Chapter Seventy-Six: Mission Accomplished

After logging out of the game, Chen Hao accessed the trading platform for "War" and was pleasantly surprised to discover that the 600 gold coins he had listed had been sold, and his bank card now showed an extra 720,000 yuan in cash. The exchange rate on the platform was 1 gold coin to 1,000 RMB, and he had set his price at 1,200 per coin just to try his luck, never expecting they would actually sell.

Removing his helmet, Chen Hao pressed the button next to Ban Qianqian, prompting her to exit the game as well. Since they had become familiar, the two often sat next to each other at adjacent cyber consoles while online, and Ban Qianqian always asked Chen Hao to call her when he logged off, saying she was afraid to walk home alone at night.

When they arrived at the School of Economics and Trade, Ban Qianqian suddenly patted her head and exclaimed, “I almost forgot, tomorrow is Dong Xiaohui’s birthday! Chen Hao, you promised to go with me, don’t forget!”

Chen Hao had always remembered this, the day was etched deeply in his memory. Whether it was Ban Qianqian or his wife in the game, he didn’t want anything bad to happen to them.

Through these days of spending time together, Chen Hao realized Ban Qianqian was a girl with strong opinions. She wasn’t vain like other girls her age, nor did she succumb to peer pressure to frequent entertainment venues. On June first, he wasn’t sure who would encounter misfortune, but he didn’t want such a lovely girl to face tragedy, and he was determined to prevent any accidents.

Getting up the next morning, Chen Hao, excited at the prospect of soon owning an advanced virtual console with an integrated nutrition pod, skipped his usual run. Since Ban Qianqian’s birthday party was in the evening, he didn’t seek her out directly, but instead headed to the Hyperdimensional Internet Café.

Donning his helmet and entering the game, Chen Hao arrived at the back entrance of Huang Batian’s mansion, where Shuanghui and his harmonious companions were already waiting. The four led him inside, and Shuanghui introduced him to Huang Batian, saying, “Master Huang, this is my friend Chen Baxian. He also wishes to work at your estate.”

Huang Batian put on a kindly facade, though his fleshy face hardly looked benevolent. Smiling, he said, “I am always just. Chen Baxian, since you wish to work here, I won’t treat you poorly. Follow Shuanghui and help with the grain milling.”

Chen Hao and Shuanghui went to the mill, joining the four in grinding grain. Physical labor quickly depleted their hunger meters; if Shuanghui and his companions hadn’t earned some money through small tasks during their free time, the daily milling would have exhausted them.

Chen Hao kept his ears open, and before long, he heard a commotion in the front hall. He whispered to Shuanghui, “I’ll step away for a bit. If anyone comes, cover for me.”

Shuanghui nodded, “No problem.”

The baby-faced player grumbled, “Shuanghui, you brought him in, fine, but now we have to do his work too? Why should we?”

Shuanghui shook his head. “Chen Baxian is popular on the forum. He has a grudge against the Butcher’s Blade as well. Forming a good relationship isn’t a bad thing.”

In the Huang family’s main hall, Li Pisun’s youngest son pleaded with Huang Batian, “Uncle Huang, my father sent me to redeem the porcelain vase. Please help me! Otherwise, I’ll be cast out of the family.”

Huang Batian feigned difficulty, “Nephew, I’d like to help, but the porcelain vase has already been sold. There’s nothing I can do.”

Li Liang produced fifty gold coins. “Uncle Huang, I’m out of options. I won’t sell the vase anymore. Here are your fifty coins, please return the vase to me.”

Huang Batian stiffened. “Nephew, that’s not right. Yesterday, you came to sell the vase willingly. Once the deal was done, I can dispose of the vase as I please. It’s not for you to demand it back.”

Li Liang shouted in anger, “You keep saying the vase is sold, but you’re clearly lying. My father has already discovered you hid the vase in…”

He stopped abruptly, as if remembering something, hastily covering his mouth. He pleaded, “Uncle Huang, if the vase hasn’t been sold, just return it to me. I’ll add twenty more coins, is that enough?”

Seeing Li Liang change the subject halfway, Huang Batian grew suspicious, wondering if old Li Pisun had found out where the vase was hidden. Testing him, he said, “The vase is already sold. Why do you think I hid it?”

Li Liang ignored his question, standing up angrily. “If Uncle Huang won’t return the vase, fine! Still, you’re lying to me. My father said if I don’t retrieve the vase, he’ll report to the authorities that the heirloom was stolen.”

After Li Liang left, Huang Batian grew anxious. To avoid leaving evidence, he hadn’t written a receipt when tricking Li Liang about the vase yesterday. If Li Pisun insisted the vase was stolen and the authorities searched the mansion and found it, he would have no way to explain.

Huang Batian became paranoid, suspecting Li Pisun had sent experts to discover the vase’s hiding place. After dismissing the guards and steward, he went to his study, pulled a book from the shelf, and triggered a hidden mechanism. Behind the bookshelf, a secret compartment appeared.

He took out the porcelain vase and examined it for a while. After some thought, he closed the shelf, carrying the vase to his bedroom. Lifting a landscape painting on the wall, he revealed another secret compartment and placed the vase inside.

Having secured the vase, Huang Batian snorted, “Li Pisun, you stubborn old man. If you’ve already sent someone to discover the vase’s whereabouts, but don’t reclaim it, this time I’ll hide it elsewhere and strengthen the defenses. I don’t believe you can find it again.”

After re-hiding the vase, Huang Batian left the bedroom and summoned the guards, berating them and ordering stricter patrols every night.

The reason Huang Batian believed Li Pisun knew where the vase was but hadn’t stolen it was because he understood that as a renowned scholar, Li Pisun would never stoop to petty theft.

Chen Hao followed not far behind Huang Batian. With the guards absent, he wasn’t worried about being discovered. Seeing Huang Batian hide the vase in the bedroom secret compartment, he had originally planned to steal it and return it to Li Pisun, but after hearing Huang Batian’s soliloquy, he abandoned the idea.

Huang Batian understood Li Pisun well. As a famous scholar, Li Pisun certainly adhered to Confucian principles. If Chen Hao acted rashly and stole the vase, Li Pisun wouldn’t be pleased; he would likely become resentful.

Chen Hao returned to the mill, worked alongside Shuanghui and his companions for the day, and then left the Huang estate with them. After reporting the vase’s whereabouts to Li Pisun, the scholar stroked his beard and said, “I asked you to investigate the vase’s location partly as a test. If you had stolen it, you would no longer be my disciple.”

Chen Hao silently rejoiced at his luck and replied promptly, “Recently, I have been studying the teachings of the sages with you, teacher. How could I commit such petty theft?”

Li Pisun nodded with satisfaction. “Very well! I am pleased with your conduct. From today onward, I will teach you the Great Learning.”