How could Ma Wu possibly be digging through trash for food?

He was the young master of a wealthy family. Back when Ma Wu went to the Peddler to buy the activation medicine for his cultivation, he had more than a dozen attendants with him.

Though they had only met once, Li Banfeng remembered him clearly. Ma Wu had been humble and honest in speech. Back when Li Banfeng knew nothing about Puluo, Ma Wu had given him an introduction of the cultivation system and even given him some suggestions for his cultivation path.

At that time, Li Banfeng had been hit by Heavenly Light, and Ma Wu had repeatedly urged him to find a way to stay alive.

When Ma Wu bolted from the trash heap, Li Banfeng immediately gave chase.

Ma Wu was in a frail state, and even if he wasn’t, he could never outrun a Wanderlust Cultivator. When he reached an alleyway, he suddenly turned and shouted, “You’ve got the wrong person! I’m not Ma Wu!”

Li Banfeng shook his head. “I didn’t say Ma Wu. I said one fifty[1].”

Ma Wu froze. “One fifty for what?”

“I’m looking to hire someone,” Li Banfeng explained. “It’s my first time in Greenwater Bay. I don’t know the area or anyone here. I want to hire a guide. One fifty a day. You interested?”

Ma Wu looked Li Banfeng up and down, his brows twitching slightly.

After a brief pause, Ma Wu lowered his head and muttered, “You’ll really pay one fifty a day?”

Li Banfeng nodded. “Meals included. If you’re willing to take up the job, we can go eat right now.”

Ma Wu agreed, of course. He was starving after all.

Despite having fallen so low that he was eating food scraps from trash, he hadn’t given up on life. He still wanted to survive.

Li Banfeng brought Ma Wu back to the noodle shop.

But Ma Wu stopped him. “We’d best not go into this place.”

“Why not?”

“This isn’t a place for out-of-towners,” Ma Wu said quietly. “The owner is not a good man.”

Li Banfeng looked very surprised. “I’ve eaten here before. The owner seemed pretty nice to me.”

Ma Wu sighed softly. “I’m just a guide. That’s as much as I can say. Whether you heed my advice is your decision.”

Li Banfeng entered the noodle shop with Ma Wu. The shopkeeper was busy cleaning up the broken tables and dishes with his “customers.” When he saw Li Banfeng walk in, he cried out in alarm, “You again?!”

Li Banfeng frowned. “I’m here to eat! Isn’t this a restaurant? How much for a bowl of mutton noodles?”

The shopkeeper lowered his head. “Five yuan.”

Ma Wu asked, “Be clear about that. Five yuan for a bowl of noodles, or five yuan per strand of noodle?”

It seemed Ma Wu had been burned here before.

The shopkeeper lifted his head and said, “We’re honest folks here. Of course, it’s five yuan a bowl.”

That answer surprised Ma Wu.

But what Li Banfeng said next surprised him even more.

“Five yuan a bowl? That cheap? Is that reasonable?”

The shopkeeper thought for a moment. “Ten, then.”

Li Banfeng frowned. “Is ten reasonable, though?”

The shopkeeper sniffled pitifully. “We’re just a small business.”

Li Banfeng nodded. “All right then, ten it is. Two bowls first.”

Each sentence on its own made sense to Ma Wu. But put together, the exchange made no sense at all.

Are these two… friends?

Are they joking with each other?

The other “customers” glanced at Li Banfeng, then quickly fetched chairs and sat down at tables, pretending to eat.

Before long, two bowls of mutton noodles were served to Li Banfeng and Ma Wu’s table. The shopkeeper even handed Li Banfeng twenty yuan.

Li Banfeng pocketed the money and said to Ma Wu, “See? I told you, the boss here’s a decent man. Honest and straightforward.”

Ma Wu was completely dumbfounded.

He came to eat noodles… but the shopkeeper paid him?

Ma Wu didn’t dwell long on that thought, though. His attention quickly shifted to the steaming bowl of noodles in front of him.

He was starving.

“Go on, eat as much as you like,” Li Banfeng said, handing him a pair of chopsticks.

Ma Wu’s face flushed red;
he didn’t want to accept charity.

Li Banfeng chuckled. “Just eat. When I hire someone, I always cover meals and lodging. You’ve earned this.”

Ma Wu picked up his chopsticks and devoured the first bowl of noodles in a few quick bites.

Li Banfeng pushed the second bowl toward him. “I’ve already eaten. This one’s yours too.”

Ma Wu pressed his lips together in a moment of hesitation. Then, in the blink of an eye, he finished the second bowl as well.

Li Banfeng turned to the shopkeeper. “Another two bowls.”

The shopkeeper grimaced. “We’re just a small business…”

Li Banfeng frowned. “What, thinking of raising the price?”

“N-no, no price hike. Ten yuan a bowl it is.”

Before long, the shopkeeper brought out another two bowls of noodles and handed Li Banfeng twenty yuan again.

Ma Wu ate five bowls in a row before he finally stopped.

Was he full?

No, but after starving for a whole day, eating more might have made him sick.

“Let’s get to work then, boss. What do you want me to do first?” Ma Wu asked.

Li Banfeng stood up. “Didn’t I say already? You’re my guide. First, find me a place to stay.”

