Two Brothers

Li Shan walked back at this moment, his expression a little displeased.

He had originally intended to give a brief pointer and leave, but more and more people gathered behind him, forcing him to spend another half an hour.

"Tomorrow is the scheduled leave, Brother Xu, are you going home?"

He stretched lazily and, without waiting for an answer, continued on his own:

"I plan to go back this time, have my family send some money, and also try the taste of that Meridian Nourishing Soup."

After speaking, he licked his lips, as if lost in infinite daydreams.

Xu Yuan nodded, "I should go back and take a look."

After chatting for a while, the two parted ways and went back to their work.

When night fell, the laborers finally got their rest.

Xu Yuan washed up outside and then walked into the room.

As soon as he entered, someone leaned over, "My name is Liu Hong, what should I call you, brother?"

Xu Yuan had always kept a low profile in the dormitory, only being familiar with a few people around him. Others formed their own circles, so it wasn't uncommon for them to be strangers to each other.

"Xu Yuan."

"I wonder, Brother Xu, how was your practice today? Have you found the Essence of Qi and Blood?"

Hearing this, Xu Yuan looked at him strangely. Do I know you? You're acting so familiar.

However, it was just a matter of moving his lips, and he didn't want to offend anyone unnecessarily. He just vaguely replied:

"It's still too early, I haven't found any clues."

Liu Hong seemed relieved upon hearing this, and he also sighed, "Isn't that the truth? How difficult is it to master this Stance Practice in two months?"

After speaking, he walked away with a look of shared misfortune, sighing.

Xu Yuan was completely bewildered by this, but when he went inside and saw Liu Hong pestering another person with questions, he finally understood.

This guy probably saw that I was on stage yesterday and received guidance from Master Feng, and wanted to see how the 'popular' person and others were progressing.

This is a bit like my past life, where after every exam, insecure people would find the top students to compare answers.

Xu Yuan felt like crying and laughing.

Liu Hong continued to question everyone in the room, and each person wore a worried expression, with no insights to share, until it was one person's turn.

Xu Yuan remembered that person; it was the laborer, Tian Yang, who had been reprimanded that morning for not cleaning the roof beam properly.

Tian Yang, no longer timid like he was in the morning, said with some pride, "I've actually gained some feeling. I estimate that in a while, I'll be able to find the Essence of Qi and Blood."

As soon as he said this, it naturally drew the envy and jealousy of the other laborers. Some fawning sycophants immediately stepped forward to ask for details.

Tian Yang savored the feeling of being the center of attention, his smile brilliant. He would reveal a little and then stop, always keeping them in suspense.

At this moment, the main door opened.

Xiao Sheng entered, dusty and with sweat dripping from his face.

"Oh! Isn't that Xiao Sheng? You've been training really hard lately. How far have you gotten?"

Liu Hong curled his lips and asked with an unfathomable tone.

However, the other party acted as if he hadn't heard, casually picked up a water kettle from the bedside, and left quickly without a word.

Seeing that he had been ignored, Liu Hong's face turned ugly, and he immediately said sarcastically:

"Like a mute... training hard with your head down like this, no wonder you'll never amount to anything!"

The others chimed in in agreement, clearly not having a good impression of Xiao Sheng, who always kept to himself.

Tian Yang, however, was unfazed. He knew that in martial arts, talent was the decisive factor.

Fortunately, through the comparison with everyone else, he knew that his own Aptitude was quite good.

Xu Yuan watched the scene coldly, shaking his head inwardly. He didn't go over, and he couldn't even be bothered to remember the names of a few of them.

After all, in two months, most of these laborers would be eliminated and assigned elsewhere. The only shared experience he would have with them would be having lived in the same dormitory.

In the end, having enough strength of one's own was always better than those so-called sycophants.

With this thought, Xu Yuan quickly walked out of the room again, found a corner, and continued to practice the Tai Chi Exercise.

The next day.

Xu Yuan woke up early and saw only a few people left on the surrounding beds, assuming most had gone home to visit relatives.

But when he walked out the door, he found some people still practicing Stance Practice in the courtyard, all sweating profusely, working diligently.

Xu Yuan, however, had something to do. He went all the way to the labor office and filled out his vacation period and location there.

"Remember to return before sunset, or it will be counted as two days of leave."

The shrewd-looking middle-aged steward said without looking up.

Xu Yuan nodded in agreement, then turned left and right, leaving the Shangyang Family. He then walked out of a long, winding alley and suddenly felt a sense of openness.

He heard the sounds of vendors hawking their wares and the general hubbub. In front of him, a street paved with bluestone bricks, about half an arm long, stretched outwards, separating the restaurants, eateries, and inns on either side.

The view stretched out before him, revealing neat rows of houses and a dense weave of pedestrians and tourists in various attire, seemingly endless.

