Early the next morning, Cheng Heng got dressed and rose from bed, feeling refreshed and invigorated.
Seeing Li Qingwan's gentle face still lost in sleep, he did not wake her.
Li Qingwan had clearly never experienced such tender treatment before last night, and she was still immersed in her dreams.
Cheng Heng gently tucked the blanket around her before getting up and going to the room next door, where he usually studied.
The little room was not large and sparsely furnished. It was where Cheng Heng normally read and studied.
Looking at the shelves full of books and the scholar's four treasures on the table, Cheng Heng could not help shaking his head.
These things had all been bought with money his father and Li Qingwan had saved through thrift and hardship. His former self had not contributed a single thing. Now that he could not even support the household, what the hell use were these things!
Today, he would sell all of it and make a clean break with the past!
Without any hesitation, Cheng Heng packed up the still fairly valuable brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones in the room, wrapped them in coarse cloth, and strode quickly out of the courtyard.
Gaoyang County was divided into the Inner City and the Outer City. Cheng Heng lived at the edge of the Outer City, a place that could be called a no-man's land.
All kinds of gangs, hooligans, and ruffians were entrenched there. The petty officials of the local government colluded with them, always turning a blind eye.
As a result, the impoverished people living in the Outer City suffered constant harassment from them, daring to be angry but not daring to speak.
In the tiny Outer City of Gaoyang County alone, there were more than a dozen gangs of every sort. They often clashed violently with one another, and murder and bloodshed had long become commonplace.
The Inner City, on the other hand, was a place every Outer City resident yearned for. Yet the price of an ordinary small courtyard there was enough to make these Outer City residents scrimp and save without food or drink for more than thirty years, and that was without counting the crushing taxes and levies of daily life.
Even if ordinary families managed to save a little money, the gangs would rob them clean. To them, the Inner City could only ever be a distant dream!
With the bundle on his back, Cheng Heng hurried along the muddy roads of the Outer City. His destination was a pawnshop there.
Though the Inner City was prosperous, given his current circumstances, he would not even be allowed through its gates. He could only sell these things at an Outer City pawnshop.
He had spent over twenty taels of silver buying these brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones from the Inner City. Pawning them should be enough to support him for a while.
Aside from resolving his immediate survival problems, Cheng Heng wanted to use the rest of the money to find a martial arts school and take a master to learn martial arts.
With the cheat ability [Heaven Rewards Diligence], learning martial arts was the fastest route for him to turn his life around in this world!
Before long, Cheng Heng arrived at a pawnshop with the bundle on his back. Two stone Pixiu beasts stood before the entrance, while a large flag beside them bore the embroidered character "Pawn."
After inspecting it for a moment, Cheng Heng lifted a foot and walked in.
Before him stood a high counter. Behind it was a middle-aged man in a round cap, dark-skinned, with two pairs of eyes gleaming with a faint thievish light. Every inch of him exuded the air of a crooked merchant.
When the round-capped man saw Cheng Heng enter, he looked over his shabby clothing and made an estimate in his heart. There should be plenty of fat to squeeze from this one.
"Pawn it alive or pawn it dead, the choice is yours. We can ease your pressing need!"
Hearing the shopkeeper's call, Cheng Heng set his bundle on the counter. His expression remained unreadable as he said,
"A set of brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones. Shopkeeper, take a look and tell me how much it's worth."
The middle-aged man opened the bundle and carefully examined the items before him for a while. Then, with a genial expression, he said to Cheng Heng,
"These things are worth a little to scholars, but here in the Outer City..."
After pondering briefly, he continued, "If you want to sell them outright, I can only offer five taels of silver!"
The moment he heard that, Cheng Heng inwardly cursed. This pawnshop business really was a money-making racket.
But in the Outer City, he could not find any suitable way to sell them elsewhere. Besides, any pawnshop that could operate in the Outer City was surely backed by some force. Otherwise, it would open today and be smashed shut tomorrow.
Cheng Heng did not answer immediately. After a moment of thought, he said,
"Shopkeeper, this brush is a Hu brush. When I bought it, this brush alone was worth nearly ten taels of silver. Are all these things together only worth five taels now?"
The middle-aged man gave a faint smile, unconcerned. "I told you, this is the Outer City. Just trying to fill one's belly takes every ounce of effort. How many people have the leisure to study the quality of a brush? If you think the price is too low, you can ask around elsewhere and see who will offer you more."
There was only one pawnshop in the entire Outer City. This man had clearly decided Cheng Heng desperately needed money and intended to gouge him mercilessly.
Cheng Heng's heart sank. In this situation, he could only swallow this silent loss.
He desperately needed these five taels of silver. With this money, he would have the capital to turn things around in the Outer City!
With a cold expression, Cheng Heng nodded. He took the five taels of silver handed over by the pawnshop owner, carefully tucked them into his clothes, and walked out of the pawnshop.
After Cheng Heng left, the middle-aged man handed the complete set of scholar's four treasures to the attendant beside him and instructed,
"Give these items to the head shopkeeper and have him send them to the Inner City. Especially this brush—make sure it is kept properly."
The attendant hurriedly accepted them with care and headed toward the shop's rear courtyard.
After leaving the shop, Cheng Heng headed toward the nearby market. By the time he had bought some rice and flour, it was already noon, and he quickly made his way home.
The sun hung high overhead, and there was not a soul left on the streets.
"Kill them! Don't let those Black Tiger Gang bastards get away!"
Suddenly, a burst of clamor rang out behind Cheng Heng.
Then more than a dozen burly men wielding machetes and brimming with killing intent came charging from behind. Several clearly wounded Black Tiger Gang members fled ahead of them.
Seeing this, Cheng Heng hurriedly hid in a corner. Only after the gang members had gone far away did he emerge, still shaken with lingering fear.
He then broke into a run toward home, not daring to linger outside any longer.
The Outer City was simply too chaotic. He had only just transmigrated here and lacked even the strength to truss a chicken. He had to be cautious—then more cautious still.
He had to preserve this useful body. There would be great things for him to do in the future!
Charging into the small courtyard, Cheng Heng panted heavily as he shut the gate. He then handed the rice and flour to Li Qingwan.
Li Qingwan was already neatly dressed and was tidying up the clutter in the courtyard. Seeing him in such a state, she hurried over and asked,
"Brother Heng, what happened?"
Cheng Heng steadied his breathing before replying,
"Nothing. I just ran back too quickly. Here's the rice and flour—take them and make lunch."
Li Qingwan accepted the rice and flour in disbelief, her face filled with shock.
"Brother Heng, where did these things come from? You..."
Cheng Heng paused, then smiled softly.
"Don't worry. I didn't sell you for money. I sold those study materials and exchanged them for this. Rest assured, as long as I have a bite to eat, I will never let you go hungry!"
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