Boss Zhou's opera troupe came to the capital and performed for just three days, drawing crowds that emptied the streets.
Yet the troupe's best box had been reserved well in advance by a mysterious guest. No amount of money could buy it.
On the first day, Zhou Xiaoge appeared onstage and saw a beautiful young woman sitting in the box, waving at him. Then, with a clang, a huge gold ingot hit him on the head.
On the second day, Zhou Xiaoge appeared onstage and saw that same enchanting woman blowing him a kiss from the box. Then, with two clanging thuds, two huge gold ingots hit him on the head.
On the third day, Zhou Xiaoge wore a helmet just in case, but this time the woman didn't throw anything. He wondered to himself if his singing had been bad.
"Why aren't you giving me a tip, miss?" Boss Zhou asked boldly, blocking her way in the box.
Bai Xianhui gave him a sultry look. "I only have so much dowry. If I give you any more, all I can give you is myself."
Bai Xianhui fell into a brothel when she was young. Even after becoming its top courtesan, she always felt inferior to others. Every day, she hid in a corner of the theater, watching Zhou Xiaoge onstage, but she didn't even have the courage to call out her approval.
Later, she watched him fall from the clouds, abandoned by his senior brother, betrayed by his disciple, and trampled into the dirt. She wished she could suffer in his place.
After living again, Bai Xianhui dressed herself in finery and strode boldly up to Zhou Xiaoge.
This time, I'll take charge of your life.
--Bonus scene--
Everyone in the capital was saying that Boss Zhou and the top courtesan of Yangliu House had secretly pledged themselves to each other, and that he'd even written her a song as a token of his love.
Staring at the song he'd stayed up all night writing, still warm on the table, Zhou Xiaoge was baffled. He decided to find Bai Xianhui and ask her what was going on.
"We've never had anything to do with each other. How did you know the tune of my new composition?"
Bai Xianhui smiled. "You may not believe this, but in my previous life, you loved me deeply and could not have me, so you wrote this song to please me. Come, let me tell you all about it..."
Later, Zhou Xiaoge held a soft, fragrant beauty in his arms and found himself a little jealous of his past self. How did he get so lucky?
