
But she had never expected that Ruan Xiang would also fall into this category.
Ruan Xiang had only committed perjury in court, but she was still recognized by the system as a “person who committed a crime.”
Jian Xingxia felt a little miserable. “I’m sorry, Ruan Xiang. Your wage is much lower than I imagined… If you want to carry items away, you might have to work much longer at the manor…”
She truly couldn’t bear it. Ruan Xiang was so good, yet so tragic—why couldn’t she get a higher wage?
But Ruan Xiang snapped her head up. “Manor Owner, are you saying I can stay at the manor for a longer time?”
Jian Xingxia nodded. “Yes. Today, I recruited you based on Shaoyin’s standards, hiring you for only six hours… Sigh, from now on, you’ll have to come to the manor for sixteen hours a day just to earn four yuan in wages.”
Jian Xingxia felt that even Zhou the Skinflint wasn’t as black-hearted as the system.
Now she was forced to be a black-hearted boss right along with it.
Yet Ruan Xiang’s eyes were full of pure joy. Lightly grasping Jian Xingxia’s hand, she asked with a trembling voice, “Manor Owner, are you saying that the next time I come, I can stay at the manor for sixteen hours?”
“Uh, yes.”
It was just that the wages were too low.
“No, no, no, it’s not low at all,” Ruan Xiang let out her first truly happy smile of the day. “I like it very much! I am willing to stay at the manor!”
It was just a pity that the Manor Owner said she couldn’t come every single day, but only once every interval of time.
But being able to come for sixteen hours at a time made Ruan Xiang completely ecstatic.
She loved the manor; she loved the peace, the tranquility, and everyone here.
Compared to the Dayong Dynasty, this place was infinitely better.
Jian Xingxia froze. She hadn’t expected that what Ruan Xiang cared about most was actually this… Come to think of it, she had already resolved to seek death, so money probably wasn’t that important to her anymore.
She just wanted to stay at the manor.
Jian Xingxia’s tears were on the verge of falling. Could she please be granted a few more slots for regular employees!
