novelE2F #505 - That doesn't have to be
#505 - That doesn't have to be
Even the proud Chen Hanqing couldn't withstand this series of blows and had to bow his head to reality, letting out the mournful cry of a defeated dog.
"Chen is inferior in skill and admits defeat… wholeheartedly. There's no need to wait for the minor competition. From now on, I will never bother you again, and… Miss Wen Xiaochuan."
Chen Hanqing felt another pain in his chest after saying that, especially when he mentioned the latter name. After possessing the Grade A Secret Cauldron, he was once so close to that figure he had dreamed of, as if he could reach out and touch her.
However, this was just a dream after all, and he was still alone after waking up.
His previous grand ambitions and youthful aspirations, along with the endless lush greenery, had all vanished with this defeat. Chen Hanqing now felt utterly disheartened.
He no longer thought about how to make a name for himself or how to trample those who had looked down on him under his feet. He just wanted to go home, eat a bowl of wontons made by his mother, and help his father repair the hoe.
Putting away his weapons and letting the horses graze on Nanshan Mountain seemed like a good idea.
However, just as he turned around and took a painful step, he was stopped by Lu Jing, "Wait, what do you mean by no longer bothering us?"
"It means I主动认输, I will no longer appear in front of you. If we happen to meet in the academy in the future, I will avoid you from afar. If I can't avoid you… I will try to stay as far away from you as possible."
Chen Hanqing gritted his teeth, "And don't worry, although Chen is not from a famous family, I am a man of my word. From today onwards, I guarantee that I will not say another word to Wen Xiaochuan. No, I will go and tell her in person now that there is no possibility between us.
"I have hands and feet, and I can find other ways to make money."
Although he had already admitted defeat, Chen Hanqing still felt awkward about getting along with Lu Jing, the rival in love who had defeated him, especially since he had to work for the latter.
The reason he was willing to pull ginseng in the fields before was not only for the money, but also because he had decided to come to Lu Jing to find out the truth after listening to Wen Xiaochuan's analysis, in preparation for the upcoming minor competition.
Now that he had recognized the gap and admitted defeat in advance, there was naturally no need to prepare for the minor competition. As for Lu Jing's method of planting ginseng, he had learned it, but not completely.
In any case, Chen Hanqing no longer had any illusions about this. Since that was the case, he naturally had no reason to stay.
"Do you have any other ways to make money in the academy, or do you want to go outside to earn money?" Lu Jing asked again.
Chen Hanqing had now advanced to the Second-Rate Realm. It was not difficult for experts at his level to make money.
The simplest way was to find a gang and become a patron, even if it was just in name, and they would still receive a lot of silver every month.
But there was no free lunch in the world. Since they took people's money, they naturally had to help them solve problems.
People might use your name when they did things on weekdays. This was easy to understand, like a sponsorship fee. And if the gang encountered a strong enemy, as a patron, you naturally couldn't sit idly by.
At that time, you would realize that you had no choice in the world of martial arts. This was why some martial arts experts or heroes would rather live a hard life than join any forces or sects to make easy money.
Although Chen Hanqing was not from a top sect like Yan Yun and the little monk Zhaoming, he was also a disciple of a famous sect. Moreover, judging from his words and deeds, although he was a bit pedantic and sometimes had a strange sense of self-importance, he could be considered self-respecting.
Lu Jing didn't really believe that Chen Hanqing would earn this kind of money. As for other ways to make money, such as capturing criminals or demonic figures on the wanted list.
It was indeed quick money, but unless you happened to run into them like Lu Jing, the process of tracking them down would take months or even years. Otherwise, those guys wouldn't have been on the list for so long.
Chen Hanqing was still learning secret arts and definitely couldn't spend so much time on this kind of thing. As for the academy, there were even fewer opportunities to make money. So, after calculating everything, Lu Jing's job was indeed the fastest way to make money with the least amount of trouble, even if it was a bit hard.
Chen Hanqing himself was also aware of this, but the problem was that he still couldn't get over that hurdle.
He admitted that Lu Jing was powerful and he couldn't afford to offend him. Since that was the case, he might as well just stay away.
He would earn less money if he earned less. Anyway, without Wen Xiaochuan, he wouldn't have to attend those gatherings and compare himself with those young heroes and geniuses, so his expenses would be much smaller.
This was the silent protest of the weak, Chen Hanqing thought self-deprecatingly, but then he heard Lu Jing remind him again, "We still have a bet."
Chen Hanqing's expression changed upon hearing this.
He was first shocked by Lu Jing's earth-shattering methods, and then he was preoccupied with grieving for himself and Wen Xiaochuan, two people who clearly loved each other but ended up with no fate. He had actually forgotten about the bet.
At that time, he had been impulsive and had bet heavily when he issued the challenge. Now that he had admitted defeat in advance, he had also lost that bet along with it.
Chen Hanqing felt as if he had been struck by lightning. That astronomical debt, which he hadn't felt anything about when he made the bet, now made him feel dizzy and his throat roll when he thought about it, "I…"
Lu Jing waved his hand to tell Chen Hanqing not to panic. The latter didn't know that Wen Xiaochuan had already agreed to be his concubine, otherwise he would have spat out a mouthful of blood and died on the spot.
Lu Jing felt a little sorry for this unlucky kid when he looked at him again. Moreover, Lu Jing's financial situation had improved, at least he didn't have to worry about debt, and he couldn't bear to bully him anymore, so he said to him.
"I'm not a devil. I know that the previous challenge was just you being impulsive, so I think it's better to just forget about the bet…"
"Grandmaster Lu is righteous!" Chen Hanqing didn't care about face or anything at this moment and said gratefully, "The rumors in the martial world are indeed true. Grandmaster Lu, you are the most magnanimous gentleman I have ever met."
He originally just wanted to compliment Lu Jing a few words, but in the end, he said it from the bottom of his heart.
This made the person involved a little embarrassed, and he coughed dryly twice and said, "This… the bet can be cancelled, but I really need manpower here, not only now, but also in the future."
Chen Hanqing also knew that Lu Jing was already taking good care of him, otherwise he could have directly threatened him with that bet, and he wouldn't have been able to say no. So he no longer hesitated and clasped his fists, "Chen is incompetent, but I am willing to work like a dog or horse for Grandmaster Lu, without taking a single cent."
"There's no need for that, just pay the previous price." Lu Jing shook his head and said, "Neither of us will suffer. If you do well, I can also give you some pills to help you restore your secret power."