“Find you a place to stay…” Ma Wu muttered with a troubled expression. It was difficult to find a place to stay in Blue Poplar Village.

Leaving the noodle shop, Ma Wu led Li Banfeng deeper into the village, explaining as they went. “Don’t stay in the northern part of the village. The houses there are sturdy, but they could be torn down any time.”

“Why’s that?”

“You must’ve seen the road roller when you came in. The city’s been extending the road this way, ten meters a day. Every house along the route gets demolished.”

Li Banfeng thought about it for a moment. “If they keep that up, won’t the village get smaller and smaller until it’s gone?”

“It won’t disappear. The south side connects to the New Lands. The villagers keep reclaiming more ground. They tear down and rebuild;
they’ve been doing it for decades. That way, Blue Poplar Village stays just as big.”

They reached the village center, where most of the houses were made of wood. Brick or stone houses were rare, but there were many thatched huts.

Ma Wu stopped and said, “Let’s look for a place around here. Can’t go too far south since it’s close to the New Lands. It’s not peaceful there either. The houses here are fine, but it depends on the landlord. If they’re too tough, they’ll raise your rent every few days. If they’re too soft, someone might just take the house from them.”

Blue Poplar Village, what a lovely place.

Even the landlords are so… honest and straightforward.

Li Banfeng glanced around. “Then let’s find one who’s not too tough and not too soft.”

Ma Wu nodded. “I actually know one like that. Not sure if he’s home though.”

“If he’s not home,” said Li Banfeng, “I’ll just stay at your place for now. I’ll pay rent.”

Ma Wu let out an awkward laugh. “That… It’s not very convenient for you to stay over right now.”

He was too embarrassed to admit that he didn’t actually have a place to stay. He had built a small shack near the New Lands, but someone had stolen it from him just yesterday.

Li Banfeng remembered the summer after high school graduation. Graduating meant he had lost his dorm room, so he had to sleep under a bridge. Yet, a female classmate had wanted to visit his home.

The expression he’d made back then was the same one Ma Wu was making now.

Ma Wu knocked on the door of a wooden house. After a few minutes, a man emerged, loosely draped in his robes.

The man’s surname was Wei. Ma Wu didn’t know his full name. Everyone simply called him Landlord Wei.

Ma Wu asked, “Got any houses available?”

Landlord Wei gave Ma Wu a quick once-over. “You got money?”

He already knew Ma Wu didn’t. He’d kicked the man out just a few days ago for failing to pay rent.

Ma Wu turned to glance at Li Banfeng. “Not me. This gentleman’s the one renting.”

Li Banfeng smiled politely at the landlord. “I’ve got money.”

Landlord Wei yawned, grabbed a ring of keys, and unlocked a wooden house.

It was about two meters long and two meters wide, with nothing inside but a single bed.

“Two hundred a month.”

Li Banfeng took one look and immediately felt irritated. “Not renting that!”

Landlord Wei rolled his eyes and unlocked another room.

This one was slightly larger. It was around ten square meters and had a bed and a small table.

“Still not renting!” Li Banfeng rejected it straight away.

“This one’s no good either?” Landlord Wei studied him for a moment. “Then what kind of house are you looking for?”

Li Banfeng wore a small smile as he replied, “Something that befits my status. I’ll let you judge and decide for yourself.”

Landlord Wei froze for a moment.

What status does this man have?

He couldn’t tell.

Since this guy’s acting so arrogantly, I might as well show him something extravagant.

Landlord Wei led them to a two-story wooden house. It was in a lower-density area, and the environment was pleasant enough.

Li Banfeng nodded in approval and followed Landlord Wei inside.

The first floor had a living room, a bedroom, and even a hand pump. There were two more bedrooms upstairs.

On the whole, it could pass for a small villa, complete with tables, cabinets, and beds.

But the most valuable feature was the hand pump.

In Puluo, houses with their own well were of a different class altogether. With a private well, you didn’t have to queue for water from a public well.

Li Banfeng nodded. “Now this looks like a place worth living in. How much per month?”

“Two thousand five! Pay monthly. If you’re late by more than three days, kindly move out,” Landlord Wei said, watching Li Banfeng closely for a reaction.

Li Banfeng counted out five thousand yuan. “I’ll take it for two months.”

“Nice!” Landlord Wei said with a grin, pocketing the cash as Li Banfeng took the keys.

Ma Wu remained at the front door. “Boss, Old Wei’s got a decent reputation. Stay here for the night. I’ll come find you first thing in the morning.”

Li Banfeng shook his head. “Morning won’t do. One fifty is for a full day’s pay. Day and night included.”

Ma Wu frowned. “What could you possibly need me for at night?”

“Oh, you’ll see. I’ll explain later. For now, come in and pick a room.”

Ma Wu lowered his head, his cheeks turning red again.

He stepped into the wooden house, lifted his head, and smiled at Li Banfeng. “Thank you, Master Qi.”

He had recognized Li Banfeng the moment he saw him at the trash heap.

They had only met once at the Peddler’s stall, and neither had used their real names, but Ma Wu remembered this man and that he’d said his name was Li Qi.

Li Banfeng gestured toward the inside of the house with a courteous smile. “After you, Young Master Wu.”

1. It’s a bit closer in Mandarin. “Ma Wu” and “Yi bai wu”(one fifty). ☜

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep