The Wang Family's Handout

The Wang Family's Handout?

Zhang He was hurrying home along the bluestone road.

The Void Insight Pill is ready. Now I just need to prepare to break through. But I've been busy these past few days, and my mind has been a mess. I'll have to burn incense and bathe, then calm my body and mind before I can take it. He had been away from home for so many days and was worried about his family, so he decided to go back first and see how they were doing.

I wonder how Mother is feeling now. Little Sis is old enough to start school, too. We should enroll her. As he walked, Zhang He thought about the things waiting for him at home. He was the only man in the family and ought to shoulder more of its burdens.

Following the familiar road and turning a few corners, he soon arrived at his front door.

A pitch-black carriage stood outside his house. A large Wang was embroidered on its curtain. Zhang He couldn't help but pause. Whose carriage was this? Had Wang Pengyu tracked him down?

Zhang He hurried over. Just as he reached the gate, a middle-aged man's voice suddenly came from the courtyard. Suspicious, Zhang He stopped at once and listened closely.

"Madam, you really didn't know that the eldest young master had been expelled from the Martial Child Academy? Sigh, the eldest young master is truly considerate. He must not have wanted to worry you, which is why he didn't tell you the bad news." Hearing the middle-aged man's voice, Zhang He furrowed his brows. Which bastard had come here to wag his tongue?

The reason he hadn't come home was that he wanted to keep the news from his mother and spare her the worry. Now some bastard had shown up out of nowhere and blurted it out. Zhang He immediately felt a little annoyed.

Wait, he called me the eldest young master? Zhang He's expression shifted. Could the visitor be from the Wang Family?

"Ah He, that child..." Mother Zhang sighed, sounding helpless. Hearing her from outside the wall, Zhang He felt a pang in his heart.

"Madam, there's no need to worry too much. Look, as soon as the master heard about this, he sent me over." Seeing Mother Zhang's reaction, the middle-aged man quickly pressed his advantage. "The master sent me here because he wants the eldest young master to come home. After all, the eldest young master is the master's son. Father and son are bound by blood; naturally, a father wouldn't stand by when his son is in trouble. Once the eldest young master comes home, the master can use some connections to get him back into the Martial Child Academy. And after the Martial Child Assessment, the family can secure a bright future for him as well. What do you think?"

After listening to the middle-aged man talk at length, Mother Zhang fell silent for a moment. Then she raised her head and looked at him with a half-smile. "Heh. Steward Wang, I know Wang Renxiong's character inside and out. He wouldn't have sent you here for this alone, would he? Just say what he really wants."

The middle-aged man gave an awkward laugh and rubbed his hands together. "Madam, you're as sharp as ever. Ahem. Truthfully, I did come for another reason. Well, the young lady has grown up, and the family head wants to arrange a marriage for her. Ah, please don't get angry just yet. The other family is wealthy and powerful, one of the prominent families of Guluo City. Once the young lady marries into it, she'll want for nothing."

As he spoke, the middle-aged man glanced at little Zhang Yu beside them. Tsk, tsk. Snow-white skin, big eyes, and an innocent, adorable face—she was sure to grow into a beauty.

"Which family is it? And who is the groom?" Mother Zhang laughed in fury. "The master is so invested in this wonderful opportunity. Is this supposed to be a kindness to us and our children?"

"The Liu Family of Guluo City—the second son of the main branch, Liu Zhi." The middle-aged man hesitated, but finally told her the truth.

"The Liu Family's mute young master?" Mother Zhang gritted her teeth.

Seeing the fury blazing in Mother Zhang's eyes, he panicked and hurriedly said, "Madam, don't be angry. If you ask me, this is an opportunity, isn't it? You don't want to watch the eldest young master and the young lady suffer hardship with you for the rest of their lives, do you? Even though Liu Zhi is mute, that doesn't mean the young lady would be mistreated if she married him..."

"Shut up! That bastard Wang Renxiong really had no good intentions. He actually wants to marry my daughter off to a mute to gain something for himself! Dream on!" Mother Zhang's face flushed red. She slapped the table and glared furiously at the middle-aged man. "I wouldn't let Wang Renxiong decide even if she were marrying the Liu Family's eldest legitimate son, let alone a mute! Go back and tell Wang Renxiong that the three of us would rather eat chaff and swallow vegetables for the rest of our lives than beg for someone else's wealth! Get out!"

"Madam, think carefully. Once this opportunity is gone, it won't come again. The eldest young master was expelled from the Martial Child Academy, and his future is uncertain. Without the Wang Family's support, he'll only have a harder road ahead. Surely you don't want that?" Steward Wang said in a mocking, insinuating tone.

"I told you to get out. Why are you still here?" A cold voice came from behind him. Steward Wang turned around and saw a boy standing in the doorway, staring at him coldly. The chill in that gaze made his heart tremble.

"Get out! Or do I have to throw you out myself?" Seeing that the man still hadn't moved, Zhang He lifted an eyebrow and walked in with a menacing look.

Steward Wang's expression changed. Sensing that Zhang He meant trouble, he decided a wise man knew when to yield and immediately slipped outside. He had delivered the message, anyway. His task was done; if they refused, that wasn't his problem.

