Divine Ability [Winter Storage]

Inside the Lu family's small courtyard on Guihua Lane.

Jing Zhi looked at Lu Mingyuan in delight.

"So you're saying there's only one last step left?"

"Yeah, all we're missing is Qi Luck Points. Now we just have to wait for you, our rich lady."

Lu Mingyuan replied. He had just come out of the Soul Space and told Jing Zhi everything.

After all, he still needed Jing Zhi, his wealthy benefactor, to help him fully form his divine ability. Besides, the young woman had spent the past few days by his side without a single complaint, taking care of his meals and every other need. If he still kept this from her, could he even call himself a man?

"Really?"

After getting confirmation, Jing Zhi leaped up from her chair. Then she excitedly grabbed Lu Mingyuan's arm and headed outside. "Then let's go find my father right now and get my dowry back."

"Hey, wait."

Lu Mingyuan pulled Jing Zhi back. "Don't rush. There's something I want to ask you first."

Under Jing Zhi's puzzled gaze, Lu Mingyuan continued, "I just wanted to ask how much dowry your father prepared for you. If it isn't enough, I'll think of something."

At that, Jing Zhi finally understood. "My dowry? How much do you need?"

After a pause, she scrunched up her nose. "My father prepared about five thousand for me. If that isn't enough, I'll ask him to exchange some silver at the government office."

Hearing that she had five thousand, Lu Mingyuan hurriedly said, "That's enough, that's enough.

"My divine ability will need about seven thousand Qi Luck Points. I have two thousand Human Luck and one thousand Earth Luck, so I only need four thousand more."

If he didn't count the Chicken-Rabbit Cage Divine Ability, Lu Mingyuan really would have a little over two thousand Human Luck and one thousand Earth Luck. So he wasn't exactly lying.

In reality, Lu Mingyuan had only a little over one thousand Human Luck. But he also had more than thirty billion Qi Luck Points in the Heavenly Dao Virtual Network.

Qi Luck Points could also be used to create divine abilities. If Lu Mingyuan hadn't been trying to hide his other identity, he could have splurged and gone wild with them already.

But of course, he couldn't let Jing Zhi know any of that.

He knew that once a secret was known by two people, they had to be prepared for the whole world to find out.

And if that secret involved life or death, it was best for just one person to hide it for the rest of their life.

As Lu Mingyuan was thinking this, Jing Zhi suddenly spoke. "Four thousand is enough?

"Mingyuan, you didn't deliberately cut back on your divine ability, did you?

"You don't have to save money. My father and I agreed on my five-thousand dowry long ago. It can only be more, never less.

"When I get it, spend as much as you like. Try to create an unparalleled divine ability, as famous throughout the world as that master Anonymous's Chicken and Rabbit in a Cage."

At that, Lu Mingyuan nearly burst out laughing.

This little girl looked just like a kitten eagerly pawing food into its home. Except she was pawing it from her old home into her new one.

She wasn't even married into his family yet, and she was already like this. What would she be like later? If her mother-in-law found out, wouldn't she scold her to death?

Lu Mingyuan didn't know what his future mother-in-law would think, but to him, Jing Zhi really was a good wife.

Suppressing the laughter in his heart, Lu Mingyuan replied,

"Don't worry. Don't you trust me to handle things? I really don't need that much. But I'll say this first: I'm nothing compared to that master, so don't expect too much of me."

Lu Mingyuan was a little worried that Jing Zhi wanted him to become a dragon. He didn't want to attract attention right now.

He couldn't help it. He was still too weak.

"Just do your best. Oh, if you run short, tell me. I'll do everything I can to sort it out for you."

Looking at Jing Zhi as she patted her chest and confidently promised, Lu Mingyuan smiled and played along. "Absolutely, absolutely. Then I'll be counting on you, Miss Jing, my rich lady. You'll have to keep me plump and well-fed from now on."

"Leave it to me. As long as I have so much as a bite to eat, you, Lu Mingyuan, won't go without."

As she spoke, Jing Zhi lifted her little chin, looking entirely confident.

Across from her, Lu Mingyuan suddenly stood and cupped his hands toward Jing Zhi. "Then this humble one thanks his wife."

"Husband, there's no need to be so formal."

