Chapter 12: The Messenger

As the first rays of sunlight from Shiren Peak shone upon the jujube forest, Zhang Xiaohua also opened his eyes. A glimmer of something flashed in his dark pupils, but it vanished quickly.

Zhang Xiaohua did not immediately get up as he usually did; instead, he lay on the kang and closed his eyes again. The swelling on his cheeks, which had been painfully hot last night, was no longer so painful. His split lips, if not deliberately moved, hardly hurt at all. The injuries on his body were gradually healing, but what about the wounds in his heart?

Zhang Xiaohua's mind replayed the events of the previous afternoon. His father's decision to hold back his elder brother was not wrong. His father was right; one should not meddle in matters beyond their capabilities, as such rash actions could lead to fatal consequences. His elder brother's decision to step forward and intervene was also not wrong. Although Liu Girl had only a passing acquaintance with them, they had helped each other. Even if she were a stranger, seeing her dragged away and violated by those vile men would have left a thorn in his heart, a wound that would never heal.

Thinking about the many people who had gathered around, their faces numb, gleeful, and sympathetic, did they not want to step forward and stop it?

Thinking about the two short, fat men and the group of vicious servants, who brazenly and arrogantly committed such heinous acts in front of so many people.

Thinking about his father and two brothers being trampled and beaten, perhaps those wicked servants did not intend to kill them, but only to use their bodies for amusement, to ignite their excitement with their blood. But what if those wicked servants had wanted to take their lives? Could they have escaped?

Thinking about Wen Wenhai and his female disciple, who descended from the sky and effortlessly defeated those wicked servants. They did not even reveal their names to Zhao Wansheng, and with just a few moves and a token, they subdued the arrogant bullies, making them submit and apologize.

A thought flashed through his mind like lightning: martial arts!

I need strength, I need martial arts.

This time, it was because they encountered Wen Wenhai and his disciple, who came to their aid. If they had not intervened, his family would have either been brutally beaten or even lost their lives. Relying on others was unreliable; he needed to rely on himself. Only with strength could he protect himself and his family, and have the ability to help others.

Zhang Xiaohua's heart suddenly felt lighter. The heavy burden that had weighed on his chest since yesterday was instantly lifted. Just like cultivating a piece of land, with a goal, everything became easier. He was not lacking in determination or the willingness to endure hardship; what he lacked was direction. With a direction, there was a possibility of achieving his goals.

With his mind set on his goal, Zhang Xiaehua no longer wanted to stay in bed. He got up quickly from the kang and walked out of his grandmother's small house, facing the sunlight.

The excited Zhang Xiaohua did not know that martial arts were not something that could be easily mastered. Inheritance, talent, perseverance, and opportunity were all essential. But which young man did not have his own dreams? Which young man was not full of youthful vigor? Whether successful or not, the impulsiveness of youth was the same. It was just that everyone's path was different, and only by walking it would they know what was right and wrong.

Our Zhang Xiaohua was no different!

As Zhang Xiaohua walked out of the small house, he saw his grandmother sitting at the door. He approached and said, "Grandma, it's still early, and it's cool outside. Let's go inside first. You can come out to bask in the sun when it's closer to noon."

Hearing her grandson's voice, the grandmother said lovingly, "Xiaohua, I want to breathe the fresh air outside. I live day by day and don't want to stay in the small house all the time. But are you still in pain? You should rest more in bed."

Zhang Xiaohua replied cheerfully, "Grandma, I'm fine already. Feel my face; it's not swollen anymore."

Zhang Xiaohua took his grandmother's rough hand and placed it on his face. She gently touched it and smiled, "Good, good, that's fine." She then wiped her moist eyes with her sleeve, clearly still worried about her youngest grandson.

In the courtyard, Guo Sufei was busy at the makeshift stove outside the house. Liu Qian and Liu Yueyue were also helping, and they looked very happy. However, Liu Qian seemed a bit shy. Indeed, when Zhang Xiaohua wiped his eyes and looked closely, he saw that Liu Qian's face was still flushed. What was going on?

Zhang Xiaohua did not know that Liu Qian and Liu Yueyue had woken up before dawn because they were not used to sleeping in a new place and could not fall back asleep. They did not want to disturb Guo Sufei, so they whispered to each other, talking about yesterday's events and feeling incredibly relieved to have escaped the danger. Liu Qian was especially grateful to Zhang Xiaolong. If he had not rushed forward to stop the bullies, she would have been dragged into the alley and suffered terribly. Moreover, Zhang Xiaolong, unarmed, had used his body to protect the two weak women, even though he was severely injured, his determined expression deeply etched in her heart.

