Chapter 19

Just as lunch was halfway through, Chen Sheng and his brother appeared, peeking from behind the wall. Zhao Jin, who had been practicing martial arts and thus eating later, wondered if the Chen brothers didn't practice martial arts.

"They are probably only allowed to play around noon, and the rest of the time they also practice martial arts," Uncle Zhao Zhenxing answered the question.

Seeing them come over, Zhao Jin couldn't sit still anymore. Although he had set his goal, his heart was becoming more and more like that of a teenager.

He quickly finished his meal, impatiently waited for Mu Shulan for a while, and then left with the package and pastries. He could still hear his father, Zhao Zhentang, saying from behind, "There's no need to worry with these four kids together; kidnappers and thieves aren't that blind."

Not only the two brothers from the Chen family came; there was also a middle-aged servant waiting outside the door. The servant held two packages in his left hand and a clay pot in his right, all of which seemed to be what Zhao Jin had asked for yesterday. Seeing Zhao Jin come out, the servant nodded politely and greeted him, taking the package from Zhao Jin's hand.

Seeing that the Chen brothers had everything ready, Zhao Jin felt a bit regretful but still smiled and said, "Let's go quickly."

The Chen brothers also looked excited, and everyone involuntarily quickened their pace. Mu Shulan and Chen Hong followed with smiles. Halfway through, Mu Shulan suddenly asked, "Is it a good time to go now? Everyone has just finished lunch, and these pastries won't attract them."

The little girl was smart and had hit the nail on the head. Her question made Zhao Jin stop, and Chen Sheng, after a moment of confusion, also understood. Chen Hong, who was behind, widened his eyes, not knowing what was happening. Zhao Jin slapped his forehead in frustration, thinking his plan was brilliant, but it turned out a girl had thought of it first.

Zhao Jin and Chen Sheng looked a bit hesitant, wondering if they should change the time. Unexpectedly, the servant who followed them smiled and said, "Don't worry, young masters. In Xuzhou City, many families only eat two meals a day, and some even just one. They are all hungry now!"

"Only two meals, or just one? Don't they all eat three meals a day?" Chen Sheng asked in surprise.

The servant smiled and continued, "They eat a full meal in the morning, go out to work, and have dinner. That's how the day passes. Many families only eat three meals when they are busy, and many can't even afford a full meal. For many, having one meal a day is already good."

After a few words, the servant's smile faded, and he shook his head without continuing. Chen Sheng looked shocked; it might be the first time he heard about the harsh reality and suffering. Zhao Jin, however, remained calm. Although it was his first time hearing it, he had learned about it through various channels before.

No matter the time, the lives of the poor are always filled with hardship, especially in an era without any security.

After a moment of silence, the children quickly recovered. Chen Sheng said excitedly, "Let's go quickly; there will definitely be someone to spar with me."

The atmosphere became lively again, and everyone headed towards the cargo yard.

The cargo yard was still bustling. It seemed that many people hadn't eaten lunch, and they seemed to be used to it, playing happily as usual.

Having come a few times and with his past memories, Zhao Jin didn't notice anything unusual. But after the servant's words, he paid attention to many details.

Many children were dressed in tattered clothes. It was already late autumn, but everyone was wearing thin clothes. The young men from Nanguan, like Liu Yong, wore single-layer shirts, not because they were tough, but because they didn't have enough warm clothes.

Although the children played in groups, few were really active. Many just sat or stood, conserving energy to avoid feeling hungry too soon. There were also a dozen or so children in cotton jackets and fur coats who were very energetic, running around. These children looked well-fed, and each had a few poor children following them.

Moreover, Zhao Jin noticed that the oldest child in the cargo yard was no more than fourteen years old. Thinking about it, he quickly understood the reason: older children had to work to support their families and themselves, so they didn't have time to hang around here.

Everyone saw Zhao Jin and Chen Sheng appear. Yesterday, a group would have surrounded them, but after the fight, seeing Liu Yong's bloodied face and the short man rolling on the ground, everyone was afraid. With Chen Sheng's imposing presence, no one dared to come close.

The Chen family servant was very considerate. He put down the items, greeted them, and then left.

"You just watch from the side; I'll handle it!" Zhao Jin said to Chen Sheng, who nodded indifferently.

"Move the things over there; it's higher." Zhao Jin led them to a small platform on the west side of the cargo yard, and the children playing there hurriedly moved away.

However, the curiosity of the children and young men in the cargo yard was fully captured by Zhao Jin and Chen Sheng. Many young men had already gathered around, and even Liu Yong and his group were watching from a distance.

"Open the package with the pastries," Zhao Jin said to Chen Sheng, who subconsciously followed his instructions.

The two opened the package, and milk flaky pastries, red bean cakes, sesame seed cakes, and osmanthus sugar appeared before everyone's eyes.

Chen Sheng brought some snacks every day, but they were insignificant. Now, with Zhao Jin and Chen Sheng's combined efforts, there were over thirty, a large pile.

The surrounding young men instinctively took a step forward, and Zhao Jin clearly saw many of them swallow, their Adam's apples moving.

After doing this, not only the young men in the yard but also Chen Sheng and his brother and Mu Shulan were staring at Zhao Jin, waiting for his next move. They didn't know what Zhao Jin was going to do.

Zhao Jin took the clay pot and opened the package with the small wooden plaques, thirty-two black and thirty-two white, all about half an inch in size. It was fortunate that the Chen family was wealthy; otherwise, they couldn't have made so many plaques overnight. Zhao Jin poured the plaques into the clay pot and shook it.

Everyone watched intently, afraid to miss a step, as if watching a magic show.

After doing all this, Zhao Jin stood up and shouted, "Chen Sheng and I are going to hold a martial arts competition here."

Hearing the words "martial arts competition," the young men immediately lost interest. Many turned and were about to leave.

"The top eight will each get one pastry, the top four will each get two, the top two will each get four, and the first place will get sixteen!" Zhao Jin shouted loudly.

Many children and young men still turned to leave, and Chen Sheng was getting anxious, about to speak. But at this moment, the children in the cargo yard reacted, turning around and gathering around the platform.

Sixteen pastries for one person! That's enough to last two or three days, and these pastries were made with sugar and oil, something many children couldn't even get during the New Year. If they could win first place, it would be a significant reward. A few strong children were already eager to try.

"Zhao Jin, if I make it to the top eight and get one, and if I make it to the top four, do I get another one, making it two?" someone shouted from below.

Zhao Jin looked down and saw a fat boy in a cotton jacket, looking like a big white bun, slightly taller than Chen Sheng. He remembered the boy's surname was Sun, and his family ran a cloth shop. Hearing the question, Zhao Jin was delighted; what he wanted to say had been asked by someone else, which was even better. He was also a bit surprised that someone could do the math.

"That's right. The one you get for the top eight and the one you get for the top four are different. If you make it to the top four, you will get at least two," Zhao Jin answered loudly.

The fat boy with the surname Sun's eyes darted around, and he shouted in surprise, "Then... then... if I get first place, I can get twenty!"

He stuttered a bit, and the surrounding young men first laughed, then became even more eager.

The sesame seed cakes Chen Sheng brought were still warm, and the wind carried the aroma. A few younger children couldn't resist and started drooling.

At this point, Liu Yong and his group pushed their way through, glaring at those who didn't give way. Many children were scared and moved aside. Besides the group from Nanguan, other strong and organized groups also gathered around.