Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

“Trust me! Please trust me!” Rock Lee looked at Lin Jie, who was frowning. He slammed on the table and said sincerely, “If I still cannot afford the rent by then, as long as you are willing to pay my son for his school fees, you can have all my organs and sell them! The organs of a living man are definitely worth much more than those artificial organs.”

Lin Jie’s pupils constricted. He had to admit that he came here because he wanted to have domination over this Potion Manic. Now, he was starting to regret it.

He regretted that he was using this man with such a method!

If Lee was his own father…

Lin Jie shivered and passed him a cup of tea. He said gently, “Chill, have a drink first.”

Rock Lee took the cup over and gulped it down, together with the tea leaves in it. Just as he was about to speak again, the young landlord pushed the contract over and said, “You are a good man and a good father.”

“Erm… What does that suppose to mean?” Lee asked after flipping through the contract.

“I can rent you this house with installment.” Lin Jie tapped on the table and continued, “But you have to pay up everything in 5 years.”

Lee shook his head and said, “80,000 in 5 years? That is very difficult for me. If you are planning to humiliate me in this way, I…”

Lin Jie smiled and said, “Why do I have to humiliate you?”

Rock Lee was stunned. He said slowly, “That’s true…”

“My father is just like you.” Lin Jie said indifferently, “In this high-tech era, he is working in a job provided by the government as a form of ‘welfare policy’ which is simply to ensure the citizens do not starve to death. He did it for me so that I can go to school. For that reason, I have a reason to help you.”

“I don’t need it…”

“I know you don’t need alms.” Lin Jie carried on, saying, “A man needs to have a backbone! Think of it as a form of respect and acknowledgment, I will not give you any discount. I bought these three house for 80,000, you have to pay twice the amount. However, I’ll give you a job opportunity which can give you a possibility to pay up the sum. Do you dare to take a leap of faith?”

Rock Lee’s eyes were glowing, he said with confidence, “I dare!”

“Very well.” Lin Jie raised his chin and said, “Go look at the bed, there’s a gift from me.”

Rock Lee doubtfully went to the bed and lifted the blankets, a set of neat game equipment appeared in front of him!

“From today onwards, you’ll enter The New Age and learn how to make potion at Sky Provisions Shop.” Lin Jie said, “There will be no basic salary, but you will get paid according to the number of potions you make.”

“Deal! I’ll log in when I settle my son,” Rock Lee replied.

At the door, a small flat-headed boy with a schoolbag came in weakly. His eyes were very clear, which were misfitting with his dirty clothes. He said excitedly, “Dad, did the landlord agree?”

This little guy was Lee’s son. Although he was short, he was good looking. He was a brilliant kid judging by his looks. He said smilingly to Lin Jie, “Thank you, Big Brother.”

“You don’t have to thank him.”

Rock Lee replied before Lin Jie could. He held the gaming equipment and said solemnly, “This is not an alm! This is a trade! A fair trade!”

Lin Jie blinked. This guy may not be so easy to solicit! In his previous life, this Potion Maniac did not belong to any guild. He would use superb and crazy skills to make potions for whoever paid him. In other words, he was a profit-driven madman!

If he was out of control in the future… Lin Jie started to be a little gloomy. He was starting to doubt if he had made the right choice.

“No, dad, you must thank him,” the boy said seriously. “Dad, this trade is nowhere near fair. What do you have for a fair trade?”

He walked to the table and picked up the contract. He gave a pure and innocent smile and said, “Just as I thought. Big Brother, you are not the original landlord. The only reason why you are here is that you are trying to recruit my dad, right?”

Lin Jie was shocked. This kid was really amazing. Although he had the voice of a normal kid, he was a very observant kid, just like a cautious monster! It was weird to see these two traits shown on the same person.

“I know that there is nothing such as coincidence,” the boy said in the innocent voice again. “The only thing my dad has is his hard-working ability. Maybe that’s what you are after. The best way of doing it is to give him timely assistance. Big Brother, you must think that my dad will succeed in that region of work, right?”

