Xiao Xiaofan returned to the other courtyard hugging a huge pile of toys. When Xiao Qingyan saw Xiao Xiaofan’s smiling face, he became furious.

His own son was still lying in bed, yet Xiao Xiaofan had gone out with Xiao Jingting and Xiao Jingfeng, feasting on delicacies. Xiao Jingting had said he was going to take the little fool back to teach him a lesson, but apparently, this was how he taught him—by taking him out to eat and buying him toys.

When Xiao Xiaofan saw Xiao Qingyan, he immediately hid behind Xiao Jingting.

Though not very smart, Xiao Xiaofan had an instinct for seeking benefit and avoiding harm. He knew Xiao Qingyan was not easy to deal with and became alert at once.

Looking at Xiao Jingting, Xiao Qingyan said in a gloomy tone, “Third Brother, you really had a good time. Took the whole family out to have fun. Didn’t you say you were going to educate your son? Is this your so-called education?”

“Big Brother, I did educate him. I told my son that if he ever bullies anyone again, he won’t get treats or toys any more. He was so scared, just look at how he’s hiding now,” said Xiao Jingting.

Xiao Qingyan forced a fake smile. “Third Brother, you’re really putting in a lot of effort.”

“It’s alright, raising kids is hard work,” Xiao Jingting sighed dramatically.

Hearing this, Xiao Qingyan’s face twisted with anger.

Shaking off Xiao Qingyan, Xiao Jingting and Xu Muan went back to their own courtyard.

Xu Muan looked at the person lazily rubbing his feet on the bed and was a bit speechless.

“I think I saw some big commercial firms on the street today,” Xiao Jingting said.

Xu Muan nodded, “That’s right, Mo City is nothing like the countryside. The shops here have tons of magical items and talismans; it’s just a pity… they’re too expensive.”

In the past, when he was strapped for cash, he didn’t even dare go inside. The one time he gathered the courage, the shop attendants took one look at his shabby clothes and had no interest in helping. Some even kicked him out, sneering that people like him didn’t belong in such places.

After that, Xu Muan would just stand outside the shops, yearning at the dazzling magical advertisements.

“I’ve still got thirty or forty thousand taels of silver. Let’s go take a look,” said Xiao Jingting.

Xu Muan asked curiously, “Why not go today?”

Xiao Jingting said a little embarrassed, “You just said it, big commercial firms—everything is expensive. If we went in today and Xiaofan started wanting things left and right that I couldn’t afford, how embarrassing would that be?”

Xu Muan: “……” So that was the reason… Honestly…

“You offended your big brother today,” Xu Muan said.

Xiao Jingting replied lazily, “So what? I already offended him long ago. Big Brother is so weird—he used to bring up the academy all the time, like it was the best place in the world, but lately he hasn’t mentioned it much.”

“Maybe he’s not having a great time there,” said Xu Muan.

Xiao Jingting nodded, thinking: Bifeng Academy should be like a top university in my previous life. Prestigious schools are famous and bring honor, but there’s just as much infighting. In my past life, it wasn’t rare for students from Tsinghua or Peking University to take their own lives.

“What do you know?” Xiao Jingting asked.

“Your big brother was courting Ouyang Jing, the marquis’s daughter, but she seems to have gotten involved with a high-level practitioner at the academy. She complained to that person about your brother pestering her, so that seventh-level guy got people to make things hard for your brother. It made things almost impossible for him at the academy.

“Luckily, the academy has its own rules, so even though your brother was targeted, they didn’t dare go too far. Once the drama dies down, it should be fine.”

Xiao Jingting stroked his chin. “No wonder Big Brother hasn’t brought up the academy lately. He can’t get by there anymore.”

Looking at Xu Muan, Xiao Jingting’s eyes sparkled. “Alright, enough about him. Let’s go to sleep.”

Xu Muan looked at his shiny black eyes and couldn’t help blushing.

…………

“Third Young Master, there are guests,” a servant reported just as Xiao Jingting got out of bed.

