Free Web NovelChen Changsheng watched everything. By the time Lihua climbed down from the top of the wall, he was already waiting for it at the door.
Lihua paused, then asked, “How come Good Human Chen is awake?”
Chen Changsheng replied, “The noise was loud. That woke me.”
He then asked another question, “Is Lihua hurt?”
“No.”
Lihua lifted its head, speaking as if showing off, “They couldn’t beat Lihua.”
Chen Changsheng smiled, patting Lihua as he said, “Thanks to Lihua.”
Lihua grinned, very pleased with itself.
Chen Changsheng then asked again, “Does Lihua know who those people just now were?”
Lihua shook its head, saying, “Don’t know. Haven’t seen them before. All in black clothes. Couldn’t tell at all.”
Seeing this, Chen Changsheng nodded. “Never mind them then. Lihua did a great job tonight. Tomorrow morning, I will go to the street to buy you some fish.”
“Really?!”
“Of course!”
“Lihua wants fish! Lihua wants fish!”
“Alright, I’ll buy two extra.”
“A word from a gentleman, even a dead horse can’t catch it.”
“I told you last time, it’s ‘a team of four horses can’t catch it.'”
“Oh, four horses can’t catch it.”
Chen Changsheng smiled, then said, “Okay…”
“It’s late. Lihua should also rest early.”
Lihua shook its head, insisting, “Lihua won’t sleep. Lihua wants to eat lots and lots of fish.”
Chen Changsheng couldn’t persuade it. Lihua insisted on squatting on the wall keeping watch, guarding both yards against any little movement.
It believed chasing away bad guys meant it could get more fish to eat.
It needed to save up lots and lots of fish, to eat every single day.
Hustling hard like this, it didn’t seem like its usual self.
.
.
Early morning rooster cries started.
A light mist rose over Qingshan City. Fog was common in this mountain city, a regular sight in Qingshan. This hazy scene seemed to drape the place in a veil, making it feel like a hidden paradise. In truth, it really was like a hidden paradise.
Chen Changsheng was woken up by the sound of Lihua talking to Ruyi.
“One of those people last night was really fierce! He jumped over, right here! Lihua dodged, then turned around and swiped at him. He got so scared! Then they all ran away.”
Lihua was perched on the wall describing the events of the previous night to Ruyi.
But the way it said these things didn’t sound scary at all. Instead, it sounded like bragging.
“Is Lihua really that strong?” Ruyi blinked.
“Absolutely!”
Lihua gave a proud little hum. “Lihua is unbeatable under heaven!”
As it spoke, it flashed its claws, swiping them through the air a few times.
Ruyi laughed. “Lihua is truly amazing.”
Hearing Ruyi’s praise, Lihua was absolutely thrilled. So it started talking even more, chattering on and on.
It talked about how strong it was, how brave and mighty.
Ruyi knew some of it was exaggerated, but she still felt a bit impressed. She used to think Lihua wasn’t very strong because it was usually so well-behaved. The contrast was big.
After entering the yard, she saw Mr. Chen was already awake.
Ruyi then asked Mr. Chen about it; after all, those thieves had entered her house.
Chen Changsheng said, “They were probably Jianghu People. Came looking for someone. But there’s no need to worry too much. With Lihua here, they likely won’t come back.”
Ruyi opened her mouth but didn’t speak immediately. Honestly, it had been a long time since she encountered something like this.
As a kid, she often heard of Jianghu stories like blood feuds. But as times grew peaceful, such things slowly disappeared. She hadn’t expected to run into it now.
After sitting down, Ruyi asked, “Uncle Chen, what’s the world of Jianghu People really like? Is it like the books say, all about settling scores freely and happily?”
Chen Changsheng thought for a moment. “Freeing revenge does happen, but it’s actually quite rare. Jianghu People and Jianghu affairs, first, they care about rules. Second, they care about relationships. It’s pretty complex.”
Ruyi blinked. “Many years ago, Uncle Chen took me and Ping An to the temple fair, and we met a Jianghu Person. Ruyi still remembers it.”
Chen Changsheng recalled. “That strong man dipping his hand in boiling oil?”
“Yes.”
Ruyi nodded. “Back then, Uncle Chen asked why someone with such martial skills was doing a street show. That man gave a vague answer, but Ping An caught him out. What was that phrase again?”
Chen Changsheng said, “‘Facing two moons above the head, unwilling to look again.'”
“Right, ‘two moons’. That’s the character for ‘bored’, meaning he was bored.”
Ruyi continued, “I didn’t understand it then. Later, when I was older, I realized he must have been a Jianghu Person. No wonder Uncle Chen said that person might have done some things that couldn’t see the light.”
“But occasionally remembering it, Ruyi still thinks the way Jianghu People talk is very interesting. They always say half and leave half unsaid.”
Chen Changsheng replied, “Jianghu People are often like that. They always leave themselves a way out when they do things, or they don’t speak clearly. It’s simply part of being different and… mysterious.”
“Uncle Chen is exactly right! That feeling… mysterious…”
Ruyi agreed completely.
She thought for a moment, then suddenly added, “But there’s one point Ruyi still doesn’t understand.”
“What point?”
“When we were kids, that Jianghu Person doing the oil-dipping… didn’t he pour vinegar onto the oil?”
Chen Changsheng shook his head. “It wasn’t vinegar. It was a pot of boiling oil.”
Ruyi looked amazed. “That’s truly incredible…”
Jianghu People could even do things like dipping hands in boiling oil. It was too unbelievable.
Chen Changsheng explained, “Actually, for the Jianghu, this isn’t terribly hard. Martial artists who cultivate their Blood Qi, flesh, and bones, if they reach a certain level, becoming impervious to blades isn’t exaggeration. Dipping hands in boiling oil becomes extremely simple.”
Ruyi glanced at her own slender arm. “I wish I were that strong.”
“Why do you want to be that strong?” Chen Changsheng asked.
Ruyi said, “Wouldn’t it be nice to punch anyone who annoys me?”
Chen Changsheng chuckled. “Naturally, it would be nice. But Jianghu People aren’t really like that.”
“There must be some special ones, right?”
“Generally, ones like that don’t live long.”
“…”
Ruyi pouted her lips, then suddenly thought of something.
“Uncle Chen, do you also know Jianghu People’s martial arts? Like internal energy, divine skills, great techniques, those kinds mentioned in novels?”
“I did see many Sword Arts and Sword Techniques when I was younger. But divine skills, great techniques – I never learned about such things.”
“Aiyo…”
Ruyi sighed, feeling quite disappointed.
Chen Changsheng glanced at her. “Does Ruyi perhaps want to try living in the Jianghu?”
“Not really.”
Ruyi smacked her lips. “I just want to go farther away to see more.”
“Mother has someone looking after her now. Ping An has gone to Shangjing. Day after day I’m at the Embroidery Workshop. So many years like this, it’s gotten boring. I just feel like going farther, seeing more places. Like Uncle Chen, over so many years, Ruyi suspects Uncle Chen has seen the whole world?”
Chen Changsheng smiled. “Back in the day, I often wandered around to see things. But I haven’t seen the whole world. These past years, duties kept me busy. I had even less time for idle wandering.”
“But Ruyi wanting to go out and walk around – that’s a good idea. Seeing more, looking around some more – it’s never a bad thing.”
