“The Fifteenth Chapter: Yang Zhi Escorts the Silver and Gold, Wu Yong Cleverly Seizes the Birthday Gift.”
Chen Ye, spitting as he recited the chapter title, glanced at the Rolex gold watch he had just exchanged from the System Shop; it was already ten o’clock at night.
He closed the book and said, “Let’s stop here for today. Let’s wash up and go to sleep.”
These past two days, rushing towards Yu Hang County, Chen Ye had mostly slept by the roadside in his clothes, never getting a good night’s rest.
Now that he had his own small room and proper bedding, he naturally wanted to sleep soundly.
“Dad! Dad!” Daming, seeing the book closed, called out twice in his simple-minded way.
Chen Ye pushed Daming’s neck away, stifling a yawn, and said, “Go to sleep, go to sleep.”
“We still have to get up early to fetch water tomorrow.”
Daming gazed longingly at water margin, then obediently followed Chen Ye into the room.
Inside the small room, several beds were lined up, enough for the children to rest.
After spending 5 points from the System Shop to exchange for toothpaste and toothbrushes, Chen Ye took Daming to wash up and arranged his bed.
As soon as Chen Ye lay down on the bed, the System’s cold, mechanical voice echoed in his ears.
“Ding!”
“Detected an orphan without an established career path. Daily settlement initiated!”
“Today, you arrived in Yu Hang County, took over the Yuhang Nursery Home, and became an orphanage director. Reward: 10 points.”
“You showed great kindness by taking in the little beggar, naming him Chen Daming. Reward: 200 points.”
“You took Chen Daming shopping. Reward: 5 points.”
“You bathed Chen Daming and helped him change into new clothes. Reward: 10 points.”
“Chen Daming successfully lifted the rice sack, strengthening his Physique. Reward: 5 points.”
“You had dinner with Chen Daming, making him feel the warmth of a family. Reward: 30 points.”
“At night, you exchanged for the water margin comic book, accompanying Chen Daming while teaching him to read. Reward: 50 points.”
“Before bed, you helped Chen Daming wash up and ensured he slept under a warm blanket. Reward: 20 points.”
“Total: 330 points.”
“Ding!”
“Chen Daming’s gratitude towards you has increased!!”
Chen Ye looked at the series of System prompts, pleasantly surprised.
“The System has this function?”
Just now, Chen Ye had spent 50 points to exchange for the water margin comic book, 5 points for toothpaste and toothbrushes, and another 20 points for a Rolex gold watch, leaving him with 25 points.
After the daily settlement, Chen Ye’s points became 355.
After displaying the settlement information, the System popped up Chen Daming’s data box.
“Name: Chen Daming”
“ID: 0001”
“Gender: Male”
“Age: 10”
“Current Trait: Strong Physique”
“Current Gratitude: 60%”
“Note: Reaching 80% and 100% gratitude will grant one opportunity to draw a Director Trait.”
“80% and 100% can grant a Director Trait draw?”
“Excellent!”
Chen Ye’s eyes lit up; the effect of the Vajra Indestructible trait was still fresh in his memory.
“Ding!”
“Task refreshed!”
“Current Task: Adopt an Orphan”
“Task Description: Adopt a second orphan (1/2)”
“Task Reward: 200 points, 20 taels of silver, one opportunity to draw an Orphan Trait, unlock building: Book House”
“Hmm?”
“A new task has been refreshed too, not bad.”
Chen Ye was pleasantly surprised.
…
Under the dark night sky, the bright moon hung high, casting its clear light.
Yu Hang County, Juke Restaurant.
The Shop Assistant leaned against the counter, constantly dozing off.
In the main hall, only one table of guests remained.
A single oil lamp stood on the wooden table, its flame flickering.
Several Constables in black uniforms sat by the table.
“Brother Song, we’ve been running for two days, and there’s still not a single clue,” said a tall, thin Constable with a sigh in his voice, raising his wine cup and downing its contents.
“We’ve checked all the villages outside the city; there’s no place to hide children,” another Constable with small eyes added.
“It’s truly strange. In the blink of an eye, the child was gone. Could it be a Demonic Technique?” another person said, picking up a peanut.
Song Butou, with a dark face and a burly physique, remained silent, picking up his wine cup and taking a sip.
He pondered for a moment, then spoke, “I borrowed the thousand li fragrance from Six Doors. I plan to use Hu Zi as bait again.”
“What?!”
“Brother Song, Hu Zi is your own son.”
“Brother Song, your family has been single-line for three generations. This is absolutely improper!”
