Chapter 19: Chapter 19: Encountering Zhang Sen

Translator: 549690339

The Night Mist Mountain Range was extremely famous.

It was due to its wealth of resources, with rumors saying that even an average Spirit Grass from deep within the Night Mist Mountain Range could sell for tens of thousands of Spirit Stones.

Although there were many Demonic Beasts inside, it still couldn’t stop people from dreaming of overnight riches.

Most people still had some self-awareness.

How easy was it to enter the deep regions of the Night Mist Mountain Range?

Of course, on the outskirts of the Night Mist Mountain Range, many adventurers chose to make their living.

Occasionally harvesting some Spirit Grass or hunting Demonic Beasts to sell their Demonic Beast Inner Cores could provide a decent living.

If it weren’t for the abundance of resources near the Night Mist Mountain Range, Nanshan Market would not be of its current scale.

Therefore, the beast tides of the Night Mist Mountain Range had become something everyone was accustomed to.

After all, the Night Mist Mountain Range was huge, and with hordes of Demonic Beasts inside, it was only natural for groups of them to emerge in search of food, leading to beast tides now and then.

On average, Nanshan Market faced a beast tide every few years, so they were no longer surprised by them.

This time, they hadn’t walked far before running into the same vendor selling candied hawthorns as last time.

So, each holding a skewer, the two strolled down the street.

They kept wandering until noon when Lin Jing took Luo Luo to a restaurant for lunch.

Afterwards, they wandered around aimlessly for a while and, finding it uninteresting, decided to head home.

Walking along, Lin Jing suddenly heard a familiar voice.

“My luck is truly bad today; I’ve lost everything.”

“Brother, you really shouldn’t have bet on that last one.”

“What’s the use of saying that now? Why didn’t you dissuade me back then?”

“Sigh…”

A heavy sigh followed.

The two people in this conversation turned out to be the brothers Zhang Sen and Zhang Lin.

“Listening to them, they must have gone gambling,” Lin Jing said with a frown. He had previously had a good impression of Zhang Sen but hadn’t expected him to gamble.

If that were the case, it was very likely that everything Luo Luo had said before was true.

At this moment, Zhang Sen also noticed them, his eyes lit up, and he walked over.

“Brother Lin,” he called out from a distance.

Luo Luo, hearing the voice, frowned and quickly hid behind Lin Jing, attempting to avoid someone she disliked.

Unfortunately, Zhang Sen had already seen her,

“Luo Luo is here too. Why don’t you say hello to your uncle?” he asked.

However, the young girl ignored him.

Zhang Sen didn’t mind.

“Brother Lin, when did Luo Luo become so close to you? It seems the neighborhood relationship between your two families has developed quite nicely,” he said, winking at Lin Jing insinuatingly.

“Brother Zhang, you’re thinking too much. Ning Yue had something to attend to temporarily, so I’m just looking after Luo Luo,” Lin Jing clarified.

“I understand, I understand.”

“Ning Yue really trusts you to take care of Luo Luo. It seems the relationship between Brother Lin and Ning Yue has become quite extraordinary,” Zhang Sen continued, apparently misunderstanding Lin Jing’s words.

“Although Ning Yue might not be very good-looking, she’s thrifty and a fine woman.”

“Brother Lin, when you hold the wedding banquet, let me know. I’ll definitely come to offer my congratulations,” Zhang Sen said.

“You bad person, you’re talking nonsense…” Luo Luo, who had been hiding behind Lin Jing, now stood out, her face flushed red with indignation at the rebuttal.

She was clearly angered, aware of what a wedding banquet implied.

“Okay, okay…”

“I’m the bad person; I’m talking nonsense. Luo Luo, don’t be angry,” Zhang Sen quickly tried to appease her.

He certainly didn’t dare to upset the little Miss. If she got angry and complained to Ning Yue, he wouldn’t be able to handle the consequences.

“Brother Zhang, is there anything else? If not, we’ll be heading back,” Lin Jing said, clearly unhappy.

