SPMT : Chapter 66: Fox and Dog Friends

Xiao Xiaofan returned to the villa holding a pile of toys, and when Xiao Qingyan saw Xiao Xiaofan’s smiling face, he immediately became furious.

His son was still lying in bed, yet this boy Xiao Xiaofan had gone out with Xiao Jingting and Xiao Jinfeng to eat delicacies. Xiao Jingting had said he was taking Little Fool back to educate him, but this was how he educated – taking him out for good food and buying him toys.

Seeing Xiao Qingyan, Xiao Xiaofan immediately hid behind Xiao Jingting.

Although Xiao Xiaofan wasn’t very smart, he had the instinct to seek benefit and avoid harm. He knew Xiao Qingyan was not to be messed with and immediately became alert.

Xiao Qingyan looked at Xiao Jingting darkly, “Third Brother, what fine spirits! Taking the whole family out to play. Weren’t you going to educate your son? Is this how you educate him?”

“Big Brother, I did educate him. I told my son that if he bullies people again, he won’t get good food or toys anymore. He was terrified – look how scared he is, hiding away,” Xiao Jingting said.

Xiao Qingyan smiled without warmth, “Third Brother, such thoughtful effort.”

“Not bad, not bad. Educating children is really hard work,” Xiao Jingting said with long sighs.

Hearing Xiao Jingting’s words, Xiao Qingyan’s face contorted.

After getting rid of Xiao Qingyan, Xiao Jingting and Xu Mu’an returned to their villa.

Xu Mu’an looked at the person sitting lazily on the bed rubbing his feet, feeling somewhat speechless.

“I think I saw several large trading companies on the street today,” Xiao Jingting said.

Xu Mu’an nodded, “Yes, Mo City isn’t like the countryside. The trading companies have plenty of magical instruments and talismans, but unfortunately… they’re too expensive.”

In the past, with his tight finances, he didn’t even dare to enter. Occasionally when he gathered courage to go in once, the shop attendants would see his shabby appearance and have no desire to serve him. Some would even drive him out, mockingly saying such places weren’t for people like him.

After several such experiences, Xu Mu’an would only stand outside the shops, looking longingly at the various dazzling light displays.

“I still have thirty to forty thousand taels of silver on hand. Let’s go take a look,” Xiao Jingting said.

Xu Mu’an asked somewhat strangely, “Why didn’t we go today?”

Xiao Jingting said somewhat embarrassedly, “As you said, they’re big trading companies! Everything is expensive. If we went in and Xiaofan wanted this and that, but I couldn’t afford it, how embarrassing would that be!”

Xu Mu’an: “…” So that was the reason. Really…

“You offended Big Brother today,” Xu Mu’an said.

Xiao Jingting said lazily, “What’s to fear? I offended him long ago. Big Brother is really strange – he used to constantly mention the academy, acting like he was number one in the world whenever it was brought up. Recently, he mentions it much less.”

“Probably not having a good time at the academy,” Xu Mu’an said.

Xiao Jingting nodded, thinking: Bifeng Academy should be equivalent to a prestigious school from his previous life. Although prestigious schools have great reputations and impressive credentials that give face when mentioned, there’s no shortage of internal struggles in academies either. In his previous life, student suicides at Tsinghua and Peking University were not uncommon.

“What do you know?” Xiao Jingting asked.

“Your big brother was previously pursuing Miss Ouyang Jing from the Marquis’s mansion. Ouyang Jing now seems to have hooked up with a seventh-layer Qi Refining expert at the academy. Ouyang Jing told that person that your big brother was harassing her. As a result, that seventh-layer cultivator had people deal with your big brother to stand up for Ouyang Jing, making it impossible for your big brother to move around the academy.”

“Fortunately, the academy has its rules and regulations. Although your big brother was targeted, those people didn’t dare go too far. Once the storm passes, it should be fine.”

Xiao Jingting stroked his chin, “No wonder Big Brother didn’t mention the academy much this time.” So he couldn’t get along at the academy.

Xiao Jingting looked at Xu Mu’an, his eyes bright, “Alright, let’s not talk about him. Let’s go to bed.”

Xu Mu’an looked at Xiao Jingting’s dark, shining eyes and couldn’t help blushing.

…

“Third Young Master, you have visitors,” a servant came to report just as Xiao Jingting got up.

“Who is it?” Xiao Jingting asked.

“Young Master Sun Qi from the Sun family, Young Master Zheng Liming from the Zheng family,” the servant said.

