“Look at yourself, so worn out. You haven’t rested properly in days, have you? Can’t even eat a full meal—what kind of life is that?”
“I told you to bring the child and come back to your family home long ago. You didn’t listen and insisted on staying with the Xu family!”
Zhou Zhiyuan’s heart ached the moment he saw his daughter, but his words remained harsh. If he didn’t speak firmly, this daughter of his wouldn’t listen.
“There are elderly and children at home… If I left, how would they survive? You too, Father…”
Yun Niang lowered her head and mumbled softly. She had no temper when facing her own father. Shen Yourong stayed silent, unsure of what to say.
But Xu Changnian was clearly displeased. What did he mean by not eating a full meal—was he looking down on them?
“It’s fine to be filial to your father-in-law, but what kind of bastard is that Xu Changnian? Why are you still caring about him? He’ll drag you down sooner or later!”
Zhou Zhiyuan pointed his finger as he kept scolding Yun Niang, dragging Xu Changnian into it as well.
How could he put up with that? Xu Changnian placed his hands on his hips, about to speak when Yun Niang shot him a warning glance—‘You dare argue with my father?’
Xu Changnian: (=ＴェＴ=)
“I can’t stop you anymore. Take this money.”
“If it gets too hard, just take your daughter and come back. Your two brothers are doing well in the county. We’ll move to the city with them later.”
“So what if Xu Changqing is gone? With your conditions, you can still marry into a decent family.”
Zhou Zhiyuan pulled out a string of copper coins from his chest and handed it to Yun Niang, heart aching for his daughter.
After saying that, he turned to leave. But before going, he glared fiercely at Xu Changnian a few more times.
You scoundrel! You think the Xu old man can pass his son’s wife on to his younger brother? No way! Why should my daughter fall into the hands of a rascal like you?
╯^╰ Hmph!
Zhou Zhiyuan waved and left.
Looking at the string of copper coins in her hand, Yun Niang wiped away her tears. Her father still cared for her.
Zhou Zhiyuan had clearly calculated when she would come into town for the market and came early in the morning to wait for her. Knowing how hard life was for her, he came specifically to give her some spending money.
“Sister-in-law, don’t cry. Things will get better from now on.” Shen Yourong comforted her from the side.
But she clearly underestimated Yun Niang, who regained her composure after just a few seconds.
She handed the coins to Shen Yourong and said, “Use this to buy half a kilogram more salt, and some oil. Let’s go sell our goods.”
After the two women left, Xu Changnian was the only one left behind, his face puffed up like a pufferfish, right leg trembling.
You old fart, for the sake of those coins, I’ll let you off today!
And you want Yun Niang to remarry? No way!
If the mountain won’t move, the river will. Just you wait, old man. Don’t look down on a poor youth!
Still, someone like Zhou Zhiyuan, who came to give money of his own accord, deserved some credit—even if his mouth stank.
This just proved how notorious the original host had been.
The heart of a parent is always compassionate. Xu Changnian understood and wasn’t truly angry.
Mouth aside, Zhou Zhiyuan still cared deeply for his daughter. Compared to those stingy, cold-hearted parents who didn’t care if their daughters lived or died, he was much better.
Once his frustration faded, Xu Changnian found a secluded wall and opened the system interface.
[Information is being retrieved, please wait… Current fortune: Fortune turns after misfortune!]
[Lost Jade Hairpin: A noble guest lost her personal jade hairpin while touring Zhoujia Town. She’s urgently searching for it.]
[Strange Illness: A local landlord in Zhoujia Town has fallen ill with a strange condition. He’s seeking medical help far and wide. Reward: 50 taels of silver!]
[Tiger on the Road: A fierce white tiger has appeared on Wohu Ridge, the road between Zhoujia Town and Anping County, and has attacked several travelers.]
Just as expected. Xu Changnian let out a long breath as he looked at the three new intel pieces.
As he had guessed, the system-generated intel was linked to the surrounding environment.
In Qingshan Village near the mountains, the intel was mostly mountain-related. Now in Zhoujia Town, the content had completely changed.
But the difficulty… was ridiculous!
A tiger? Seriously?
A fierce white tiger, the king of all beasts—the same kind of tiger that Wu Song once killed!
You want me to fight a tiger? I can’t even handle wild boars right now. If I really found that tiger, wouldn’t I just get pounced and eaten alive?
Xu Changnian definitely wasn’t going to risk his life, but the intel served as a warning.
The road to the county was extremely dangerous right now!
From Qingshan Village to Anping County, one had to pass through Zhoujia Town and cross Wohu Ridge. Only then could they reach the county.
And now, with actual tiger sightings at Wohu Ridge, going there would be suicidal.
The other intel mentioned a landlord in town suffering from a strange illness.
If cured, the reward was 50 taels of silver!
That kind of money could support six people in the Xu family for two years—and they could even afford meat during holidays!
“But I don’t know medicine!”
Xu Changnian regretted that he wasn’t some miracle doctor descending from the mountains who could cure anything with a single needle.
In the end, he had no choice.
A noble guest had lost her jade hairpin and was currently searching for it… now that, that was promising!
It was simple, and there was no danger.
And since the one who lost it was a noble, she might offer help in the future if he ever got into trouble.
Favors were the most valuable currency—something money alone couldn’t buy.
After selecting the intel, the familiar virtual map opened again. This time, the destination pointed to a performing troupe?
The noble must’ve lost it while watching a performance. Time to start searching.
After choosing the intel, Xu Changnian set off toward the stage at the center of the town.
“Candied hawthorn~ Sweet and sticky!”
“Big bowl wide noodles~ Look how big and round this bowl is, and how long and wide the noodles are~”
“Kind folks passing by, please spare two coins. I really haven’t eaten…”
Walking through the bustling streets of Zhoujia Town, Xu Changnian observed the lively surroundings filled with the warmth of daily life.
On the stage, a group of acrobats was putting on an energetic show.
“Dear folks from all around, if you’ve got money, support us with a few coins. If not, lend us your applause…”
“Next up, a thrilling act—breaking a stone on the chest!”
The troupe leader shouted in front of the crowd, hyping up the atmosphere. Behind him, a performer lay down while a thick slab of stone was placed on his chest.
“Bravo! Bravo!”
The onlookers clapped and cheered—it didn’t cost them anything, after all.
Xu Changnian squeezed into the crowd. He wasn’t that interested in the show. He was here to find the hairpin.
With the system’s guidance, he easily located the jade hairpin hidden in the weeds on the east side of the stage.
But with so many people around, it wasn’t easy to retrieve it.
No matter. He just had to wait until the stone-breaking moment—when everyone would be too distracted to notice him.
Boom—
The heavy hammer smashed into the stone, cracking it. The crowd erupted in applause.
The troupe leader quickly held out a tray for tips.
Xu Changnian clapped along while slowly inching toward the weeds on the eastern side.
Once he reached the spot, he squatted down, pretending to tie his shoe—wait, shoes in this era didn’t have laces!
Then he’d pretend to trip and fall, and grab the hairpin in the process. Perfect!
“Ouch—”
Xu Changnian tumbled forward, landing perfectly beside the jade hairpin.
Just as he reached out to grab it, he saw an annoying face—Liu Ermazi?!
Why the hell was that bastard here?