The Young Boy's Offer

Zhang Wei slowly walked into the bustling street of Fire Dragon City, taking in the sights and sounds of the city. The people around him were dressed in opulent clothing, and the houses lining the street were grand and impressive. He could tell just by looking at them that the people who lived there were wealthy and influential.

Knowing that the Long Family's house was located in the center of the city, Zhang Wei reasoned that the surrounding areas must also be home to the wealthy and elite. As a result, there were not many shops lining the street, but those that were there were selling luxury items.

After walking the length of the road, he came across a luxurious inn. The exterior was so grand that it was clear only the wealthy could afford to stay there. Zhang Wei decided to enter and inquire about Qin Tian.

Upon entering the inn, he was greeted by a beautiful receptionist who was waiting for guests. He approached her and asked if she had any information about Qin Tian. At first, she was reluctant to answer, but Zhang Wei persuaded her with a generous sum of silver coins.

The receptionist searched the guest list for the past ten days and found no guests by the name of Qin Tian. Determined to find more information, Zhang Wei offered her an even larger sum, which prompted her to search the guest list for the entire month. Unfortunately, the result was the same: there were no guests by the name of Qin Tian staying at the inn.

Zhang Wei wasn't surprised by this outcome. He knew that Qin Tian was considered a waste by the Qin Family and had been driven out, and as a result, he might not be able to afford to stay in such a luxurious inn. He couldn't help but feel a sense of irony that a young master of the Qin Family could not even afford to stay in an inn for a single night.

Zhang Wei was disappointed with the lack of leads at the inn but to be sure he decided to continue his search for Qin Tian elsewhere. He found another similar inn in the inner city, but the result was the same. From asking others, he learned that there were only two inns in the area, so he was sure Qin Tian must have stayed in the outer city.

He knew he had to continue his search and headed towards the outer area of the city where the streets were more crowded and the houses were much older and not as well-maintained as those in the inner area. The streets were filled with people and hawkers selling their goods, making it difficult for Zhang Wei to navigate through. He walked with his cane and black glasses on, which helped him blend in with the crowd and avoid drawing too much attention to himself.

As he made his way through the busy streets, he stopped passersby every now and then, pretending to be a blind man, and asked for directions to an inn. Some people were helpful, while others ignored him.

He had already visited three inns, but none of them had any information on Qin Tian. As he was walking slowly, he heard a young boy's voice calling out to him.

"Hey, blind mister, please wait a moment," the boy said.

Zhang Wei stopped and turned around, asking, "Who is it?"

The boy approached him and said, "Mister, it looks like you're looking for someone. Maybe I can help you with it."

Zhang Wei's interest was piqued, and he asked the boy, "Your voice sounds like that of a child. How old are you, and how do you know that I'm looking for someone?"

The boy tried to deepen his voice to sound older and said, "I'm quite old, and I'm 15 this year."

Zhang Wei could see the boy and knew that he was lying about his age. But he played along and asked, "How do you know that I'm looking for someone?"

The boy explained, "I saw you come from the inner city, and you asked many passerby for help. You went to many inns, but you didn't stay in any of them. You gave some money to the receptionists and asked them for something. So, you're not looking for an inn, but someone."

Zhang Wei was impressed with the boy's observation skills and asked, "And how can you help me?"

The boy smiled and said, "I know many people in this area. If you tell me who you're looking for, I might be able to help you find him."

Zhang Wei approached the boy and asked, "What would be the price for helping me locate the person I am searching for?"

The boy confidently replied, "If I am able to find the person you are looking for, can you offer me 4 silver coins as a reward?"

Zhang Wei was taken aback by the boy's boldness and replied, "Do you know the value of 1 silver coin? You are asking for four!"

The boy quickly responded, "Sir, 4 silver coins are not much considering the fact that you have been bribing each innkeeper with at least 1 silver coin. There are at least 50 inns in this area, and as you are new and blind, it might take you a lot of time and money to find the person you are looking for. Moreover, the innkeepers might deceive you and charge you more money due to your blindness. In short, finding the information without my help would cost you more than ten times the amount I am asking for."

Zhang Wei realized the boy's reasoning was sound and agreed to his request.

The boy then said, "Sir, please give me 20 copper coins, the name, and characteristics of the person you want to find. You can wait for me here. There is a tavern in front, and it will take me no more than an hour to gather information about the person you are searching for."

Zhang Wei was intrigued by the boy's confidence and decided to give him a chance. Without questioning the need for the 20 copper coins, he handed over the money and headed to the tavern that the boy had mentioned.

He provided the boy with Qin Tian's name, characteristics, and approximate arrival date in the city. Zhang Wei emphasized that he had never seen Qin Tian in person and only knew about his physical appearance from other people's descriptions.

The boy accepted the task and bid Zhang Wei goodbye before heading off to find Qin Tian.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear readers,

I hope this message finds you well. I wanted to give you a quick update on the release schedule for the upcoming chapters of our story. After careful consideration, I have decided to adjust the frequency of new releases from seven days a week to four days a week. This will allow me to devote more time and attention to each chapter, ensuring that they are of the highest quality possible.

I also wanted to let you know that each new chapter will be at least 1000 words long. This means that you will have more content to enjoy with each release, and that the story will be more immersive and engaging overall.

I understand that some of you may be disappointed with the change in schedule, but I believe that this adjustment will ultimately make for a better reading experience. Thank you for your support and understanding, and I look forward to sharing the next chapter with you soon.

Best regards,

[ i_am_a_Cheater ]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------