I awakened the cultivation panel.

Chapter 107 Do you think this is your own home? (6K)

"To say that I don't want to at all would be a lie."

Chen Jing chuckled: "Last time a friend came over, he thought this fishpond belonged to my family and even said he wanted to come fishing. I told him no, although this fishpond is in front of my house, it has nothing to do with my family. If I don't get his permission, I'll get yelled at."

Chen Kangzhen waved his hand: "Hey, fish if you want, fish however you want, just don't use nets. But making a pond just for fishing is a bit of a waste."

I can only say that I don't really understand the thinking of today's young people.

Renting a fishpond, including fish fry, can cost a lot of money over a year, just for fishing?

Where can't you fish?
Just cut down a bamboo stalk, buy some fish hooks and fishing line, dig up some earthworms, take a plastic bucket to the canal or the Nanliu River, and you can start fishing.

If you let them fish freely in the pond, they won't make much money, and the fish haven't even grown up yet.

In the past, when fishing with nets at the end of each year, he would give Chen Jingle's family a few big fish. In the countryside, as long as the relationship is good, this is not a big deal.

Chen Jingle thought for a moment and said, "How about we pay you by weight later?"

"Pond fish aren't that easy to catch, at most three or five, and they're only worth a few dollars. It's free, it's free."

Chen Kangzhen didn't take it seriously and waved his hand repeatedly.

Chen Jingle shook his head: "Once or twice might not amount to much, but if it happens repeatedly, it adds up to a lot. Uncle Zhen, if you don't charge me, I wouldn't dare let my friend fish here."

After much persuasion, Chen Kangzhen reluctantly agreed to accept the money.

"You don't really intend to stay in the village forever, do you?"

Chen Kangzhen asked doubtfully, "If you lease this fishpond and you're not home to watch over it for a long time, even if you release a lot of fish fry, it won't be enough for others to catch."

"Is that not okay? I think the village is great." Chen Jingle smiled, his eyes narrowing.

Chen Kangzhen was skeptical and shook his head: "You're only a few years old, with the best years of your life ahead of you. Why not go out and make a career and earn big money instead of staying in the village? If you really stay, I'm afraid your life will just be like this."

That's just how people think in rural areas.

No matter what job you do or how much money you make, if you stay in your hometown, people will think you're a failure.

……

Chen Jingle didn't care: "It's alright. I don't have to worry about food or clothing now, and I have internet, mobile phones, and computers to pass the time. As for making money, how much can I make? In the end, I'll still live a leisurely life after retirement, right? Since that's the case, why not just retire at 30?"

"Retire at 30? You really have the nerve to say that?"

Chen Kang was stunned and couldn't help but shake his head and sigh, "You may be carefree on your own, but you can't just not find a wife, can you? Finding a wife in the countryside isn't that easy. There are plenty of bachelors in our village who don't have wives."

However, looking at Chen Jingle's face, it seemed pointless to say anything.

With looks like that, she shouldn't have trouble finding a partner.

For example, that fair-skinned young girl I met last time seemed quite nice.

Chen Jing chuckled and said, "If we can find it, we will; if we can't, then so be it."

Chen Kangzhen shook his head: "You can't say that. You still need to look for someone. Your family still needs you to have more children."

Chen Jingle did not respond.

He is already a high-level Qi cultivator. If he breaks through to an even higher level, will he be reproductively isolated from ordinary people?

It's hard to say.

Moreover, he has no obsession with carrying on the family line.

Although his grandparents, uncles, and aunts do worry about him and occasionally try to subtly urge him on, the problem is that his current situation is quite different from that of ordinary people.

Chen Jingle snapped out of his reverie: "We've gone off on a tangent. Let's get back to the fishpond leasing business. Uncle Zhen, if you don't want to rent it anymore, please let me know in advance and I'll rent it for you."

"Sure, if you're still in the village by then."

Chen Kangzhen smiled, but he didn't take it to heart.

How many young people can stay in the village these days?
There are no entertainment facilities in the countryside. You have to drive to the city to get a late-night snack. How long would you be willing to stay in such a godforsaken mountain place?

Six months or a year is fine, but what about three or five years?

