“Zhang Family Aunt.”
Looking at the old woman, Chen Ping'an said with a smile.
“Chen Family Boy, is there something you need?”
Chen Ping'an smiled faintly and immediately stated his purpose. He said he needed some sand and gravel, and thought Zhang Dabo might have a way to get it.
“I thought it was something else, so it's this! Chen Family Boy, don't worry, when your Zhang Dabo returns, I will tell him.”
Zhang Family Aunt readily agreed.
Hearing this, Chen Ping'an took out some small coins from his pocket, wanting to give them to Zhang Family Aunt. However, she absolutely refused to accept them.
“We are neighbors, why talk about money? It's just some worthless sand and gravel, so rest assured.”
Zhang Family Aunt repeatedly refused.
Chen Ping'an couldn't persuade her, so he temporarily gave up. He planned to buy some meat and vegetables another day.
“Chen Family Boy, come in and sit for a bit?”
“No, I have something to do at home.” Chen Ping'an waved his hand, refusing.
The two exchanged a few more pleasantries, and then Chen Ping'an left Zhang Dabo's house.
“Chen Family Boy has truly made something of himself!”
Zhang Family Aunt watched Chen Ping'an's departing back, sincerely sighing.
His words and responses just now were extremely proper, and he handled human relations well, completely unlike a young man not yet of age.
......
With the sand and gravel sorted out, Chen Ping'an felt a weight lifted off his mind.
Next, he just had to wait for Little Tiger Lord to come to his door and clear the outstanding silver.
The morning passed quickly. Chen Ping'an, rarely, went out with Chen Er'ya to buy some vegetables, and also bought a whole half of a pig's leg.
Watching the silver being spent, Chen Er'ya felt quite pained. However, considering that her brother was currently practicing martial arts and consumed a lot, without large amounts of meat to eat, his body might not be able to endure the strain.
Chen Er'ya also didn't mention anything about saving more silver for her brother's marriage.
Considering that Little Tiger Lord could arrive at any time, the siblings didn't cook the half pig's leg for lunch. Instead, they hid it, saving it for dinner or tomorrow's meal.
Today's lunch: a plate of scrambled eggs, a plate of steamed pumpkin, a bowl of seasonal vegetable and shredded pork soup, and two bowls of white rice, one large and one small.
“Brother, how did you manage to gather fourteen taels of silver?”
While eating, Chen Er'ya asked curiously. Her eyes sparkled with admiration.
“Brother naturally has his ways.”
Chen Ping'an said with feigned pride. He didn't elaborate on the details. Some things, he knew himself, and there was no need to add more mental burden to Chen Er'ya.
“Brother is so amazing.”
Chen Er'ya showered him with compliments.
In a harmonious atmosphere, the siblings finished their lunch. With Chen Ping'an's final sweep, this meal was eaten completely clean.
After the meal, the two cooperated and quickly washed the dishes.
The two chatted idly. Just as Chen Ping'an was hesitating whether to practice Iron Cloth once first, a knocking sound came from outside the door.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
“Chen Family Boy, ten days are up, it's time to pay back the money. Open the door!”
The voice was a familiar one, it was Liu'er, a trusted subordinate who followed Little Tiger Lord.
“Coming!” Chen Ping'an's expression became serious.
As long as he paid back the Tiger Head Gang's fourteen taels of outstanding silver, principal and interest, today, he and Nannan could live cleanly and comfortably.
Creak!
The courtyard door was quickly opened by Chen Ping'an.
“Little Tiger Lord has arrived! Quick, please come in.”
Chen Ping'an, with a smile on his face, welcomed the few people at the door into the courtyard.
Three people came today, all familiar faces to Chen Ping'an.
Little Tiger Lord, Liu'er, and a ruffian named Fei Zi.
Previously, when Chen Ping'an had not entered martial arts initiation, he couldn't sense it clearly. Now that he had reached Qi Blood Level One Perfection, a quick glance revealed that all the people present had actually entered martial arts initiation.
martial arts initiation, that could be considered a good hand!
It wasn't that the Tiger Head Gang was so powerful that even the ruffians under them had such a level. Rather, as a high-ranking member of the Tiger Head Gang, one of the three Protectors, the trusted subordinates who followed him naturally had such status.
Just like Liu'er, this Fei Zi was also a minor leader in the Tiger Head Gang.
“Little Tiger Lord, here, drink some water.”
Chen Ping'an poured the clear water he had prepared earlier into a bowl and offered it to Little Tiger Lord.
