Cao, the Widowed Women Are Coming!

"Hm?"

Qingyi Lang, who was tugging at his nephew's sleeve, glanced to the side.

"What are you doing here? Ah, no... why are you so late?"

"Don't change the subject."

Uchiha Ao teased, "You just said your nephew would get another dad. What, has your sister found someone she likes?"

"Uh... no."

Qingyi Lang's expression stiffened. Then, as if he'd just realized something, he glared and cursed:

Uchiha Ao had just launched this book exclusively on

"Besides, what's it to you whether she has or not?"

"Of course it's got something to do with me."

Sou suddenly turned serious. "I, Cao, have made it my mission to give every beautiful woman who's lost her husband a warm home!

Right, brother-in-law?"

As he spoke, he blinked at him.

Qingyi Lang couldn't be bothered with Sou's bizarre talk. He kicked him in the rear and scolded him with a laugh:

"Get lost, you bastard!

A warm home? You'd be lucky if your own roof didn't leak!

Gongzhu, don't take it to heart, okay? This kid just likes making dirty jokes."

But Gongzhu had clearly heard none of it. He stared wide-eyed, pointing in one direction and shouting:

"Uncle, Uncle Sou, he's here! He's here!"

Sou looked over carefully. After recognizing the figure, he raised an eyebrow.

Hm? What a coincidence.

He knew Guy's personality. It looked like Gongzhu was deliberately stirring up trouble.

He wondered how Qingyi Lang would react...

Better ask first.

He held Qingyi Lang by the shoulder as he started to head over and whispered something in his ear.

"I know that kid's personality. He's not like that... In a moment, you do this, then that..."

Qingyi Lang hesitated visibly.

"But Gongzhu's my most beloved nephew..."

Sou: (￢＿￢)

So?

It'll cost extra!

At least two meals of barbecue... and, hmm... the Dancer Hall...

"Fine, fine, whatever you say. Then you do this, and that..."

"Okay, leave it to me."

"Heh heh..."

The two of them grinned at each other.

At that moment, their expressions were just like the picture of the Supreme Old Lord and Sun Wukong grinning at each other.

Gongzhu, unaware he'd already been sold out, watched Might Duy draw closer and kept shouting, "Uncle, he's here! He's here!"

Sou gave Qingyi Lang a look, then quietly slipped away to a concealed spot.

"Ahem!"

Qingyi Lang cleared his throat and made his grand entrance.

He strode straight up to Might Duy, who looked rather wary, and asked with a fierce expression:

"Kid, tell me this: did you hit my nephew?"

Before Guy could answer, Gongzhu interrupted from behind him. "It was him, Uncle! Beat him up!"

He wasn't stupid. There was no way he'd let his uncle find out the truth, so he kept answering for Might Duy.

This time, he'd come prepared. He knew Might Duy wasn't good with words, so he stayed behind him, taunting him with insults.

"Haha... you filthy thick-eyebrowed freak! You're covered in stinky sweat every day—it's disgusting! And that gross green jumpsuit you wear. Ugh..."

Just as expected, when Might Duy heard those words, his little face flushed with anger. Looking at the fierce Qingyi Lang in front of him, he decided to go all out and took a fighting stance.

"Come on! Even if you all gang up on me, I'm not afraid! I, Might Duy, am not afraid! Come on!"

Hearing that, Gongzhu grinned triumphantly behind him and kept provoking him.

"Gang up on you?"

Qingyi Lang raised an eyebrow. Ignoring his noisy nephew, he asked softly, "Did Gongzhu do anything to you?"

"How could he not? He..."

Gongzhu panicked and rushed forward. "Uncle, why are you wasting time talking to him? I'll go first!"

Might Duy hurriedly prepared to fight. From the corner of his eye, he saw Qingyi Lang raise his fist too.

How shameless!

They were both going to attack him!

Bam!

But to his surprise, the uncle's iron fist landed squarely on Gongzhu's head as he charged over.

A huge bump sprang up in an instant.

Gongzhu covered his head, tears welling in his eyes. "Uncle, you hit the wrong person! Why'd you hit me? That kid's right across from you!"

Bam!

Qingyi Lang punched him again.

As he hit him, he cursed, "I knew you were the one who caused trouble, you little punk! And there you were, acting clever and trying to shut him up.

I may not know him, but I know you!"