“Who?” Xiao Jingting asked.

“Sun Qi, Young Master Sun of the Sun family, and Zheng Liming, Young Master Zheng of the Zheng family.”

A look of helplessness appeared on Xiao Jingting’s face—these were the original host’s rascally friends. A real hero has three sidekicks, and so does a good-for-nothing heir! The difference is, a hero’s friends will lend a hand in trouble, while an heir’s friends will just look after themselves when trouble hits.

Xu Muan shook his head. “So they came after all—even later than I expected.”

In every big family, there are always a few troublemakers only interested in pleasure. The original host, Sun Qi, and Zheng Liming were exactly this kind of trouble.

The difference was, Xiao Jingting was a direct descendant of the Xiao family, while Sun Qi and Zheng Liming were only collateral relatives in theirs, so their status and treatment were far below Xiao Jingting’s. Every time they hung out, Xiao Jingting paid eight or nine times out of ten.

When the original host was down on his luck, he even put aside his pride to ask these two for help, but they didn’t even respond.

Xiao Jingting rubbed his fingers in disgust. “They let me die when I begged for help, now they come crawling back—shameless.”

Xu Muan smiled. That’s just how this world worked—fawning on the powerful, snubbing the weak.

“Are you going to meet them?” Xu Muan asked.

Xiao Jingting shrugged. “They’re already here, I guess I should go kick them out.”

He and Xu Muan went out. As soon as Sun Qi saw Xiao Jingting, his face lit up with excitement, “Brother Xiao, it’s been so long! I missed you so much!”

Xiao Jingting sneered, “Oh? You missed me, yet never visited me in Tuqiu Village?”

Sun Qi laughed awkwardly. “The family was strict lately. I really couldn’t get away!”

Xiao Jingting replied with a mocking smile, “Is that so? Now you’re free, but when I went looking for you before, your servants told me you were in seclusion, not leaving until you reached fourth-level Qi Refining. Judging by your cultivation now…”—still only third level!

Sun Qi forced a smile. “I don’t have your talent, Brother Xiao. I spent months in seclusion and made no progress. But you, at your age you’re already at fifth-level Qi Refining! I bet you’ll reach ninth-level and rule your own territory someday.”

Xiao Jingting waved his hand. “Ruling my own territory? I wouldn’t dare dream—just trying to feed myself.”

Sun Qi, seeing Xiao Jingting’s cold attitude, felt embarrassed.

“Brother Xiao, now that you’re finally back, we’ve organized a feast for you at Cuiwei Pavilion,” said Zheng Liming.

Xiao Jingting rubbed his forehead—talking about a banquet in a brothel right in front of his wife, seriously…

Xu Muan looked displeased at Sun Qi and said coldly, “No need to be so formal. Cuiwei Pavilion isn’t cheap, save your money.”

Zheng Liming frowned at Xu Muan and then looked to Xiao Jingting—as if not even seeing Xu Muan as a person.

Xiao Jingting glanced at Xu Muan and smiled, “Whatever Muan says goes for me, too.”

Zheng Liming said in surprise, “Brother Xiao, are you turning over a new leaf? Even Miss Jinhong at Cuiwei Pavilion has been asking about you. She was heartbroken after you left.”

Xiao Jingting narrowed his eyes, recalling that Jinhong was an older, flashily dressed woman—she used to be famous but no longer enjoyed her prime. Skilled at pleasing people, she had once entranced the original host, who wasn’t very bright. After he left, losing such a wealthy fool, of course she was heartbroken…

The original host sure had bad taste, thinking about it now gave Xiao Jingting a headache—damn, why did he transmigrate into such a person?

“Miss Jinhong has plenty of admirers, doubt she remembers me. Brother Zheng, you must be joking,” said Xiao Jingting.

“Jingting, you’re wrong there. To Miss Jinhong, you are different from the rest.”

