Chapter 420 - Meeting
“When I still had my artifact, money would hop into my pouch by themselves! I didn't have to pay any attention to bronze coins,” Lu Xiucai said, scoffing at the waiter, who had just booted him out of the restaurant.
“I’m sorry, dear customer. Regardless of what you say, our shop will not shoulder the payment for your meal,” the waiter said, slinging a white towel on his shoulder before returning to his post.
“Hey!” Lu Xiucai exclaimed. He was about to go on a tirade, but the woman next to him stopped him in time. The woman was none other than Tao'er, and she was the wife Lu Xiucai had bought for himself.
Tao'er opened up a pouch and took out two vegetable crackers from it before handing it over to Lu Xiucai.
“No! I don’t want it! You can eat it. I’m a man, so how can I eat the leftovers of a woman?” Lu Xiucai said, pushing the vegetable crackers back to Tao’er.
Lu Xiucai's plan was to return to Cowheart Mountain to look for Li Huowang, but he no longer had any money for the trip. The trip wasn't that far, but he had no money, so he struggled quite a lot.
He approached the gangsters he had shared some drinks with and asked them for some money, but they all ignored him decisively.
“Why is the great Lu Xiucai starving on the streets?” A feminine voice echoed from somewhere.
Lu Xiucai was instantly furious at the remark. He turned around and saw two young women—Chun Xiaoman and Bai Lingmiao.
"What a coincidence! So, it's guys! Are you going back to Cowheart Village? Let me go with you! I'll drive!" Lu Xiucai got ready to hop onto the carriage, but Bai Lingmiao kicked him in the head.
"Did I say that you can get on the carriage?" Bai Lingmiao asked, looking down at Lu Xiucai from the window.
Tao'er helped Lu Xiucai up.
Lu Xiucai cast a confused gaze at the white-haired woman in front of him.
Bai Lingmiao was giving off a completely different air. She had become arrogant and unruly, which was a stark contrast to her previous gentle and quiet self.
"What's wrong with Miss Bai?" Lu Xiucai asked Chun Xiaoman holding the reins.
Chun Xiaoman sighed lightly. "What else? She became like you."
"Oh? She touched Master's sword as well?" Lu Xiucai's eyes widened in surprise.
"Xiaoman, stop talking to him. Let's go," Bai Lingmiao said. Ignoring Lu Xiucai, she pulled Chun Xiaoman into the restaurant.
However, Lu Xiucai followed them and sat down at the table with Tao’er in tow. Bai Lingmiao coldly glared at Lu Xiucai, asking, "Did I say that you can sit here?"
"Hey! Miss Bai, don't be so cruel. We're—" Lu Xiucai started.
"What is even our relationship?" However, Bai Lingmiao interrupted coldly, "Are you a fellow comrade of mine who had experienced hardships with me, or are you from my Bai Family?"
Lu Xiucai was infuriated by Bai Lingmiao's words. She used to be so kind, so how come she became so annoying to deal with?
"Fine! It's just a meal. I'm not going to starve to death by just skipping a meal!" Lu Xiucai exclaimed and pulled Tao’er to sit at a nearby empty table.
Chun Xiaoman wanted to say something to diffuse the tense atmosphere, but Bai Lingmiao kicked her lightly. With that, Chun Xiaoman dared not to speak.
The dishes and soup were soon served.
Lu Xiucai couldn't help but gulp a mouthful of his own saliva as the munching noises of the people around him pervaded his ears.
"Oh, right," Bai Lingmiao said.
Lu Xiucai's ears perked up, but he pretended that he wasn’t interested.
"You don't need to follow us. Go and look for food elsewhere. Cowheart Village belongs to my family, and I decide who can stay there. I feel nauseous just from seeing you, so you'd best not go there.”
"What?!" Lu Xiucai jumped up in anger. "You can't do this to me! The Lu Family Troupe lives there!"
"You really think it's their home just because I allowed them to stay there? Follow me there, and I'll chase them away," Bai Lingmiao said coldly.
Lu Xiucai was rendered speechless. He wanted to say something, but the words got stuck in his throat when he saw the eerie Second Deity. In the end, Lu Xiucai smacked the table and stomped off with Tao’er in tow.
Chun Xiaoman finally spoke, asking, "Miaomiao, don't you think you were a bit too harsh? He’s still Troupe Leader Lu’s son, you know?"
"I did not beat him up, much less scold him. What do you mean 'too much'? Did you not see the way he treated his own father? Why should I help such an ungrateful bastard? I don't understand why he's so arrogant even though he needs help," Bai Lingmiao replied and proceeded to eat her fourth bowl of rice.
Bai Lingmiao wasn't in a hurry to leave. She was planning on having a good sleep at an inn before continuing their journey.
Meanwhile, Lu Xiucai grumbled as he walked down a flea market. He gnashed his teeth and repeatedly cursed under his breath. Unfortunately, cursing wouldn't assuage the rumbling of his stomach. Lu Xiucai glanced at the woman, who had been following him quietly without any complaints, before pulling her away.
Lu Xiucai looked everywhere for food, but his efforts were to no avail, as they had no money. Soon, it was sunset, but they had only managed to fill their stomachs with water.
"Hey!" A man standing in an alleyway waved at Lu Xiucai. "Do you need money?"
Lu Xiucai walked over in surprise. "What's going on?"
The man opened his hand, revealing several silver pieces.
Lu Xiucai's eyes brightened, but the man put the silver pieces away.
Lu Xiucai was thrilled and was about to start asking questions when the man pointed at Tao’er behind him. "I'll give you three taels of silver in exchange for your wife becoming a concubine for a year. How about that?"
"A concubine?"
"What? Do you not understand? I want to borrow your wife to have a son, and I will return her to you once she’s given birth."
"You son of a bitch!” Lu Xiucai roared and punched the man.
The two of them proceeded to fight each other.
However, Lu Xiucai wasn't as tall and as big as the man. He was hungry as well, so he was easily overpowered.
Tao’er ran over to stop them, but the man slapped her away.
Lu Xiucai saw red upon seeing his wife getting slapped in the face.
"You son of a bitch! I'm going to kill you!" Lu Xiucai roared and whipped a small dagger.
The man stopped abruptly upon seeing the dagger, and he sobered up when he saw the hostility in Lu Xiucai's gaze. Eventually, he scoffed and turned around to leave.
The crisis had been averted, so Lu Xiucai automatically relaxed. He grimaced upon getting struck by extreme pain that radiated all over him. Then, he rolled his tongue in his mouth and spat—two molars covered in blood rolled on the ground.
"Damn it! Why am I so unlucky?"
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