FOD Chap 5.3

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Chapter 5.3

Fortunately, in every reincarnation, his lover’s basic information didn’t deviate too much. As long as his height was 190 cm and up; strong and muscular build; looks masculine and handsome; slightly bad habits such as smoking, drugs, possessiveness, voyeurism etc. he could rely on those four points to find him.

According to the current situation, the most likely candidate should be Qin Ce, but Qin Ce already had feelings for the protagonist shou, his cold and handsome face only melted when he saw the protagonist shou. Zhou Yun Sheng didn’t want to believe that he was his lover.

So, he furtively ordered people to go make some inquiries about this type of man. Lu-shi and Tweety felt very distressed for him, thinking that he didn’t want to get married.

The man was still not found before the drought erupted. Zhou Yun Sheng had no choice but to temporarily shelve his search project and concentrate on responding to the next series of unfortunate events.

One day, he was invited by the village head to pay a visit to the fields for examination.

Pointing to the withered paddy fields, the village head mourned, “Young master, look at this year’s grains, I’m afraid we’ll lose them, but we already don’t even have gruel to drink. At this rate, we’ll starve to death. Can you lower the rent a little, to give everyone a means to survive?”

Zhou Yun Sheng didn’t respond, he twisted his brows as he circled around the field. Many people had gathered in the distance to wait and see when they’d learned that the landlord would be coming. If the village head smiled, they’d feel that life was full of hope, if the village head looked anxious, it may be assumed that they would have no food this year and have to pay the rent. Then they could only return home and sell their children.

After walking through the paddy fields and looking up at the weather, Zhou Yun Sheng slowly opened, “I expect it won’t rain for another two months, the grains really will die out by then. Okay, this year’s rent will be pardoned.”

The village head was overjoyed, but before he could thank him, Zhu Lao Si, who had accompanied him, spoke up, anxious to discourage, “But young master, we also have no surplus grain, and we have to support so many servants. If they don’t pay rent, we won’t be able to bear it either. Why don’t you just lower the rent by 10% instead? What do you think?”

Zhou Yun Sheng revealed a troubled look after hearing him. The village head suddenly sunk into despair, he clenched a fist, anxious to thoroughly beat up Zhu Lao Si.

Qin Ce, who had extraordinary hearing, was standing close by, listening in on their conversation. He was originally surprised after hearing Zhu Zi Yu’s proposal, but now, after the performance from Zhu Lao Si, he guessed that the two were collaborating. One played the hero while the other played the villain, all this to evade the village head’s rent reduction request. They really were a pair of colluding villains, heart of wolves and lungs of dogs.

Thinking of this, he sneered and turned to leave, but then he heard the young man unhurriedly state, “I say it’ll be pardoned; you say reduce it by 10%, just who do you think makes decisions for the Zhu family? If I’m unable to bear it, I’ll live frugally, if I’m still unable to bear it, I’ll dismiss servants, but my Zhu family can’t afford to raise a servant who’s more ostentatious than me, Zhu Zi Yu!”

“Y-young master, I was just making a suggestion, that’s all, not making decisions on your behalf. Please don’t pay me any mind!” Zhu Lao Si’s scalp grew numb under his gloomy gaze, he dripped cold sweat as he bowed to apologize.

Zhou Yun Sheng snorted, squinting at him with lowered eyelids. After a while, he looked back at the village head and declared, “This year’s rent is pardoned, these are my words, go tell the villagers.”

The village head went from hopelessness to ecstasy, almost crying. He immediately kneeled down and knocked his head on the ground, kowtowing to the landlord, then he started running and shouting, “The landlord said that this year’s rent is pardoned, everyone who has stored grain, there’s no need to hoard it, hurriedly take it out to fill your children’s bellies.”

“Thank you, landlord, thank you!”

“The landlord is really a good man, an extremely really good man ah!”

Wherever Zhu Zi Yu passed, the villagers constantly kneeled and kowtowed to him, but he just indifferently waved his hand at them. In the end, he looked askance at Zhu Lao Si and coldly snorted, causing the other man to almost fall flat on his back, paralyzed in fear.

Before, when Qin Ce looked at Zhu Zi Yu, he only felt that he was hateful. But now, looking again, he didn’t look like an evil man, he looked benevolent instead. That always slightly raised chin; Those red lips that seemed to carry a slight upward tilt even when not smiling; Those peach blossom eyes that were apt to glance sideways, growing brighter and brighter whenever he got angry, everything looked particularly cute.

Qin Ce’s thin lips involuntary hooked up, he strode towards the other man, but before he could draw near, he saw his expression change slightly, his brows twisting as he looked at a group of children.

