13 Chapter 13
◎Come to the city to make a living◎
Mu Yun's mouth twitched, not knowing what Cheng Mu was laughing at. Gui Er was still confused and just said foolishly, "Mu Yun, you are amazing."
Cheng Mu laughed and instructed Gui'er, "Guier, don't think about other people's moves. Just rely on your instincts. This time, Muyun, you throw the first punch."
Mu Yun punched at her, and Gui'er instinctively dodged. If she was slow to dodge, she would be hit twice. If she dodged again, she would crash into the tree trunk. Cheng Mu shouted, "Guier, fight back!"
Gui'er became more aggressive and met the punches and kicks with his arms, closing the distance between the two men, and hugged Mu Yun to throw him.
Mu Yun was hugged by a voluptuous person. His mind went blank for a moment. Then he struggled hard and exerted great strength, and his neck and face turned red.
From then on, there was no more fighting. It was all about wrestling, throwing and rolling, which relied on strength and endurance. Mu Yun had no advantage at all. The stalemate lasted for a long time, and finally ended with him being pinned to the ground by Gui'er, unable to move.
Cheng Mu was so engrossed in watching that she didn't notice that Jiang and Yu had come out. Yu had a sullen look on her face and told Gui'er to get up. She said goodbye to Cheng Mu and left.
Captain Lin also came out of the house. He said to the frustrated Mu Yun, "Come with me."
Following Captain Lin's back as he led Mu Yun out, Jiang sighed, "Mu Yun has been studying for so long, yet he lost to Gui Er. I never expected that. This girl Gui Er is quite formidable."
Cheng Mu noticed that both Yu and Constable Lin looked unhappy. She said to Jiang, "Aunt, please don't waste your energy in the future. If it ends like this today, Aunt Yu will definitely blame me."
Jiang spat, "She's really a piece of shit, with a sour face and a stubborn temper. Am I pushing her into the fire pit or something? I've said all the nice things, and I've only had a few opportunities like this, but she doesn't appreciate my kindness. I don't care."
Jiang also left, and only Cheng Mu was left in the house. She went back to clean up the cups and plates.
It was a happy housewarming event, but the people who came went back in a bad mood. Cheng Mu thought pessimistically that it was a bad omen.
When she finished cleaning up, Mu Yun still hadn't returned.
When he first went to Captain Lin to become his apprentice, he was beaten unilaterally by him, and not a single spot on his body was injured. Mu Yun did not think of giving up, he was waiting to see how long he could hold on. Later, Qi Song came and tested his skills and gave him the evaluation of "vulnerable". In order to prove himself, he studied diligently, thinking that he had made great progress in the past two months. Who knew that he was defeated by Gui'er, Gui'er was a woman. He worked so hard for two months with injuries all over his body, but he was no match for a woman. This greatly hit his self-esteem.
Captain Lin took him away and taught him how to counter and escape from Gui'er's grab and choke. Mu Yun was distracted and began to doubt whether he was not suitable for martial arts and had no talent for it.
Captain Lin scolded, "A true man acts regardless of success or failure. Success is certainly gratifying, and failure is also joyful. But just because you lost once, have you lost your ambition?"
Mu Yun was unwilling to give up just like that. "Why am I still not as strong as a woman even though I train hard day and night?"
Captain Lin said, "Even if a baby in swaddling clothes practices hard day and night, it can't beat a child with a crown. Similarly, no matter how hard a child practices day and night, it can't beat a man who has come of age. You are not ready yet. Wait two or three years and you'll see."
What Captain Lin said made sense, but he didn't explain it in detail. Mu Yun didn't understand the difference between men and women. He only heard that he should wait for two or three years, and then wait again.
He had been waiting two or three years ago, but he hadn't become much better after two or three years. Now he is thinking about what will happen two or three years later, like a goal that can never be achieved. It makes him feel discouraged and hopeless.
He left Captain Lin dejectedly and returned to his home. He wandered for a long time, feeling ashamed to face Madam Cheng, so Mu Yun turned and went to the street.
After wandering aimlessly in the streets for an hour or so, he came to a vegetable garden. In the distance, a crescent moon hung on the treetops, like a scimitar. Mu Yun stopped and looked for a while, but did not notice that a few ruffians had quietly surrounded him.