Picture what?
I don't believe it! I absolutely don't believe it!
"But aren't you afraid of offending the Ma family?" Chen Kangzhen asked curiously.

Chen Jingle smiled and said, "I'm all alone, while he has children. Do you think I'd be afraid of him?"

Not to mention that he is already a high-level Qi cultivator, even without a system or the ability to cultivate immortality, if he is really pushed to the limit and the law doesn't help him, he still has a knife.

The common man became angry and blood spattered five steps forward.

Regardless of your poverty or wealth, everyone only has one life; this is the fairest thing in the world.

Hearing this, Chen Kangzhen was very surprised, as if he were meeting him for the first time. After looking him over carefully, he clicked his tongue.

You're right.

Unexpectedly, the honest and simple Yang Wu had such a son.

It's good to have a strong temper; at least you won't be bullied.

Chen Jingle countered with a reminder: "I feel that Ma Liu won't give up so easily. Uncle Zhen, you should be careful in the near future."

"I know that. Don't worry, he can't bully me. If he dares, I'll just lie down on the ground," Chen Kangzhen said with a smile.

Chen Jingle felt ashamed.

I never expected this old man to have such a humorous side.

However, the village bullies and scoundrels are not afraid of you. They will beat up even seventy- or eighty-year-old men and women without hesitation.

At worst, I'll go to jail; just don't expect them to pay me back.

Otherwise, why would he be called a village tyrant!

……

I practiced my meditation as usual in the afternoon.

Although the next level is still a long way off, just like achieving accomplishments, it often takes a lot of time and effort to complete.

If you consistently complete your daily tasks, progress will naturally follow when the time comes.

At this moment, Li Shiming sent a message: "Have you finished with what you mentioned last time?"

Last time?

Oh, I remembered it.

Chen Jingle replied, "Yeah, I'm done with work. How's it going?"

"It's just eating, what else can it be?" Li Shiming said matter-of-factly.

Inviting someone to dinner has become her only way to contact them; she can't find any other suitable excuse.

It's better to meet up for a meal; we can eat and drink and chat at the same time.

After eating, you can use the excuse of digesting your food to take a walk or something. Unintentional physical contact can make your body feel like it's being electrocuted, tingling and numb, making your heart race involuntarily.

Hey Hey.

Chen Jingle was unaware that the other person was already imagining things. Remembering that he had indeed promised to have dinner together this week, he replied, "Sure, where do you want to eat?"

Li Shiming asked happily, "Then I'll make the arrangements?"

"Okay, whatever you say."

"May I have morning tea?"

"Okay."

He said that he hadn't had morning tea in a long time since he returned to his hometown.

Back when I was working, I would occasionally meet up with friends on weekends to have tea and chat.

In Jiangbei, there are very few people you can contact.

After Li Shiming mentioned it, I suddenly felt nostalgic for all sorts of dim sum for morning tea: shrimp dumplings, siu mai, egg tarts, honeycomb tripe, boat congee...

After a while, Li Shiming replied: "How about Yueweilou?"

Chen Jingle was quite surprised to see this name.

Even he knew that this was a rare high-end teahouse restaurant in Jiangbei, with a high average cost per person.

I've never been there.

The main reason is that he used to be too poor. When he went out for morning tea with his good buddies, he would choose teahouses with good value for money, as long as the food wasn't pre-made.

For the brothers, as long as someone is treating them, they only need to eat and they won't have any complaints.

I was wondering if it would be too expensive, but then I thought that I'm not short of money now, so I can just find a place of the same standard next time I host a dinner party.

So I said, "Okay. What's the specific time?"

"Is 9:30 tomorrow morning okay?" Li Shiming asked.

"No problem," Chen Jingle agreed.

This timing is probably to take into account the possibility that both parties might sleep in late; a little later is fine and won't have any impact.

In the Lingnan region, morning tea is not breakfast; it can last from 9 or 10 a.m. until noon, including lunch.

Moreover, it caters to all budgets, from a basic pot of tea and two dishes to a wide variety of dishes filling the entire table, all depending on personal preference.

So please stop saying things like "People in Lingnan spend hundreds of yuan on breakfast".

……

There is no moon at night, so there is no need to collect moon dew.