The group of children were surrounding a small beggar, holding stones to chase and beat him, their mouths spitting out very vulgar swears. Because of Zhang Shu Lin’s advanced warning, the villagers had some food in storage, their daily lives were relatively more comfortable than the nearby villages. The adults were unwilling to eat their foodstuff, most choosing to feed their children. As a result, the children of the village didn’t look like the other villages’ children, who were malnourished and sickly, even unable to walk on the road, instead, they were bouncing around, very lively.

But because the elders always talked about the lack of food, starving to death, etc., the children had developed a special hatred for beggars begging for food. They didn’t dare bully the adult beggars, but they swarmed in on the little beggars like this one.

After Zhang Shu Lin arrived, Zhang family’s daily life got better and better, everyone could eat a big serving of rice. His two younger sisters were dressed a lot more respectably than the other girls, so they were usually bullied by the other children. When they saw the small beggar being bullied, they sympathized with him, calling Zhang Jia Rui over to chase away the group of children, and handing the beggar two rice cakes.

The little beggar repeatedly thanked them, then limped away.

Zhou Yun Sheng silently watched all this, then he beckoned the village head over, “Gather the people in the village and quickly hide in the mountains, a disaster is coming.”

The village head was frightened silly, he was about to question him when he heard a deep and hoarse voice behind him, “Zhu Gongzi, why have you said such a thing?” It was actually Qin Ce, who had strolled over.

“Look at that child, he has strong and healthy skin and muscle, although he looks thin, he’s actually very sturdy. It’s obvious that he usually eats very well, he can’t be a beggar living from hand to mouth. When he was surrounded by the children, he dodged with a good deal of discipline, and his stance was very stable, so he must’ve studied martial arts. Plus, there’s a dagger concealed in his leggings.”

The village head took a closer look, sure enough, the small beggar’s leggings were bulging very slightly, it looked like the shape of a cutting tool.

“Think, why would a child disguise himself as a beggar and carry a weapon to the village? When that little girl gave him the rice cake, greed and ruthlessness flashed across his eyes, so I’m afraid he came here with bad intentions. I heard that the disaster hit the northside of Fuling County a hundred times worse than here. Many people are selling their children and turning to banditry, specifically pillaging nearby villages. That child was probably a scout sent out by roving bandits. You have to quickly organize the villagers and take them to hide in the mountain, lest they die an unjust death.”

Zhou Yun Sheng had already known that the bandits would invade because of the information provided by the AI, but he didn’t know the specific time period. When he saw the child, he realized that they would come in a few days. Fortunately, he’d dug out a huge cellar in the Zhu family, hidden under an abandoned dry well, to store food. Unless the bandits dug deep into the ground, they would never find it.

The village head was terrified, wiping his sweat, he was about to go inform the villagers when he was called back by the landlord, “Wait a minute, when you go up the mountain, don’t take too much food. Whatever you do, leave some at home.”

“Why? Won’t we be letting the bandits off lightly by leaving them grain?” Qin Ce, who’d been listening in silently, suddenly asked.

Zhou Yun Sheng’s peach blossom eyes glared over at him, denouncing, “Are you a moron? If the food is all taken away, making the bandits run around on a wild goose chase, do you think they’ll just graciously give up? If that happens, they’ll level the whole mountain top to catch and vent their anger on you! Your life or food, which is most important, weigh it yourself!” Saying this, Zhou Yun Sheng gave him another fierce glare, then turned away, sleeves swinging in anger.

His eyes are even more beautiful when he’s angry, Qin Ce couldn’t help but think. Then, he waved over Zhang Jia Rui and his sisters, bringing them back to the house to pack up. Although he had amnesia, he still had his survival instincts, he’d immediately understood Zhu Zi Yu’s meaning. But he’d inexplicably wanted to tease him more, admiring the little arrogant look in his glaring eyes. Even though he was scolded as a moron, his heart was somehow a little happy.

Seeing the landlord dismiss all of his servants, letting them each hide themselves, then take his bodyguards, personal servant girl, and nanny deep into the mountains and forests, the villagers finally panicked, quickly packing up their family to relocate.

Because the village head and Little Black strongly advised them, everyone left some food at home. But halfway through the journey, those backing out could be found everywhere, all clamoring to go back and collect it.

The village head quarreled with them until he got a headache, but he had no choice but to let them make their own decisions. After that, he took the rest of the peaceful villagers, fleeing uphill. Qin Ce led the six Zhang family members on a different route from the villagers. These people were too ignorant, timid, and meddlesome, if they hid with them, they’d most likely suffer a calamity.

