C4 Do I Have to Treat Her with Courtesy?

When Hong Chunxiang spoke, Ma Tianming and Marmin Xin felt a chill: her words rang true—they were indeed passing through this area to evade Mei Jiangshan!

Ma Tianming's concerns had initially been limited to Mei Jiangshan, but Hong Chunxiang's statement suddenly made him feel as if he were surrounded by formidable foes on all sides.

Even Hong Chunxiang, the proprietor of the modest Winery, had the audacity to make such an outrageous request of him.

And what of everyone else?

In Golden Ocean, nearly everyone was familiar with the Patrol Officer Ma Jun, so it stood to reason that some would recognize his son.

Ma Tianming, the son of Ma Jun, had a particular fondness for alcohol... a trait that had made him quite well-known in Golden Ocean.

Now, Ma Tianming was arguably more notorious than Ma Jun himself. If he were to venture out, he'd be treated like a pariah.

Where could he possibly go?

No one would willingly take on the burden of sheltering him and his sister—not even their uncle Zhao Mu.

It wasn't just that Zhao Mu had always been at odds with Ma Jun, or that Ma Tianming had consistently sided with his father. Even without the desire to stir up trouble, Zhao Mu would be unlikely to offer refuge to the siblings.

Ma Tianming might have been prejudiced against Zhao Mu... but he also couldn't shake the thought that if he truly became an outcast, his benevolent uncle might just be the last lifeline available to him.

Even in a state of delusion, he knew better than to squander that lifeline prematurely.

But if not that, then what?

The siblings needed to make money to support themselves and possess the skills to protect their own interests.

Marmin Xin, pampered as she was, had some knowledge of the arts—music, chess, calligraphy, embroidery—but how could she leverage these to make money?

And what about Ma Tianming, as her elder brother? What means did he have to earn a living?

This was something he had never considered before.

Wine?

Ma Tianming had a deep passion for wine, possessing a knowledge that surpassed that of the average connoisseur.

And here they were, in the Winery.

"Brewing wine?" The mere mention of wine sparked an innate excitement in Ma Tianming, prompting an idea to surface.

Furthermore, Ma Tianming had become the emissary of the so-called Wine God. He hadn't had the chance to ponder it before, but now the thought bubbled up in his mind like a gushing wellspring.

What was it? The ingredients, the formula for brewing wine?

He could purchase this place and start producing wine right here, relying on wine sales to make a living... Wine itself wasn't expensive, but high-quality wine certainly was.

This idea was still taking shape in Ma Tianming's mind when he noticed Hong Chunxiang nearby, exuding a mix of pride and aggression. Without a concrete plan for selling wine, Ma Tianming reached into his bag and pulled out a silver ingot, saying, "For you."

Hong Chunxiang was startled. She had assumed the Ma family had fallen on hard times, so how could they afford to casually hand over fifty taels of silver? The Ma siblings were down to their last fifty taels, the emergency funds they had kept aside before their family was raided, which Ma Tianming had intended to use to buy wine.

"I'll buy this winery. Is this silver ingot enough?" he asked.

Hong Chunxiang had indeed anticipated selling the winery. "It's more than enough!" she said, unable to conceal her grin. Taking in this daughter-in-law might mean a future without peace, but the unexpected windfall was a welcome one.

Hmph, Ma Tianming really was a spendthrift. The winery, the storefront, the brewing equipment, and all the wine together wouldn't cost more than twenty taels, yet he'd just handed over fifty taels. How much wine would he need to sell to recoup that investment?

With these fifty taels, she could easily open an even larger winery.

Hong Chunxiang eagerly accepted the silver, saying, "We have a deal then. No backing out."

"If I back out, may I never drink wine again," Ma Tianming declared.

Marmin Xin shot Ma Tianming a look while Hong Chunxiang and Bai Chu both found the situation amusing and delightful. What kind of oath was that?

To others, it might seem trivial, but for a wine lover like Ma Tianming, swearing off wine was a serious pledge.

"Fine! From today, this place is yours. I'll get my things and leave," Hong Chunxiang conceded.

"No!" Ma Tianming interjected. "I'm buying the place, but I'm also hiring you. You'll continue to make and sell wine here, but no one must know that I'm the new owner."

Ma Tianming had a plan in mind: he could earn a living by selling wine in the future. However, he knew that Su Yu, Mei Zhengyao, and Mei Jiangshan wouldn't let him sell wine peacefully. Having the Bai family on his side would save him a lot of trouble.

"No!" Hong Chunxiang said cheerfully, "Master Ma, we appreciate your offer to employ us, but our family will not be working for you."

In her thoughts, Hong Chunxiang was determined: "I'll start another winery. I refuse to work for them and put up with any nonsense. Sure, the Ma family's eldest son loves his drink, but can he brew it? This place might just go under in a few days if he's in charge."

"Mother?" Bai Chu inquired, "If we're not selling wine, what will we do?"

"We've got money now, so there's no need to worry about finding something to do. Let's quickly get our things together and clear out for Master Ma."

Hong Chunxiang called Bai Chu's father, Bai Mi, to help pack. Bai Mi was initially startled to learn that Ma Tianming had bought their winery for a handsome sum, but his shock quickly turned to joy.

