CH 28

Chapter 28 – Brother Shi

The man’s eyes gleamed with interest, “Do you really have one?”

Man Bao nodded, her big eyes glowed with excitement and expectation, “Big brother, do you want a rooster?”

The man was rendered speechless, but he nodded and said, “Yes. Where is the rooster? Take me there, let me take a look.” 

“There’s no need to trouble you. Just let my fifth brother bring the rooster.” Man Bao turned around and looked at Wu Lang, “Fifth brother, quickly go and bring the big rooster.”

Wu Lang understood Man Bao, so, he turned around and was about to leave. After thinking about it, he felt this was inappropriate.

He turned back and said, “No, you are so young, what if you are abducted by the bad guys? Come with me.”

The man glared at him and said, “Boy, ask the entire street. Will I, Shi do such a sinister and vicious thing like selling children?”

Man Bao squatted beside him, and waved her hand imperiously at Wu Lang, “That’s true, that’s absolutely right. Brother Shi is not such a person.”

Uncle Shi was rendered speechless again and couldn’t help patting her little head, “Call me uncle!”

He was quite strong. Although he reduced his strength, Man Bao was still young. She wasn’t very stable when squatting. After being patted, she tumbled and landed splat on the ground.

Uncle Shi was taken aback, and quickly reached out to pull her up. Wu Lang’s eyes widened, he pushed Uncle Shi away, and held a bewildered Man Bao and asked, “Youngest sister, youngest sister, are you okay?”

“Pooh-pooh!” Man Bao spitted out the dirt which accidentally entered her mouth. She glared at Uncle Shi, and said angrily, “You bully me!”

Uncle Shi originally felt slightly guilty. After all, he caused someone’s child to land splat on the ground. However, he found Man Ban’s furious expression and glaring expression rather cute.

He couldn’t help roaring in laughter and noted that she got even more annoyed and was puffing up her cheeks like a hamster.

He held back his laughter, took out a handful of copper coins and stuffed them into her hands, “Here, I’ll give you some money for sweets.”

He explained to Wu Lang, “I really didn’t mean it. How would I know she was so unstable?”

After all the fuss, his feelings of irritability and depression from losing money dissipated.

Man Bao wiped the mud off her face and put the copper plates into her pocket. Hump! She’ll forgive him for the sake of the money.

Man Bao stopped squatting like Uncle Shi. She sat down on the stone steps beside him and waved Wu Lang off again, “Fifth brother, hurry and go. I’ll wait here.”

Man Bao stared at the half-bald rooster, and complained to Keke, “Fifth brother is really stupid. What if I leave and he sells this rooster to someone else?”

The system replied, “Host, you’re not short of money now.”

So, it was unnecessary to exert so much effort to save some money.

Man Bao didn’t think so. She said, “A rooster requires 65 wen. I’ll buy a rooster for my mother every day. It’s 650 wen for 10 days. I don’t have enough money for now.”

“Host, I suggest you input more rare plants as soon as possible, so that you can open the mall. Who knows? You may find medicine which can treat your mother in the mall.”

Man Bao was surprised, “Do you also sell medicine?”

“Not me. Someone may sell it in the mall.”

That was easy to say, but Man Bao found it difficult as the mall was invisible. It was critical to buy a rooster because the animal was real and visible.

Wu Lang was unwilling to leave. He wasn’t a fool. How could he leave his adorably cute and young sister here alone?

Uncle Shi, who was initially amused, was upset again, “Do you have the rooster or not? If not, don’t joke at my expense.”

The siblings glared at each other.

Fortunately, Liu Lang, Da Ya and Er Ya found them in the nick of time. With family members around, Wu Lang was relieved. He asked them to watch over Man Bao and ran off with the money bag.

Liu Lang knew Man Bao saw the cockfighting and was apprehensive. He squatted next to Man Bao and looked at Uncle Shi vigilantly.  

Da Ya and Er Ya cowered and didn’t dare to speak. To the girls, gamblers were not good people.

Wu Lang whispered in Man Bao’s ears, “Don’t you hate fourth brother’s gambling? Why are you here?”

Man Bao replied boldly, “I don’t gamble.”

Uncle Shi cast a sidelong glance at Liu Lang, and asked Man Bao, “You have gamblers in your house? You guys don’t look rich.”

Man Bao nodded, “My fourth brother lost money gambling not long ago, and people came to the house, demanding payment. They took all our money away.”

“Oh, that’s wicked! Why can’t your fourth brother use his brains? Borrowing money to gamble?”

Man Bao asked him curiously, “Aren’t you a gambler too?”

Uncle Shi was full of confidence, “Although I’m a gambler, my family is rich. I certainly don’t need to borrow money to gamble.”

Man Bao snorted, “Gambling is addictive. To cure a gambler, you need to chop off his hands and feet.”

Uncle Shi was scared by her words, was she so cruel?

“You, you kid, who taught you this?”

“My friend said this. I also thought about this myself,” Man Bao said proudly, “I’m prepared. If my fourth brother gambles again in the future, I’ll chop off his hands.”

Uncle Shi didn’t take her seriously but gave her a thumbs up, “You’re amazing.”

Man Bao remained very interested in gambling, but Keke believed this would be bad for her growth.

So, he told her various stories about how gamblers destroyed their families, but he refused to teach her how to gamble and explain why gamblers were addicted.

When she asked fourth brother, he could only say he lost his head, and thought he could turn the tables around.

Like being in a black widow’s web, he borrowed money to bet. He kept on borrowing as he kept losing. When he came to his senses, it was too late. He had lost all the money.

Man Bao felt his explanation was boring. People like her who enjoyed listening to stories didn’t even find his story remotely interesting.

Since this was her once in a lifetime opportunity to meet another gambler, Man Bao asked Uncle Shi.

Uncle Shi found it impossible to tell a child about the types of gambling available, but Man Bao didn’t act like a child at all.

So, he couldn’t help telling her some of the details. He usually gambled in cockfighting, and in the dice game.

He initially just wanted to appease her curiosity but as she looked at him with such enthusiasm and interest, he carried on telling her more and more.

By the time, Da Lang dragged Wu Lang who was carrying the rooster to the cockfighting site, Man Bao already understood some of the common tricks in the casinos, as well as some of the fraudulent methods.

Da Lang strode over with a calm face. When he saw Uncle Shi was wearing silk clothes, he restrained his anger and stepped forward to greet him.

Uncle Shi looked at him and cocked an eyebrow. Man Bao already yelled, “Big Brother” happily, and then introduced her brother to Uncle Shi, “Big brother Shi, this is my eldest brother!”

In his early twenties, Uncle Shi, who was just a young man, was sporting a beard. Da Lang, who was obviously much older than him, was silent.

No wonder Man Bao insisted on calling him big brother. It turned out that her eldest brother was much older than him!