Another deep winter arrived.
Chen Fan, as usual, was walking along the streets, carrying his crutch and with a suona tucked at his waist, limping step by step through the marketplace.
He didn't bother calling out to drum up business. If anyone had a wedding or a funeral, they would naturally come to find him.
The fierce snowstorm covered his black hair, and the sight of him looked more weathered and worn, as if time had added layers of desolation to his figure.
The plum blossoms at the street corner were blooming particularly vividly, adding a touch of red to the otherwise pale, snow-covered street.
Such cold weather, it seemed unlikely there would be any work today.
Had he known this, he would have stayed under the warm covers a little longer.
As this thought crossed his mind, Chen Fan decided to head to the tavern, have a warm bowl of wine to heat himself up, and then return home to sleep.
But just as he turned around, he unexpectedly came face-to-face with a procession of wedding carriages.
Chen Fan tried to limp his way out of their path.
Yet, he was knocked over by one of the carriages, flipping him over completely.
Wen, the young woman, lifted the curtain of the carriage, her face full of apology. Dressed in red bridal attire, her appearance unmistakably declared her role for the day.
Chen Fan got up, patted the snow and dust off his clothes, and waved his hand to indicate it was no big deal.
Still, he felt a bit melancholic inside.
Today was Wen's wedding day, which meant he likely wouldn't even get a bowl of wine at the tavern.
Chen Fan let out a slight sigh, struck his crutch firmly on the ground, and was about to leave.
"Wait..."
Wen called out to him.
…
Chen Fan ended up becoming part of the wedding procession.
The sound of drums and gongs filled the air, firecrackers exploded in bursts of red, and his rendition of Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix outshone all the other commotion, becoming the brightest presence amidst the lively noise.
Today, Chen Fan played with extra effort.
Not because of the meager rewards the system gave him.
He was simply hoping that, after the ceremony was done, he could enjoy a hearty meal at the wedding feast.
If he could get a steaming bowl of hot wine paired with warm, savory braised pork, well, that would be life at its finest.
However, when Chen Fan finally sat down at the banquet, he was dumbfounded.
No matter what dish was served, the other guests at the table seemed to finish it in the blink of an eye.
Chen Fan held his chopsticks, wanting to stand up and fight for food.
But his lame leg wouldn't cooperate, and he couldn't get up.
The people around him thought he was being timid and pushed him teasingly:
"Cripple, what are you staring at? Eat, or are you waiting for someone to feed you?"
Chen Fan: "I… you… I'm not hungry."
In the end, the entire table of food left him with only half a peanut.
Chen Fan ate the remaining half of the peanut, patted his empty stomach, and resigned himself to the fact that he had technically "eaten" at the banquet.
Using his crutch to stand up, Chen Fan wobbled and swayed as he joined the departing guests.
Once again, he was going to bed hungry.
But he had grown used to it—it was nothing new.
Skipping one meal, eating one meal, that wasn't a big deal. He had gone three days without food before.
As he approached the threshold of the hall, the exiting crowd was somewhat crowded.
Chen Fan stepped aside, deciding to wait for a bit.
Before long, he felt a weight on his shoulder. Turning his head, he saw that Wen, still in her bridal attire, had placed a gourd of wine and several packed dishes into his hands.
"Mr. Chen, thank you for your hard work today."
Chen Fan was stunned. Before he could react, Wen had already turned and gone back to join her husband in sending off the guests.
Standing there alone, Chen Fan opened the stopper of the gourd.
A rich, fragrant aroma of wine wafted out.
It was still warm!
From that day onward, Chen Fan's waist no longer carried just a brass suona; there was now also a wine gourd.
Though, more often than not, it was empty.
One deep night, half-asleep, Chen Fan felt his Body Refinement Technique operating slowly on its own.
[Ding, Body Refinement Technique: 20%]
Chen Fan woke up with a start, surprise written across his face.
Finally, a breakthrough?
These past days, he had completed the system's daily tasks sporadically.
Since there were no punishments for not completing them, he hadn't taken them seriously.
But today, he finally understood what the accumulated experience points were for.
The more experience points he had, the stronger he became.
Yes, that had to be it.
It seemed this system wasn't as useless as he had thought. Aside from extending his lifespan, it did have other functions.
Chen Fan closed his eyes again, sensing the unknown energy within him that had become slightly more substantial.
It continuously washed through his bones and muscles.
Although he still had no cultivation to speak of, at least his physical body was no longer that of an ordinary person.
The most noticeable change? Chen Fan used to only be able to eat two large steamed buns in one sitting.
Now, he could eat ten!
That's how impressive it was.
However, this change in his body hadn't brought any material improvements to his life.
He still showed up at the tavern every now and then.
Ordering a bowl of wine and a plate of peanuts, he would sit there like a wooden figure, letting people mock and ridicule him for their amusement.
The tavern was quieter now without Wen. Business wasn't as lively as before.
At the very least, there were far fewer young men frequenting the place.
Chen Fan was the only young man who still came here to drink.
It wasn't because of any sentimental attachment.
The main reason was that the wine here was cheap and pure.
Unlike the watered-down wine at other establishments, Chen Fan could tell the difference with one sniff.
Some of it was so diluted, even stray dogs wouldn't drink it.
Lately, Chen Fan had been hearing one topic repeatedly in the tavern—Er Biao had disappeared.
No one knew where he had gone.
For the townsfolk, losing such a troublemaker was good news.
However, according to the town gossip, Er Biao had been taken by an immortal from the heavens to serve as a gatekeeper.
The townsfolk were abuzz with discussion, saying that Er Biao must have extraordinary luck.
To be recruited by an immortal, even to be touched by the divine, was considered an unparalleled blessing for mere mortals.
Some people spoke with envy glinting in their eyes.
Chen Fan, seemingly focused on drinking wine and eating peanuts, had actually been eavesdropping on their gossip the entire time.
Heavenly immortals and earthly gods…
What did they even look like? He had never truly seen one.
In his previous life, when he played the suona for the dead, he occasionally heard people mention that the deceased had "ridden a crane to the heavens."
So, did that mean, by extension, that all heavenly immortals were just dead people?
Chen Fan didn't dwell on the thought. In any case, it had nothing to do with him.
Downing the last of his wine, Chen Fan pulled the gourd from his waist.
"Boss, fill it up."
This gourd hadn't been filled in ages; it had become more of an accessory at his side.
Its greatest use was when Chen Fan's craving for alcohol struck.
Opening the stopper to take a sniff wouldn't satisfy the craving, but it could at least clear his mind.
Recently, there had been a spike in funerals around Maplewood Town.
Chen Fan was often called upon to stand by coffins, playing his suona all day long.
His presence had even taken the place of some filial sons who didn't want to kneel and mourn by the altar.
Naturally, this also meant Chen Fan's pockets were a little heavier with copper coins.
With some money in his pocket, a person felt more secure.
And with that sense of security came the confidence to call out "fill it up" in a loud voice.
Moments later, the innkeeper handed Chen Fan back his gourd, now filled with wine.
Chen Fan pulled out a few coins and habitually laid them out neatly on the counter.
Then, hanging the gourd back on his waist, he strode off without looking back.