Bai Chu glanced at Ma Tianming with a hint of regret and asked, "Do you know how to brew wine?"

Brewing and drinking wine are entirely different arts. Bai Chu was well aware that Ma Tianming was more of a connoisseur than a producer. Ma Tianming had only ever observed the process.

"If you're not familiar with it, I could teach you," Bai Chu offered.

Brewing wine?

Bai Chu's question made Ma Tianming realize that although he had many wine formulas in his head, turning them into sellable wine wouldn't be easy.

Despite feeling outmaneuvered by Hong Chunxiang, Ma Tianming graciously responded to Bai Chu, "Thank you, I'll definitely seek your help if I find myself at a loss."

The Bai family quickly finished tidying up, leaving only Ma Tianming and his sister at the winery.

"Brother, are you really going to sell wine here? Do you even know how to brew it?" his sister asked.

"Well, now that I've bought the place, I might as well sell wine! We need to make a living somehow. But you can't stay here; you need to go to our uncle's house for safety. If Mei Jiangshan finds out you're here, he'll surely come after you."

"I don't want to go to my uncle's house!"

Throughout the journey, Marmin Xin was torn, but she eventually voiced her concerns. She was well aware that staying at her uncle's would subject her to disdainful treatment.

"There's no other choice. Your uncle's is the only place where you can take refuge from Mei Jiangshan for now. Rest assured, I'll find a way to get you out as soon as possible."

Ma Tianming was also troubled, and his craving for alcohol resurfaced.

The winery was stocked with plenty of wine, so Ma Tianming nonchalantly grabbed a jug and broke the seal.

A familiar aroma wafted up to him: this was the Bai family's special rice wine. While not considered a luxury, it had its own distinctive taste.

Ma Tianming had sampled his fair share of fine wines and wasn't particularly fond of the Bai family's rice wine, only indulging on rare occasions.

However, at that moment, the scent of the wine repulsed him. It seemed far worse than he remembered. "The God of Wine is here, purify this brew!"

Unable to stomach the wine any longer, Ma Tianming silently recited this mantra, watching the once inferior wine transform into something fragrant and refined.

Taking a sip, Ma Tianming was astounded. "Ah!" The flavor was utterly transformed; it bore no resemblance to the Bai family's rice wine.

"Xin, try a sip," he offered.

"No way! Haven't you realized I never drink?" Marmin Xin, aware of Ma Tianming's deep-seated fondness for liquor, had once considered trying it herself. However, being underage, Ma Jun had forbidden it.

With the recent upheaval at home and Ma Tianming's continued devotion to alcohol, Marmin Xin grew frustrated and exclaimed, "I suggest you quit drinking soon! There won't be any money left to buy anything before long."

Unperturbed by Marmin Xin's displeasure, Ma Tianming drank deeply. After downing half the jug, the wine's original flavor was gone, replaced by a rich aroma that left him feeling invigorated and savoring every note.

"I must really be possessed by the God of Wine," Ma Tianming finally acknowledged, after finishing off an entire pot of wine with relish and smacking his lips. Despite never having brewed wine himself, he could tell that the wine he just drank could fetch at least ten times more than the standard white rice wine based on his extensive drinking experience.

How much of the rice wine was left in the cellar?

Could the God of Wine's possession enable him to transform all the wine into the same exquisite kind?

Without delay, Ma Tianming went to inspect the cellar. Between the freshly brewed wine by Bai Chu's family and the existing stock, there were four large vats in total.

If he could convert all four vats into this superior wine, fifty taels of silver wouldn't come close to covering the cost.

"A bit on the short side," Ma Tianming muttered, opening one of the vats and incanting, "The God of Wine is present, preserve the essence." Gradually, the aroma of the Bai Family Rice Wine filled the air, becoming intoxicatingly fragrant.

However, Ma Tianming felt a wave of fatigue wash over him. It was clear that refining ordinary rice wine into something special required a significant amount of energy.

But a drink could restore him.

After scooping up a bowl of wine and drinking it, Ma Tianming felt his spirits lift slightly.

As he pondered how to rejuvenate himself more quickly, Marmin Xin suddenly exclaimed, "Brother, look over there!"

Following her gaze, Ma Tianming saw flames reaching towards the heavens.

"Where is that?"

In unison, the siblings exclaimed, "That's our home."

Their home was ablaze? How could it have caught fire? Simultaneously, they suspected Mei Jiangshan – he was the type to resort to arson, and it wasn't beyond him.

Hadn't the arsonists seen that the place was deserted? Yet they still set it alight.

A cold shiver ran down Ma Tianming's spine. They must have seen, but they didn't care.

Mei Jiangshan's act of setting the fire was merely to instill fear in Ma Tianming and Marmin Xin, a tactic to intimidate and unsettle them.

"Trying to frighten me! This is deliberately meant to scare me. But a true warrior cannot be intimidated."

Ma Tianming remembered Ma Jun's words: should he respond with courtesy when faced with such brazen hostility?

Since Mei Jiangshan had opted for an overbearing approach, Ma Tianming would have to adopt the survival of the fittest strategy to counter it.