Chapter 162: Laborer
Cold currents raged, gradually taking on a winter scene.
At noon, Crouching Tiger Well.
After Du Fuli delivered the last cart of water to the residence of a Bai Shan Ren master, he hurriedly returned to the well and parked the heavy wooden water cart under the well shed.
The other colleagues, at this time, most had gone to the Second Meat Shop to eat, and even if not, they could at least eat two bites of eyeball food to get some oily flavor.
But Du Fuli couldn’t; he was sixty this year, had married two wives in total, and they had given him seven children altogether.
Three sons and four daughters, the oldest twenty-five or six years old, the better ones working as apprentices in the apothecary; the youngest only five or six, crying to be fed, right at the age when they eat the most.
He had to save money; the saved money could be used to marry another wife.
He took out a coarse cloth small bundle from under the cart shaft, and when opened, it revealed two gray-black cornbreads mixed with bran.
He then took a blackish pottery jar stored in the wooden cabinet under the well shed, and pinched out a small handful of pickled vegetable lumps from it.
A familiar water carrier, carrying a water bucket, passed by and saw his shabby appearance, couldn’t help but smack his lips and say,
“Old Du, how come you’re eating these oil-less things again at noon? You’re also at third-rate perfection in strength, how do you live so shabby? If you don’t nourish your body soon, in a couple years you’ll probably suffer qi and blood decline!”
Du Fuli chuckled hey hey, his wrinkles squeezing even deeper.
“When I go back tonight, I’ll have an extra meal; my wife is preparing big fish and meat for me, nourishing my body every day! No appetite at noon, just making do with a couple bites.”
The bystanders, hearing this, shook their heads helplessly but did not expose his lie.
Still big fish and meat; the couple was living hand-to-mouth, eating chaff and swallowing vegetables!
Several water carriers gradually walked away.
Only three or four people remained under the well shed.
Old Fei San sat upright at the table, with a restaurant servant carrying a wooden tray, bringing over a few plates of pig head meat, white triumph roasted sheep head, and lotus white wine.
The aroma mixed with the wine scent wafted over, and Du Fuli’s Adam’s apple moved.
He hesitated a bit, then took out a small bottle of bulk shao daozi liquor from the wooden cabinet.
This liquor was cheap; two copper coins could get half a bottle.
He had to save money; the saved money could be used to marry a wife for his son.
Then Du Fuli squatted down against the base of the wall, his face expressionless, forcefully breaking apart the rock-hard cornbread, pairing it with the salty-to-bitter vegetable lumps, chewing mechanically and rapidly bite by bite.
Only the spicy, scorching hot warm current exploding on the tip of his tongue, then burning from his throat to his stomach, added some living color to his face full of wind-frost wrinkles.
Cornbread yellow and sticky aids the appetite, muscles and bones like iron allow free galloping.
Du Fuli didn’t think there was anything wrong with saving money this way; he’d lived almost his whole life like this.
He could still run and jump, with strong muscles and bones, still at third-rate perfection.
He wanted to save money to marry a wife, and also to save money to marry wives for his kids.
After all, the world was vast; no matter how the masters above changed, one always needed to marry a wife.
“Comfortable… tired, rest a bit.”
Not far away, Old Fei San threw down his chopsticks, muttered a few words, then covered his face with his hat and curled up in the corner of the wall, snoring loudly.
His snores were like thunder.
Du Fuli glanced at Old Fei San, with not much envy, but rather a faint… sarcastic smile.
He was honest and straightforward, but not stupid.
He also knew only one thing.
If Shopkeeper Chen failed to complete the task issued by Landlord Zhao, Shopkeeper Chen might not suffer much, at worst start over and be a water carrier again.
After all, Shopkeeper Chen’s strength was right there.
If they, the bottom-level water carriers, just ate and waited for death without working hard, slacking off, there would definitely be no good end.
Daring to drag Shopkeeper Chen’s legs at this sensitive juncture.
Not to mention the wife’s family with no blood ties to Landlord Zhao; even if Landlord Zhao’s own son came, if it pushed Shopkeeper Chen to desperation, he’d probably dare to draw a chopping knife and hack him down.
So…
Du Fuli secretly glanced at Old Fei San with a gloating look.
Du Fuli, who had almost no entertainment activities, besides sleeping.
His only amusement was watching others host banquets for guests, then watching others’ buildings collapse.
That was gossiping and eating melons.
After quickly finishing his meal, he stood up, put the unfinished shao daozi liquor back in the wooden cabinet, and upon seeing Elder Feng under the banyan tree, like a sculpture with almost no sign of life, bowed respectfully again.
Only then did he check the water cart, personally scoop the last remaining turbid water（ fresh water） from the water vat into the water cart, preparing to continue delivering water.
Taking advantage of the noon break, delivering a few more trips could earn a bit more silver.
But as he walked to the street, he ran head-on into a large crowd of people.
Leading them was none other than Shopkeeper Chen.
Behind him followed a group of somewhat familiar water carriers, such as San Dezi, Scarred Liu, Sun Xiao, and others.
There were also two youthful young men, looking around curiously with their eyes.
“This is…”
Du Fuli was somewhat bewildered.
And the few water carriers still at Crouching Tiger Well gathered over, vaguely understanding something.
“What’s your name?”
Chen Shun’an spotted Du Fuli and said in a mild tone.
Du Fuli was somewhat flattered, quickly released the cart brake, and said a bit incoherently,
“Replying to the shopkeeper, this little one, this little one is Du Fuli…”
“Oh? I remember you’re from Yining Prefecture, now living in the Three Forks Alley, and you’ve always done good work.”
