Normally, aren't exorcisms all about things like black dog blood, boy's urine, cinnabar, yellow paper, and incense ash?
And here you are, seriously discussing science with me?
Wang Yunxiao instinctively sensed that Nurse Liu definitely hadn't told the whole truth and was holding something back.
But that was also normal; why would she bare her heart to someone she neither related to nor owed anything to?
Moreover, even stepping back, this type of matter really isn't suitable for minors…especially energetic minors like himself to know too much about.
The class leader came over the next day to visit, and by her ability to run and jump with a rosy face, she seemed to have no issues on the surface.
It was just that when the events of that evening were mentioned, her expression turned a bit strange.
It wasn't fear or confusion but rather like she was hiding something on her mind.
Wang Yunxiao could tell, but he wasn't sure if Nurse Liu and Huo Qingyang would be able to spot the issue.
After all, in this era, the study of micro-expressions probably hadn't yet been developed.
Over the following grueling week, the brothers in the dorm suffered through a mountain of homework. For academically poor students, this kind of assignment with no set answers was truly a mortal hell.
You could certainly slap something together, and the homeroom teacher would be more than happy to give you extra work. Having barely gotten permission from the principal, the teacher would lock these loafers up till the end of time, even if it meant serving meals daily without a single complaint.
However, from another perspective, this also proved that our teachers were genuine, and the school was legitimate.
Any teacher who forces you to study, no matter how bad their temper, is a good teacher.
Any school that does its utmost to fill its students' brains and bellies, no matter how poor the conditions, is a good school.
Although the style might seem a bit odd, overall, it was trustworthy.
Of course, this was just Wang Yunxiao's personal feeling; his brothers might not agree, and Shen Haowen might also have some personal opinions.
Time flew, and a week passed quickly.
The first thing Wang Yunxiao did after getting outside was to run three laps on the sports field, fully stretching his muscles and instantly feeling refreshed.
But then came a wave of emptiness and weakness.
There was no helping it; day in, day out, eating pickles and steamed buns, even immortals couldn't do physical training.
With no nourishment in your stomach, your limbs lack strength.
"I need to get some money…"
Wang Yunxiao silently sighed to himself.
Half a month had passed since he had arrived, without any lucky system giving him even a speck of gold.
If this continued, not only was time being wasted, but he was also getting close to ruin.
Youtiao noticed his worries and quietly suggested, "Boss, how about we go out and get some wild food?"
Wang Yunxiao was intrigued and asked composedly, "What do you mean?"
"Fishing, or maybe scamming a bit?"
Youtiao explained carefully, and it was just as he said, nothing underhanded.
Tianmen City, nestled between mountains and seas, with a developed network of waterways, wasn't far from the Xiaomei River once you left the school gate.
In the dorm, Dumpling and Loach were the best swimmers. Before when everyone couldn't get food, they'd lead everyone to the river to catch fish or grab crabs. It was enough to fill their bellies, though it was somewhat dangerous.
As the saying goes, 'The stubborn get beaten, good swimmers drown.' Tianmen City never lacked for drowning victims, adults or children alike. Some waters might look clear and shallow, but one slip and you'd be gone in a flash.
The other job, scamming, was even more skill-intensive than fishing.
It required a Little Gourd.
Others might need to act, but she didn't, having a frightening scar on her face.
In the morning, they'd go to the butcher's shop to gather some fresh blood, soak a cloth with it and hide it in their hand, then they'd hit the streets looking for easy targets.
They couldn't go after clearly wealthy and influential people since they were beyond their reach. They targeted those who looked meek, wearing glasses, slicking back their hair and powdering their faces, the kind who worked in offices sipping tea and reading newspapers.
They'd let Little Gourd crash into them, smear the blood on their face, and throw herself on the ground wailing loudly. That's when the brothers would circle menacingly, and the target would usually be stunned.
As long as they weren't greedy, not demanding too much, just a little bit for medical expenses, the mark would usually just pay up to avoid trouble.
This gig couldn't be pulled off on a daily basis; if you're always seen scamming on the streets, people start to recognize you, making it easy to attract envy and even more dangerous, drawing other serious delinquents demanding protection money.
Wang Yunxiao and his group had encountered such a situation once, but since they were numerous and ruthless, they managed to scare off three major delinquents.
After they entered the school and Little Gourd started to concentrate on her studies and did well, Wang Yunxiao never took her out again.
He didn't know why Youtiao brought this up again.
Youtiao, of course, had his own good reasons, "Boss, the last time the class leader came to our dorm, she had on a brand-new outfit. How long has Little Gourd been wearing that old coat? With the weather getting hotter, do you really have the heart to let her run around in tattered clothes, trailing behind the class leader and becoming a laughingstock?"
Wang Yunxiao thought it made sense.
Everyone knew Little Gourd was his sister.
The scar on her face was a lost cause, but if she didn't even have a decent set of clothes, making her look like a beggar, it'd be him, Wang Yunxiao, losing face when people saw her.
