Chapter 25:
After Wen Heng and the others departed, only Leopard and Lian Wushang remained near the cart, glaring at each other. Leopard flicked his tail dismissively. “Kill me or skin me—it’s your choice. Just don’t get on my nerves.” Lian Wushang’s expression remained impassive. “Don’t be impatient. I’ll settle the score with you when the time comes.”
Leopard snorted coldly. “You despicable, shameless scoundrel. If Wen Heng and the others knew your true intentions, just wait and see how they’d treat you.”
Lian Wushang couldn’t care less. “They’re no match for me.”
The leopard sneered, “You’re a hypocrite.”
Lian Wushang remained composed, “You’re brutal.”
Naturally, Wen Heng and Gouzi couldn’t hear Lian Wushang and the leopard’s verbal sparring. The two of them walked along the clean road. As they walked, Gouzi began to feel inferior: “Ah Heng, I feel so dirty. The people in Qingcheng Town are all so clean.”
Doggie’s self-doubt kicked in. His clothes were ragged, his feet black and muddy. Back in Xiaoyan Town, he hadn’t thought much of it, but now, passing by people dressed in fine clothes, he stepped on his own foot trying to hide himself. For the first time, he felt embarrassed.
Wen Heng, however, remained calm. He smiled: “It’s okay. We’re down on our luck now, but who knows? We might strike it rich someday.” Gouzi perked up instantly: “Right, right! Even if we end up begging, we’ll be the most formidable beggars in Qingcheng Town!”
Qingcheng Town was truly vast. Gouzi and Wen Heng walked and asked their way through the streets until they finally located the magistrate’s office. At the gate, imposing constables stood guard. Wen Heng approached and bowed his hands: ” Officer, we’re here to apply for identity documents.”
The guard casually pointed to a shop across from the magistrate’s office: “Go over there to handle it.” Wen Heng hurriedly thanked him and slowly descended the steps.
Gouzi was eager to dash across the street, but Wen Heng pulled him back: “Wait, do we have money?” Gouzi: !! ! Right—they had no money. They were dirt poor, penniless. And processing identity documents cost money.
Wen Heng and Gouzi stared at each other blankly again. After a moment of mutual glare, Gouzi pulled out his tattered begging bowl. Back to the old trade, then: “I just saw several big restaurants. I’ll go beg. Maybe I can get a few copper coins.” ” Gouzi said optimistically.
Weng Heng leaned on his begging stick: “I just saw a few shops hiring help. I’ll go check if I can find a job.” Weng Heng still didn’t want to beg.
“We can’t beg for food our whole lives,” Weng Heng said earnestly. “I think we’ll make it big someday.”
“Hmph…” Gouzi rolled his eyes, unwilling to engage. “It’s still early. I’m going to beg first.” Without another word to Wen Heng, he cheerfully headed back toward the restaurants they’d passed earlier.
Wen Heng slowly made his way back along the same path, leaning on his begging staff. Finding a job would be ideal. That thought crossed Wen Heng’s mind, though he doubted his chances were high.
True to his fears, every place he approached turned him down immediately upon hearing his request. Shopkeepers saw his gaunt, sickly face and the begging staff in his hand, shaking their heads like rattles. They needed strong, healthy laborers—what use was a frail beggar like him?
Wen Heng faced cold, ruthless rejection. He visited several places, but not a single one was willing to hire him. It was truly disheartening, but Wen Heng wasn’t in a hurry. He had just arrived in Qingcheng Town; wasn’t this all part of getting familiar with the environment?
As dusk gradually fell, Warm Heng hadn’t found work. On his first day in Qingcheng Town, he was an undocumented resident. But there was plenty of time ahead. Tomorrow, he was sure he could get his identity documents sorted out.
Gouzi had hidden the cart too well. Wen Heng searched for ages before finding it tucked away in a dead-end alley. Spotting the cart, he breathed a long sigh of relief. Thankfully, he still had the cart to shelter him from wind and rain.
Lian Wushang lifted the tattered cloth covering the cart. “You’re back.” Though his appearance had changed, his demeanor remained as cool and refined as ever.
Wen Heng nodded with a smile. “I’m back. Didn’t manage to get the identity papers sorted out. But I’ll work harder to find a job tomorrow. How’s your health?”
Lian Wushang stepped down from the cart. “I’m fine. Don’t worry. Tomorrow I’ll go job hunting with you. Maybe I can find a suitable job too.”
Wen Heng looked at Lian Wushang in surprise. He hesitated, then gave a sheepish smile. “Oh… Don’t overwork yourself. Focus on getting better first. I’ll find a decent job to support you and Gouzi.” That said, Comrade Wen Heng hadn’t even managed to get a single steamed bun today.
Red lanterns hung at Qingcheng Town’s main intersections. The alley Doggie chose was a bit off the main road, but the faint glow of those red lights could still be seen in the distance. Qingcheng Town was warm like spring; even if Wen Heng and the others slept outdoors, they wouldn’t freeze to death.
“Qingcheng Town is beautiful.” To Wen Heng, Qingcheng Town seemed more prosperous than Xiaoyan Town. They were sure to find a way to make a living here.
“Yes, it truly is beautiful,” Lian Wushang reassured Wen Heng. “Don’t worry. We’ll definitely get your identity documents sorted out tomorrow.” Wen Heng smiled. “I’m sorry for the trouble.”
Lian Wushang said nothing. He had indeed approached this drought demon with different intentions. Initially, it was to understand what this creature was. Now that he had figured it out, Lian Wushang was in no hurry to leave. In fact, after spending more time together, Lian Wushang felt Wen Heng was a man of integrity.
