At Home

Seeing that she seemed a little upset, Lin Qing felt a warmth stir in his heart.

He knew it was the sincere kindness of the girl next door. Refusing again would only hurt her feelings.

He had no choice but to accept the still-warm porcelain bowl, smiling as he said, "Then thank you, Xiao Ya. It smells delicious."

When Xiao Ya saw him accept it, the clouds on her face cleared at once, and a shy smile bloomed. She murmured, "You're welcome."

Then she turned and hurried back into the courtyard, almost as if she were fleeing, and slammed the door shut.

From inside came Old Man He's wife's startled cry. "What a waste! You little rascal, why didn't you bring the bowl back?"

Holding the bowl of tofu, Lin Qing stood where he was and shook his head with a wry smile.

After a moment's thought, he simply gulped down the bowl of tofu pudding. In the end, he didn't leave any copper coins.

Putting a price on her kindness would only cheapen it.

When he returned to the shop, his elder sister, Lin Wan, was tidying the counter and getting ready to close.

She was also a little surprised to see the tofu in his hands.

Lin Qing briefly explained that He Xiaoya had brought it over. Lin Wan said earnestly, "Xiao Ya's a good girl. Her father, Blacksmith He, may be stubborn, but he's an upright man. He's helped the neighbors plenty over the years."

"I think Xiao Ya seems to like you, too. How about I arrange a betrothal for you?"

At that, Lin Qing hurriedly waved his hands.

"Sis, I'm not thinking about that yet."

"You're at the age to start a family now. It'd be good to marry and have children sooner rather than later," Lin Wan continued.

"Let's talk about it later."

Lin Qing shook his head. After finishing the tofu pudding, he made to escape as quickly as he could.

Without noticing, he knocked a Benefit-the-People Notice off the table.

Lin Wan saw the paper on the floor. As if remembering something, her expression grew heavy. "Qing, wait."

"What is it, Sis?"

Lin Qing turned back.

"This afternoon, the son of Shopkeeper Li from Spring Return Hall came by."

Lin Qing felt a sudden unease. "What happened to Uncle Li Wen?"

Lin Wan sighed, her voice filled with anger and lingering fear. "On his way home from the shop last night, Uncle Li Wen was cornered in an alley by several masked men in black. They broke one of his legs!"

"Those men left a message, saying it was a lesson for him. If he dared to stir up that 'Benefit-the-People Joint Petition' again, next time they'd take his life!"

She paused, then continued, "Uncle Li Wen sent his son to pass on a message. He hopes you can visit when you have time. He said there's something he wants to discuss with you."

At that, Lin Qing's face darkened instantly. His fist clenched unconsciously, his knuckles turning faintly white with the force.

It seemed the Pan Family had grown dissatisfied with how poorly business had been going lately.

They didn't dare target him directly, since he was a disciple of a martial hall, so they'd chosen Uncle Li Wen, who was in a more vulnerable position, to make an example of him.

"I understand, Sis."

"I'll go first thing tomorrow morning."

Lin Qing's voice was low.

The next morning, Lin Qing didn't go to the martial hall. Instead, he went straight to Spring Return Hall on another street.

The shop was still open, but a strange old man had taken over as the physician on duty, and the place felt rather quiet.

Uncle Li Wen's son, a boy of about fourteen, led Lin Qing through the front hall to the bedroom in the rear courtyard.

The room was thick with the smell of medicine. Li Wen lay on the bed, his face sallow and lips cracked. One leg was encased in a thick plaster cast and propped high. He looked utterly haggard.

It was as if he'd aged ten years overnight.

His usually sharp, lively eyes were now dull and lifeless, filled with fear.

"Uncle Li." Lin Qing walked to the bedside and called softly.

When Li Wen saw Lin Qing, a complicated look flashed through his eyes: relief, but also helplessness.

He struggled to sit up, and Lin Qing hurried over to support him.

"Lin Qing, my good nephew, you've come..."

Li Wen's voice was hoarse and weak, with a tremor in it. "I suppose I can count myself lucky to have survived..."

"Uncle Li, don't dwell on it. What matters is that you rest and recover."

Lin Qing tried to comfort him, but his heart had gone cold.

What he saw was the wretched state of a small shopkeeper crushed beneath the heel of power.

Li Wen gave a bitter smile and looked at Lin Qing with downcast eyes. "Nephew, I called you here because I wanted to tell you..."

"Benevolent World Hall has decided to withdraw from the Medicine Alliance."

He seemed to have used up all his strength. He panted a few times before continuing:

"Miss Pan is the county magistrate's concubine. We can't afford to cross her!"

"This time they broke my leg. Next time, they might really take my life."

"You're different from me. You're already a martial artist, and you have the Hong Family Martial Hall backing you."

"I have nothing. Just this family of mine..."

His voice broke, full of sorrow.

An old man who had worked hard for years and ought to have been enjoying his twilight years had been driven to such a pass.

Listening to him, Lin Qing clenched his fist tightly inside his sleeve, his nails almost digging into his flesh.

A blaze of anger burned in his chest, and he wanted to say:

"Uncle Li, we'll remember this grudge. One day..."

But he knew all too well that any bold words would be hollow and powerless right now.

He didn't have the strength to challenge the Pan Family.

Nor could he guarantee the safety of Uncle Li Wen's family.

Acting on impulse would only bring an even greater disaster.

He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. His voice came out a little rough. "Uncle Li, I understand. Please focus on recovering. Don't worry about the Medicine Alliance. I understand your predicament."

A sense of helplessness washed over him.

Apart from agreeing, he couldn't offer the old man before him any promises.

Seeing that Lin Qing was so understanding and didn't blame him for backing down under pressure, Li Wen's eyes flickered with guilt. He murmured, "I'm sorry, nephew. I'm so sorry..."

Lin Qing comforted Uncle Li Wen at the bedside for a few more minutes and left some nourishing medicinal ingredients behind. Then, heavy-hearted, he left Spring Return Hall.

As he walked through the bustling streets, the sun shone brightly, yet it couldn't dispel the gloom in his heart.

In this world where the strong preyed on the weak, without strength, even the most basic peace was a pipe dream.

If he hadn't been lucky enough to join a martial hall and break through to the Skin Refining Realm,

the one lying in bed today—or worse—might have been him and Benevolent World Hall.

"Security Hall..."

Lin Qing murmured, his gaze turning unfathomable.

By the time he returned to Benevolent World Hall, it was nearly noon.

His elder sister, Lin Wan, saw his grim expression and realized things hadn't gone well with Uncle Li Wen. She didn't ask questions, only silently brought over the food she'd warmed.

After the meal, Lin Wan brought a brand-new pair of cloth shoes out of the back room. Their layered soles were densely quilted, with fine, sturdy stitching. The uppers were plain blue cloth, but freshly washed.

"Qing, try them on and see if they fit."

Lin Wan handed him the shoes, a gentle smile on her face.

"You practice martial arts every day, so you wear your shoes out quickly. I saw that your old pair was nearly worn through, so I found some time over the past few days to make you a new pair."

Lin Qing took the shoes. They felt sturdy in his hands, and a warmth welled up in his heart.

Every single stitch held his sister's unspoken affection.

He took off his old shoes and tried on the new ones. They fit perfectly and felt comfortable.

"They fit perfectly. Thanks, Sis."

Lin Qing spoke softly, his heart moved.

Lin Wan watched her younger brother put on the new shoes, her eyes full of contentment.

She hesitated, then asked as if casually, "Qing, you... do you still have enough money for household expenses?"