Cohabitation with Sword Spirit-Chapter 56 - 47: I Want Money

"Sigh, Chaolu, don’t be sad, it’s just a painting..."

Li Xinyu looked at his sister, who was downhearted and her eyes were red, feeling a bit at a loss. He wanted to comfort her but was afraid getting too close might upset her even more.

Li Chaolu had been determined to win the bid, but in the end, she couldn’t walk away with Luo Chuling’s painting. Just as the host called out "five hundred Spirit Stones" for the second time, a "one thousand Spirit Stones" bid instantly blew everyone away.

The bid came from a 13-year-old girl, Qian Yue, the youngest daughter of the Qian Family Patriarch. This bid far exceeded Li Chaolu’s budget.

Afterward, although Li Xinyu wanted to generously offer his help financially, he was outright refused by Li Chaolu, leaving her with no chance of acquiring the painting.

Failing to get the painting was a huge blow to Li Chaolu, making her feel as if she lost someone close. Li Xinyu called his sister over, and she stayed silent for a long time.

On this, Shen Qingming couldn’t understand: "What’s there to be upset about? You’ve even met her in person, drank tea, and then she sent you a bunch of junk that disturbed our normal life. What’s so great about a little painting?"

"Hmph!" Li Chaolu snorted disdainfully, as if to say Shen Qingming was unworthy of discussion, "You don’t understand a thing. That painting is not just a piece of art; it’s proof of being a qualified fan and follower!"

"What fan?"

Not wanting to talk more with Shen Qingming, Li Xinyu quietly explained, "In Cyan Cloud City, lots of girls like Mr. Wang Jiu, and they’ve already formed a fan club. Currently, the two most prestigious members are Chaolu and Qian Yue, so the competition over this painting was really about influence and voice in the fan club."

"What kind of nonsense is this!?" Shen Qingming couldn’t understand at all.

Li Xinyu said, "Who knows, girls are always inexplicable... But that’s part of their charm. Heh heh, so maybe someday a pure and charming little sister will fall in love with me, too."

"Give me a break. Women may be inexplicable, but they’re not clamoring to eat crap."

Wang Jiu interjected, "On that topic, it’s actually not impossible, according to IQ tests..."

"You shut up!"

While the three were talking, the last item at the auction was sold for nine thousand Spirit Stones, concluding the auction successfully, and people began to disband.

"Let’s go home." Li Xinyu, worried, looked at his dejected sister,

Li Chaolu lifted her head, still upset but trying to pull herself together: "Okay, this time I’ll let her enjoy her moment, but sooner or later, I’ll repay it double!"

—

They left together, and to avoid being surrounded by fans, Wang Jiu donned his long-missed fashionable cloak and successfully evaded the enthusiastic fans. However, they just "happened" to run into the Qian siblings at the exit.

Qian Yue spoke first: "Chaolu, sorry this time I couldn’t let you have your wish. We’re both members of the same fan club; I’ll certainly give way on other things, but not with this painting..."

Li Chaolu snorted coldly, turning her head away.

Qian Yue giggled: "Don’t be so cold. In the future, there’s a chance I could lend you the painting to admire for a bit. Even if we have some petty disagreements usually, we’re still like-minded fans, after all."

Unable to hold back, Li Chaolu retorted, "Thank you very much, in the future, I’ll lend you the teacup Mr. Wang Jiu used in my home to admire as well!"

Qian Yue coyly covered her mouth: "Oh my, that teacup is so famous. You boast so often in the club about having invited Mr. Wang Jiu for tea that everyone knows about it. But, I don’t understand; using familial ties to invite someone to your house for tea and tricking them out of a used teacup—what exactly is there to boast about in that?"

"And spending a thousand Spirit Stones on a painting is worth boasting about?"

"What I’m boasting about is my devotion to my idol. Those thousand Spirit Stones are real money spent. And what did you offer? A few taels of worthless tea leaves?"

"You!"

Having taken advantage of the situation, Qian Yue said no more. Her gaze shifted to Shen Qingming, smiling: "Sister Qingming, I’m so envious of you, being able to be with Mr. Wang Jiu day and night. Such fortune so many of our sisters wish for but cannot have."

Shen Qingming only felt utterly uncomfortable hearing this.

At the same time, Qian Yu looked angrily at her, his heart bleeding.

The Celestial Fortune Set was pawned for three pieces on the spot, accruing a deficit of over ten thousand, uncertain when he’d recover... but looking on the bright side, at least that fatty didn’t get the Dream of Scarlet! With that painting, his lonely times should finally end!

As he thought of this, he suddenly felt a chill down his spine, as if a highly threatening presence had descended.

Qian Yu turned around, his soul nearly flying out of his body as he saw a face that exuded authority even without anger.

"You brat... You pawned the Celestial Fortune Set I painstakingly made for you, just to buy an Erotic Painting!?"

"Dad, you misunderstood."

