Chapter 66: Lavish Neighbor, Missed Opportunity
Fang Shu’s thoughts drifted, immediately floating to the scene he had seen by the Great Dao when he returned to Gu Ling Town.
“Could it be that this fellow’s daughter really met with an accident when she went out?” he pondered silently in his heart.
Without changing his expression, he looked at Second Uncle Yu Le and Talisman Master Li Yuan beside him, and began half chatting idly and half inquiring with the two.
Talisman Master Li Yuan heard this and said softly in a low voice: “You should ask Manager Xiao Hu about this. I heard his daughter was struck by a Wicked Technique, causing a serious illness. She’s now barely hanging on with medicine, and it can’t be ordinary medicine—it’s said to be Precious Medicine.
With his daughter on the brink of death, what’s the use of buying a house? Naturally, he has to think of every way to scrape together money to save her life.”
Hearing this, Fang Shu’s eyes flickered slightly, and he thought to himself that it was indeed so.
However, he only glanced once more at Xiao Hu, who was smiling at everyone he met, then withdrew his gaze and paid no more attention to the matter.
This matter had nothing to do with him, and it was just a stranger, so there was no need to care too much.
On the contrary, Li Hou Er, who had come with him, heard it and clicked his tongue, suddenly thinking of something, and said:
“What about our neighbor then? Will it still be left to him to sell the Property Voucher like this?”
The Fang and Li families each occupied two side rooms respectively, and Dou Su Fu had already entrusted them with money to help buy the front-facing room. Now, only the north-facing main room, the one in Xiao Hu’s hands, remained unsettled.
Talisman Master Li Yuan heard this and showed a helpless expression: “What can be done? People are waiting for money to save a life. You can’t stop them from selling, and even if you tried, they wouldn’t listen to you.”
Second Uncle Yu Le narrowed his eyes and looked at Xiao Hu:
“No need to worry. This Manager Xiao should sell the Property Voucher to a generous family, not to some stingy and harsh buyer.”
Li Hou Er heard this, his eyes darting around the Arena nonstop, muttering in his mouth:
“It would be good if a few young ladies moved into the courtyard. There are already two households with four single men.”
These words immediately drew glares from Fang Shu and the others.
Because Xiao Hu was hawking the Property Voucher, and everyone didn’t want to tear up the joint guarantee form, they could only wait first.
As a result, after one or two hours passed, that Xiao Hu was still thick-skinned, wandering around the Paper Workshop, probably having asked all the Immortal Cultivators who came to pick up bargains.
Seeing this, Fang Shu found it boring. He simply stood at the edge of the crowd, half-sitting as he practiced his stance, while pondering Gu Technique content in his mind, repeatedly chewing and absorbing it.
Although the Dao Talisman helped with Analysis, and the analyzed content would pour into his mind like enlightenment, making him comprehend it thoroughly, Fang Shu would always re-digest and absorb the analyzed content himself, marking key points based on his own knowledge, and so on.
This practice allowed him not to rigidly accept the Dao Talisman’s teachings, but to understand various principles more clearly and freely, making it easier for Spiritual Light to flash.
For example, right now, as he pondered the Breath-Holding Insect Gu Recipe he had just analyzed a few days ago, many novel ideas for Gu Refining popped into his mind.
“The Breath-Holding Insect can not only conceal one’s aura and hide one’s scent, but also lower the body’s heat, reduce air consumption, allowing one to hide in mud or pools like a turtle or snake.”
Fang Shu thought to himself: “Perhaps when refining this insect, one should choose a pool, making the environment damp and dark…”
As he daydreamed, Li Hou Er beside him suddenly jumped up.
He saw Xiao Hu walking toward them with a full face of smiles, occasionally talking to an old woman beside him:
“Rest assured, old Immortal Cultivator. When I grabbed this Property Voucher, it was to prepare for my daughter!
To tell you the truth, there was actually a standalone courtyard at the time, but it was too narrow, looking just like a coffin, and the price was high too. So I settled for the next best thing and picked this top-quality main room.”
The fellow patted his chest, boasting, and even pointed at Fang Shu and the others: “Look, these are all high disciples from the Dojo. The one living in the front-facing room is a young lady. Once you grandmother and granddaughter move in, the number of people in the courtyard will be just right—not too many, not too few!”
The old woman being addressed by Xiao Hu should be the one who offered a high price and bought this fellow’s Property Voucher, and would be Fang Shu and the others’ future neighbor.
