CHAPTER 159: CHAPTER 84: SEEKING THE ANTIDOTE

I don’t know how his brain works, but this little boy in front of me, I dare not underestimate him. He handles things with great skill, and importantly, he can be ruthless. He’s clearly cut out for big things.

Following Gu Chengyu for these two years, I’ve learned the external martial arts he taught me. Like Gu Chengyu, dreaming of leaping over roofs and walls is fanciful, but my external martial arts aren’t weak. When I throw a punch, not even five or six skilled fighters can match me.

What Gu Chengyu had Yu Tuanzi do was to teach martial arts to the twenty children they bought from the human traffickers two years ago, aged five to ten. From them, Gu Chengyu selected two talented ones to learn some inner strength.

Of course, he wouldn’t easily bring out the spiritual spring water. He only rewards those who trained well with some pills from his space. The Body Strengthening Pills for Yu Tuanzi also aid in martial arts training. Otherwise, at his age, he couldn’t have reached this level.

Over these two years, Gu Chengyu never visited these people; he left everything to Yu Tuanzi. After two years, it’s time to reap the rewards. Those with talent and obedience can be given focused training; those lacking in various abilities, with nothing to show, can just fade into mediocrity.

"Young master! Look, it’s the beginning of the month again, what about the medicine?" Yu Tuanzi looked at Gu Chengyu with a mournful face, fearing that his words might have upset Gu Chengyu and that he wouldn’t get the antidote.

Gu Chengyu found it amusing, wondering if, in two years, after he sets him free, Yu Tuanzi will be happy or angry to learn that the so-called "poison" is actually Body Strengthening Pills and that he was just being teased.

"Open your mouth!" Gu Chengyu waited for Yu Tuanzi to open his mouth, then flicked the pill from his space into it. He wouldn’t let Yu Tuanzi take the pill himself. What if Yu Tuanzi took the herbs to a clinic for doctors to research, wouldn’t that expose him? Besides, such a good formula doesn’t exist in the Dayan Dynasty.

And even though the pills are made from herbs in the space, they are just ordinary herbs, not spiritual medicine. Nevertheless, the herbs from the space do carry some spiritual energy.

Therefore, the pills are more effective than ordinary herbs. Without the formulas and herbs from the space, he wouldn’t easily give them to Yu Tuanzi.

After taking the pill, Yu Tuanzi felt extremely comfortable, as if he had taken some elixir; his body was filled with strength. It was odd that every time he took a pill, his martial arts progressed further. Although the recent effects weren’t as strong as the initial ones, they were still noticeable.

This antidote actually has such effects? The young master’s teacher must be an extraordinary person!

Since working for Gu Chengyu, Yu Tuanzi started calling him young master. In fact, Gu Chengyu treated him well over these two years, with a monthly salary of two taels. For a job well done, there are extra rewards. Additionally, during three major festivals in a year, he gives silver coins. Such a good job was something he never dared to dream of before.

"Tomorrow, I’ll find an excuse to go to the town. Meet me at the house in the town. If I’m not there by 7:30 AM, you don’t need to wait." Gu Chengyu wanted to visit those people tomorrow but was at a loss for a reasonable excuse to leave.

"Yes! If there’s nothing else, young master, may I leave now?" Yu Tuanzi was actually shivering from the cold. The brazier in the study had long run out of charcoal, while Gu Chengyu, with his inner strength, had long used it to enshroud his body.

Though Yu Tuanzi’s body is much stronger than before, he couldn’t withstand the cold. He wanted to return home quickly and crawl onto the warm heated bed.

"I heard your sister is seeing someone?" Gu Chengyu suddenly remembered that Yu Tuanzi’s sister, now fourteen, seemed to be considering a match.

With Yu Tuanzi doing well these two years, he even built a small brick house for his family, which made the villagers envious, often asking him where he made his fortune. Yu Tuanzi simply said he worked for a lord, receiving a decent monthly salary. Seeing his family prosper, some even wanted to propose matches for him. However, Yu Tuanzi did not agree.

While Yu Tuanzi didn’t agree, his sister would eventually have to find someone. Some families in the village set their sights on his sister. However, Yu Cuihua requested to bring her mother along, discouraging some suitors.

"Yes! My sister is already fourteen, and my mother is now employing a matchmaker to find someone for her. In the end, it’s my fault for burdening her. A few years ago, I was such a fool and made them suffer so much. Now that I have money, I’m not home often, leaving no one to care for my mother. That’s why my sister wants to take our mother along when she marries; it’s my fault."

Yu Tuanzi felt a twinge of sadness when talking about these matters. Then, suddenly realizing something, he hurriedly explained, "It’s not like doing work for the young master is bad. In fact, if not for him, where would my family have today’s good life?"

Yu Tuanzi sincerely appreciated Gu Chengyu, wishing only that there wasn’t the matter of that so-called poison.

"Your sister’s a good girl, but you could also marry someone to care for your mother! Wouldn’t that be killing two birds with one stone?" Gu Chengyu couldn’t help but suggest.

Upon hearing this, Yu Tuanzi looked at Gu Chengyu with a look of hesitation and reluctance.

Noticing his hesitation, Gu Chengyu said, "Don’t worry, the medicine won’t affect anyone else, nor will it stop you from having children."

These words made Yu Tuanzi’s face instantly turn red. He looked up at Gu Chengyu closely, wondering how a young boy like him could talk about having children without any change in expression—it was quite extraordinary.

"That’s not the only worry..." Before he could finish, Gu Chengyu rolled his eyes at him, making him feel embarrassed as he continued, "That’s part of it, but I’m also worried that if my sister marries and I marry someone, I’m often not home. Who knows if she’ll treat my mother well?"

When Gu Chengyu heard this, he was taken aback. He hadn’t realized Yu Tuanzi was so dutiful to his mother. Yu Tuanzi actually had a good nature. Regardless of his past, he had long reformed. If a woman could settle down and live with him, the family would surely be happy.

"Go ahead and leave now! Meet me in town tomorrow!" Gu Chengyu snapped back to reality and noticed that Yu Tuanzi was shivering from the cold. The study room had no heated kang and no heated floors, and it was indeed cold.

After Yu Tuanzi left, Gu Chengyu tightened his jacket, grabbed a lantern, and braved the cold wind to enter the inner courtyard, only to find the main house still lit with oil lamps.

"Is it Xiao Bao? How come you’re back so late? Next time you study, you shouldn’t stay up so late. I’ll go fetch some water for you."

Before Gu Chengyu entered the house, Mrs. Lv’s voice suddenly rang out.

In this cold winter night, Gu Chengyu’s heart felt warm. The feeling of having family is truly wonderful!

"Mom! Don’t get up, I’ll fetch the water myself. It’s quick, and it’s cold outside. You all should go to sleep!" Gu Chengyu headed to the kitchen to fetch water without waiting for Mrs. Lv’s permission, bringing it back to his own bedroom.

The adjacent main room’s door creaked open with a loud noise, "Oh dear! Since when do you know how to fetch water?"

Mrs. Lv saw Gu Chengyu carrying a basin of water into his bedroom and hurried over to take it from him.

"Mom! Didn’t I say so? I can do it myself. I’m all grown up now." Gu Chengyu felt a bit helpless as his mother always treated him like a child.

At that moment, Mr. Gu’s voice came from the main house, "Hey! Little Bao’s all grown up. Can’t he even fetch water? Let him handle it himself!"