Chapter 8: Bro, You Spilled It on Me

The master was a peculiar person, both poor and rich at the same time. He would mix various herbs for himself and brew medicinal soups. Every time Luo Li saw him meticulously adding ingredients, he wanted to laugh, knowing those herbs must be very expensive.

The precious herbs and the master's six years of relentless refinement had created his unique physique. Even after several attempts by the third Niu son to poison him, it didn't work. Luo Li couldn't help but question the efficacy of the medicine, so he tried it himself and ended up with diarrhea for three days.

However, not long after giving Luo Li the manuscript, the master passed away without saying goodbye. There was still some tea left in the cup on the table. It was summer, and without warm clothing, Luo Li thought the master would return soon. Yet summer turned to autumn and then winter, and the master never came back.

When the lease expired, the landlord wanted to reclaim the house. Luo Li went to move the master's belongings and found an old dictionary with his name written on the cover. It was clearly left for him, and inside were more than nine hundred yuan, with some coins and small change, evidently all the money the master had.

Could he really not be coming back? Why didn't he wait to say goodbye?

Five years had passed, and the house had changed so much that it felt like the master had never been in Changping. He had lived a secluded life, and no one remembered him except Luo Li. Luo Li continued to diligently review the knowledge the master had taught him, treating the "Ge Family Manuscript" as a treasured possession. He had long memorized its contents. Despite growing up, Luo Li didn't believe the master would leave without a word. Following the address of the parcels the master had received, he took a trip to find it, only to discover it was a false address.

The master was gone, but life had to go on. Luo Li secretly learned carpentry, believing his hands were well-suited to inherit the master's skills.

However, Uncle Niu's wife, Mrs. Wu, disagreed. She had always disliked Luo Li, and even the children in the family bullied him. Behind Uncle Niu's back, Mrs. Wu would beat and scold the young Luo Li, feeding him irregularly and wishing he would leave on his own, considering the years of food wasted on him.

In his childhood, she had taken him in because other families refused. Although she feared he might have a bad influence, she provided for him and helped him get an education. Now, she didn't want him staying with the Niu family, and learning a trade was out of the question. Mrs. Wu blamed Luo Li for not giving her a grandchild, always believing he was unlucky.

Blaming others for one's own troubles.

Luo Li didn't want to dwell on such thoughts. He placed his backpack neatly and began to meditate and practice.

Luo Li prepared dinner, and Teacher Liu enjoyed it very much, even rushing to wash the dishes.

On the sixth day of the second lunar month, the market day in Huayuan Town, Luo Li got up early. After eating some noodles, he planned to walk to practice his breathing techniques, picking up where he had left off. Without the master's herbs and medicinal soups over the past few years, he had focused on his studies and neglected his physical health. It was only after the movements he performed the night before that he realized why the master had always emphasized physical training—spellcasting consumed a lot of energy.

Walking north after leaving the school, the sky was just beginning to lighten. The He's Tofu Shop on the back street was already cooking beans. The dim light cast the busy silhouette of Mrs. He, slim and alluring.

It was a twenty-mile walk. Luo Li decided to buy a bag of soy milk and walked over.

"Lin Jie, is the soy milk ready? I'd like a bag, please."

"It's ready. You're up so early today. Are you heading to Huayuan?" The woman named Lin Jie freed up her hands to help Luo Li with the soy milk.

"Lin Jie, no need to fill it so much. You'll be at a loss," Luo Li said, taking the generously filled bag of soy milk with some embarrassment.

"No need to be polite. Young people need more, don't worry about losing money," Lin Jie replied with a deliberately melodious smile.

Luo Li was infected by her smile and gave her a smile in return, but it froze on his face.