"This old man caught a cold, cough... cough... I hope, sir, you... you can forgive me."
The old man named Zhu chuckled awkwardly, his face full of flattery.
On the bed lay a child aged three or five. Trembling under the quilt, he looked at Li Xian and the others in fear.
The house was simple but barely able to shield against the cold wind. However, as Zhao Dachun opened the door, the cold wind swept in, dispersing the warmth that had been so painstakingly gathered.
Li Xian casually closed the door.
Only then did the chill ease slightly. Zhao Dachun was taken aback, greatly displeased, "This lad is always causing trouble. If they aren't frozen a bit, how would they quickly pay the rent?"
"Cough cough." Zhao Dachun glanced around, "Where is your little Zhu? It's winter, where did he hide?"
The old man with the surname Zhu replied mournfully, "My son... my son... was eaten by the mountain tiger. Only this old man and my grandson are left."
"Dad! Dad, you died so tragically!" the child on the bed wailed and cried.
"Good child, good child, don't cry, don't cry, cough cough... the two of us depend on each other, you still have your grandpa." The old man hurried to comfort his grandson.
"I see." Zhao Dachun laughed, "That's quite pitiful. Last time I saw him, he was lively as a dragon. Unexpectedly, his life was so short. A person cannot come back to life after death, so mourn quickly."
The Zhu grandfather and grandson, hearing such callous words, felt even more sorrowful, but dared not utter a single word in rebuttal.
"But…"
"Even though he's dead, the rent cannot be reduced. Playing the pitiable act with me is useless."
"Hurry up and pay in grain if you have it, in money if you don't."
Zhao Dachun said coldly.
"Yes... yes... I have been prepared early, just waiting for you, sir, to come." The old man Zhu removed his shoes and carefully took out a few copper coins.
"Your family owes rent for a total of ten acres of land. One acre requires half a stone of grain, so ten acres make five stones, converting to silver... that's two taels of silver."
Zhao Dachun couldn't recognize words, but when it came to money and grain conversion, he was extraordinarily proficient.
"Yes... yes... this old man understands, understands."
The old man then went to the bedside, turned over the pillow, and from its seam found a few pieces of broken silver.
He searched the room back and forth, finally scraping together two taels of silver, draining every little saving he had.
"Well, it's really straightforward." Zhao Dachun took the rent, his eyes turning, yet he didn't leave.
"Sir... you..." the old man Zhu looked puzzled.
"I've come all this way to help you transport the rent money, what's this? Not even a running fee?" Zhao Dachun glared.
"Well…" the old man Zhu said with difficulty, "But we really have nothing left, just some grain for winter, which the grandfather and grandson rely on to get through the winter."
"Nothing?" Zhao Dachun slapped the table and stood up angrily, "I see you just don't want to give! Alright, you ungrateful wretch, think I'm easy to bully, don't you?"
"Sir, I'm wronged, sir." The old man Zhu knelt down with a bang, humbly pleading, "This old man bows to you, wouldn't dare deceive you."
"Wrong my ass!" Zhao Dachun cursed, "Your son is dead, what's the point of keeping that paltry funeral fund, if you don't honestly..."
Just then, his shoulder was suddenly gripped by someone. Zhao Dachun knew it was Li Xian, already somewhat dissatisfied with him, and immediately cursed:
"Damn you, I've endured you long enough!" His shoulder shook, trying to shake off Li Xian's hand.
But Li Xian's hand, like a suction cup, stayed firm.
"Alright, you punk, really think you're something!?" Zhao Dachun's inner Qi surged, shaking his shoulder again.
Yet found it was like a mud ox entering the sea, disappearing without a trace. Li Xian applied slight pressure, as strong inner Qi bore down.
Causing Zhao Dachun's face to alternate between pale and flush, painfully so.
"This punk… his inner Qi attainment is actually higher than mine, could it be… he might have reached the minor achievement stage in Door Boxing Skill!?" Zhao Dachun tried to resist with his strength, trembling slightly all over.
Unable to speak.
"Since the rent collection is complete, don't waste time on meaningless things."
"Understood?"
Li Xian asked blandly.
