SPMT : Chapter 83 Accused of Being Prodigal

The Xiao Family.

“Mother, I saw the little fool today,” Xiao Yuefeng suddenly said at the dinner table.

Zheng Pei’er asked with some surprise, “Where did you see him?”

“At the stone gambling house. Mother, the little fool went stone gambling,” Xiao Yuefeng said.

Zheng Pei’er was stunned. Xiao Jingting used to like to gamble whenever he had nothing to do, but since returning this time, Xiao Jingting hadn’t gambled much. She hadn’t expected Xiao Xiaofan to start gambling. Xiao Xiaofan was just a tiny little thing, yet he was already gambling. How was Xiao Jingting raising his children?

“Did he go alone?” Zheng Pei’er asked.

“No, second uncle accompanied him,” Xiao Yuefeng said.

Hearing this, Xiao Qingyan looked up at Xiao Yuefeng and asked somewhat suspiciously, “Since ancient times, mountains of silver can’t fill a stone gambling house. You need several thousand or tens of thousands of taels to dare enter such places. Does the little fool have that much money?”

“The little fool selected many, many stones. In the end, it came to over eight thousand taels. The little fool had three thousand taels himself, Xiao Xiaodong paid three thousand taels for him, and second uncle paid the remaining two thousand taels,” Xiao Yuefeng said.

“Eight thousand taels? Son, are you mistaken? Was it eight hundred taels?” Zheng Pei’er couldn’t help but widen her eyes.

Eight thousand taels – how much money was that! Xiao Qingyan only gave her a few hundred taels monthly allowance. Fortunately, her family would supplement some, otherwise she couldn’t even afford clothes and jewelry.

How old was Xiao Xiaofan! Such a tiny little thing – where did he get three thousand taels to spend?

Xiao Yuefeng shook his head and said, “I didn’t! Quan San also saw it. Mother, if you don’t believe me, you can ask him! It really was three thousand taels. The little fool bought a pile of broken stones.”

Zheng Pei’er: “…” What was Xiao Jingting thinking, actually giving a child so much silver?

Xiao Qingyan narrowed his eyes. He had gone to look at Xiao Jinfeng’s shop today and found that business really was good. Moreover, he heard that because the weather was bad today, business was already considered poor. Xiao Qingyan had always thought Zheng Pei’er’s letters exaggerated how good the shop’s business was. Only after really going to look did he know how good business was.

Previously, father and mother had wanted him to help his second and third brothers, but he hadn’t taken it seriously then. If he brought it up again now, it would probably be too late. Xiao Qingyan secretly regretted his carelessness in missing the opportunity.

“Mother, didn’t you say children don’t need much allowance? But the little fool has three thousand taels,” Xiao Yuerong said dissatisfiedly.

Zheng Pei’er frowned and said, “Don’t make trouble.”

Xiao Yuerong said sullenly, “Mother, you’re too stingy. Look how generous third uncle is to that idiot little fool, but when I want to buy a toy, you won’t buy it for me.”

Xiao Yuerong spoke without thinking, but Xiao Qingyan listened with intent. Xiao Qingyan thought privately: He really wasn’t doing very well. Before, he got the first share of everything in the family, but now his younger brother had opened a beverage shop and was much more prosperous than him.

…

Having received what Xiao Xiaofan gained from stone gambling, Xiao Jingting was so excited he could barely contain himself and didn’t even eat dinner.

Xiao Xiaofan had originally wanted to call Xiao Jingting and Xu Mu’an for dinner, but Xiao Xiaodong stopped him.

Xiao Xiaodong thought the two parents might be being lovey-dovey and didn’t have time to come eat, so he stopped Xiao Xiaofan. After letting Xiao Xiaofan eat some buns and steamed bread, they went to sleep. Though Xiao Xiaofan was reluctant, he grudgingly accepted.

Early the next morning, the family gathered around the table to eat breakfast as usual.

“Son, the pile of stones you bought yesterday was quite good,” Xiao Jingting rubbed Xiao Xiaofan’s head, full of praise.

Xiao Xiaofan said excitedly, “They’re good, right? Those stones all felt very comfortable to touch! I knew you’d like them, father. Brother said I was wasting money, and second uncle said never again.”

“Those stones felt comfortable to touch? How were they comfortable?” Xiao Jingting asked somewhat confused.

