Opportunity

"Brother, are you alright..."

Pushing open the door, his younger sister Xu Qing ran over, her face full of worry; she had clearly heard the commotion outside.

Xu Yang shook his head. "I'm fine. But from now on, try not to go out. If you absolutely must, make sure to cover your face well."

At fourteen, her features were becoming increasingly refined, and her eyes were as bright as clear springs.

Xu Qing nodded. "I'll be careful from now on. By the way, how much were you paid this month?"

"Six hundred and twenty wen, but Li Hu took twenty, so there's only six hundred left..."

As he spoke, Xu Yang took out the money pouch and handed it to Xu Qing.

Cave-ins were frequent in the mines, and there was no telling when he might be buried inside, so he always left his earnings in her care.

Xu Qing happily took the pouch. "Oh... six hundred wen again! Brother, you're amazing. With this, we have two taels and five qian of silver. If we work hard for another year, you'll have enough to train at a martial arts school."

The tuition for a martial arts school typically ranged from two to five taels per month, depending on the school's reputation.

Xu Yang's goal was the most affordable school available.

However, enrollment required paying at least three months of tuition upfront, which meant six taels.

On top of that, training required complete withdrawal from labor and a high-quality diet—at the very least, meat with every meal—so he needed to set aside another tael per month for food. In other words, he needed at least nine taels of silver to begin his training.

"I can't wait another year. He Laosan told me today that if I'm over eighteen, the schools won't take me."

Xu Yang shook his head inwardly; he had only learned of this today as well.

Xu Qing's expression shifted. "What are we going to do... Is Heaven trying to deny us even a way to survive?"

Seeing Xu Yang become increasingly capable at earning money from mining, she had hoped that once they saved enough for him to train, he would be able to rise above their station. She never imagined the schools would stop accepting students after eighteen.

She suddenly took a deep breath, as if having made a decision, and bit her lip. "Brother, why don't you sell me? That way you'll have the money to train. Once you become a martial artist, you can buy my freedom back."

"Never let such a thought cross your mind. Even if I never train for the rest of my life, I will not do that. If you dare to do this behind my back, I will never forgive you."

Xu Yang hadn't expected her to come up with such an idea and immediately issued a stern warning.

He knew Xu Qing was bold; if he wasn't strict, the little girl might actually go and sell herself in secret.

Seeing the serious and stern look on Xu Yang's face, the girl immediately lowered her head, not daring to mention selling herself again.

"Oh, right, Father asked us to come over for dinner tonight."

She seemed to remember something and spoke up suddenly.

"He's calling us for dinner? The sun must be rising in the west."

At the mention of his nominal father, Xu Yang's expression grew colder.

About six years ago, after their mother passed away, their father, Xu Laoer, soon hooked up with a widow surnamed Zhang in the neighborhood. Back then, he and Xu Qing were still young, and Xu Laoer would occasionally provide some food and return home.

Ever since he turned fifteen and began earning money, Xu Laoer had moved directly into the widow's house and stopped caring about his children altogether.

For a fifteen-year-old boy to struggle for survival while raising his sister in such chaotic times—the bitterness of it could be imagined.

"Today is Father's birthday. Brother, just say some nice things when we get there. I'll bring up the fact that you don't have enough money for training; Father should be willing to support you a bit. After all, you are his own son."

Xu Qing flashed a clever smile and added, "Even if he doesn't give us anything, we won't lose out by going over for a meal. It's a birthday celebration, so there will at least be meat."

Xu Yang didn't speak, somewhat swayed by the idea.

To save money for training, he hadn't eaten meat in months. Getting a free, decent meal certainly wasn't a loss.

After all, he was his biological father; could he really be so heartless as to ignore his son's future?

After putting the money away, the two soon set out toward the widow's house.

The widow, Zhang Cuiting, had a bit of a background. Her late husband had been a martial artist who died abroad under unknown circumstances, leaving her a wealthy and well-known widow. After Xu Laoer hooked up with her, he stopped caring about his own children to move in with her.

Of course, it was mostly because Zhang Cuiting looked down on the two "burdens" and wouldn't allow Xu Laoer to provide for them.

Zhang Cuiting's house wasn't far from theirs—only about a ten-minute walk. The courtyard was impressive, with red bricks and blue tiles, far better than the stone hut they lived in.

