Autumn Reckoning

"What did you say?" Ma Feifei didn't react for a moment, staring at Zhang Caicai with wide eyes in surprise.

Zhang Caicai nodded firmly and said, "You heard me right, you're getting married! Congratulations, shop owner Caicai! I wish you a happy marriage in advance..."

Ma Feifei raised his leg to kick, Zhang Caicai reacted quickly and ran towards the kitchen, chuckling as she said, "Shopkeeper, this is going to be really funny! Good luck!"

"You little brat, if Laozi bring me a book, I'll kill you, you liar!" Ma Feifei yelled at the kitchen, but Zhang Caicai didn't respond. Ma Feifei didn't have time to argue with Zhang Caicai and walked straight out of the Bookstore.

He needs to find out the specifics.

Upon entering the Bookstore, Ma Feifei noticed many strange looks directed at Bookstore; he knew without even looking that they must have heard the news.

"It seems the news has spread throughout the entire Dubian Town." Ma Feifei sighed, too lazy to run out, and simply waved over Zhang Yunji, who was peeking at him out of the corner of his eye at the door, before walking over to the cashier and sitting down.

"Shopkeeper, what can I do for you?" Zhang Yunji quietly walked over and winked at Ma Feifei.

"Tell me what happened, where did this news come from?" Ma Feifei casually picked up the ruler on the table. He hadn't used it in a long time, but now he felt it was necessary to use it and let those who spread rumors feel Ma Feifei's roar!

"What news?" Zhang Yunji didn't understand Ma Feifei's meaning and looked completely bewildered.

"It's about my intention to marry the princess of Qi State," Ma Feifei said in a low voice.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yunji showed a look of blessing. He first cupped his hands and said, "Congratulations, shop owner! Congratulations on your marriage! Our Mysterious Bookstore should have a mistress now."

"Go away... What are you saying? Can't you speak properly? If you can't speak properly, get lost!" Ma Feifei picked up the ruler and was about to hit Zhang Yunji, but fortunately Zhang Yunji dodged quickly, otherwise he would have been hit.

"Hehe!" Zhang Yunji chuckled, hunched his shoulders, glanced around, and then quietly leaned closer, whispering, "Shopkeeper, I don't know where this news came from, but I heard that someone went to ask the Princess of Qi State, and she didn't deny it. In fact, you should go and see King Qi Wen at the door; he's all smiles, telling everyone you're his son-in-law."

"Holy crap! This old geezer!" Ma Feifei was also taken aback. He hadn't even figured out what was going on when he suddenly had a father-in-law.

And this father-in-law is quite shameless; he actually went and licked her boots himself.

"But shopkeeper, you'd better be careful lately!" Zhang Yunji suddenly said nervously.

"What do you mean?" Ma Feifei raised an eyebrow and asked, puzzled.

"Be careful of the Saint Ones!" Zhang Yunji replied calmly.

"Qingyang? Them? What the hell?" Ma Feifei waved his hand, looking annoyed, and said, "Go to the trading market right now and put up a notice saying that this is a complete rumor and that everyone should stop discussing it. Otherwise, they will all be blacklisted by Mysterious Bookstore and will never be allowed to enter Mysterious Bookstore to read books or buy any Mysterious Bookstore merchandise again."

This Punishment is quite severe, and Ma Feifei believes that once the notice is issued, the rumors will stop immediately.

Besides, this whole thing is unreliable. Putting aside whether he even wants to get married, even if he did, he would never marry Azi! How old is that girl? She has no breasts and no butt. There's no way he would choose her!

Of course, the most crucial point is that he and Azi are not familiar with each other.

"Huh?" Zhang Yunji froze on the spot upon hearing this, then replied tremblingly, "So that matter really was just a rumor?"

His tone held a hint of regret; when he received the news, he had already Norman to his family, instructing them to prepare gifts and visit the 'mistress' immediately...

Zhang Yunji was surprised when Ma Feifei rejected the idea, and then he realized that it was all a hoax.

"I wonder if the gift has been delivered to the recipient yet." Zhang Yunji was a little uneasy. In order to make a good impression on this 'hostess', he had instructed his family to bring a 'generous gift,' the kind that would cost a fortune. If he gave it to the wrong person, he would have no one to blame but himself.

"What else? Do I, Ma Feifei, need anyone else to announce that I'm getting married? Go now!" Ma Feifei glared at Zhang Yunji and hissed.

"Oh, oh..." Zhang Yunji hurriedly came to his senses, and without continuing his conversation with Ma Feifei, he ran straight towards the Wantong Trading Market across the street.

"What kind of mess is this!" Ma Feifei watched Zhang Yunji's departing figure, shook her head helplessly, sat down again, and fiddled with the ruler in her hand.

"Why would something like this suddenly happen?" Ma Feifei began to Analytic.

"Could someone be trying to sabotage me?" Ma Feifei's imagination ran wild.

"What good does this do them?" Ma Feifei became increasingly engrossed.

"However, on the other hand, if things can't be changed, I wouldn't mind taking a concubine first."

Hehehe...

"Smack!"

Suddenly, a sound of a hand slamming on the table rang out.

"Ah!" Ma Feifei was startled. She then looked up at the cashier's counter and immediately recognized Yun Qingyang's hand.

"What are you doing?" Ma Feifei looked up at Yun Qingyang and asked.

"I heard you're getting married?" Yun Qingyang asked expressionlessly.

Upon hearing this, Ma Feifei slapped his forehead speechlessly and replied weakly, "Who told you that?"

"Never mind who told me, since you're getting married, let's settle our accounts." Yun Qingyang said, taking out a small notebook from her spatial ring and placing it on the table.

"What's this?" Ma Feifei took the notebook and opened it.

"This is the cost of protecting your safety and watching over the shop over the past year. There's also some money you owe me that you haven't paid back. I've written it all down here. Please settle it," Yun Qingyang said seriously.

Ma Feifei nodded blankly and continued to look at Yun Qingyang's records in the notebook, but he stopped after less than ten seconds, pointed at the book and asked, "What protection fee and shop security fee totaling one hundred million Spirit Crystal? How did you calculate that?"

"I'm worth the price," Yun Qingyang replied haughtily.

Ma Feifei pursed her lips but didn't argue, continuing to read. After a while, a look of shock gradually appeared on Ma Feifei's face. Pointing incredulously, she asked, "When did I owe you 3,756,000 Spirit Crystal?"

"These are all funds I provided when you needed Spirit Crystal but didn't have any. Rest assured, I didn't cheat you out of a single Spirit Crystal." Yun Qingyang was a very honest person, and his words were very sincere.

"Okay, that's fine, but why is there interest? And why is it so ridiculously high?" Ma Feifei asked, pointing to a spot below. The interest wasn't just ridiculous; it was so high that Ma Feifei couldn't even pay it off with his current income.

"It's perfectly reasonable for me to charge you a little interest on the money you borrowed from me!" Yun Qingyang said naturally.

"Is this a little bit? Don't you know how many zeros are in this? Where am I supposed to get the money to pay you back? I think you're not really stupid, you're just pretending! I don't have any money, but do you want me?" Ma Feifei was furious; this was practically robbery.

"Fine, then I'll use you as payment for the debt."

Ma Feifei: "..."