The night was too dark to see the faces of the people clearly. I could only see that they were dressed in rags, as thin as monkeys, about the same height as him, standing crookedly, and relying on their numbers to surround him.
Mu Yun raised his voice and said, "My dear fellows, please lend me a way."
Several people laughed and said, "This vegetable garden is our livelihood. How dare you, kid, to tamper with it?"
Mu Yun replied, "I'm just passing through here, just to borrow a path, and I don't dare to touch a single blade of grass."
"We told you to move, so you move. If you don't leave money, you can't leave!"
Mu Yun sneered, "There are also bandits robbing people on the road in Puyang City."
Several people laughed together and gradually approached. One tried to grab his left leg, and the other tried to grab his right leg, hoping to flip him over. Mu Yun didn't wait for them to get close. He took a step forward and kicked one person down with his right leg. He turned around and kicked the other person over. He was so fast that the other three standing people were stunned. They didn't react until the people rushed towards them.
Once you realize you've been surrounded by a tough guy, it's too late to regret.
They relied on their numbers to surround the enemy. Two fell, and three more came up. When one side fell, another side pressed forward. Mu Yun dealt with it easily at first, but with so many people, the attacks kept coming one after another. After a long time, he gradually became unable to hold on. He didn't want to fight any longer and planned to find a loophole to escape.
The two hooligans screamed, flew high behind him, and fell heavily to the ground.
Mu Yun turned around and saw Qi Song, who scolded him, "With just these few bastards, can't we make a quick decision?"
Mu Yun kept silent. The two of them joined forces and soon beat the hooligans to the point that they lay on the ground, unable to get up, and begged for mercy.
Qi Song shouted, "You bastards, I'll spare your lives today. If we see you again with bad intentions, we'll throw you straight into the cesspool!"
The ruffians kept shouting, "Don't dare, don't dare."
Since Qi Song appeared, he followed Mu Yun wherever he went.
"Young Master, I have already resigned from my job in front of the boss. From now on, I will follow you."
"Since you don't work for the Wu family, why are you looking for me?"
"Teach you boxing and kicking."
"Madam Cheng hired a master for me."
"She doesn't understand the business of the escort agency."
"I've already left the Wu family. What does it matter whether I know about the escort agency or not?"
"If you don't understand the Escort Agency, how can you fight back?"
Mu Yun paused and stared at Qi Song's face for a long moment, trying to confirm whether he meant what he said. Qi Song then asked, "The Wu family bullied and humiliated you, and you just ran away like this, handing the escort agency over to Master Zhi?"
Mu Yun didn't believe him. "The head of the Wu family hired you to work and supported you for the rest of your life, not letting you become homeless in old age. Yet you come here to teach me how to take over the Wu family?"
"Why not?" Qi Song said calmly, "Those who are capable will take charge."
Mu Yun chuckled twice, "Uncle Qi, don't try to tease me. I don't care about his Wu family."
"The young master brought me with him, and he had to find a reason to tell Madam Cheng."
"Don't even think about it!" Who knows if you're here to spy on me? Mu Yun ran as fast as he could, leaving the lame man far behind.
In the morning, when Cheng Mu was scooping water from the bucket with a ladle, she suddenly stared at the ladle for a long time. After washing up, she found an awl, sat there, clamped the gourd ladle between her knees, and drilled a hole in it with all her strength.
When Jiang came to see her, she saw that there was a hole in the ladle. She asked her with concern why she had a hole in it and how she could scoop water if it was broken.
Cheng Mu kept the question a secret and said, "I have my own use. What brings you here so early in the morning?"
Jiang's eyebrows danced with joy. "Madam Cheng, when you first rented my yard, you wanted to find a doorman. Now that you two live in such a big house, do you still need a doorman?"
This is her business again. Cheng Mu asked, "Aunt, why did you suddenly think of this?"
"It's just that a good candidate suddenly appeared," Jiang took Cheng Mu's hand and sat down. "Auntie, let me tell you, you are young, an orphan and a widow, and your uncle is still a child. It would be better to have an old man to look after the house. He can live in front of the door, and people who come and go can report you and keep an eye on you. He came from Cangzhou and has some skills. He can keep ordinary scoundrels under control."
