Skills

"Third Brother..."

Old Chen seemed a little more spirited as well, joining in the persuasion.

"Your old man has lived to this age. I may not understand much else, but I can still tell strength from weakness. The Black Wolf Gang has deep roots in this area. Do you think it can be toppled just because someone says so?"

"Chen Cheng... that boy has shown a bit of promise, but he is young in the end and has seen too little. The waters of the jianghu run deep—he cannot fathom them."

Chen Yong frowned as well and took up the thread.

"Third Brother, A-Hao not only has ties with the Black Wolf Gang's chiefs now, but today he even went to run an errand for the Patrol Office!"

"If he earns their favor and gets a post at the Patrol Office, he will be half a government runner! From then on, what could he not look after for you? Can Chen Cheng compare to that?"

Chen Yong paused, his tone growing heavier.

"What could your wife, a mere woman of the household, possibly understand? How can she make the decision in such major matters? Listen to your brother and transfer it under A-Hao's name. Don't confuse the lesser king for the greater king!"

"This... I..."

Chen An's Adam's apple bobbed several times, his expression exceedingly complicated.

Madam Bai feared that he might truly be swayed, yet to her surprise, he made his decision right afterward.

"My family will remain under Little Cheng's name. We won't change it."

At those words, the deep crease between Madam Bai's brows immediately eased. Her man had finally acted like a man in this family, if only once.

After lunch.

Chen Cheng came to the room beside the firm's goods warehouse.

He first brewed some Blood-Boosting Herb in an iron kettle. Once the clear, bitter fragrance of medicine gradually spread through the air, he assumed a stance in the open space of the small room and began tempering his Health-Preserving Taiji.

After intensely tempering the Crouching Dragon Fist at the Martial Hall that morning, he needed to draw upon its Health Preservation traits to soothe his tendons, bones, and muscles, restoring his physical strength and vigor.

For quite some time now, Chen Cheng had deliberately increased the time he spent training Health-Preserving Taiji. The training progress fixed in place by the Mark Panel had grown far faster than that of the Crouching Dragon Fist.

This was because the Health Preservation traits not only restored one's condition, but could also nourish the physique, heal injuries and illnesses, and nurture the spirit marrow.

The most direct effect was the nurturing of the spirit marrow.

His five senses and six perceptions strengthened every day. The tangible, bit-by-bit improvement in his awareness, insight, and control over everything around him left Chen Cheng thoroughly addicted.

Its effect in healing injuries and illnesses was equally beyond doubt.

The chronic ailments accumulated through his bitter life in earlier years, even the hidden injuries left behind when he had exchanged blows head-on with Zhao Shan, were gradually erased through this day-after-day treatment, healing completely.

His body was like an ancient jade slowly being purified, shedding the ingrained afflictions of time bit by bit and drawing closer to a clearer, more primal state.

As for its effect of nourishing the physique, it was not the most obvious, yet it was the most indispensable. It continuously strengthened the foundation of his Blood Qi, making Chen Cheng's Blood Qi more solid and abundant than that of Martial Artists at the same level.

This not only meant an absolute advantage over those of the same level, but also steadily laid a stronger foundation, giving Chen Cheng a higher and broader limit on the martial path in the future.

After some time.

The sound of a door opening came from the adjoining warehouse, along with the faint, hushed conversation between Shen Mi and Mother Ding.

"The Proprietor, that old bastard Zhang Gu is raising his price on the spot. Not only does he want higher wages, he insists on taking on two more apprentices..."

Mother Ding said irritably.

"I quietly looked into it. Those two are Zhang Gu's roundabout poor relatives! They cannot do a damn thing. They are just here to draw empty wages and wait on Zhang Gu like servants!"

Mother Ding paused, obvious anxiety seeping into her voice.

"We absolutely cannot open this breach... Otherwise, he will only push his luck further. Before long, perhaps even the dogs he keeps will be stuffed in here as night-watch dogs for the caravan!"

"...How could I not know all that?"

