Chapter 104: The Hero Rescues the Beauty

Seeing that Xue Beast did not believe Han Luer’s words, Xiao Ding decided to step forward and help relieve the predicament. He had always looked down on Xue Beast; after all, the last time Xue Beast had beaten Zhao Laixi, Xiao Ding had been thinking of finding an opportunity to teach him a lesson. Unexpectedly, he ran into him here today.

Xue Beast was friends with the son of the jewelry store’s owner. He had come to the store to meet him, planning to go out for some fun together. But upon seeing Han Luer, who had come to buy jewelry, and noticing her stunning beauty, the lustful Xue Beast—accustomed in town to bullying others—set his sights on her.

At that moment, Xiao Ding parted the crowd and stepped forward. “Xue Beast, let go of Miss Han at once!”

“Who are you? How dare you meddle in my business?” Xue Beast twisted his neck and glared at Xiao Ding with rolling eyes.

“Don’t bother asking who I am. I’m here to teach you a lesson for your father. In broad daylight, you dare harass a common woman? Let go now, or don’t blame me for being ruthless!” Xiao Ding said sternly without any courtesy.

“Oh, you’re not afraid of your tongue slipping in the wind? You’re all talk. Don’t you know who I am—Xue Beast? Do you think you can mess with me?” Xue Beast was equally defiant, still clutching Han Luer tightly. He turned to the two servants holding the maids and sneered, “You two, go teach this blind brat a lesson!”

The two servants released the maids and strode over to Xiao Ding, speaking coldly, “Since you want to meddle, don’t blame us for being impolite!”

With that, they swung their fists at Xiao Ding. Judging by their stance, they had some basic fighting skills.

Xiao Ding didn’t take them seriously. Before crossing over, he had learned some close-combat techniques in the military. Now, having practiced the first level of the “Heart Forge Technique,” his senses were sharper, movements more agile, and strength far beyond ordinary men. Using his combat skills, he fought effortlessly against these two amateurs.

Within a few exchanges, Xiao Ding had kicked them both hard in the rear, sending them crashing to the ground, heads bumped and swelling, almost knocking out their front teeth.

At this moment, a pale-faced young man beside Xue Beast stepped forward and shouted at Xiao Ding, “How dare you fight people at my doorstep? Are you looking for trouble? You’d better get lost!”

Xiao Ding hated being pointed at with a finger. Without a word, he stepped forward and slapped the pale youth hard.

The pale youth spun three times on the spot before stopping, dazed and unable to find his footing. A purple-red handprint marked his once pale cheek, and blood oozed from the corner of his mouth. He rolled his eyes and staggered for a long while before regaining consciousness, then touched his swollen face and began to cry.

“You, you—you dare hit me! Just wait—I’m going to tell my father…” The pale youth ran into the jewelry store, crying as he shouted, “Father! Father! Someone’s bullying me!”

Xiao Ding hadn’t expected this coward to be so weak, and he smiled to himself. He turned his gaze back to Xue Beast and shouted fiercely, “Xue Beast, will you not let go?”

Xue Beast shivered in fear. Seeing his two servants knocked out and his friend crying, he realized the big man before him was not to be trifled with. Even if he fought, he was no match. Yet, used to bullying others, he was reluctant to back down. Though nervous inside, his tone remained defiant, “I’m not letting go today. What can you do to me?”

Seeing Xue Beast still holding Han Luer tightly, Xiao Ding’s anger flared. He stepped forward, grabbed Xue Beast’s wrist, and squeezed hard. Xue Beast howled in pain and immediately released her. “Ah! Mercy, mercy! Let me go! My bones will break!”

Xiao Ding ignored his pleas and raised his other hand, slapping Xue Beast’s fat pig-like face. “Still dare to bully common folk?”

Xue Beast felt his right cheek burn fiercely; his ears buzzed, and his molars loosened. He spat out blood and realized his mouth was bleeding.

“How dare you hit me? Do you know who my uncle is? My uncle is the county magistrate’s chief clerk. Believe me, I’ll have him throw you in jail!” Xue Beast blustered, trying to intimidate despite his fear.

Clearly, in any era, those who dared act arrogantly always had powerful backers.

At that moment, a commotion arose outside the crowd. Someone shouted, “The constables are here! The constables are here!”

Hearing this, Xue Beast puffed up again and yelled at Xiao Ding, “You brat, if you don’t let go, wait until my uncle arrives. You’ll regret it!”

Soon, a dozen constables burst through the crowd, led by a thin, gaunt man in his forties, dressed in a civil official’s robe with a goatee.

Besides them, Xiao Ding noticed a sedan chair waiting outside, its occupant still inside. The thin, gaunt man stepped into the crowd and saw Xiao Ding holding Xue Beast’s wrist; Xue Beast’s right cheek was swollen, his expression pained.

The man hurried forward, shouting, “Who are you, to act so insolently? Let go of my nephew at once!”

Upon seeing this thin middle-aged man, Xue Beast immediately cried out, “Uncle! Uncle! You have to help me! This brat appeared out of nowhere and just beat me. He almost broke my wrist!”

From their exchange, Xiao Ding guessed this gaunt official was Xue Beast’s uncle, the chief clerk. Thinking it unwise to antagonize a government official, Xiao Ding released Xue Beast’s wrist and bowed respectfully. “Your honor, you may not know the full story. I only grabbed his wrist because this Xue Beast dared to harass a common woman in broad daylight…”

Before Xiao Ding finished, the chief clerk waved his hand impatiently. “Arrest this boy immediately! He hits people and still lies. Harassing women? I think you’re the one harassing them…”

The constables surged forward to seize Xiao Ding. Suddenly, a voice called out from the sedan chair, “Wait!”

Xiao Ding recognized the voice instantly—it was County Magistrate Hu. He wondered why the magistrate himself had come.

It turned out that after the two maids, Xiaohong and Xiaolv, were released by the hooligans, they hurried back to report to the Han family. Upon hearing of Miss Han’s trouble, the family quickly sent word to Magistrate Hu. Furious that his sister-in-law was being harassed by ruffians, Hu had personally come with his men.

With Magistrate Hu’s intervention, the matter became much simpler.

After bringing all involved parties to the county office, Magistrate Hu held a hearing. Upon understanding the facts clearly, he knew who was right and who was wrong.

He ordered Xue Beast and the hooligans to be given a severe beating with wooden rods and praised Xiao Ding a few times before closing the case.

Leaving the county office, Zhao Laixi drove the carriage, and Xiao Ding and Han Luer chatted and laughed all the way toward the Fragrant Full House.