The old woman walked over and also asked Talisman Master Li Yuan and Second Uncle Yu Le, checking if what they said matched what the fellow surnamed Xiao had said.
After a simple inquiry, satisfaction appeared on the old woman’s face, and she completed the Talisman Money transaction with Xiao Hu on the spot.
As for the exact amount, the two turned their backs and exchanged it in their sleeves, so outsiders didn’t know.
But Xiao Hu, having received the Talisman Money, showed a few traces of gratitude on his face, nodded to Fang Shu and the others before leaving, clearly indicating a good price.
While the elders were talking, Fang Shu and Li Hou Er stood by, their gazes mainly falling on the girl behind the old woman.
The girl had a delicate appearance, not very old, looking a bit younger than Fang Shu and Li Hou Er, with a simple ponytail that made her seem very lively.
The other side was also sizing up Fang Shu and Li Hou Er.
Suddenly, the old woman spoke: “Lulu, come greet Uncle Li and Uncle Yu.”
“Hello, Uncle Li and Uncle Yu!” The girl obediently stepped forward, cupping her hands in greeting.
Immediately after, both sides exchanged names.
This grandmother and granddaughter both had the surname Jiao, and their relationship was indeed grandmother and granddaughter.
The old woman didn’t reveal her full name, just letting Fang Shu and the others call her “Old Madam Jiao,” while her granddaughter’s full name was Jiao Lulu.
The three households met for the first time, and the atmosphere was decent.
After chatting idly for a bit, they headed toward the place to pay and draw lots.
Soon, the price for erecting the house and tiling the roof came out: the Courtyard House Fang Shu and the others wanted would cost a total of 500,000 Talisman Money!
Among them, the left and right side rooms cost 100,000 and 110,000 respectively. The front-facing room, being near the Doorway, small in area, and having a latrine in one corner, only needed 50,000.
As for the main room, due to its large area, good Feng Shui, and a small ear room exclusively for it that could be converted into a latrine and such, it required 240,000.
Hearing this price, even though Fang Shu and the others had anticipated it, they still felt a pang of toothache.
Even Second Uncle Yu Le, who had been quite confident about Fang Shu originally, had his lips trembling and a hesitant look on his face.
The Li father and son duo cursed outright on the spot:
“Black! Damn it, really black!”
“Not eating or drinking and selling blood for thirty years could barely exchange for such a broken Tiled House, and even the furniture and windows are all missing.”
Hearing this, Fang Shu was also stunned for a moment.
He let out a long breath.
Fortunately, not long ago he had thought that killing thieves and taking their loot could make him rich overnight. Now it seemed that the Marketplace folks’ methods were even more brilliant—they could empty all his ill-gotten gains in one go.
However, Fang Shu only showed slight surprise before regaining his calm. On the contrary, the Li father and son were still muttering nonstop.
The collecting Waiter grew impatient: “Black what black? Do you want it or not? If not, next!”
“We want it, of course we do!” The Li father and son quickly agreed.
After confirming that Fang Shu’s group was paying, the Waiter pointed to a pile of Merchants nearby: “Black Ticket exchanges, loans, pledges—all there. Hurry up.”
The rules in Gu Ling Town were similar to the world in Fang Shu’s dream, playing all sorts of tricks in lending. But Fang Shu had no intention of touching that stuff to avoid trouble.
Moreover, his reason for buying this Property was to give Second Uncle Yu Le a place to settle and retire.
He didn’t want one day, because he couldn’t return from outside for a while, the debt interest snowballing and leading to Second Uncle being swept out the door.
However, Fang Shu didn’t pull out 110,000 in cash all at once, to avoid exposing his suddenly wealthy status and attracting prying eyes.
He found the Pawnbroker nearby, took out the Plain Moon Jade he had on him, and did a live pledge.
While Fang Shu and his uncle were haggling with the Pawnbroker, the Li father and son were also busy nonstop.
Talisman Master Li Yuan pulled out about ten Black Tickets of Talisman Money from his body, belonging to different Shops.
He had Li Hou Er help exchange them one by one into Talisman Money, the smallest amount just over a hundred, then pooled them all together.
Finally.
Fang Shu and his uncle negotiated the price with the Old Steward and limited the live pledge period. Once exceeded, it would become a dead pledge, not a single coin more.
Both sides signed and stamped.
The Old Steward took the Jade Pendant and shouted loudly on the spot:
“Second-hand item, Plain Moon Jade, weighing two taels, clean provenance, from Seven Fragrance Tower, can be put on account! Filed!”
