"Okay." Li Lin responded softly and sat down. Although the pastries and delicacies were delicious, Li Lin found them tasteless, his mind preoccupied with the thought of his mother still suffering and having no lead on today's twenty gold coins, filling him with gloom.
"Lin'er, you seem preoccupied." Noticing Li Lin's demeanor, Li Wushuang asked.
"It's nothing, just random thoughts," Li Lin replied, coming back to his senses.
"Lin'er, about yesterday in the back garden, what do you think of Cuiyu's talent?" Li Wushuang gently inquired.
"She is talented and seems not like an ordinary maid," Li Lin responded without much thought, realizing that the maid's name was Cuiyu. He felt that she was not an ordinary maid.
"It seems you've noticed it too. But your talent seems to be even greater than hers. ‘Entering the world of rivers and lakes urges us forward, amidst ruined walls and besieged ponds, a city filled with smoke and sand, bitter is the heart waiting in vain! Not fearing the changes in a beautiful face, only afraid that the fallen flowers and broken strings will go unheard...’ You really opened my eyes yesterday," Li Wushuang said, looking intently at Li Lin.
"I just spoke impulsively in a moment of exhilaration; it was nothing special," Li Lin said modestly.
"Lin'er, have you ever thought about your future, and your third aunt's future?" Li Wushuang softly asked.
"Do you think I have a future?" Li Lin asked with a light smile in return.
"From what I saw yesterday, I know you're not content with just this. But you can't become a Martial artist, let alone a Spirit artist. Lin'er, if you’ve made up your mind and need my help, come to me," Li Wushuang said, looking at Li Lin.
"Wushuang Sister, I actually do have an urgent matter for which I need your help," Li Lin hesitated slightly, looking somewhat embarrassed. This was the first time in his life, and in his previous life, that he had asked a woman for money. Deep down, Li Lin was very traditional and asking a woman for money was extremely embarrassing for him.
"Twenty gold coins, it's not too much, but not too little either. Can you tell me what you need it for?" Li Wushuang asked gently.
"Can I tell you later? I can't say right now," Li Lin replied.
"Here's fifty gold coins. I trust you. If it's not enough, come find me," Li Wushuang said, handing Li Lin a purse emitting a faint fragrance, containing fifty gold coins.
"Wushuang Sister, thank you." Li Lin took the gold coins and looked at Li Wushuang, silently vowing to repay this kindness a thousandfold in the future.
"I have to go now. If you need anything, come to me," Li Wushuang said, then stood up and left. As she looked at Li Lin, a moment of bewilderment crossed her face. Since yesterday in the back garden, she felt Li Lin was different. She had come today specifically for that reason, sensing that the Li Lin she had watched grow up had changed. From a daughter's sixth sense, she could feel that this usually meek cousin had something more inside him, seemingly a newfound aura.
"The problem resolves itself at the bridgehead. Fifty gold coins, all troubles are solved," Li Lin muttered, looking at the fifty gold coins in his hand.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
"Young Master, you're eating quite a feast here. And here I was, bringing you breakfast," Li Xiaobai, not knowing when he had arrived in the courtyard, looked at the table full of exquisite pastries and delicacies. He quickly tossed aside his own oil cake and began to devour the food voraciously.
"Eat quickly, then accompany me out for a bit," Li Lin said.
"What are we going to do? I'm just a lowly servant; I can't just leave whenever I want," Li Xiaobai said.
"What's there to be afraid of? Let's go, we'll leave through the back. No one will know," Li Lin suggested.
"Alright, I want to go out for a stroll too," Li Xiaobai said.
Then, the two of them left the Li residence through the back door. Seeing old servant Uncle Jiang at the back door, Li Lin couldn't help but feel triumphant, humming to himself. With twenty gold coins now in his possession, it was as if he was telling Uncle Jiang that he was off to buy the materials.
Walking down the street and relying on his memory, Li Lin was quite familiar with everything in Qingyun Town. The town was not small, so Li Lin and Li Xiaobai slowed their pace, leisurely wandering among the bustling crowds on the main street.
Observing the shops lining the streets, Li Lin was amazed by the array of exotic items from this otherworldly place. This was his first time going out shopping since arriving on the Spirit Martial Continent.
After strolling through several streets, Li Lin remembered the main purpose of his outing – to purchase the medicinal materials listed by Uncle Jiang. These materials, necessary for refining pills, were not sold in ordinary shops but required a visit to specialized ones.
Based on his memory, Li Lin knew that such shops were few and far between in Qingyun Town and were controlled by several families, including the Li family.
After traversing several streets and alleys, Li Lin and Li Xiaobai appeared on another street. This area was a gathering place for Martial artists, and if one looked closely enough and had keen eyesight, it was possible to spot one or two Spirit artists mingling in the crowd.
This was a wide street, not overly crowded but still bustling with activity. The shops here mainly sold medicinal materials, pills, and weapons.
The decoration of these shops was much more luxurious and grand compared to those on the neighboring streets. The majority of the people entering and leaving this street were Martial and Spirit artists, with few ordinary people in sight.
Even a single herb from these shops might be worth half a year's food supply for an ordinary family.
Looking down the street, Li Lin spotted a shop called "Li Family Medicine Shop" in the distance. It was luxuriously decorated, and two Martial disciples stood at the entrance. Although this Li Family Medicine Shop also sold the listed materials, Li Lin did not plan to go there, instead surveying the surrounding streets.
"Tianbao Gate." Li Lin saw a shop named Tianbao Gate. Remembering that Tianbao Gate was the trade name of the Du Gu family and one of the strongest in Qingyun Town, he decided to enter without much hesitation, expecting a more comprehensive selection of items.
"Young Master, what are we doing here? Why are we going to Tianbao Gate?" Li Xiaobai followed Li Lin timidly. Tianbao Gate was a place frequented by Martial and Spirit artists, and as a lowly servant, he had never entered such a luxurious place before.
"What does the young master wish to purchase?" As Li Lin entered Tianbao Gate, a voice came from behind him.
Hearing the voice, Li Lin looked up to see two brawny men in uniform standing on either side of him, with the speaker being the one on the left.
The two men looked at Li Lin with respect, mainly because he was wearing the blue robe given by Li Wushuang that morning, which clearly wasn't something ordinary people could wear. With Li Xiaobai following in a servant's attire, Li Lin was naturally mistaken for a real young master.
"I wish to buy some materials for refining pills," Li Lin said.
"Please follow me," the brawny man said respectfully, leading Li Lin forward. Li Xiaobai followed behind dumbfounded, unable to utter a word upon seeing the luxurious and grand interior of Tianbao Gate.
Li Lin observed everything inside Tianbao Gate with a calm demeanor. The shop was enormous, possibly covering over a thousand square meters. The interior was filled with an array of items, and Li Lin could recognize some weapons and armor, all belongings of Martial and Spirit artists.
At that moment, Tianbao Gate was also occupied by a dozen or so Martial artists selecting items.