Insane Old Man

Mainland, City Of Atmos.

Sophia who felt a bit hungry didn't go with the rest of the group to report to their superiors about their findings, but was lining up in a queue to a stall that was inside the city near one of the city walls entry points.

Meanwhile WeiZhe was exchanging pleasantries with Rick Taylor's comrades and drinking buddies with simple greetings and introductions.

Although Rick Taylor's friends were showing smiles and greeting WeiZhe respectfully, how could WeiZhe not recognize with his vast experience that those were fake smiles and they also had contempt in their eyes from time to time.

Even though those were fake smiles and they also had contempt in their eyes, he wasn't narrow-minded so he didn't mind it, because he knew why they were like that; respect the strong and jeer at the weak.

Albeit there was one thing that puzzled him and he couldn't figure it out, that was why was Rick Taylor so amiable toward him and he couldn't sense any bit of contempt in his eyes. But he didn't think too much into it since it wasn't important to him why Rick Taylor was behaving the way he was.

He only cared if Rick Taylor and his buddies could provide him what he needed at the moment from them.

After having done their introductions and greetings, albeit WeiZhe wasn't paying attention to them, WeiZhe shifted his vision on the dazed Rick Taylor and asked smilingly, "So what are you thinking Little Taylor?"

Rick was a bit frustrated about the way WeiZhe was addressing him, he couldn't do anything about it because he indeed was little in terms of age when compared to WeiZhe and he perfectly understands this point.

Hiding his frustration in his heart, Rick squeezed a very amicable smile and said, "Nothing of importance Elder WeiZhe."

"Oh, is that so?" said WeiZhe while looking like he was pondering over something himself and didn't pay any attention to what Rick was saying.

WeiZhe kept on remaining in silence and was still wearing a pondering expression on his face while stroking his neat beard continuously.

Unable to bear the awkward atmosphere Rick spoke, "Elder WeiZhe have you thought through about the proposal of you selling your herbs and plants to me?"

Still keeping that pondering expression on his face WeiZhe asked with a receding smile, "Oh about that, you still want to buy them even though they got mishandled?"

"Yes, yes, yes." hurriedly saying 'yes' thrice, Rick kept nodding each time he said 'yes'.

Looking deeply at Rick Taylor for a moment, WeiZhe narrowed his eyes and asked the most important question in a business negotiation, "For how much are you willing to buy them for?"

A bit stunned by how quickly the smiling gramps turned into a veteran of trading and negotiation, Rick dazed for a moment but quickly recovered because he realized why this happened.

Although WeiZhe was being nice and approachable like a grandpa should be like in Rick's mind, but he realized that he was now trying to snatch the old man's livelihood by buying the herbs and plants from WeiZhe in a cheaper price and then selling them in a higher price by properly storing them.

"How about you decide it Elder WeiZhe?" asked Rick with a forced smile since he knew what he was doing was not that moral, since the old man probably spent an entire day trekking the mountain to get those herbs and plants.

Shaking his head WeiZhe said, "Little Taylor it was I who asked you to decide it but now you're throwing it back at me," sighing inwardly while moving his gaze to Rick, Weizhe continued, "Forget it, let's not talk about prices for now. How about you answer one of my questions then I'll sell these herbs and plants to you for base supplier price with one condition."

"Question, one condition?" Rick blurted out these two key points while looking dumbfounded, confused and ecstatic at the same time.

It wasn't only him who was like that, his friends and also some onlookers on the queue to the city checkpoint were like him.

One needs to know that base supplier price meant a huge pie falling out of the sky. Afterall even though ordinary people don't understand what it means how could these sly foxes at business not understand what it meant.

This was nothing but a scam to rip off from people who don't know what they are talking about. Because when someone goes to a shop of some kind and buys stuff from there, the prices are jacked up by at least two-to-four times from the supplier prices. And that too when the shop isn't popular or a brand so one can think what it would be like when popularity and brands are added.

Looking a bit hesitant, Rick asked, "Elder WeiZhe do you... umm understand what it means for base supplier prices?"

Narrowing his eyes with a dangerous glint, WeiZhe scoffed, "Hmph! Do you think I don't understand business or... Do you think I'm a five year old toddler for questioning me like that?"

Waving his hands in denial, Rick replied, "Of course not! It's just that i thought you would lose too much... By doing this kind of transaction since I was willing to pay marke..."

Stopping abruptly in the middle of his sentence because he could hear a mind transmission from a novice mage in their group.

"Since he said he wants to sell at base supplier price then why are you running off your mouth too much?"

Turning around to look at that novice mage in their group, Rick could only sigh and inwardly complain about how low morality this hired novice mage has.

But he couldn't blame the guy since he too knows that mages need a lot of resources to advance so he has no reason to not accept this pie that came out of nowhere.

