CHAPTER 40: CHAPTER 40: SATISFACTORY MONETARY TRANSACTION

[Complete a serious practice of the Body Refining Eighth Rank Technique before 5:00 AM for a week, totaling at least half an hour before 7:00 AM. (4/7)]

Feeling refreshed, Lin Li stretched lazily, and for the first time felt this spirited at this hour.

Moreover, the practice was going faster than expected. Five spirit stones might just support him through the second Chapter, allowing his body to better adapt to Spiritual Qi.

Speaking of the changes brought by Spiritual Qi after entering his body, Lin Li felt as if all his organs were becoming healthier.

His mild rhinitis, which used to have a bit of a stuffy feeling, was now completely clear.

Spiritual Qi was truly miraculous, easily achieving what physical training could not.

He was even more excited about the future.

"Grandpa Zhou, I’m off." Lin Li waved goodbye as usual.

"Hmph!"

Watching Lin Li leave, although he could comfort himself with the reason that he was protecting others in the community, Zhou Youwei still felt a bit upset.

Especially since Lin Li didn’t hide his smugness and deliberately showed off in front of him.

As for how Zhou Youwei could tell, it was quite simple, because Lin Li hadn’t really trained today.

Who smiles while training and practicing martial arts, and doesn’t even break a sweat after over an hour?

The cultivation techniques Lin Li had been practicing, Zhou Youwei might not know what they were, but he could understand and feel that those actions were meaningful.

Sometimes after Lin Li left, Zhou Youwei would curiously mimic a few moves himself and could feel that these moves had a martial arts foundation, appearing quite advanced with a unique logic.

If not for the irreconcilable enmity between them, already making them enemies, Zhou Youwei might have been curious enough to ask what on earth those martial arts were.

And today?

Lin Li was there as if he were doing a ballroom dance or wiggling his hips, with a bizarre smile and expression on his face.

If Lin Li hadn’t been so infuriating, claiming he had just absorbed something in the morning, Zhou Youwei might have believed it.

The most humiliating part was when Lin Li occasionally turned his body to face Zhou Youwei with his rear, doing it so deliberately that if it wasn’t mockery, Zhou Youwei would eat yesterday’s dog poop!

"Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west, don’t bully an old poor man! The shame of today, I will surely repay!" Zhou Youwei growled at the departing Lin Li.

After a while, he chuckled, "Shouting like that really is satisfying. No wonder my good grandson always loves shouting those lines. I’ll sneak into his room later to read one of his novels."

"Ouch~~"

Hearing the sound, Zhou Youwei swiftly turned his head.

Then he saw Zhang Fang crouching in the bushes, exactly where he had been yesterday, and was momentarily stunned before mechanically asking, "Old Zhang, why are you crouching here?"

Are you also here to, um, relieve yourself?

No, why did I use ’also’?

Zhang Fang lifted the shovel and black bag in his hand, "To avoid the same misunderstanding from last time. Since the property management won’t handle it, I thought I’d take care of the cat and dog poop, I’m free anyway."

He then rubbed his own back, "Still, I have to admit I’m getting old. Squatting like this and my back’s already aching. Old Zhou, you’re impressive, so spry at your age."

"Since when were you here?" Zhou Youwei asked seriously.

"About thirty years ago, I guess."

Zhou Youwei: "..."

"But seriously, Old Zhou, thirty years is a bit much. Us old folks are truly a bit poor. Even if you’re spry, it wouldn’t look good if you died, right? How ’bout we say three years?" Zhang Fang continued, curious, "By the way, whose shame are you going to repay? Lost a game of cards last night?"

"No, no, I’ll head back now." Zhou Youwei got up, today wasn’t the best day for exercising.

"Going to read your good grandson’s novel, Old Zhou?" Zhang Fang asked with more curiosity.

Zhou Youwei’s pace quickened.

Today he didn’t pull a muscle, but why did it feel worse than previous days?

...

