“Uncle Qi, a bowl of black rice porridge, please.”

“It’s Xiao Zheng! Sit tight, I’ll bring it right away.” Uncle Qi, whose real name is Zheng Mingchong, smiled warmly as he saw Zheng Zheng coming over, although his brow furrowed slightly for a moment. Uncle Qi is a nearly sixty-year-old man. Despite his age, he is in great shape; having been a soldier in his youth, he stands tall with a straight back. His hair is somewhat gray, but his complexion is rosy and full of vitality. He has been running a breakfast shop in town for several years, known for its cheap prices and generous portions, so Zheng Zheng usually resolves his dining issues here.

Zheng Zheng found a random spot to sit down. Since it was just dawn, not many people were out yet, and there were only a couple of customers in the breakfast shop, making it feel a bit desolate.

Tengjiao Town used to be called Zhengjiabao, where the original inhabitants all shared the surname Zheng. It is said that the ancestors of Zhengjiabao migrated from Xiamen and Fujian during the wars several hundred years ago. If we trace back even further, the family tree can be linked to the Central Plains, where their ancestor was a prominent general under King Wu of Zhou, named Zheng Lun.

Yes, he was the "Heng Jiang" from the duo of Heng and Ha. In the "Investiture of the Gods," when he makes a sound, two streams of yellow vapor emerge from his nose, capturing and killing enemies.

Now, although many families with other surnames have moved into Zhengjiabao, the Zheng surname remains the most prominent in Tengjiao Town. Uncle Qi is not a direct blood relative of Zheng Zheng; his father and Zheng Zheng's grandfather were brothers. Since he is the seventh in the generation of uncles and brothers, he is affectionately called Uncle Qi.

Zheng Zheng’s grandfather’s generation was known for their large family; he had five aunts, two uncles, and one younger uncle. Now, with the reform and opening up, opportunities are everywhere. Only his oldest aunt and grandmother remain in Tengjiao. As for his grandfather, he passed away over ten years ago.

“Xiao Zheng, here you go.” A steaming bowl of black rice porridge was placed in front of him, accompanied by two servings of refreshing side dishes.

Zheng Zheng wasn’t feeling too good; his appetite was mediocre. After eating half a bowl, he set down his chopsticks.

At that moment, Uncle Qi came over and pulled up a stool to sit down.

“I say, Xiao Zheng, you’re not getting any younger. Staying at home all the time isn’t a solution. I happen to have an old comrade at the county police station. I heard they’re recruiting auxiliary police. It’s a bit tough, but at least there’s some income. How about I put in a good word for you? You can give it a try?”

Although Uncle Qi is a bit old-fashioned, he is a warm-hearted person. This scene had played out similarly at least three or four times in the past six months; he hoped that his nephew wouldn’t waste his days away and would work hard.

“Thank you, Uncle Qi. I will think about it.” Zheng Zheng pondered for a moment, feeling a bit restless, but instead of outright rejecting the suggestion as he usually would, he simply stared blankly at the bowl and chopsticks.

Seeing a glimmer of hope, Uncle Qi settled in instead of getting up, took out a cigarette from his pocket, tossed one to Zheng Zheng, and, while puffing away, earnestly advised him, “Xiao Zheng, your parents aren’t getting any younger. It’s not easy for them to run a small business outside. Your younger brother is in college, and while you may not be able to help financially, you shouldn’t add to their worries, right? Your mom has always had health issues, and your dad can’t seem to get anything done. If you don’t put in some effort, your family is only going to get more and more strained.”

“I know,” Zheng Zheng said bitterly, as he recalled his worries. After two years of quitting smoking, he lit up again.

Zheng Zheng's father, Zheng Mingliang, is taciturn and simple-minded. He developed several health issues while keeping bees in his early years, among which chronic gastritis has troubled him for over twenty years. He has taken countless medications and visited numerous doctors, yet he hasn’t recovered. He often suffers from sleepless nights due to pain, and when it becomes unbearable, he resorts to eating some soda crackers to get by. After all these years, his health isn’t likely to improve much. His mother's situation is even worse; a few years ago, she was diagnosed with mid-stage gastric cancer. After chemotherapy, her condition improved slightly, but who can guarantee that cancer cells won’t spread elsewhere?

At this thought, Zheng Zheng felt a wave of distress wash over him.

Is he really too selfish? Should he prioritize earning money to support the family and handle these issues first before pursuing his cultivation? Or should he focus on his training and resolve these problems thoroughly once he’s successful?

After a long internal struggle, Zheng Zheng left the breakfast shop in a daze, not even sure how he got home.

Zheng Zheng lives at the foot of Wushan Mountain. There is a clear stream that flows gently year-round. In the middle, there is an ancient stone arch bridge, at the foot of which stands a large banyan tree said to be hundreds of years old. Every summer, its branches are lush and green. The old house is located on the other side of the stone bridge and banyan tree. It appears somewhat dilapidated, a simple three-story building. His bedroom is on the third floor, which contains a 21-inch color television, a computer, and a rather old wooden bed.

Zheng Zheng lay on the wooden bed in a daze for a long time, until he was finally roused by a ringing phone.

“Hello.” He lazily picked up the phone without checking who was calling and pressed the answer button.

“Ah Zheng, what are you doing? Are you free this afternoon? Want to hang out?” A cheerful voice came from the other end of the line.

“Ah Jie, I’m not going. I have some things to take care of this afternoon,” Zheng Zheng rejected without a second thought.

Lin Jie is one of Zheng Zheng’s few good friends. Their friendship dates back many years. Back when “Legend” was all the rage, there was only one internet café in town, and they often spent sleepless nights gaming there. Over time, they became very familiar with each other. Later, they met several friends, fought monsters together, leveled up, and formed a guild to engage in PK battles. Those times were probably the most thrilling and exhilarating days of Zheng Zheng’s life, even though it was just a game.

Thus, Zheng Zheng and Lin Jie formed a deep friendship. Eventually, everyone went their separate ways, and their bond faded a bit, but as long as they were in town, they would gather whenever they had the time to drink and sing karaoke. During the past six months since Zheng Zheng returned home, Lin Jie would always call to inform him of any fun or tasty happenings. Under normal circumstances, he might have considered it, but now, feeling troubled, he had no mood to go out and have fun.

“Haha, good you’re not coming. If you miss out on something, don’t say I didn’t notify you!” Lin Jie chuckled mischievously, his tone suggesting there was more to it.

“What’s going on? Is there something special happening?” Zheng Zheng asked, intrigued.

“Hehe, Chang Tui is back. Don’t you want to see her?” Lin Jie’s laughter had an undertone that felt a bit gloating.

Zheng Zheng’s hand trembled, and his expression became somewhat dazed.

The “Chang Tui” Lin Jie referred to is actually called Hong Qianxiu. She has a pair of long, slender legs that are extremely alluring and sexy. Coupled with her good looks and cheerful personality, she is quite popular. It’s hard to say how Zheng Zheng managed to get lucky back then and ended up with her.

Later, Zheng Zheng left Tengjiao to start a small business elsewhere, hoping to take her along to develop together. However, Hong Qianxiu refused to leave Wenshi due to her family's objections, leading to numerous arguments between them. Gradually, Zheng Zheng developed a knot in his heart. At that time, they were both young and proud, unwilling to back down, and their feelings gradually faded.

I wonder how she is doing now?