Chapter 4

"Brother, are you okay..."

Pushing open the door, his sister Xu Qing ran over with a worried face. Clearly, she had heard the commotion outside.

Xu Yang shook his head: "I'm fine, but from now on, try not to go out. If you really have to, cover your face well."

At fourteen, her face was becoming more beautiful, and her eyes were as bright as clear springs.

Xu Qing nodded: "I'll be careful in the future. By the way, how much were the wages this month?"

"Six hundred and twenty wen. Li Hu took twenty, so there's only six hundred left now..."

Xu Yang said, taking out the money bag and handing it to Xu Qing.

The mine often had cave-ins, and he might be buried inside one day, so his money was always kept by Xu Qing.

Xu Qing happily took the money bag: "Oh... six hundred wen again. Brother, you're too amazing. With this, we have two and a half silver taels. If we work hard for another year, it'll be enough for you to go to a martial arts school."

For martial arts school tuition, the average fee was two to five silver taels a month, depending on the strength of the school.

Xu Yang's goal was the cheapest school.

However, for martial arts school enrollment, one had to pay at least three months' tuition at once, which was six taels.

Plus, after starting, one had to stop working entirely and eat well—at least meat at every meal—so he had to prepare one tael of silver for food each month. In other words, if he wanted to practice, he had to prepare at least nine silver taels.

"Can't wait a year. Today He Laosan told me that if I'm over eighteen, the school won't take me."

Xu Yang shook his head secretly; he had only learned this today too.

Xu Qing's face changed: "What should we do then... Is heaven not even giving us a way to live?"

Seeing Xu Yang earning more and more money mining, she thought that as long as they saved enough money to practice, he could get ahead. Who would have thought the school wouldn't take anyone over eighteen.

She suddenly took a deep breath, as if she had made a decision, bit her lip and said: "Brother, why don't you sell me? Then you'll have money to practice. Once you become a martial artist, you can redeem me."

"Never have this thought. Even if I never practice martial arts in my life, I won't do that. If you dare to do this privately, I will never forgive you."

Xu Yang hadn't expected her to have such a thought and immediately warned her sternly.

He knew Xu Qing was bold; if he wasn't strict, the little girl might secretly sell herself.

Seeing Xu Yang's serious and stern expression, the little girl immediately lowered her head, not daring to talk about selling herself again.

"By the way, Dad wants us to go over for dinner tonight."

She seemed to have thought of something and suddenly spoke.

"Calling us for dinner? The sun must have risen from the west."

Mentioning his nominal father, Xu Yang's expression grew colder.

About six years ago, his mother passed away. Not long after, his father, Xu Laoer, hooked up with a widow surnamed Zhang in the neighborhood. At that time, he and Xu Qing were still young, and Xu Laoer would give them some food and occasionally come back.

Ever since he was fifteen and able to earn some money, Xu Laoer moved directly into the widow's house and stopped caring about the siblings.

Xu Yang, a fifteen-year-old child, had to fend for himself and support his sister in this chaotic world; the bitterness of it could be imagined.

"Today is Dad's birthday. Brother, go over and say some nice things. I'll mention that you don't have enough money for martial arts. Dad should support you a bit; after all, you are his own son."

Xu Qing revealed a cunning smile and finally added: "Even if he doesn't give us anything, we won't lose out by going over for a meal. Celebrating a birthday, there's at least meat."

Xu Yang didn't speak, somewhat moved.

To save money for martial arts, he hadn't eaten meat for months. A free good meal was indeed not a loss.

After all, he was his own father; could he really be so heartless as to ignore his son's future?

Putting the money away, the two soon went out and walked toward Widow Zhang's house.

Widow Zhang was named Zhang Cuiting. She had some background; her late husband was a martial artist who died outside somehow, making Zhang Cui a well-known wealthy widow. After Xu Laoer hooked up with her, he didn't care about his own children and went to Zhang Cuiting's place to freeload.

Of course, it was mainly because Zhang Cuiting disliked these two burdens and didn't allow Xu Laoer to care for them.

Zhang Cuiting's house wasn't far from Xu Yang's, just a ten-minute walk. The courtyard was also grand, much better than Xu Yang's stone house, with red bricks and blue tiles.