Xiao Jingting’s face immediately showed helpless colors – the original owner’s fair-weather friends! As the saying goes, a hero has three helpers, and a wastrel also has three helpers! The difference is that when disaster strikes, a hero’s three helpers can provide help in time of need, while a wastrel’s three helpers each sweep the snow from their own doorsteps when disaster strikes.

Xu Mu’an shook his head, “They really came after all! Later than I expected.”

In any big family, there are always a few pieces of bad apples who don’t strive for progress and only know how to indulge in wine and women. The original owner, Sun Qi, and Zheng Liming were roughly such bad apples.

The difference was that Xiao Jingting was from the Xiao family’s direct line, while Sun Qi and Zheng Liming, though from the Sun and Zheng families, were from branch lines. Comparatively, their status and treatment were much worse than Xiao Jingting’s. When they went out to play together, basically eight out of ten times it was Xiao Jingting who paid.

When the original owner was in trouble, Xiao Jingting had also put aside his pride to seek help from these two, but got no response.

Xiao Jingting rubbed his fingers disdainfully, “Refusing to help when I was in mortal danger, now running over eagerly – such thick faces.”

Xu Mu’an smiled. In this world, fawning over the powerful and trampling on the weak was the norm.

“Will you see them?” Xu Mu’an asked.

Xiao Jingting shrugged, “Since they’re here, I have to go out and send them away!”

Xiao Jingting and Xu Mu’an went out. As soon as Sun Qi saw Xiao Jingting, he showed an excited expression, “Brother Xiao, long time no see – I’ve missed you to death.”

Xiao Jingting scoffed, “If you missed me, how come you didn’t visit me in Tuqiu Village!”

Sun Qi smiled awkwardly, “Recently, my family has been strict with me – I really couldn’t get away!”

Xiao Jingting smiled without warmth, “Is that so? Now you have time. When I went to find you before, your family’s servants said you were in closed-door cultivation, swearing not to come out until reaching the fourth layer of Qi Refining. Looking at your current cultivation…” Still at the third layer of Qi Refining!

Sun Qi laughed dryly twice, “I don’t have Brother Xiao’s talent. After months of closed-door cultivation, I still haven’t achieved anything. Brother Xiao, you’ve really made it – reaching the fifth layer of Qi Refining at this age. In my opinion, Brother Xiao will definitely be able to advance to the ninth layer of Qi Refining in the future and dominate a region.”

Xiao Jingting waved his hand, “I wouldn’t dare hope to dominate a region – just making a living.”

Seeing Xiao Jingting’s cold attitude, Sun Qi felt somewhat awkward.

“Brother Xiao, since you’ve finally returned, we brothers have arranged a banquet for you at Cuiwei Tower,” Zheng Liming said.

Xiao Jingting rubbed his forehead. Mentioning setting up a banquet at a brothel in front of his wife – really…

Xu Mu’an looked at Sun Qi with an unfriendly expression, “You two brothers needn’t be so polite. Cuiwei Tower isn’t cheap – no need to trouble you two brothers with the expense.”

Zheng Liming frowned at Xu Mu’an, then turned his gaze to Xiao Jingting, clearly not taking Xu Mu’an seriously.

Xiao Jingting glanced at Xu Mu’an and smiled, “Mu’an’s meaning is my meaning.”

Zheng Liming said with complete surprise, “Brother Xiao, are you cultivating moral character now! Miss Jinhong from Cuiwei Tower was asking about you. After you left, Miss Jinhong was sad for a long time.”

Xiao Jingting narrowed his eyes. In his memory, Jinhong seemed to be a woman who wasn’t very young anymore, dressed somewhat vulgarly, apparently popular before but no longer having her former glory.

That woman was quite perceptive and good at coaxing people. The original owner, being simple-minded, was completely enchanted by that woman. After the original owner left, losing such a fool with money, no wonder she was sad for a long time…

The original owner had terrible taste to fancy such a woman. Xiao Jingting recalled what the original owner had done and felt his head ache. Damn it, why did he have to transmigrate into such a person?

“Miss Jinhong has so many admirers – how could she still remember me! Brother Zheng is really joking,” Xiao Jingting said.

“Jingting, you’re wrong about that. Miss Jinhong treats you differently from others.”

Xu Mu’an snorted coldly, “A worn-out shoe that’s been used by thousands and ridden by tens of thousands – why do you insist on pushing her on Jingting? What are your intentions! If there’s nothing else, leave quickly.”

