Chapter 2 – He's Back
"Shīfù!" Qi Si entered with a frown and shouted.
Mu Chen narrowed his eyes, looked at Qi Si coldly, and said impatiently, "Didn't I tell you not to bother me?"
Qi Si lowered his head. According to the original novel, Mu Chen's biological mother died early, and his father, Mu Yuanfeng, was an alchemist who often worked behind the scenes. Though he loved Mu Chen, he had very little time to take care of him. Every time there was a problem, Mu Yuanfeng would step in to clean up the mess for the original Mu Chen.
Qi Si showed an awkward expression and said cautiously, "Of course I remember what you said… but Zhuang Yu-gē is here."
Mu Chen narrowed his eyes and looked at Qi Si. "He's here? What is he doing here?"
Mu Chen squinted. Although Qi Si behaved respectfully, Mu Chen knew this person didn't truly respect him—on the surface maybe, but deep down? This person was the younger brother of Mu Yuanhang, who was buried right next to Mu Chen.
According to the memories, when Mu Chen was a child, he was very obedient and showed some talent for alchemy. But because he was too well-behaved, that uncle of his spoiled him with all kinds of toys. After all, Mu Chen was young, without much willpower, and eventually gave in to pleasure—eating, drinking, and playing around, wasting his potential.
Mu Chen felt a little conflicted—Mu Yuanfeng may have had his flaws, but at least Mu Yuanhang always covered for him.
So back then, when Mu Chen was indulging in pleasure, he had lived "like a fish in water."
He'd once tried to discipline him, but it didn't work. Over time, Mu Chen just let it go.
Qi Si glanced at Mu Chen and said, "Zhuang Yu-gē came to return the Clear Water Sword and said he didn't want to be rewarded for his merits."
"What about the others?" Mu Chen asked.
"They're already gone," Qi Si replied.
"Where is the sword?" Mu Chen asked.
Mu Chen rolled his eyes in his heart. According to the book's plot, Zhuang Yu was the beautiful type who didn't care about worldly things and always seemed noble and elegant. It made no sense for someone like him to accept gifts from Mu Chen, a second-generation good-for-nothing.
Mu Chen sneered inwardly. Zhuang Yu's talents were limited at best. He was just lucky. He was the kind of guy who looked pure on the outside, but always had countless admirers chasing him. And those admirers? Desperate fools.
Even though the Clear Water Sword was meant to be a birthday gift, in scenes where others gave gifts to Zhuang Yu, he never accepted them either.
Mu Chen felt like Zhuang Yu rejecting the gift was just hypocrisy—and besides, he probably just didn't like it. Mu Chen had spent 500 yuan stones to buy that sword. But truth be told, the sword wasn't worth more than 50 at best.
Mu Chen thought: If he had just given Zhuang Yu the 500 yuan stones directly, maybe it would've been easier for Zhuang Yu to accept.
Qi Si's heart trembled. He looked at Mu Chen and said, "I have it."
Mu Chen was the petty type—he never took back what he gave. So Qi Si had taken the sword on his own initiative. He thought if Zhuang Yu didn't take it, Mu Chen would be too embarrassed to mention it again, and then he could quietly dispose of the sword.
"With you? What do you want to do with it? Keep it for yourself?" Mu Chen asked coldly.
Qi Si suddenly knelt down and said, "Shīfù, forgive me. I feared you would feel uncomfortable seeing that sword again."
Mu Chen snorted lightly and said, "Why would I feel uncomfortable? Bring the sword here."
Qi Si nodded and answered, "Yes!"
Mu Chen took a deep breath. According to the original plot, Mu Chen was supposed to get furious when Zhuang Yu returned the sword, and then he and Zhuang Yu's protector, the Chen clan's ancestor, Chén Mòrán, would clash. The fight would result in both Mu Chen and Zhuang Yu being seriously injured, and from that, a long-standing grudge would form between Mu Chen's family and the Chen family.
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From now I will directly be translating from chapter 91. Chapter 1 to 90 are in chrysanthemum garden and in a better translation if you want you can go and read there.
After all human translation is always better than chatgpt.