1025 Smoking the Strongest Cigarette, Cooking the Most Delicious Food (2)
An afternoon nap would help a four-year-old child like him grow taller.
Mr. Zhang was clearly concerned about Ah Kong, but he always put on a fierce expression. His fierce appearance reminded Yu Huang of her mentor, Lin Jiansheng.
They were really similar.
Ah Kong came out after washing his hands and sat down obediently. Then, he looked up at Mr. Zhang and waited for him to take a seat before eating.
Although he was young, he knew the rules very well. He knew that one had to wait for the elder to eat first.
Mr. Zhang noticed Ah Kong’s gaze and said, “You can eat. I’ll eat at the canteen today.”
Ah Kong nodded and picked up his chopsticks to eat quietly.
Ah Kong had a big appetite. Three dishes and a bowl of rice were all devoured by him. After he finished eating, he obediently brought the bowl to the kitchen. Then, he stepped on the small stool to wash the dishes.
Ah Kong was under someone else’s roof, so he was very grateful that Mr. Zhang could give him a bed and let him eat his fill. Therefore, Ah Kong tried his best to do as many chores, like washing the dishes and sweeping the floor, as possible.
After Ah Kong washed the dishes, Mr. Zhang said, “Go upstairs and rest.”
“Okay.”
Ah Kong nodded at Yu Huang and walked up the stairs.
After hearing Ah Kong reach the room on the second floor, Mr. Zhang took out another cigarette. As he lit it, he said to Yu Huang, “Keep an eye on him. Only allow him to leave after two o’clock.”
“Got it.”
At this moment, the owner of the Magical Hand Rejuvenation Center stood on the street and shouted at Mr. Zhang, “Let’s go and eat! It’s Mr. Bai’s birthday today. I heard that there’s a big feast in the canteen.”
“Okay.”
Mr. Zhang walked out.
Yu Huang heard the owner of the Magical Hand Rejuvenation Center ask Mr. Zhang, “Where’s that little fellow?”
Mr. Zhang replied calmly, “He ate already.”
The owner of the Magical Hand Rejuvenation Center asked him in amusement, “Did you cook for him again?”
Mr. Zhang remained silent.
The owner of the Magical Hand Rejuvenation Center smiled and said, “What did you tell us two years ago when you took him in? You said that your house was big, and it was a waste to leave your room empty, so taking in a little child was a piece of cake. A few days later, your kitchen, which accumulated dust in the past, was filled with pots and pans. You, who never entered the kitchen, even learned to make soup. Are you taking in an orphan or raising a child?”
Mr. Zhang froze. As he bit his cigarette, he looked at the canteen building at the end of the town and said coldly, “His mother and I dated once, so I can’t abandon this child.”
The owner of the Magical Hand Rejuvenation Center sighed and said, “You’re just too kind. None of us know who Ah Kong’s father is. When Qingya broke up with you back then, she was pregnant, right? But Ah Kong isn’t your child.” The owner of the Magical Hand Rejuvenation Center had a sympathetic and helpless expression as he said, “You were cheated on, but you’re still willing to be his father.”
Mr. Zhang was also angry, but he still couldn’t leave Ah Kong in the lurch.
Mr. Zhang retorted, “I just… can’t bear to see her son on the streets.”
“Sigh…”
When Yu Huang heard the conversation between the two bosses, she gradually became interested.
What was going on? Ah Kong’s mother and Mr. Zhang were actually a couple?
When Qingya and Mr. Zhang were still together, she was pregnant with Ah Kong?
But Ah Kong wasn’t Mr. Zhang’s child.
Who was Ah Kong’s father?
Yu Huang was puzzled.
* *
At half past six in the evening, all the bases were about to close for the night.
When Yu Huang saw the remaining half-pocketed demonic insects, she knew there wasn’t enough time to kill them all today. She might as well get off work and come back tomorrow.
Yu Huang put down the cotton bow and had just walked out of the base when she saw Ah Kong running back anxiously.
Mr. Zhang was about to close the door when he saw Ah Kong return. He scolded angrily, “You still know to come back?!” Although he shouted, Mr. Zhang stopped closing the door.
Ah Kong was used to being scolded by Mr. Zhang.
He slipped in and stood behind Mr. Zhang while waving at Yu Huang.
Yu Huang said, “See you tomorrow.”
Ah Kong nodded.
Mr. Zhang closed the door. At the same time, the doors of the other bases in town also closed.
Yu Huang stood at the entrance of the base and waited for a while. Then, she saw Sheng Xiao walking back with Yin Rong and the others. Sheng Xiao looked tired, so Yu Huang asked him, “Are you tired?”
Sheng Xiao said, “I challenged five defensive warriors in a row today, so I’m a little tired.” If Yu Huang remembered correctly, Philand had set seven candidates for Sheng Xiao. It seemed that Sheng Xiao could complete the assessment tomorrow.
Yu Huang asked Yin Rong and the others, “How’s your situation? Did it go smoothly?”
Yin Rong, Beatrice, and the others nodded and said, “We should be able to complete our tasks in four days.”
“That’s good.”
At this moment, Yu Huang saw a white-haired old man walking over with a walking stick and following behind a group of young Beast Tamers. The old man was wearing a white vest and black pants that reached his navel. He had his vest tucked into his pants and tightly tied with a black belt.
His canvas shoes were covered in mud.
Other than the owner and staff of the base, the only people who could appear in the small town were ascenders. The clothes on this old man wasn’t the uniform of any base, which meant that he was an ascender.
Perhaps sensing that Yu Huang was watching him, the old man raised his head and looked at her.
Yu Huang nodded at him in a friendly manner as a greeting.
The old man nodded back at her.
Seeing this scene, Donor asked in surprise, “Yu Huang, you know He Zhiqiu?”
Yu Huang asked Donor, “Who are you talking about?”
Donor looked at the old man whose feet were covered in mud and said, “That old man is He Zhiqiu. Our fencing arena is quite close to the Plant Cultivation Center. When we were resting at noon today, I heard them talk about that old man. I thought you knew him.”
Most of these ascenders were very busy and couldn’t be bothered to care about other people’s matters. Something sensational must have happened to this old man. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been discussed by the ascenders of the fencing arena.
Yu Huang was somewhat interested in this old man’s experience, so she asked Donor, “Is that old man an ascendant at the Plant Cultivation Center? What did he do to deserve such a discussion?”
“He stayed here for ten years, but still hasn’t completed the assessment mission.”
Yu Huang, Sheng Xiao, and the others fell silent when they heard the number ten years. What kind of difficult assessment mission was it to make the old man stay in the town for ten years?
“What assessment mission did Mr. Philand give him?” Everyone was curious.
Estelle said, “I heard that he has to successfully cultivate a Bone Nurturing Grass.”
“Bone Nurturing Grass?” Feng Yuncheng, Beatrice, and the others revealed confused expressions.
What was Bone Nurturing Grass?
On the other hand, when Yu Huang heard the words Bone Nurturing Grass, her eyes suddenly lit up. Yu Huang looked at Estelle and asked with a serious expression, “Are you sure it’s Bone Nurturing Grass?”
Upon being asked by Yu Huang, Estelle became uncertain.
Estelle looked at Donor and asked, “I think it’s called Bone Nurturing Grass, right?”
Donor nodded and said, “I think so. I heard that it’s a Grade 9 spirit herb that can grow bones and is extremely difficult to nurture. It’s said that this spirit herb only appeared in ancient times. In the past thousands of years, no one has seen any traces of this grass.” Donor realized that Yu Huang was a little excited, as if she was very interested in this grass, so he asked her, “You know about Bone Nurturing Grass?”
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