With a slap, five Black Tickets from the same Shop were placed in front of Fang Shu. He calmly handed the Talisman Money Black Tickets to Second Uncle Yu Le.
Second Uncle took them with a heartbroken expression, handling them like they might shatter, glancing at Fang Shu repeatedly as if wanting to speak but holding back.
Fang Shu smiled, took out a few more Black Tickets from his sleeve, and gave them to Second Uncle together, signaling him to go pay and get the Spiritual Contract.
………………
While Fang Shu was pawning the Plain Moon Jade, due to the Old Steward’s shout, quite a few people at the scene were drawn over.
Especially when “Seven Fragrance Tower” was called out at the end, it particularly caught the attention of a few people not far away.
These were all women. The leading woman had a plump figure, adorned with gold and jade, clearly the head of the household. Beside her were several young women of varying appearances.
“Mother, it’s our tower’s Jade Pendant.” One woman quickly called out.
Another woman complained: “This is our Restaurant’s Jade Pendant. How could that person be so ungentle with treasures, directly exchanging it for mere coins? So vulgar!”
Good grief!
One of them even lifted her eyes sharply, staring tightly at where Fang Shu and the others were.
If Fang Shu turned to look, he would discover this woman was Xiang Xing Wu, who had “caused trouble” in the Du Gu Guan back then.
And that plump-figured woman was precisely the Seven Fragrance Tower Master.
Hearing the shout, the Seven Fragrance Tower Master flickered her eyes, smiling at Xiang Xing Wu beside her:
“It’s that boy from the Du Gu Guan. He must be short on cash and even pawned the apology gift I sent.”
Xiang Xing Wu heard this and lowered her head without speaking.
Who knew the Seven Fragrance Tower Master would suddenly say:
“Mother came today to prepare dowries and betrothal gifts for you sisters. Xing Wu, if you’re willing to step forward, use your share to redeem the Jade for that boy, and lend him a sum interest-free.
Even if it doesn’t become a beautiful story, it can thoroughly settle the past matter and forge a Good Relationship. What do you think?”
The other daughters heard this, their eyes blinking as they looked at Xiang Xing Wu.
Xiang Xing Wu, upon hearing this, showed surprise on her face. She thought deeply, looking quite troubled for a moment.
Using a Property to forge some vague Good Relationship, even if the other party had potential, seemed too risky to her.
After all, this was gambling with her own things, not someone else’s.
Seeing Xiang Xing Wu silent, the Seven Fragrance Tower Master turned her gaze to the remaining daughters.
These daughters also quickly looked elsewhere, none showing any sign of being Moved.
This left the Seven Fragrance Tower Master to sigh lightly.
She began pondering in her heart whether to step forward and handle the matter herself.
But because she wanted to seize this rare opportunity to secure properties for her children, her funds were very tight. To free up a few extra tens of thousands, she’d have to sell things too.
“Forget it, forget it. After all, the old grudge is settled, no debts owed either way, and it’s just a vague Good Relationship at too high a price.”
The Seven Fragrance Tower Master also suppressed this Thought, thinking no more of it.
Meanwhile, on Fang Shu’s side.
The Fang and Li families finally scraped together the money and paid it with heartache.
Old Madam Jiao of the third household did it without fanfare, without exchanging Black Tickets, directly pulling out one from her sleeve.
Just one, and the collecting Waiter even gave her 240,000 Talisman Money in change.
This grandmother and granddaughter had stunningly used a single 500,000 Black Ticket!
This generosity made Fang Shu and his uncle, as well as the Li father and son, all click their tongues in amazement, sighing how lavish!
It seemed that if she hadn’t failed to grab a suitable Property Voucher, Old Madam Jiao would have bought an entire Courtyard House—a proper wealthy household.
With the money settled and Spiritual Contracts obtained.
Dou Su Fu’s share also had its paperwork completed.
The four households gathered, drew lots that day to determine the land plot, and started erecting and tiling the roof overnight.
With Immortal Cultivator Secret Techniques, one day for excavation, one for foundation, one per room.
In less than seven days.
A brand new, sturdy large Tiled House of green bricks stood steadily in Gu Ling Town.
After the Tiled House was completed, the inside was empty, the smell from erecting and tiling not yet dissipated, yet Second Uncle Yu Le moved in overnight, claiming it was to help watch the house.
He felt not the slightest embarrassment; on the contrary, he was so happy his cheeks nearly twisted from grinning.
