Ger, So Proud

Chapter 64

Perhaps because the New Year was approaching, it was getting colder outside day by day. Today, even the sun seemed subdued. By the time He Ze got off the ox cart, his face was already flushed red.

Blown by the wind.

The town had become much quieter compared to the previous months. Passersby were rare and those who were out wore thick clothes and hurried along. Only the vendors on both sides of the street, rubbing their hands and shouting hoarsely, were reluctant to leave.

Every bit of income counted, as most of them were the main breadwinners for their large families.

He Ze didn’t waste a moment. He casually picked up a small potted plant from a roadside vendor and headed towards the gambling house he remembered.

Yes, he was going to gamble. Finding a new way to get money quickly, and in this society, gambling was completely legal.

In the past, the original He Ze had gone to the gambling house a few times with Liu San and He Dalang. The most they had ever lost in one go was five taels of silver, and they never dared to return after that.

Although all three of them were troublemakers, Liu San and He Dalang still had family members who could control them. As for the original He Ze, though no one could control him, he still had to save money to buy things for He Bao’er.

The gambling house was on South Street, arguably the busiest street in town. The first half of the street was lined with the residences of wealthy families, the latter half was filled with various pawnshops and businesses, and at the very end of the street were the gambling and brothels.

He Ze stopped his steps and found himself standing at the entrance of the gambling house. At the door of the gambling house, there was even a stone Pixiu, looking quite impressive and certainly costly.

But then again, gambling house owners always made a huge profit, so they probably didn’t lack money. He Ze touched the green leaves of the potted plant in his hand and calmly stepped inside.

The gambling games at this time were simple, mostly involving rolling dice and guessing the outcome. He didn’t know much about gambling; ten years ago, the most he had played was poker. But now, with the potted plant in his hand, it was enough.

The wood-based abilities allowed communication with plants, which was the most basic function. Although it wasn’t like speaking, he couldn’t see or hear, but as long as he wanted to, the plants that had established a connection with him would convey information to him.

When the apocalypse first started, He Ze was initially disappointed that he had awakened wood-based abilities, as they didn’t offer much offensive or defensive power. It wasn’t until later that he realized how lucky he was—while the wood abilities were not the strongest in any one aspect, their applications were the most widespread.

These applications saved his life countless times.

In fact, wood abilities always helped him accurately find edible plants. Although it was just vegetarian food, it solved the biggest problem in the apocalypse—food.

This was also why, coming from the apocalypse, he could maintain his composure in the face of all kinds of delicious food.

Once his abilities reached a high level, he never went hungry again.

After about an hour, He Ze finally emerged from the gambling house, his money pouch now significantly fuller. Sensing the presence of a few tails behind him, he took a few winding turns before arriving at a secluded alleyway.

In a gambling house, it’s never easy to leave after winning a large sum quickly.

However, he welcomed it.

Facing three opponents, the thugs from the gambling house had some skill, making it the most exhilarating fight He Ze had experienced since his transmigration.

In the past, when he was with Lin Yu, he would often avoid fighting, knowing that it would end badly for him. So, it wasn’t until now that he had the chance to test his own abilities.

Although he was a bit rusty and ended up with a few scratches on his face, he ultimately emerged victorious. Glancing at the three men lying on the ground groaning in pain, He Ze rolled up his sleeves, wiped the blood from his lips, and picked up the small potted plant before heading to Flower Bird Alley.

By the time he knocked on the door of Master Cai’s house, there were no longer any visible signs of his injuries on his face.

Master Cai’s full name was Cai Xing.

Before He Ze arrived, Cai Xing had just finished his lunch and was squatting beside his black beauty flower, grinning from ear to ear, clearly still riding a wave of excitement.

“Why has Little Brother He come by? Have you brought more good things for this old man?” Cai Xing was surprised to see him but warmly welcomed him nonetheless.

The black beauty flower He Ze recently sold to him was as impressive as the previous Soft Fragrant Red. With Young Master Luo’s previous offer as a benchmark, this black beauty flower was worth at least forty taels of silver, yet He Ze insisted on charging only thirty taels.

Cai Xing was naturally grateful for this. Although he held some status as a flower farmer in this small town, money was still hard to come by.

This had made him feel much closer to He Ze.

As he spoke, Cai Xing glanced over He Ze a few times, and upon seeing the potted plant in his hand, his voice immediately grew excited. “Is this…”

“You misunderstand, old man. I’m not here to bring you flowers this time,” He Ze shook his head and placed the potted plant in a corner by the wall. “It’s just a wild plant. I saw it growing so green and lovely on my way here, so I bought it to add a bit of greenery to your yard.”