The main reason was still that the class leader had changed into new clothes.
This unlucky kid, it's not like it's a holiday, and who knows why he's fussing over his looks.
It must be that pretty boy Qu Wenming from Class Two's fault!
Wang Yunxiao thought about it but still hesitated, "Little Gourd will definitely need to take exams to advance to high school in the future, if you keep dragging her out to fake accidents on the street, wouldn't that hinder her studies?"
Youtiao pouted and said, "It's not me who wants to drag her, but if we don't bring her along, she absolutely refuses to take the money."
"Stubborn!"
Wang Yunxiao shook his head, "Don't rush, I'll think of another way."
Can a person really be killed by holding in urine?
What's the deal with using your own sister to scam people on the street?
He just didn't understand this era, this world well enough yet, and didn't have enough information.
"Let's go out for a spin tomorrow."
Wang Yunxiao had realized that among these brothers, only Youtiao had a useful brain and was meticulous.
As for what day tomorrow would be, that didn't matter.
If he went to class and behaved himself, it might actually dampen the other students' enthusiasm for learning.
Youtiao excitedly said, "Then let's go to Nanshi!"
Wang Yunxiao nodded, actually he didn't even know where Nanshi was, going anywhere would be the same.
The next morning, the two filled their stomachs in the cafeteria, took an extra two steamed buns, and climbed over the school wall as the bell rang for class.
They hadn't gone far when Wang Yunxiao furrowed his brow and whispered to Youtiao, "Don't look back, someone is watching us from behind."
"What?"
Youtiao looked confused, suppressing the urge to turn back, "Why would they watch us?"
Who am I to ask?
Wang Yunxiao was certain, he had just discussed going out for a stroll with Youtiao yesterday, and he hadn't mentioned it even to the brothers in the dormitory for fear they'd make a fuss and follow them. How could someone possibly have been watching him from outside the school in advance?
Unless… they weren't watching him but the school!
Qinghe Middle School was a boarding school, usually aside from faculty, very few people went in and out, so it was even rarer for someone like them to skip class and climb out. If someone really were watching the school, noticing them wouldn't be strange.
But why?
Do we have gold in our school?
With too little information, Wang Yunxiao found it hard to make a judgment, so he put the issue aside for the moment.
Let them watch, what could they possibly dare to do on this busy street in broad daylight?
Tianmen City was large.
At night after lights out in the dorm, one could see the dazzling lights stretching all the way to the horizon from the window.
Walking on the street, one could still vaguely see traces left by past conflicts. Every street had damaged buildings, some abandoned with weeds rebirthing, others were being demolished and reconstructed. On the construction sites, one could see workers sweating profusely everywhere.
For young lads like them, as long as they still had strength, they wouldn't starve to death; at worst, they could carry bricks.
But how much money could carrying bricks make?
Carrying bricks could at most help them scrape by; to really make a lot of money, they would have to go into excavation.
Wang Yunxiao vaguely remembered, he had a comrade whose family was said to be involved in excavation projects. Not that his family was overly rich, but whenever he came back from visiting his family, he'd bring roujiamos filled with Auron meat…
Had I been a soldier?
His memories were too fuzzy, he couldn't remember if he had been a soldier, but he distinctly remembered that roujiamo with Auron meat filling.
But to be fair, there was no easy money to be made in this world. Going into excavation involved substantial initial investments. Without taking care of everyone involved, how could you get a chance to make that money?
If you can't handle excavation, could you try your hand at landscaping?
At this thought, Wang Yunxiao quietly asked Youtiao, "Among our brothers, does anyone know how to garden?"
Youtiao looked blank and shook his head, then suddenly slapped his forehead, "Little Gourd might know a bit. I remember her family used to… Her dad used to grow orchids, once when we were hunting birds, you broke their flowerpot on the windowsill. That pot was said to be really valuable, Matuan's dad beat him so hard that he couldn't get out of bed for a week…"
Hold on, let me sort this out…
Wang Yunxiao thought it over and decided it was better not to delve too deeply.
The two of them zigzagged through seven or eight streets, and it wasn't until the sun was high in the sky that they finally arrived at what Youtiao called Nanshi.
It felt like country bumpkins entering the town; it was a sudden eye-opener.
Near Qinghe Middle School were all low-rise homes, looking just like the countryside. By the time they reached Nanshi, various three-, four-, five-, and six-story buildings gradually began to increase. Streets were lined with flags and signs, bustling with vehicles and throngs of people.
It wasn't even noon yet, and restaurants on the street had already opened, with the aroma of food wafting through the air, discernible from two miles away with scents of beef, lamb, and sweet and sour sauce. Inside glass storefronts, all sorts of goods dazzled the eye, and wooden mannequins dressed in floral dresses looked so real it sparked the imagination.
Wang Yunxiao touched his pants pocket, cleaner even than his face, and couldn't help but exclaim, "What a place!"