When Lin Li arrived at the classroom, Bai Bufan was again immersed in classic storytelling from unofficial history:

"According to unofficial history, back then, when Liu Xuande entrusted Zhuge Kongming with his son at Baidi City, he had three hundred ax-wielding guards lying in ambush. Liu Xuande had plans in mind. If Zhuge Kongming ever had the slightest thought of breaking away and founding his own domain, he’d immediately raise the cup as a signal! The three hundred guards would storm in wildly waving their axes until Liu Chan was chopped into a meat paste!"

"This unofficial history is... wait, is it Liu Chan being chopped? Well, that doesn’t sound too offbeat after all!"

"Isn’t wild enough? Alright, let’s go wilder. Do you know why Cao Mengde kept his humble history of boiling wine for Liu Xuande?"

"Why?"

"According to unofficial history, when Liu Xuande picked up his chopsticks, he casually touched Cao Mengde’s jade-like feet. Mengde let out an ’eek!’ sound and went all soft, next..."

"What hogwash are you spouting! Goddamn it, eek-eek literature!"

"Ding! I just heard ’shade’, were you talking about dead water? Is dead water shady?"

Bai Bufan really loved the Three Kingdoms.

But his affection is a bit skewed.

Lin Li liked it too, out of the four classic novels, his favorite was the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. He read the 120-Chapter version several times as a kid, it’s truly captivating.

Shu Han has the romance of Shu Han, Wei has the ethos of Wei, and Jiangdong has the rogues of Jiangdong.

—though geographically, Lin Li counts as a descendant of the rogues.

Because he loves the Three Kingdoms, and loves everything about it, Lin Li also gave good ratings to the game Three Kingdoms Kill.

"Kids, come get your food."

Lin Li started hanging his backpack on the chair back, then turned to look at the writing on the blackboard, preparing for the homework to collect later.

"Why is there another one here, did someone not take theirs or is it yours?" Bai Bufan was eating soupy dish with a bun, and asked out of curiosity while glancing at the breakfast on Lin Li’s desk.

"Oh, that’s for Chen Yu Ying, you can give it to her for me." Lin Li glanced at it and said, it was mentioned by Chen Yu Ying yesterday at noon.

"Why should I deliver it? Are you using me as your Viagra, adding excitement? Am I part of your play? I’m not going; you deliver it yourself." Bai Bufan rolled his eyes.

"They say rough words but come with logic, but yours are too rough indeed. I’m actually using you as a cover though." Lin Li laughed as he continued placing his notebooks on the desk one by one.

"Of all people, you have no right to say my words are rough!"

Lin Li picked up the breakfast and went to the third row, near the entrance, where Chen Yu Ying sat, and placed it on her desk: "Hey, here’s your breakfast."

The gazes around naturally focused on Lin Li.

Not because everyone liked Chen Yu Ying, but merely out of habit when there’s some noise, they look.

Half of them immediately shifted their gazes away, uninterested.

The other half, realizing it was Chen Yu Ying and Lin Li—who usually didn’t appear in the front rows—continued watching, hoping for some juicy drama to spice up their dull high school life.

Lin Li used to feel awkward under such gazes, but perhaps thanks to the system, he now felt indifferent, even appearing natural.

It can’t be just because his skin got thicker.

"Alright, thanks, here’s your money." Chen Yu Ying nodded and took a ten-yuan note from her drawer.

"Okay, I’ll give you five in change..."

[In this completely unfamiliar world, Chen Yu Ying, the first person you’ve interacted with, finally couldn’t resist and made a monetary transaction with you, feeling very satisfied with your service, bringing your relationship a step further.

To establish yourself in this unknown and perilous world, you need to know more. Why not start with the one person here you know best—her.]

[Mission Triggered!]

[Mission Five: Have more interactions with Chen Yu Ying, try to learn more about this world from her, and gain a basic understanding of this world.]

[Rewards: Physical Improvement: Mecha Synchronization Index +10; Random Limbs, Organs Enhancement Opportunity *1; System Currency *50.]

[Random Limbs, Organs Enhancement Opportunity: Upon use, a random limb or organ in your body will gain a certain ability boost, with a high probability of acquiring additional mutation capabilities. (When acquiring the reward, you can choose whether or not to include external organs in this random reward pool)]