Therefore, Chen Jingle went to bed relatively early.

He was initially worried that Ma Liu might come and cause trouble, or resort to some underhanded tactics, but then he thought that the other party was a gang leader who had been around for so many years, so he shouldn't be that stupid.

Even if the negotiations have completely fallen apart, let alone the fact that things haven't been settled yet, if you have a conflict with someone and then cause trouble the next day, everyone will know that you're the one who did it!
Therefore, nothing happened that night.

After waking up the next day, he finished all the chores inside and out, and when it was almost time, he used the Wood Escape Technique to head to Yuewei Restaurant, where he had arranged to meet Li Shiming.

Of course, it wasn't about teleporting directly in front of someone; instead, it was about using an invisibility talisman and then emerging from a blind spot in front of the camera where no one could see you.

Why didn't you ride your electric scooter today?

Li Shiming arrived before him again today. Seeing that he was walking over, she asked curiously.

You know, every time we went out for a meal before, he always rode an electric scooter. This time he didn't bring his electric scooter, and naturally, he didn't bring Changmao either.

This disappointed Li Shiming somewhat.

Chen Jingle casually said, "I came here by hitchhiking."

Li Shiming blinked: "Then, I'll take you home after we finish eating?"

"Uh, that's fine."

Chen Jingle thought about it for a moment, then agreed without refusing.

The two went upstairs first and found seats.

It truly lives up to its reputation as the most upscale teahouse in Jiangbei; the dining environment alone far surpasses that of ordinary teahouses and restaurants.

The decor is exquisite, elegant, and luxurious; although it's in the lobby, it doesn't feel crowded.

Sitting by the window on the second floor, you can see the lush greenery in the courtyard below, as well as the babbling water and swimming koi.

Not bad, as long as the taste isn't terrible, it's worth the trip.

Seeing him surveying his surroundings and nodding occasionally, Li Shiming smiled faintly and narrowed her eyes slightly.

It seems that a good dining environment is still necessary.

It's a weekday, but there are still quite a few people coming for morning tea; the place is almost full right now.

There are still many wealthy people in Jiangbei.

However, older people tend to prefer teahouses that offer good value for money.

Most of the people who come here are young couples on dates, or families with relatively good financial conditions.

As soon as we sat down, a waiter came over and politely asked if we wanted to order.

The answer is, of course, yes.

Since it was Chen Jingle's first time here, he simply handed over the ordering to Li Shiming, since she knew his tastes anyway.

Li Shiming didn't stand on ceremony with him. She first ordered a small bag of Jin Jun Mei tea, and then ordered a few of the shop's signature dishes.

Perhaps considering that he has a big appetite, we ordered several extra portions, enough for four people in total, covering everything from main dishes to snacks to desserts.

So thoughtful!
Just glancing at the printed receipt after payment, the price on it made Chen Jingle's eyelids twitch.

Fortunately, he has a considerable amount of savings now; a few months ago, he might not have been willing to spend it. Hopefully, he won't make any mistakes.

……

After ordering and waiting for the waiter to leave, Li Shiming hesitated before saying, "Actually, the night before last, or rather, early yesterday morning, Yinyin messaged me saying that she saw you while she was on duty."

As she said this, her gaze fell on Chen Jingle's face, wanting to hear his explanation.

"That's what happened."

Chen Jingle smiled and said, "When I saw them catching street racers, I couldn't help but watch the excitement from the sidelines."

"Catching street racers?" Li Shiming asked in surprise.

Chen Jingle nodded: "Yeah, we've arrested quite a few. They're all those self-important, half-grown, blond-haired idiots who think they're so cool. Everyone hates them. They even dared to provoke Uncle Hat. If you ask me, we should arrest them all. Didn't your friend tell you?"

Li Shiming shook her head: "No, we rarely talk about her work, after all, we don't know if it involves confidential information."

"That's it..."

Chen Jingle thought for a moment and said with a smile, "If you're watching short videos, it might recommend videos from your local area. I saw quite a few people on the street taking out their phones to record videos."

Li Shiming shook her head again: "I didn't see it. Maybe it's not related to the content I usually browse."

"Ok."