After fooling around for a while, they finally stopped.

Then Lu Mingyuan took Jing Zhi by the hand, ready to head out. "A-Zhi, let's go to the restaurant. We can buy some fruit along the way."

"Buy fruit..."

Jing Zhi was about to ask what they needed fruit for when she suddenly remembered that this occasion was different from usual. They really ought to bring something. But when she thought of the recent fruit prices, she frowned slightly.

"Then let's just buy a little. Fruit costs a lot more now than it did in summer and autumn."

"Sure, we'll do as you say. You're the one who manages our household, after all."

Jing Zhi didn't deny being called the household manager. On the contrary, she was quite pleased.

The two of them had agreed long ago that they would discuss everything at home together, inside and out. They both had to be satisfied with any decision; neither of them could act unilaterally.

But apart from major matters, Jing Zhi was usually the one who made the calls.

In fact, Lu Mingyuan had been the one to propose this arrangement in the first place. Jing Zhi had been surprised at the time, but she hadn't objected and had agreed to it.

And why had Lu Mingyuan suggested it?

In his view, it was a perfect excuse to slack off. At most, he'd have to speak up now and then and offer suggestions. The rest of the time, he could just enjoy himself.

It was exactly the kind of life he'd always dreamed of.

How could he not be happy?

It was a fine morning. The streets were bustling with people coming and going, a steady stream flowing past.

Every now and then, cries from street vendors rang out, adding even more vitality to the already lively Changfeng City.

Hand in hand and shoulder to shoulder, Lu Mingyuan and Jing Zhi made their way through the crowds. At last, they arrived at a fruit stall.

Only then did Jing Zhi let out a deep breath.

"I was almost crushed to death. It's the weekend today, right? Why are there so many people?"

"Weekend? Probably."

After answering, a trace of embarrassment flashed across Lu Mingyuan's face. He really had no idea whether it was the weekend. He was still a student, yet he didn't even know if it was the weekend. That was pretty disgraceful.

But he hadn't been to the academy for a month. He wondered if the teachers and his classmates had forgotten about him.

Maybe he should go to the academy once the divine ability business was settled.

It seemed he hadn't graduated yet.

Lu Mingyuan's thoughts wandered.

"Ma'am, how much are your lychees?"

"Eighty copper coins a jin."

"That expensive?"

Eighty copper coins a jin really was a lot. Jing Zhi remembered that when lychees were in season in the sixth month, they had cost only ten copper coins a jin. That was a sevenfold increase—ridiculous.

Hearing Jing Zhi's question, the older woman sitting behind the stall immediately stood up. She knew she had a real customer.

"Listen, young lady, these aren't ordinary lychees. They're the famous 'Concubine's Smile.' 'A horse galloped through red dust, the concubine smiled; no one knew the lychees had arrived.' You know the poem, right?

"These are those very 'Concubine's Smile' lychees. We had them shipped all the way from Great Chu in the south."

Hearing this, Jing Zhi and Lu Mingyuan were both taken aback. They hadn't expected a fruit seller to start quoting poetry.

Was the bar for setting up a stall really so high these days?

Seeing their astonished expressions, the older woman smiled with satisfaction and went on. "And ever since we picked them from the trees last year, we've used Winter Storage on them every few days. That's how we've kept them until now."

"So tell me, aren't they worth the price?"

Of course the two of them had heard of the divine ability Winter Storage. Its fame rang in their ears.

As one of the Agricultural School's renowned Four Seasons Divine Abilities, Winter Storage could keep grain fresh for longer.

Normally, a single use of Winter Storage could preserve grain within a certain area in perfect condition for about a month.

In other words, the grain would be just as it was a month later as it had been a month earlier.

Yeah, it was like a spatial ring: whatever you put in came out exactly the same. It just didn't have a spatial ring's storage function; it simply preserved things and kept them fresh.

So if Winter Storage was cast repeatedly on the same batch of grain, the grain could be kept for much longer—ten years, or even several decades.

For some reason, though, Winter Storage wasn't very effective on fruit. Or rather, it shortened the preservation time of grain, melons, and fruit with high water content.

So to keep fruit as fresh as possible, Winter Storage had to be used more often.

That was why the woman had said she had to use it every few days.