The Warmth and Coldness of Human Nature

Li Qingwan was stunned when she heard this. Then her eyes reddened, but she said nothing more. Hugging the rice and flour, she ran into the kitchen and began bustling about.

Ever since Brother Heng fell ill, he truly seemed like a completely different person!

But Li Qingwan liked him far more this way.

Before long, waves of fragrant food drifted out. Li Qingwan soon came in carrying the dishes, and the two sat at the table and lowered their heads to eat.

"I'm planning to learn martial arts!"

Halfway through the meal, Cheng Heng suddenly spoke.

Li Qingwan, seated opposite him, was clearly taken aback. Then she said, "Brother Heng, you want to learn martial arts? The costs of martial arts training are even higher than studying, aren't they? Can our family afford it?"

"You don't need to worry about the money. I'll think of a way. This afternoon, I'll go to the ancestral house and see if I can borrow some more money from Grandfather."

Li Qingwan looked at Cheng Heng's resolute expression and said with utmost seriousness,

"Brother Heng, no matter what decision you make, I'll support you."

"I found work sewing clothes at the tailor shop. It pays three hundred copper coins a month—I'll definitely be able to help you too!"

Cheng Heng's heart warmed. He then took out eight hundred copper coins from his clothes and handed them to Li Qingwan.

"If the Black Tiger Gang comes knocking again another day, give them those five hundred copper coins for incense money. Don't clash with them, understand?"

"Mhm!"

Li Qingwan nodded earnestly.

The man before her seemed to possess some kind of magic. As though with him here, this home could stand as steady as Mount Tai.

After buying rice and flour, setting aside some living expenses, and giving Li Qingwan eight hundred copper coins, he only had three taels of silver left. He would make another trip to the ancestral house that afternoon and see whether he could borrow some money from Grandfather.

That way, the martial arts training fees for the near future should be enough, and life could be considered back on track!

Li Qingwan was clearing the bowls and chopsticks.

"I'm going to the ancestral house. Wait for me at home."

"Come back early, Brother Heng!"

With that, Cheng Heng walked out through the courtyard gate and headed toward the ancestral house.

After passing through several long streets, Cheng Heng arrived before the ancestral house.

His grandfather and second uncle's family lived there.

The Cheng Family had been carpenters for generations, so Old Master Cheng, Cheng Heng's father, and his second uncle all knew carpentry. The large family lived fairly well in the Outer City.

His grandfather had only two sons: his father and second uncle. His father was honest and simple-minded, while his second uncle was somewhat idle and shiftless. Yet it was his second uncle who was usually favored by Grandfather.

The moment Cheng Heng stepped into the small courtyard, he saw it packed with neighbors. Several tables of wine and food had been set up in the yard, and the neighbors were beaming with delight, as though celebrating some joyous occasion.

At the table in the middle of the courtyard sat his grandfather, his second uncle and second aunt, as well as his cousin, Cheng Qi.

"Neighbors and friends, you have all come today to celebrate my younger son Cheng Qi's formal entry into Thunderclap Martial Academy, where he will begin learning martial arts. Raise your cups!"

His second uncle, Cheng Fugui, rose to his feet, lifted his wine cup, and happily announced the news.

Upon hearing it, the many neighbors below immediately began offering their congratulations.

"Ever since he was little, I could tell Cheng Qi wasn't ordinary. One day, he'll surely take the martial examination and return with the title of Martial Graduate!"

"Congratulations, congratulations! Your Cheng Family is about to produce an extraordinary figure!"

"Yes, yes. Once Qi'er becomes an important figure in the Inner City, don't forget us neighbors. When the time comes, let my son work under you too."

The neighbors' words of praise made Cheng Qi, seated beside the table, feel as if he were floating on clouds. It was as though he had already become a Martial Graduate, and smile after smile appeared on his face.

After all, the saying that the poor pursue literature while the rich pursue martial arts was not mere empty talk. For an ordinary family to support a disciple learning martial arts, the silver required before one even became an entry-level martial artist was impossible to estimate.

Not to mention the various medicinal ingredients and nourishment needed afterward—the costs were even more staggering. Generally, only families with considerable assets in the Inner City could afford such expenses.

Standing at the entrance, Cheng Heng secretly shook his head.

Given his second uncle's idle nature, there was no need to think further. The expenses for supporting his cousin would surely still fall on his grandfather's shoulders. It seemed borrowing money today would be difficult.

Just then, his grandfather Cheng Songtai noticed Cheng Heng standing at the gate. A trace of gloom flashed through his eyes before he quickly returned to normal and called out,

"Heng'er, why have you come? Hurry and sit down. Today, your cousin formally entered the martial academy to learn martial arts, and we're celebrating with the neighbors."

At those words, everyone turned their gazes toward Cheng Heng, and the atmosphere suddenly became somewhat delicate.

The neighbors all knew that Cheng Heng's father had gone to perform corvée labor in place of his second uncle Cheng Fugui. For a moment, everyone fell silent.

The Great Gan Dynasty had stood for more than six hundred years. Officials were corrupt, bandits ran rampant, and the flourishing scene from the dynasty's founding—when the people lived and worked in peace and contentment—had long vanished.

Once one left to perform corvée labor, it would be for several years, and one even had to bring one's own provisions. Everyone knew that once he went, the chance of returning was likely very small.

These days, performing corvée labor was no different from going to one's death.

Cheng Heng's expression did not change. He walked into the center of the courtyard and took a seat. By then, the smiles had vanished from his second uncle and second aunt's faces, and they looked at him with complicated expressions.

"It seems my visit today has truly ruined your family's celebratory mood."

The awkward look on Cheng Fugui's face flashed past as he picked up the thread of conversation.

"Heng'er, have you come today because something is wrong?"

"Grandfather, Second Uncle, Second Aunt, I came today to borrow five taels of silver."

The moment those words came out, confusion flashed across their faces. Cheng Songtai asked,

"Heng'er, what do you need five taels of silver for? Do you want to buy some books? Or is there no food stored at home? Five taels of silver is no small sum, after all!"

"No. I want to learn martial arts, but I'm still short on tuition fees. I hope Grandfather can lend me the money. I'll definitely repay it in the future!"

The moment he said this, his second aunt's expression immediately turned mocking, and she hurriedly ridiculed him.

"Oh my, don't tell me you heard that our Qi'er had taken a master and entered Thunderclap Martial Academy, so now you want to learn martial arts too? Everyone knows your father spent your entire family fortune to support your studies, yet we've never seen you accomplish anything with all that reading."

His second uncle Cheng Fugui said bluntly,

"Heng'er, stop making trouble. Your cousin has just taken a master, and this is precisely when he needs money. If there is any hardship at home, your grandfather and I will naturally help you. But don't keep being so unrealistic. You may be older than Qi'er, but you should show some ambition and learn more from him!"

Cheng Songtai's expression was stern as he lectured,

"Qi'er learning martial arts is an important matter, one that concerns the Cheng Family's future. Heng'er, stop making trouble here."

After a lifetime of work, Cheng Songtai had some savings in hand, but he could only support one junior in learning martial arts. As for Cheng Heng, he truly lacked both the will and the means now!

Cheng Heng had not expected that his former self had been so unreliable in his daily conduct that they did not take anything he said seriously, believing he was merely deceiving them.