Gossip

"That bastard really needed a beating."

Skinny Dog stared fixedly at the smug-looking middle-aged man, his gaze full of contempt. He itched to bite him.

Just one bite, and hmph hmph!

Fang Zhixing watched the middle-aged man swagger away. After a brief pause, he followed at an unhurried pace.

Seeing this, Skinny Dog asked via voice transmission, "Why are you following that asshole?"

Fang Zhixing replied, "That asshole is a lazy bum. One look tells you he loafs around all day, loves eating, and hates work. Once people like him get money, they'll definitely go somewhere crowded and gossip, wasting their lives on idle pleasures."

Skinny Dog was baffled and somewhat unconvinced. He asked in surprise, "You're sure?"

Fang Zhixing rolled his eyes at Skinny Dog and said bluntly, "Aren't you exactly that kind of person?"

"..."

The man and dog silently trailed after him.

Before long, the middle-aged man strolled into a deep alley. After walking farther in for a while, a shabby teahouse suddenly appeared ahead.

The teahouse was tucked away in a rather remote location. Anyone unfamiliar with the area would probably never find it.

Humming a tune, the middle-aged man sauntered into the teahouse and sat down at an empty table.

The teahouse was small, with seven or eight tables and more than ten customers.

The middle-aged man looked at no one. With a casual raise of his hand, he flicked his sleeve stylishly and snapped his fingers, sending the large coin Fang Zhixing had given him flying.

The coin spun through the air before landing on the table with a bright clink.

In an instant, everyone else in the teahouse was drawn by the sound and turned to look.

Someone laughed and called out, "Kong Erleng, where'd you get that money? Don't tell me you stole someone's things again?"

Kong Erleng immediately widened his eyes and snapped, "What nonsense! How can you slander an innocent man out of thin air? I earned this money with my own ability!"

The moment he said that!

Everyone burst into laughter, and the teahouse filled with a cheerful atmosphere.

At this sight...

Skinny Dog was utterly speechless. Even if he did not want to admit it, he had to.

Damn it, Fang Zhixing's mind worked fast. The moment someone stuck out their ass, he already knew what kind of shit they were about to take.

Thinking of that, Skinny Dog felt uncomfortable all over. The more he looked at Fang Zhixing, the more annoying he found him.

Kong Erleng lifted his chin and shouted, "Boss, brew me a pot of tea!"

The owner brought over a pot of hot tea and a large teacup, setting them on the table before taking the large coin away.

Kong Erleng drank by himself, acting as if no one else existed. He did not notice Fang Zhixing entering the teahouse and sitting at the table in the corner by the wall.

By then, the people in the teahouse had started chatting idly.

"Have you heard? Old Master Chen is taking another concubine."

"What? He's marrying another one?!"

"Good lord, which wife is this?"

"The ninth!"

"Old Master Chen is seventy-two this year, isn't he? He's really going strong in his old age!"

Everyone spoke at once, eagerly discussing the gossip surrounding the wealthiest family in the market town.

Kong Erleng suddenly sneered. "What the hell do you know? Old Master Chen has taken nine wives and concubines in a row, but it's not because he's still so vigorous in his old age."

Everyone turned toward him and clamored, "Oh? So you know better than everyone else, do you? Then tell us why."

Kong Erleng simply shut his mouth and leisurely sipped his tea.

Seeing this, someone passed over a plate containing five or six leftover peanuts.

Kong Erleng immediately broke into a smile. He picked up a peanut and popped it into his mouth, saying as he chewed, "Ah, you only know one side of it. Old Master Chen actually has troubles he can't talk about."

The person who had offered the peanuts asked, "The Chen Family is piled high with gold and jade. What troubles could Old Master Chen possibly have?"

Kong Erleng clicked his tongue. "Haven't you noticed? Old Master Chen has only one son, Young Master Chen. Though Young Master Chen has already taken three wives and concubines, he hasn't had a single child."

Everyone's expressions shifted.

There were three forms of unfilial conduct, and having no heir was the worst!

Everyone had actually noticed long ago that Young Master Chen had no descendants, and all sorts of rumors had spread.

Someone muttered softly, "That's true. Could Young Master Chen have some hidden illness?"

Another clicked his tongue. "No way. Young Master Chen is a martial artist, strong and sturdy. He once punched a cow to death. Could he really be unable to have children?"

Soon, someone guessed, "Could it be because he cultivates some kind of strange art? I heard that those who cultivate the Virgin Body Skill can't go near women."

"You idiot!"

Someone else immediately retorted, "If Young Master Chen couldn't go near women, why would he take three wives and concubines?"

"Exactly."

Another chimed in, "Young Master Chen is a disciple of the Black Tiger Gate. The Black Tiger Gate's ultimate art is the Black Tiger Skill, right? I've never heard of that martial art having any such taboo!"

At that moment, an old man with a goatee cracked sunflower seeds and said, "My grandson practices martial arts too. He became a disciple of 'Iron Palm Cheng Tian'en.' That boy told me that martial arts cultivation doesn't have so many taboos. You can marry and have children normally."

Everyone talked over one another, but no one could make sense of it. In the end, they all looked toward Kong Erleng.

By then, Kong Erleng had eaten the last peanut. He slowly took out his pipe and knocked the ash from it against the table leg.

Then he kept knocking it, again and again, making a clanging sound.

The others quickly realized that Kong Erleng had run out of tobacco.

For a moment, everyone looked at each other in silence.

The goateed old man sighed and took a pinch of tobacco from his own pouch.

Overjoyed, Kong Erleng hurriedly rose to accept it. He lit it, took a blissful puff, and exhaled clouds of smoke with an expression of pure enjoyment.

Only then did he say, "My aunt works as a servant for the Chen Family. She told me that Young Master Chen never spends the night with any of his three wives and concubines."

Everyone was startled and suspicious, but someone had already thought of something. Clicking his tongue, he said, "Could that rumor be true?"

Kong Erleng chuckled. "Young Master Chen loves martial arts. He keeps four servant slaves as sparring partners. My aunt said that Young Master Chen spends every day with those four slaves, inseparable as glue."

A wave of astonished exclamations immediately swept through the crowd.

There had long been rumors that Young Master Chen preferred men and had a taste for male lovers.

After what Kong Erleng said, it seemed to be confirmed!

This gossip was far too explosive, and the teahouse instantly erupted.

"What does that mean? Young Master Chen likes men? He sleeps with men?"

Someone who was completely ignorant asked curiously, "How do men sleep with men?"

At once, someone picked up two chopsticks and tapped them together, chuckling. "Get it now?"

Those who did not understand stared blankly, while those who did smiled knowingly.

Fang Zhixing listened carefully, then suddenly raised his hand. "Boss, bring me a plate of peanuts."

"Right away!"

The owner swiftly brought over a plate of peanuts and said with a smile, "Thank you for your patronage. Five large coins."

Fang Zhixing unhurriedly took out the money, while gesturing for the owner to lean closer.

The owner understood at once and bent down.

Fang Zhixing asked, "Where in the market town is the Black Tiger Gate they mentioned earlier?"

The owner smiled. "The Black Tiger Gate isn't in the market town. It's in Qinghe Commandery City."

Fang Zhixing understood and asked again, "Where is the 'Iron Palm Cheng Tian'en' that old man mentioned?"

The owner could not help but scrutinize Fang Zhixing before replying, "Hero Cheng lives on the western side of town. His house has white walls surrounding the courtyard, two stone lions in front of the gate, and a banana tree planted by the entrance."

At that point, he could not help asking, "What, do you want to take a master and learn martial arts too?"