NOVEL NEXT Chapter 2: Chapter 2: Work
The next morning, Feng Yu woke up early and made himself a simple breakfast.
But soon, he discovered something serious: the rice in his rice jar had been stolen.
Yes, in this era, rural life was plagued by pests, and overnight, Feng Yu found that the rice in his jar had been ruined by rats.
"Damn it, these rats not only stole my rice, but they even left their droppings on top! This is just disgusting!" Feng Yu muttered to himself.
Looking at the soft, sticky black droppings in the rice jar, he silently vowed to catch the damn rats. Unfortunately, there wasn't a single cat in his house—or in the entire village, for that matter…
"Sigh, why is my life so hard? Am I stuck on this path where time-traveling is either for showing off or pretending to be someone important? And yet, here I am, bent over just to feed myself with a scoop of rice…"
"I really have it tough..."
"System, tell me honestly—is this some kind of punishment for me?"
In his moment of despair, Feng Yu suddenly recalled a famous saying from his past life:
"Before heaven bestows great responsibilities on a person, it must first exhaust their mind, wear down their body, starve their flesh, and confuse their actions..."
Although he could still see the droppings in the rice jar, Feng Yu gritted his teeth and shoveled out the tainted rice. He then quickly made a pot of porridge and picked some fresh vegetables—breakfast was soon ready.
"The first thing I need to do is catch these damn rats, and the second thing is to fix my current living situation."
The first task seemed trivial to Feng Yu, but the second was much more urgent. After all, he had no source of income right now. He was barely getting by with his parents' savings, but those funds were running out fast.
Looking at the meager amount of money in his hand and the dwindling food in the house, Feng Yu thought maybe he could ask his neighbors for help...
As he practiced his sword-drawing technique and pondered how to approach his neighbors, he didn't notice Mei Xiu quietly holding her cheeks and gazing at him from behind, occasionally shyly turning her head, blushing.
After a while, Mei Xiu suddenly exclaimed, "Oh no, I forgot about what Father asked me to do!"
"Feng Yu gege, Feng Yu gege..."
Hearing her, Feng Yu stopped and turned to her. "What's the matter, Xiao Mei Xiu?"
Mei Xiu, her face still red, said shyly, "Well, Father asked me to come and get you... he has something to discuss with you."
"Hmm? Did Uncle say what it's about?"
"I don't know... Come on, Feng Yu gege, hurry up! If I don't get you there soon, Father might get angry and spank me!" Mei Xiu said, grabbing his hand and rushing toward her home.
Soon, they arrived at Mei Xiu's house.
When Mei Xiu's parents saw them, they quickly ushered Feng Yu inside. Following the memory of his original body, Feng Yu sat cross-legged in the familiar spot.
Mei Xiu's parents had the typical appearance of rural folk, with weathered faces marked by years of hard labor. However, to Feng Yu's surprise, Mei Xiu's mother looked much younger—clearly a housewife who hadn't worked the fields.
It was also clear that Mei Xiu's father adored her mother deeply.
"Feng Yu," Mei Xiu's father began, "since your parents' unfortunate passing, and with no income coming in, we've thought it over and decided to help you find a job to at least get by for now. What do you think?"
Feng Yu's heart lifted upon hearing this. The second goal was about to be accomplished. He quickly replied, "Uncle, thank you so much. Since my parents passed, it's you and Auntie who've been looking after me. I've always been very grateful. Now you're even helping me find a job... I don't know how to repay you."
Feng Yu tried to muster up some tears, putting on an act with his mediocre acting skills, and performed a little bow, a gesture of gratitude common in his past world.
Although he was faking it, he truly appreciated their kindness. In his heart, he promised that once he became stronger, he would take care of Mei Xiu's family.
"Good child, no need for all that," Mei Xiu's father said with a smile. "Let me tell you about this job..."
In no time, Feng Yu understood what the job entailed. It involved helping Mei Xiu's father deliver rice to the local merchants in the town, with a small portion of the proceeds as payment.
This was a task that Feng Yu's father had previously shared with Mei Xiu's father. Now that Feng Yu's father had passed, Mei Xiu's father had consulted with the villagers and decided to pass the responsibility to Feng Yu.
He also explained that the job only required one day of travel each week.
Upon hearing this, Feng Yu couldn't help but feel overjoyed. This arrangement would give him plenty of time to practice his sword-drawing technique while still earning some money.
He immediately agreed and was told that the next day would be his first delivery for the week. He was instructed to get ready for the trip.
After thanking Mei Xiu's family, Feng Yu turned back and asked Mei Xiu's father how to keep the rice jar safe from rats.
Mei Xiu's father didn't hesitate. He immediately followed Feng Yu to his house, set up some rat traps, and even told Feng Yu that rats were considered quite a tasty treat in this village...
Feng Yu: "..."
Though he spent a little extra time at Mei Xiu's house, the rest of the day was dedicated to practicing his sword-drawing technique. Feng Yu found that his speed was improving, and by the end of the day, he had made significant progress, reaching over three thousand sword swings—several hundred more than the previous days.
Lying on his bed, Feng Yu looked at the system panel, which showed a number just over eight thousand. He silently vowed, "Just a small goal—let's break ten thousand..."
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