"Take your things with you!" Zhang He said coldly. There were several gift boxes on the table. It was obvious Steward Wang had brought them.

"These are just some pastries..." Seeing the murderous look in Zhang He's eyes, Steward Wang wisely shut his mouth. He went back and carried the gift boxes away.

"If you ever dare show your face here again, I'll break your legs." The cold voice came from behind him, followed by a bang as the courtyard gate slammed shut.

Steward Wang drove away. It wasn't until he reached the end of the alley that he dared look back. He stared at the shabby courtyard and spat viciously. "What a damn attitude! You're nothing but a piece of trash expelled from the Martial Child Academy, and you still think you're the Wang Family's young master? Hmph! Too proud to accept help, and you'll suffer for it. You deserve to be poor all your life! Don't come crying later!"

With that, Steward Wang lashed the horses and drove back to report. He had already figured out what to say to explain himself to his master.

"Little Sis isn't even seven, and they want to marry her off to a mute. The Wang Family is asking for death." Zhang He's face darkened. Steward Wang's words had clearly used his future to pressure his mother. The Wang Family could supposedly secure him a bright future, but only if Mother paid the price: letting them use his little sister as a bargaining chip and marry her off to a mute!

Damn them!

"Ah He, why were you expelled from the Martial Child Academy?" Mother Zhang suddenly stared at Zhang He and asked angrily. He saw that tears were already welling in her eyes.

"Mother, don't be angry. The academy's director, Zhao Wencai, expelled me out of personal spite. He wanted revenge on me." Zhang He spoke gravely. He decided to tell her everything and explained the general course of events. When Mother Zhang heard how Zhao Feng and the others had bullied her son at the Martial Child Academy, her expression turned grim. "That's outrageous! How could they use their power to bully people like that?"

After hearing what had happened, Mother Zhang forgave Zhang He. She knew he'd had no choice.

"Even though I'm no longer at the Martial Child Academy, I can still take the Martial Child Assessment. Don't worry, Mother," Zhang He reassured her.

"That may be true, but since you're no longer at the Martial Child Academy, you can't take part in the final training before the assessment. When the Martial Child Assessment comes, you..." Mother Zhang's face was full of worry. The assessment was a golden opportunity for her son to make something of himself.

Zhang He understood what she was worried about and smiled. "Mother, the fact that I managed to injure Zhao Feng already proves my strength. I can keep cultivating even outside the Martial Child Academy. I'll get a good result in the Martial Child Assessment, just you wait and see." His eyes brimmed with confidence. The Void Insight Pill had been successfully refined; breaking through to the True Martial Realm would be well within his reach.

He was determined to take first place in the Mengyin City Martial Child Assessment! The Cold Gate seat for first place was his for the taking. Especially after what had happened today, Zhang He was even more determined to claim it. He would make sure his mother and little sister never suffered again and could live well from then on!

In the Wang Family's main hall, Wang Renxiong listened expressionlessly as Steward Wang embellished his account. Below him, Wang Renjie looked at his elder brother and sighed inwardly. Though Wang Renxiong showed no anger on the surface, Wang Renjie knew he must be seething inside. He hated nothing more than people defying his wishes!

What Zhang He and his mother had done today was no different from slapping him hard across the face!

"They really are mud that can't be plastered onto a wall. We gave them such a wonderful opportunity, and they didn't know how to seize it. Instead, they turned around and blamed you, Master. I say that mother and son are a pair of ungrateful, vicious wolves!" Beside Wang Renxiong, a voluptuous woman spoke in a mocking, insinuating tone. A seductive charm showed between her brows.

In her eyes, arranging this marriage for Zhang Yu was plainly a blessing bestowed on Zhang He and his mother.

Wang Renjie frowned. That little vixen never missed a chance to fan the flames, even at a time like this!

"Hmph. That shrew still has the same nasty temper. If she doesn't know how to treasure what she's given, then we won't go looking for her again. Does she really think she's someone important?" Wang Renxiong snorted and waved Steward Wang away. Then he rose to his feet and prepared to leave.

"Big brother, why don't I go and try speaking to them myself? After all..." Seeing Wang Renxiong about to leave, Wang Renjie immediately stood up.

Wang Renxiong turned around, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. "Try what? Do we really need to press our warm faces against their cold asses and let them humiliate us again and again before you're satisfied? Second brother, you're getting more and more useless. Do you really think I believe that boy can cultivate a True Qi Seed? Hmph. Spend your time training the family's elite disciples. They're the ones who can bring our Wang Family back to glory!"

With that, Wang Renxiong strode away. The little vixen gave Wang Renjie a faintly mocking glance, pursed her bright red lips, and followed Wang Renxiong out.

"Sigh." Wang Renjie sighed bitterly. His elder brother's stubbornness was getting worse and worse! It seemed there was no chance of getting Zhang He back to the Wang Family before the Martial Child Assessment. Sigh. When Zhang He stole the show at the assessment, how would his elder brother feel? Wang Renjie already had a strong premonition that Zhang He would be a dark horse who stunned everyone at the Martial Child Assessment.

Wang Renjie shook his head with a bitter smile. He had done all he could; there was nothing more he could do about how things turned out.