Lin Jie smiled. It was hard to imagine that a primary school kid could analyze humans with such a great depth, and that person was his father!

“That’s right.”

“Well, then, you are in trouble.” The boy pointed out a finger. “After my father pays up the sum, he will definitely go for other places with more profit. I’m very, very certain of that. Therefore, I think you should get the advantage first by getting triple the price.”

“Kid, that guy is your father.” Lin Jie rubbed on his head and said gently, “You can’t say that to your father.”

The little boy blinked and said, “But you’re trying to help us. I can’t let dad take the blame for betrayal. If you took advantage of us in the beginning, we could betray you without hesitation. Unfortunately, you are a good man. I don’t think you will take back the house even if he fails, right?”

Lin Jie’s pupils constricted. He was not comfortable that he was being read so thoroughly.

“Big Brother, you can hire me too.” The boy took a look at the gaming set and smiled. He said, “To thank you, I can help you too. My dad would never go against me.”

Rock Lee frowned and said, “Child, stay out of this.”

“If I stay out this, you will be in trouble judging by your usual behavior,” the boy said maturely. “Big Brother, it is settled then!”

With that, he took out his pen and painted it on his thumb. His thumb was painted all black. He pressed it hard on the contract and handed it to Lin Jie. He bowed and said. “Thank you, Big Brother.”

Lin Jie took a look at Rock Lee and smiled. He said, “No, I need to thank you, little guy.”

“Hehe, my dad is hoping you to leave now. Bye-bye, Big Brother. Visit us often.” The boy waved his hand innocently and went looking around the house excitedly.

As for Rock Lee, he held the contract tightly and looked at his son. He signed.

Lin Jie turned and left in silence with a trace of sadness in his eyes. People like Rock Lee were rare in reality, but they did exist. They were distorted by reality and believed that they only needed to make their family happy. They would ignore any legal and moral constraints. Fortunately, there was this little smart kid here!

If not for him, Lin Jie believed that the Potion Maniac Rock Lee would betray Sky Provisions Shop and Lin Jie’s team in the near future. Maybe Lin Jie would not continue to solicit Potion Maniac. Even if he did solicit this maniac, he would come up with many stringent conditions.

The father and son were like the same person with split personalities. One with absolute madness and one with absolute rationality. But because Lin Jie caused a “butterfly effect,” their lives had changed completely!

——————

When he reached back to Jiang City, two hours had already passed. Lin Jie adjusted his attire and logged in to the game. To his surprise, he received Seven Ears’ message immediately. He was admiring Lin Jie for his choice of helper.

The first thing said by this grumpy middle-aged novice when he arrived at the Provisions Shop was: “Give me some work, whatever it is!” He immediately started working after Seven Ears brought him up to the second floor and explained the rules of potion-making!

His hands were very steady, and he was very focused on the task given to him. He even ignored Seven Ears during the potion making process. After finishing the first batch of potions, he eagerly started the second batch. He had been working for two hours straight.

Seven Ears was surprised by the efficiency of this new worker, and he refused to let this newbie outperform him. The second floor of Sky Provisions Shop turned into a battleground for these two people!

‘Now that the Potion Maniac has joined us, the production will definitely be much higher!’ Lin Jie thought to himself.

When he opened the door on the second floor of Sky Provisions Shop, a wave of potions gushed out of the door and pushed him back!

He was pushed back by the potions!

Lin Jie and his friends were all shocked…

The competition between Seven Ears and Rock Lee was so intense that they did not even have the time to pack the potions they made! The entire second floor was flooded with Middle-Grade Natural Recovery Potion!

“There is no Modified Potion, fast!”

“Screw you! You think it is easy to make that? F*ck! That’s my half! Don’t snatch!”

“Talk less and do more!”

“Damn! I’m the best potion maker here!”

“Nope, I’m the best now.”

“My goodness!”

Lin Jie was shocked to see both of them making potions in a seemingly fast-forwarded manner while flaming each other. He lamented, “Crazy… Both of you!”