Courtyard House: The Cultivation System Takes Me Flying

The aroma of food filled the courtyard, making everyone's stomachs rumble, yet no one dared to approach Qin Lindong's room even a step closer. Everyone knew that this ruthless man's possessions were not to be looked at, let alone be asked for.

But there are always those who don't believe in superstitions and are greedy for cheap deals to the core.

Uncle Yan Bugui huddled at his own doorway, his small eyes fixed on Qin Lindong's door, his nose twitching and drool almost dripping from his mouth.

He was a shrewd and calculating man, never giving away a penny, and a master of getting something for nothing. He had taken advantage of the original owner of this body quite a bit in the past. Today, smelling such delicious food, his greedy desires were ignited again. He was both afraid of Qin Lin's ruthlessness and reluctant to give up the treats at hand.

After much thought, Yan Bugui made up his mind to use persistent persuasion and reasoning to "exchange" for food!

In his view, he was the third oldest man in the courtyard, and with that seniority, even if Qin Lindong was fierce, he would still have to give him some face. As long as he spoke nicely, he might be able to get a bowl of rice or a piece of meat for free, without spending a penny or putting in any effort, a sure-fire profit.

After figuring things out, Yan Bugui straightened his patched clothes, put on a kind elder's face, and slowly walked to Qin Lindong's door, gently knocking on it.

"Lin Dong, are you home? Your third uncle is here to see you."

The voice was insincere, with a deliberate attempt at friendliness.

Inside the room, Qin Lindong was eating when he heard the noise, and a cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

Speak of the devil, and he appears; Yan Bugui, that stingy old man, finally couldn't hold back any longer.

The original owner had been taken advantage of by him quite often. He could take away a piece of firewood, a handful of cornmeal, or a little bit of pickled vegetables in various ways, and he would call it "mutual help" but in reality, he only took and never gave.

It's perfect timing that it's delivered to our door today; let's settle both the old and new scores together.

Qin Lindong put down his chopsticks, opened the door, and looked at Yan Bugui expressionlessly: "Third Uncle, is there something you need?"

Yan Bugui forced a smile, peeked into the house, and his eyes lit up instantly when he saw the food on the table. But he said insincerely, "Can't I come to see you if there's nothing wrong? We're neighbors, we should visit each other more often. I heard you've been having a hard time lately, and I've been thinking about you."

They start by trying to sell themselves and then immediately try to get close to you – a typical prelude to getting something for nothing.

Qin Lindong sneered inwardly, but remained outwardly calm: "Third Uncle, you're too kind. I'm doing just fine, no need for you to worry about me."

In short, he shut down the conversation.

Yan Bugui's smile froze for a moment, and he quickly smoothed things over: "It's good that you're doing well, it's good that you're doing well. Oh, your house smells so good, what are you making? This old man loves nothing more than a hot meal, and the aroma is so enticing, I can't even move my legs."

He was implying that he wanted to freeload a meal.

If it were the original owner of this body, he would have politely invited him inside for a meal long ago.

But now, it's Qin Lindong's turn.

He glanced at Yan Bugui indifferently and bluntly said, "If Third Uncle is hungry, go home and cook for yourself. I don't have enough food to go around."

Yan Bugui blushed, still unwilling to give up, and began to play the emotional card: "Lin Dong, look at you, when you were little, your Third Uncle held you a lot and gave you lots of candy. Now that you're all grown up, if there's something delicious, let your Third Uncle have a bite, just one bite, okay?"

Moral blackmail combined with emotional ties—one set after another.

If someone were soft-hearted, they would have given in long ago.

But who is Qin Lindong? He doesn't buy into that at all.

Before Yan Bugui could continue, Qin Lindong spoke up directly: "Third Uncle, since you want to eat, let's settle the bill."

"A bowl of corn porridge costs two cents; a serving of meat and vegetables costs five cents. No bargaining, pay first, then eat."

Yan Bugui was stunned for a moment, wondering if he had misheard.

He lived his whole life taking advantage of others without ever asking them for money!

"Lin Dong, what... what do you mean by this?" Yan Bugui's face flushed red. "We're neighbors, why should I pay for a meal? You're being incredibly heartless!"

"A favor is a favor, and accounts are accounts." Qin Lindong's tone was calm, but every word was piercing. "Third Uncle has been thrifty all his life and knows the ropes. I can't let you eat and drink for free and break your rules."

"Either pay for my meal or treat me to a meal. Don't delay my meal."

In one sentence, Yan Bugui was left speechless.

The neighbors who were passing by couldn't help but laugh when they heard this, and their eyes were full of mockery when they looked at Yan Bugui.

The Third Uncle, who always gets things for free, was actually taken advantage of today, and someone even put a price tag on it!

Yan Bugui's face burned with pain; he felt the pain of losing money, but even more so, the pain of losing face. Making him spend money on a meal was more painful than cutting off his own flesh; yet, he couldn't bear to leave behind the delicious aroma.

After hesitating for a long time, Yan Bugui gritted his teeth, pulled out a crumpled seven-mao coin, and forcefully handed it to Qin Lin: "Here! I'll eat it!"

He was determined to make his money back!

Qin Lindong took the money and stepped aside to let him into the house: "Please."

Yan Bugui sat down, picked up his chopsticks, and began to eat voraciously, wolfing down his food as if he wanted to lick the plate clean. But no matter how fast he ate, his appetite was limited, and he soon felt too full to eat.

After finishing his meal and putting down his chopsticks, Yan Bugui felt a pang of regret for the seven cents he had spent, and his face turned extremely grim.

Meanwhile, system notifications kept ringing in Qin Lindong's mind:

[Ding! The host has successfully turned the tables on Yan Bugui, thwarting his attempt to get something for nothing!]

[Reward: Progress to Level 2 of Body Tempering Realm +15%, currently at 63%!]

[Points +120, current points: 1100!]

[Bonus Reward: 1 RMB cash, already deposited into system space!]

Qin Lindong sneered inwardly.

Trying to take advantage of him?

Maybe in the next life!

Yan Bugui clutched his stomach, feeling both pained and aggrieved, and left. From then on, he never dared to have any designs on Qin Lindong again, and would take a detour whenever he saw Qin Lindong.

Everyone in the hospital knows—

Uncle Yan Bugui, the third uncle, suffered a great setback with Qin Lindong!