C10 Whoever Is Pestering Who Should be the Target

In a past life, when the affair with Lee Qingxiang was exposed, the first to come and confront him was Lee Laoen.

Just a petty merchant, what was there to be so haughty about?

Fong Chao was seething with anger.

"You've got it all wrong. I've never pestered Lee Qingxiang! And regarding whether I'm worthy of her or not, let me leave you with this thought: Never underestimate the young and poor! Right now, I may not amount to much, my family is impoverished, and our situation is far from ideal. But give me less than a year, and I might just become the wealthiest person in the village! Then, when you reflect on your words today, you'll see just how shallow and shortsighted you were!" Fong Chao fiercely retorted to Lee Laoen.

"Hahaha! 'Never underestimate the young and poor,' what a phrase! Fong Chao, you've got quite the nerve! Alright! I'll be blunt—I have no respect for you. I'll be waiting to see you prove me wrong in a year! But if you're still in the same sorry state, don't get upset when I laugh at you! Let me offer you some advice. Novelists are like celestial beings descended from the heavens, each one incredibly talented! And you, a kid who hasn't even finished middle school and can barely write a simple essay, think you can write novels? That's utterly ridiculous! You could have a hundred years, and you still wouldn't produce anything worth reading! Enough of this, I'm wasting my time. I've got things to do!" Lee Laoen said, then he hopped on his bicycle and rode off into the distance.

Watching Lee Laoen's figure fade away, Fong Chao trembled with rage.

The sting of being scorned was like a lump in his throat, unbearably uncomfortable.

"Hu!"

"Ha!"

Fong Chao took several deep breaths, steadying his emotions.

He then continued on his way, carrying the green bean water to the fields.

Upon arriving, Fong Chao's older sister, Fong Fanghua, spotted him first and greeted him with a smile, "Chao, what brings you out here? Shouldn't you be at home doing your homework?"

"Sis, I've brought some green bean soup to cool you down," Fong Chao replied.

"Wow! Is the sun rising from the west today? I can't believe Chao actually thought to bring us some mung bean soup," remarked the second sister, Fong Fangli, as she emerged from the cornfield, her basket brimming with corn stalks.

Neither sister had finished junior high school.

The elder sister, Fong Fanghua, was 18 and considered an adult. Consequently, numerous matchmakers had been visiting Feng Chao's house.

The Fong siblings were all strikingly attractive; the son was handsome, and the daughters were beautiful. Fong Fanghua, at eighteen, stood at 1.65 meters with a slender figure and an oval face framed by willow-leaf eyebrows. Despite her slightly darker complexion, she was exceptionally beautiful.

Fong Fangli, the second sister, was 16 this year. In rural traditions, girls of 16 or 17 who weren't in school were expected to start looking for a husband.

"Big sister, second sister, please stop teasing me. Let's get mom and dad to come out for a drink," Fong Chao interjected.

Rustling sounds came from the cornfield as their parents made their way out.

Fong Chao eagerly served his parents the mung bean soup.

His mother, sipping the soup, beamed with joy, "My Chao is so considerate, bringing us water all the way to the field. And this mung bean soup is delicious!"

"Head back now! Even though it's the holiday, you can't neglect your studies, understand?" his father said after taking a drink, gently prodding him.

"Alright, I'm on my way," Fong Chao responded promptly.

His father had attended high school but never managed to leave the life of farming behind, a fact he still regretted. He was determined that Fong Chao would achieve more, hoping he'd attend university and bring honor to the family.

Fong Chao turned and walked away.

"Ding!"

The familiar alert sounded in his mind once more.

"Dear host, you have performed a good deed, earning the affection of four family members. As a result, you will be rewarded with four Karma Points," the soft, melodious female voice announced in his mind.

Oh?

Fong Chao was taken aback.

He had never imagined that simply delivering some green bean water to the fields for his family could earn him 4 Karma Points.

It appeared that there were plentiful opportunities to accumulate Karma Points through acts of kindness.

Indeed, he had already earned 15 Karma Points today.

Fong Chao's determination grew stronger.

He believed that not only should he perform small acts of kindness, but he also needed to seek out more significant good deeds. That way, he could earn even more Karma Points and acquire better skills.

On his way back to Feng Chao's house, several villagers mockingly called him a "great writer," their voices dripping with sarcasm.

This was likely a rumor started by Lee Laoen.

Given the current circumstances, he was on track to become the village's joke!

Humph! The ignorant and prejudiced! Just wait until I drop your jaws in amazement!

Fong Chao was convinced that moment would come very soon.

He made a beeline for Liu Changsheng's house.

Located on the eastern end of the village, the house was surrounded by a mud wall and a fenced gate.

Yet, the three neat rooms in the courtyard were a testament to the hard work of Liu Changsheng's parents, who had built them when he married a few years back.

The gate stood open, signaling that Mrs. Aiqin was indeed home.

With her son having fallen ill these past few days, she was undoubtedly caring for him.

"Mrs. Aiqin, are you home?" Fong Chao called out from outside the gate.

"Who's there?"

Soong Aiqin's voice emerged from within the house, and soon she appeared, cradling her listless son in her arms.

"Oh, it's Fong Chao. Come in, what brings you here?" Soong Aiqin asked with a welcoming smile.

Fong Chao stepped into the courtyard.

"How's Qingqing doing?" he inquired, glancing at the child in Soong Aiqin's arms.

"His fever's gone down, but he's still coughing. It's quite worrisome," Soong Aiqin replied.

Qingqing was the son of Liu Changsheng and Soong Aiqin, named Liu Yuqing.

"It'll get better after a few more days of medication. Just try not to worry too much, Auntie," Fong Chao reassured her.

"Thank you, Fong Chao," Soong Aiqin said with a smile.

Her shirt was not fully buttoned, exposing a considerable expanse of her pale skin. Fong Chao caught sight of this and felt a bit flustered.

"Auntie, I've heard that things have been rather unsettled lately. Some thugs from other villages have been harassing women who live alone at night," Fong Chao mentioned.

"Really? I haven't heard anything about that," Soong Aiqin replied, her attention clearly elsewhere. Her main concern at the moment was her son's illness.

Fong Chao thought to himself, "Of course you haven't heard; I just made that up to give you a little scare."

"Auntie, I really think you should be careful about your house's security. Is your door sturdy? You need a solid bolt to prevent anyone from easily breaking in," Fong Chao advised Soong Aiqin.

"Oh? Do you think so? I'm not sure if my door bolt is strong enough. Could you help me check it?" Soong Aiqin asked.

"Sure, I'll take a look for you," Fong Chao replied, having hoped she would ask.

He then made his way to the entrance of Soong Aiqin's home.