Xu Muan snorted coldly, “She’s slept with thousands, used by tens of thousands, and you insist on pushing her at Jingting? What’s your motive? If there’s nothing else, you’d best leave.”

Sun Qi froze, utterly shocked at Xu Muan, focusing on Xiao Jingting with a look that said, “Can’t you control your wife?”

Xiao Jingting fiddled with his ring, ignoring Sun Qi’s gaze. Sun Qi kept looking at Xu Muan as if seeing him for the first time.

“This so-called kindness, I really can’t accept. As for Miss Jinhong, why don’t you go enjoy her yourselves? My cultivation isn’t very stable, I need to go into seclusion—please don’t visit for nothing,” Xu Muan said fiercely.

“Sister-in-law, how could you say that…” Sun Qi protested.

“He’s right, I really do need to go into seclusion soon,” Xiao Jingting chimed in.

“Are you joking? Normally only eighth or ninth-level Qi Refining practitioners need seclusion,” said Zheng Liming.

“How’s that a joke? You two are only at the third level and can go into seclusion, but I, at fifth level, can’t?” said Xiao Jingting.

Sun Qi and Zheng Liming, full of embarrassment after a few more forced courtesies, finally left.

…………

“Bah, success has gone to his head. Now he pretends not to know us,” said Sun Qi, his expression changing as soon as they left the Xiao residence.

“That Xiao Jingting has become totally henpecked. Who knows what trick Xu Muan used?” Zheng Liming was amazed.

“He used to despise Xu Muan like he was something dirty, now he’s acting whipped. The world really is strange.”

“They say after being kicked out, Xiao Jingting could only rely on Xu Muan—so their relationship got close.”

“Xu Muan knows how to overstep his boundaries. In the countryside, with no pretty women around, it’s no wonder Xiao Jingting favored him. Once Xiao Jingting returns to normal, Xu Muan will have nowhere to cry.”

“That’s right, a lowborn bastard who really thinks he’s something now.”

Back then, Xiao Jingting, Sun Qi, and Zheng Liming always hung out together. As the most favored, with the most money, Xiao Jingting led the trio.

On the surface, Sun Qi was always respectful, but secretly he was very jealous. When Xiao Jingting’s parents had their accident and he was kicked out, Sun Qi had secretly rejoiced, thinking he finally got what he deserved.

Who would have thought the tables would turn? Not only were Xiao Jingting’s parents alive, but he also reached fifth-level Qi Refining.

“What a pity. I wonder how he broke through to fifth level?” Zheng Liming asked.

“I heard the guy got lucky and found some rare spiritual treasure in the hills near Tuqiu Village, so he advanced,” Sun Qi replied.

“That wastrel sure had good luck, running into something like that,” Zheng Liming said jealously.

“Yeah,” Sun Qi said, eyes tinged red.

“If the mountains near Tuqiu Village produce spiritual treasures, I’ll go look for myself someday,” said Zheng Liming.

Sun Qi gave a bitter smile, “Of course you’re not the only one with the idea. Xiao Jingting’s use of a spiritual treasure to break through is no secret—the four great families all sent people to search, and sure, they found a few spirit plants, but nothing special.”

After Sun Qi and Zheng Liming left, Xiao Jingting breathed a sigh of relief. The original host had really surrounded himself with a messy crowd.

“Muan, you were so cool just now,” Xiao Jingting said.

Xu Muan smiled helplessly. The way things turn out! He’d never thought there’d come a day when he could openly scold all of Xiao Jingting’s drinking buddies.

“You sure have a lot of friends,” Xu Muan said.

Xiao Jingting sneered, “Don’t care if they don’t show up, but if they come, I’ll kick every one out.” None of those guys helped when he was down.

“Aren’t you worried it’ll hurt your reputation?” Xu Muan asked.

Xiao Jingting answered carelessly, “Why should I be? I don’t have much of a reputation anyway.”

Xu Muan: “……” Well, that’s true!

 

Edited by: Tetsu

Proofreader: Taalia

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