However, when the hotel owner saw so many guests, he welcomed them warmly.

In particular, he was especially warm to Quan Laowu and was very attentive to him.

He was the first to lead the team to the hotel. He was handsome and had an aura of an elite, totally looking like a VIP.

It was especially so when he said this sentence:

“Hurry up and cook us a meal. Serve us all your specialties! Don’t worry about the money…”

In other words, he had a lot of money!

This is big business! The hotel owner thought.

There were more than 20 people in this group; they could provide him earnings similar to half a year’s income from farming.

Therefore, the owner proceeded to prepare happily, and let his wife bring in all the firewood they prepared for winter to begin boiling hot water for them. After that, they sent a charcoal heater to each room.

The group who had been out in the cold for the day felt better at last.

Quan Shaoteng went out and bought some necessities. When he came back, the hot water was ready.

The bathhouse in the hotel was public.

There was a male bathhouse and a female bathhouse.

Obviously, Xiang Wan was the only one who could enjoy the entire female bathhouse to herself.

As for the rest of them, all of them had to squeeze into one bathhouse.

Nevertheless, no one was bothered with it!

The men went into the bathroom in a hubbub.

Bai Muchuan was attending to Xiang Wan as she entered the female bathhouse. He puckered up his eyebrows when he saw Quan Shaoteng.

“Go and bath? Look at all the dirt!”

“… Not now!”

Quan Shaoteng was someone who loved cleanliness. He did not like to bath with so many people, too. He patted his clothes a few times and took his stuff, wanting to go back to his room…

In the end, he was stopped by the hotel owner near the stairs.

The owner was an honest man. He took quite a while to ask if he could pay for the accommodation first.

This was because he had to take the money to buy meat and vegetables to cook for them.

“I’m short of money…”

The owner wore a felt hat and was slightly hunched. He had a look that made others feel sympathy for him.

“Fine, no problem!” Quan Shaoteng immediately agreed and started to check his pockets. “I’ll give you more in addition to the room charges…”

He was treating it as if it was a charity.

However, when he slipped his hand into his pocket, he realized…

He did not have money!

The cash he had on him was already used on procuring the necessities.

He rummaged through his pockets and found less than 10 yuan in cash.

…

This was so awkward!

The one who made payment few days ago had been Tu Liang.

After that, when they arrived in Wuming Village, Hassan was the one who paid for everything.

From beginning till the end, he need not worry about all these at all, why would he carry so much cash on him!?

His sullen expression made the owner’s hopeful eyes gradually lose excitement.

“Young brother, don’t need to give me more. Just give what we’ve just agreed, 150 yuan for a room, that’s all right!”

“It’s not the problem of 150 yuan…”

Quan Shaoteng had not finished his words when the owner quickly chimed in, “Then make it 100 yuan per room…”

He was worried that this deal would be called off when he had done so much for them but not even get a single cent.

However, what Quan Shaoteng was worried about was really not about the total cost of their accommodation… the problem was that he had no cash with him.

He looked at the owner awkwardly. “Old Sir, do you have WeChat Pay or Alipay?”

If he was in a big city, he need not even ask this.

Over at the counter, he just needed to scan the QR code given and payment would be made.

In here, Quan Shaoteng was worried the hotel owner did not have such apps installed, or that he had not designated a bank to WeChat or Alipay…

However, he was very wrong.

The hotel owner totally did not know what he was talking about.

“WeChat Pay, Alipay… Are they food or drinks? I don’t think our town has such things for sale?”

Quan Shaoteng’s jaws dropped. “…”

Oh no!

Oh no!

He did not know what to do and stretched out both arms. “Old Sir, I don’t have cash with me. Do you think you can?”

“No… young brother… I can’t do anything without cash!”

A hero was also afraid of having no money!

Quan Shaoteng took a look at the snowy weather outside.

“Alright, you wait a while; let me go ask the others…”

When he said that, the owner’s expression turned gloomy and glum.

“… Didn’t you say… we need not worry about the money…”

Geez! Did he say that?

Was he, Young Master Quan, someone who lacked money?

“Don’t worry, I’ll definitely pay up, not a cent less. Even if I didn’t get enough cash, I’ll go to the city, draw the money and deliver it to you…”

“…” The owner did not say a word.

Quan Shaoteng had never felt such a loss of face because of money.

He did not care anymore. Without another word, he looked for Cheng Zheng, Bai Muchuan, and the rest of the team…

However, in this modern society, they did not carry much cash with them.

Everyone searched through their belongings but could only gather barely a thousand yuan in cash.

He gave the sum of money to the hotel owner.

“Old Sir, you take this first!”

After the owner counted the sum of money, his wrinkled face seemed to turn black.

Looking at his unhappy face, Quan Shaoteng let out a quiet sigh, gritted his teeth, removed the watch on his wrist, and gave it to the hotel owner.

“I mortgage this watch to you first. When I raised enough money, you’ll give it back to me!”

The hotel owner squinted his eyes as he examined the watch. He looked at it with the aid of the light for a while before furrowing his eyebrows and returning it to him with contempt.

“Just one look and I know it isn’t worth much. Forget it, I’ll make do with this first. All I ask for is only for you to pay up before you check out!”

That’s a humble man!

Quan Shaoteng looked at his watch which was worth a seven-digit yuan sum…

He was so moved he almost cried!

“Old Sir, do prepare more good food. Don’t save the money!”

The owner looked back. “…”

That glare of disdain was too powerful! thought Quan Shaoteng.

He scratched his head. He wondered if the hotel owner was the idiot or if he was the idiot!

Nevertheless, the hotel owner was really an honest man.

Although he did not manage to get the total amount of room charges from Quan Shaoteng, he went out to get groceries in a happy mood…

After this episode of looking for cash, Quan Shaoteng found himself sweaty all over.

He did not want to worry about the problem of money now. With the toiletries he bought earlier, he decided to take a bath.

However… he realized that there was no more hot water!

In less than a minute, the water that flowed from the pipe was icy cold.

At that point in time, he had already soaped himself!

“Ah! D*rn! This is TOO fantastic!”

…

Quan Shaoteng had a cold water bath.

It was snowing outside, and his heart was snowing inside.

When he went upstairs after his bath, he sneezed and happened to stop at the door of Bai Muchuan and Xiang Wan’s room. The door was not closed properly.

He was practically being fed with dog food at the sight before him!

Xiang Wan had just finished bathing and was sitting comfortably beside the charcoal heater. She was wearing the strange looking local ethic clothing which had strong, expressive colors that when coupled with her fair skin, it made her look sexier and gorgeous from her usual pure and cool, artistic style…

Of course, this was not the dog food Quan Shaoteng was referring to.

It was Bai Muchuan, who was squatting beside the charcoal heater. He was adjusting and filling the charcoal heater.

Xiang Wan was half-leaning onto Bai Muchuan’s back, watching him adjusting the heater as well as talking to him softly by the ear.

… That was too picturesque that Quan Shaoteng didn’t dare to watch.

“Excuse me, the two of you! Don’t forget about building a harmonious ecological circle,” Quan Shaoteng now stood outside their door like a cold-faced evil dude. “Do spare a thought for the bachelor. When you want to show your love to each other, can’t you close the door!?”

Bai Muchuan raised his head lazily. “Please help us close it, thank you!”

Huff! Quan Shaoteng pointed at him indignantly.

“I wanna… whip you!”

For the first time in his life, he had fully tasted the helplessness of a bachelor…