Chapter 14: Confidence
Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations
Fang Zhengzhi didn’t hesitate, widening his steps while running towards the stage.
The sudden appearance of this "dumpling" left the villagers baffled. Along with the darkening sky, the villagers had no way of identifying which household this kid belonged to.
"Could it be that even he’s here for the gold?"
"That can’t be possible. I don’t see any Fire Plum Chicken on him."
A questioning look appeared on the villagers’ faces, unable to comprehend what was happening.
Fang Zhengzhi quickly reached the bottom of stage, lifting his b.u.t.t and with a swing of his legs, he climbed onto the stage.
Observing his movements, Lolita couldn’t help but to let out of a burst of laughter. This b.a.s.t.a.r.d is indeed only a simple commoner.
As she thought, anger begin to rise up within her. To be defeated by a commoner, this was the biggest humiliation!
"Are you also here to present your roasted Fire Plum Chicken?" Pretending to not have recognised the figure, Lolita asked calmly.
"Thats right!" Fang Zhengzhi responded with the same calm tone.
"Then, where’s your chicken?" Lolita eyed Fang Zhengzhi’s hands suspiciously.
"Here!" Fang Zhengzhi reached behind his back and produced a Fire Plum Chicken from his dumpling-like attire.
"It’s alive!"
The villagers below the stage completely lost their composure upon seeing the chicken in Fang Zhengzhi’s hands. It was still full of feathers!
"It has just been killed, I haven’t had the time to roast it yet!" Fang Zhengzhi explained.
The villagers immediately laughed out loud, the daughter of the Divine Constabulary just said that time was short and she had to leave, could there even possibly be enough time to roast it?
"Haha... Go and roast it then!" Lolita smiled gently.
The laughter on the villagers’ faces instantly froze. The Divine Constabulary’s daughter actually gave him the permission to roast on the spot!
"If I don’t see the gold, I won’t roast!" Fang Zhengzhi retorted without hesitation.
The already shocked villagers were now completely stunned. What kind of person is this? Asking for gold when he hadn’t even roasted the chicken, is he asking to be spanked?
"Spank his b.u.t.t!"
"Yeah! Whose child is this?"
"Do anybody still give a d.a.m.n!"
The many villagers who toiled endlessly for almost an hour roasting the Fire Plume Chicken only to be rejected without even being tasted were naturally unhappy with this "dumpling" spouting nonsense on stage.
"I didn’t even get to eat your roasted chicken, why should I give you gold?" Lolita asked with a slightly inquisitive tone, her expression maintaining the same sense of calmness.
"Because, if I don’t see the gold, I won’t roast!" Fang Zhengzhi replied directly, knowing that his cover was blown from the look in Lolita’s eyes.
It is obvious that she wanted his roasted Fire Plume Chicken, since this was the case why should he continue to hide?
Want to eat? Sure... first give me the gold! I’m self-confident just like that!
"Haha..." Lolita laughed gently, then with a flick of her hand tossed the gold ingot on the table towards Fang Zhengzhi. "Alright, I’ll give you the gold!"
Catching the gold with his outstretched arms, excitement built up within him. Gold, my gold... You are finally in my hands, I used my life to exchange for this!
Following which, learning from the ancient ancestors, he opened his mouth and took a huge bite, realising…
He couldn’t bite it!
Oh well... my teeth aren’t strong enough yet!
Without further hesitation, he stuffed the gold inside his clothes, touched it again, and grinned delightfully.
The villagers below the stage were dumbfounded, unable to react. Gold… The gold was really given to him? How is this happening? I should also had brought up a live chicken!
n.o.body understood what was going on.
n.o.body!
Mrs Li held onto her bamboo-infused roasted chicken as per before, but this time, her face was green as the bamboo.
"What the h.e.l.l, whose child is this! A chicken with feathers still intact exchanged for an ingot of gold?!" She wanted to dash onto the stage and pry open this "dumpling", taking a good look at the "filling" inside.
However, once she noticed the soldiers standing guard beside Lolita, this intention vanished just as quickly.
On the other hand, Qin Xuelian was still smiling in delight from her twenty silver pieces, grinning so happily that her eyes were nothing but a line. As such, she couldn’t even be bothered with the events unfolding on the stage.
Fang Houde similarly continued his ceaseless praises, his mouth dry from the incessant talking.
...
Having received the gold, Fang Zhengzhi became serious.
"Bring me the tools!"
Once the words left his mouth, the legs of the villagers almost gave way. This joker not only dared to bring a feathered Fire Plume Chicken over, but also didn’t bother to bring along his tools?
Village Chief Meng Bai hastily delivered the tools himself.
After which...
Fang Zhengzhi began to systematically pluck the Fire Plume Chicken, then proceed to remove its inner organs. After a thorough wash, he set up his roasting pit.
Below the stage, the villagers looked on.
"His technique seems decent!"
"But there seems to be nothing special about it?"
Questions welled up within the villagers, but they continued to look on silently.
Similarly, Lolita observed carefully, but saw nothing special even until the stage when Fang Zhengzhi’s Fire Plume Chicken was already sizzling and dripping with oil.
Fang Zhengzhi was slightly dispirited.
He forgot a very important matter - as he stood wrapped like a dumpling in front of the roasting pit, he might as well be roasting himself as well...
Sweat flowed uncontrollably out of his pores, but there was no other way.
He couldn’t take off this costume, else he was bound to become famous!
Taking out a tightly bound, yellow coloured paper bag, he extracted the multi-coloured seasoning ingredients hidden inside and slowly poured it onto the Fire Plume Chicken.
"What is this you are holding?" The guards sprang into alert.
Fang Zhengzhi took one look at the guards. He was already burning inside and had no strength left to address such questions.
"You don’t have to eat it!" Fang Zhengzhi replied coldly, yet frankly. The gold was already in his possession.
"You…" Angry at being insulted by this young kid, the soldiers started to retort.
"Shut your mouth, you all better move to one side!" Lolita’s eyes had already lit up instantly as she observed Fang Zhengzhi take out his seasoning packets, as he poured these "ingredients" onto the Fire Plume Chicken. She was already looking forward to sinking her teeth in that chicken.
Because, this aroma was the exact same one she encountered at the entrance of the village.
This enticing aroma sent saliva uncontrollably into her mouth. She couldn’t contain her excitement.
Observing Lolita’s excitement, Fang Zhengzhi thought of an idea.
"This chicken… actually has a name!"
"What’s its name?" Lolita asked inquisitively.
"Speaking of its name… you might as well see it for yourself!" With a wave of his hand, a wrapped yellow paper bag soared towards Lolita.
Lolita s.n.a.t.c.hed it from the air.
And opened the packet.
Her eyes widened with disbelief.
The yellow paper bag didn’t contain the chicken’s name, but contained just one sentence.
"How can man not be true to his words?"