The Shopkeeper Was in Poor Health

Time flies, and it is now February 16th of the First Year of Qiongyu. Another year has arrived, and the Mysterious Bookstore has entered its annual holiday. The entire Dubian Town has begun to send people out, but this year is different from last year. There are relatively few cultivators leaving Dubian Town, only two-tenths, which is almost negligible compared to half the number last year.

Although the Mysterious Bookstore was closed, it was actually quite lively, as the "Book-holding woman" mission was about to begin. Ma Feifei had already started gathering the Book-holding woman in Dubian Town, preparing for them to head to the capital together to meet the remaining Book-holding woman.

Leaving aside Yun Qingyang and Mu Qingyi, who were already in the Bookstore, Zhou Zhuling, Lian Yi, Azi, and others also squeezed into the Bookstore. Together with the original Bookstore employees, the Bookstore was suddenly full, and the small backyard was packed with people.

"Happy New Year, shop owner!"

"Happy New Year, shop owner!"

A chorus of congratulations rang out as everyone cheerfully wished Ma Feifei a Happy New Year and received a red envelope. Seeing the reluctant look on Ma Feifei's face, they all beamed with joy.

There were so many women in the courtyard that the men were almost invisible. Zhang Caicai and Ba Jiu were cooking in the kitchen, Zhang Yunji and Chang Kong were washing vegetables by the well, Sky-reaching Ape Monkey was sitting on a small stool at the back gate, keeping an eye on the two writers sweeping the doorway.

"The shop owner is really lucky with women!" Ba Jiu, who was in the kitchen, glanced at Ma Feifei, who was surrounded by a group of women, and couldn't help but sigh.

"What's the use? It'll just end up alone." Zhang Caicai used a bamboo pole to pierce the wild boar's body, propped it up, and began to cut open its flesh with Xiaodao before sprinkling on seasonings.

Although Zhang Caicai arrived late, she had already learned about Ma Feifei's lonely old age through many cultivators, and Zhang Caicai wholeheartedly agreed with it. Otherwise, how could the young, wealthy, and promising owner of the Mysterious Bookstore, representing the most powerful force on the continent, not even have a woman?

"Maybe the shop owner has a better eye?" Ba Jiu tried to defend Ma Feifei. He had arrived relatively late and, like Zhang Caicai, only knew about the story of dying alone. He was somewhat skeptical.

"Puff"

Zhang Caicai sliced open the pork with her knife, neatly sprinkling in the seasonings, and replied, "Jiu'er, you're still young, you don't understand the adult world. You'll understand when you grow up. Look at all the women around the shopkeeper, they're all stunningly beautiful, and many of them are attracted to him. Why doesn't the shopkeeper make a move on them?"

"Why?" Ba Jiu's eyes were full of gossip.

Zhang Caicai glanced at Ma Feifei in the yard and saw him flirting with those women. Then she pulled Ba Jiu aside and whispered, "I heard, I heard!"

Zhang Caicai repeated the sentence a second time, this time with a slightly stronger tone, and said softly, "I heard it's not that the shop owner wouldn't do it, but that he has a hidden illness!"

"A hidden ailment!" Ba Jiu exclaimed in surprise, "Could it be...?"

Before Ba Jiu could finish speaking, Zhang Caicai his mouth and said in a deep voice, "Do you want to die? How can you tell anyone about something like this? What will the shop owner think then?"

"Woo woo woo," Ba Jiu nodded vigorously in response.

Zhang Caicai then released Ba Jiu's mouth, washed her hands in the water, and continued to add seasonings to the pig.

"Huff!" Ba Jiu panted, looking at Ma Feifei outside, a hint of sympathy appearing in his eyes.

"Oh! What a pity."

Ten minutes later, Zhang Yunji and Chang Kong carried the washed vegetables into the kitchen, and the four of them began to prepare the dishes.

Ten minutes later, Zhang Yunji came out of the kitchen carrying a basket and found the Sky-reaching Ape Monkey. The two stood together and talked for more than ten minutes. The Sky-reaching Ape Monkey's surprise turned into calmness, and finally he nodded, picked up the basket, and walked outside.

"Monkey, what were you looking at me for just now?" Ma Feifei shouted at the Sky-reaching Ape Monkey from his rocking chair. He had just felt that the Sky-reaching Ape Monkey had been staring at him, which he found very strange, so he couldn't help but shout.

"There's no shop owner here. Zhang Yunji said he's out of soy sauce and asked me to go get some," the Sky-reaching Ape Monkey called out from the doorway.

"Oh," Ma Feifei nodded with a hint of confusion, then looked away and continued chatting with the women.

The Sky-reaching Ape Monkey the heavens let out a soft sigh and turned to leave.

Zhang Yunji grabbed the Sky-reaching Ape Monkey and earnestly instructed him, "Brother Monkey, what I just told you is all confidential. Heaven, earth, you, and I know it all. You mustn't tell anyone else, understand?"

The Sky-reaching Ape Monkey nodded in response, "Don't worry, we monkeys are known for our tight tongues, we definitely won't let anything slip. I'm off to buy some soy sauce now, you keep an eye on those two for me, make sure they don't get away."

"Don't worry, Monkey King, hurry up and go. Cai Cai is waiting for the soy sauce to stir-fry the Caicai," Zhang Yunji urged from behind.

"I'm leaving." The Sky-reaching Ape Monkey waved and went out the back door.

Zhang Yunji wasn't in a hurry to go back. He sat on the small stool that the Sky-reaching Ape Monkey and stared at Zhang Ke and Xun Ling.

"Why are you two staring at me?" Zhang Yunji couldn't help but ask when he noticed the two men staring at him.

Before the two could answer, Zhang Yunji jumped up immediately. "Hey! You didn't hear what I just said, did you?"

Half an hour later, Ma Feifei finally managed to shake off the group of women and called out to the kitchen, "Zhang Caicai! Isn't the food ready yet? We're starving!"

He was really hungry; he was woken up very early in the morning and hadn't had an Alto Mare since.

Zhang Caicai emerged from the kitchen and replied to Ma Feifei, "No, sir, I sent Zhang Yunji to buy soy sauce, but he hasn't come back yet."

"Huh? Are you calling me?" Zhang Yunji peeked out from the corner.

Zhang Caicai turned her head and asked, "Where's the soy sauce?"

Zhang Yunji pointed outside and said, "I sent Brother Monkey to fight, but I don't know why he hasn't come back yet."

Ma Feifei looked at Zhang Caicai and Zhang Yunji speechlessly. As expected of employees of the Mysterious Bookstore, they were both cunning and had learned to order others around.

"I'm back!" Just then Sky-reaching Ape Monkey returned, striding through the back door with a basket in his hand.

Zhang Yunji grabbed the basket, looked down at it, paused for a moment, then looked up and asked, "Where's the soy sauce?"

"Ah! That's right, you didn't give me any money, so I can't buy it without money!" The Sky-reaching Ape Monkey scratched the back of his head and said cheerfully.

Zhang Yunji: "..."

"Then why did you come back so late?" Zhang Caicai asked curiously.

The Sky-reaching Ape Monkey was even more embarrassed now. It fidgeted and said in a muffled voice, "I met someone of my kind and chatted for a while."