Soon, Guo Sufei also woke up. She listened to the two girls talking without interrupting them. Seeing that it was almost dawn, she coughed a few times and sat up. The two girls quickly got up. Last night, Guo Sufei had been worried about the injuries of her family and the poor lighting, so she had not examined the two girls in detail. Now, with the daylight and the family's injuries stabilized, she had the chance to observe them. Both girls were very beautiful and had good figures, though they were of different heights, each with their own charm. However, if they did not have some beauty, how could they have been harassed on the street? Then, Zhang Xiaolong's mother began to ask about the two girls' backgrounds. She learned that Liu Qian's family consisted of only three people: her father and brother. Her mother had passed away a few years ago due to illness. Liu Qian's father was a teacher, and her brother was a weak scholar. They had no land and relied on teaching to make a living, which earned them respect in the village. Liu Yueyue was Liu Qian's cousin. Her father was a butcher and a close relative of Liu Qian's father. They lived in the same village, and Liu Yueyue's parents were still alive, with only her as their daughter. Yesterday, Liu Qian's family had a guest, and her father and brother were entertaining the guest, while Liu Yueyue's father was busy with his business. No one was available to accompany the two sisters to the market, which led to yesterday's situation. The three women talked a lot, and Guo Sufei even asked if the two girls were engaged, to which they both replied no. Liu Yueyue did not seem to mind, but Liu Qian blushed deeply. Guo Sufei, seeing Liu Qian's shy expression, was delighted.

As the sky brightened, Guo Sufei got up to prepare breakfast, and the two young women came to help. After a while, Liu Qian's blush had not completely faded, and Zhang Xiaohua noticed it.

Zhang Xiaohua walked to the stove and said, "Good morning, sisters."

It was a normal greeting, but Liu Qian, hearing the sensitive word "sisters," felt as if her thoughts had been discovered by this young boy, and her cheeks turned red again. Liu Yueyue happily responded, "Good morning, little brother."

Zhang Xiaohua asked about his father and brother, and Guo Sufei said she had already checked on them. There was no change, and their external injuries were lighter, but they had not yet recovered their strength and would probably get up soon.

As they were talking, Zhang Cai came out of the house, holding a wooden stick as a crutch, limping as if his right leg was uncomfortable. Guo Sufei and Zhang Xiaohua went to meet him, and Zhang Xiaohua brought a chair for his father to sit in the courtyard. He stretched and winced in pain from his sore back.

Liu Qian and Liu Yueyue came forward to greet him, and Zhang Cai said there was no need. He then said, "The two young ladies did not return home last night, and your families must be worried. We men are all injured, and Xiaohua alone cannot escort you back. I think we should send Xiaohua to the village to inform your families and have them come to pick you up. What do you think?"

Liu Qian and Liu Yueyue looked at each other and nodded in agreement.

After that, Zhang Cai and Zhang Xiaohua went to the village to find a grown man. The two of them went to Balingou to deliver the message to Liu Qian and Liu Yueyue's families.

Balingou was located southwest of Guo Village, quite a distance away. By the time Zhang Xiaohua and the others reached Balingou, it was almost noon. Balingou was a village built between two large mountains, and from the outside, it appeared to be much larger, about four or five times the size of Guo Village. The village was bustling with many people. As Zhang Xiaohua approached the village entrance, someone saw him and asked who he was looking for. Zhang Xiaohua said he was looking for the teacher, Mr. Liu. The man looked wary but, seeing Zhang Xiaohua's shabby appearance and the honest farmer behind him, asked, "Where are you from? What do you want with Mr. Liu?"

Zhang Xiaohua replied, "We are from Guo Village, and we have a message for Liu Qian and Liu Yueyue."

The man was delighted and said, "Is that so? Good, come with me quickly."

He then led Zhang Xiaohua and the others to a tidy courtyard. Before they reached the door, he shouted loudly, "Mr. Liu, Mr. Butcher, your daughters' message has arrived."

From inside the courtyard, a loud voice responded, "Ah, the bandits have sent a message. I want to see which scoundrel did this." A tall, burly man, much larger than Zhang Xiaohua, jumped out of the courtyard and grabbed Zhang Xiaohua by the neck, demanding, "Where are you from, bandits? Speak, speak." Zhang Xiaohua, unable to breathe, turned red and could not speak. The farmer who had come with Zhang Xiaohua and the man who had led them were about to intervene when another person came out of the courtyard, saying, "Second brother, can't you be less rash? Look at this young boy, his appearance, his clothes—does he look like a bandit? Even if he were a bandit, you should let him speak."

The burly man laughed and let go, saying, "Big brother, I was just worried about my daughter's safety. Don't you feel the same?"

Zhang Xiaohua took several deep breaths, and his face gradually returned to normal. He looked at the two men and realized that the calm one was Liu Qian's father, Mr. Liu, and the one who had grabbed him was Liu Yueyue's father, Mr. Butcher.