Xiao Jingting nodded, “Sure, it is. Thought it’s quite expensive, it’s worth the price, anyway.”
“It’s certainly expensive, given that a hundred thousand taels of silver it costs,” Zheng Pei’er said with jealousy.
Xiao Jingting replied nothing. Wang Lu gave Zheng Pei’er a glimpse and said, “Speak less, that one from the eldest family.”
“The third, are you short of people in your shop? Your eldest brother is available now.”
Xiao Jingting smiled and replied, “Mother, I just run a small business, and my eldest brother will be wasted as a clerk in my small shop given his cultivation of level six.”
Heard Xiao Jingting say so, Wang Lu said nothing more.
Xiao Qingyan gave Xiao Jingting a glimpse with gloomy eyes.
In the evening, Xiao Jinfeng and Xiao Jingting went back to their houses out of the city.
Zheng Pei’er was pacing the room and said in anger, “You’re the eldest brother, but Xiao Jingting doesn’t pay any attention to you.”
Xiao Qingyan looked at Zheng Pei’er and said, “Well, be quiet. It’s just a small shop.”
“It’s no longer a small shop, because he has expanded the size of the shop,” said Zheng Pei’er.
“Even then, I don’t need to go there,” said Xiao Qingyan.
Xiao Qingyan said to himself: Even if he would run a shop, he should run a new shop, rather than taking over a shop that had been run by his two younger brothers and bringing public criticism. Moreover, Xiao Jinfeng was the boss there, and would he not serve as an assistant if he joined them?
…
In the dessert shop.
“Brother Jinfeng, you’re back.”
Xiao Jinfeng nodded, “Yeah!”
Li Qing asked in bewilderment, “Brother Jinfeng, why do you come back so soon? You said you would hire an assistant; then why don’t you bring one back?”
Xiao Jinfeng shook his head and said, “I’ll do it another day.”
Xiao Jinfeng sat into a chair, and leaned his forehead on one hand. When he hired people outside before, he had met Hua Yufeng by chance.
In Xiao Jinfeng’s impression, Hua Yufeng was always a person of arrogance and dauntless spirit. But now, he found that Hua Yufeng was finding a job among the hopeless-look crowd. And Hua Yufeng had regressed to level two in his cultivation, and it seemed that he hadn’t completely recovered and could merely do some simple work.
A hero could even be defeated by a penny. His comedown was beyond expectation.
As far as Xiao Jinfeng knew, due to Hua Yufeng’s several missteps in decision-making, the crew in the mercenary team had had a lot of complaints about him. So, after the disbandment of the mercenary team, no one cared about him, who was badly wounded. As the saying went, couples were like the birds in the same forest, but they would fly separately in the face of a disaster. Since it could be like this with couples, let alone the members in a mercenary team. Hua Yufeng was abandoned by his people who were making their own livings.
Xiao Jinfeng sighed for him. Hua Yufeng had just hidden when he encountered Xiao Jinfeng, and Xiao Jinfeng hadn’t considered rendering good for evil and offering Hua Yufeng a job.
Xiao Jinfeng had viewed several people with little interest, and found no one suitable, so he returned back early.
Before, He had offended Zhou Kangqi for the sake of the mercenary team; but now, he was abandoned by the mercenary team. Xiao Jinfeng could still remember Hua Yufeng’s hideous face at that time. If it had not been for the rescue of his third brother, his future would have been totally ruined. All that could be done had been done, but he just couldn’t render evil with good. What Hua Yufeng’s life would be like, it all depended on his fortune.
…
“Second Childe Xiao, you have a good business,” said Zhou Kangqi.
Seeing Zhou Kangqi, Xiao Jinfeng suddenly turned gloomy and said, “What are you doing here?”
Zhou Kangqi said with a smile, “I’m curious. Since you’ve been expelled from the mercenary team and have raped your sister-in-law, how dare you show your face in public again?”
Xiao Jinfeng sneered, “How dare you clamor before me since you’re just with level four in Qi Practice but I’m with level five? Aren’t you afraid of being hit to be disabled by me?”
Zhou Kangqi was stunned for a while, and then he sneered, “Do you want to stir up the open fight between the Xiao family and the Zhou family?”
Xiao Jinfeng said disapprovingly, “Will the Xiao family and the Zhou family fight for your sake? If it’s for your elder brother, there may be a possibility.”
Zhou Kangqi stared at Xiao Jinfeng and said, “Do you think you have someone backing you up since your elder brother have advanced to level six?”
Xiao Jingting thought that Zhou Kangqi was just imagining. Zhou Kangqi liked relying on his elder brother’s power, so he thought that Xiao Jinfeng liked relying on Xiao Qingyan as well. In fact, Xiao Jinfeng didn’t expect his elder brother would help him.
“That’s kind of true. My elder brother has advanced to level six, so your elder brother is not the only one achieving that any longer, and he shouldn’t be so arrogant,” said Xiao Jinfeng.
Zhou Kangqi said proudly, “The case of my elder brother is not the same as your brother’s. My elder brother has advanced to level six by his own effort, but your elder brother has sought to achieve quick success and advanced by medicine. Your elder brother seems to achieve at most level seven all this life.”
Xiao Jinfeng stared at Zhou Kangqi while squinting his eyes, “Well, you’re so well informed. You know quite well about the things even not knowing by my parents.”
Zhou Kangqi scoffed and said, “Your elder brother can hide this from your parents, but not from my elder brother, since my elder brother is also a student in the Bifeng Academy and clear about the rules there.”
Xiao Jinfeng nodded, “OK, whatever. Even if my elder brother has advanced by medicine, you may not achieve level six this life. However, that doesn’t matter, your elder brother will take care of you all your life, anyway.”
Zhou Kangqi’s self-esteem was hurt by Xiao Jinfeng’s words.
Having a talented elder brother could be a nice but suffocating thing at the same time.
Xiao Xiaodong was lying prone on the counter, and looking at Xiao Jinfeng with sparkling eyes.
When Xiao Jinfeng turned back and saw Xiao Xiaodong’s appearance, he asked, “What’s wrong?”
Xiao Xiaodong shook his head and said, “I’m fine. But it seems that eldest uncle has ruined his own future.”
Xiao Jinfeng said unhappily, “Don’t talk nonsense. It hasn’t been proved yet.”
Xiao Xiaodong curled his lips and said, “Second uncle, I think you’ve actually believed in that.”
Xiao Jinfeng gave him a glare, “A little man…”
Xiao Xiaofan was getting a drink, and then he asked with his eyes blinking, “Brother, second uncle, what are you talking about?”
Xiao Xiaodong gave him a glimpse and replied, “Don’t be so nosy, little boy.”
Xiao Xiaofan snorted and said, “I hate it. You always take me as a little child, but in fact, I know everything.”
Xiao Xiaodong asked with interest, “Well, you know? What do you know exactly?”
“Eldest uncle has taken medicine, and eldest uncle has got sick,” Xiao Xiaofan said proudly.
Xiao Xiaodong was struck dumb.
“Then what illness has eldest uncle got?” Xiao Xiaofan asked puzzledly.