Located near the center of the Prefecture City, the area was considered quite safe, with guards patrolling regularly.

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"If it weren't for the recent dispute between the Shangyang Family and the Bai Family, it would probably be even more lively."

Xu Yuan thought to himself, Li Shan had told him this.

The two major families in the Prefecture City had a significant conflict over the division of interests, and their relationship was deteriorating, making it uncertain when they might clash.

The fact that they allowed laborers to practice martial arts in large numbers was likely also due to this matter.

"When gods fight, the common folk suffer!"

Shaking his head, Xu Yuan approached a meat stall. After some haggling, he picked up a pound of fresh meat wrapped in paper.

He then threaded his way through the crowded streets. As the sun climbed higher, he reached the outermost area of the Prefecture City and quickly entered a small alley.

The condition of the buildings here was far from the places he had just left.

Before him stood about a dozen households, their walls mostly peeling and dilapidated, with dense patches of withered grass growing around them, exuding a sense of desolation.

Xu Yuan stopped outside one of the houses, took a deep breath. This was his home, or rather, his elder brother's home.

Approaching the door, he shouted, "Big Brother!"

After a moment, a man with a somewhat weathered face opened the door. Seeing him, he exclaimed with surprise, "Ah Yuan?"

He immediately walked over and circled Xu Yuan, checking if he was unharmed. Then, he sighed with emotion, "You've grown quite a bit taller, but you've gotten a bit thin."

Xu Yuan smiled faintly, "My body is just going through a growth spurt, it's normal to be a bit thin."

"Let's go inside first."

His elder brother excitedly pulled him by the hand, leading him inside.

Feeling the roughness of his brother's hand, Xu Yuan sighed.

Memories of his previous life flooded back.

The Xu family had once had some wealth, and with the diligent efforts of the four family members, they had lived quite comfortably.

But at some point, their father suddenly developed a gambling addiction. Within three months, he had squandered the family fortune. After their mother died of grief, he himself died of illness in bed.

Only the two brothers were left to depend on each other.

Not long after, the previous Xu Yuan had prepared to go learn a trade outside, so they could have a better life in the future.

After all, his elder brother was already married, and it was inconvenient to continue living together. It was also to reduce the burden.

Coincidentally, the Shangyang Family was recruiting new laborers. The original owner heard that being a laborer meant getting enough to eat, receiving a monthly allowance, and even the possibility of learning martial arts. Thus, he resolutely signed the contract and has been a laborer until today.

"The previous me was a bit too reckless."

Every time Xu Yuan thought about this, he felt quite helpless.

Fortunately, the Shangyang Family didn't lie. Otherwise, he would have had to remain a laborer for another ten years.

The home was simply furnished, with only some coarse porcelain jars and old wooden beds, tables, and chairs stacked around.

The gaps in the window frames were narrow, and the light filtering in from outside was dim, barely illuminating the outline of poverty.

Xu Zheng gestured for him to sit down and then asked, "Is it your day off again today?"

Xu Yuan nodded, "I have some good news to tell you now that I'm back."

"What good news?" Xu Zheng asked curiously.

"The Shangyang Family is giving every laborer a chance to learn martial arts. I've already started practicing these past couple of days."

"Really? Laborers can learn martial arts too?"

Xu Zheng sounded incredulous. In his opinion, it was good enough for laborers to get enough to eat and receive money.

After all, if ordinary people wanted to learn martial arts nowadays, they could only go to martial arts schools, and the fees were notoriously high.

The poor couldn't even touch the threshold.

The Shangyang Family had only recently begun recruiting martial students externally.

Moreover, if one mastered martial arts, they would have to sign a contract with the Shangyang Family and serve them for several years, not truly being free.

"Of course, it's true. It's mainly to screen out those with talent, but there are conditions. If there's no breakthrough within two months, the teaching will end."

Finally, after Xu Yuan's repeated confirmation, Xu Zheng completely believed him, his face filled with surprise, "This is great news!"

But then, a hint of worry flashed in his eyes, "Will practicing martial arts cost a lot? Do you still have enough money?"

"Practicing martial arts does have some expenses, but my talent is good, and I can still manage."

Xu Yuan wasn't boasting.

At his current pace, it would only take a month or so for his talent to improve, and then the possibilities would be endless.

Besides, Xu Yuan wasn't home just for that. He came to see his elder brother every month during his regular leave.

Although they hadn't met many times since he transmigrated, their bond wasn't particularly deep.

But people always sought advantage and avoided harm.

In this strange and dangerous environment, having family around always provided a greater sense of security than anywhere else.

So, it wasn't long before he got used to it.

"That's good... You haven't eaten yet, have you? Your sister-in-law is working outside. Rest for a bit, I'll make you something."

Xu Zheng clapped him heavily on the shoulder and, without another word, walked out of the room towards the kitchen.