Before they even stepped into the courtyard, they could smell the aroma of meat. Several greedy children from the neighborhood were hiding outside, sniffing the air intensely.

Stepping inside, they saw three people sitting at the table. One was Xu Yang's father, Xu Laoer, who had fair skin and well-defined facial features; he was quite handsome.

It was because of his looks that Zhang Cuiting had taken a liking to him. Sometimes, Xu Yang had to admire his father—even though he was a "kept man," he at least hadn't gone for someone truly monstrous.

Since Zhang Cuiting had been able to marry a martial artist, she was naturally attractive. Plus, living off the inheritance left by her late husband without needing to work, she looked only in her thirties, with a plump and full figure.

The last person was a youth, the son of Zhang Cuiting and her late martial artist husband, named Yang Jun. When he saw Xu Yang and Xu Qing appear, a flash of barely perceptible disdain crossed his eyes, but he quickly suppressed it and instead revealed a faint smile.

Xu Yang took note of this, feeling secretly suspicious.

In the past, Yang Jun would never have bothered to hide his disdain. He didn't know what had gotten into him today to make him put on such a friendly act.

Even Zhang Cuiting's reaction was different from usual.

"Father, Aunt Zhang!"

The siblings cupped their hands in greeting, looking at the three people seated around the table.

They had been invited for dinner, yet the others had started eating without waiting for them to arrive.

"Ah Yang, Xiao Qing, you're here. Auntie thought you weren't coming, so we didn't wait. Go ahead and grab your bowls to serve yourselves some rice." Zhang Cuiting stood up.

Her tone carried a sense of familiarity, yet the disdain deep in her bones remained as constant as ever.

"Alright, Auntie Zhang!"

Xu Qing nodded obediently, secretly nudging Xu Yang before unceremoniously grabbing bowls to scoop a heaping portion of rice for herself and Xu Yang, a sight that made Zhang Cuiting's heart ache in secret.

She wanted to speak up and stop them several times, but remembering the purpose of having the siblings over today, she forced herself to hold back.

"Sit down and eat first!"

Xu Laoer spoke as well, pulling over a long bench for the siblings.

Once the meal concluded, Xu Qing helped Zhang Cuiting clear the dishes. Xu Laoer "inquired" about Xu Yang's recent situation before finally saying, "I called you here today because there is something I need to discuss with you..."

He stopped there, seemingly finding it difficult to continue.

No matter how shameless he was or how black his heart, the person before him was, after all, his own son.

But after only a moment's hesitation, he continued: "A-Jun has already begun martial arts training. His master says he has good potential and could become a martial artist in the future, but he needs medicinal supplements to keep up. From now on, take half of your earnings from the mine to fund A-Jun's training. Once he becomes a martial artist, you, as his older brother, will also benefit."

Even though Xu Yang had been mentally prepared, knowing this meal wouldn't be simple, he hadn't expected it to be like this.

"Dad, how can you say such things? The little money my brother earns at the mine isn't even enough to support the two of us! If we give half to Yang Jun, are you trying to starve us to death?"

Hearing this, Xu Qing ran over, screaming, her face flushed red with indignation.

She had thought her father had finally found a conscience, inviting them over for his birthday, but she hadn't expected him to be eyeing her brother's hard-earned money.

At this moment, even as shameless as Xu Laoer was, he felt a twinge of shame and did not retort.

"Xiao Qing, how can you speak to your father like that? Your brother Jun has the potential to become a martial artist; others would beg for the chance to support him. Letting you contribute is for your own good—you'll be the ones to benefit in the future. Don't think we don't know that mine wages are around four hundred wen. Two hundred wen a month is enough for you and A-Yang to live on. If you do some extra work on the side, giving half to your brother Jun is perfectly fine."

Zhang Cuiting also ran out, acting as if she were doing them a favor.

Yang Jun held his head high: "It's only a measly two hundred wen. Once I become a martial artist and pick up the connections my father left behind, whatever leaks through my fingers will be enough for you to enjoy for a lifetime."

Xu Laoer said earnestly: "That's right. If our family can produce a martial artist, everyone will benefit. As his older brother, how can he not contribute?"

He had felt ashamed at first, but the moment he thought of the benefits Yang Jun becoming a martial artist would bring, that sliver of shame vanished without a trace.

Xu Yang looked over, only to see his father's eyes filled with affection—he knew it wasn't for him or his sister, but for Yang Jun.