As he spoke, He Ze’s eyes wandered around the courtyard again. Even though this was his second visit, he was still somewhat astonished.

In reality, the entire Cai residence wasn’t very large and looked rather shabby, but it was quite green amidst the sea of flowers, giving it a unique and tranquil beauty, like a hidden gem.

As He Ze followed Cai Xing into the house, his nose was immediately enveloped by a rich floral fragrance.

From the entrance, along the walls, all the way to the open hall, there were potted plants, flowers growing against the wall, and flowers planted in long wooden boxes. There were all kinds of flowers, some precious and famous, some wildflowers, some in bud, some in full bloom, and others just tender shoots, with various colors, forms, and fragrances.

Turning his own courtyard into a garden, it was clear that Cai Xing was truly obsessed with flowers. Even someone like He Ze, who wasn’t fond of flowers, couldn’t help but be delighted.

Upon entering the house, He Ze immediately noticed the black beauty flower placed in the center of the hall. Its enchanting color was clear and transparent, still glistening with water droplets, indicating it had just been watered.

“Little brother, you really took excellent care of these flowers. Both the Soft Fragrant Red that Young Master Luo got from you and this black beauty flower are growing splendidly. Their resistance to the environment, soil, and pests seems much stronger than other flowers of the same kind. Initially, I was worried I might kill this flower, but you’ve given me such a pleasant surprise!”

Cai Xing stroked his beard, a gleam of light in his eyes.

“Oh? I wasn’t aware of that. But He Family Village is nestled by the mountains and water, and many rare treasures have been found there. Perhaps the soil and water from that area are beneficial to the plants.”

“Haha, it seems your village is indeed a wonderful place!” Cai Xing laughed, not saying much more.

He had initially thought that He Ze had some unique methods for cultivating flowers and had inadvertently asked about it. Upon reflection, he realized that flower cultivation relies heavily on experience and luck. Even if there were some unique methods, such important matters wouldn’t be easily shared.

He had misspoken.

“Look at me! Please sit, I’ll brew some tea for you.”

Cai Xing paused for a moment, then went into the inner room and returned with a teapot, pouring a cup and handing it to He Ze. “Have a taste. These are jasmine petals I picked earlier this year and dried specifically for making tea. How do you find it?”

“Hmm, it’s fresh and mellow, truly excellent,” He Ze sipped lightly.

Receiving He Ze’s approval, the smile on Cai Xing’s face grew even wider. However, he didn’t forget the main matter. “On such a cold day, you must have some business with me?”

“To be honest, Mr. Cai, I do have something to discuss,” He Ze put down the teacup and paused before continuing. “You’ve lived in Flower Bird Alley for a long time. Do you know if any shops here are being transferred recently?”

“A shop?”

“Yes, my family has cultivated a batch of flowers. Most of them will bloom next spring, and since I have some money on hand, I thought of acquiring a shop on this street for convenience.”

After thinking it over, he concluded that selling flowers was the simplest and most convenient way, and for him, it was quite profitable. Using some modern techniques could ensure the freshness of the flowers.

“A batch? What kinds of flowers? May I…”

Cai Xing couldn’t sit still after hearing this. He Ze quickly stood up to steady him. “Mr. Cai, please don’t be in a hurry. Once I secure a shop, I’ll move all the flowers here. You can look at them as much as you want then. But for now… there’s nothing to see.”

“That’s true,” Cai Xing pondered for a moment, letting go of the thought. “So, how big of a shop are you looking for?”

“How big? Naturally, the bigger the better,” He Ze said, thinking it could serve other purposes in the future.

“I see. Yesterday, when I was out, I did hear about such an opportunity, but I didn’t pay much attention to it. I’ll ask around for you first, and you can come back in three days, how about that?”

“In that case, thank you very much, Mr. Cai,” He Ze nodded gratefully.

After finishing their business, they exchanged a few more pleasantries before He Ze took his leave. By the time he reached the entrance again, it was already late afternoon.

He ordered a bowl of noodles at a food stall, and after eating, he drove the ox cart back to the village. The weather was becoming increasingly overcast, so to avoid any accidents, he slowed down the cart.

It took him a full hour and a half to return to the village.

After returning the ox cart, He Ze didn’t go straight home but headed towards the Lin family’s place. He hadn’t had a proper chat with Lin Yu the previous day due to other matters.

Meanwhile, at the Lin family’s courtyard, the gate was open. Lin Yu and Dad Zhang were sitting opposite each other at the table, with a porcelain basin filled with hot coals nearby.

