The Vicissitudes of Life

The early rising habit cultivated at the martial arts school meant Zhou You couldn't sleep even at home.

He woke up as soon as it was dawn. Fearing he'd wake his parents, he quietly pushed open the door and went out for his morning training.

Zhou You jogged along the street, stretching his limbs, and in his mind, he was already planning to buy a new house.

His family lived in a rented place. While the neighbors were lively, there were also many trivial matters.

He didn't even have a suitable place to stretch his limbs.

Zhou You planned to buy a small courtyard in the future, with an open space inside. His mother could raise chickens in a coop, his father could nap under a tree, and he could train with all his might.

"I really need money!"

Zhou You thought about extorting 500 taels from the Wild Fox Gang. He didn't expect them to agree immediately, but he figured he could at least get 200 or 300 taels.

This money would be used to buy secret medicine to improve his strength and speed up his progress in breaking through the Blood Qi Gate.

Once he became a Blood Qi martial artist, he would be qualified to enter the inner court as a disciple, and buying a courtyard wouldn't just be a dream.

As the sky gradually brightened, more pedestrians and stalls appeared in the neighborhood.

Zhou You was jogging along when he suddenly saw Gao Qiang on the street, extorting a merchant with a few subordinates.

"Zhou You, Zhou You."

Gao Qiang saw Zhou You and, abandoning the trembling merchant, walked over enthusiastically.

"How could you not tell me the great news about mastering Internal Force? Don't you consider me a friend?"

Gao Qiang's left leg was a bit lame. It was a sequela from when he was punished by the disciplinary hall and stabbed in the thigh with a sharp knife after losing his Bone Tempering Powder.

He was quite well-informed, knowing what happened yesterday so quickly.

Zhou You glanced at him, thinking he hadn't considered him a friend in the first place, and vaguely replied, "I didn't have time."

"It's lucky I ran into you. I'll treat you to a meal at the Golden Harvest Tower."

The Golden Harvest Tower was the most upscale restaurant in Gongliang City, luxurious and extravagant, a place ordinary people could hardly afford in their lifetime.

A table of food cost 10 taels of silver, which was the minimum consumption at the Golden Harvest Tower, and it didn't even include drinks.

It was worth mentioning that Mao Xiaoli, the neighbor's son, worked as a waiter at the Golden Harvest Tower.

Gao Qiang's offer to treat him at the Golden Harvest Tower made him seem rich and powerful. After all, a casual meal there could easily cost 30 or 40 taels.

"No need. I have to return to the martial arts school at noon and really don't have time."

Zhou You refused Gao Qiang's repeated invitations.

In his opinion, the Wild Fox Gang and the Mad Horse Gang were all birds of a feather, none of them good.

Just now, Gao Qiang extorting the street vendor, he looked fierce, as if he wanted to devour people.

Zhou You really didn't want to associate with someone like that.

"Is that so!"

Gao Qiang showed a look of regret and then said, "The Second Elder has been wanting to see you. Can you make time to go with me?"

"Sorry, I can't. The martial arts school has strict rules prohibiting us from associating with people from gangs. Gao Qiang, don't come looking for me anymore."

Zhou You still remembered that it was Gao Qiang who was the source of the rumors spread by Zhang Shu, saying he was colluding with the Mad Horse Gang.

"Big brother, this kid is uncooperative. Should we teach him a lesson?"

A small subordinate looked at Zhou You's retreating back and, noticing Gao Qiang's displeased expression, helpfully offered a suggestion.

Gao Qiang's face instantly darkened. "You stupid fool, thinking you're so clever. Who do you think he is? A martial artist who has mastered Internal Force, even the hall masters wouldn't dare to touch him."

"What are you, to dare scheme against him?"

"Tu Laosan has a brother who is the Vice Gang Leader, and yet he still has to back down? He lost more than ten brothers and didn't dare to utter a single word."

Gao Qiang, after all, was a small leader and well-informed, so he knew Zhou You's standing.

The Wild Fox Gang's two hall masters at the Internal Force level, one was seriously injured, and the other retreated, and they actively sought peace. These were all achievements Zhou You had made through his own efforts.

If he had this strength, he would have soared to the heavens long ago and wouldn't be hanging around the streets, doing lowly work like collecting protection fees.

Thinking of Zhou You's brilliant future, Gao Qiang felt a sharp pain in his heart, so uncomfortable he almost vomited blood.

They grew up together, so how could he have left him behind and become such a big shot?

When Zhou You returned to his neighborhood, he found the atmosphere rather strange. The neighbors on the street greeted him politely.

It should be known that at the same time yesterday, the neighbors were hiding at home, afraid of being implicated.

Although these neighbors didn't say it out loud, they must have resented Zhou You's family for attracting Tu Laosan's revenge.

Why were they so polite today?

When he reached his doorstep, Zhou You was surprised. Was this still his home? It looked like a marketplace.

A sea of people surrounded it, crowding so much that the door was not even visible.

The ground, corners, and windowsills were filled with various items such as eggs, pastries, and cloth.

The visitors were all neighbors, carrying bamboo baskets and paper packages, speaking flattering auspicious words, clearly here to give gifts.

Zhou You didn't understand why these people were sending gifts to his home.

"Young Master Zhou is back!"

Suddenly, someone with sharp eyes spotted Zhou You standing at his doorstep and let out a scream. The gift-givers scattered.

After the crowd parted, Zhou You saw his parents, exhausted from the ordeal.

"You're finally back, You'er."

Zhou You coughed twice. "Please, everyone, you should head back now. The house is a mess and not suitable for guests. I'll visit you another day."

This was just a polite way of urging them to leave as soon as possible.

"Young Master Zhou, do you still remember me? When you were three, I held you on my lap and fed you half a piece of candy."

"Get lost! You're bringing up old dirt from over a decade ago, and you have the nerve to...

"All of you, get out of the way! I'm a matchmaker, here to introduce a good marriage for Young Master Zhou."

Zhou You's eyelids twitched. He pointed to the doorway. "If you don't leave, I'll start hitting people."

A moment later, not a single person remained. What was left was a slightly messy home.

Food and various items were still on the ground and windowsill; the guests hadn't taken them when they left.

"You'er, we received news this morning that the Wild Fox Gang has issued a statement. They'll be avoiding our neighborhood from now on, saying they're giving Young Master Zhou face."

Zhou You thought to himself that Tu Laosan wouldn't have the guts for this; it must have been ordered by Wu Gang or the even higher-ranking Tu Lao Er.

The neighbors were all inquiring and learned that Zhou You had become a formal apprentice at the Jianxiong Martial Arts School, with boundless prospects.

In just a few months, even the Wild Fox Gang, whom they couldn't afford to offend, had bowed their heads.

As a result, the neighbors swarmed to his home, bringing gifts and trying to curry favor. They blocked the door so thoroughly that Old Man Zhou couldn't leave, forcing him to take a day off work.

Besides giving gifts, the neighbors also wanted to ask Zhou You to help them with matters and solve some problems.

There were even some 'old acquaintances' with no real connection who foolishly harbored the delusion of hanging a martial arts school plaque at their own doorway for a couple of days.

At the same time, some families, coveting the Zhou family's blazing hot future, sent their daughters' birth dates to arrange marriages.

"You'er, we can't accept these things. I'll return them to each household later."

Old Man Zhou's expression was filled with pride. "We also cannot agree to the requests of these neighbors; we can't cause trouble for you."

"However, those invitations from the matchmakers can be considered. You're not getting any younger."

Zhou You felt quite helpless. He really needed to return to the martial arts school as soon as possible; he couldn't stay at home.