“Ping'an, this…”
Old Pan’s forced smile completely froze.
“When we borrowed the silver before, there was no mention of paying interest!”
“That’s right! The silver has been returned to you, so why bring up interest? Fifty small coins, you’re extorting us!”
Aunt Pan pointed and said.
“If this gets out, we’ll be ridiculed!”
Looking at the couple in front of him, Chen Ping'an’s patience was slowly disappearing.
“Extortion? If I were extorting you, then we’d be talking about a nine-out-thirteen-back principle, not just fifty small coins!”
“Borrowing money and returning interest is only natural! No matter where this matter spreads, I will be in the right. How can there be talk of ridicule!?”
Chen Ping'an’s eyes were bright and piercing, staring directly at the two of them, possessing an indescribable Aura.
Aunt Pan, who was usually accustomed to throwing tantrums, was now as if stunned, unable to utter a single word. Old Pan’s courage was greatly diminished.
“Ping'an, my wife was talking nonsense, please don’t take it to heart.”
Old Pan said with an awkward smile.
“Wait a moment, I’ll go get the money.”
Saying that, Old Pan walked into the inner room. After a short while, he came out with a handful of small coins and handed them to Chen Ping'an.
Taking the small coins and confirming the amount was correct, Chen Ping'an’s expression was calm, his attitude neither arrogant and triumphant after getting the interest back, nor attempting to reconcile after a fallout.
“In that case, we are even.”
“Ping'an, this time it was all Uncle Pan and Aunt Pan’s fault, please don’t take it to heart.” Old Pan gave a dry laugh, wanting to say a few words to ease the atmosphere.
However, Chen Ping'an did not wait for him to finish, and left with the money.
Swallowing the few words he was about to say, Old Pan sighed deeply: “A formidable young man! I misjudged him, this Chen Family Boy is actually a formidable person!”
He had always thought that Chen Ping'an was very easy to talk to. Although he worked as a Yamen Runner in the Zhenfu Division, he also valued neighborly relations. With a little emotional manipulation, he would silently endure any hardship. Who knew that this young man was so sharp? His proud methods were actually no match for him.
This time, not only did he sour their relationship, but he also lost both principal and interest. It was truly losing the wife and losing the army!
“Old Pan, this Chen Family Boy is really unkind. I need to go out and spread the word, let all the neighbors know his true colors!” Aunt Pan leaned over and said.
“You old hag! Long hair, short wisdom!” It was better if Aunt Pan hadn't come over, but her presence gave Old Pan a place to vent his pent-up anger. “Why did you provoke him for no reason! If we had talked nicely, maybe we wouldn’t even have had to pay these fifty small coins in interest, but now look!”
“I provoked him!? Wasn’t it you, you old geezer, who kept saying that the Chen Family Boy was just a half-grown kid and there was no hurry to return the silver! Now what, all the blame is pushed onto me!”
Aunt Pan was not one to be easily bullied, and she stood with her hands on her hips, fuming.
“You old hag! Before was before, now is now. Tell me, if it weren’t for you, would it be like this?”
“Get out of my sight!”
Old Pan and Aunt Pan were arguing fiercely.
Their son and daughter-in-law, watching their parents and in-laws act like this, felt their faces burning with shame.
“Father, Mother, both of you say less.” Xiao Pan wanted to persuade them.
“Get lost, shut up! Isn’t it all for you to marry a wife!”
“……”
……
When Chen Ping'an returned home, Chen Er'ya had already prepared the dishes, just waiting for him to come back.
“Brother, you’re back!”
Seeing Chen Ping'an return, Chen Er'ya hurriedly stepped forward and took the bowl from his hand.
“Yes, I’m back.” Chen Ping'an nodded.
“Why were you out for so long? The dishes are almost cold.” Chen Er'ya put the bowl away, then came back and took down the covered plates of food.
Chen Ping'an smiled and briefly recounted what had just happened to Chen Er'ya.