Du Fuli hadn’t expected Chen Shun’an to remember him, and couldn’t help feeling excited, saying,
“Thank you, shopkeeper.”
“You’re…”
“Taking advantage of the cool weather, delivering a few more trips of water. Though short on manpower, the clients still need water every day; can’t delay the well’s business.”
These words were truly from Du Fuli’s heart.
“Then you don’t need to go.”
Du Fuli was stunned, feeling a chill in his heart.
Could it be that he had become the chicken to scare the monkeys, and Shopkeeper Chen was taking him first to kill?
“Go get paper and pen, write a banner saying our Crouching Tiger Well is recruiting, total of twenty people, background no limit, as long as strength stronger than you. Compensation negotiable, pills, precious weapons, even superior cultivation methods, all can be discussed! Right, also record their eight characters…”
At this point, Chen Shun’an flicked his finger, and a bone strengthening flying golden elixir fell into Du Fuli’s hand.
Chen Shun’an deliberately raised his voice a bit, saying: “Take this bone strengthening flying golden elixir, seize the opportunity; you still have hope for second-rate.”
Chen Shun’an patted Du Fuli’s shoulder and said,
“Old Du, work well; Chen Mou won’t treat you poorly.”
As long as you work well and follow Chen Shun’an, there will be great benefits!
Chen Shun’an was buying horse bones with a thousand gold.
The method wasn’t particularly clever, but it was especially effective.
“Bone strengthening flying golden elixir? That’s not cheap, probably over twenty taels of silver? It supplements original yang and jade tree, with minimal sequelae; maybe Old Du can borrow the chance to break through to second-rate in one go!”
“Hiss, Shopkeeper Chen is really generous!”
“Missed out, missed out; if I’d known, I’d have delivered water at noon too, and not let Old Du steal the spotlight!”
Many water carriers, seeing this, were green with envy, wishing they could take his place.
And Du Fuli was like he’d been injected with chicken blood.
Under the crowd’s burning gazes, he straightened his slightly hunched back, loudly acknowledged, and turned to trot busily toward the paper and pen shop.
San Dezi touched the edge of Crouching Tiger Well, bent down to scoop half a ladle of clear water from the water vat, and gulped it down.
He only felt the water sweet and smooth, cooling from his mouth all the way to his stomach, and couldn’t help sighing,
“Thanks to Old Chen’s blessing, this San Dezi might one day deliver water at Crouching Tiger Well too.”
Delivering turbid water and delivering fresh water, though only one word’s difference.
But whether in terms of benefits or social status, they were worlds apart.
Turbid water could only be used for washing; saving a bit, skimping a bit, could still get by.
But fresh water, that was truly the root of life; who saw a fresh water water carrier and didn’t bow respectfully, calling him sir?
“Get busy quick; Old Chen didn’t call you here to wander around!”
Sun Xiao laughed and cursed, first going under the banyan tree to pay respects to Elder Feng, then carefully locking his personal bundle in the wooden cabinet.
Then he led a few brothers to scout the territories of Crouching Tiger Well’s usual wealthy clients, to get familiar.
At this time, Scarred Liu squeezed to Chen Shun’an’s side, cupped his hands and said,
“Shopkeeper Chen, I’ve reached second-rate too.”
The current Scarred Liu had swept away his former dejection, with distinct cheek contours, looking spirited, and a sharp aura emanating between glances.
It was just that pair of eyeballs, somewhat shifty, rolling around, always instinctively glancing toward people’s lower bodies.
“Oh?”
Chen Shun’an’s eyes lit up.
Three months ago, Scarred Liu had swallowed a turtle deer elixir, forcibly cultivating to third-rate perfection, but left with an impotence affliction.
During this time, his vigor had been swept away; he couldn’t even lift his head in front of his own wife.
Now he had finally achieved his wish and washed away the previous shame!
“Spar with fists, give it a try?”
Scarred Liu didn’t decline; without moving his feet, he shook his aura, and his cotton jacket suddenly puffed up with a whoosh, that big dragon cracking with a crisp sound, his whole body bending into a weird arc, upper body directly lunging to the ground.
Each move lethal, all aimed straight at the groin.
Kicking up swirling dust on the ground.
“Toad Fishing Strength? What an insidious cultivation method.”
“Scarred Liu is a ruthless one too, actually switching to martial arts and breaking through to second-rate realm.”
“He’s long since cozied up to Shopkeeper Chen; maybe Shopkeeper Chen helped him in secret—you just envy…”
Amid the discussions, Chen Shun’an nodded slightly.
He waved his hand grandly, doubling Scarred Liu’s monthly salary and promoting him to a key position.
Especially since Chen Shun’an saw Scarred Liu’s aura wasn’t floating; clearly he’d broken through several days ago.
Yet he’d kept it hidden without revealing, holding back until now to fully disclose.
Also a shrewd character.
Probably had gotten some wind earlier, or guessed that Chen Shun’an would one day be promoted to shopkeeper.
So he deliberately hid his strength, to avoid being valued and promoted by Shopkeeper Li.
Making it inconvenient to jump ship to Chen Shun’an.
Also leaving some face between Shopkeeper Li and Chen Shun’an.
After all, Chen Shun’an borrowing Sun Xiao, that second-rate expert, had already made Shopkeeper Li suffer quite a bit.
Another one would really be cutting flesh from his heart.
Soon, all the original water carriers at Crouching Tiger Well knew that Shopkeeper Chen had poached from Grit Well, borrowing a large batch of people.
The number of people pushing carts to deliver water quickly rose to over thirty.
And he was also recruiting soldiers and buying horses, taking in new people.
Third-rate perfection was just the threshold; probably the strength requirement was heading toward second-rate!