Xiao Xiaofan tilted his head, thought for a moment and said, “I don’t know! They just felt very comfortable!”

Xiao Xiaodong looked at Xiao Xiaofan strangely but said nothing.

Xiao Xiaodong had originally thought his brother buying stones was wasteful, but seeing him cry and make a fuss with the attitude of “if you don’t agree, I’ll wet my pants in the shop,” he had to compromise.

But now seeing his parents’ reaction, Xiao Xiaodong immediately realized that pile of things probably contained good stuff. Had his brother really hit the jackpot?

Xiao Jingting glanced at Xiao Xiaodong and said, “Xiaodong, the soft pillow you gave was also very nice.”

Xiao Xiaodong smiled and said, “Thank you, father.”

While the family was eating, Xiao Jingting received a message from Xiao Linfeng telling him to hurry back to the Xiao family.

“What’s wrong?” Xu Mu’an asked.

Xiao Jingting frowned and said, “I don’t know. Father wants me to hurry back.”

Xu Mu’an asked in confusion, “Why the sudden call to return?”

Xiao Jingting shook his head and said, “I don’t know either. It seems urgent.”

“I know what it is,” Xiao Xiaofan raised his hand.

“What do you know?” Xu Mu’an asked Xiao Xiaofan.

“It must be that eldest uncle’s drug use caused problems, so grandpa urgently called you back. Eldest uncle really doesn’t behave himself. At his age still taking drugs – even I know you shouldn’t take drugs,” Xiao Xiaofan said, shaking his head and sighing.

Xiao Jingting: “…” Why was his son so obsessed with the idea of Xiao Qingyan taking drugs?

“Just eat your food,” Xiao Xiaodong put two pieces of meat in Xiao Xiaofan’s bowl, making Xiao Xiaofan feel flattered.

…

“Everyone’s here!” Xiao Qingyan glanced at Xiao Jingting and Xiao Jinfeng.

Xiao Jingting nodded and said, “Yes! Father, what did you want us for?”

Xiao Linfeng said with a dark face, “The Marquis’s mansion just sent orders requiring all major families in Desert City to participate in a competition organized by the Marquis’s mansion.”

Xiao Jingting asked curiously, “Father, what’s this competition? Are there rewards?”

Xiao Linfeng glanced at Xiao Jingting and said, “Of course there are rewards for the competition! And they’re quite generous. However, few people usually survive the competition. Most who can get rewards are young people from the Marquis’s mansion.”

Xiao Jingting looked at Xiao Linfeng in confusion and said, “Few survive? Why?”

“To ensure the Marquis’s mansion’s absolute control, the Marquis doesn’t want too many talents to emerge from the cities under its jurisdiction. So the Marquis organizes this competition, which is actually a conspiracy – using high rewards to stimulate participants to kill each other.”

Xiao Jingting: “…” This world was truly terrifying! But with limited resources, mutual slaughter over resources wasn’t strange.

“In the Marquis’s mansion, some people your age have reached the seventh or even eighth layer of Qi Refining. Compared to them, you have no competitive advantage at all.”

“Moreover, according to past conventions, the competition uses a point system. At the beginning, the Marquis’s mansion gives each participant an iron token worth ten points. Taking other participants’ iron tokens increases your points,” Xiao Linfeng said.

Xiao Jingting: “…” Wasn’t the Marquis’s mansion forcing participants to kill each other?

“If we encounter tough opponents, we can just give them our iron tokens directly,” Xiao Jingting said.

Xiao Qingyan looked at Xiao Jingting disdainfully and said, “That’s all the backbone you have – surrendering before fighting.”

Xiao Jingting: “…” When encountering very tough opponents, protecting oneself wisely didn’t seem shameful. Playing hero and losing one’s life pointlessly was truly tragic. Having died once before, he really didn’t value courage that much.

“Your choice isn’t wrong either. But when you encounter the first tough opponent, they might spare you because you voluntarily give up your identity token. But what about the second one? They won’t believe you threw away your identity token – they’ll think you hid it and kill you to search your body,” Xiao Linfeng said coldly.

Xiao Jingting swallowed hard, feeling his heart pounding. Oh dear, how was he supposed to survive in this terrifying world!

“Father, can we not participate in the competition?” Xiao Jingting asked.

“The competitions organized by the Marquis’s mansion have too many casualties. Before, people from one city united and chose not to participate,” Xiao Linfeng suddenly stopped here.