Chen Jingle was helpless; he hadn't taken any photos or videos, so it was difficult to describe the situation at the time.

"By the way, were you out for a late-night snack with your friends?" Li Shiming couldn't help but ask.

Chen Jingle shook his head: "No, I'm just wandering around by myself."

"I see. Uh, did I ask too many questions?"

Li Shiming smiled shyly.

She assumed Chen Jingle didn't want to talk about it; otherwise, who would come all the way from the countryside to the city to stroll around in the middle of the night? That's not how you shop.

Asking too many probing questions might make her seem overly controlling and scare people away.

Chen Jingle simply smiled and shook his head, without replying.

For some reason, this girl seems a bit too nervous today.

Logically, this shouldn't be the case, since we're already pretty close friends, aren't we?
Relax.

……

The food service at Yueweilou is quite fast.

Their attention then shifted to the food.

"Their baked sweet potato with cheese is not as good as Yunhaiju's, but it's not bad either. You should try it."

"The sachima tastes good, but I don't know if you like the texture. It's much softer than the ones sold outside."

"..."

Li Shiming enthusiastically introduced each dish to Chen Jingle.

When it comes to having a good appetite, she's the one.

Since we're all so familiar with each other, there's no need to be polite. Just start eating.

Chen Jingle felt that every dish tasted very good, at least better than what is served in popular teahouses, which shows that the high price is justified.

To remain popular in Jiangbei for so many years, one must have real skills; otherwise, it would be difficult to survive.

The two ate and chatted, so they didn't eat very fast.

Li Shiming didn't notice that on the other side of the hall, two girls were looking in their direction.

"Am I seeing things? That's Li Shiming?"

One of the girls, petite with dyed blonde hair, exclaimed in surprise.

Another woman with chestnut-brown, wavy hair pushed up her glasses: "That's right, it's her!"

The blonde girl clicked her tongue and said, "Goodness, she actually started dating without making a sound? I thought she was a virgin."

The girl with big waves chuckled: "She's so aloof in front of others, but when she's around handsome guys, she's like a lapdog. Looking at how she fawns over him, who would believe that she's Miss Li?"

"Could she be serious?"

"Bao, huh? Have you ever seen her treat anyone like that?"

"Great! We should take a picture of this so we can laugh at her next time we meet at a gathering!"

"As long as you're not afraid of offending her."

"Uh, okay, I didn't really mean to mock her. Putting everything else aside, she does have good taste. That guy is quite handsome, and I was even a little tempted by him."

"..."

Jiangbei isn't a big city, and the real circle of wealthy people consists of the same few individuals. Among the younger generation, those of similar age, even if they don't interact, have at least heard of each other's names.

These two girls have some connection with Li Shiming; they often bump into each other at large gatherings, but they aren't very close.

Their family's assets are slightly less than Li Shiming's, and in terms of looks, they are also inferior.

There are differences even among wealthy heiresses.

Saying there was hostility is a bit of an exaggeration, but as a fellow woman, coupled with some jealousy, I couldn't help but feel a little resentful of Li Shiming, this kind of well-behaved girl.

I feel like she's being pretentious.

But as much as I dislike her and tease her, I really don't think there's anyone around me who can match the guy next to her in terms of looks and temperament.

Who is that kid?
Could it be a big internet celebrity, a big star, or a rich second-generation from out of town?
He became even more jealous.

The competitive spirit among women is everywhere.

Chen Jingle did notice that people were glancing in his direction from time to time, but he was used to being the center of attention when he was out, so he didn't pay much attention to it.

Completely unaware that she and Li Shiming had been cricketed many times over.

……

They ate until almost noon, when a new batch of afternoon tea customers arrived, and the two of them reluctantly ended their meal.

"Would you like to get something to drink?"

Li Shiming asked cautiously.

Chen Jingle hesitated for two seconds, then shook her head: "No, I've already had dessert."

Li Shiming said with regret, "Alright then, I'll take you back."

She wanted to find a place to sit down, order a milk tea or coffee, and continue chatting.

When you're with someone you like, you always feel like you have endless topics to talk about, and you're always eager to share.

This was a completely different experience from eating and shopping with her female friends.

"sorry to bother you."

