The significance of rice to Su Li was…
“That is sothing that can never be given up!”
When Su Li said this, no one could deny his seriousness, because even his green eyes that usually reflected nothing could now clearly mirror each distinct grain of rice.
Roy watched this and chuckled softly, then looked up and directed Lan Zhe. “Quick, write this down.”
Lan Zhe gave him a strange look.
Although they had all returned to this small building together, Roy should know that he wasn’t particularly fond of him, so how could he so calmly give him orders now?
Roy noticed the aning behind Lan Zhe’s look but raised his eyebrows dismissively. “Don’t you want to see Egbert, who always hopes to catch Su Li’s attention, discover that he can’t even compare to a bowl of rice?”
Actually, he did want to see that…
The forr Son of Light’s peculiar condition was well-known to everyone, especially when he acted up in front of Su Li.
It always made people see Su Li, who usually maintained a bland expression, make all sorts of unusual faces.
Very interesting.
So he really took out paper and pen, and after adding too many prefixes to “Su Li’s unstoppable love for rice,” recorded it down.
“Sohow this gives déjà vu of being the Pope’s record keeper,” Lan Zhe said after his pen paused.
Su Li chanically turned his head to look at Lan Zhe. Under normal circumstances, a child his age would curiously ask questions about what happens in the Pope’s daily life and what the record keeper writes down.
However, was Su Li a normal child?
“Don’t you all have anything better to do?”
Were they too free?
Look at his ho now, how did it end up with more and more people?
However, others indicated either “really nothing to do” or “my job is to take care of/protect you.”
Su Li: …
It was getting troubleso.
Without realizing it, everything in the house had been divided among three people.
Lan Zhe cooked, Mark cleaned, and Roy was responsible for his safety.
His only good friend Cyril had also started drawing since returning.
When asked why he suddenly wanted to start drawing, he said with difficulty, “During those days dealing with the aftermath in Jisuo Town, Brother Egbert kept finding ti to ask when I would complete our long-ago transaction.”
Heaven knows Cyril had completely forgotten about this matter.
Mainly because he didn’t think any normal person would spend 100 gold coins to buy “worthless paintings.”
Su Li innocently asked at the ti. “What transaction?”
“It’s the deal to draw scenes of you kicking off your blanket while sleeping, and teary-eyed after stubbing your toe on the table in the morning, along with other custom drawings. Though Brother Egbert’s trading terms were fixed at 100 gold coins per piece, with no upper limit.”
Su Li said in disbelief. “Goodness.”
His face split into a grimace.
However, his focus wasn’t on how ridiculous this play transaction was, but rather…
After all this ti, it turned out that he, with his 15 gold coins monthly salary, was the poorest in this household?
“Give half,” Su Li said to Cyril with a serious face.
Cyril deeply understood the true aning behind so of Su Li’s actions, so he said what Su Li would have said in this situation.
“Why should I? Even brothers should keep clear accounts.”
“Because I’ll sue you for violating portrait rights.”
“Sadina City only has rules, no laws.”
The rcenary city was comparable to a small autonomous state, which was why Euphia had the right to “sell” a house to Lan Zhe, a Dark Holy Son.
“What about above Sadina City? Since it’s a city, there must be countries at higher levels. If this country doesn’t have laws about portrait rights, I guarantee I’ll make it happen,” Su Li said with a serious face.
Cyril looked at him in disbelief. “You’d do this for 50 gold coins?”
“Are you kidding?” Su Li pretended to be disdainful. “50 gold coins per piece, 500 for 10 pieces, 5000 for 100 pieces, 50,000 for 1000 pieces. Round it up, and I can earn money just lying around doing nothing.”
Cyril: “You’ve revealed your dirty thoughts!”
Lan Zhe had a headache. What was wrong with these children’s education?
Even the Dark Church’s Holy Son knew that now wasn’t the ti to discuss splitting spoils—cough—dividing money.
“You should think about whether what you’re doing is really right.”
“Cyril, is it appropriate to trade your best friend’s portraits? And Su Li, have you considered that Egbert might hang your portraits in every corner of his room and sleep peacefully in the bed in the middle?”
“Don’t you think that behavior is extrely excessive?”
Looking at Lan Zhe’s earnest expression as he tried to educate the young ones, Su Li and Cyril decisively replied. “Hesitating for even a second shows disrespect for gold coins/money!”
