A Young Master Down on His Luck

How could Ma Wu possibly scavenge food from a garbage dump?

He was a rich young master; when he took medicine from the Peddler, he had more than a dozen attendants with him.

Although he had only met Ma Wu once, Li Banfeng was deeply impressed by him. Ma Wu was approachable and spoke frankly. At the time, Li Banfeng knew nothing about Pro State, Ma Wu did a lot of popular science education and gave him a lot of advice.

At that time, Li Banfeng shone the sunlight, and Ma Wu kept urging Li Banfeng to find a way to save his life.

Seeing Ma Wu run away from the garbage heap, Li Banfeng gave chase.

Ma Wu was very weak. Even if he weren't, he couldn't outrun Lü Travel Cultivator, Ma Wu suddenly turned around and said, "You've mistaken me for someone else! I'm not Ma Wu!"

Li Banfeng shook his head and said, "I didn't mean Ma Wu, I meant 150."

Ma Wu was taken aback. "What, one hundred and fifty?"

Li Banfeng said, "I want to hire someone. This is my first time in Green Water Bay. I've never been anywhere before and I don't know any of the places."

I need to hire a guide, 150 a day, are you interested?

Ma Wu looked Li Banfeng up and down, his brows twitching slightly.

After thinking for a moment, Ma Wu lowered his head and said softly, "A hundred and fifty a day?"

Li Banfeng nodded. "I'll even provide meals. If you're willing to take this job, let's go eat now."

Ma Wu agreed; he was starving.

Although he was reduced to eating in a garbage dump, he did not give up on himself; he still wanted to live.

Li Banfeng took Ma Wu to the noodle shop again.

Ma Wu stopped Li Banfeng: "It's best not to go to this restaurant."

"Why can't we go?"

Ma Wu said, "This is not a place for outsiders. The owner here is no good person."

Li Banfeng was quite surprised. "I've eaten noodles here before, and the owner is very nice."

Ma Wu sighed softly, "I'm just a guide, that's all I can say. You'll have to make your own decisions about the big and small things."

Li Banfeng led Ma Wu into the noodle shop. The owner was cleaning up the broken tables, chairs, and dishes with the other "customers." Seeing Li Banfeng arrive, the owner exclaimed, "What are you doing here again?"

Li Banfeng frowned and said, "I'm here to eat! Isn't this a restaurant? How much is the Mutton Noodles?"

The shopkeeper lowered his head and said, "Five yuan."

Ma Wu asked, "Please be clear, is it five yuan a bowl, or five yuan a stick?"

It seems Ma Wu has also suffered losses here.

The shopkeeper looked up and said, "We run an honest business, so it's naturally five yuan a bowl."

This answer surprised Ma Wu.

But what Li Banfeng said next surprised him even more.

"Five yuan a bowl? That's so cheap, is it reasonable?"

The shopkeeper thought for a moment and said, "Ten yuan then."

Li Banfeng frowned. "Is ten yuan appropriate?"

The shopkeeper sniffled and said, "We're a small business."

Li Banfeng nodded. "Ten yuan it is then, two bowls to start."

Ma Wu could understand any one sentence of their conversation, but when put together, he couldn't understand it at all.

Are these two friends?

Were they joking with each other?

The other "diners" glanced at Li Banfeng, then quickly moved over tables and chairs, sat down, and pretended to eat.

Before long, two bowls of Mutton Noodles were served, and the shopkeeper also gave Li Banfeng twenty yuan.

Li Banfeng accepted the money and said to Ma Wu, "I knew this boss was a decent person, quite honest."

Ma Wu was completely dumbfounded.

He came to eat noodles, and the shopkeeper gave him money?

But Ma Wu's attention was quickly drawn to the noodles in front of him.

He was very hungry.

"Eat up, eat as much as you like." Li Banfeng handed Ma Wu a pair of chopsticks.

Ma Wu's face turned red; he didn't want to accept charity.

Li Banfeng laughed and said, "Eat up. I always provide food and lodging when I hire people to work. This is what you deserve."

Ma Wu picked up his chopsticks and finished the first bowl of noodles in a few bites.

Li Banfeng pushed the other bowl of noodles over, saying, "I've already eaten, this bowl is yours too."

Ma Wu pursed his lips, and in the blink of an eye, he finished his second bowl of noodles.

Li Banfeng turned to the shopkeeper and said, "Cook two more bowls."

The shopkeeper, with a long face, said, "We're just a small business."

Li Banfeng frowned and said, "What, you want to raise the price?"

"Then, then let's not raise the price, it'll be ten yuan a bowl."

Before long, the shopkeeper brought over two more bowls of noodles and gave Li Banfeng twenty yuan.

Ma Wu ate five bowls of noodles in a row and then stopped eating.

Are you full?

He really wasn't full, but Ma Wu had been hungry all day, and eating more would be dangerous.

"Let's get started, boss. What do you want me to do?"

Li Banfeng stood up and said, "Didn't we already agree that you would be my guide? Find me a place to stay first."

"Find a place to stay..." Ma Wu was a little troubled. Finding a place to stay in Blue Poplar Village was not easy.

