My experience of grinding in another world

Chapter 7 Blocked
Go ahead and draw, it's for money, it's not shameful.

"Please bring Master Wang's everyday clothes and accessories."

"It would be best to also call the maid who washes and grooms Master Wang."

"Bring over a nicer chair."

Butler Li glanced at Chen Mu with surprise, then went out to consult with Young Master Wang before making arrangements according to Chen Mu's requirements.

The person in the portrait should have been dressed and made up before the portrait was painted.

Unfortunately, judging from the state of the person in bed, it's hard to say whether they'll even see the sun tomorrow, let alone get dressed and strike a pose.

If it weren't for his second-tier drawing skills, Chen Mu really wouldn't have dared to accept the challenge.

Now he is full of confidence.

Upon seeing Master Wang's clothes, Chen Mu immediately pictured the man dressed neatly in his clothes.

After carefully inquiring about the daily routines of the maids who were grooming him, Master Wang already had a clear idea of ​​what his appearance and hairstyle would look like if he were in good health.

Add a simple and heavy round-backed chair.

The rendering of the entire portrait is now clearly presented before your eyes.

Chen Mu glanced at Master Wang again, then immediately lowered his head to continue painting.

An hour later, Chen Mu put down his pen and stood up.

"Young Master Chen's skills are superb!" Butler Li, who had been keeping a cold face, couldn't help but be moved.

The person in the painting has a full face, bright eyes, and neatly combed hair. The overall image is very different from the person in the hospital bed.

But Butler Li knew that this was how Master Wang looked when he was healthy!
He never expected that this poor, unknown scholar would possess such abilities.

……

Inside the carriage, Chen Mu held a small cloth bag with a happy expression.

Inside was the writing fee given to him by Steward Li, ten taels of silver.

He was also exempted from rent for a year.

In Qingshan County, one tael of silver could be exchanged for about 1,200 copper coins.

Three hundred copper coins are enough for a family of three to live on for a month, and that's enough to feed them.

Ten taels of silver, if saved carefully, can support a family's needs for three years!

This is a huge sum of money for Chen Mu!
But Butler Li gave it to him casually.

Besides the fact that his portrait was indeed outstanding, the main reason was that the Wang family was wealthy and didn't care about such a small amount of money.

"Now we can finally eat meat!"

I secluded myself for half a month, expending all my energy practicing painting. Although I ate my fill at every meal, it consisted only of vegetables and wheat.

Not only did she not gain weight, she actually lost weight.

Upon arriving at the East Market, Chen Mu got off the bus early, ran to the butcher shop, bought two jin of pork belly, and headed home.

After enduring a month and a half of hardship, he's going to have a good meal today.

As I walked, I passed by a martial arts school.

Hearing the shouts and cries from inside the martial arts school, Chen Mu couldn't help but stop and watch.

He hadn't forgotten that constable Lu, who could cover five or six meters in a single step.

The martial arts school has a black plaque with gold lettering that reads "Baiyun Martial Arts School".

Chen Mu stood at the door, watching silently.

The apprentices were busy lifting stone weights, wielding spears, and practicing swordplay.

After watching for a while, Chen Mu left the martial arts gym in disappointment.

Those training methods are basically all ways to build strength, similar to lifting weights in the gym in my previous life.

With these methods, one cannot develop the ability of Officer Lu to leap five or six meters at a time.

"No rush, let's investigate slowly."

……

The next day, Chen Mu didn't get up to wash until the sun was high in the sky.

He went all in and secluded himself for a month and a half. The unfamiliar world and the uncertain future put him under immense pressure.

But the ten taels of silver he earned yesterday finally gave Chen Mu a huge sigh of relief.

With this money, he won't have to worry about going hungry for at least a year or two.

More importantly, he possessed a skill that was enough to support himself and even allow him to live a good life.

"It's a bit of a shame that they're painting funeral portraits right after opening. It would have been better if they had a beautiful songstress." After eating and drinking his fill, Chen Mu packed his brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone and prepared to go to Anlefang to continue selling his paintings.

Chen Mu lived in Ping'anfang, located in the southeast of Qingshan County. The houses there were all low-rise buildings, making it a commoner's area.

The roads are all winding alleys.

Just as I turned the corner, a tall, stout, burly man walked towards me.

The other person stared at Chen Mu, his face full of menacing flesh, a sight that made one's heart tremble.

Chen Mu instinctively sensed something was wrong. He turned to leave the alley.

But a short man had appeared behind him without him noticing.

The other person looked at Chen Mu with a grin, their face displaying a mocking, cat-and-mouse demeanor.

We've been ambushed!

Chen Mu felt a sudden panic, his mind racing to recall his past life's memories, but he couldn't find the two people. Nor could he recall any past grudges with anyone else.

"I have an appointment with the Wang family in the city to paint a portrait of the Wang family patriarch today. If we are late, you two will be held responsible," Chen Mu said, trying to remain calm.

"Trying to scare me?" the short man chuckled. "Didn't you finish drawing it yesterday?"

Chen Mu's heart sank. These two had come prepared!

"The fee for my writing is all here. Can you let me go?" Chen Mu said, pulling out his cloth bag. At this moment, he had calmed down.

He decided to spend money to avoid disaster.

They knew these people were like leeches, impossible to get rid of once you were on them.

But if he doesn't give it to them, they will definitely try to take it by force, and might even beat him up.

"That's not enough, we need to add something else," the short man said with a grin as he approached, his tone full of frivolous amusement.

Chen Mu frowned. Besides this bag of money, he didn't have any other valuables.

"Add your hands!" the burly man said coldly.

Chen Mu felt a sudden chill in his heart.

"Can you tell me who sent you?" This is no longer a simple robbery!

The short man looked at Chen Mu in surprise: "Aren't you afraid?"

"I'm scared," Chen Mu said calmly. But fear didn't stop the two of them.

The short man frowned.

Why does this guy look so indifferent?

Shouldn't he panic and kneel down to beg for mercy?

"Take off both of his arms!" the short man said coldly.

Let's see if you can still be so calm after I break both your hands.

Chen Mu felt a chill run down his spine, suppressing his instinct to run away, and carefully scanned the two of them with his eyes.

He wanted to remember the faces of these two people, and he was able to remember their faces.

"What the hell are you looking at!" The short man was annoyed by Chen Mu's stare.

He kicked Chen Mu to the ground.

"What, you want to get revenge on us?"

"Wait until I break your legs and gouge out your eyes, then let's see how you get your revenge!" the short man said viciously.

They spend most of their time on the streets, and ruthless methods are commonplace for them.

The tall, burly man took two steps to stand in front of Chen Mu and stomped hard on Chen Mu's hand.

Chen Mu couldn't help but tense up.

boom!
A dark shadow flashed before my eyes, but the expected pain did not come.

The tall, burly man suddenly flew into the air, soaring three or four meters before crashing flat on his back. His body convulsed and twisted like an earthworm, but he couldn't get up.

boom!
Almost simultaneously, another voice came.

The short man was like a painting, his entire body pressed uncontrollably against the wall.

He immediately fell to the ground, his face contorted in pain, and he gasped for breath.

Chen Mu turned his head and saw that a figure dressed in black with a long sword at his waist had appeared not far behind him.

"Officer Lu?!"

(End of this chapter)