Transmigrated into a Grandpa, Embracing the Laid-Back Life

Chapter 64: Not Going to the Zhou Family

The mule cart entered the gates of Qingshi Town, plunging headlong into a bustling, colorful painting.

The clamor of voices, the rumbling of cart wheels, the cries of street vendors, all mixed with the aroma of food and the musky smell of livestock, rushed toward them.

This thick, earthy atmosphere of daily life washed away the last lingering traces of the cold and fear from the mountains and forests.

Old Qian drove the cart, skillfully navigating familiar paths to bring them to the town center's mule and horse market, where they settled the remaining fare.

"Xiao Ming, thanks to you, this old man's life was pretty much snatched back from the jaws of death." Old Qian clutched the copper coins, his hand still trembling, his gaze at Su Ming filled with gratitude and lingering fear. "If you ever need anything in the future, just send word. As long as I'm still in town, Old Qian will come running whenever you call."

Su Ming nodded. "Take care on the road, Old Qian."

Old Qian drove the empty cart away, leaving only Su Ming and Zhao Rui standing there with their respective luggage.

Zhao Rui let out a long sigh of relief. The deathly pallor of one who has just escaped disaster rapidly faded from his face, replaced by the arrogance and impatience of someone returning to a familiar environment.

He patted the dust off his clothes, frowning. "Finally made it. Su Ming, come on, let's go to my aunt's house. You helped that Zhou Yulin so much last time, they definitely won't make us stay in that awful place from last time again."

Su Ming picked up his bundle but didn't move his feet."We're not staying at the Zhou family's," he said, his voice very calm.

"Why not?" Zhao Rui's volume immediately shot up. "If we don't stay at my aunt's, where will we stay? Sleep on the street? Let me tell you, the inns in town are ridiculously expensive!"

"Disciple, well done! Absolutely must not go!" Lin Yu's voice rang in Su Ming's mind, carrying an unprecedented seriousness. "That old scoundrel Zhou Kang is brimming with malice. Last time at the County School office, he was already trying to trip you up. Now you want to deliver yourself to his doorstep? Tired of living? That's not moving into a relative's house; that's moving into a wolf's den! His house is full of prying eyes and loose tongues. How would you cultivate the Aura Concealment Art? How would you hide your secrets? Remember, one of the core tenets of the Way of Survival is to stay far away from all potential sources of threat!"

Su Ming ignored Zhao Rui's bluster, simply asking calmly in return, "Have you forgotten what happened at the County School office?"

flushed a deep,

treated like garbage, and that Registrar Qian's shift from arrogance to obsequiousness, were still

he definitely wouldn't have acted like that!" Zhao Rui stubbornly defended, though his voice grew much

here to study, not to live under someone else's roof." Su Ming hoisted his bundle and started

sense of panic surged within him again. The experience in the mountains and forests made him completely unwilling to

his teeth, he could only pick up his book box with

crying to me about the price when you see

heading toward the bustling

looked clean and bright, with tall horses tethered out front. Su Ming didn't even

times, but Su Ming's silent, resolute back

a shop with a narrow front. The four

dressed in a simple short jacket was dozing with his head on the counter. Hearing movement,

"Staying the night?"

The cheapest room, how much per night?" Su Ming

coarse cloth clothes, the other in slightly

"Thirty wen."

hadn't expected them to be this much higher than he'd imagined. His family's money didn't grow on trees either. "This dump, thirty wen for one night?

he hadn't heard the protest. He fished out thirty copper coins from his robe, carefully counted them,

"One room."

money and tossed over a wooden

head

was nothing he could do. He could only follow Su Ming up the creaking

indeed small, just enough for one bed, one table, and one chair. The furnishings were simple, but the room was bright and clean. The floor and bedding were indeed tidy, without the expected musty dampness. Pushing open the window, they could see clothes drying in the backyard, carrying a faint, clean scent of

Rui threw his book box on the floor, his face full of disgust. "Even the