Ye Tiancheng dodged the true qi with a sidestep. When the next wave of true qi came, Ye Tiancheng took it head-on and began to counterattack.
The two suddenly started fighting, much to the bewilderment of Xiao Pang. This person was introduced by Xiao Pang, and both had some acquaintance. Unexpectedly, a conflict arose, and Xiao Pang could only shout helplessly from the side.
"You two, stop fighting. For my sake, please stop! If you want to fight, fight me. Please, don't hurt each other anymore. I just wanted to introduce you two today, but now I've done something bad!"
The Master Huang not only didn't stop, but being older, he also had a temper. He channeled a surge of true qi in his dantian. The ground of the unfinished building, covered in countless paper scraps, began to swirl upwards like a whirlwind, a demonstration of the power of true qi.
"Master Huang, I can see you have some real skill, but it's not good for us to fight like this. Are we really incompatible? I think wasting that true qi is unnecessary. Why don't we stop?"
Ye Tiancheng had accumulated some true qi in his dantian recently. He felt that as a cultivator, being more powerful than ordinary people meant bearing greater responsibility. Therefore, when problems arose, he should use his true qi to help the weak, not to engage in fights.
"I'm in a good mood today, so I'll spare you for now!"
Master Huang retracted his true qi and leaned back against the wall. Ye Tiancheng realized that this fellow not only had some strength but also a magnanimous spirit. He wasn't holding a grudge, which meant this person was someone he could get along with.
"You can go, young man. I can't name your daughter. I'm not in the mood today, and I have no inspiration."
People often say that fighting leads to friendship. Although Master Huang was now as down and out as a beggar, Ye Tiancheng saw a chivalrous spirit in him, something that had long disappeared in modern society. That powerful magnanimity couldn't be faked; it indicated that Master Huang had considerable strength, possibly even being a powerful individual.
"Alright, let's be friends. I'll also apologize to you. How about this, Master Huang? I'll treat you to a bath at a bathhouse, and then we'll have a casual meal. We can discuss the naming matter later, and we can also talk about the price."
Ever since he lost money in the stock market, most people who contacted Master Huang were creditors trying to collect debts. Few wanted to associate with him. Ye Tiancheng's polite attitude towards Master Huang touched him slightly. He felt that there was still warmth in the world, and even in his current state, not everyone had abandoned him. Life still held hope, and it wasn't as bad as he had imagined.
"This young man, I don't think you should pity me. I don't need anyone's pity. Although I'm living in an unfinished building now, I feel I'm living quite well. I can make a comeback in the future. You don't need to treat me like a beggar and offer to take me to a bathhouse or for a meal."
Master Huang worried that Ye Tiancheng was looking down on him and offering charity. While he longed to feel human warmth and go to a bathhouse with a friend for some relaxation and a meal, he was once a person of some standing. He still had his pride and didn't want to accept charity, as it felt awkward.
"Master Huang, you're overthinking it. I genuinely need your help, and I believe you're a friend worth befriending. Besides, it's time for dinner, and I'm hungry. I was planning to find a place to eat with my brother. If you'd honor us with your company, we'd be very happy."
Ye Tiancheng had clearly conveyed his sincere attitude. After he finished speaking, Master Huang's expression brightened considerably. The main reason was that Ye Tiancheng's attitude had changed from being unreasonable to being respectful, which made Master Huang feel less embarrassed. Their relationship was no longer one of inequality, and they could potentially become friends.
"Alright then, but let me be clear: I won't necessarily name your daughter. I'm just having a meal with you as ordinary friends. We'll talk about the naming when I'm in the mood. I really don't have the inclination right now. A good name depends on fate; it can't be forced."
Master Huang was clearly playing hard to get, but Ye Tiancheng gave him the opportunity without further comment. He simply smiled and agreed not to press the naming issue for now, opting instead to go to the bathhouse for some relaxation and then have a meal.
Ye Tiancheng suggested the bathhouse not for any other reason than the strong odor emanating from Master Huang. Without cleaning up, they wouldn't be able to eat.
"Then it's settled. I'm giving you face today, so you can't trick me. No excessive requests. We're just having a casual meal, and our relationship is that of ordinary friends."
Ye Tiancheng quickly nodded in agreement and asked Xiao Pang to drive them to a bathhouse. This bathhouse, called Muyu Tangchi, was one of the largest and most reputable in the city, and also quite expensive, with an entrance fee of over six hundred yuan per person. It was likely the leader in the bathhouse industry.
"Why, I heard this is a package deal. Will there be a massage later?"
