In the afternoon, Zhang Bin sullenly walked out of Xiao Fang's home carrying a side of wild boar meat.
Mother Cheng followed behind him, scolding, "Xiao Bin, I'm truly grateful that you saved Xiao Fang. But if you think saving her entitles you to marry her, you're being utterly shameless. Just look at your family's situation! You have nothing to your name, your father is seriously ill, and you have a sister still in high school..."
Zhang Bin was incredibly frustrated. He hadn't even proposed marrying Xiao Fang; he had simply brought over some wild boar meat as a gift.
But Mother Cheng was too shrewd. She saw through his intentions at a glance, which was why she adamantly refused the meat and immediately threw him out.
"How dare Xiao Bin set his sights on Xiao Fang? He's just humiliating himself!"
"What's wrong with that Xiao Bin kid today? Is he possessed?"
"Sigh... If his father wasn't sick, he and Xiao Fang might have had a chance."
Neighbors from the surrounding houses came out to watch the spectacle, murmuring amongst themselves.
"Mom, that's enough..." Xiao Fang's face flushed with embarrassment as she tried to stop her mother. She turned to Zhang Bin and apologized repeatedly, "Brother Bin, I'm so sorry. This must be so humiliating for you..."
However, Mother Cheng continued her tirade. "Listen here, Xiao Bin, I'll have Xiao Fang's father visit you to express our thanks. But you need to know your place..."
"Auntie, I, Zhang Bin, may be poor now, but that doesn't mean I'll be poor forever!" Zhang Bin finally snapped, turning to face her with an imposing aura. "Anyone can turn their life around with hard work. And even the son of a rich man can become a pauper if he doesn't strive!"
"Oh, listen to you! Full of spirit!" Mother Cheng cackled mockingly, raising her voice. "Fine. If you can build the finest villa in the entire village within two years, what's the harm in letting Xiao Fang marry you?"
Although Sanchahe Village only had a little over two hundred households, quite a few of them were wealthy, and their houses were progressively more splendid. The most beautiful one belonged to Dai Hong, a man who had made a fortune from his factory in Haicheng. He had built a magnificent and exquisite villa that cost over fifteen million, complete with a garden and a swimming pool. It was the envy of the entire village.
To expect Zhang Bin to build a villa worth more than fifteen million in just two years was simply impossible.
"Are you sure?" Zhang Bin asked firmly after a moment's hesitation.
He's so arrogant, he has no idea what he's talking about. The onlooking villagers all thought.
A blush crept onto Xiao Fang's pretty face, and she watched Zhang Bin with unblinking eyes. He kicked a wild boar to death with his own two feet, so he's not as simple as he looks. But Mom's condition is too much. Fifteen million in two years... is that even possible?
"My word is my bond," Mother Cheng said dismissively. "But I'm warning you, stop pestering Xiao Fang."
"Xiao Fang is my woman, and no one can take her away," Zhang Bin declared before turning and striding away.
"You... you bastard! You're spouting nonsense! I'll tear your mouth off!" Mother Cheng shrieked in fury, chasing after him and cursing.
"HAHAHA..."
The villagers roared with laughter, doubling over and clutching their stomachs, nearly falling to the ground in their mirth.
Zhang Bin finally managed to shake Mother Cheng off and returned home. He slammed the wild boar meat onto the table and stormed into his room, still fuming.
That boy... to think he actually wants to marry Xiao Fang. How is that possible? Mother Zhang sighed softly as she gazed at her son's closed door.
As soon as Zhang Bin entered his room, he took out his phone and called Gao Si. The call connected quickly.
A bleary-eyed Gao Si appeared on the screen. "It's the middle of the night over here," he grumbled. "Why are you calling now?"
Zhang Bin apologized before eagerly asking, "How's it going? Has *Journey to the West* been published?"
For some time now, he had spent his nights reading *Journey to the West* aloud to Gao Si, and he had finally finished the entire book.
Gao Si instantly perked up. "Hehe... The biggest, most famous publisher already got back to me! They want to publish it! The author's fee is huge, and I get a ten percent cut of the sales. On top of that, we're already in talks for the film and game rights... It looks like I'm going to get rich whether I like it or not."
"You're the one getting rich. My cultivation has just begun, and I still haven't produced any Longevity Qi. I'm still a broke, living in dire straits. My dad's gravely ill, and I need to earn a fortune to get married. If I can't, I won't survive. Do you have any ideas?" Zhang Bin asked, his face a mask of worry.
"Sell Spiritual Energy," Gao Si blurted out.
"Sell Spiritual Energy? What do you mean?" Zhang Bin asked, stunned.
"Spiritual Energy is easily soluble in water," Gao Si explained quickly. "Get a container, fill it with water, and then do your Qi gathering. Dissolve a large amount of Spiritual Energy into it, and it'll become Spiritual Water. Spiritual Water can extend life and cure diseases. If your dad drinks it, he might not heal right away, but his condition definitely won't get worse. It will only improve. If you sell Spiritual Water, you could make a fortune."
"Giving my dad Spiritual Water is a great idea. But selling it is out of the question," Zhang Bin said, his initial excitement turning to dejection. "I'd be seen as a con artist and beaten to death. Or someone would report me, and I'd end up in a police station. So, that plan won't work."
"The technology where you are is just too primitive," Gao Si said. "Here, we could just run it through an instrument to get an official certificate, then you could sell it endlessly. But you can still make money with it. Spiritual Water can be used to cultivate valuable medicinal herbs and make them grow rapidly. Take the ginseng you have there, for example. If you cultivate it with Spiritual Water, it could become a ten-year-old ginseng in just a few months."
"Really? You're not pulling my leg, are you?" A look of wild joy spread across Zhang Bin's face.
"Why would I lie about something so trivial?" Gao Si rolled his eyes. "By the way, I've acquired a lot of medical books, pharmacopoeias, and Pill Recipes. I'll transmit them to your phone in a couple of days. You should study them carefully in your spare time. Anyway, our first transaction will be officially complete in two days..."
After ending the call, Zhang Bin immediately began his experiment.
He filled a large cup halfway with water and went into the woods to perform his Qi gathering. Sure enough, the Spiritual Energy dissolved into the water. A large amount of it could be dissolved, and the water turned a faint green, emitting a crisp, fresh scent.
He went out to the vegetable garden and poured some of the water at the base of a chili plant that had just begun to flower.
He was not disappointed. The chili plant began to grow taller at a rate visible to the naked eye, and it even sprouted small chili peppers.
This Spiritual Water is incredible! I'm going to be rich! I'm definitely going to be rich! Zhang Bin shouted excitedly in his mind.
He immediately went to his father's room.
It had been over a year since Father Zhang's stroke. They had spent a lot of money, but he had never fully recovered and was now paralyzed in bed. He could still walk, but only with assistance.
"Dad, you're going to get well soon," Zhang Bin said confidently as he helped his father sit up and lean against the headboard.
"Xiao Bin, your dad isn't going to get better. I've been such a burden on you and your mother," Father Zhang said gloomily.
"No, Dad, you really can recover," Zhang Bin insisted, holding up a mineral water bottle. "I met an old Taoist in the mountains who said he could cure you. This is the potion he gave me."
"You foolish boy!" Mother Zhang cried, rushing into the room. "Where did you get this potion from some random Taoist? How can you give that to your father? What if it makes him sick?"