Being able to find a suitable painting directly from her own shop made Chen Muxue very happy.
She immediately expressed her intention to reward Hai Dali. “You did very well. What reward do you want?”
“Relieving the Second Miss’s worries is this subordinate’s duty. What the Second Miss has already given is more than enough. I dare not ask for more.”
Hai Dali spoke with a serious expression.
“That’s one matter, and this is another. This is what you deserve.”
After thinking for a moment, she gave Hai Dali a Blood Recovery Pill. Since the Chen Family mainly dealt in medicinal pills, rewarding with pills was the most appropriate choice.
Hai Dali pretended to hesitate before reluctantly accepting it, though inside he was already delighted. He had experienced the Blood Recovery Pill before. Its effect on healing injuries was excellent and very useful to him.
Qingzhi watched this scene with envy. She had served the Second Miss for many years, yet had never received a pill as a reward.
After leaving the pill shop, Chen Muxue felt it was still early and suggested strolling around the city. Hai Dali and Qingzhi could only follow.
The three wandered leisurely through the city and eventually arrived at the rogue cultivators’ market.
With the intention of finding overlooked treasures, they began browsing the stalls. Suddenly, Chen Muxue’s attention was drawn to someone. When she recognized who it was, she immediately showed disdain. “He’s still a young master of the Xiao Family, yet he’s bargaining over a street stall item.”
Hearing this, Hai Dali looked over. A young man was arguing with a ragged stall owner over the price, and behind him stood a young girl.
Looking closely, the young man appeared around seventeen or eighteen years old, tall and upright, with an extraordinary appearance. There was a faint unyielding pride between his brows. Clearly someone destined for greatness.
The girl behind him looked about fifteen or sixteen, appearing obedient and cute, though somewhat naïve.
“That’s Xiao Fan?” Hai Dali asked.
Chen Muxue nodded and walked toward him. Only when she got closer did she realize Xiao Fan was arguing over a worthless piece of scrap copper. She immediately burst into laughter, thinking he had lost his mind, and mocked, “Young Master Xiao, are you buying that broken metal to patch a pot?”
Xiao Fan heard the mockery and turned around. When he saw it was Chen Muxue, disgust flashed in his eyes. Then he noticed Hai Dali behind her, frowned slightly, and showed a hint of surprise. He had not expected him to survive.
Ignoring Chen Muxue, Xiao Fan continued bargaining with the stall owner.
This angered Chen Muxue greatly, and she was about to flare up.
Seeing this, Hai Dali quickly stopped her and whispered into her ear, “Second Miss, please don’t be angry. That scrap copper might not be ordinary. We can buy it.”
Feeling his warm breath on her neck, Chen Muxue’s face flushed slightly. Hearing his words, she hesitated.
She had just mocked Xiao Fan. If she now bought it herself, wouldn’t that be embarrassing?
Seeing her hesitation, Hai Dali continued, “Second Miss, don’t forget how quickly Xiao Fan’s cultivation has been progressing. Yet he’s arguing over this scrap copper for so long. There must be a reason. Even if not, we can at least anger him.”
Chen Muxue found this reasonable and stepped forward, saying arrogantly to the stall owner, “How much? I’ll take it.”
“What did you say?”
Chen Muxue asked in disbelief.
The stall owner replied bluntly, “I said I’m not selling it. Can’t you understand plain words?”
Xiao Fan secretly let out a breath of relief. He himself did not know what was special about the scrap copper, but his intuition told him it was extraordinary and he had to obtain it.
Unfortunately, he did not have enough spirit stones. Otherwise, he would not have been bargaining for so long. When Chen Muxue said she wanted to buy it, he had been worried she might succeed, which made him dislike her even more.
Chen Muxue, however, could not tolerate this. Just as she was about to lose her temper, Hai Dali quickly stopped her.
He was now certain the scrap copper was not simple. Not only did Xiao Fan value it, but the stall owner also refused to sell it when Chen Muxue offered to buy.
Combined with the unusual stall owner, there was no way this was an ordinary item.
He immediately put on a friendly smile and said to the stall owner, “Brother, please don’t be angry. Our Second Miss is not good at dealing with people. The Master and Madam assigned me to stay by her side to prevent her from offending others. I apologize on her behalf. Please be magnanimous and don’t argue with a young girl.”
“Please name a suitable price. We’ll buy it.”
The stall owner looked at Hai Dali and said, “You’re interesting.”
He raised one finger. “100 low-grade spirit stones.”
The moment this price was spoken, two people reacted at once.
Chen Muxue was furious, feeling she was being cheated. “I clearly heard you bargaining earlier at 50 low-grade spirit stones. How did it suddenly double?”
“Are you buying or not?”
The stall owner glanced sideways at her.
“You—”
Chen Muxue pointed at him, about to explode, but Hai Dali quickly stopped her.
“We’ll buy it, of course we’ll buy it.”
Hai Dali smiled apologetically.
Xiao Fan also became anxious and said, “I was here first.”
“I can go gather them!”
Xiao Fan said urgently. He truly felt the scrap copper held a great secret and would be of great help to him. He did not want to miss it.
“Gather? How much can you gather? I can earn 50 more spirit stones immediately. Why would I wait for you? Go, go. Where you came from, go back there. Poor boy!”
Xiao Fan was rendered speechless, his face dark with anger.
Chen Muxue suddenly felt pleased. The stall owner did not seem so detestable anymore. She quickly paid the 100 spirit stones.
Once the payment was complete, Hai Dali picked up the scrap copper and handed it to Chen Muxue, not forgetting to mock Xiao Fan. “You don’t even have 50 low-grade spirit stones, yet you want to pick up bargains?”
Chen Muxue cooperated by handing the scrap copper back to Hai Dali, as if she disdained it.
The master and servant’s mockery reached its peak, making Xiao Fan’s breathing heavy with anger.
Without even leaving a harsh word, he gave them a deep look and left with the girl.
As she left, the girl also glared at Hai Dali. Her cute expression amused him.
Watching Xiao Fan’s departing figure, Chen Muxue said softly, “Let’s see how long you can keep jumping.”
She had already sent people to spread rumors. In a few days, it would likely be known throughout the city.
Afterward, Chen Muxue still wanted to say a few harsh words to the stall owner, but Hai Dali noticed and immediately pulled her away.
“Why did you pull me away?” Chen Muxue asked, dissatisfied. She felt uncomfortable not teaching the stall owner a lesson.
Hai Dali said helplessly, “That stall owner is not simple. It’s best not to offend him.”
“So what if he isn’t simple? In Qingfeng City, does he dare offend my Chen Family?”
Chen Muxue said arrogantly.
Hai Dali was speechless at this thoughtless remark. She usually seemed clever, but at crucial moments she could be foolish. After thinking, he said, “A wise person avoids danger. His cultivation is not low. What if he’s a desperate person willing to risk everything to kill us?”
Hearing this, Chen Muxue felt a bit uneasy, though she did not show it. She changed the subject. “I can’t see anything special about that scrap copper. You can take it back and study it.”
In her view, something bought for just 100 low-grade spirit stones could not possibly hide any great secret.
Hai Dali naturally did not refuse. Even if she had not offered, he would have found a way to obtain it.
As soon as they returned to the Chen Residence, Hai Dali eagerly took his leave from Chen Muxue. He wanted to uncover the secret of the scrap copper as soon as possible.
After all, such things were usually great opportunities for those Chosen Ones, capable of providing immense help. He hoped it would not disappoint him.