Seeing her firm attitude, Chen Jingle swallowed back the words of refusal that were on the tip of his tongue.

Li Shiming smiled and said, "You're too kind. You won't dislike my little Nuomi, will you?"

Chen Jingle shook his head: "No, she's quite cute."

But he soon regretted it.

The space in this evil glutinous corn is really small, it can't compare to a normal sedan. Although there is a back seat, it is still a bit uncomfortable for taller people to sit in.

This car only has stickers on it; there are no small figurines or anything like that on the center console, and the steering wheel doesn't have any Claymore, Mine, or Diamond stickers.

so far so good.

There was a faint fragrance in the car; I wonder what kind of air freshener they used.

The atmosphere in the cramped space was somewhat subtle.

Li Shiming noticed it too, her pretty face flushed slightly, and she subconsciously gripped the steering wheel tighter.

Chen Jingle couldn't help but remind him, "It seems you haven't released the handbrake yet."

"Ah? Oh, right, I almost forgot..." Li Shiming was flustered.

Chen Jingle: "..."

Suddenly I'm a little worried about my life.

Fortunately, the journey was uneventful, and the evil sticky corn successfully delivered Chen Jingle home safely.

Would you like to come in and have a seat?

Chen Jingle asked politely.

"Of course!"

Li Shiming wasn't going to stand on ceremony with him.

I've been thinking about his flowers for a while now. They seem to be blooming even more beautifully. Both the flower wall and the flower archway are now covered in flowers.

envy!

Moreover, those flowers showed no signs of withering and remained vibrant, which was truly remarkable.

Upon seeing Li Shiming, Changmao stretched and meowed as he ran over to greet her, while the two parrots sang songs to welcome him.

Seeing this, Li Shiming was overjoyed. She never expected that her pets would still remember her after not seeing her for a while.

Chen Jingle glanced at it, silently brewed tea, and then washed some fruit.

……

Li Shiming played with the cat and parrot for a while before sitting down opposite Chen Jingle.

I picked up my teacup and took a sip.

"What kind of tea do you usually like to drink?" she suddenly asked.

Chen Jingle thought for a moment and said, "It's so-so, I wouldn't say I really like it. If I had to choose one, I'd say black tea."

Li Shiming smiled and said, "I remember I have a lot of tea at home, I'll get you some later."

Chen Jingle was taken aback and quickly shook his head: "Forget it, there's no need."

He felt that this tea was alright; it was a Mi Lan Xiang tea that cost 800 yuan per jin, so it shouldn't be considered inferior.
Li Shiming didn't take it seriously: "Anyway, my dad can't drink that much. He often gives it away as gifts. If I give some to my friends, he won't say anything."

Chen Jingle didn't know what to say.

I felt obligated to accept this gift without having done anything in return, and I was really embarrassed to accept it. But judging from her expression, it seemed like she was talking about something trivial.

Li Shiming yawned.

I'm feeling a bit sleepy now, probably because I ate too much earlier.

I want to sleep.

So he simply lay down on the recliner, waved lazily to Chen Jingle, and said, "Um, I'm a little sleepy, I'll lie down for a while."

After saying that, he closed his eyes.

Anyway, this wasn't the first time I'd slept at Chen Jingle's house. Last time I came, I fell asleep on this recliner and even had to trouble him to cover me with a blanket.

However, last time Lin Yuqing was there, but this time it was truly a man and a woman alone in a room.

Li Shiming was a little embarrassed at first, but then she thought that if the other party had any ill intentions, then it would prove that she had really misjudged him.

It might not be a bad thing, as it allows for timely loss mitigation.

"..."

Chen Jingle was stunned when he saw this.

No, why is she asleep again?
Do you think this is your own home?
Do I look that reassuring?

However, seeing her lying there quietly, breathing steadily and deeply, it was clear that she had already fallen asleep.

He opened his mouth, but ultimately couldn't bring himself to wake her.

Fine, sleep however you want, I don't care anymore.

He glanced outside. It was a sweltering day. Although he was no longer afraid of the heat or cold, he didn't want to go out to work under the blazing sun.

He simply lay down on the mahogany sofa as well.

Let's go to sleep first!

(End of this chapter)