Shen Mi replied in a troubled tone.

"But at this juncture, where am I supposed to find another accountant? Even if I found one, with their background unclear, how could I dare entrust all the accounts to them?"

"Fuchang Firm has been watching us like a tiger eyeing its prey... If they take this chance to plant a spy, colluding from within and without, the consequences would be unthinkable."

"This..."

Mother Ding was momentarily speechless. After pondering for a while, she could not help but spit in disgust.

"Zhang Gu is stirring up wind and rain like this, clearly because he has something to rely on... Could someone outside have offered him a high price? Maybe... it is Fuchang Firm!"

Shen Mi did not deny it. Clearly, she had long considered that possibility.

Yet in the short term, she truly had no way to break the deadlock. After turning it over and over in her mind, she could only refrain from acting for fear of harming the innocent, personally put on a smiling face, meet every demand, and respectfully invite Zhang Gu back.

The moment she thought of it, humiliation and bitterness surged uncontrollably from the depths of her heart, clogging her throat—neither swallowable nor spittable.

Her husband had been dead for over a decade. Her daughter had fallen out with the Lineage and refused to return to help, while the Lineage had also distanced and isolated Shen Mi because of that matter involving her daughter.

As a result, no matter what she encountered, no matter how humiliated or bitter she felt, she could only bear it herself.

That feeling suffocated her, once driving her to the brink of despair.

Sometimes, when she looked back, she did not even know how she had endured it all...

"The Proprietor."

"Worshipper Chen... do you need something?"

Seeing Chen Cheng suddenly appear at the warehouse entrance, Shen Mi hurriedly adjusted her expression and tone. She did not want this young Martial Artist of limitless potential to see her in such a sorry state.

Chen Cheng said evenly, "I have noticed that Mr. Zhang has been claiming illness these past few days. The Proprietor and Manager Ding are probably too busy to manage, so perhaps I can lend a hand."

"You?"

Shen Mi froze. A trace of helplessness rose in the depths of her long, autumn-water eyes.

Some things were inconvenient for her to say outright, but Mother Ding had already understood her meaning and said gravely.

"Worshipper Chen, we appreciate the thought, but accounting matters are not a Martial Artist's specialty. Besides... you cannot read, nor do you understand arithmetic... There is no need for you to trouble yourself with this matter."

"Manager Ding does not know."

Chen Cheng smiled. "After leaving the firm, I learned to read and do arithmetic. I even know a little about accounts. So long as the Proprietor takes me through the whole process once, I should be able to take it up."

"This..."

Mother Ding's eyes widened, her face full of disbelief.

Even Shen Mi, who had always been composed, visibly lost her calm. Her beautiful eyes opened wide, her red lips trembled slightly, and for a moment, she did not know how to respond.

By all reason, she would never have dared believe him so easily.

After all, Chen Cheng had left Yongsheng Firm for no more than three full months. Unless he were a genius born knowing all things, how could he possibly have learned so much in such a short time?

But on second thought, Chen Cheng's martial progress had been astonishingly swift. It must be inseparable from comprehension beyond ordinary people. With such talent, he could be called a genius; naturally, he would learn other things faster than ordinary people as well.

At the root of it all, Chen Cheng simply could not be measured by common sense.

The instant that thought arose, the last trace of hesitation in Shen Mi's heart vanished like smoke in the wind.

"Since that is the case, then as Worshipper Chen says, I will first take you through the complete process of reviewing accounts, recording accounts, and checking figures."

Chen Cheng nodded and stepped into the warehouse, stopping beside the account books piled high as mountains.

Shen Mi took a deep breath, gathered all stray thoughts, and began explaining, one by one with clarity, the rigorous yet complicated accounting procedures in her memory, along with their specific methods of operation.

About two hours later.

The Vertical Eye Mark suddenly grew hot, granting Chen Cheng a new skill that he had thoroughly comprehended.

[Bookkeeping and Arithmetic]: Beginner (0/300)

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