Don’t Be a Kept Man

Chapter 61: I Rather be a Mayfly Living in This World, If I Could Live and Die Together With You

The road was paved with thick snow when Chen Miao Ping was off duty. And so after his shift, he exchanged the donations from Xue Yi into money. He then ordered Qian Tong and the others to buy food and clothes to dispense for tomorrow before heading back home on his horse carriage.

The room was still warm from the fireplace and blocked from the chill outside. A newly replaced decorated Narra table was quietly sitting with a crystal pendant laid out on top of it. Xie Yu Zhi sat on his chair, staring at the pendant for a very long time, feeling a weird kind of emotion. Even when Chen Miao Ping came into the room, he didn’t catch his attention.

Chen Miao Ping dusted off the snow from his body and took off that slightly damp outer jacket. He casually asked, 

“What are you looking at that is making you so focused?”

Xie Yu Zhi didn’t reply and leaned back on the chair, staring at him with an odd expression on his face. Chen Miao Ping could sense that the atmosphere was not quite right and he quickly glanced at the table. His pupils dilated and his expression was as if he saw a ghost —

How could this be possible? Wasn’t that the crystal pendant he sold to that chubby boy? And he had even thought to elevate the product, purposefully choosing a special golden thread to compliment the pendant, so it was very easy to recognize. 

It had only been a few days since Li Qin Wang’s estate was raided and all the items inside confiscated, and so these things should be in the national treasury. Why would it be here in Xie Yu Zhi’s hands???!

Knowing that the other had always thought of the crystal pendant that he gave as a token of love for their relationship, and now possibly knowing that he sold the same design to another person…… He didn’t dare think any further.

Chen Miao Ping was very calm on the surface, not letting anyone see anything wrong here. Bracing against Xie Yu Zhi’s stare, he casually walked by him and the desk to sit on the bed and take off his shoes and clothes, before lying down and covering himself with the bedsheets. He closed his eyes and pretended to sleep, trying to escape this terrible terrible situation.

Not even three seconds later, the bed creaked and he felt a heavy presence sit down. Chen Miao Ping thought to himself, did the heavens want to kill him today, and silently covered his face with the bedsheets, 

“I’m sleepy. If there’s anything you want to discuss, let’s do it another day.”

Xie Yu Zhi’s voice rang above his head with a fake happy tone, 

“Another day? Are you sure you wouldn’t be selling these things all over the streets another day?”

Chen Miao Ping thought, no way, after all his planning, he had only sold off one. Besides, these things, these crystal pendants, were not something he could just wish into existence. He only had a handful of those.

Seeing him keep his silence under the bedsheets, Xie Yu Zhi shuffled closer and reached out to pull the sheets down. His mouth curved up and he said in a low voice, 

“You certainly have your ways to earn money. Come on, tell me. How many of these have you sold?”

Chen Miao Ping’s eyes twitched and he quickly shook his head, 

“Not a lot.”

Xie Yu Zhi continued to chase for an answer, 

“Not a lot is how many?”

Chen Miao Ping opened and lifted up his eyes, 

“You guess.”

Xie Yu Zhi: “6000 guan.”

Chen Miao Ping: “……” 

That guess was pretty accurate.

He slowly sat back up and quickly smoothed out his emotions. He sighed and said, 

“There are so many things in this world that are one of a kind. Second Master, you shouldn’t think that these two pendants look the same, and therefore are the same. The meaning behind these two are very different……”

“Stop lying through the skin of your teeth, and say something honest for once.”

Xie Yu Zhi didn’t want to hear his bullshit and played with the crystal pendant in his hand. He plastered on a fake smile and said, 

“How many of these do you still have? Sell them all to me. 6000 guan for one.”

Chen Miao Ping had never asked him for anything. Power, money, jewelry, authority, he didn’t even take those banknotes he prepared for him in that secret chamber. Xie Yu Zhi had thought that this was because of Chen Miao Ping’s fragile male ego, and he would just protect Chen Miao Ping and his ego then. But for Xie Yu Zhi to protect his ego and watch him sell these all over the streets, that was next to impossible.

Chen Miao Ping paused, stunned and then he laughed, 

“If you wanted them, I’ll just give them to you. These things aren’t that special after all.”

These words were the truth, but Xie Yu Zhi had already risen up and passed over a stack of banknotes from a drawer on the desk. 

“I will not take your things for free. Take these. However you wish to spend them, spend them. As long as you don’t go around visiting entertainment houses, everything else is negotiable.”

It was too easy to offend people as a city warden inspector. Xie Yu Zhi had always been afraid of those fools who weren’t smart and caused trouble, thinking they were above the law. So everyday he would secretly send out guards to follow Chen Miao Ping, which meant that he naturally knew of Xue Yi’s in-person donation.

“I don’t drink and I don’t visit entertainment houses. There aren’t many men like me around in this world.” 

Chen Miao Ping thought about it but collected the banknotes. He said to Xie Yu Zhi, 

“What do you think about opening a school with this money?”

Xie Yu Zhi couldn’t believe what he just heard, but he smiled as he looked over at Chen Miao Ping, 

“The money is yours. However you want to spend it, you spend it. I don’t care.”

