Cultivators Are So Weak in This World-Chapter 167 - 156 Thoughts, Part 2

Watching Zhang Rongfang step into the courtyard, they were ready to close the door.

Jin Xiu felt a sudden sense of unwillingness.

"Young Master Zhang, aren’t you going to invite me in for a sit? Do you live alone in such a big courtyard? Truly free?"

"Perhaps not. This is our first meeting," Zhang Rongfang turned around and smiled.

"Besides, a man and a woman alone in one room, it’s not quite proper."

Jin Xiu blinked. The more he acted like this, the more her curiosity grew.

She had always been a very curious person, looked more like a boy in childhood, only becoming beautiful as she grew up.

Thus her status in the family somewhat improved.

But such status mostly came from the disgusting gazes of the old men.

This kind of situation made her constantly want to escape that difficult family.

Later on, her status rose and she had some spare money; only then did she start practicing martial arts. Though it was just basic fighting skills, it was still enough to protect herself against ordinary people.

Her courage also increased significantly.

I just want to go in to have a look, and I’ll come right out. The door is open; it doesn’t matter.

Jin Xiu was indifferent, thinking, there weren’t fewer nauseating old men in her family, right?

Those crafty old fellows, she could even think of ways to avoid them.

What trouble could an eighteen-year-old boy cause?

Zhang Rongfang looked puzzled; he had never seen someone so proactive.

With how much had been said, he ceased to express more.

"Then, please come in. My humble abode is crude; be careful not to trip over the steps."

He stepped aside from blocking the door, making a gesture inviting her in.

Jin Xiu smiled sweetly, lifted her skirt over the threshold, and walked into the courtyard.

The entire courtyard’s decor immediately filled her sight.

The first thing she saw was the wooden stakes.

Each wooden stake was rough and heavy, embedded in the ground, orderly and interspersed.

Under the shade of the trees, there was a stone table and stools.

"Sit in the yard for a while, and I’ll go make some tea," Zhang Rongfang arranged for Jin Xiu to sit on the stone stool.

"Alright."

Jin Xiu glanced at the slightly open door, giving herself a reason.

Zhang Rongfang didn’t invite her into the inner room to avoid suspicion.

Safety-wise, the yard gate was wide open, anyone passing by outside could see what was happening inside, not a concern.

She watched Zhang Rongfang leave to boil water and make tea, recalling the recent events.

Initially, the meeting between them was normal, but towards the end, something was off on his part.

No signs of attachment or attempts to retain her, nor plans for a second date.

Most exaggerated was, he didn’t even offer to escort her home.

After all, she was still a young lady, fairly attractive at that. A qualified martial artist saw her and just ignored?

Thinking about this, Jin Xiu recalled feeling something odd about Zhang Rongfang.

"Right... Meisha mentioned this Zhang Rongfang. He suddenly came to Wushan, joining his sister’s life, then before that?

What was he doing before? Running so far alone, even for a recognized martial artist, it’s an enormous expenditure. Where did he get that much money...?"

From this perspective... this Zhang Rongfang definitely has secrets!!

Jin Xiu’s curiosity surged.

She was brave, looked towards Zhang Rongfang’s position in the kitchen, and pretended getting up, dusting her skirt with a casual look.

Soon, she reached the inner room door, gently pushed it, and entered.

Inside the room, there were bed, wardrobe, desk, bronze mirror, water tank, lamp holder in the corner.

She lightly walked to the desk, the surface was clean, except for a wooden cylinder at the edge with many small hollow bamboo tubes of unknown use.

Jin Xiu’s heart stirred and immediately thought of descriptions from certain novels.

Instantly, her curiosity deepened.

She glanced around, quickly reached out, picked up a bamboo tube, took a look, and put it back.

Looking up towards Zhang Rongfang’s side, he hadn’t come yet.

She swiftly pulled open a drawer and swept a glance.

Inside the drawer were neatly placed small booklets, two identity tokens, and... a thick stack of large denomination notes! Each worth a hundred taels!

This pile, at least three thousand taels!!

Jin Xiu’s eyes widened, her breath quickened, took another look outside, her fingers brushed the notes.

Then gently closed the drawer, moved to open another drawer.

But hearing footsteps approaching from outside, she quickly feigned nonchalance, wandering casually in the room.

"The tea’s here."

Zhang Rongfang carried a freshly brewed teapot and cups over.

He glanced, noticing Jin Xiu had entered the inner room, said nothing, and carried the wooden tray inside as well.

Putting the tea down, he dragged the table to the door, allowing it to be seen by passersby outside, then knelt at one end of the table, gesturing for her to sit as well.

"Thank you." Jin Xiu calmed down, knelt on the other side.

"To mention, I have quite a good impression of you. We are friends now, aren’t we?" She flashed a sweet smile. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

"Certainly." Zhang Rongfang nodded with a smile.

"Can I often come to see you, then?" Jin Xiu pursued.

"Certainly."

The two continued to chat about martial arts practice, local Wushan specialties, or books they had read.

The atmosphere becoming more harmonious.

Before long, Jin Xiu noticed the time late, got up to bid farewell, and left.

