"Save me, Brother Mu!" Ling Baobao was chased by Black Big Man around the hall for who knows how many rounds, with panda eyes, loudly pleading for Mu Hanyan’s help.
Mu Hanyan struggled to hold back her laughter, turning her face away as if she hadn’t heard a thing. It served him right for swindling people left and right; a beating was a fitting lesson.
Although it wasn’t certain if Ling Baobao was deliberately cheating people, selling several "family secret remedies" for infertility that fetched tens of thousands of taels of silver showed that the guy had quite the ruthless streak—it was only right that he learned his lesson.
"Brother Mu, you... you just mentioned needing an alchemist?" Ling Baobao swiftly darted behind Mu Hanyan, dodging Black Big Man’s fists while gasping for breath.
Having vented his anger with a few punches, Black Big Man wasn’t as impulsive as before, knowing the formidable strength of Mu Hanyan, he didn’t dare charge forward. Instead, he waved his fists in the air from behind Mu Hanyan.
"Yes, but it’s such a pity, I haven’t managed to find one," Mu Hanyan continued to suppress her smiles and feigned a melancholic expression.
"Me, I’m right here, me!" Ling Baobao almost shouted, pointing to his own nose. New ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄhapters are published on novel-fire.ɴet
"Weren’t you busy sampling delicacies from around the world? Something so important—I wouldn’t dream of imposing," Mu Hanyan said, shaking her head with feigned consideration.
"Eating, that’s no big deal. I felt an instant connection with Brother Mu; consider this favor done," Ling Baobao puffed out his chest with fervent enthusiasm, yet kept shrinking his neck to avoid Black Big Man’s heavy fists, looking utterly ridiculous.
"Then I truly appreciate it. However, this might take a bit long, I’m afraid it might take five years before I can find suitable help," said Mu Hanyan with a troubled tone.
Now it was Ling Baobao seeking her, not the other way around. She wouldn’t turn away a bargain presented at her doorstep.
"Five years? Wasn’t it three years just a moment ago... Ouch!" Ling Baobao was startled and, not paying attention, took another punch from Black Big Man right on his eye.
"Weren’t you not getting beaten up just a moment ago?" Mu Hanyan said with a mischievous grin.
Ling Baobao looked at Mu Hanyan, stunned, realizing that not only he could raise the price on the spot, but others could too—was this karma?
Taking advantage of Ling Baobao’s moment of distraction, Black Big Man threw another punch.
This time Ling Baobao dodged faster, tilting his head to avoid it, but his face still stung from the close shave with the fist.
"Fine, five years it is," Ling Baobao gritted his teeth and said to Mu Hanyan.
"Stop!" As soon as Ling Baobao finished speaking, Mu Hanyan immediately chimed in with a command.
Black Big Man’s fist, already halfway through the motion, stopped abruptly in mid-air at Mu Hanyan’s order, grudgingly pulling it back.
"Ladies and gentlemen, whatever money he scammed from you, I’ll repay double. Can we consider the matter resolved from that point on?" Mu Hanyan proposed.
Although Ling Baobao had scammed quite the sum from these people, with his peculiar alchemy techniques, if he truly mastered the craft, who knows how much money they could save from Alchemy Liquid alone in the next five years. Mu Hanyan had a clear grasp of the situation. Besides, to be honest, even if Ling Baobao didn’t know alchemy, she would have intervened to help him after his lesson—she just couldn’t help but like the guy.
"It wasn’t a scam," Ling Baobao insisted on defending himself, even at this point.
With a fierce glare from Black Big Man, the punch he had just retracted nearly flew out again; Ling Baobao quickly shrank his neck and closed his mouth.