Qin Ce campaigned by the border station all year round, his survival ability in the wild was very strong, soon finding a very covert cave. Just as he pushed aside the vines concealing the cave mouth, a sword struck out towards him. He dodged sideways and captured the holder’s wrist, twisting. He heard a crisp noise, kacha, the wrist fracturing, and the sword fell to the ground.

“Don’t attack us, we’re not enemies!” A familiar voice made Qin Ce immediately retract his killing intent.

“It’s the landlord.” Zhang Shu Lin’s father and mother saw the man clearly, then quickly rushed forward to salute, they also pulled their children over to firmly press down their heads in a bow.

“Stop, everyone is running for their lives, what use are these formalities.”  Zhou Yun Sheng led the group into the cave, then glared at Qin Ce, “Mister Strong Man over there, you broke my guard’s hand. What should I do if he’s disabled?”

“It’s not broken, just dislocated, it’ll be fine after I help him re-connect it.” Qin Ce pulled the guard’s wrist and neatly twisted it, the guard screamed, then was surprised to find that his wrist was better, smoothly flexible.

Zhou Yun Sheng gave a cold snort, then put the matter behind him.

Zhang Shu Lin saw that his father and mother were timid and awkward, so he had no choice but to take the initiative to chat, introducing his family to the landlord one by one. They didn’t know when the bandits would strike and when they would leave, everyone would have to live together in the cave for a few days. It was better to have a more harmonious relationship, otherwise, if the Zhu family, who had more people and power, drove them out to feed the wolves, it’d be terrible.

When he introduced Qin Ce, he didn’t notice the embarrassed look that flashed through the man’s eyes. Qin Ce hadn’t minded it before, but now, facing the ice sculpture, jade doll like Zhu Zi Yu, he unexpectedly felt that this nickname Little Black was indeed derogatory.

But he had always been very emotionally reserved, so he only quickly glanced at Zhou Yun Sheng then looked away.

Zhang Shu Lin was a chatterbox, as soon as he opened his mouth, he would talk endlessly. Zhou Yun Sheng indifferently responded, then noticed that Zhang Jia Rui would cast over eyes of hatred at him from time to time. He picked up a small branch and pointed it at him, saying, “I’ve always been meaning to ask, have I somehow offended your entire family? There’s always one looking at me like they wish they could eat me.”

“How could there be such a thing … …” Zhang Shu Lin was about to deny when Zhang Jia Rui sneered and said, “After cutting off my family’s livelihood, you actually blissfully forget everything in the blink of an eye?!”

“How did I cut off your family’s livelihood?” Zhou Yun Sheng narrowed his eyes at him.

“My family’s century egg recipe, didn’t you rob it?”

“Century egg recipe? Didn’t I send it back a while ago?” Zhou Yun Sheng twisted his eyebrows, expression doubtful.

“Don’t pretend, who doesn’t know what kind of person you are, Zhu Zi Yu. Li Jia and Wang Jia only charge 40% rent, but your Zhu family charges us 60% rent, forcing everyone to the brink of starvation.  You also forcefully take and heroically seize, wantonly bullying innocents, simply heartless!” The more Zhang Jia Rui spoke, the more furious he got.

“What nonsense! Didn’t my young master change the rent to 30% a long time ago? Where did you get your 60%?! You venomous slanderer!” Tweety couldn’t listen anymore, standing up with furrowed brows and blazing eyes.

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T/N:

Collaborating-双簧, shuānghuáng, a form of theatrical double act in which one performer speaks or sings while the other, in front, pretends to be doing the speaking or singing

Gongzi- son of an official / son of nobility

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Ha-Ru
Ha-Ru
9 months ago

I feel special hatred for ancestors who bore children just to use them, they should all suffer in hell imo like the ppl here… No matter what I would never sell my child do you know how many servants die in such households they r sold in…. These parents should never have been able to bore child tbh

Plew
Plew
1 year ago

As the male protagonist, Ning Si Nian’s appearance was naturally extraordinarily handsome, his almost 190cm tall stature made anything he wore look amazing.
excerpt from chapter 2
As long as his height was 190 cm and up
excerpt from this chapter

This is the ultimate proof to my theory that ML didn’t expect to follow MC the first time he did it and only started doing it on purpose from chapter 3 and on.
Thoughts ?

yel
yel
2 years ago

qin ce is the ML, isn’t he?? maybe he acted soft towards the protagonist shou because qin ce’s character was already in love with the protagonist shou when the ML entered the world, and it obviously affected him?? but with his interaction with yunsheng, he’s now beginning to realize who his real love is??