Lan Zhe stood there questioning life.
Cyril was already preparing to compromise and split the spoils.
The reason being, if he truly persisted in not giving Su Li money, Su Li might actually develop this to the deeper national level and really establish portrait rights laws…
Cyril complained. “Su Li, you really have an incredible obsession with sending to prison,” while saying, “Forty-sixty split.”
Su Li: “I get sixty, you get forty, adults need to deeply understand what it ans to hold law in one hand and holy sword in the other.”
Cyril: “Dream on. Besides, as Lan Zhe said, when even a level one monster beast could crush you, what makes you think your so-called holy sword could reach ?”
“Then seventy-thirty.”
“That’s even less for !”
“Either we don’t do this business and stay poor brothers together, or it’s fifty-fifty, no negotiation!”
Bottom of the food chain, never admitting defeat.
Cyril grudgingly agreed.
Nearby, Lan Zhe was discussing with Roy. “I think they need to study at the elentalist academy for a while. Although most teachings there are useless, with many peers their age, they should understand what normal children their age should be doing.”
Roy spread his hands. “Su Li is already the librarian there. Those 15 gold coins per month supported Egbert and Cyril for quite a long ti.”
Lan Zhe imdiately showed an expression of “this child had it so tough.”
And sincerely asked, “Didn’t Egbert feel guilty spending his money?”
“Ha, as far as I know, that idiot Egbert confessed everything about his situation just hours after eting the little master. Dragging a child into sothing as serious as the traitor incident—I deeply suspect, no, I’m certain that fool never considered that the little master might be in danger because of this.”
Roy was getting irritated at this point.
Everyone knew Egbert’s head was full of seawater, but now Roy was genuinely upset about so things that happened in the past.
Speaking of double standards, even if Roy had thoughts of silencing Su Li back then…
What did it matter? He, Roy, was the one by the little master’s side now.
That unfortunate child Egbert better dive deep into the Dark Church and never crawl back out.
Roy thought maliciously.
Lan Zhe: ………..
The Dark Holy Son, who had always thought sothing was wrong with himself, now sincerely felt that the problem wasn’t him at all, but rather everyone around Su Li.
Everyone!
To be fair, even after generations of effort by the Church of Light’s Popes, the people around them never showed the level of devotion that the people around Su Li showed him.
So what exactly was Su Li’s secret?
In his view, that child with platinum hair and erald eyes was saying frankly to a troubled-looking Cyril. “Making money isn’t shaful.”
“In life, being dignified requires having enough money to afford that dignity. Otherwise, it’s just being poor but pretentious.”
Since returning to Sadina City, Su Li had stopped expecting Egbert to jump out and record his words, leading him to lower his guard and indulge in his habits.
Now, Su Li casually continued. “The reality of being an adult ans seeing clearly what’s missing around you, and while hoping money brings compensation and improvent, still dreaming of poetry and distant horizons.”
He wasn’t lecturing Cyril; it was just Su Li’s habit to mutter such things, most of which applied to his own circumstances.
But to others, it always seed profoundly deep.
Moreover, people including Lan Zhe felt that regardless of whether Su Li was twelve or thirteen, or seventy or eighty, he shouldn’t have such high self-awareness.
Humans typically elevate their actions unnecessarily, attributing non-existent aning to them, then accepting and acknowledging themselves as remarkable beings.
Magnifying one’s strengths while ignoring one’s weaknesses is the most common thing in this world.
But Su Li wasn’t like that.
This wasn’t due to his zero elental affinity’s peculiarity, but sothing on a higher level that couldn’t be easily understood.
He frankly accepted his weakness in elental matters and never hesitated to admire and marvel at others’ strength.
Never envious or resentful.
Strange enough to be incomprehensible, yet observers felt fortunate to glimpse even a fraction of it.
Su Li was like a strange being who understood human nature, trapped in a human body, expressing to observers sothing that was neither human nor beast, closer to divine yet not divine—sothing indescribable.
That was truth.
It was sothing Su Li naturally expected to be accepted, but others never valued or acknowledged.
Lan Zhe muttered quietly. “Let’s just say Egbert’s perversion isn’t enough to break our friendship.”
Then, with an even more matter-of-fact attitude, he took out paper and pen and wrote down Su Li’s entire string of words.
And he had a perfectly legitimate reason…
This was all for friendship (thunderous voice).
Reviews
All reviews (0)