He had heard of it before but never been. However, he vaguely remembered something about a package deal. Ye Tiancheng quickly explained that the price did indeed include a massage, and beautiful women with long legs would come to provide service. They could also have a buffet meal, which made it quite worthwhile.
"Yes, it even includes food. I think it's quite worth it. For the three of us, it's less than two thousand yuan. Master Huang, just relax and enjoy yourself. Don't think about anything else."
It seemed Ye Tiancheng was genuinely willing to spend money on him and wasn't stingy at all. Master Huang immediately became happy, a smile appearing on his face.
"I see you're quite sincere. Let's not talk about anything else for now and just enjoy ourselves."
I specifically found a scrubber for him, which terrified the scrubber. A person who hadn't bathed in a long time produced an unimaginable amount of dirt.
"Your friend is really something. So much dirt came off him! You have to give me a tip, or I won't be able to eat dinner tonight. Although I'm a scrubber, I've never seen anyone so dirty. I must be compensated for the psychological damage."
The scrubber went to Ye Tiancheng for the money. He knew Ye Tiancheng was paying for the service, so he approached him. He didn't ask the person directly because he thought the old beggar-like figure wouldn't have the money.
"Alright, here's a hundred yuan tip. My bag is in the locker. Wait for me at the front desk later, or I can give it to the front desk directly. I won't lie to you; it's not a lot of money."
People who could afford to come here wouldn't be bothered by a hundred yuan. The scrubber had some experience, so he temporarily listened to Ye Tiancheng and didn't press the issue further, waiting for Ye Tiancheng to give it to him later.
After the bath, they went to the massage room for a massage. A beautiful woman in a very short skirt attended to them. Master Huang found it very enjoyable. Although it was just a simple massage, for someone who hadn't been intimate with women for a long time, it was quite good. After all, after a long absence, even a cooking auntie could be appealing.
"Young man, you're really sincere. This arrangement is excellent, but I'm hungry. After the massage, shouldn't we eat something good?"
Since things had progressed this far, Ye Tiancheng couldn't falter at this crucial moment. He quickly agreed to Master Huang's request to have the buffet meal offered by the bathhouse. This buffet, usually sold separately for over three hundred yuan, was one of their signature offerings and included seafood, though it couldn't compare to a seafood restaurant, it was still of a certain standard.
"Don't worry, we'll eat afterward. Master Huang will be satisfied."
Thus, the three of them went to the buffet area to eat. After a short while, as they were chatting happily, Master Huang began to bring up the matter of naming Ye Tiancheng's daughter.
"Brother, tell me your daughter's birth date and time, and I'll give you some names."
"Okay, sure. I'll trouble you."
Ye Tiancheng hadn't forgotten that his expenditure on Master Huang was all for the sake of getting a good name for his daughter. He quickly provided Master Huang with the birth details. Master Huang stopped eating and asked a server to bring him his book from his bag. After about half an hour of searching, he gave Ye Tiancheng three names.
"Ye Qingcheng, Ye Lanyi, Ye Ziwei."
"Why did you give me three names? Do I get to choose?"
Ye Tiancheng found all the names pleasant. Perhaps it was related to his surname, Ye, as any name sounded good. Especially for a girl, the names felt gentle yet filled with a heroic spirit and feminine charm. Any of them would be fine.
"Yes, I usually offer three names directly. I can't decide everything myself; it depends on your personal preference. As the father, you should make the decision."
Master Huang had made it clear, and Ye Tiancheng was very pleased. He readily agreed, "These names are truly excellent. I'm very satisfied. I'll pay you the ten thousand yuan in full, right away. Don't worry."
"Brother, you're looking down on me. I want to be your friend, so I can't accept money for naming a friend's daughter. If I accepted money, how would we interact in the future? Wouldn't that make us client and service provider?"
Ye Tiancheng was truly surprised that Master Huang, despite his destitution, had such principles. After having a meal and becoming friends, he refused ten thousand yuan. This was truly astonishing.
That was ten thousand yuan! For someone living in an unfinished building, it was a fortune. With ten thousand yuan, his quality of life would improve dramatically. He wouldn't have to live in that unfinished building anymore, where the sanitary conditions were terrible. Living in such a place for a long time could even shorten his life, let alone improve his quality of life. It felt like his physical and mental health would be severely damaged.
"No, I must give you this money. If you were truly wealthy, we could just be friends. But your living conditions are quite poor now, so I must give you this money. I hope you'll live well."
Ye Tiancheng felt it would be unbearable if he didn't give him the money. Since they were friends, he couldn't just watch his friend live in an unfinished building. Moreover, Master Huang clearly had skills. His mastery of techniques indicated his abilities, and his naming skills were excellent.
"Really, you don't need it. If you give me money, it means you look down on me."