Chen Miao Ping shuffled closer to him, 

“What’s mine is yours. When I have died, all the money will be left for Second Master to spend……”

“Don’t speak of such nonsense.”

Xie Yu Zhi reached out to cover his mouth and lifted his eyes to say, 

“Although life is short, as like a mayfly who lives for only one day, you and I are still in our prime. Death is something that will happen in a very, very distant future, so there is no need to mention any of that right now. Besides, how did you determine that I will live longer than you?”

Chen Miao Ping became silent at that before slowly smiling widely. He kissed Xie Yu Zhi’s palm, 

“Alright, I’ll shut up. Until we are 70 or 80 years old, we best die together, no one living longer than the other and this way, neither of us will be in pain.”

And then recited his new poem that was swirling in his mind, 

“I rather be a mayfly roaming this earth, if I could just be together with you……”

Seasons passed, coming and going without thought, and so this winter went by fairly fast. A very silent and quiet capital city was starting to become lively again. Peddlers were still creating a boisterous atmosphere with their yells to attract customers to their wares, and it seemed like nothing was different. 

Yet a quiet change had come. In the middle of the city, a school was discreetly built. The teacher of the school erected a notice outside the entrance, declaring that children who come to study will not need to hand in money, and he even went around to each household to notify them.

Citizens were naturally suspicious and doubtful as how could there be such a good thing as not having to pay to be taught?

People were in a state of curiosity but did not dare to do anything until the son of a poor family, Xiao Hu Zi, just went for it. His family was poor to the point where they couldn’t even eat, so it was understandable. What no one expected was that after being enrolled for only a few days, he came back with the ability to hold a brush and the ability to write. He even achieved the rank of Apprentice not long after. After this happened, word spread, and more and more children started to go to the school. The name of the school then began to spread out far and wide.

Chen Miao Ping used the rest of the money to buy some businesses and every year he earned quite a bit, even to the point where he was able to save up to create an imitation of a library. It was fairly big and expansive, allowing people to read for free. With the Xie family’s backing, he was able to collect a few rare scrolls and later on, the reputation of this copycat library system was believed to have any book that existed on this earth. A lot of the poor scholars were able to benefit from this.

Summer came around once more, and Chen Miao Ping was lying in the central courtyard, sun tanning away. Beside him was a table full of snacks and drinks. Not far away was a new budding tree that had opened its flowers and its petals were dropping onto the ground. Every once in a while, there would be a breeze, blowing along a faint fragrance of the flowers in the courtyard.

His eyes were lightly closed, and his facial features were clear and bright, still not losing half of his handsome appearance as he aged. Since he had achieved the rank of Flower Seeker, he had always been in the dreams of many women in the capital city.

Xie Yu Zhi was sitting cross legged on the window sill, and his hands were holding a branch with flowers, occasionally stroking and poking it at Chen Miao Ping’s head which made him try and swat it away from annoyance.

The two of them seemed to have switched personalities as they aged, as Chen Miao Ping became more and more mature and steady while Xie Yu Zhi became more youthful and playful.

[ Ding! ]

The one almost deep asleep suddenly woke up. When that very familiar yet unfamiliar sound rang in Chen Miao Ping’s head, it made him jerk up. Before he even processed what was going on, he heard the other say,

[ This service is about to conclude. After nine years, my dear host, you have successfully relied on your own hard efforts to carve out your own path in this strange territory and time period. You have received the level of passable according to the galactic judges and we ask that you continue your success and hard work. May you continue your path in the future ~ ]

Chen Miao Ping was at first stunned, 

“You’re finally leaving?” 

And then he smiled, 

“And I was feeling a bit sad. Aren’t you afraid that once you leave, I will be reliant on my lover again?”

[ Ding! The criteria of the galactic judges is not based on the materialistic needs of self-reliance and self-sufficiency ~]

If it was said to become self reliant and self sufficient, the first day Chen Miao Ping had become city warden inspector, he had already done it. But obviously, the system’s judgment was not based only on that criteria, but more based on the human heart.

When you really, truly like someone, you will be willing to give up everything you have for them, not just to take for yourself.

Since Chen Miao Ping had arrived here, except for that one dream many years ago, the memories of his previous life never came up. He would never think of it on his own regard either, just like how he would never think about that year Li Qin Wang tried to revolt. If he did not have the system’s assistance and the grenades, what would have happened to Xie Yu Zhi, he never tried to contemplate about.

After these years of creating a school, building the school, it was not only because Chen Miao Ping wanted to do it. It was much more based on those three merit points. He had always wanted to do something generous, to collect more merit points and then exchange them for something that could save their lives from the system’s shop, even if the system had stated that it was not possible very early on.

[ This world exists because you both do. My dear host, if you die, this world would be corrupted. The system has a mission to protect and keep this world running as it should, and will accordingly switch its functions based on the host’s conditions. If it is not a sudden moment of danger, the system’s shop will always remain forever closed. ]

So to be said plainly, the reason why it had opened was because the host of the system needed it in that exact moment, not that it had always existed.