Cheng Mu was curious, "Who is it?" Who was it that made Jiang feel like she had found a treasure?
"If you agree, I'll ask him to come and see you."
"How can I agree without seeing the person, Auntie? Let me tell you this, I judge people by their first impression. If they don't suit my taste, I won't agree."
"That's natural. Everything is subject to fate."
Jiang went away happily. Mu Yun came over from the vegetable garden.
"Muyun, are you hungry? Aunt Jiang will bring someone over soon. How about we hire a doorman?"
"No big deal." Mu Yun put down the rake. "The land for the taro has been turned over."
Cheng Mu first said she had turned over a new patch of soil next to the vegetable patch. She was going to plant potatoes. "I'll plant them when the sprouts appear in the next two days." Seeing Mu Yun staring at the awl and ladle in her hand, she handed them to him and said, "Drill five or six holes in the bottom that are as thick as your little finger."
Mu Yun took it, hooked his foot back, hooked the stool under his buttocks, and asked casually, "What is it for?"
"I want to try making taro flour. You should buy a good ladle when you have time. I'll just use a bowl for now."
Mu Yun's hands were stronger than hers, and he quickly drilled several holes.
Jiang came with her people, "Madam Cheng."
Cheng Mu turned around and smiled, "This old man,"
Jiang asked, "Do you know him?"
Cheng Mu nodded and bowed to the man. "A few days ago, in the alley west of the city, Uncle Quanzhang saved me. Please accept my greeting."
Qi Song returned the greeting, "A martial artist will help others when he sees injustice. Thank you for your courtesy, young lady."
Jiang slapped her thigh and said happily, "Oh, what a deep connection! There is even this other reason."
Cheng Mu asked him if he had found his grandson that day. He said it was his nephew, who had returned to his hometown in Cangzhou. "The old man's surname is Qi, and he is alone. He came to the city to make a living."
Jiang felt that everything was stable and winked at Cheng Mu happily.
With a bang, Mu Yun threw the awl on the ladle, stood up and said, "I don't agree."
He rejected Qi Song last night, but today he found an excuse to come to his house.
"I just asked him, and he disagreed," Cheng Mu said to Jiang, "Uncle doesn't agree, so let's forget about it." She then apologized to Qi Song, "Uncle Qi, Aunt Jiang, please wait a moment."
Cheng Mu took two packages from the kitchen and handed one to Jiang, "I bought some taro to plant. Pick out some and take them to add to the dish." She gave the other to Qi Song, "Although we are not destined to be master and servant, I still have to thank Uncle Qi for his kindness. It's not a good thing, but I grind my own tofu, it's not hard to chew, and you can eat it after boiling it."
Although Jiang didn't accomplish this task, she also gained a huge benefit. Sweet potato was something she wanted to buy but couldn't find anywhere else, and it tasted so good. Her mood improved, and she led her people away.
Mu Yun had a gloomy face, thinking that Cheng Mu would say something to him after everyone left, and he was anxious to find a reason.
Cheng Mu packed up the things and called Mu Yun to go with her to wash the taro starch.
"Why don't you ask me why I disagree?"
Cheng Mu didn't care. "Do you have a reason? If you want to, just say it. If you don't want to, that's fine too. Sometimes you don't need a reason to like someone, and it doesn't matter if you don't like them."
After peeling the sweet potato, soak it in water for a long time. Now take it out and put the chopping board in the basin. Use the knife to chop the sweet potato into slices, shreds and cubes.
Cheng Mu demonstrated a few moves and handed the knife and chopping board to Mu Yun.
After thinking for a long time, Mu Yun said, "Having one more person at home sometimes means more danger."
Cheng Wei agreed, "It would be much better if we had the other party's indenture. We can talk about it later if we need someone. Now it's up to you whether you want it or not."
Cheng Xi is a cautious person. She would not make these things unless she moved out. She made potato flour to try out the potato chain industry. She knew the principles and could try out the standard process, which would be another fortune.
With Mu Yun's help, the space is now planted with almost all the vegetable and grain seeds available on the market. She has completed the first step of collection, and the next step is optimization, for example, growing potatoes with high starch content, and then processing them into ingredients that are easy to store.
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