Opportunity

"Brother, are you all right...?"

The door opened, and his younger sister, Xu Qing, ran over with worry written all over her face. Clearly, she had heard the commotion outside.

Xu Yang shook his head. "I'm fine, but from now on, try not to go out. If you absolutely have to, cover your face properly."

At fourteen, she was growing prettier by the day, her eyes as bright as clear spring water.

Xu Qing nodded. "I'll be careful from now on. Oh, how much did you get paid this month?"

"Six hundred and twenty copper coins. Li Hu took twenty, so there are only six hundred left..."

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

Cave-ins happened at the mine from time to time. He might be buried inside one day, so he always gave his money to Xu Qing for safekeeping.

Xu Qing took the pouch with delight. "Wow... another six hundred coins! Brother, you're amazing. With this, we have two taels and five mace of silver. Work hard for another year, and you'll have enough to study martial arts at a Martial Arts Hall."

The usual tuition for studying under a master at a Martial Arts Hall ranged from two to five taels a month, depending on the hall's strength.

Xu Yang was aiming for the worst Martial Arts Hall.

However, enrolling at a Martial Arts Hall required paying at least three months' tuition in advance—six taels.

Besides, once he began training, he would have to stop working altogether and eat well, with meat at every meal at the very least. That meant setting aside another tael a month for food. In other words, he needed at least nine taels of silver before he could begin training.

"I can't wait another year. He Laosan told me today that once I'm over eighteen, the Martial Arts Hall won't take me."

Xu Yang shook his head inwardly. He had only learned this today himself.

Xu Qing's expression changed. "Then what are we supposed to do...? Is Heaven refusing to leave us even a path to survival?"

Xu Yang had been earning more and more from mining. Once they saved enough for him to study martial arts, he could rise above the crowd. Who would have thought the Martial Arts Hall refused anyone over eighteen?

She suddenly drew a deep breath, as though making up her mind about something, and lightly bit her lip. "Brother, why don't you sell me? Then you'll have money to train. Once you become a martial artist, you can buy my freedom."

"Don't ever entertain that thought. Even if I never get to practice martial arts in my entire life, I won't do that. If you dare go behind my back and do it yourself, I'll never forgive you."

Xu Yang had never imagined she would come up with such an idea, and immediately warned her sternly.

He knew Xu Qing was bold. Unless he came down hard on her, the little girl might actually sell herself behind his back.

Seeing how serious and stern Xu Yang looked, she immediately lowered her head and dared not mention selling herself again.

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

She suddenly spoke, as though remembering something.

"He invited us to dinner? The sun really must be rising in the west."

At the mention of his father in name only, Xu Yang's expression grew colder.

Their mother had died about six years ago. Not long afterward, their father, Xu Lao'er, had taken up with a widow surnamed Zhang in their neighborhood. Back then, he and Xu Qing had still been little, and Xu Lao'er would give them some food and occasionally come home.

Once Xu Yang turned fifteen and could earn a little money, Xu Lao'er moved straight into the widow's house and stopped caring for the siblings altogether.

A fifteen-year-old Xu Yang had been forced to fend for himself while supporting his younger sister, all in these chaotic times. The hardships were easy enough to imagine.

"It's Father's birthday today. Brother, say a few nice things when we get there, and I'll bring up how you don't have enough money to train. Father should help out a little. After all, you're his own son."

Xu Qing gave a sly smile, then added, "Even if he won't give us anything, we won't lose out by eating a meal at his expense. It's his birthday, so there should at least be meat."

Xu Yang said nothing, but he was somewhat persuaded.

To save money for martial arts training, he had gone several months without meat. A good meal for free certainly wouldn't hurt.

He's my own father, after all. However heartless he is, can he really disregard his son's future?

After putting away the money, the two soon left for Widow Zhang's house.

Widow Zhang's name was Zhang Cuiting, and she had something of a background. Her late husband had been a martial artist who had died somewhere away from home under unknown circumstances, leaving Zhang Cuiting a wealthy widow famous throughout the area. After Xu Lao'er took up with her, he had abandoned his own children to step into her late husband's shoes.

Of course, the main reason was that Zhang Cuiting disliked the two burdens and forbade Xu Lao'er from looking after them.