"Misunderstood!? I was right there the whole time! Watched everything! You and the Li Family’s Inner Sect Chief kept bidding as if in a wealth contest, only to be fooled by a little girl. And now, you’re happy holding onto an Erotic Painting!? How could I have raised such a disappointing son!"

As they spoke, the golden palm came crashing down. The Qian Family’s ancestral Divine Palm, the Gold-Burning Palm, not only hurt like hell but could also deplete one’s wealth and fortune. After a few slaps, Qian Yu was left with silver taels and spirit stones flying everywhere, and dark clouds gathering overhead. He was in so much pain that he cried out on the spot.

"Dad, I was wrong, I really was! Stop hitting me, at least use the Silver Palm instead..."

Qian Yu, who had planned to come and boast about his victory, ended up being beaten like a stray dog by his father. Qian Yue felt a chill in her heart and quietly slipped away while her brother was attracting all the attention, completely forgetting about tangling further with Li Chaolu.

The Li Family members were, of course, not going to stick around to watch the domestic violence, and also took the chance to leave.

Not far away, they arrived at a teahouse. When the tea was served, Li Xinyu and Li Chaolu both sighed simultaneously.

No matter what, it was a failure after all.

Li Xinyu didn’t get the "Dream of Scarlet," and Li Chaolu couldn’t prove her dedication as the number one fan. And at the root of it all, it was...

"I really want some money."

The three spoke in unison with regret.

Then the siblings simultaneously looked at Shen Qingming.

The girl blushed a bit: "What are you looking at?! Is wanting money a crime?!"

Li Chaolu huffed, "We barely have any pocket money, so it’s understandable for us to lament our lack of funds. But what’s your excuse? Your mom just set up a cultivation fund for you, with an initial investment of a hundred thousand spirit stones."

"What Lu Xin does is none of my business. I’ve cut ties with the family and won’t spend another penny from them!"

The story of Shen Qingming’s stubbornness had long spread throughout the Li Family Mansion. Li Chaolu knew she was constantly short on funds and had even lived on plain soup for a long time. Considering this, she didn’t find the little rascal’s attitude so obnoxious anymore.

After a moment of silence, Wang Jiu suddenly said, "If you all lack money, why not think of ways to earn it?"

Shen Qingming complained, "It’s not that easy. Do you think everyone can make money just by their looks like you? I’ve been trying to find ways to earn money, but as you can see, even after the beginner tasks at the Mutual Aid Association, getting rich overnight is impossible."

Li Xinyu also said, "Brother Wang, you are a capable person. Maybe making money doesn’t seem difficult to you, but for people like us at most at the Cloud Surge Realm in cultivation... The pay for hard-earned tasks usually isn’t even as good as the monthly stipend from the family."

Li Chaolu just delightedly gazed at Wang Jiu, saying nothing.

Wang Jiu said, "Working for someone else won’t make you rich; accumulating wealth has always been about distributing wealth rather than creating it."

Li Xinyu was baffled: "What do you mean?"

"Honestly, I don’t fully understand it myself, but Shang Lanfei once told me this."

"Shang Lanfei?"

"The wealthiest among the Jiu Immortal Venerables," said Wang Jiu, adding, "She set up her own consulting company in Qing Province when she was ten and made over ten thousand spirit stones in her first year."

"Over ten thousand! At ten?!"

Wang Jiu continued, "By the time she was fourteen, her assets exceeded one million spirit stones, and each year they grew at a staggering rate. Many people call her the Wealth God of Jiuzhou. So I think her opinions on making money should have high reference value."

Although Li Xinyu and others hadn’t heard of Shang Lanfei, her achievements of having a million-dollar fortune by fourteen made them deeply envious.

"How exactly did she do it?" Shen Qingming asked.

Wang Jiu said, "By turning a reliable idea into a reliable industry, expanding the industry to increase wealth accumulation, and ultimately achieving personal wealth."

After speaking, Wang Jiu recalled Shang Lanfei’s casual summary of her wealth tips and slowly said, "First, gather a group of like-minded colleagues, establish strict rules and regulations, and determine roles according to individual traits to optimize work efficiency."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"Speaking of which, I remember some insights she left behind about system building when she was running a business in Qing Province, and they go something like this."

Saying this, Wang Jiu used the Illusion Sword Technique to display several golden, radiant books.

"Canglan Professional Consulting Co., Ltd. Charter," "Company Compensation Management Measures," "Company Leadership Meeting Rules," "Company Employee Code of Conduct"... These volumes appeared like celestial texts, leaving everyone dazzled and excited.

"This company charter looks incredibly profound and complex, with things like legal representatives, shareholders, board chairmen, executive directors, and general managers... It’s so complicated!"

Li Xinyu’s exclamation had barely settled when Shen Qingming shouted, "I want to be the General Manager!"

Everyone’s gaze immediately turned to her.

Shen Qingming blushed a bit: "Th-this company offers the General Manager an annual salary of fifty thousand spirit stones plus dividends, which is the highest among all positions..."