Lin residence, in Lin Xuanzhi’s yard.
The moon was already hanging up high in the sky, yet Yan Tianhen had not returned.
After Lin Xuanzhi had finished cultivating, he called for Yan Tianhen a few times before he realised that this kid actually hadn’t come back home even though it was already this late. He immediately started to worry, so he went to the yard and waited for Yan Tianhen to return.
But, it’s already so late, where could Yan Tianhen be?
At the first of the five night watch periods (19:00 – 21:00), Lin Xuanzhi heard the sound of footsteps outside, and if one listens closely, you could tell that it didn’t belong to just one person; but one of them stepped harder on one foot than the harder, so those footsteps must belong to Yan Tianhen.
“Tianhen, listen to me, you should just leave the Lin family.” A voice sighed and said, “You work so many odd jobs everyday just to earn those pitifully few silver, your body will collapse sooner or later.”
“It’s okay, I have a sturdy body!” Yan Tianhen said.
“You call this tiny body sturdy?” Duan Yuyang pinched Yan Tianhen’s arm, then tsked twice and said, “Don’t even have two taels1 of meat, even if we weigh it in catty2, you won’t even be able to sell yourself for three walnuts and two jujubes3. If you have the strength to do all that, why not just cultivate, maybe you’ll even have a breakthrough someday.”
Yan Tianhen laughed at Duan Yuyang’s descriptions, then said, “I’m definitely more valuable than three walnuts and two jujubes. Three walnuts and two jujubes can only be exchanged for a few copper coins, but I already earned five silver in one day today!”
What breakthrough, Yan Tianhen had never had any hopes with regards to that.
Even since he was adopted by Lin Zhan, Lin Zhan had already used all kinds of methods to help him cultivate. He had eaten all types of elixirs, and had learnt all kinds of amazing cultivation methods. But Yan Tianhen’s Dantian Qi sea is like a bottomless pit, it couldn’t be filled up no matter what. After wasting so much time on his cultivation, he was still only a Refining Qi stage first layer cultivator – no better than a layman who had just started cultivating.
“Ai— just why are you so tactless.” Duan Yuyang sighed helplessly, then said, “That Dage of yours, it’s not that I’m discrediting him on purpose, but he’s really not a good guy. He always shows you an icy cold face, yet he would go hold up that Han Yuran’s smelly feet, and was even duped into going to that martial hall. I really doubt the existence of his brain. This kind of person, even if you treat him well, he won’t take it to heart, so why bother?”
“It’s not like that.” Yan Tianhen shook off Duan Yuyang’s hand, bared his teeth then said, “Dage isn’t as bad as you make him out to be, he treats me really well too. He cooks for me, and even helped me kill the guy who scolded me. And he also redeemed Ah Bai and Hu Po.”
“Pei, the honourable young master me is the one who treats you well.” Duan Yuyang said with disdain, “You ungrateful little rascal, can’t even see what Gege does for you.”
“Hahaha, Yuyang Ge is also a good person!” Yan Tianhen’s eyes turned into slits as he smiled.
No matter how badly other people speak of Duan Yuyang, Yan Tianhen only believes in what he sees.
If it wasn’t because Duan Yuyang chanced upon him when he was being bullied, he would have been beaten to death a long time ago.
Duan Yuyang shook his head and said, “I’m serious, that job at the Lin family’s spiritual plants plantation isn’t fit for humans, yet they still suppress you and bully you on purpose. Plus they give you all the dirtiest, most tiring and most labour intensive jobs. And they even dared to fucking hit you–!”
“Who hit Ah Hen?” a voice filled with anger travelled out from within the yard.
Duan Yuyang was stunned at first, he didn’t expect Lin Xuanzhi to still be up when it was already this late.
Meanwhile, Yan Tianhen had immediately turned into a bundle of nerves. He sped up his steps and nimbly rushed towards the courtyard.
“Dage!” Yan Tianhen saw the long-haired Lin Xuanzhi under the moonlight who looked like a celestial being…o, no, he looked more like a ghost.
Yan Tianhen was startled, and at the same time, he felt a bit apprehensive. Lin Xuanzhi is handsome alright, but no matter how good-looking a person is, if he were to put on a cold face that was further accentuated under the glow of the pale moonlight, he wouldn’t look like a deity, but more like a ghost who’s preparing to take your soul.
But Lin Xuanzhi isn’t bothered by what Yan Tianhen was thinking at the moment. He pulled Yan Tianhen in front of him, and with one glance he saw a wound on his forehead.
Lin Xuanzhi immediately fumed, but his voice still carried a little restraint and he tried his best to calmly ask, “How did you get this wound? Are you hurt anywhere else?”
“Nowhere nowhere.” Yan Tianhen quickly shook his head. He was about to touch his head, but Lin Xuanzhi grabbed his hand.
“Don’t touch your wound, I’ll apply some medicine for you.” Lin Xuanzhi said.
Duan Yuyang was stupefied and dumbstruck by this sight. He didn’t understand what was going on at all.
1. One tael of silver = ~40g↩
2. One catty = ~600g↩
3. Three walnuts and two jujubes = a very insignificant amount↩