His family's conditions were simple; they had no teacups and no tea leaves, so they could only use clear water as a substitute.
However, before the clear water reached Little Tiger Lord's mouth, it was directly pushed away by Liu'er, who was beside him.
“What is this?! What is Little Tiger Lord's status, to drink plain water here?”
Watching the clear water splash and flow across the wooden table, Chen Ping'an's smile remained unchanged.
“My humble abode is simple, I only have some clear water, I have inconvenienced Little Tiger Lord.”
“Good that you know!”
Liu'er snorted a few times.
“Liu'er.” Little Tiger Lord waved his hand. “Chen Family Boy, I believe you are clear about the purpose of my visit today.”
“I know, I know.” Chen Ping'an, with a face full of smiles, unfolded his sleeve to use as a rag, wiping away the clear water that had just flowed.
After the clear water was wiped dry, Chen Ping'an took out a cloth bag from his bosom and poured all the silver from the cloth bag onto the table.
Then, in front of Little Tiger Lord and the others, he began to carefully count it.
“One tael, three taels, five and a half taels, six taels, seven and a half taels...”
The silver on the table consisted of scattered pieces, and Chen Ping'an counted them meticulously.
“Thirteen taels, fourteen taels! Little Tiger Lord, there are a total of fourteen taels of silver here, please take a look.”
Looking at the silver on the table, Little Tiger Lord nodded slightly.
However, before he could speak, Liu'er, who was beside him, jumped up excitedly.
“Let me see! To check if there's any fake silver.”
Liu'er grabbed the silver on the table and began to inspect each piece.
Although the circulation of fake silver on the market was extremely small now, it didn't mean it didn't exist.
However, he checked them one by one and found no fake silver.
“Consider yourself lucky!”
Liu'er glared fiercely at Chen Ping'an. He didn't know where his anger came from, but he directed it at Chen Ping'an. Perhaps it was because of that day.
“Chen Family Boy, you really managed to gather fourteen taels. That's really good!”
As he spoke, Little Tiger Lord's face showed little expression, and it was unclear what he truly meant.
“I received my monthly salary, and also borrowed some from colleagues in the Zhenfu Division, that's how I managed to gather enough silver to repay Little Tiger Lord.”
Chen Ping'an said with a smile.
“Colleagues! Chen Family Boy, it seems your popularity in the Zhenfu Division is quite good!”
Little Tiger Lord narrowed his eyes slightly, smiling without warmth.
“Haha, it's alright, it's all thanks to my colleagues' support. Old Chen did leave me some connections.”
Chen Ping'an said with a smile on his face, his words full of deeper meaning.
“It's truly good to have someone looking out for you!”
Little Tiger Lord leaned one hand on the wooden table and slowly stood up.
“In that case, your fourteen taels of silver, principal and interest, are considered paid off. Come on, give him the IOU. Don't say that I, Little Tiger Lord, don't follow the rules.”
Hearing this, the ruffian named Fei Zi, who was behind Little Tiger Lord, took out an IOU from his bosom and handed it to Chen Ping'an.
“Little Tiger Lord is benevolent, thank you, Little Tiger Lord.”
Chen Ping'an took the IOU, his face beaming with smiles.
“Let's go.”
Little Tiger Lord called out and walked towards the courtyard gate, with Fei Zi following closely. Liu'er glared fiercely at Chen Ping'an and also followed them.
“Oh, that's right.”
Little Tiger Lord walked to the courtyard gate, as if he had remembered something.
“You also know that my Tiger Head Gang collects monthly fees in these surrounding streets and alleys. The neighbors in the street all give face and have always cooperated. Previously, you still owed this silver, and I never mentioned the monthly fee, which was also a form of care for you.
Now that the outstanding silver has been repaid, there's no need for any special treatment. This month's fee will be waived for you. Start paying from next month.”
Hearing this, Chen Ping'an cupped his hands slightly, his smile unchanged.
“In that case, Ping'an thanks Little Tiger Lord for his care all this time.”
“Good! A promising youth, hahaha... Let's go.”
Amidst hearty laughter, Little Tiger Lord led his people away, their figures quickly disappearing around the corner of the alley.
Chen Ping'an lowered his head slightly, looking at the wooden tabletop. On the tabletop, where Little Tiger Lord had just pressed his palm, a large handprint clearly appeared.
......
Following along is truly important, this little street vendor also wants to become a big street vendor, please help me, everyone~