But that made sense. As a hybrid of a drought demon and the Heaven-Supporting Giant Tree, the embodiment of Heaven’s Will couldn’t possibly be a scheming villain.
“I’m back! Ah Heng! Mr. Lian! Listen up! We’ve got a way out—I found work!” Gouzi’s cloth pouch bulged against his chest, and he clutched several lotus-leaf parcels.
He burst into joyful shouts the moment he reached the alley entrance, then realized he was being too loud. He ducked his head and grinned as he scampered toward Wen Heng and Lian Wushang.
Gouzi dashed to the cart, dumping everything from his arms onto the wooden surface. Though his face was smeared with dust and mud, Wen Heng and Lian Wushang could clearly see his cheeks flushed with excitement! Gouzi was overjoyed, his eyes sparkling brightly, his smile revealing his little fangs.
Wen Heng and Lian Wushang exchanged a glance. Before they could ask, Gouzi spilled everything like beans spilling from a bamboo tube.
“Hehe, I went to beg for food at that restaurant this afternoon. I don’t know exactly which one it was—I can’t read…”
Afternoon. Before the Welcome Inn
Doggie, ragged and timid, cautiously approached the inn’s entrance. It was the Welcome Inn’s quiet hour, with few patrons—just a few story listeners in the hall, cracking melon seeds and sipping tea.
Just as Gouzi stepped inside, a woman’s voice rang out from behind the counter: “What do you want?” Compared to the attitudes of shopkeepers in Xiaoyan Town, this voice was downright pleasant.
Gouzi’s eyes lit up. Oh my, this could work! He immediately squeezed out two tears, held out his battered bowl, and croaked in a pitiful, helpless voice: “Madam, please have mercy. Give me something to eat… Have pity on this fatherless, motherless little beggar… I haven’t eaten in three days…” He played the role of the most wretched creature imaginable, practically curling up in a ball against the doorframe.
In the begging trade, the most crucial skills were reading people and having no shame. Doggie had been begging since he could remember. He knew exactly what kind of people would give him food and which ones were easy targets. This restaurant owner didn’t seem to dislike beggars much. If a place like this were in Xiaoyan Town, he and Sanhu would have fought tooth and nail to get inside.
Sure enough, after Gouzi spoke, someone emerged from behind the counter. It was a slightly plump woman with a beaded flower pinned in her hair, her face kind and gentle. Seeing Gouzi’s pitiful state, she began wiping away tears beside him. “Oh dear, what a tragedy! Quickly, bring something for this poor little soul!”
Gouzi bowed repeatedly. Whatever they brought, at least he’d get a meal. His stomach growled incessantly—he’d entered the city that morning and spent the entire noon rushing with Ah Heng to process identity papers, not even taking a sip of water.
The waiter soon brought over a large tray of food. The landlady said kindly, “Eat up.” Gouzi cautiously glanced at her. She took the lead, placing a piece of cake into his grubby hands. He hesitated briefly before devouring it greedily.
The landlady and the story-listening patrons gathered around. “We haven’t seen a little beggar in Qingcheng Town for ages. You must be from out of town, right?” Doggie swallowed the delicious cake and nodded wildly. “I came from Xiaoyan Town.”
The landlady and the others exchanged puzzled glances. “Where is Xiaoyan Town?” Doggie’s eyes welled up with tears. “It’s so far, so far. I walked for over half a month.” “Well, actually, Ah Heng did most of the pulling. He only walked a little when he got down.”
“That really is far. Are you planning to stay in Qingcheng Town now? Where are you staying?” The landlady reached out to ruffle Gouzi’s hair, but seeing his messy, dirty, tangled locks, she hesitated and withdrew her hand.
“We beggars can make do anywhere that shelters us from the wind and rain.” Gouzi’s eyes sparkled. The food at this shop was truly delicious—so good. He wanted to take some back for Ah Heng and the others.
“Little beggar, you should go see Mr. Ji. He takes in beggars and gives them a bowl of rice. There used to be many beggars in Qingcheng Town, but most went to work for him. Go check it out. You’re so young—you can’t beg for food your whole life. Hey, take your time eating! There’s plenty here.” The landlady’s words drew murmurs of agreement from the other customers.
“That’s right, that’s right! Master Ji is truly a kind soul. The protective barrier around Qingcheng Town was set up by the sect he belongs to. Not a single beggar who went to work for him had anything bad to say.” A customer standing nearby gave him a thumbs-up. “Little beggar, if you go there, you’ll definitely find work. Even if it’s just as a farmhand, it’s better than begging.”
Gouzi looked utterly bewildered: “Mr. Ji the Great Benefactor?”
Mr. Ji the Great Benefactor was the leader of the Qingcheng Sect, a cultivation sect near Qingcheng Town. Unlike ordinary cultivators who ignored mortals and built their sects deep in remote mountains, the Qingcheng Sect had rooted itself in Qingcheng Town, serving its residents. He enjoyed an excellent reputation in the town. It could be said that Qingcheng Town owed its current prosperity entirely to Mr. Ji the Great Benefactor.
Who would choose a life of wandering and begging when a stable job was possible? Ah Heng was also searching for work, striving for a better future. Following the landlady’s advice, Gouzi headed in the direction she had pointed.
Thus, clutching the food the landlady had given him, Gouzi approached the gates of the Qingcheng Sect with trepidation.
![Flying Dust [Fei Chen]](https://novels.space/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/9k.png "Flying Dust [Fei Chen]")
