"Shunzi, hurry up, give that to your water brother! Do you know how expensive that is?" Chen Qingjiang rushed forward, trying to snatch the peach shortbread from Shunzi's mouth, startling the boy.
Liang Qu stepped in to block Chen Qingjiang.
"Uncle Chen, what are you saying? Things are meant to be eaten. It doesn't matter whose stomach it ends up in. Those rich folks eat it every day, and they’re no different from us—two eyes and one mouth. Can they really taste something special? Shunzi, don’t be afraid. If I say you can eat it, then eat it. It’s mine, and your dad can’t tell me what to do with my things."
"But it’s not the same! Shunzi, why aren’t you listening?" Chen Qingjiang raised his voice, clearly frustrated.
Shunzi, standing there with a pitiful look on his face, had already stopped eating when he heard how expensive the treat was.
He broke off the part he had bitten and held it out to Liang Qu with both hands, ready to return it.
"Uncle Chen! If you keep this up, I won’t come back next time!" Liang Qu said with a laugh.
"What’s going on? Why are you all arguing? Qingjiang, what are you doing? Didn’t I just tell you to behave?" Chen Renxing, hearing the commotion, rushed out of the house, scolding his son.
"Dad, it’s not like that, I—" Chen Qingjiang stammered, unable to explain himself, looking as helpless as a child being scolded.
Liang Qu laughed.
"It’s fine, Grandpa Chen. We’re not really arguing. I brought something for Shunzi, and Uncle Chen was just being polite. He thinks it’s too much."
Chen Renxing looked suspicious but eventually nodded.
"Alright, if you say so. Come inside, it’s cold out here. Qingjiang, stop standing there like a log and get some chairs. Ah Di, go get some water."
Liang Qu shook his head, amused.
It seemed there was always someone higher up the chain.
Once inside, everyone found a place to sit.
Chen Qingjiang brought over the stove, and they all gathered around it, warming up.
"Ah Shui, are you short on money? I’ve saved up a bit recently. I can give it to you now."
"It’s not about money, Uncle Chen. Sit down! I’m not short on cash. Have you paid off the medical bills yet?"
Chen Qingjiang sighed.
"Not yet. It’s too cold to catch fish, so there’s not much extra money."
"Exactly. My money isn’t urgent. I came today mainly to discuss three things and bring you some gifts. Here, take these."
Liang Qu pushed a box from Five Fragrance Pavilion and a large paper package toward them.
"For us?" Ah Di stared at the box in disbelief.
She knew how expensive Five Fragrance Pavilion’s treats were.
This box must have cost several silver coins.
Chen Qingjiang immediately protested, thinking Liang Qu had only brought a small piece of peach shortbread, not an entire box.
"Uncle Chen, stop talking and listen to me first."
Liang Qu cut him off before he could refuse.
"First, I’ve been accepted as a direct disciple by the master of the Yang Clan Martial Hall in Pingyang Town. You might not understand, but basically, I can now train there for free, directly under Master Yang. I’m not just a regular paying student anymore.
This box of pastries is to celebrate that. When Shunzi grows up a bit, he can come with me to the martial hall without paying. My master won’t mind.
Second, I got some medicinal powder from my senior brothers for Grandpa Chen’s injuries. Brew it in water twice a day for two days, and he’ll be fine. Third, I’ve found a good fishing spot in the Jianghuai Marshlands.
I’ll be busy with martial training, so I won’t have much time to go out on the boat. I’d like Uncle Chen to come with me to fish. We’ll split the catch fifty-fifty.
That’s it. Any questions?"
The room fell silent as the Chen family processed the information.
"Direct disciple?"
"Yes."
"Shunzi can learn martial arts too?"
"Absolutely."
"Is the medicine expensive?"
"Not at all. It’s cheap."
Indeed, it was cheap.
Liang Qu hadn’t spent a single coin.
He had just ground some lotus roots into a paste, dried it, and packaged it.
It wasn’t as effective as the real thing, but it would do the job.
The Chen family was overwhelmed by the good news.
Only Shunzi, still munching on his peach shortbread by the stove, seemed oblivious to the excitement.
"Fishing is no problem. If Ah Shui asks, of course I’ll help. But the other two things—"
"Stop! I know what you’re going to say, Uncle Chen. If you keep refusing, I’ll leave. No more politeness, please. I can’t stand it."
Chen Qingjiang, cut off again, turned red with embarrassment.
"Since Uncle Chen agrees to fish, that’s settled."
Liang Qu had planned this for a while.
On one hand, he wanted to help improve the Chen family’s situation.
Chen Qingjiang was proud and had a lot of debt.
With winter making fishing difficult, Liang Qu wanted to give him a way to earn more without directly handing him money.
On the other hand, this would free up Liang Qu’s time.
He wouldn’t have to pretend to go out on the boat every day.
The fat catfish only had one mouth, and going back and forth was inefficient.
If he could team up with the Immovable, the two beasts could herd the fish underwater while Chen Qingjiang netted them from above.
Splitting the profits fifty-fifty would benefit everyone.
Chen Qingjiang was a good man.
Even if he saw something he shouldn’t, he’d keep it to himself.
Besides, raising water beasts wasn’t that unusual.
Some people even kept giant crocodiles.
After a long silence, Chen Qingjiang finally spoke.
"Ah Shui... you’ve really made something of yourself."
"Yes, he has," Chen Renxing added.
"A big success," Ah Di chimed in.
"Of course, Water Brother is amazing!" Shunzi, having finished his peach shortbread, wiped his mouth and raised his hand enthusiastically.
"So, will Ah Shui become a master now?" Chen Renxing unconsciously reached for his tobacco pipe but stopped when he noticed Liang Qu was still there.
A master! The word felt distant and imposing, as if it carried an air of superiority.
The thought of his neighbor becoming a master made Chen Renxing’s back itch with excitement.
"So, take the Five Fragrance Pavilion box. Don’t worry about the money. Pay off the medical bills first. I’ll come by tomorrow, Uncle Chen. Don’t go out on the boat until then."
"Alright."
"Oh, one more thing. Did you hear about the great demon the other night?"
"I heard something about it. There’s going to be a sacrifice, right?"
"Right. I might not be home for the next couple of days."
Liang Qu took out two silver coins from his pocket and placed them on the table.
"If someone comes to collect money, Ah Di, please help me pay it. I asked Uncle Li Dakang, and two coins should be enough."
"Got it."
Ah Di nodded.
With Chen Qingjiang out fishing and Chen Renxing selling baskets and cloth, she was usually the one at home.
They chatted for a while longer.
As Liang Qu was about to leave, Chen Qingjiang suddenly spoke up.
"Ah Shui, if you’re going to town in the next few days, be careful. When I went to sell fish this morning, I heard that a martial artist died in town."
Liang Qu’s heart skipped a beat.
"A martial artist? What was his name?"
"I can’t remember clearly. It was something like..."
Chen Qingjiang frowned, trying to recall.
He wasn’t one to gossip, so the name didn’t come to him easily.
"You fool! Why do you always go blank at the most important moments? If you can’t remember, don’t eat today!" Chen Renxing smacked his son on the back of the head with his tobacco pipe.
"Ah, I remember now! It was Lu Shaohui!"
(End of Chapter)