Chapter 48 Laixi Is Beaten

“Who was it? Who was it?” Xue Qingshou shouted loudly. With a missing front tooth, his words sounded airy, and a hissing noise accompanied his speech.

Xue Qingshou didn’t see clearly who threw the broad bean, but Xiao Ding saw everything. He had been watching the twin sisters at the other table, and just then, they were looking at him too. He smiled at them, pursed his lips, and secretly gave a thumbs-up with his left hand in praise.

The girl in the lake-blue long gown noticed Xiao Ding’s smile and his gesture of approval, so she smiled back and mischievously winked at him.

Both girls had striking eyes, long eyelashes, and deep, lively black pupils.

It turned out that the girl in lake-blue, while her sister in moon-white was speaking with Xue Qingshou, had picked up a broad bean with her chopsticks, flicked her wrist, and sent it flying toward Xue Qingshou’s mouth, just as he was laughing with his mouth wide open. The bean struck his front tooth perfectly.

Now Xue Qingshou was covering his mouth with both hands, forgetting all about grabbing the girl Xiaocui. Xiaocui quietly retreated to a corner in the back.

The other two thugs hurried forward to check Xue Qingshou’s injury, but he snapped, “Why are you looking at me? Get up there and teach them a lesson!” He finally realized it was the twin sisters who had pulled the trick.

The two thugs rolled up their sleeves, ready to go, but the lake-blue girl’s chopsticks moved swiftly, and broad beans came flying at all three. In an instant, their faces were covered in swollen welts, red and blue.

Now they understood—she was skilled in martial arts, not someone mere street punks could provoke.

They uttered a final threat: “Just you wait! Don’t leave if you dare!” Then, they slunk out the door.

The restaurant erupted in cheers and applause.

The twin sisters were delighted. They glanced at Xiao Ding, saw him still watching them, and winked at him again playfully. Xiao Ding smiled and nodded to them.

The shopkeeper, the young man, and his wife Xiaocui, bowed deeply to thank the sisters, insisting the meal was on the house.

The other diners who hadn’t fled joined in praising the twins for their skill.

“Brother, this is the first time I’ve seen Xue the Beast get put in his place!”

“Same here! He’s been too arrogant these past years.”

“Ever since Shi Jian left, he’s become the local tyrant.”

“That’s right. These years, he’s been robbing men, bullying women, extorting shops, behaving outrageously. There’s nothing he hasn’t done!”

“True, I heard he beat someone up just last night.”

“Last night? Who did he beat?”

“I think it was the apprentice of Carpenter Li…”

“I heard it wasn’t the apprentice…”

“Then who?”

“It was Carpenter Li’s nephew-in-law, I think. Surname Zhao, learning the trade at Li’s house…”

Xiao Ding listened to the discussion without much attention, until he suddenly heard that the person beaten last night by Xue Qingshou was surnamed Zhao, Carpenter Li’s nephew-in-law. He stopped mid-bite.

Could it be Zhao Laixi? That was his first thought. But he couldn’t be sure yet—he didn’t know how many Carpenter Lis lived in Luoxia Town.

“May I ask, brothers, is the nephew-in-law of Carpenter Li you mentioned called Zhao Laixi?” Xiao Ding clasped his hands and asked the table discussing the matter.

“I think his name is Zhao something Xi, and I heard he’s from Luoyun Village,” someone answered.

Xiao Ding was nearly certain it was Zhao Laixi. He quickly asked, “Do you know why there was a fight last night? How is Zhao Laixi’s injury? Is he at Carpenter Li’s house now?”

The men exchanged glances at Xiao Ding’s barrage of questions. “We’re not exactly sure, but I heard the Zhao fellow was badly beaten by Xue the Beast and his thugs. And his uncle wasn’t any better—after Zhao was beaten, he wouldn’t let him in. Some kind-hearted people took him to the clinic, but Zhao had no money for treatment…”

“What?” Xiao Ding was furious. How could the uncle be so heartless? His nephew-in-law was beaten and not only refused treatment, but wasn’t even allowed in the door. Outrageous!

“Do you know where Zhao Laixi is now?” Xiao Ding stood up, anger on his face. He was tall and imposing, intimidating the table into mumbling responses.

“We… we don’t really know. He was sent to Rui’an Hall by some kind people. Beyond that, we don’t know…”

Seeing Xiao Ding’s demeanor, as if he might tear someone apart, the people were visibly nervous.

“Thank you all!” Xiao Ding clasped his hands to them, then took out two taels of silver and placed it on the table. “Shopkeeper, the bill. Keep the change.”

Without another word, he left his meal unfinished and strode out of the inn.

He went onto the street, asked directions to Rui’an Hall, and hurried there.

Less than fifteen minutes later, Xiao Ding arrived at Rui’an Hall. Inside, he asked the attendant, who told him Zhao Laixi had already left, less than an hour ago.

Xiao Ding didn’t ask why Zhao Laixi had gone on his own. He left Rui’an Hall in haste and headed home. He reasoned that if Zhao Laixi hadn’t been taken in by his uncle last night, he must have gone home afterward.

Just as he reached the west side of town, not yet out of town, he saw a crowd gathered beside the street, pointing and discussing something in the center.

Xiao Ding quickened his pace and saw, lying in the mud at the center of the crowd, Zhao Laixi. His clothes were caked in mud, his eyes shut, his face covered in bruises.

Xiao Ding pushed through the crowd, checked Zhao Laixi’s breath, and found him still alive, much to his relief. He grabbed Zhao Laixi’s wrist and secretly infused some spiritual energy into his body.

Without caring about the mud, Xiao Ding hoisted Zhao Laixi onto his back and headed home.

Over an hour later, Xiao Ding arrived at Xiaoya’s home carrying the unconscious Zhao Laixi. Xiaoya was so frightened by his condition that she nearly fainted.

Xiao Ding had Xiaoya heat water, stripped Zhao Laixi, and washed him clean in the bath barrel.

Only then did they see that Zhao Laixi was covered in bruises, his whole body battered.

In the bath, Zhao Laixi regained consciousness, slowly opened his eyes, saw Xiao Ding and Xiaoya before him, and weakly called, “Big brother, Xiaoya…” Tears of grievance welled in his eyes.

Xiaoya began to cry as well.

After lifting Zhao Laixi from the bath, drying him, and laying him on the bed, Xiao Ding carefully checked his injuries. They were all surface wounds, with no bones broken. Likely, excessive blood loss and his naturally frail body caused his unconsciousness.