Leaving the bustling main street of Notting City, Ning Dazhuang pushed the empty cart, his steps noticeably lighter than when they had arrived, as if the wheels no longer creaked.
He would occasionally reach up unconsciously to press against the hard, heavy spot on his chest, his face filled with a complex expression that mingled immense joy with a hint of unease.
Forty Gold Soul Coins!
Converted to Purple Soul Coins, that was still four—a sum that would have taken him years of hard work as a carpenter to save up!
And now, it had come so easily, all because of a “stone” his son had casually picked up by the river.
It felt unreal.
Ning Chuan walked quietly beside his father, wearing an appropriately excited expression for a boy his age, but his eyes held a deep clarity.
This money was but a drop in the bucket for his future plans, yet it was a crucial first step—enough to improve his family’s livelihood and provide initial material cover for his subsequent actions.
“Dad,” Ning Chuan stopped as they passed a butcher shop, pointing at several strips of well-marbled pork belly and a set of fresh pork bones hanging inside.
“Should we buy some meat and bones to take home?
Mom and Xiao He haven’t had meat in a long time.”
In the past, Ning Dazhuang would have hesitated for a long time, carefully counting his Copper Soul Coins, and might have only reluctantly bought the cheapest strip of fat to render for oil.
But today, after just a glance, he waved his hand grandly.
“Buy!
Pick the good ones!”
He took out his coin pouch, counted out several dozen Copper Soul Coins, and bought a full three catties of pork belly and a set of meaty bones.
The butcher wrapped them in dried lotus leaves—a heavy bundle that smelled richly of meat.
Next, Ning Dazhuang took Ning Chuan to a cloth shop.
Ignoring Ning Chuan’s protests of “we have enough clothes,” he insisted on buying several feet of sturdy, durable dark blue cotton cloth and a piece of soft cotton printed with delicate little flowers.
“This blue cloth is for making work clothes for you and me,” Ning Dazhuang said as he carefully wrapped the fabric, a satisfied smile on his face.
“This floral cloth is for your mother and Xiao He.
As for the rest of the money… we’ll need to hide it well.”
Finally, for the first time ever, he even stopped at a snack stall and bought a small packet of the cheapest malt candy for Ning Xiaohe, who had been eagerly hoping for tanghulu at home.
On the way back to the village, Ning Dazhuang became much more talkative.
Instead of pushing the cart in silence, he chattered on to Ning Chuan about his plans for the family.
“…We can’t spend the money recklessly; we need to save it.
Maybe later we can send Xiao He to the city to learn a trade… We’ll also need to prepare a betrothal gift for your marriage… Ah, if only you had Spirit Power too…”
By the end, his tone inevitably carried a hint of regret.
Ning Chuan simply listened quietly, nodding occasionally, but his thoughts were on entirely different matters.
As the sun set in the west, father and son returned to Holy Soul Village.
As soon as they entered the courtyard, Liu Lan, who was gathering the laundry, and Xiao He, who was squatting on the ground playing with pebbles, looked up.
“You’re back?
Did everything go smoothly?” Liu Lan set down the clothes and came forward, her eyes habitually scanning the cart first.
Seeing it was empty, she sighed in relief, but then noticed the large lotus leaf bundle in Ning Dazhuang’s hand and the cloth in Ning Chuan’s arms.
She paused.
“This… why did you buy so much? The source of this chapter is g.com.
And meat?”
Ning Xiaohe also ran over, tilting her little face up and sniffing hard with her nose, her bright eyes fixed on the meat bun in her father’s hand.
Ning Dazhuang couldn’t help but show a proud smile, yet he suppressed it, lowering his voice mysteriously.
“Let’s talk inside, let’s talk inside.”
The family of four entered the house and closed the door.
Ning Dazhuang first placed the cloth on the bed, then carefully handed the package of meat to Liu Lan.
Only then did he pull out the heavy money pouch from the innermost pocket of his robe.
Finally, taking a deep breath, he turned the pouch upside down and gave it a gentle shake.
Clink-clatter!
Four coins shimmering with a noble purple luster, their edges engraved with intricate patterns, along with a small pile of gleaming Gold Soul Coins, tumbled onto the rough wooden table.
Under the dim light of the oil lamp, they emitted an alluring glow!
“Ah!” Liu Lan suddenly covered her mouth, her eyes widening instantly as she stared in disbelief at the pile of coins on the table—especially those four Purple Soul Coins she had only heard of in legends!
Ning Xiaohe also opened her little mouth wide, looking from the money to her father and brother, her small face filled with bewildered shock.
“Where… where did all this money come from?
Dazhuang, you… you didn’t do anything…” Liu Lan’s voice trembled, her first reaction not joy but fear.
