Chapter 2

The refined demeanor of the middle-aged man from earlier was completely gone, and everyone present was not surprised. Shen Fei lowered his head, not daring to make a sound. Zhong Shitao stood to the side as if nothing had happened, while only Yu Xia stepped forward to protect Shen Fei: "Father, Xiao Fei is still young. Don't blame him. Besides, reaching the third level of the basic cultivation technique at ten years old is already quite good. Many children in the village are still struggling with the first and second levels."

"Shen Yuxia! Can you stop spoiling this brat no matter what? I know this brat was raised by you since he was not even a month old, and it's very normal for you to dote on him! But you must understand, he is my son, Shen Haofeng's son. Who am I, Shen Haofeng? A Ninth-Rank Warrior! A well-known figure throughout Hu Yun County!" Shen Haofeng slammed his hand on the table, and the table shattered in a few strikes.

"Zhong Shitao started practicing the basic cultivation technique at five and reached the fifth level by ten! I taught him the technique, and I taught Shen Fei the same technique. Why is there such a big difference? Is Shen Fei stupid? Who in the town would think this brat is stupid? He's the most cunning when it comes to cheating and slacking off. So he's just lazy! Do you think I don't know that this brat only practices for three days and then takes two days off? So today, don't stop me. I'm going to give him a good lesson!" Shen Haofeng shouted, then directly called out to Zhong Shitao: "Bring the bamboo whip."

Zhong Shitao naturally brought out a bamboo whip as thick as a finger without a word. Although Shen Yuxia wanted to say something, seeing her father's raging anger, she didn't dare to speak. Instead, she glared fiercely at Zhong Shitao, who, while presenting the whip with both hands, couldn't help but plead: "Master, Xiao Fei is still young. Why don't I, your disciple, punish him for you this time?"

"Hmph! You and Yuxia are the same. If I let you beat him, you probably wouldn't even hurt an ant." Shen Haofeng, ignoring the aggrieved Zhong Shitao, took the bamboo whip, swung it a few times to feel the whistling sound, and then sternly ordered Shen Fei: "Kneel down!"

"Yes, Master." Shen Fei, no longer daring to be mischievous, quickly turned and knelt down, his buttocks raised, eyes tightly shut, and teeth clenched. With a slap, Shen Fei's forehead veins bulged, but he stubbornly didn't make a sound.

After ten slaps, Shen Yuxia immediately said anxiously: "Father, that's enough! It's already more than ten!" Her eyes were almost brimming with tears.

"Move aside! I have to give him twenty lashes today to teach him a lesson." Shen Haofeng, with a stern face, quickly gave twenty lashes, then threw the whip to Zhong Shitao, turned and left, saying as he reached the door: "Xiao Fei, be ready to go to the main hall with me tomorrow."

Shen Fei, already drenched in sweat but still gritting his teeth, immediately jumped up and shouted happily: "To the county? Thank you, Master!" But he immediately fell to the ground with a cry. Shen Haofeng paused for a moment but then steadily stepped out.

Shen Yuxia hurriedly rushed over: "Xiao Fei, what's wrong?" She didn't hesitate to pull down Xiao Fei's pants, revealing twenty whip marks on his snow-white buttocks, which looked very fierce.

This made Shen Yuxia's tears fall: "Wah, Xiao Fei, you're so pitiful. Does it hurt a lot?" She quickly took out ointment and carefully applied it to Shen Fei.

Seeing Shen Fei carefully raise his buttocks and grimace in pain, the comical action made Zhong Shitao unable to hold back a laugh.

This immediately made Shen Yuxia roar: "Zhong Shitao! Xiao Fei is so pitiful, and you not only don't sympathize but also mock him? What do you mean?"

Zhong Shitao immediately retorted: "Yuxia! Xiao Fei gets beaten by Master every ten to fifteen days. What's a little injury? Don't spoil him so much!" He added resentfully: "Last time I broke my arm practicing, you weren't this worried!"

Shen Yuxia immediately roared like a lioness: "So what if I spoil him? You, a grown man, are jealous of a child? When you broke your arm, didn't I serve you tea and water every day?"

"Yes, yes, brother-in-law, I even brought you meals and helped clean up." Shen Fei winked and smiled.

"Jealous? Hmph! Unreasonable." Zhong Shitao, embarrassed, could only mutter and turn away in a huff.

"Sister, it's all my fault, making you and brother-in-law argue." Shen Fei apologized, somewhat embarrassed.

Because of him, his sister and future brother-in-law had argued many times. Although he knew it wasn't good, he couldn't help but feel hostile towards the man who was about to take his sister away. After all, once his sister married, no one would dote on him anymore, so he naturally wanted to take advantage of the time while his sister was still at home.

