Li Banfeng and Chu Er sat opposite each other at the table, a plate of bitter vegetable and two cornbreads between them.
"The bitter vegetable with salt is quite tasty. Try it."
Li Banfeng wasn’t in the mood for bitter vegetable; besides, this meager amount wouldn’t be enough to satisfy his hunger.
Chu Er’s food rations were distributed monthly by Bitter Vegetable Manor. One could only eat so much at each meal. Even a woman like Chu Er couldn’t get full here.
"Where’s my key?" This was Li Banfeng’s primary concern.
Chu Er’s face showed displeasure. "Did you come all this way to find me, or to find the key?"
Li Banfeng cracked a slight smile. "Silly girl, what nonsense are you talking about? What kind of person do you take me for? I’ve come all this way to this place; of course, it’s for the key."
Chu Er turned pale with anger. "You don’t have to be so blunt!"
"Give me the key, quickly!"
"I won’t."
"You won’t, huh!"
"That’s right, I won’t. What are you going to do about it?"
Li Banfeng truly couldn’t do anything to Chu Er.
He had heard from Ma Wu that Chu Er had various ways to torment herself; torture and interrogation were useless on her.
After pondering for a moment, Li Banfeng changed his strategy. His eyes filled with tenderness as he looked at Chu Er. "Saying I came for the key was just an excuse I made up. I genuinely wanted to find you."
Chu Er rolled her eyes at Li Banfeng. "Are you telling the truth?"
Li Banfeng gritted his teeth. "Truly."
"Swear an oath, let me hear it."
Li Banfeng shook his head. "I’m not the superstitious type."
Chu Er smiled. "Let’s just say you’re sincere, then. First, tell me, how did you get to Bitter Vegetable Manor?"
"It’s a long story," Li Banfeng began to fabricate. "I realized the key was missing, so I searched everywhere, and I even went to Ma Wu’s place to look for it."
"Ma Wu told you I’d been to your room?"
"Yes, he told me!"
"He told you I came to Bitter Vegetable Manor?"
"Right, he’s the one who said it."
Chu Er thought for a moment; it seemed reasonable. "And then what?"
Li Banfeng continued his fabrication, "When I heard you’d gone to Bitter Vegetable Manor, I got anxious. I couldn’t rest easy worrying about you, so I managed to get a train ticket over here.
"It’s my first time here too, so I can’t tell east from west. I had such a tough time finding this place where you live..."
Chu Er’s eyes widened. "You just arrived?"
Li Banfeng nodded. "Just arrived."
"Then, you didn’t see me bathing just now?"
"I didn’t see you. It’s a shame I missed such a good thing!" Li Banfeng sighed heavily, shaking his head repeatedly. "When will you bathe next?"
"In half a year."
Li Banfeng blinked. "You bathe once every six months?"
Chu Er nodded seriously. "Is that too often or not often enough?"
Li Banfeng blinked again. "Are you crazy?"
Chu Er answered seriously, "I’m not crazy. My dad took me to the hospital, and the doctors all said I’m not crazy."
"You’ve been to the hospital too? I’ve also been! The doctors said the same thing about me!"
Chu Er rocked back and forth with laughter. "See? That’s why I say we’re destined for each other."
In the midst of her laughter, Li Banfeng noticed a rope tied around her neck.
"Indeed, we are fated!" Li Banfeng laughed loudly, then suddenly lunged at Chu Er.
Chu Er was startled. "We might be fated, but not so fast! Wait... not right now..."
After a tussle, Li Banfeng ripped the key from Chu Er’s neck.
Chu Er clutched her neck, gasping for breath.
Li Banfeng had been too rough; he had nearly strangled her.
"I knew you weren’t here for me!" Chu Er said, her eyes red. "You faithless man! Why did you deceive me?"
"I feel terrible too. I’m ashamed of myself!" Li Banfeng got up, donned his top hat, and walked to the door. "I don’t have the face to see you again. Let’s never meet again," he said.
For a moment, Li Banfeng seriously considered killing Chu Er.
Although she didn’t know what the key was for, Li Banfeng worried she might get ideas about it later.
But just as he was about to strike, the Seek Fortune and Avoid Disaster Skill warned him of grave danger, the specific reason unknown.
This was Bitter Vegetable Manor, the main camp of Bitter Cultivation.
Killing someone here, especially a Bitter Cultivator of prominent background, Li Banfeng wasn’t sure what consequences that would bring.
Li Banfeng left, and Chu Er didn’t pursue him. She took a bite of bitter vegetable and sneered, "Let’s see how far you can get!"
Bitter Vegetable Manor was sparsely populated, the land barren.
Li Banfeng followed the dirt road. After walking for over two miles, he had only seen one clay house, even more dilapidated than Chu Er’s. Beyond that, there were no other buildings in sight.
It was such a lifeless place; even Hai Chi Ridge, despite its insect plagues, was better than Bitter Vegetable Manor.
Checking his Pocket Watch and then the Sun’s position, Li Banfeng quickly determined his direction.
He was heading south.
Li Banfeng’s destination was New Land.
Once he reached New Land, he could use Elder Yao’s map to return to Blue Poplar Village.
But could heading south lead him to New Land?
"Sister Gourd, have you ever been to Bitter Vegetable Manor?"
"Why would I go to such a place? To look for hardship? Go ask Big Sister; she’s worldly and knowledgeable."
This place was nothing but bare earth, completely open; there wasn’t even a spot to hide the key.
Besides, asking would be pointless. Li Banfeng didn’t know his current location, and with no landmarks, the Phonograph couldn’t give him directions.
Ahead, there was a person dressed in a grey, cotton-padded jacket, bundled up so tightly it was impossible to tell if they were male or female.
Li Banfeng approached to ask for directions. "Excuse me, sir, could you tell me how to get to New Land?"
The person lifted their head, a scarf covering their face, and asked in return, "What business do you have in New Land?"