#3 - Chapter 3 Buying and selling people?

Watching his family discuss whether to sell the fish or eat it, Cheng Feng postponed exploring the interface. He blinked, and the interface disappeared from his sight.

Constantly displaying a VR-like view was quite uncomfortable. He couldn't even go online to relieve his loneliness. What was the point of keeping it on?

Out of sight, out of mind.

"Dad, I want to sell the fish," Cheng Feng interrupted the family's argument. "Our family's savings aren't much anymore. I'll see if I can earn some money these next few days to prepare for the autumn tax."

Cheng's father was about to argue, but when Cheng Feng mentioned the autumn tax, he fell silent. Seeing Old Cheng's reaction, the atmosphere quieted down.

Cheng's father said, "You don't need to worry about the autumn tax. You're not even an adult yet, why are you worrying about family matters? This fish is just right for you to replenish your strength. It's not too late to sell it when you can catch two more."

The pillar of the family had spoken, and the Cheng family didn't hesitate. It was decided.

Cheng Feng was even more moved. He knew that his family was doing this to ease his mind.

However, Old Cheng was right. It wouldn't be too late to sell it after he recovered.

Cheng's mother happily went to cook the fish. The Old Cheng family finally had a taste of meat after a long time.

That night, Cheng's father said that his second son had grown up.

Cheng's mother said that her child was filial.

Cheng Shu said that his second brother had changed and become smarter.

Cheng Lei slurped the fish, hoping that his second brother would continue to have such good luck tomorrow.

Cheng Feng would sometimes bring up the light blue interface and sometimes dismiss it.

Looking at the 'Many Children, Many Blessings' origin talent and the fishing skill, he pondered what kind of changes this golden finger could bring him.

The night was long, and Cheng Feng only had three guesses based on the current clues.

The information in the interface was in modern Chinese characters, simple and easy to understand.

Origin, as the name suggests, is the source. Then it may be unique or innate.

If the idea holds, then there should be talents that are not origin, or rather, acquired.

As for how acquired talents come about, it may be due to chance encounters like those in mythological novels of his previous life.

The second point is the one percent behind the fishing skill. Where there is one, there is two.

How to improve it?

He could try it tomorrow.

As for the third point, it was the timing of the interface's appearance. It appeared at the same time as the successful fishing. Then is it related to the appearance of the one percent of the fishing skill?

If the guess holds, if he didn't go fishing today, would skills appear if he chopped wood or pulled grass?

Then how do skills appear?

Many thoughts and ideas flooded Cheng Feng's mind.

But it was useless. The current goal remains unchanged. He'll see if this fishing skill can come in handy tomorrow.

If it can continue to increase to two percent, and there is a possibility of improvement, then Cheng Feng felt that he really had great potential.

At least he wouldn't go hungry. Hmm, he could still eat meat.

Cheng Feng mocked himself. That's all he amounted to now.

There was no need to consider the talent of 'Many Children, Many Blessings'. At first glance, it was the result of a game for two people, one male and one female. He was so poor now and not even an adult yet. What was the point of thinking so much?

What's more, there's also the issue of betrothal gifts in this world!!!

Want to marry a wife without a betrothal gift???

Keep dreaming. Anything is possible in dreams.

Cheng Feng fell asleep in a daze.

The next day, Cheng's father and eldest brother still went early to take care of the family's thin fields, while Cheng's mother diligently cleaned up the house, mending and patching.

Cheng Feng asked his mother for a hemp rope and a thin needle. He found a handy and sturdy thick stick in the yard, made a hole in one end, and threaded the hemp rope through it.

He told his mother that they would have fish soup tonight and went out with dry food, full of confidence.

Goal achieved: fishing enthusiast.

He picked a large leaf in the forest he passed by yesterday to use as a float, and picked three loaches in the damp corner.

Carrying the bucket, he ran two mountain ridges, specifically choosing a riverbank where people couldn't see him and where he could sit with his back against a tree. He put down the bucket, hooked the earthworm, and started casting.

He hadn't eaten pork, but he had seen pigs run. Don't think Cheng Feng looked like he knew what he was doing. In fact, it was the first time for him.

In his previous life, as an inland person, he hadn't even seen the sea in Yanbian.

It wasn't that he didn't have the money, he just thought traveling was too troublesome and there wasn't much to gain. Compared to traveling, wasn't eating meat and drinking wine more enjoyable?

Everyone has their own preferences, so don't compare.

Looking at the ripples on the river, thinking about the situation he was in now, Cheng Feng had an idea. He couldn't just stay in this mountain valley for the rest of his life. He had to go further up.

What's the difference between a person without dreams and a salted fish? Right?

Just as he was lost in thought, a commotion came from the lakeside.

"Mother, I don't want to follow Lai Er. After marrying into our family, in what way have I let you down, let Xiang-ge down? Why do you always want to push me towards Lai Er?" A woman dressed plainly, with her hair in a bun, about seventeen or eighteen years old, was complaining to the old woman beside her.

"Xiang-ge's leg is broken, and I haven't complained. All the money our family saved before was used to see a doctor. I didn't say a word, wholeheartedly taking care of you and him. When the family ran out of rice and was starving, I went up the mountain to dig wild vegetables to cook soup for everyone to eat. I didn't feel anything was wrong. It's better for everyone to survive than anything else. But now that Xiang-ge is lying in bed, you want me to remarry, and even marry Lai Er. I can't do it, unless Xiang-ge tells me to myself."

The kind-looking old woman listened to the young woman's words and stopped talking. She pitifully shed tears and said, "Alas, you poor thing, you haven't had a good day since you married into our family."

But the woman didn't listen anymore. She walked away with the laundry basin without looking back. She had heard these words from the old woman too many times.

The old woman didn't follow. After the young woman walked away, she wiped the two tears from the corners of her eyes. Looking at the young woman's departing figure, her face returned to calmness. She said faintly, "Come out."

Cheng Feng shuddered. Holy crap, is this a master? Did she sense my breathing?

While Cheng Feng's thoughts were churning in his mind, footsteps came from the woods opposite Cheng Feng.

A man in gray-brown clothes came out, his face full of fat, with a diagonal scar across his nose, and two crooked front teeth when he opened his mouth. "Wang Po, you didn't get this done."

"Lai Zi, I've already tried. I've said everything nicely and used coercion and temptation. I've done what I'm supposed to do. You saw it too. It's not that I didn't say anything. I won't return the price we agreed on. If my Xiang-ge agrees, would she need to say anything? Selling her and taking the money from you for treatment would also be a way out, right?" Wang Po didn't budge.

"Alas, it's a pity that your Xiang-zi doesn't agree. That's right, he was injured by a beast the night before the wedding. No one would agree to that. At least she's a virgin, right? Well, you've tried, and I've heard it. That's it. I, Lai-ye, don't lack that little bit of money."

Lai Er didn't want to pester. He flung his robe and left.

Wang Po watched Lai Er walk away, smiling as she touched the big money in her arms. She muttered to herself, "This money is really easy to earn."

Then she left.

But no one knew that this scene brought great shock to Cheng Feng.

"No way, selling people?"

Thinking of the recent news about human trafficking or the dark web in legends of his previous life, and the female celebrities being auctioned off.

But even so, ordinary people had a big gossip to chew on. Now, Cheng Feng was actually watching this behind-the-scenes transaction so closely.

Cheng Feng suddenly broke out in goosebumps.

He had no sense of security.

What kind of world is this?