3: Teasing Liu

At this moment, a young man swaggered over and lay down in the private booth next to yours.

This person was none other than Ji Yang, the Young Master of the Water Snake Gang.

Because of the position of the President of the Herb Farmer Guild, the Ji Family and the Qin Family had always been at odds.

What was worse, Ji Yang had broken through to the Houtian Realm at a young age, earning him the title of Longyang Town's second Genius.

From childhood to adulthood, this fellow had caused you no end of trouble, and you had suffered many losses at his hands.

If it weren't for his fear of retaliation from the Qin Family, he probably would have killed you long ago.

Ji Yang glanced at you sideways, saying sarcastically, "Oh, isn't this the famous useless Young Master Qin?"

You couldn't be bothered to respond to him, but you made a mental note: Once this old man's strength improves, I'll make you kneel and beg for death!

After being disturbed by that fellow, you immediately lost all interest, stood up, dusted off your clothes, and went home.

In the second month, you met up with your wastrel friends, Zhao Gang and Meng Hao, at Tianxiang Pavilion every week. You often drank yourselves into a stupor and were eventually carried home.

In the third month, your mother told you that a marriage had been arranged with Acting Pavilion Master Meng Duoduo, the daughter of the Magistrate. You didn't object, after all, Acting Pavilion Master Meng Duoduo was a famous beauty in Longyang Town.

In the fourth month,

You passed by the Slave Market and encountered a delicate-looking girl selling herself to bury her mother.

Her appearance aroused your pity.

You spent twenty taels to buy her and found someone to help her bury her mother.

This girl, Chu Chu, became your personal maid.

On a whim, you decided to train Chu Chu to become a Martial Artist.

You wanted to see firsthand how others suffered and trained in martial arts.

Under your arrangements, Chu Chu practiced for an hour each morning, noon, and evening, while also taking medicinal baths, practicing stance training, and training diligently.

Chu Chu was deeply moved by your guidance, so she trained extremely hard every day.

You were also filled with admiration for her efforts.

In the ninth month,

Chu Chu made rapid progress, and her strength was almost catching up to yours.

You felt quite unpleasant: you had trained for over ten years, only to be roughly equivalent to someone who had trained for half a year.

Am I really a good-for-nothing?

That doesn't make sense, aren't Transmigrators all exceptionally talented?

You started to doubt your life!

You remembered a saying: one of life's three great illusions is, 'If she can do it, so can I!'

Watching the simulation, Qin Chen secretly rejoiced: Fortunately, I Transmigrated into a rich Young Master.

In this world, it's truly difficult for ordinary people to survive.

To live a little better is even impossible.

He had calculated the prices here: an average family would work hard for a year and only earn five to ten taels of silver, barely enough to get by. If they fell ill, they couldn't even afford medicine.

As for Houtian Martial Artists, they were slightly better off, earning fifty taels a year. But the cultivation expenses alone would consume more than half of that each month.

The Body Tempering Realm was even worse—purely a money-losing stage, where no money could be earned at all.

The most crucial point was that no one could reach the Houtian Realm in just one year.

Therefore, cultivating a Martial Artist in the early stages was purely a money pit.

Those with poor Aptitude would spend even more. Even with good talent, it would be useless without effort.

Children from poor families, even with Aptitude, would only become thugs for the upper powers.

Just like Chu Chu, didn't she also become Qin Chen's personal maid?

Then look at Qin Chen himself—his pocket money alone was fifty taels a month!

If he didn't Cultivate, he wouldn't even be able to spend it all!

One must know that the Magistrate's annual salary was only fifty taels.

However, the Magistrate was an Innate expert; why would he care about such a small amount of money? He valued the benefits that came with his status.

In the second year,

Early in the morning, you emerged from Tianxiang Pavilion again, reeking of alcohol.

But you didn't want to go home; you wanted to air out the alcohol first, so you wandered aimlessly.

As you wandered, you arrived at the Herb Market.

As you passed a store named "Liu Family Medicinal Materials Firm," a woman with a slender waist, ample chest, and full hips caught your eye.

This girl's temperament and appearance were both top-notch; why had you never seen her before?

Everyone appreciates beauty, so you stepped forward to strike up a conversation: "Miss, how should I address you?"

The woman politely replied: "Liu Caiping."

You invited her: "Miss Ping'er, would you like to visit Tianxiang Tower tonight?"

Upon hearing "Tianxiang Tower," a flicker of disgust flashed in her eyes, and she said coldly, "Scram, you pervert!"

"One tael?" You gestured with one finger.

She ignored you.

"Two taels?" You continued to gesture with two fingers.

"I said scram, didn't you hear me?" She said with a cold Face.

You were already quite drunk and immediately became irritated: "In Longyang Town, there's nothing this Young Master can't accomplish. Are you sure you won't give Face?"

Liu Caiping also lost her temper: "Get lost, you stinking man!"

Liu Caiping usually stayed indoors and rarely went out, only occasionally coming to the shop to help, so she didn't recognize you.

If she had known you were Longyang Town's biggest wastrel, her reaction might have been different.

At this moment, a young man carrying a medicine basket walked over, appearing to be a regular customer of the shop.

This young herb farmer, Ji Bin, had been doing business with the Liu Family for a long time, so he was quite familiar with Liu Caiping.

Seeing you bullying Liu Caiping, Ji Bin immediately blocked her path: "Kid, are you courting death!"

Seeing this, Liu Caiping quickly pulled Ji Bin back and shouted at you, "If you don't leave now, I'll report you to the officials."

You chuckled at that.

Report to the officials in Longyang Town?

What a joke!

You threatened them: "This Young Master's name is Qin Chen, and I don't change my name when I walk or sit. Go ahead and report me; I'd like to see how you manage to get by in Longyang Town!"

"Qin Chen, what do you think you're doing?" a woman's voice came.

You turned your head and saw that it was Acting Pavilion Master Meng Duoduo, your fiancée.

You smiled and teased her, "Oh, my future wife, what a coincidence."

"I want to break off the engagement. Go back and tell your parents," Acting Pavilion Master Meng Duoduo said with a cold Face.

"Why don't you go tell your father?" You chuckled.

You knew that this marriage was arranged by both sets of parents, and neither of you could decide.

Acting Pavilion Master Meng Duoduo's teeth chattered with anger, her fists clenched white, and she glared fiercely at you.

She deeply disliked a wastrel like you.

Moreover, she knew all about the messy affairs between you and her brother, Meng Hao.

Unfortunately, parental orders could not be disobeyed—so she could only come to you, hoping you would break off the engagement.

You ignored her, smiling mischievously at Ji Bin, and pointed at Acting Pavilion Master Meng Duoduo: "Go report it to the officials; her father is the Magistrate."

"I'll be waiting for you!" You gave him the middle finger, then turned and left.

For a minor character like Ji Bin, you had a hundred ways to kill him.

However, you didn't think it was necessary; after all, you weren't a homicidal maniac.

What you didn't know afterwards was that "Liu Family Medicinal Materials Firm" closed its doors overnight and fled Longyang Town.

You completely forgot about such a minor matter.

In fact, over the years, most of the people you had threatened in Longyang Town had already fled.

You didn't feel you were in the wrong at all, because if it were that fellow Ji Yang, he probably would have just kidnapped them!

Three days later,

Your mother suddenly came to tell you that your engagement with Acting Pavilion Master Meng Duoduo had fallen through.

You said "it doesn't matter" out loud, but secretly held a grudge.

Chu Chu, who was nearby, couldn't suppress her smile when she heard the news.