“How could they be like that!?”
The Xiao Yatou puffed out her chest, looking very angry.
“The world is vast, and there are all sorts of strange things! There are many such people.” Chen Ping'an was calm.
If everyone followed the rules, what would be the use of the Zhenfu Division!?
“Hmph! We lent them money, and in the end, it’s still our fault.”
“Haha, it’s fine. Didn’t we resolve it? Oh, right, here’s some money for you. Remember to buy more meat tomorrow.”
Chen Ping'an smiled and gave the money bag to Chen Er'ya.
With this money, they could appropriately supplement their household expenses. His current nightly meat consumption was not small.
Salt, refined rice, meat… which one didn’t cost money?
Now that the family had repaid the debt, it was when their savings were most depleted. However, things would get better in the future.
After dinner, Chen Ping'an helped Chen Er'ya wash the dishes and chopsticks. Then he exercised in the small courtyard.
After stretching and exercising enough, Chen Ping'an began practicing Iron Cloth in the sand and gravel.
Practicing martial arts means practicing tirelessly every day!
Through continuous rolling, Chen Ping'an’s entire body’s Qi Blood and skin were constantly stimulated.
An hour later.
Name: Chen Ping'an
Realm: Qi Blood Level One Perfection
Martial Arts: Iron Cloth Minor Achievement (13/40)
.......
“Refreshing! Refreshing!”
Chen Ping'an, emerging from the sand and gravel, had reddish skin, full of blood vessels. However, his mood was incomparably comfortable.
2 experience points in the morning, 3 experience points in the evening, making 5 experience points in a single day.
At this rate, his Iron Cloth Major Achievement would probably only take a few days. By the morning of the sixth day, he would have accumulated enough 40 experience points.
“Brother, I’ll help you.”
Chen Er'ya brought clear water and scurried over to help Chen Ping'an wipe his body.
“Mm, Nannan is so good.” Chen Ping'an smiled.
This night, it was still warm and peaceful.
Early the next morning, after practicing Iron Cloth twice, Chen Ping'an went to the Zhenfu Division for duty.
During the waiting period for the pre-duty meeting, he noticed that the Yamen Runner surrounding Zheng Shiyong had subtly increased compared to before.
“What’s going on?” Chen Ping'an was a little curious.
Logically speaking, although Zheng Shiyong was Zheng Chatou’s nephew, he had only been at the Nanquan Lane Garrison Office for a short time and was still a temporary Yamen Runner, so he shouldn't be able to gather so many people.
After all, quite a few Yamen Runner kept their distance from Zheng Shiyong.
However, Chen Ping'an’s doubts were quickly answered during the pre-duty meeting.
The one presiding over this pre-duty meeting was Stern. He stood on the high platform, looking down at everyone.
“Our Nanquan Lane Garrison Office is truly a blessed land, with talent emerging in droves. Everyone knows Zheng Shiyong. He hasn’t been here long. But it was he who, the day before yesterday, achieved martial arts initiation and officially entered the Qi Blood First Realm! I hope everyone can learn from Zheng Shiyong, diligently train, achieve martial arts initiation, and contribute to our Nanquan Lane Garrison Office.”
As Stern’s words fell, there was a chorus of cheers, all praising Zheng Shiyong and the Nanquan Lane Garrison Office.
“It is all due to the excellent guidance of the many adults that I was able to Breakthrough the day before yesterday.”
Zheng Shiyong opportunely stepped forward and said a few words.
“In the days to come, I will definitely fulfill my duties and contribute to the Nanquan Lane Garrison Office.”
Zheng Shiyong’s words were met with cheers from the Yamen Runner and approval from Stern.
It was just unclear how many of these cheers from the Yamen Runner were truly heartfelt.
Monkey Head, standing to the side, pouted and said nothing.
Chen Ping'an looked at Zheng Shiyong, who was hogging the limelight, with neither joy nor sorrow in his heart.