Dad Zhang had his head down, holding a piece of clothing, with a small bamboo basket in front of him filled with sewing materials. Lin Yu, on the other hand, looked as if he was being sent to the gallows, his face all scrunched up. Finally, he slapped the cloth and needle onto the table. “Dad, I really can’t do this! Why do I need to learn this?”

Fortunately, he had controlled his strength.

“Nonsense, which young ger doesn’t know how to do this? It’s fine if you’re not good at embroidery, but you must at least be able to do basic sewing, right? When Xiao Ze’s clothes get torn in the future, are you just going to let him wear them like that?”

“But Dad, who knows when the marriage will happen next year. Why are you in such a hurry?”

He would rather go hunt a bear in the mountains than thread a needle and sew!

“Do you think your dad is a fool?” Dad Zhang tugged at the clothes and bit off the thread. “I’m just taking advantage of the time you’re at home to teach you. Once spring comes, you’ll be running up the mountains every day again. Can you say you won’t?”

“I… Dad…”

“Enough, it doesn’t matter what you say. You have to finish sewing that piece of cloth today. I’ll check the stitches, and if I say it’s good, then it’s good!”

Dad Zhang said as he stood up, shook out the clothes in his hands, folded them, and went into the house without waiting for Lin Yu’s reply.

“……”

Lin Yu watched his back, biting his lip, and picked up the silver needle, poking the table repeatedly, “Scratch, scratch, scratch—”

“What are you doing? Who’s upset you?”

As soon as He Ze entered, he saw Lin Yu frowning, and immediately quickened his pace.

“……You!”

Hearing his voice suddenly, Lin Yu was momentarily stunned, then filled with resentment.

“Me?”

He Ze looked puzzled, his eyes falling on the small bamboo basket with sewing supplies on the table, and he burst into laughter. “Are you sewing clothes?”

“……”

“How’s it going? Want me to check your skills?” He Ze pointed to his shoulder, where there was indeed a small tear.

It must have been torn when he brushed against a protruding spike on the wall during the fight earlier.

“……I can’t do it!” Lin Yu glanced at him, then turned his head away.

“Can’t do it? Isn’t this something all young gers need to learn?” Although he didn’t think Lin Yu would be able to do this.

But now, looking at Lin Yu’s slightly reddened face, He Ze picked up the piece of cloth on the table and opened it, unable to suppress a smile. “Is this your masterpiece?”

The stitches were so crude… He Ze felt he could sew better himself.

“It’s my first time,” Lin Yu’s face reddened even more. He turned to snatch the cloth back. “Don’t laugh, give it back!”

“Hmm—” He Ze shook his head, half-smiling. “If you can grab it, I’ll give it back.”

Lin Yu fixed his gaze on him, suddenly lunging forward. But just as his hand was about to touch the cloth, He Ze leaned back, and Lin Yu missed.

“You!”

“What? Or how about a kiss in exchange?”

Ahhhh!!! Scoundrel!!!

“He Ze, you…”

“Wait, what’s wrong with your hand?”

He Ze’s gaze sharpened, and the smile on his face disappeared. He placed the cloth on the table and pulled Lin Yu’s left hand down. There were several red spots on one finger, clearly from pricking himself.

“Your hands are so nimble with a bow and arrow, but now they’re this clumsy?”

“It’s all because of you. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be learning this!”

Lin Yu glanced at his left hand, held in He Ze’s palm, looking frustrated.

“Let’s not learn it then. I’ll talk to Uncle Zhang.”

“Really?”

“Of course.” He Ze looked up at Lin Yu, reached out, and poked his cheek. Just as he imagined, it was soft. “But since I helped you so much, how are you going to thank me?”

His eyes could melt into water as he said this. Lin Yu’s voice softened unconsciously, “What do you want?”

“Well…”

Smiling, He Ze suddenly pressed the back of Lin Yu’s head.

“Father, Dad, look! Look! Such shameless behavior in broad daylight, bringing disgrace, ruining our family’s name! How can our Lin family ever hold its head high in the village again?”

Before they could get any closer, a malicious voice came from the courtyard gate.

He Ze’s eyes narrowed, and he paused, his face darkening.

Turning his head, he saw a group of four people. The person who had previously arranged a marriage for Xiao Yu stood at the front. It was likely him who had just spoken. The other three were behind him, and two of them, both old, seemed to be suppressing great anger.

Author’s Note: It’s 4 a.m., feeling sorry for myself, and I still have to work tomorrow. I hope you’re all dreaming sweet dreams right now, and… please give me hugs and kisses tomorrow.