Chen Miao Ping stared at that branch above him and the person holding that branch. He smiled very meaningfully and lightly said to the system, 

“Well, I must thank you as I had never thought that my life could be this good in all my plans for the future.”

[ Ding! No need for thanks~ The system can only function by its rules. Your life, your stories, only you are the main characters of your life. Life is short, as like mayflies. A second chance at life is hard to come by, so please take care and treasure it ~ ]

A coldblooded heart was not scary. Their hearts after all were not rotten to the core, and they can sense when other people are being good to them from the bottom of their hearts. This was enough, as otherwise having ten more systems would be useless. Chen Miao Ping was not bad, only having been born and grown up in the wrong environment.

The system rang out one last time.

[ Ding! Process for withdrawal has activated. My dear host, please prepare yourself.

Starting System Self-Check,

Self-Check Complete.

Initiating Withdrawal,

20%

50%

100%

Withdrawal Complete. This service has been completed to its ending. We have enjoyed our time with you, and see you never again ~ ]

“……See you never again.”

Chen Miao Ping gave a toast and then lifted his hand to wave goodbye. Xie Yu Zhi followed his eyesight looking faraway and asked, 

“Who are you toasting?”

Chen Miao Ping knocked his head back to take a swig of his wine, 

“An old friend, but he has already left.1“

He suddenly stood up as Xie Yu Zhi was still reeling from what he said, and he picked Xie Yu Zhi up from the window, hugging him in a weird embrace. 

“Who was the one that was annoying me with the tree branch earlier, hmm? Now I will throw you into the river!”

Xie Yu Zhi laughed, his voice muffled, 

“The lake is still pretty far away from here. Do you even have enough power to walk over there while carrying me?”

Chen Miao Ping said, 

“Didn’t you know? A few days ago, Father-in-law dug a new pit for a new lake, just about a couple steps away from here.”

Xie Yu Zhi: “……”

The sun was shining brightly on them, as if a peaceful moment descended and would never leave them again.

And after that, time flew by as the sun and moon exchanged hands in the sky many times. The students in the school had all grown up and there were even quite a few that achieved the rank of Primus that came about from that. When they returned with achievements under their belt, they would always donate money or materials to the school. Only then would they learn that this school had been built by the city warden inspector, Chen Da-Ren.

To speak of Chen Da-Ren, he was a strange and curious man for sure. General Xie was the Emperor’s uncle, and his authority reached far and wide. His husband naturally should be encompassing the same level, but instead he was willing to be a tiny, tiny city warden inspector.

And this one position he took, he took for a lifetime……

Notes:

*1 Here Chen Miao Ping says the word for “to leave” but it, like many other words in the Chinese language, has other possible meanings and connotations, one of which is to have “passed away”/died. Chen Miao Ping says his old friend left (the system going away) but Xie Yu Zhi hears that word as his old friend has passed away (especially paired with Chen Miao Ping toasting away, as like a nod of respect and acknowledgement, hence why he’s shocked). 

TL Tidbits:

And we are officially done with volume 2, ending the story of Chen Miao Ping and Xie Yu Zhi (´ ▽｀).。ｏ♡ It is a bit sad to bid them farewell, just like Lu Qi and Huo Ming Chen, but more are on their way! Have you enjoyed Volume 2 as you have with Volume 1? (I can tell you Plum likes Volume 2 more than 1, although that might be their bias against Lu Qi… :p I didn’t say anything!)

And as stated in the notes of Chapter 57, Plum and I will be taking a break for the holidays (and for this behemoth of a volume, in terms of literally us diving in the deep end when we were just starting to swim (;*´Д`)ﾉ But in any case, it was a great learning experience for the both of us, and we will be back January 4th of the new year!!

Hope to see you rejoin us back on this journey to finish this novel  Next volume will be a fairly light hearted one! Here’s a small teaser: Did the system mess up this time?? Uh oh…. the story of a transmigrated Chen Yi and Fu Xiu Nian begins as a fated meeting in a tv program, trending for Chen Yi’s infamous personality and non-stop hate comments…

Haha not much to be spoiled further, but it will be a fun volume again, set in the modern era, about 2 celebrities as our main couple! (so hopefully it will a lot less difficult, and which as the volume before volume 4, it will drop us onto the opposite spectrum in emotions…)

In any case, I (and Plum) thank you all very much for going along this wild ride of Chen Miao Ping and his + our foray(s) into the historical genre! Thank you to all those who have read, liked, followed and commented! You were all a very big motivator in what we are doing, to keep us going (。’▽’。)♡ Acting as fuel for us to chug on forward haha  I really appreciate all the comments, likes and follows, and of everyone who’s coming along on this ride with us! 

Have a fantastic and warm holiday, a great end of the year to what seemed like a crazy year, and we hope you have a great new year!!! See you all Galactic Judges on Jan 4th! 

EDIT: In case you haven’t noticed, there was a double chapter release today! So don’t forget to read the chapter before if you missed it 

And also a bonus question for those who might be interested in some not very exciting trivia: Does the name of the first child who went to the school ring any bells? : )