Zhang Cuiting's house was not far from Xu Yang's, only a walk of ten minutes or so. Its courtyard was impressive too, with red bricks and blue-gray roof tiles, far better than Xu Yang's stone house.

Before they even entered Zhang Cuiting's home, they could already smell meat. Quite a few hungry children were hiding outside the courtyard, sniffing the scent in the air with all their might.

When they stepped inside, three people were seated there. One was Xu Yang's father, Xu Lao'er. With fair, clean skin and well-defined features, he was quite handsome.

It was his looks that had attracted Zhang Cuiting in the first place. Sometimes, Xu Yang had to admire this father of his: he might live off a woman, but at least he hadn't saddled himself with a tank.

A woman who had married a martial artist naturally wasn't bad-looking. With the inheritance her late husband had left her, Zhang Cuiting had no need to work. She looked only thirty-something, with a full, voluptuous figure.

The last person was a teenage boy, the son of Zhang Cuiting and her late martial artist husband. His name was Yang Jun. At the sight of Xu Yang and Xu Qing, a barely perceptible flicker of disdain crossed his eyes, but he quickly concealed it and instead offered a faint smile.

Xu Yang noticed all of this and felt puzzled.

In the past, Yang Jun had never bothered to hide his disdain. Who knew what had gotten into him today that he was actually putting on a friendly face?

Zhang Cuiting's reaction today was also somewhat different from usual.

"Father, Aunt Zhang!"

The siblings cupped their hands in greeting and looked at the three people seated around the table.

They had invited them to dinner, yet had already started eating without waiting for them to arrive.

"Yang, Qing, you're here! I thought you weren't coming, so we didn't wait. Hurry and get yourselves bowls and some rice." Zhang Cuiting stood up.

Her tone was warm, but the disdain in her bones remained unchanged.

"All right, Aunt Zhang!"

Xu Qing nodded obediently and secretly nudged Xu Yang. Then, without the slightest hesitation, she fetched bowls and filled one with a great mound of rice for each of them. The sight made Zhang Cuiting inwardly wince.

Several times, she wanted to stop her, but remembering why she had invited the siblings over today, she forced herself to hold back.

"Sit down and eat first!"

Xu Lao'er spoke as well, pulling over a long bench for the siblings.

After the meal, Xu Qing helped Zhang Cuiting clear away the bowls and chopsticks. Xu Lao'er showed some "concern" for how Xu Yang had been doing lately, then finally said, "I asked you here today because there's something I need to discuss with you..."

At this point, he seemed to find it somewhat difficult to speak and stopped.

However shameless and black-hearted he was, the person before him was still his own

son.

But after only a moment's hesitation, he continued, "Jun has already started practicing martial arts. His master at the Martial Arts Hall says he has good natural aptitude and can become a martial artist someday, but he needs medicinal supplements to keep up."

"From now on, give half your mining wages to support Jun's training. Once he becomes a martial artist, you'll share in his good fortune as his elder brother."

Although Xu Yang had already braced himself, knowing there was more to today's meal than met the eye, he had never expected this.

"Father, how can you say something like that? The little money 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 with a shriek, her small face flushed with anger.

She had thought their father's conscience had finally awakened, which was why he had invited them over for his birthday meal. She had never imagined he had set his sights on her brother's blood-and-sweat money.

At that moment, even the utterly shameless Xu Lao'er felt a little ashamed and offered no rebuttal.

"Qing, how can you speak to your father like that? Your Brother Jun can become a martial artist. Other people don't even get a chance to curry favor with him. Asking you to contribute a little money is for your own good. Only then will you be able to share in his good fortune.

"Don't think we don't know. Mining wages are around four hundred copper coins. You and Yang only need two hundred a month to live on. If you do a little work for other people too, giving half to your Brother Jun won't be a problem at all."

Zhang Cuiting came hurrying out as well, acting as though she were offering them an opportunity.

Yang Jun lifted his chin. "It's just a measly two hundred copper coins. Once I become a martial artist and rebuild the connections my father left behind, even a little slipping through my fingers will be enough for you to live on for a lifetime."

Xu Lao'er spoke earnestly. "Exactly. If our family produces a martial artist, everyone will share in his good fortune. As the elder brother, how can he refuse to do his part?"

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

Xu Yang looked over and saw his father's eyes brimming with affection. He knew it was not for him or his sister, but for Yang Jun.