Chapter 41: The Reward Has Arrived

Zhang Ping'an currently has no sleepiness at all, and his heart is still thumping; after all, the impact of this thing is too great, and the bright, gleaming color is just too lovely.

In his past life, Zhang Ping'an was just an ordinary wage slave, but now, without having done much, he has become a billionaire; his mindset inflated instantly, and the fun of fishing and hunting for a few hundred thousand is gone.

Sigh, thinking of the current environment, Zhang Ping'an sighed again; to truly achieve financial freedom, he still has to wait until after the Reform and Opening-up.

Actually, Zhang Ping'an still quite enjoys this era; there are no mortgage or car loans, the air quality is high, the ingredients are green and unpolluted, prices are low, and the human touch is strong—everything is good.

Thinking about it this way, this batch of Golden Bricks is really dispensable, and Zhang Ping'an calmed his mood, suddenly feeling as dull and flavorless as a sage in his post-climax state.

Just like this, he let his mind wander until the sky was barely light; Zhang Ping'an didn't sleep anymore, practiced Xingyi in the courtyard, and after stretching, he slipped into his space to eat and take a bath, becoming instantly refreshed.

"San Jie Fu, here is something good for you," Zhang Ping'an said, raising the Tiger Bone Wine in his hand.

"Is this Medicinal Wine?"

"Yes, Tiger Bone Wine; it can strengthen the body and bones and is very friendly to people of your age. Have a small cup every day, and you will be full of energy the next day."

"Cough, cough, Tiger Bone Wine? Then I'll help you taste it tonight."

Zhang Ping'an gave another bottle to Jia Dongxu before heading to Xingyi Jishitang to study.

"Ping'an, how well have you memorized the human body's acupoints and their related functions?"

"I have memorized them all."

"Very good. Starting today, I will teach you how to apply needles. Since you practice martial arts, your hands must be steadier than the average person's, so you should pick it up very quickly."

Under Wang Lao's practical guidance, Zhang Ping'an learned very quickly. By the afternoon, Zhang Ping'an began to practice; his slender fingers twisted the Silver Needle, and with a light prick, he hit the acupoint precisely, his technique as seasoned as if he were not a beginner at all.

"Not bad, not bad. This month you will be solely responsible for acupuncture; practice well, and don't let the knowledge you learned before fall behind," the Divine Doctor Wang nodded with satisfaction, thinking to himself that he had taken on the right apprentice.

"Very well, Master."

In his past life, Zhang Ping'an had bought a medical mannequin model, the kind with the whole body's acupoints and meridians, along with a set of Silver Needles.

Zhang Ping'an had actually practiced for a period of time back then, but unfortunately, he didn't have much of a feel for it; it wasn't like now, where his hands are incredibly steady, hitting exactly where he points, truly achieving eye-to-hand coordination.

The afternoon was still Zhang Ping'an in the acupuncture room.

"Li, is this young man doing the acupuncture?"

"Yes, Li, don't worry; Ping'an's hands are very steady, and his technique is very solid. Hurry up and lie down."

Following Wang Lao's prompts, Zhang Ping'an inserted the Silver Needles into the acupoints one by one, both fast and accurate.

"Hmm~ not bad."

As the days went by, Zhang Ping'an's acupuncture technique became increasingly proficient; knowing the patient's condition and combining it with the characteristics of the acupoints, he would just prick away.

The Divine Doctor Wang also felt at ease leaving the acupuncture room to him, while he himself went to the front desk to consult with patients.

This evening, just as Zhang Ping'an was walking home from the Pharmacy, he ran into the then-Director Wang.

"Little Ping'an, I was just about to go to the courtyard to find you. Since I've run into you now, I'll just give it to you directly; also, hand over the shares for the other three in your courtyard."

"What is it?"

"Your honorary awards and some cash subsidies."

Zhang Ping'an took a simple look: four large certificates. Zhuzi and Damao were for meritorious service in reporting an Agent, Jia Dongxu was for meritorious service in participating in an arrest, and he himself was for a major meritorious service; the cash totaled two million.

"These will all be recorded in your personal files."

"Thank you, Director Wang. We will accept the honor, but keep the money; please help donate it to those in need."

