Chapter 10, Cockroaches

The older sister selling small accessories on the left leaned closer to Ding Ermiao and asked, "Young man, is this your first time setting up a stall?"

A car that ran a red light collided with a motorcycle, causing the rider to be thrown directly into the roadside greenbelt

Ding Ermiao, feeling dejected, put away the talisman and walked towards the intersection ahead. It was evident that the vendor from earlier had also regarded her as a fraud.

As the green light illuminated, the motorcyclist glared fiercely at Ding Ermiao and said, "If it weren't for my urgent need to get going, I would definitely teach you a lesson!" Then, he accelerated and shot off with a whoosh.

The bald man's face bore a lewd smile as he pulled a dead cockroach out of his pocket

"Is it not now that I see your eyes and the philtrum?" Ding Ermiao chuckled and persisted unwaveringly

Now I can only walk a bit further and try my luck again

I can't believe it, there are actually people who eat dead cockroaches? Ding Ermiao couldn't understand what this bald man meant and slightly furrowed his brows

The boy frowned slightly and asked, "How much is this talisman?"

This restaurant is called "Ruping Earth Cuisine Restaurant". The establishment is not large, consisting of only two small rooms. It appears to cater to impoverished students, as the long tables inside are arranged quite closely together. There is only one round table in the corner, which is likely reserved for VIP guests

Upon seeing Ding Ermiao push the door open, a sweet-looking young woman approached and said: "Hello, are you here to eat?"

A person wants to eat so much, is this Zhu Bajie descending to the mortal world? The waitress was stunned for a long time, noted down the names of these dishes, poured a cup of tea for Ding Ermiao, and then walked towards the back kitchen.

The sighs had not yet ceased when a loud bang was heard, and the motorcycle that had just fallen over spun several times like a top

You are the one who will face calamity! The motorcyclist was furious, removing his visor and pulling down his mask: "Where did this fraud come from? I am wearing a helmet, sunglasses, and a mask, and you can still see my forehead, my eyes, and my philtrum?!"

Yes, let's eat. Ding Ermiao nodded and sat down at a long table, placing down his backpack and umbrella

The small vendors on both sides turned to look, their eyes filled with a glimmer of pity

Soon, a plate of braised beef and braised tofu was served at the table. Ding Ermiao ordered two more bottles of beer and began to eat and drink heartily.

This is two days before the Ghost Festival, July 13

Ding Ermiao followed the asphalt road, letting the horse roam freely, while inwardly complaining about Ji Xiaoxiao

Thinking of this, Ding Ermiao found a vacant spot by the roadside, squatted down, opened his backpack, took out a bottle of medicinal liquor, placed it on the ground, and began to shout at the top of his lungs, imitating the other vendors.

It is now a little past 8 o'clock, not yet 9, and the streets are brightly lit as if it were daytime. On both sides of the road, there are vendors setting up stalls to do business. Behind these stalls are street-facing shops, including those selling clothing, restaurants, and internet cafes.

Uh...! ... What large hemispheres! Ding Ermiao's gaze involuntarily penetrated into the girl's neckline, and a sound of swallowing echoed in his throat: gulp.

"What a lunatic! A piece of cloth no bigger than a palm, and you want 10,000 yuan! I see you must be out of your mind with greed, you deceitful swindler!" Before Ding Ermiao could finish speaking, the young couple had already stood up and walked away.

After calling out a few times, a young couple approached, both in their early twenties. The girl had short hair and wore a low-cut dress. The boy wore glasses and was affectionate with the girl. Judging by their appearance, they seemed to be a pair of college sweethearts

Come, come, come... Don't miss out as you pass by. This exceptional medicinal wine for bruises contains the Heavenly King's Heart-Supplementing Pill and also includes the Six-Flavor Rehmannia Pill. It can treat your hunchback and back pain...

Oh... yes, yes, yes, the talismans of Maoshan, genuine and authentic. This is the only one, absolutely no branches." Ding Ermiao came to his senses and quickly put on a beaming smile, promoting his own talismans.

What are you looking at? Have you never seen such a handsome and imposing man? Ding Ermiao shot him a glare, clearly annoyed.

I must get something to fill my stomach! As for the money for food, I will talk about it after I am full. Ding Ermiao gritted his teeth in his heart and walked proudly towards a small restaurant ahead.

Originally, Ding Ermiao also wanted to go over and give this guy a simple bandage, but after thinking it over, he decided against it. If he went over now, that guy would definitely consider him a jinx. After all, he only had a broken arm, and the hospital would take care of it.

Around the table sat four or five young people, their hair in a variety of colors. One of the diners was bald, his shiny head gleaming under the light. The group chatted loudly while drinking beer, seemingly oblivious to their surroundings

One of his arms reached out from the thicket, drenched in blood

He picked up the cockroach with his hand, deliberately raised his arm, spun it halfway in the air, and then gently tossed the dead cockroach onto the plate of dishes in front of them

After shouting for a long time, not a single customer came to engage. Ding Ermiao shook his head, put away the medicinal wine, laid out two yellow cloth talismans on the ground, and shouted again: "Mao Mountain True Sect Protective Talismans, with one talisman on your person, a hundred evils shall not invade!"

Hey, hey, both of you... why don't you take a look and then speak? Hey..." Ding Ermiao looked at the two figures walking away, feeling indignant. It was already a bloodletting sale, yet they still called him a lunatic.