After leaving the noodle shop, Ma Wu led Li Banfeng deeper into the village, explaining to Li Banfeng as they walked, "In Blue Poplar Village, don't live on the north side of the village. The houses there are sturdy, but they could be demolished at any time."

"Why?"

"You should have seen the road roller when you entered the village. The city is building a road here, and they're repairing more than ten meters every day. All the houses along the way will be demolished."

Li Banfeng thought for a moment, "If we keep demolishing like this, Blue Poplar Village will get smaller and smaller, and won't it be completely demolished in no time?"

"We can't demolish it all. The south side of Blue Poplar Village is connected to new land, and the villagers are constantly reclaiming wasteland. Demolition and construction have been going on for decades, and Blue Poplar Village is still the same size."

Ma Wu walked to the center of the village. The houses here were mainly wooden, and brick and stone houses were almost nowhere to be seen, but there were still quite a few thatched huts.

Ma Wu stopped and said, "Let's find a room around here. We can't go too far south, as that's close to Xindi, and Xindi isn't very safe. The houses here are alright, but it depends on who the landlord is."

If the landlord is too assertive, they'll raise the rent every few days; if the landlord is too lenient, someone might snatch your place away.

Blue Poplar Village is truly a wonderful place.

The landlord here is so kind and honest.

Li Banfeng looked around and said, "Then let's find a landlord who's neither too tough nor too soft."

Ma Wu nodded. "I do know a landlord like that, but I don't know if he's even home."

Li Banfeng said, "If he's not home, I'll stay at your place for now, and I'll pay you the rent."

Ma Wu gave an awkward smile, "That's not convenient for me."

He was too embarrassed to say it outright, but he had nowhere to live. He had set up a shed near the new land, and just yesterday, that shed was stolen.

During the summer vacation after graduating from high school, Li Banfeng slept under a bridge because he had no dormitory to stay in. At that time, a female classmate even wanted to visit his home.

Li Banfeng seemed to recognize Ma Wu's expression at that moment.

Ma Wu knocked on the door of a wooden house. After a few minutes, a man wearing a robe came out of the house.

The man's surname was Wei, Ma Wu didn't know his real name. Everyone called him Wei Landlord.

Ma Wu asked, "Do you have a house?"

Wei Landlord sized Ma Wu up and down. "Do you have money?"

He knew Ma Wu was broke; just a few days ago, Ma Wu had been kicked out by him because he couldn't pay the rent.

Ma Wu turned to Li Banfeng and said, "It's not me who wants to rent it, it's this boss."

Li Banfeng smiled at Wei Landlord and said, "I have money."

Wei Landlord yawned, took a bunch of keys, and opened one of the wooden huts first.

It was two meters long and two meters wide, and inside there was nothing but a bed.

"Two hundred a month."

"I won't rent it!" Li Banfeng felt annoyed after just one look.

Wei Landlord rolled his eyes at Li Banfeng and opened another room.

This room is a bit larger, about ten square meters, with a bed and a table.

"No!" Li Banfeng refused outright.

"This won't do either?" Shopkeeper Wei sized up Li Banfeng. "What kind do you want?"

Li Banfeng laughed and said, "It's appropriate for my status. You should think about it carefully."

Wei Landlord was stunned.

Who is this person?

Even Wei Landlord couldn't tell.

Seeing how arrogant he is, let's just give him a hard time.

Wei Landlord led the two to the ground floor of a two-story wooden building. The houses here were not too crowded, and the environment was nice.

Li Banfeng nodded and followed the landlord downstairs.

The first floor has a living room, a bedroom, and a hand pump well; the second floor has two bedrooms.

Overall, this place can be considered a small villa, complete with tables, chairs, cabinets, beds, and all the necessary furnishings.

The most precious thing was that hand pump well.

In Pro State, houses with wells and houses without wells are not in the same league; if you have a well, you don't have to queue for water.

Li Banfeng nodded. "This does look like a place to live. How much does it cost per month?"

"Two thousand five hundred! Paid monthly, three days overdue, please move out." Wei Landlord stated the rent, wanting to see Li Banfeng's reaction.

Li Banfeng counted out five thousand yuan. "Rent for two months first."

"Great!" Wei Landlord took the money, and Li Banfeng took the keys.

Ma Wu stood at the door without going inside. "Boss, Lao Wei's reputation is alright. You can stay here for now, and I'll come to see you first thing tomorrow morning."

Li Banfeng shook his head and said, "Tomorrow morning won't work. It's 150 a day, and I'm hiring him for the whole day, day and night."

Ma Wu frowned upon hearing this. "What use is it for you to leave me here tonight?"

"It will be very useful. I'll explain in detail later. Come in and choose a room."

Ma Wu lowered his head, his cheeks flushing red again.

He entered the wooden house, looked up, and smiled at Li Banfeng, "Thank you, Seventh Master."

He recognized Li Banfeng at first glance.

Although he had only met the Peddler once, and although they hadn't exchanged real names, he remembered the man, and remembered that his Li Qi.

Li Banfeng gestured towards the room. "Please come in, Fifth Young Master."

PS: I think Ma Wu is still not open-minded enough. With his temperament and ability, as long as he goes out to sell himself, he can definitely make a living!