Only then did Gongzhu understand. He tried to make a run for it, but he was no match for Qingyi Lang, who knew the Body Flicker Technique. It didn't take long for him to be caught and dragged back.

"You still won't tell the truth! Since you won't let him speak, you can tell me yourself."

"Ow! Uncle, I was wrong! I was wrong..."

Qingyi Lang kept scolding him. "You're not sorry you did it. You're sorry you're about to get a beating!"

Then he drove an elbow into him!

Hogoromo!

Might Duy stood rooted to the spot, blinking as he watched the disaster unfold before him.

What just happened?!

Wasn't Gongzhu's uncle supposed to beat me up?

"Guy, long time no see."

Just then, Uchiha Ao leaped down from a nearby roof and smiled.

"So, feel better?"

"Brother Sou!"

Guy's eyes widened at the sudden appearance of Sou. His surprise turned to joy.

"You're back?! So all this... I knew it!"

By now, he understood that Sou had been helping him from the shadows the whole time.

Then, as if he'd finally seen his father after a long absence, Guy stayed by Sou's side, chattering away about what he'd been up to.

The smile never left his face, as if he'd forgotten all the hurt and frustration from before.

"Oh, right, Brother Sou, I've learned the Substitution Technique!"

"Oh? Really?"

Sou smiled and gave him a thumbs-up. "You're awesome, Guy!"

Guy scratched his head, embarrassed. "Heh... I guess I'm doing all right. It's all thanks to how well you taught me, Brother Sou!"

By then, Qingyi Lang had finally gotten the full story out of Gongzhu, whose head was covered in bumps. He brought him over.

"Stand up straight and apologize to your classmate!"

Gongzhu still looked reluctant. His lips opened and closed, but he couldn't get the words out.

"Hm?" Qingyi Lang glared.

Gongzhu shuddered. In the end, he had no choice but to say, "I'm sorry, Guy. I shouldn't have brought my classmates along to bully you."

"And..."

"...I'm sorry for the awful things I said earlier. Please... forgive me."

"Brother Sou." Guy looked at Sou, who was standing beside him, and sought his advice.

Sou smiled and patted him on the back. "That's up to you. You decide."

"...Hmph! I don't want to accept an apology from someone like him!"

Guy fell silent for a moment, then lifted his head and shook his fist angrily at Gongzhu.

"I'm fine, but you have no idea how much the kids you bullied suffered!

Some of them lost the bright, innocent smiles they used to have because of your bullying!

Going to school even became torture for them!"

Gongzhu's face paled. "I, I..."

He didn't dare argue, because he could sense a murderous aura coming from his uncle...

The kind that killed you the moment you showed your head.

Qingyi Lang had thought his nephew was no worse than a kid who got into fights. He'd never imagined Gongzhu would do something like this!

Looks like I really need to keep a close eye on you!

"Your name's Guy, right?"

With that, Qingyi Lang walked up to Guy and crouched down. His expression was more solemn than ever. "Can you tell me how many kids Gongzhu hurt?"

Might Duy carefully counted on his fingers. "Kenta, Misaki, Akihiro... and... six in all!"

"..."

Qingyi Lang closed his eyes. When he opened them again, his gaze swept over Gongzhu like a blade. "Tomorrow, I want you to apologize to every child you hurt!

From now on, you'll listen to Guy at school and help him bring those kids out of their trauma!

I'll be checking in with Uncle Cang and Guy regularly to see how you're doing.

If I find out you've been pretending to obey..."

Qingyi Lang's gaze turned sharp. "You know what'll happen!"

Gulp!

Gongzhu swallowed and quickly nodded.

He'd seen that look once before, when he'd insulted his mother.

If his mother hadn't desperately stopped him, his uncle might have buried him alive!

Qingyi Lang stood and nodded to Sou, his face etched with weariness and regret. "Sou, I'll take this little brat home first... See you tonight."

"It's fine. When kids misbehave, a beating usually sorts them out." Sou gave him a kindly smile.

At that, Gongzhu shuddered and shot Sou a resentful look. Then Qingyi Lang grabbed him by the collar and hauled him home.

He probably wouldn't escape another lecture once they got back.

"Brother Sou, where are we going next?"

Guy quickly composed himself. His little face lit up with a smile again, and he excitedly jogged in place, eager to show Sou what he'd learned lately.

"No rush."

Sou smiled and ruffled his hair. Looking behind Guy, he said meaningfully:

"First, let's say hello to the people following us."