While I was still puzzled, I suddenly saw the bald man slam the dining table and shout, "Boss, boss! Come and see what you are cooking; there is a huge dead cockroach in it!"

Simply take half of it

Ding Ermiao shrugged and said, "Not heeding the words of the wise, one suffers losses right before their eyes. Alas..."

As he looked at the various stalls and vendors by the roadside, Ding Ermiao suddenly had a brilliant idea. He had secretly taken some elixirs and medicinal wine from his master's alchemy room; as long as he sold a little bit, would he still worry about not having money to spend

The passersby around were momentarily taken aback, then quickly gathered around. Concerned individuals comforted and inquired while contacting an ambulance

Ah, big brother, I see that your forehead is dark, your eyes lack spirit, and your philtrum is crooked. I fear you may encounter a calamity involving bloodshed. How about... I help you break this curse? Just treat me to a meal and it will be fine." Ding Ermiao said sincerely to the man on the motorcycle.

He had a bowl of fried rice on the mountain in the morning, and now, after more than ten hours have passed, he has only taken a few sips of spring water in between

"Hey, is this really a talisman drawn by a Maoshan Taoist?" The girl raised her head and asked Ding Ermiao. When she noticed that Ding Ermiao's gaze was fixed on her chest, her expression changed instantly. She clenched her collar with one hand and shot a fierce glare at Ding Ermiao.

Ding Ermiao was also taken aback; this fellow was a complete stranger to him, so why was he laughing for no reason? He picked up a piece of beef and tossed it into his mouth, casually observing the commotion at the round table

Ding Ermiao's voracious eating, accompanied by the sound of smacking lips, seemed to provoke the dissatisfaction of the five diners at the round table. Among them, the bald man turned his face away and cast an impatient glance at him

The bald man was momentarily taken aback, but suddenly broke into a grin, silently smiling. The smile carried a hint of malice and disdain.

To the southeast of the School of Business is the School of Logistics, and to the southwest is the School of Computer Science. The three schools are separated by an asphalt road running north-south, facing each other across the road. The School of Business is located to the east of the road, while the other two schools are situated to the west of the road

After all, it is the location of three educational institutions. Although it is the summer vacation period, there are still many students and teachers remaining on campus, along with the local indigenous people, making this road very lively. Men in red and women in green are as numerous as fish crossing the river

"Not expensive, not expensive, just..." Ding Ermiao hesitated for a moment

This slap was heavy, causing the cups, bowls, and plates on the dining table to jump around in a chaotic clatter.

Some residents nearby are burning paper for their deceased relatives by the roadside, causing smoke and ash to fill the air. Therefore, even though it is night, this cyclist is fully equipped, with a helmet, mask, and glasses, leaving nothing to chance

At that moment, the sweet-looking waitress in the restaurant happened to go to the back kitchen to serve dishes. In the front hall, there were only Ding Ermiao and a few other customers dining.

Ah...! The motorcyclist lay in the greenery, screaming loudly: "Help, help! My arm, my arm seems to be broken"

The girl linked her arm with the boy's, and the two of them squatted down together, lowering their heads to examine the talisman on the ground

Ding Ermiao said with a smile, "Meeting is fate, so I will charge you 10,000 yuan. If you want both together, I will give you a discount, totaling 16,000 yuan..."

The elder sister chuckled, "With those two pieces of yellow cloth, you won't be able to sell them for even ten dollars, let alone ten thousand. At your young age, you should learn a skill. You can't make a living or get rich relying on this. Alas..."

As a dignified disciple of the Maoshan sect, can I engage in deceitful and fraudulent activities? Having studied the Dao for twelve years, Ding Ermiao naturally understands that deception, fraud, theft, and robbery all undermine one's cultivation. Throughout history, none of the predecessors who learned the Dao yet strayed from the righteous path have met a good end.

"Just me alone." Ding Ermiao glanced at the menu: "Braised pork intestines, braised beef, braised young chicken, braised crucian carp, braised tofu..." He ordered six dishes in one go, then reluctantly closed the menu.

However, the next scene almost made Ding Ermiao spit out the beef in his mouth

At this point, Ding Ermiao finally understood that these few individuals were deliberately looking for trouble. However, this bald man actually dared to frame the restaurant in front of him and another couple of customers; isn't that too arrogant?

In the past, there were also some wealthy individuals who went to the master on the mountain to seek talismans, with the master charging 20,000 yuan each, firmly refusing to negotiate. However, can these two individuals in front of me have that much money?

In addition to myself and the five young people at the round table, there was a young couple sitting near the door, both of them with their heads down, speaking softly to each other

Indeed, " said Ding Ermiao, nodding his head.

At the intersection in front of the School of Computer Science, the red light has just turned on. A motorcycle stops beside Ding Ermiao, also waiting for the red light.

May I ask how many people? The waitress handed over the menu and said: "This is the menu, please take a look."

Continue to stroll forward. Ahead, a row of small restaurants is wafting rich aromas of dishes outward. Under the stimulation of the enticing scents of food and wine, Ding Ermiao's stomach unceremoniously growled, resonating like the sound of bells and drums, a remarkable display.

The remaining dishes were also brought to the table by the waiter one after another. Ding Ermiao ate while calculating in his mind what to use to settle the bill later: should it be the peace talisman or the bone-setting water