Chapter 24: Seeing Water Brings Fortune
Then…
That’s it?
The night breeze blew gently, with insects chirping outside the courtyard.
Chen Shun’an waited in place for a long time, with no new reactions.
His entire body showed no obvious changes either.
Chen Shun’an was a bit dazed.
It ended just like that with one sentence ‘Grass Head God divinity, further awakening’?
Chen Shun’an frowned slightly.
No, there must be some subtle change that happened, one I haven’t noticed yet.
“Hoo…”
Thinking of this, Chen Shun’an let out a long breath.
Better go to sleep first.
When people get older, they often suffer from insomnia and restless dreams, with poor spirits—even a first-rate warrior like Li Shicheng can’t escape it.
Fortunately, ever since breaking into second-rate and making up for his deficiencies, Chen Shun’an has been full of vigor, with a great appetite and sound sleep.
His urine stream no longer split; it was now forceful and straight!
Everything could wait until tomorrow!
…
The next day.
Rat Rush facing north brings risk of arguments and trouble.
Long journeys bring luck; seeing water brings wealth.
As dawn just broke, Chen Shun’an got out of bed full of energy and practiced martial arts, stomping stakes.
After the meal.
Sacrificing his looks.
【Wish+2】
Wan Niang straightened her slightly disheveled clothes, her expression unchanged.
Today Chen Shun’an planned to make a trip to Banye Ferry Crossing, mainly because the Dragon Elephant Bone Quenching Pills and daily medicinal baths were nearly used up and needed restocking.
For these personal-use medicines, Chen Shun’an never let others handle them, nor did he have Wan Niang do it for him; he always did it himself.
In addition, Chen Shun’an brought some healing pills and polygonatum ginseng gifted by various relatives and friends during his recent brush with death.
He temporarily selected those currently useful and beneficial to his cultivation.
He wanted Golden Needle Li to check them and distinguish their qualities before taking them.
It was almost the end of May, with the scorching heat becoming unbearable.
Amid the splashing water sounds, a group of lean water carriers in short outfits pushed carts back and forth delivering water.
Shopkeeper Li oversaw the well business, inspecting the account book.
Shopkeeper Li’s expression wasn’t great.
Logically, with the hot weather, the well business should be even better.
But perhaps because of the recent change to the monthly package rules—now only on-site payments—many old clients were enduring the heat and avoiding water use when possible.
As a result, the well’s daily income and expenses were almost the same as in the off-season.
Moreover, pushing carts under the blazing sun was tough on many water carriers; their pace slowed. Though they didn’t dare slack off blatantly, they were truly exhausted.
They had to avoid the hottest midday hours, turning what could be done in half a day into a full day.
Unlike Instructor Lin’s blazing, explosive aura, as Shopkeeper Li’s face darkened, the temperature in half the alley dropped sharply; many water carriers couldn’t help shivering and kept their heads down carrying water, not daring to look at Shopkeeper Li’s face.
“Hm? Why does Chen Shun’an have so many ‘substitute’ marks?”
While flipping through the account book, Shopkeeper Li let out a surprised sound and adjusted his glasses.
Water carriers often helped each other deliver water.
But for accountability in income and expenses, every cart of water loaded had to be recorded.
Helpers added a ‘substitute’ mark after the helped person’s name each time they loaded water.
It meant this cart of water was delivered on behalf of that person; the helper was just doing a personal favor, while official tasks still counted for the original person.
Chen Shun’an was a veteran of the water station, with considerable seniority, responsible for 23 clients total, plus the newly added Li Family in the past two days.
Yet, as Shopkeeper Li flipped through page after page of the account book and counted carefully, Chen Shun’an had as many as 13 ‘substitute’ marks every day!
Many of those clients were in remote large compounds or shantytown areas!
Shopkeeper Li couldn’t help narrowing his eyes, a look of surprise on his face.
“Even with Old Chen planning the route and rationally taking shortcuts, no ordinary third-rate warrior practicing lightness skill could cover that daily water delivery distance!
Good grief, is Old Chen really about to break through?”
Thinking of this, Shopkeeper Li couldn’t help showing a bit of a smile.
Having another second-rate warrior at the well—especially one cultivating superior martial arts like 《Ròufēi Xiān》—would be greatly beneficial to the entire water station’s business.
If given time, he, Li Changtian, might even move up a notch and become a fresh water well shopkeeper.
Landlord Zhao, as one of the nine major landlords of Wuqing County water stations, naturally couldn’t have just this one Grit Well.
Landlord Zhao had fully three fresh water wells and twelve turbid water wells under him, with over four hundred water carriers!
They delivered not only turbid water and fresh water, but also ice blocks and some ‘special’ items.
Which required warriors practicing lightness skill!
Thinking of this, Shopkeeper Li shook his head with some regret.
“It’s just a pity Old Chen is a bit too old… If he were twenty years younger, the landlord might take a liking to him and nurture him wholeheartedly?”
“But that’s fine too. Once Instructor Lin is transferred, Old Chen can step up just in time, stay at Grit Well to keep shining, and shelter good seedlings like Ah Hua from wind and rain…”
Shopkeeper Li not only calculated the water sales accounts but also the water carriers’ accounts.
In the end, he nodded in satisfaction and closed the account book.
“Everything is in order!”
…
“Li Changtian grinning like a spiky chestnut—who’s he showing his barbs to?”
Returning the water cart early, Chen Shun’an packed up to go off-duty, glancing at Shopkeeper Li under the shelter, muttering to himself.
Of everyone at Grit Well, the one Chen Shun’an was most wary of and guarded against was this Li Changtian.
It wasn’t that Shopkeeper Li was harsh, but this guy was called the ‘smiling fox.’
He was always smiling, but no one could guess what he was really thinking.
Instructor Lin had a big temper, quick to curse, and quick to fight if he lost an argument.
But at least he was straightforward, saying what he thought with everything on his face.
Speaking of Instructor Lin, though.
Ever since defeating Zhuang Kun with one move two days ago, aside from daily midday dietary supplements at Second Meat Shop, Chen Shun’an rarely saw Instructor Lin.
Occasionally catching a glimpse, Instructor Lin was full of killing intent, eyes bloodshot, silently scooping water from the vat to wash bloodstains off his fists.
As if he had just come back from killing someone.
Whenever that happened, Shopkeeper Li would usher Instructor Lin into the shelter.
Clearing the area, the two hid in the shelter, who knows what they discussed.
Chen Shun’an silently took in all these details.
Changing into a long robe, shouldering his package, Chen Shun’an hailed a mule cart on the street, saying he was going to Banye Ferry Crossing.
Big business came knocking; the cart owner grinned broadly and picked up a few fellow travelers on the way, all squeezing into the mule cart together.
The cramped mule cart suddenly held three or four burly men, and with the already hot weather, the stench of sweat mixed with stinky feet hit hard.
It made Chen Shun’an’s vision go black; he nearly passed out.
Chen Shun’an quickly shifted position to sit by the window, greedily breathing fresh air.
Those big men glanced at each other suspiciously, each thinking it was the other’s smell.
The mule cart passed through wide stone slab streets, then onto the official road; soon, pedestrians and merchants increased on both sides.
Official sedans in black or fast horses occasionally passed; the mule cart could only watch them go amid the kicked-up dust.