But Zhang Sen seemed not to hear the displeasure.

“Brother Lin, it’s an emergency in the jianghu…” he said.

“Could you lend me a few more Spirit Stones? I’ll pay back the one I borrowed last time in a few days.”

Lin Jing was extremely displeased, having agreed to lend the stones for only a few days, yet at this point, they had still not been returned, and now another loan was being requested. He frowned and said,

“Brother Zhang, I’m sorry, but I’m not in a position to lend you any Spirit Stones right now.”

“Is that so,” Zhang Sen scratched his head.

“Well, alright then. Sorry to trouble you, Brother Lin. We’ll think of some other way.”

Zhang Sen did not persist, mindful that he had yet to repay the previously borrowed Spirit Stones.

“Brother Lin, I’ll take my leave.”

Having said that, he left with Zhang Lin.

“Big brother, I’ve heard that the Demonic Beasts are in an uproar. Occasionally, some of them are found alone near the Fang Market. How about we go hunt some? They’re quite valuable. If we can kill just one, we wouldn’t have to worry anymore.”

“Hunting Demonic Beasts, huh? Let me think about it…”

As they talked, the two brothers gradually walked away, but Lin Jing had already stopped paying attention to them.

“Let’s go, we’re heading home.”

Lin Jing held Luo Luo’s small hand.

“Humph…”

Luo Luo looked at the departing duo and huffed, clearly still upset.

When they got home, Lin Jing gave Luo Luo a book to read while he himself started reading Ning Yue’s Alchemy insights.

It was now October, the deep autumn weather was perfect for them.

They didn’t go inside the house; instead, they sat under the shade of a tree by a stone table in the courtyard—the two of them, young and old, each engrossed in a book…

The withering autumn wind had no effect on them.

Sometimes, time seemed to slip away stealthily. When Lin Jing looked up again, it was already time to make dinner.

Seeing Luo Luo, who had fallen asleep on the table at some point, Lin Jing couldn’t help but chuckle.

He then picked her up, laid her on the bed inside the house, and went on to start a fire for cooking.

As soon as the meal was ready, Luo Luo came out, her eyes still groggy.

“Uncle, is dinner ready?” she asked.

The little foodie had woken up without him noticing, but judging by her sleepy eyes, it must have been recent.

“Luo Luo, you’re awake. Come wash your face; it’s time to eat.”

“Okay.”

Just then,

“Knock, knock, knock.” Someone was at the door.

“Daoist Ning.”

Lin Jing opened the door to find Ning Yue returning.

“You’re back just in time; dinner’s ready. Come join us.”

“Mother!” Luo Luo ran over and threw herself into Ning Yue’s arms.

“Did you fall asleep here at Uncle Lin’s again?” Ning Yue’s face sterned as she scolded, seeing Luo Luo’s drowsy face.

“I was reading in the afternoon and somehow fell asleep. Mother, Uncle Lin has cooked dinner; let’s eat here together.”

“How could we impose on your Uncle Lin again? Let’s go back home, and I’ll cook for you.”

Luo Luo’s face immediately fell; ever since tasting Lin Jing’s cooking, the thought of her mother’s…

She decided she had to find a way to keep her mother here.

“Mother…”

Luo Luo acted coquettishly, swaying Ning Yue’s hand back and forth.

“Uncle Lin’s cooking is delicious; just try it.”

“Daoist Ning, Luo Luo didn’t eat much at noon. She must be hungry by now. If you go back and start cooking now, it will be late by the time you finish.”

“Besides, I made enough food for you as well. Didn’t you say you wanted to teach me the Alchemy Technique? We can talk while we eat.”

“Otherwise, it would be a waste of time. By the time I learn it, who knows when it will be.”

“Yes, Mother, see, I’m hungry.”

Saying this, Luo Luo patted her own stomach.

Ning Yue, unwilling to be a burden to Lin Jing and already feeling it was hard to ask such favor of him to look after Luo Luo, hesitated…

She finally sighed and agreed.

“Alright.”