Wang Xiaojuan

The next morning, sunlight filtered through the tile gaps on the eastern side, illuminating Gu Chang'an's simple yet tidy courtyard.

He had just finished a bowl of hot porridge, dusted off the corner of his tunic, and stepped outside carrying an empty bowl, intending to breathe in the fresh morning breeze and tidy up his equipment inside the house before heading to the Martial Guard Division to report for duty.

Before he could even turn around, however, he heard a muffled cry of grief coming from the end of the southern alley, laden with heart-shattering pain.

That was... Old Man Wang's voice!

Old Man Wang was a neighbor. His household had never been particularly poor; his son used to run a small business away from home, and his daughter-in-law could weave cloth to make a living.

Unfortunately, a little over a year ago, the couple suddenly disappeared, vanishing as if they had evaporated into the Human Realm, leaving only Old Man Wang and his granddaughter Wang Xiaodie, who was just over ten years old, to depend on each other for survival.

Old Man Wang was elderly, yet he had to bite the bullet and go back up the mountain to chop firewood and sell it for money.

A few months ago, he broke his leg. In order to pay for medical treatment, he had no choice but to borrow some money from the Black Sand Gang.

Now, however, the Black Sand Gang had been swallowed up by the Flowing Gold Gang, and their debt collection methods had become extremely brutal.

Gu Chang'an strode out of his courtyard gate, standing at the street corner to look far into the distance, and saw that a crowd of onlookers had already gathered at the mouth of the alley.

At the very end of the alley, two big men wearing short brown jackets and leather belts around their waists were dragging a frail little girl by her arm out into the open. The girl was barely ten years old, her face covered in tears—it was precisely Old Man Wang's granddaughter, Wang Xiaojuan.

Old Man Wang stumbled in pursuit, his leg injury unhealed, yet he still desperately lunged forward, grabbed a corner of the girl's garment, and pleaded,

"Don't take her away, she's only this young... I beg you, I'll pay the money back, I will definitely pay it back..."

"Pay your mother's head!"

One of the big men raised his foot and kicked Old Man Wang straight to the ground. The old man had a slender build and was slammed heavily against the bluestone slabs, blood instantly welling up from his temple.

"You dying old fool, how many days has this debt been owed? Now the Flowing Gold Gang is collecting debts, and taking your granddaughter to clear the debt is a bargain for you! If it weren't for the fact that she looks all right, we'd take your life right here!"

This scene stabbed into Gu Chang'an's eyes.

Although he had experienced a fair share of the pugilistic world's darkness, this kind of bullying against the weak and inhumane behavior right before his eyes still made the anger in his heart flare up.

"Gu Brother! Gu Brother, save me--!"

The girl's heart-rending cries pierced into his heart like knives.

Gu Chang'an's gaze turned cold, and without a moment's hesitation, he strode forward.

"Let her go."

His voice was not loud, yet it was like a cold wind suddenly rising, instantly causing the two big men to feel a jolt in their hearts.

One of them turned around, frowning as he said, "Kid, who the hell are you? You dare meddle in other people's business?"

Gu Chang'an stood his ground, saying coldly, "How much money does Old Man Wang owe you?"

The big man gave a harsh chuckle, revealing a mouth of yellow teeth,

"Oh, so it turns out to be someone trying to play the hero. Fine then, we won't make things hard for you. Five taels of silver, hand it over and we'll let her go."

"Nonsense!" Old Man Wang scrambled up, enduring severe pain as he shouted with a trembling voice,

"I only borrowed five hundred wen, and the Black Sand Gang said I could return one tael of silver after two months! How can you possibly demand five taels of silver?"

The big man irritably waved a hand, gesturing as if to kick him again. "The Black Sand Gang is the Black Sand Gang, but we are the Flowing Gold Gang! Times have changed now!"

Before the foot could even finish rising, it was grabbed in a tight grip by Gu Chang'an.

"Bang!"

At the sound of a dull cracking bone, the big man was horrified to discover that his ankle felt as though it had been locked in an iron vise, completely unable to move.

His expression shifted, and upon seeing the other person's composed gaze that was as sharp as a knife, a chill swept over him.

The big man's expression changed abruptly, cold sweat pouring down. A tremendous pressure radiated from his ankle, as if it were locked in iron shackles, rendering him utterly unable to move.

"You..." His eyes held terror. "Just who are you?"

Gu Chang'an's expression remained tranquil, every word deliberate: "I said, I'll pay his debt back for him. But I'll only return one tael of silver, and as for the rest, don't even think about taking a single extra coin."

Fierce light surfaced in the eyes of the other big man: "Do you know who we are? Behind us stands Lord Incense Master--"

"That's just as well," Gu Chang'an interrupted him. "If you're not convinced, have your Incense Master, or even your Cult Master, come find me to talk."

His gaze was calm yet sharp, and every word carried not the slightest hesitation.

The two big men exchanged glances, finally realizing that the person before them was no ordinary commoner.

Recently, the upper echelons of the Flowing Gold Gang had told them to keep a low profile and not provoke people at will.

With this thought in mind, the two of them instantly lost the desire to continue entangling themselves.

"Take—take the money then..."

Gu Chang'an groped into his tunic, flicked his hand to toss out a silver ingot weighing a full tael, and said coldly, "Take the silver and get lost."

The two big men picked up the silver and scurried away in disgrace.

Old Man Wang lunged forward, hugging his granddaughter while weeping and repeatedly expressing his gratitude:

"Chang'an... Chang'an, you are the benefactor of our grandfather and granddaughter!"

Wang Xiaojuan's eyes were also filled with gratitude as she choked out, "Gu Brother, thank you..."

Gu Chang'an reached out to gently pat Old Man Wang's shoulder, speaking in a soft voice, "It's nothing. We're all neighbors, helping each other out is only right."