"Your level of awareness... alright, then I won't stand on ceremony with you. We really do have many places that need money right now, such as repairs for the Welfare Institute, caring for the elderly without families, and so on. Sigh."

"By the way, Ping'an, don't call me Director Wang anymore; just call me Uncle Wang. Also, the autumn fishing season is coming up soon. I know you are great at hunting and fishing, so you'd better hurry if you want to fish."

"Oh, okay, thank you, Uncle Wang."

"Alright, don't tell anyone else; I'm leaving now."

"Okay."

This Shichahai had only been renovated not long ago, and the fish inside had been there since the Jin-Yuan period, but they gradually decreased later on, and by the Republic of China era, the river channel was silted up due to years of neglect.

It was only after a year of dredging and building embankments that it reached its current state, and the fish have gradually increased.

After this autumn fishing, it's estimated that only fish weighing about a pound will be left; it will probably be hard to see any over two pounds in the future. It seems I really must hurry to fish.

Ever since he had money in his hands, Zhang Ping'an hardly fished at all, and most of what he turned in to the Rolling Mill were wild rabbits and pheasants; this time, he must store a thousand pounds or so in his space, no matter what.

Returning to the courtyard, Zhang Ping'an handed Jia Dongxu's honorary certificate to San Jie.

"Hahaha, my Dongxu is truly promising."

At this moment, she no longer said anything about forbidding hunting; people in this era value honor more than anything else.

"By the way, Ping'an, where is yours?"

"Right here."

"Good, good, good." The double worry from back then had turned into double honor now.

He Daqing and Xu Fugui had not returned yet, so Zhang Ping'an prepared to go home and get the mung bean soup ready first.

"Ping'an, eat here today; I'll make a few more dishes."

"That works."

Zhang Xiaohua's words made him stop in his tracks; he held a child in each arm to play, kissing this one and kissing that one, and the two babies were giggling with laughter.

Children are more fun when they are small, fragrant and soft; these two babies also like Zhang Ping'an. Every time he comes over, as long as they are awake, they will babble at him asking to be held, making Lao Jia, the father, and Xiao Jia, the brother, incredibly jealous.

"What a good day it is today, to have made so many delicious things?" Lao Jia said after coming home from work.

"Go into the room and look, and you'll know."

"What is it? Still being all mysterious."

"Whoa~ Ping'an, this, is this the reward for that matter last time?"

"That's right, brother-in-law."

"Good, good, good, good." Lao Jia carefully looked at the four certificates and instantly discovered the difference; he knew the value of this, so he quickly rolled them up and put them away.

"Ping'an, you keep yours safe too."

"Alright, by the way, Brother-in-law San Jie, have Brother He and Brother Xu returned yet?"

"They have all returned."

"That's fine, I'm going to go give them a surprise."

"Hahaha, alright, go ahead, give the child to me."

"Knock, knock, knock, Brother He, it's me, Ping'an."

"Uncle Zhang, my father is in the kitchen, please come in first."

"Good, Yushui is truly well-behaved, here is a candy for you."

"Thank you, Uncle Zhang, I'll go call my father."

"Ping'an, what is it?"

"Take a look."

"Whoa~ is this Zhuzi's?"

"How could it be fake? Look at He Yuzhu's name, and look at this red seal."

"Hahaha, good, good indeed, Ping'an, I have to thank you a lot for this." He Daqing knew that Shazhu's credit for this was essentially picked up for free.

"Brother He, Zhuzi put in the effort too; this is what he deserves."

"Alright, I won't stand on ceremony with you then. Stay and eat here in a bit, I'll stir-fry two hearty dishes, and we brothers will have a drink together."

"No need, Brother He, my San Jie has already cooked the dishes, and I still have to deliver a certificate of merit to Damao, so we have plenty of time ahead."

"That works too."

Arriving at the Back Courtyard, Xu Fugui's reaction was much like He Daqing's; he excitedly patted Damao so hard he stumbled, and he also wanted to treat Zhang Ping'an, but Zhang Ping'an politely declined.

"Damao, from now on, interact more with your Uncle Zhang."

Xu Fugui had seen his son's changes over this year; his grades used to always be at the bottom, but now he could hover in the middle, and the money in his little treasury was also increasing.

"Alright, Dad."