Chapter 7

"Come on, come on, there's a good show up ahead." A passerby next to Lin Xiao said to his friend.

Looking at the corner of the street, a large crowd had gathered, pointing and discussing. Lin Xiao, with his traditional Han Chinese blood, also inherited the Chinese mentality of enjoying a spectacle. Thinking there was nothing else to do, he decided to join in the fun.

Lin Xiao, relying on his enhanced body, squeezed into the inner circle. An old woman was sitting on the ground crying, and next to her stood a middle-aged man with a brutish face, who seemed to be her son.

Across from them stood a man in a black Tang suit, with neatly combed silver hair. His calm eyes revealed a hint of anger, and his presence was intimidating even without a frown. No one would be in a good mood encountering such a situation.

Between them was a broken flower pot and a pot of orchid. Seeing this, most people understood what was going on. Indeed, it was a classic case of "insurance fraud."

The brutish middle-aged man pointed at the orchid on the ground and said, "Old man, you crashed into the orchid my mother just bought. What are you going to do about it?"

"Son, I've eaten more salt than you've eaten rice. You think you can pull this trick on me? Are you trying to take advantage of an old man who can't tell right from wrong?" the old man said calmly.

"Don't act all high and mighty, old man. My mother's orchid cost 100,000 yuan. It's clearly dead now. What are you going to do about it?" The middle-aged man's face twitched as he shouted.

The old man walked over, picked up the orchid, and examined it carefully for a long time. "I have a bit of knowledge about orchids. Let me explain. In ancient poetry, plum, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum are often mentioned and are known as the 'Four Gentlemen of Flowers.' Orchids are known for their light color and delicate fragrance, and they often grow in secluded places, symbolizing the humble gentleman."

He paused and continued, "To evaluate the quality of an orchid, there are 10 points to consider. First, the fragrance: orchids are fragrant without being overpowering, and a pure, clear fragrance is the best. Second, the overall appearance: a well-proportioned plant with harmonious flowers and leaves is the best. Third, the color: a pure, light green is the best, followed by a deeper green. Flowers with red streaks or spots on the petals or lips are of lower quality. The leaves should be glossy and smooth."

Seeing the crowd listening intently, some even nodding in agreement, the old man smiled with satisfaction.

"Actually, just these three points are enough to tell. The orchid in my hand is even inferior to those in some flower shops. The flowers and leaves are not in harmony, and if you look closely, you can see small holes in the leaves from insect bites. I would feel cheated if I paid 100 yuan for such an orchid." The old man glanced at the mother and son.

"Damn, I didn't expect to run into an old man who knows about flowers. I've said my piece. You crashed into my orchid, so you have to pay." The brutish man, seeing his scheme exposed, dropped the act and started to extort.

The onlookers, who initially felt sorry for the mother and son, were now amazed by the sudden turn of events.

Finally, a few young men stepped forward and said to the brutish man, "Bullying an old man, what kind of man are you? If you've got the guts, come at us." They even taunted him by wiggling their fingers.

"Haha, a few young men are trying to act tough." The brutish man laughed in anger as he saw a few more people step forward.

Ignoring the young men's changing expressions, he pulled out a switchblade from his pocket and approached them with a sinister look.

"Don't use your hands, just your mouth. You... you... don't come any closer." The young men panicked when they saw the knife, backing away as they spoke.

The brutish man sneered, despising such cowards. He approached the old man, saying, "Old man, my patience is limited. You're wearing it thin. Are you going to pay or not? If not, don't blame me for getting rough."

"Hmph, come on if you dare. I've seen it all, I'm not afraid of you." The old man said with disdain.

"This is on you. I'll show you what it means to mess with me." The brutish man charged forward.

Lin Xiao was thoroughly entertained by the drama, thinking it was like a cliché from a novel. In those stories, a beautiful woman would be the victim of a scam, and the protagonist would save her, emitting a "king's aura" that would make her fall in love with him. Lin Xiao continued to fantasize.

Suddenly, he saw the brutish man charge forward with the knife, looking serious.

Without hesitation, Lin Xiao, thinking of the Chinese virtue of respecting the elderly and caring for the young, rushed forward.

"Crack"

"Ahh"

The brutish man's scream echoed, but Lin Xiao was still on his way.

Rewinding the scene, just as the brutish man was three meters away from the old man, two burly men in black appeared. One grabbed the knife, and the other restrained the man, pinning him to the ground.

By the time the police arrived, the scammer and his mother were taken away, and the show was over.

"Ha, young man, you're not bad. When everyone else backed off, you stepped forward. That kind of spirit is rare in today's society," the old man said to Lin Xiao.

"Not at all, sir, you're too kind. I didn't help much; those two gentlemen were the real heroes," Lin Xiao said, scratching the back of his head with a smile.

"Don't call me sir. My name is Chen, like the character for 'ear.' Just call me Old Chen," the old man said with a smile.

"Nice to meet you, Old Chen. I'm Lin Xiao, you can call me Xiao Lin," Lin Xiao said.

"Alright, then Xiao Lin, that's it for today. We'll meet again if fate allows it," Old Chen said with a smile.

Leaving the flower and bird market, it was already 5 PM. Lin Xiao found a restaurant, ate something, and then went home.

At home, the first thing he did was feed the milk mixed with spatial water to the purple golden mastiff he had picked up earlier. Seeing the mastiff eat and look lively, he felt a bit relieved.

Sitting on the bed, he took out the meteorite from his spatial pocket, held it in both hands, and raised it to his forehead, sensing the energy inside.

"Haha, I hit the jackpot. This can restore 1% of the system's energy, which means I've extended my life by five years." Lin Xiao laughed maniacally.

Calmly, Lin Xiao began to absorb the energy as the system instructed. He sat in a meditative posture, focusing his mind, and guided the energy from the meteorite into his body according to the basic physical techniques.

"Hmm? What's that pungent smell?" Lin Xiao opened his eyes the next day, only to smell a nauseating odor.

Looking at himself, his clothes were covered in a layer of black impurities, emitting a strong stench.

An hour and a half later, after taking several showers, Lin Xiao sat on the sofa, feeling refreshed, and checked his gains from the previous day.

The basic physical techniques had advanced directly from the first level to the second, purifying his body and expelling more impurities.

The energy was now at 1.8%, with 0.2% unconsciously used to break through the second level of the basic physical techniques.

"Whew... No way, I lost a year of my life like that? Don't do this to me, is there any decency left?"

Lin Xiao looked at himself in the mirror, speechless.

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