Xiao Jingting widened his eyes with curiosity. Xiao Qingyan glanced at Xiao Jingting contemptuously and continued, “As a result, the Marquis’s mansion sent two Foundation Establishment cultivators and slaughtered all the major families in that city who were invited but didn’t send participants!”

Xiao Jingting took a deep breath. This world where experts could kill without legal consequences was truly shocking!

“This time the Marquis’s mansion sent invitations to the four major families of Desert City. All cultivators from the four major families who are at the fifth layer of Qi Refining or above and under forty years old must participate. All three of you are within the quota. Under the Marquis’s jurisdiction are thirty-six cities. Desert City ranks third from the bottom and doesn’t always receive invitations, but this time…” Xiao Linfeng’s voice was low, with lingering worry in his expression.

“Father, don’t worry. I heard the top ten in this competition get Ice Heart Pills as rewards. I’ll definitely perform well and bring you honor,” Xiao Qingyan said confidently.

“Just do your best,” Xiao Linfeng said.

Xiao Jinfeng narrowed his eyes. Generally, the higher the rewards, the greater the danger of the competition. For rewards, the cultivators inside would stop at nothing. From father’s attitude, Xiao Jinfeng easily discovered that father didn’t seem very optimistic about eldest brother.

“Would finding a place to hide inside work?” Xiao Jingting asked.

Xiao Linfeng nodded and said, “It’s possible, but many participants are skilled in tracking techniques. It’s not easy to hide.”

“Third brother, why do you only think about avoiding things?” Xiao Qingyan asked.

Xiao Jingting smiled awkwardly and said, “Father said there would be seventh and eighth layer Qi Refining cultivators participating!”

Xiao Qingyan said disdainfully, “Even so, you shouldn’t just give up like this!”

“Should I just go up there and let them chop me down?” Xiao Jingting said irritably.

“Enough! At a time like this, instead of helping each other, you only know how to fight among yourselves,” Xiao Linfeng said irritably.

Xiao Jingting sheepishly closed his mouth. As a 21st century youth born under the red flag and raised in the new era, Xiao Jingting had been law-abiding since childhood and hadn’t even killed a mouse. Suddenly hearing about life-and-death combat with a bunch of people, he was quite shocked, okay?

“Alright, in seven days you’ll set out for the Marquis’s territory. Prepare well before then,” Xiao Linfeng said.

“Seven days? Why so urgent?” Xiao Jingting said.

“The Marquis’s mansion also issued the decree suddenly, probably to catch people off guard,” Xiao Linfeng said.

Xiao Jingting: “…” The Marquis’s mansion was really despicable! Xiao Jingting suddenly remembered that when he was in Earth Mound Village, the people who came for fines were from the Marquis’s mansion.

“Jingting, you’re very indulgent with your two sons!” Xiao Qingyan suddenly said.

Xiao Jingting: “… What do you mean by that, eldest brother?”

Xiao Qingyan smiled and said, “You gave eight thousand taels to your son who’s not even as tall as a table to go stone gambling. If that’s not indulgence, what is? Third brother, you have money but don’t know to honor your parents. Instead, you give it to your son to waste. What were you thinking?”

Xiao Jingting: “…” What was he thinking? He was happy to do so.

Xiao Jingting smiled and said, “Eldest brother, you don’t understand. Stone gambling is all about luck. Children have good luck. Actually, buying so many stones last time, we did find some useful things. All in all, we didn’t lose money.”

Xiao Qingyan said irritably, “Jingting, you really spoil your child. You can even say such nonsense – he spent eight thousand taels!”

Xiao Jingting: “…” What he said was indeed false. Not counting other things, just that spirit pearl was worth tens of thousands of taels.

“How is what I said nonsense? Xiaofan’s purchases were expensive, but his success rate was high too!” Xiao Jingting said irritably.

Xiao Linfeng looked at Xiao Jingting and said, “Jingting, is there really such a thing? Your son is so young and already stone gambling?”

Xiao Jingting: “…” His son was so trendy! “Xiaofan doesn’t understand, but fortunately his luck was good and he didn’t lose out.”

Xiao Linfeng asked somewhat doubtfully, “Really?”

Xiao Jingting nodded and said, “Father, would I lie to you? My money doesn’t just fall from the sky.”

Xiao Linfeng nodded and said, “As long as you know what you’re doing.”