The Constables looked shocked, not expecting Song Butou to propose such a method.
Song Butou filled his wine cup, raised it, and drank it all in one gulp. He let out a breath and said, “Nineteen children have gone missing in Yu Hang County in one month.”
“If this continues, the common people will lose faith in us.”
The other Constables’ mouths were half-open, about to say something when Song Cangjie interrupted them.
“No need to say more. I’ll apply the Six Doors’ thousand li fragrance to Hu Zi. As long as he doesn’t leave Lin’an Prefecture, I can find him.”
Song Cangjie heavily put down his wine cup with a thud, making the dishes on the table jump.
He had already made up his mind.
Seeing this, the other Constables exchanged glances and said nothing more.
The next day.
Several rooster crows sounded, long and lingering.
Chen Ye rubbed his eyes and climbed out of bed. Through the window, the sky outside was still a bit dim.
He looked down at the Rolex gold watch on his wrist; it was just five o’clock.
“This early?” Chen Ye muttered, then lay back down on the bed, preparing to go back to sleep.
As soon as he lay down, he heard continuous splashing water sounds, very close by.
Chen Ye opened his eyes, thought for a moment, then got up, put on his outer garment, and went outside the house.
The sky was faintly lit, and at five o’clock in summer, he could vaguely make out the scene in the courtyard.
Chen Ye saw a small figure clumsily lifting a bucket of water and pouring it into the water vat in the courtyard.
Seeing this, Chen Ye was stunned for a moment, then tentatively called out, “Daming?”
The figure stopped when he heard the call.
A simple-minded voice replied, “Dad.”
Chen Ye’s expression changed slightly as he walked to the water vat.
Chen Daming’s small body was holding a wooden bucket, pouring the water from the bucket into the vat, with continuous splashing sounds.
Although his movements were clumsy, they were methodical and very serious.
The water vat, which had been dry last night, was already almost full.
This child…
Chen Ye was speechless for a moment, unable to say anything.
After standing stunned for a while, Chen Ye picked up another bucket of water and poured it into the water vat.
After pouring, he casually threw the bucket on the ground. Chen Ye put an arm around Daming’s head: “Go back to sleep.”
“Aren’t you afraid of sudden death getting up this early?”
“If others see it, they’ll think I’m abusing you.”
Chen Ye’s tone was unkind, as he grumbled and cursed.
Daming, bewildered, followed Chen Ye back into the house, somewhat unable to understand.
Didn’t he say last night that they had to get up early to fetch water?
About two hours later, Chen Ye finally climbed out of bed again.
“Daming?” he called out.
“Dad.”
A simple and honest voice came from the small bed nearby.
Hearing the response, Chen Ye slowly got up and began to wash up with Daming.
They used the toothbrush and toothpaste exchanged from the System Shop.
After washing up, Chen Ye waved his hand and said, “Daming, the director is taking you to eat breakfast. Order whatever you want!”
When Chen Daming heard this, his dazed eyes changed, and he said simply, “Dad, I’m hungry.”
“You really are a reincarnation of a hungry ghost…” Chen Ye said with a laugh and a scold.
He led Daming out of Yu Ying Hall and headed straight for the morning market.
Yu Hang County, morning market.
People came and went, and shouts of vendors rose and fell from the stalls.
The entire morning market was enveloped in white mist.
A small boy in a yellow short jacket with a cross-collar held his father’s hand, a sesame cake in his other hand.
The man looked down at his child, a hint of reluctance flashing in his eyes, then hardened his heart and bent down, saying, “Hu Zi, do you remember what Daddy told you?”
The little boy nodded: “If I get separated from Daddy, and someone takes Hu Zi away, Hu Zi will go with them.”
“Daddy will come back to find Hu Zi later.”
After the little boy repeated it, Song Cangjie nodded, reluctantly stroking his son’s head.
“What does Hu Zi want to eat? Daddy will go buy it for you.”
The little boy immediately brightened up when he heard this: “Daddy, I want to eat sugar figures.”
“Okay, you wait here, Daddy will go buy it for you.”
Song Cangjie stroked his son’s head one last time, then stood up and blended into the surrounding crowd.
Hu Zi stood in place, blinking his clear black and white eyes, waiting for his father to return.
At a nearby wonton stall, Chen Ye ate his wontons, taking in the entire scene he had just witnessed.
That was Song Butou just now.
Is this a sting operation?
Chen Ye immediately guessed the whole story.
However, it had nothing to do with him.
Chen Ye continued to eat his wontons.
“Dad, I’m hungry.”