Looking back at WeiZhe, Rick said smilingly with a bit of pity in his eyes, "Alright! I agreed to the deal. What's the condition. And you can freely ask the question and I'll answer as long as I am able to."

Smiling a little since the situation is playing out just like he wanted in the script in his mind albeit with a couple of deviations, WeiZhe said, "Alright since Little Taylor agreed then I'll say the condition first and then I want to ask you a question in private is that alright with you?"

"Private?" murmured Rick under his breath and contemplated for a few seconds before saying, "That's fine with me Elder WeiZhe."

"Good, good," smilingly looking around everyone, WeiZhe focused his gaze back on Rick Taylor and said, "My condition is very simple Little Taylor, I'm already so old and I'm not getting any younger. To be honest this... I'm visiting the city after a very long time so I don't have many acquaintances in there, so as long as you can get me a place to stay and I can join your group when entering the city my condition will be fulfilled.", pausing in his sentence to restructure it a bit more, WeiZhe wore on an anticipation expression while rubbing his hands together.

Hearing the condition, everyone was once again dumbfounded as they looked at each other and you could even see in their eyes what all of them wanted to ask at this moment.

'Is this geezer insane or why is he giving away free money?'

No one could understand why he would put out such a ridiculous condition since it doesn't cost much to find a place to stay if you only want a bed and a roof on top you that is.

While everyone near WeiZhe was dazed someone from behind the queue shouted at them, "Hey! Move it you lazy bums! The queue ain't gonna wait for you!"

Quickly coming out of their dazed expression, everyone glared at the man that shouted at them and then scoffed while turning away to not show their embarrassment expressions and moving along the queue.

Rick Taylor came out of his stupor the fastest as he went toward WeiZhe while saying, "Alright I agree to the condition you mentioned, in fact I will take you to the same place we will be staying if you're willing. Now what's this question you wanna ask."

Raising one of his brows slightly since he didn't expect Rick to take him to the same place he and his buddies are staying at. Nonetheless he nodded and walked away from the queue with Rick in tow.

Walking for a while until they couldn't hear any sounds from the queue, WeiZhe stopped dead in his tracks while asking, "Tell me why didn't you show any contempt towards me?"

Rick who has closely following WeiZhe from behind almost tripped when WeiZhe abruptly stopped in front of him while giving him a shock when hearing the question WeiZhe asked.

'Contempt?'

'What sh*tty contempt you talking about gramps?'

Inwardly cursing WeiZhe for giving him too many shocks in one day, Rick stabilized his footing and mind after a while.

"What are you talking about Elder WeiZhe?", asked Rick carefully.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about, those friends of yours showed disdain and contempt in their eyes but I couldn't see any from your eyes, why is that?"

"Wha... About that... Umm." Not sure how to answer such a question since he didn't expect WeiZhe would ask something like this, since he was trying to guess what the old man would ask him since he wanted to talk privately.

But never did he think WeiZhe would ask such a question, Rick was having an urge to cry and laugh since this old man kept on giving him one shock after another.

Nonetheless he got his bearing back and said seriously, "It's because my grandpa was also a herbalist who went on long journeys in the forest to collect herbs and plants to sell and... and one time he didn't come back.", trying not to become emotional since Rick's grandpa did dote on him when he was very little.

Actually WeiZhe didn't have any questions for him but since he saw a chance to clear up the puzzlement he was having earlier he decided to clear it up, WeiZhe said after a while, "So, it's the respect you had toward your grandpa that you showed the same kind of respect toward me subconsciously,right?"

"Yes, I think so." Rick answered promptly since he already stabilized himself.

Turning around and looking at Rick, WeiZhe said with a smile, "Let's go back then."

"Huh?" Confused Rick looked at WeiZhe who started walking back to the queue, "He just wanted to ask about this?", Rick murmured to himself before catching up with WeiZhe and walking back to the queue.

After they reached the queue they walked to where the others were, well Rick ran while WeiZhe slowly walked.

"Hey, what did he ask you?"

"Yeah you gotta tell us If you consider us as friends Rick."

"Just so. Hurry up and spit it out dude."

"..."

As soon as Rick Taylor got back to his comrades and drinking buddies he got bombarded by their questions that he ended up trying to say something but couldn't even get a chance to speak.

A while later after the flock calmed down, Rick said with a bit of resentment, "He just took along for a ride to shock me. Damn that gramps totally only wanted to make fun of me."

'Ride?'

'Shock?'

"What do ya mean buddy?" Asked one of the Rick's friends with a quick mind.

"Just as I said he took me to ask about my Grandpa's profession, which is a Herbalist."

Everyone looked at each other in dismay while they thought of the same thing.

'Is the old man actually insane?'

As they thought similarly the bunch arrived before the walls, it was their turn to be inspected and checked at the entry point.