"But this money..."

Old Man Wang still wanted to say something, but Gu Chang'an interrupted him with a smile, "No need to rush to return it. Wait until times are better before talking about it."

In truth, he knew that this money would likely be very difficult to ever get back.

After all, Old Man Wang and his granddaughter lived in hardship; how could they possibly have any spare money to repay him?

He simply could not bear to watch someone get trampled upon in this world.

Besides, he had recently obtained a huge sum of two hundred taels, so he wasn't short on this bit of silver.

Just at that moment, Old Man Wang suddenly grabbed his hand with a tremor, his calloused palms trembling, and that hand which grasped his sleeve—

"Gu Lad..."

Old Man Wang's voice was raspy and hoarse like withered wood, but then he gave a sudden, fierce push, shoving the hand of his granddaughter Wang Xiaojuan directly into Gu Chang'an's grasp.

The little girl timidly lowered her head, not daring to make a sound.

"I... I'm old, and my leg is crippled. I truly can't raise her anymore..."

The old man's tears fell in a rush, his face covered in remorse and helplessness. "Her grandmother left long ago, her parents' fates are unknown, and our relatives... long since avoided us like the plague. I'm afraid that one day when I die, she'll fall into a wolf's den and no one will ever save her."

"You're a good person, I know it... This old set of bones of mine can see clearly. The wild rabbits and pheasants you used to hunt, you often shared a portion with us without making a fuss. When others had trouble, you were always the first to step up. My granddaughter... I'm placing my trust in you."

As he spoke, he laboriously pulled an oil-stained paper parcel from his tunic, unfolded it, and revealed a yellowed house deed.

"This little rundown shack will be given to you as well... Let her stay at your place to make fires and cook meals, wash clothes and boil porridge... You can also look after her a bit."

His voice trembled, yet his eyes held a resolute determination.

"If you won't take her in, I truly have no idea who else I can entrust her to..."

Gu Chang'an gazed at the tiny girl, not even ten years old, thin and small. Yet within her eyes, there was not much childlike innocence left; instead, there was a quiet composure woven with nervousness and fear.

He pondered for a moment, initially wanting to decline, but a sudden stirring arose deep within his heart—

Indeed, nowadays he was not short on silver, and living alone in his household, he truly lacked someone to kindle fires and cook meals, or wash clothes and boil porridge.

Having such a person would reduce trivial chores and grant him more time to practice his martial arts.

Thus, he slowly nodded. "...Alright, I agree."

Old Man Wang immediately dropped to his knees and kowtowed. "Thank you, lad... Thank you so much!"

Gu Chang'an hurriedly went to support him. "Don't be like this, Uncle Wang."

Old Man Wang shook his head, pressing the house deed firmly into his hand, his gaze steadfast yet relieved.

"From now on, she's your person, Gu Lad... Whatever you tell her to do, she'll do."

Wang Xiaojuan whispered, "I'll listen to Grandpa."

After the few of them hastily settled matters, Gu Chang'an led her back home, boiled a bowl of thin congee, and handed it to her. The young girl ate in small bites, resembling a startled fawn, keeping her head lowered the entire time.

Yet just as Gu Chang'an finished tidying the back hall and returned to the front room, he discovered that Old Man Wang had still not returned.

A sudden tightness gripped his heart. He strode out the door and headed straight for that dilapidated, low-eaved tile house.

The door was not fully latched. He pushed it open with a single palm, finding the interior empty and desolate. A smell of dust and the mildew of old firewood rushed over him.

His gaze instantly locked in place.

--Right in the center beneath the main beam, Old Man Wang was hanging there.

He had tied a frayed hemp rope around his withered neck.

Beneath his feet lay an overturned chair.

The wind blew across the window lattice, emitting a mournful wail.

"Uncle Wang!!!"

Gu Chang'an lunged forward frantically, reaching out to support the old man's body, but it was already ice-cold and stiff.

In an instant, he understood Old Man Wang's decision.

--He was afraid Gu Chang'an would go back on his word, so he simply chose to end it all with death, entrusting her life through his own passing.

"Perhaps... I was just too slow-witted."

Gu Chang'an murmured in a low voice, lowering the old man gently, his expression complex and heavy.

He patted Wang Xiaojuan's shoulder lightly, his voice hoarse and low:

"I didn't expect Uncle Wang to do something so foolish..."

Wang Xiaojuan's tears poured uncontrollably as she lunged onto the corpse, crying out,

"Grandpa--!!!"

That heart-rending cry echoed through the cold wind.

She wept until she convulsed, her voice gradually growing fainter until she finally curled up beside the old man, huddled into a tight ball and making no further sound.

Gu Chang'an stood in silence for a moment, then bent down to wrap the corpse up. He enveloped it in a straw mat from the house, hoisted it onto his shoulders, and led Wang Xiaojuan along toward the hillside outside the city.

The crude graveyard was overgrown with weeds.

There was no coffin, no everlasting lamp, only a hoe and handfuls of yellow earth.

With his own hands, he dug the pit, buried the corpse, and inserted a broken piece of dead wood to serve as a grave marker.

"Uncle Wang, have a safe journey."

He said softly.

Wang Xiaojuan stood off to the side without crying, simply watching quietly, uttering not a single word.

There were still tear tracks in her eyes, yet she had long since stopped wailing aloud.

From that moment on, she changed.

When Gu Chang'an turned to leave, she closely followed behind.

"Let's go home."

"Mn."

She responded softly.

Gu Chang'an glanced back at her—that tiny shadow no longer seemed like a child in that moment, but rather like a little adult bearing the weight of a heavy world.

(Can't find the book by title? Try searching for the author instead; perhaps it just changed its name!)