"It's not your fault. That guy is too petty. What's wrong with me doting on you? Can Xiao Fei walk? Let me carry you back to your room." Shen Yuxia immediately softened her tone and gently said.

"Hehe, sister, you haven't carried me in a long time." Shen Fei happily lay on Shen Yuxia's back, who carefully supported his thighs and carried him away.

As they went out the door, they saw Zhong Shitao pacing outside.

Seeing Shen Yuxia carrying Shen Fei out, Zhong Shitao frowned but approached with a smile: "Yuxia, let me carry Xiao Fei."

Before Shen Yuxia could speak, Shen Fei firmly clung to her neck and shook his head: "No, I want sister to carry me."

"You!" Zhong Shitao was about to scold him but saw Shen Yuxia glaring fiercely and could only awkwardly remain silent.

Seeing the two siblings chatting and laughing, Zhong Shitao helplessly shook his head. He was truly at a loss. Yuxia doted on Shen Fei as if he were her own flesh and blood! If he had known, he should have befriended this brat first when he came to Master's place, to avoid the constant trouble now.

But every time he thought this, he couldn't actually do it. Who could blame him for feeling so jealous every time he saw Yuxia dote on Shen Fei? Was he too jealous? Even of his future brother-in-law?

Thinking about this, Zhong Shitao sighed, feeling lost. He knew he couldn't change his nature, especially since he was so infatuated with his fiancée.

After settling Shen Fei in his room, Shen Yuxia doted on him, bringing him food and helping him wash, then carefully applying more ointment.

Shen Fei naturally enjoyed his sister's doting, but Zhong Shitao, who was being ordered around by Shen Yuxia, was so angry that his head was smoking, and his eyes were red with envy.

But Zhong Shitao was just envious, muttering a few times about Shen Fei being too spoiled, but he didn't feel any surprise. He had been at Master's house for five years and was already used to Shen Yuxia's meticulous care for Shen Fei.

Even when it came to helping Shen Fei wash, Zhong Shitao had often tried to do it, but it never worked. Not only did Shen Fei refuse, but Yuxia also didn't like it, thinking he wouldn't do a good job.

Damn! The thought of his future wife helping another man wash was uncomfortable, even though the man was only ten years old.

But for these things he couldn't stand, Zhong Shitao couldn't change anything. He couldn't change his own nature, nor could he change Yuxia's. Since his mother died after giving birth to Yuxia, she had been very independent, even commanding her father. When Master found Shen Fei, it was Yuxia who raised the infant until he was this big. For Yuxia, the saying "the elder sister is like a mother" wasn't just a saying; doting on Shen Fei had become a habit ingrained in her bones.

After a busy session, it was already dusk. The sister and her future brother-in-law left, leaving Shen Fei alone in the room. Although his buttocks were very painful and he couldn't lie down, Shen Fei, lying on his stomach, thought about things with his eyes darting around.

Being whipped by Master was something Shen Fei had long been used to. Over the years, how many times had he been whipped for causing trouble? So he didn't take it seriously, let alone resent Master.

But this time, he was whipped for being lazy in his cultivation, which was the first time for such a reason. Seeing Master's angry face, he knew he had really upset him.

Shen Fei frowned. He wasn't unwilling to work hard, but cultivation was so boring. Sitting there with his eyes closed, how could he endure it for half a day? After a short while, he felt as if ants were biting all over his body!

But thinking of Master's disappointed and angry face, and his sister's worried look, Shen Fei gritted his teeth and tried to sit in meditation. But his buttocks, which had just been whipped twenty times, couldn't bear the weight. As soon as he touched the bed, he groaned and lay on his stomach, his buttocks raised, carefully touching it.

Seeing the sky outside was already dark, but feeling no fatigue, Shen Fei muttered: "Can't practice inner techniques, might as well practice boxing and kicking." He gritted his teeth, got out of bed, put on his shoes, carefully opened the door, looked around, and quickly slipped out of the yard.

"Xiao Fei, going out so late? Is your buttocks okay?" The two guards at the gate smiled at Shen Fei. This kid was almost always dragged back by Shen Yuxia to wash and sleep, so they were used to him going out at night.

"Uh, it's fine. I, Shen Fei, have such a strong body, how could anything be wrong?" Shen Fei answered while running quickly. But in his heart, he cursed his future brother-in-law, because only he would tell others about his beating, making Shen Fei even more resentful of him, even considering whether he was suitable to be his brother-in-law. But this was a marriage arranged by Master and his father-in-law when they were young, a pre-arranged marriage, and could not be dissolved.

{Piaotian Literature}