She grabbed her husband’s arm, her face turning pale.
The money from selling the furniture could never amount to this much!
“What nonsense are you thinking!” Ning Dazhuang quickly explained, unable to contain his excitement.
“It’s Xiao Chuan!
It’s that black stone Xiao Chuan picked up on the riverbank a few days ago!
Who knew it was actually a treasure!
At the Seven Treasures Pavilion in the city, the old master took one look and offered forty Gold Soul Coins!”
He then briefly recounted what had happened, emphasizing that it was their son who had found it and that the Seven Treasures Pavilion had made the offer willingly.
After hearing this, Liu Lan finally let out a long sigh of relief, patting her chest as a wave of lingering fear washed over her.
Then, immense joy surged up like a tide, making her eyes redden slightly.
She looked at Ning Chuan, her gaze filled with pride and disbelief.
“Xiao Chuan… you child, you really… really are lucky…”
With that, she pulled Ning Chuan into her arms and hugged him tightly.
Ning Chuan could feel his mother’s body trembling slightly.
Ning Xiaohe also snapped out of it, cheering as she rushed over and hugged her brother’s arm.
“Brother is amazing!”
After the excitement subsided, Ning Dazhuang’s expression turned serious as he lowered his voice.
“We must not tell anyone about this!
The village is full of gossip, and if word gets out, who knows what trouble it might bring.
We have to hide this money securely!”
“You’re right, we must keep it quiet.”
After a moment’s thought, she hurried to the corner of the room, moved aside an old clay pot, and dug out a small earthenware jar from beneath it.
She poured out the few dozen Copper Soul Coins inside, then carefully placed the four Purple Soul Coins and most of the Gold Soul Coins into the jar.
She buried it back in its original spot, even sprinkling a bit of dust on top as camouflage.
Only a few Gold Soul Coins and the Copper Soul Coins were left in a worn-out money pouch for daily expenses.
Once the money was hidden, Liu Lan looked at the large piece of pork belly and bones on the table, a genuine smile spreading across her face.
“Today, let’s splurge a little!
Xiao He, help your mother light the fire!”
“Okay!” Ning Xiaohe replied excitedly.
Soon, the simple kitchen was filled with the long-awaited, mouthwatering aroma of rich meat.
Liu Lan cut off the fatty parts to render lard, sprinkling a little salt on the crispy cracklings before serving them to Xiao He and Ning Chuan as snacks.
The savory crunch made Ning Xiaohe squint with delight.
The remaining lean meat and bones were stewed into a large pot of braised pork with potatoes.
The broth bubbled and simmered, filling the air with a rich aroma.
At dinner, the table was laden with an unprecedented feast.
There was a large bowl of glossy, tender braised pork with potatoes stewed to perfection, a plate of golden scrambled eggs, a bowl of milky-white bone broth, and even a small dish of greens stir-fried by Liu Lan using the newly bought lard.
Ning Dazhuang had even allowed Liu Lan to warm a small pot of the cheapest barley wine.
“Come, everyone, eat up!” Ning Dazhuang served each person a large piece of meat, especially piling Ning Chuan and Xiao He’s bowls high with it.
The family of four gathered around the small wooden table, eating this luxurious meal under the dim, warm glow of the lamp.
No one spoke, only the sounds of chewing and the occasional clink of bowls and chopsticks filled the room.
Yet, the air was thick with a grounded and heartwarming sense of happiness.
Ning Xiaohe ate until her mouth was shiny with grease, her little face flushed with contentment.
Liu Lan watched her husband and children devour the food, her eyes crinkling with a smile.
She couldn’t bear to eat much herself, constantly adding more meat to their bowls.
Ning Dazhuang took a sip of barley wine, his dark face glowing with a ruddy hue as he looked at his family with gratified eyes.
Ning Chuan ate quietly, savoring the simple yet genuine warmth.
The aroma of the meat and the smiles of his family temporarily dispelled the sense of hidden danger lurking in the shadows and lightened the weight of his plans, which surpassed his years.
This was what he wanted to protect.
After dinner, Ning Xiaohe hugged the malt candy her brother had bought for her and went to bed early, completely satisfied.
Ning Dazhuang and Liu Lan whispered under the lamp, discussing how to use this “windfall,” planning what to buy next, yet worrying about the future.
Ning Chuan returned to his small room and closed the door.
He didn’t immediately attempt to enter the dumpster.
Instead, he lay on the bed fully clothed, listening to the faint, rhythmic clanging from the blacksmith’s shop at the end of the village outside his window.
His heart was at peace.
He knew this was only the beginning.
The road ahead was long and perilous…