"Brother~"
In the small courtyard, Chen Er'ya tenderly wiped Chen Ping'an's body.
Chen Ping'an wanted to wipe himself as usual, but Xiao Yatou insisted on helping.
"Nannan, Brother is fine. It just looks a bit scary."
Chen Ping'an said with a smile, comforting her.
"Mm. I know, but seeing Brother like this, I still feel pained."
Xiao Yatou carefully wiped him with a cloth.
"Nannan, don't feel pained. Practicing martial arts is like this. Compared to many people, Brother's condition is nothing at all. Brother works hard to practice martial arts because I want us all to live good lives. For a good life, we all have to work hard, don't we? From now on, Brother will be responsible for practicing martial arts diligently, and Nannan will be responsible for watching from the side and cheering Brother on. How about it?"
Chen Ping'an coaxed Chen Er'ya like he was coaxing a child. However, at only nine years old, she was indeed still a child.
"Mm." Xiao Yatou nodded.
"Brother, I know, Father said before. Only by enduring hardship can one rise above others. Brother is enduring hardship now to become a person above others in the future."
"My Nannan is so smart!"
"......"
This night passed quickly amidst the siblings' heart-to-heart talk. Early the next morning, Chen Ping'an began practicing Iron Cloth with a new method.
He could gain 1 experience point in less than half an hour, and after two practice sessions, it was only slightly longer than the previous single session.
He arrived just in time for the pre-duty meeting. Today, two Chief Constables were present: Huang Chatou and Li Chatou.
The day passed quickly in conversation and banter with Monkey Head Da Shan. The street patrol that day was peaceful and uneventful.
When he returned home in the evening, Chen Er'ya had almost finished cooking. Today, Xiao Yatou was quite generous, not only buying beef but also lamb.
The lamb was out of the pot, fragrant and appetizing.
Chen Ping'an had Chen Er'ya scoop a full bowl, then he went out to deliver it to Zhang Dabo's house.
They had sent sand and gravel without charging, so Chen Ping'an naturally had to reciprocate. This was a very simple principle of neighborly interaction.
When Chen Ping'an delivered a large bowl of lamb to their door, everyone at Zhang Dabo's house was there except for his son, Zhang Tieniu, and it looked like they had just finished eating.
Three dishes and one soup, with a good amount of meat.
Compared to the surrounding neighbors, Zhang Dabo's family's meal quality was excellent.
Zhang Dabo's son and daughter-in-law worked as helpers in the back kitchen of a restaurant, and they often brought back kitchen scraps.
Chen Ping'an stated his purpose, and Zhang Dabo waved his hands repeatedly.
"Chen Xiaoge, how can this be!"
"Zhang Dabo, please take it. We just happened to cook some lamb at home, and I thought you might also want to try some."
Chen Ping'an said with a smile.
"This is too much! Just take half."
Zhang Dabo's little child stood by, eagerly looking at the lamb. The lamb was fragrant, and even after eating, it still felt appetizing.
"Zhang Dabo, please take it all. It's just a small token of my regard."
"Then... alright." After glancing at his grandson, Zhang Dabo finally agreed.
"Chen Xiaoge, please come in and sit for a while." Zhang Dabo's daughter-in-law invited him with a smile. Zhang Dabo's daughter-in-law, Cuilan, was large and round, looking very robust.
"No, I won't sit." Chen Ping'an waved his hand with a smile.
After exchanging a few pleasantries and transferring the lamb into his own bowl, Chen Ping'an left Zhang Dabo's house.
"Chen Xiaoge is really too polite..."
Looking at the full bowl of lamb, Zhang Dabo let out a long breath.
"Yes." Zhang Family Aunt also agreed.
This full bowl of lamb, if it were shallower, could easily be divided into three bowls.
"Chen Xiaoge, who works for the government, is just particular!" His daughter-in-law Cuilan added.
"Parents-in-law, I should also go out. Brother Niu is waiting for me!"
Cuilan and Tieniu worked in the back kitchen of a restaurant, and this was their busiest time. If it weren't for something at home, she wouldn't have come back at this hour.
......
Chen Ping'an left Zhang Dabo's house and walked towards his own. Midway, he happened to see a household's door ajar.
This was Old Pan's house!
Uncle Pan's family in the alley still owed their family half a tael of silver.
When Old Chen was still alive, Old Pan's son was getting married, and it was a time when they needed money, so even though Old Chen was severely injured, he still lent them half a tael of silver.
Later, even when Old Chen arranged for Chen Ping'an to be a temporary Yamen Runner, he would rather borrow from loan sharks than ask Old Pan's family to repay the silver.
Now, Old Chen had been dead for more than half a year, and Old Pan's family had borrowed this half a tael of silver for almost a year. Logically, it should be repaid. But Old Pan's family had not proactively mentioned it at all.
Normally, it would be fine. But now, Chen Ping'an had paid off the fourteen taels of debt, and his family's savings were exhausted. Coupled with his current martial arts practice, which required him to eat meat every night, and various other expenses, their life was quite tight.
Getting this half a tael of silver back would help ease their living expenses.
Half a tael of silver was five qian, a full five hundred small coins. It was more than half a month's salary for him.
"It's good timing. No time like the present, let's get the money back today."
Thinking this, Chen Ping'an knocked on Old Pan's door.
Old Pan's family's life in the neighborhood was not bad, even quite good, except for borrowing some silver when their son got married.
"Who is it!?"
A woman's voice sounded from within the door.
"Aunt Pan, it's me, Chen Ping'an."
After Chen Ping'an's voice sounded, there were several moments of silence inside the house. Just as Chen Ping'an was about to push the door open himself, the sound of the door finally came.
"Ping'an, ah, come, quickly come in."
The door opened, and it was Old Pan speaking.
Several people were sitting inside the house, looking like they had just finished eating and were resting.
Old Pan, Old Pan's wife, and his son and daughter-in-law. The daughter-in-law's belly was highly distended, clearly indicating she was pregnant.
Aunt Pan's expression was a bit unpleasant, and Old Pan's son, Little Pan, also looked a bit unnatural.
"Ping'an is here, ah. Have you eaten yet?" Old Pan greeted him with a smile.
"Not yet." Chen Ping'an replied with a smile.
"Ping'an, are you here for something?"
Old Pan asked.
"Yes, there's something. Uncle Pan, it's like this. A few days ago, didn't Uncle Pan's family borrow half a tael of silver from my family? I'm here to ask Uncle Pan to return the money."
Chen Ping'an said straightforwardly.
He observed that as soon as he finished speaking, Aunt Pan's expression became even more unpleasant.
"Oh, so it's about that." Old Pan hadn't expected Chen Ping'an to be so direct. "Hmm, Ping'an, this matter is quite sudden. Let your Uncle Pan think about it."
Chen Ping'an wore a smile and slowly said, "Then please Uncle Pan think carefully. No rush, I'll just wait here."
Old Pan truly hadn't expected Chen Ping'an to react this way. He had thought that after he spoke, the other party would leave. Seeing Chen Ping'an waiting there and not leaving, he put on airs.
"How about this, Ping'an, you go back today, and we'll talk after your Uncle Pan has thought it through."
Old Pan's words were perfunctory, not mentioning the debt at all, his meaning was self-evident.