Zhao Dachun nodded; Li Xian retracted his inner Qi, exhaling lightly. Zhao Dachun, as though a weight was lifted, slumped onto a wooden chair.
After resting a moment, he finally had the strength to curse:
"After all, we're in the same Nursing Home, we used to chat quite nicely, also considered brotherhood. For the sake of such lowly peasants, offending a brother, never saw someone like you."
Li Xian said coldly, "Since we're not on the same path, no need for pretenses. Let's go."
Zhao Dachun rushed out the door, cursing his bad luck, being paired with this Li Xian.
Li Xian also wanted to leave, but suddenly saw the grandfather and grandson, emaciated, one having lost a father early, the other a son late, truly miserable.
From his person, he took out two dry cakes, tossing them to the grandfather and grandson.
Saying nothing, he turned and left.
"The world is perilous; I am no saint, cannot help everyone."
"But doing what is within my ability, with no regrets, is not difficult."
Li Xian strode away. While conforming to the world, he could also maintain his principles.
Foolish kindness is not advisable, and where to draw the line, Li Xian had his considerations.
The grandfather and grandson peeked from the window, watching that figure in the snowstorm.
This Nursing Home master… seemed somewhat different.
...
Longevity Village had over a hundred households. By the time the rent collection was finished, it was nearing dusk.
Everyone gathered at the village head, ate some dry food and Clear Water, ready to return the way they came.
"Brother Zhao, what's wrong? You seem unhappy, didn't get your running fee?"
Qiao Dashou saw Zhao Dachun downcast, curiously approached to ask.
"Sigh, met the wrong person, nothing to say." Zhao Dachun droned, and waved his hand.
"I say, you're too greedy, wanting to swallow the whole running fee."
"Indeed, that's against the rules, Zhao brother don't worry, we'll stand up for you."
The Nursing Home lots understood and all looked at Li Xian in unison.
Feng Huo frowned, "Newbie, the running fee never goes entirely to one person, share it three-seven. At least give Dachun some."
Zhao Dachun pondered, "Give what? Didn't collect any running fee."
"Didn't collect?" Everyone was stunned. Zhao Dachun explained the reason; after listening, they looked at Li Xian as if looking at an alien.
All took an unconscious step back.
Li Xian pretended not to see, didn't care at all.
Collecting "running fees" was an unspoken rule and one of the ways Nursing Home folks made extra money. He knew what he was doing and understood the consequences.
"Alright, let's leave it at that."
"It's getting dark, let's quickly return to the estate."
Feng Huo glanced at the sky, unwilling to get entangled in this matter, led everyone, heading back on their journey.
After walking seven or eight miles, just passing a mountainside. Whether it was the high mountain winds or the dense Yin Qi was unknown.
Reaching this place, the wind and snow grew heavier, the road very hard to navigate.
By this time the sky had darkened. The snowstorm was raging, striking against the face painfully. Feng Huo, at the forefront, previously urged them forward, suddenly fell silent without warning.
The D-class Nursing Home named Ye Xiaoluo suddenly had his legs give way, collapsing onto the ground.
"Bastard, you're dragging us back!"
"Newcomer, you've got good stamina, carry him on your back."
Feng Huo remarked, tinged with urgency.
Li Xian furrowed his brows, scanned around, "Feng Nursing Home… didn't you hear those footsteps?"
"Nonsense! Of course, we have footsteps; we're a group of big men walking." Feng Huo snapped irritably.
However, Li Xian saw Feng Huo was scared. When the wind and snow grew, he became frightened, surely having encountered something in such conditions before.
At this moment… clearly worried about something, yet not mentioning it to everyone.
"My hearing is sharp; I distinctly hear footsteps not from any of our eight men."
"Behind us… something has already followed. With Feng Huo's experience, he surely could provide some insight. But he's pretending to be relaxed, feigning ignorance…"
"This shows he's prioritizing self-preservation. If I'm right, he might make an excuse to run." Li Xian narrowed his eyes.
True to form.
"Damn it, drank too much water earlier, got a pressing need. You guys wait here, I'm going to take a piss." Feng Huo cursed as he spoke.
"Self-preservation…" Li Xian glanced at everyone, exaggeratedly shouted, "Hey, I need to go too, Feng, wait for me."