Zhang Rongfang escorted them to the courtyard gate, called a carriage, and sent them on their way before closing the door and returning inside.

Back in the inner room, he glanced at the tabletop, reached out a hand to stir the bamboo tube, causing the bamboo slips within to rustle.

Then he opened the drawer, its contents plainly visible, all accounted for.

Picking up two identity documents, the papers bore his household registration and Daoist registration.

After confirming nothing was missing, he satisfiedly closed the drawer, paying no more attention.

*

*

*

In the days that followed.

Jin Xiu occasionally sent someone to invite Zhang Rongfang for a stroll by the river.

Wushan City was split by the Wujiang River, and business boats often gathered on the water, providing rentals for those willing to pay.

Zhang Rongfang declined twice, receiving lectures from his sister, and begrudgingly found time to accommodate Jin Xiu, taking a boat trip to relax.

As time passed, the two gradually grew closer.

Just then, Captain He Xinhong of Wushan died suddenly in his home.

All of Wushan became tightly secured in response.

Since the fall of the Huang family, it hadn’t taken long before another high-ranking official was killed.

This led the citizens of Wushan to severely doubt the administration’s governance abilities.

Even though the outside environment was tense, Zhang Rongfang and Jin Xiu grew even closer.

Zhang Rongfang happily used Jin Xiu as a shield, so his sister no longer lectured him daily.

Jin Xiu didn’t seem to mind the interactions with Zhang.

With time, the two became increasingly familiar.

*

*

*

Inside the Piaoxiang Meeting Pavilion.

"Xiu Xiu, what’s your thinking? Why are you really getting close to that guy?" Lu Meisha couldn’t comprehend her friend’s actions.

She originally paid up, thinking Jin Xiu would decisively find an excuse to break it off with that guy.

Contrary to expectations, Jin Xiu not only didn’t break it off, but started interacting more frequently with the Zhang family member.

She was simply perplexed.

"It’s nothing," Jin Xiu replied carelessly while gently applying powder to her cheeks.

"Previously, I didn’t know, but after careful interaction, I found him realistic and quite nice. I’ll just keep interacting for now; after all, I don’t have the conditions you do as Miss Lu.

Life from a poor family requires careful planning."

Jin Xiu was quite pragmatic.

"But this..." Lu Meisha watched her friend, momentarily unsure how to feel.

"The Zhang family’s temper is bad, prone to violence, has a poor background, lacks ability, and is reckless. What’s good about him???"

Jin Xiu shot her a surprised glance.

"You’re being a bit biased. Zhang Rongfang has become an official. At eighteen, he’s a first-rank martial artist and Daoist. His future potential is far superior to those I’ve seen before.

You, Lu Meisha, came from Spirit People, with family and a brother taking care of you; naturally, you look down on him, but I’m different."

She sighed.

"If I don’t find a wealthy, capable person while I’m still young and beautiful, I might never have the chance if I encounter unsuitable ones later."

Thinking of her mother’s illness, those disgusting old men of the family, she felt revolted, desperately wanting to escape that nightmare of a family with her mother.

"Hey, I really don’t like hearing that." Lu Meisha frowned. "It’s only been a few days, and what’s that Zhang family’s allure that’s changed you so much?"

"It’s nothing, just my own choice." Jin Xiu smiled and lowered her head to continue shaping her eyebrows with the bronze mirror.

"Alright, alright, let’s drop it. Since Xiu Xiu plans to turn pretense into reality, just go with it. Let’s not damage our friendship of so many years." Xiaolong tentatively coaxed.

"You’ll regret it! Despite occasional competence, his poor background won’t allow him to rise high; he’ll be a minor official. With your conditions, ignoring those wooing gentlemen for someone like that..."

Feeling an inexplicable loss, Lu Meisha looked at her slightly changed friend.

She remembered her brother and sister-in-law initially intending to match her with Zhang Rongfang.

But now...

"Alright, alright. Don’t bother so much, Miss Lu."

Ah Ping lazily peeled a lychee.

"Xiu Xiu is right. It’s foolish to choose those gentlemen. Not choosing them, with her conditions are self-sufficient; what’s the solution? We can help once, twice, or thrice, but not forever."

Xue Jingping’s words gradually calmed Lu Meisha down.

Still, the inexplicable loss made her uncomfortable, and even Jin Xiu, with whom she held a fair relationship with, seemed less appealing.

"It’s okay, I reminded you first. If you regret it later, don’t blame me for not advising you."

Finishing the drink, she turned and left.

The three remained silent.

Xiaolong sighed.

"Xiu Xiu, have you really decided? Miss Meisha is only looking out for you. Don’t blame her."

Jin Xiu remained silent for a moment.

"I don’t dare blame her; but my mother’s illness requires continuous funding. I don’t want to be used by those gentlemen and want someone who isn’t afraid of those old family guys, yet capable enough to help my mother medically.

Thinking through it carefully, someone with power, money, poor family but background, is my best outcome.

Same conditions, but good background, they won’t look my way."

"Xiu Xiu knows well. Don’t be fooled by her pure, elegant appearance, she understands perfectly." Xue Jingping commented.

The trio fell into silence.

Apart from Lu Meisha, the three had their troubles too.