Sun Qi was stunned, looking at Xu Mu’an with complete surprise, then focusing his gaze on Xiao Jingting with a look of ‘control your wife.’

Xiao Jingting played with the ring on his hand, ignoring Sun Qi’s gaze. Sun Qi looked at Xu Mu’an strangely, as if seeing Xu Mu’an anew.

“You two’s kind intentions are too much for Jingting to bear. As for that Miss Jinhong, you two should enjoy her yourselves. Jingting’s cultivation isn’t very stable – he needs to enter closed-door cultivation recently. Don’t come if there’s nothing important,” Xu Mu’an said fiercely.

“Sister-in-law, how can you say that?” Sun Qi said dissatisfiedly.

“He’s right – I really need to enter closed-door cultivation recently,” Xiao Jingting said.

“Brother Xiao, what joke are you making?” Generally speaking, only eighth or ninth-layer Qi Refining cultivators needed closed-door cultivation.

“How am I joking? You two at the third layer of Qi Refining can enter closed-door cultivation – can’t I at the fifth layer?” Xiao Jingting said.

Sun Qi and Zheng Liming felt extremely awkward. After exchanging a few more pleasantries, they left.

…

“Bah, what things – getting successful and not recognizing people,” Sun Qi’s face changed as soon as they left the Xiao family.

“That guy Xiao Jingting actually became henpecked. Who knows what tricks that Xu Mu’an used,” Zheng Liming said with amazement.

“This guy used to not even look at Xu Mu’an properly. Mentioning Xu Mu’an was like mentioning something disgusting and dirty. After going out once and coming back, he actually became henpecked. These days, any weird thing can happen.”

“I heard that after Xiao Jingting was expelled from the family, he could only depend on Xu Mu’an for survival, so their relationship improved.”

“That guy Xu Mu’an is also good at pushing his luck. In the countryside with no beauties, he caught Xiao Jingting’s eye. Wait a few days until Xiao Jingting returns to normal – he’ll have nowhere to cry.”

“Exactly. A bastard born of a servant really thinks he’s somebody.”

Previously, Xiao Jingting, Sun Qi, and Zheng Liming often hung out together. Because Xiao Jingting was most favored and had the most money, all three followed Xiao Jingting’s lead.

Sun Qi appeared respectful to Xiao Jingting on the surface but was actually extremely jealous. When Xiao Jingting’s parents met with misfortune and he was expelled from the Xiao family, Sun Qi was actually extremely gleeful, thinking this bastard Xiao Jingting had finally capsized.

He hadn’t expected this situation to have a dramatic reversal – not only were Xiao Jingting’s parents alive, but Xiao Jingting had also advanced to the fifth layer of Qi Refining.

“It’s a pity we don’t know how he managed to advance to the fifth layer of Qi Refining,” Zheng Liming said.

“I heard this guy had dumb luck – he discovered a heavenly treasure in the mountain forests near Tuqiu Village, which is why he advanced,” Sun Qi said.

“This wastrel’s luck is really good – encountering such things,” Zheng Liming said enviously.

“Exactly,” Sun Qi said with red eyes.

“The mountain forests near Tuqiu Village actually produced heavenly treasures. Sometime I should go take a look too,” Zheng Liming said.

Sun Qi smiled bitterly, “You think you’re the only one who thought of that! The news that Xiao Jingting advanced by consuming heavenly treasures couldn’t be kept secret at all. All four great families sent people to search for opportunities in the mountain forests near Tuqiu Village. They did find several spirit plants, but they were all very ordinary spirit plants.”

After Sun Qi and Zheng Liming left, Xiao Jingting secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He didn’t know what kind of character the original owner was to make such messy friends.

“Mu’an, you were really handsome just now,” Xiao Jingting said to Xu Mu’an.

Xu Mu’an smiled helplessly. Life was unpredictable! He had never thought that one day he would be able to righteously scold Xiao Jingting’s drinking buddies.

“You have quite a few of these friends,” Xu Mu’an said.

Xiao Jingting scoffed, “It would be fine if these guys didn’t come. If they do come, I’ll throw them all out.” When the original owner was in trouble, none of those guys helped.

“Aren’t you afraid of affecting your reputation?” Xu Mu’an asked.

Xiao Jingting said dismissively, “What’s to fear? I originally had no reputation anyway.”

Xu Mu’an: “…” That was true indeed!