Before the two stepped into Zhang Cuiting's house, they could already smell the aroma of meat. Many greedy children in the neighborhood were hiding outside the courtyard, sniffing the air hard.

Stepping into the house, three people were sitting inside. One was Xu Yang's father, Xu Laoer, with fair skin and well-defined facial contours, very handsome.

It was because of his appearance that Zhang Cuiting took a fancy to him. Sometimes when talking about it, Xu Yang also admired this father; although he was a freeloader, he didn't have a tank-like build.

Zhang Cuiting could marry a martial artist, so she naturally didn't look bad. Plus, she had the inheritance left by her late martial artist husband and didn't need to work, so she looked like she was only in her thirties, with a plump and full figure.

The last one was a youth, Zhang Cuiting's son with her late martial artist husband, named Yang Jun. Seeing Xu Yang and Xu Qing appear, a flash of imperceptible disgust crossed his eyes, but he quickly restrained it and instead revealed a hint of a smile.

Xu Yang saw all this and was secretly puzzled in his heart.

In the past, Yang Jun wouldn't have restrained his disgust. Today, he didn't know what had gotten into him, actually pretending to be friendly.

And Zhang Cuiting, today's reaction was also different from the past.

"Dad, Aunt Zhang!"

The siblings bowed and looked at the three people sitting around the table.

They called them for dinner, but they had already started eating without waiting for them to arrive.

"A-Yang, Xiao Qing, you're here. Aunt thought you weren't coming, so I didn't wait for you. Hurry up and get your own bowls for rice." Zhang Cuiting stood up.

Her tone carried a sense of intimacy, but the disgust deep in her bones was the same as always.

"Okay, Aunt Zhang!"

Xu Qing nodded obediently, secretly pushed Xu Yang, and then went to get bowls without hesitation, serving herself and Xu Yang a full, large bowl of rice, which made Zhang Cuiting secretly pained.

She wanted to stop them several times, but thinking of the purpose of having the siblings here today, she endured it.

"Sit down and eat first!"

Xu Laoer also spoke, pulling up a long bench for the siblings.

After the meal, Xu Qing helped Zhang Cuiting clean up the bowls and chopsticks. Xu Laoer "cared" about Xu Yang's recent situation and finally said: "I called you over today because there's something I want to tell you..."

At this point, he seemed to find it hard to speak and stopped.

No matter how shameless he was or how black his heart was, the person in front of him was his own son.

But after hesitating for a moment, he continued: "A-Jun has already started practicing martial arts. The school master said his innate talent is good and he can become a martial artist in the future, but he needs medicinal supplements.

From now on, take half of your income from the mine to support A-Jun's training. When he becomes a martial artist in the future, you, as his big brother, will also benefit."

Even though Xu Yang had been mentally prepared and knew this meal wouldn't be simple, he hadn't expected this situation.

"Dad, how can you say such things? The little money Brother earns at the mine isn't enough to support the two of us. Giving half to Yang Jun, are you trying to starve us to death?"

Hearing this, Xu Qing screamed and ran over, her little face flushed with anger.

She thought her father had finally found his conscience and called them for dinner on his birthday, but she didn't expect he was eyeing her brother's hard-earned money.

At this moment, even the shameless Xu Laoer felt a bit ashamed and didn't refute.

"Xiao Qing, how can you talk to your father like that? Your Brother Jun can become a martial artist. Others don't even have the chance to curry favor with him. Letting you pay some money is for your own good; you'll benefit in the future.

Don't think we don't know. The mine wages are around four hundred wen. Two hundred wen a month is enough for you and A-Yang to live on. If you do some other work, it's no problem to give half to your Brother Jun."

Zhang Cuiting also ran out, acting as if she were giving them an opportunity.

Yang Jun raised his head: "It's just two hundred wen. Once I become a martial artist and pick up the connections my father left behind, whatever leaks through my fingers will be enough for you to enjoy for a lifetime."

Xu Laoer spoke earnestly: "That's right. If our family can produce a martial artist, everyone can benefit. As his big brother, how can he not contribute?"

Originally, he felt ashamed, but once he thought about the benefits of Yang Jun becoming a martial artist, that bit of shame disappeared without a trace.