Chen Daming put down his fifth bowl of wontons, his mouth greasy, and said.
Chen Ye’s face darkened: “Five bowls, Daming, can your stomach hold that much?”
After eating for a while, with three bowls of wontons down, Chen Ye was almost full.
Daming wasn’t full even after five bowls by himself.
Daming scratched his head, his simple-minded eyes showing confusion.
“Shopkeeper, two more bowls of wontons!” Chen Ye shouted.
“Coming right up, honored guest, please wait!”
The shopkeeper, holding a long spoon, quickly grabbed another handful of wontons and threw them into the pot.
Chen Ye came back to his senses, suddenly startled: “The fish took the bait?”
The little boy who had just been standing not far away had disappeared.
“Fish?”
Daming replied blankly.
Chen Ye: “All you know is eating…”
Daming froze for a moment, then lowered his head again. While waiting for the wontons, he began to play with the porcelain bowl.
Just then, with a “crack,” the porcelain bowl in Daming’s hand suddenly split into two halves.
Both Chen Ye and Daming were stunned.
The shopkeeper, who was bringing the wontons, was also stunned for a moment. After putting down the wontons, he quickly said, “I’m so sorry, honored guest, did it not hurt your son?”
The shopkeeper looked nervous, afraid that Chen Ye would get angry.
Chen Ye looked at Daming with a strange expression and shook his head, saying, “It’s fine.”
The shopkeeper picked up the two halves of the bowl, bowing and nodding, “Honored guest, I’ll give you a complimentary bowl of wontons.”
Chen Ye grunted in acknowledgment, not saying much more.
Daming stared blankly at Chen Ye, as if he felt he had done something wrong, not daring to meet Chen Ye’s gaze.
Chen Ye stroked his chin, then tried to break a wonton bowl himself.
He couldn’t break it.
He handed it to Daming: “Daming, you try.”
Daming took the porcelain bowl.
“Crack,” the porcelain bowl was broken into two halves.
“Hiss…”
Chen Ye gasped in cold air.
“Is this the effect of the trait, or is Daming born with Divine Power?”
Chen Ye was shocked, somewhat uncertain.
He pondered for a moment, recalling the scene of Daming carrying rice yesterday.
“Did I just casually pick up a little Genius?” Chen Ye muttered to himself.
The function of the Strong Physique trait is accelerated strength growth. From the literal meaning, strength growth requires time.
Chen Ye had only given the trait to Daming yesterday, so it wasn’t the trait’s function.
“Heh, interesting.” Chen Ye chuckled softly.
The little beggar he picked up actually had the talent of innate Divine Power!
Daming silently put the porcelain bowl back on the table, staring at Chen Ye with wide eyes.
The shopkeeper, who had just walked back, heard the sound of the bowl breaking and turned around with a look of surprise.
“Shopkeeper, I don’t want the complimentary bowl of wontons. Just charge for the bowl,” Chen Ye called out.
He stared intently at Daming, marveling.
Daming stared at the wontons, continuously swallowing his saliva.
“Eat,” Chen Ye said.
Daming began to gobble down his food.
Chen Ye looked at Daming, who seemed to want to eat the bowl itself, his eyes flickering.
With innate Divine Power combined with the Strong Physique trait, over time, how strong would Daming be when he grew up?
Chen Ye secretly clicked his tongue.
If there truly were Schools in this world, then it would be interesting.
After the two finished their wontons, they left the wonton stall.
Daming let out a series of full burps, looking simple-minded and stuffed.
Chen Ye rubbed Daming’s head, saying with a tone of disappointment, “It’s not like it’s your only meal, is it necessary?”
“No ambition.”
Daming followed Chen Ye blankly.
“Next, buy two old hens. Eggs are quite valuable in ancient times.”
Chen Ye walked and thought, making plans.
Daming, following behind Chen Ye, suddenly widened his eyes and looked to the side.
A young man, covered in the scent of perfume and with dark circles under his eyes, walked with unsteady steps, holding a fan.
Daming’s clumsy little mind suddenly recalled the conversation between Chen Ye and the Shop Assistant yesterday.
He seemed to understand something and headed straight for that young man.
As Daming’s small hand grabbed the fan, he suddenly felt a numbness in his body, unable to move.
Immediately after, a dark shadow covered his face, and he instantly lost consciousness.
Chen Ye walked down the street for a while, then suddenly felt as if something was missing.
He turned around, his face changing drastically.
“Daming?”
The surrounding pedestrians were bustling, but Chen Daming was nowhere to be seen.