Not Loved in Vain?

The next day, before dawn had broken.

Xu Qing got up and began practicing his fists.

It was as though nothing had happened the night before.

He practiced for half an hour, drenched in sweat, steam rising from the crown of his head and dispersing into white mist in the morning light.

The fellow disciples gradually came out.

Xu Qing yawned. Seeing Xu Qing practicing again so early in the morning, he curled his lip and sauntered over.

"Up pretty early." His voice was dripping with mockery. "Practice. Go on, practice your heart out. But what's the use of practicing? No matter how much you train, you'll only ever reach Bright Force and be stuck there for the rest of your life!"

With his arms folded, he looked Xu Qing up and down, his face full of contempt.

"Look at you. Living off the martial arts hall isn't enough—you eat from my second uncle's family, drink from my second uncle's family, spend my second uncle's money. And after all that training, this is all you amount to. Can you face the martial arts hall? Can you face my second uncle?"

Xu Qing withdrew his fists and glanced at him.

That look was utterly calm. There was no anger, no grievance, not even the faintest emotion. It was as if he were looking at a tree or a stone.

Xu Qing was momentarily stunned by that gaze, then grew even more animated.

"If I were you, I'd have been too ashamed to stay at the martial arts hall long ago. Eating and drinking for free, and taking up a share of the benefits for nothing. Do you know what people in the courtyard call you? A 'meat barrel'—all you know is how to eat meat; you can't do a scrap of work."

After saying that, he waited for Xu Qing to lose his temper. He waited for him to turn red-faced and argue back, to clench his fists and charge forward. Then he could loudly cry, "See? See? Just a few words and he's already worked up," and cement Xu Qing's reputation for being "unreasonable" in front of everyone.

But Xu Qing merely wiped away his sweat, turned around, and continued practicing.

Bang, bang, bang—

The sound of fists rang out again, strike after strike, neither rushed nor slow, neither light nor heavy, the rhythm as steady as an old monk tapping a wooden fish. Xu Qing's words were nothing but farts to him.

Xu Qing felt as if he had punched cotton, his stomach filling with stifled rage. His face went red, then white. At last, he gave a heavy snort and turned away.

Around noon, Xu Qing left the martial arts hall and jogged all the way home.

His mother, Tong, was busy in the kitchen. When she saw him return, she wiped her hands and came over. "Qing'er, why are you back? Don't you need to practice at the martial arts hall?"

"Mother, did Chen Jiang still go cause trouble at Second Uncle's place?" Xu Qing got straight to the point.

Tong's eyes lit up like a cat that had caught the scent of fish. She leaned closer and lowered her voice, though she could not hide her excitement. "You don't know yet? Chen Jiang is dead!"

Xu Qing froze, his eyelid twitching. "Dead?"

"Dead!" Tong slapped her thigh, gloating on her face. "He was beaten to death last night! I heard it was awful—his face was smashed to pulp, even his own mother wouldn't have recognized him! His brother-in-law is the deputy leader of Azure Flood Dragon Hall. He's furious and searching the whole city for the killer!"

Xu Qing's head buzzed.

Dead? Chen Jiang was dead?

His first thought... was that Wu Mingyuan had done it.

He had only told Wu Mingyuan about Chen Jiang yesterday, and today Chen Jiang was dead.

Who else could it have been if not Wu Mingyuan?

The Wu Clan wielded enormous power in the county town, its roots deep and branches sprawling. Even Azure Flood Dragon Hall would not dare provoke them. All it would take was one word from Wu Mingyuan to send his men to "teach" Chen Jiang a lesson. Beating him to death or crippling him was no more than a matter of a single sentence.

A hot current suddenly surged through him, scalding, burning from his chest all the way to his throat. Senior Brother Wu valued him! Senior Brother Wu had killed someone for him!

Xu Qing's heart began racing, an excited flush rising to his face as though he were drunk.

He had asked Wu Mingyuan to "handle" him, but he had not asked him to kill anyone.

Yet Wu Mingyuan had killed him!

What did that mean?

It meant Wu Mingyuan regarded him as one of his own, as a brother, and was willing to be ruthless for him!

The more he thought about it, the more excited he became. Even his palms began to sweat. He wanted nothing more than to run to Wu Mingyuan immediately and declare his loyalty properly.

"Mother, I'm heading back to the martial arts hall!" He turned and ran. Tong shouted after him, "Eat before you go!" but before her words had even faded, he had already shot out through the courtyard gate without looking back.

Xu Qing ran all the way to the martial arts hall entrance, not even having caught his breath when he saw Wu Mingyuan coming out of the courtyard, followed by Tao Qing and two other senior disciples.

Wu Mingyuan was still dressed in moon-white training clothes with a dark belt around his waist. His steps were unhurried, no different from usual.

"Senior Brother Wu!" Xu Qing rushed over in three strides, his face piled with smiles and his waist bent lower than usual. "Senior Brother Wu, you really are... you really are such a true friend! From now on, I, Xu Qing, am your man. If you tell me to go east, I'll never go west. If you tell me to—"

Wu Mingyuan stopped, his brow creasing slightly as he glanced at Xu Qing. "What are you talking about?"

Xu Qing thought he was deliberately playing dumb. After all, murder was not something one could speak of openly—walls had ears.

So he moved closer and lowered his voice, gratitude and fawning in his tone. "Chen Jiang's matter. You agreed to help yesterday, and today he... Senior Brother Wu, I'll remember this kindness for the rest of my life!"

Wu Mingyuan's brow furrowed even deeper.

He looked at Xu Qing, with a little more disdain in his eyes.

"I don't know anything about Chen Jiang." His voice was flat. "You're thanking the wrong person."

With that, he walked around Xu Qing and continued onward. Tao Qing and the others followed behind him. They glanced at Xu Qing with amused looks, the corners of their mouths lifting slightly, but said nothing as they left.

Xu Qing stood rooted to the spot, the smile frozen on his face.

Senior Brother Wu did not know Chen Jiang was dead? How could that be? Who else could it have been?

But then he reconsidered. That made sense. Though the world was chaotic, there was still a county government in town. Admitting openly that he had killed someone would be trouble after all. Wu Mingyuan was right not to admit it. No one would admit it; only a fool would.

Xu Qing watched Wu Mingyuan's retreating back, straight and upright. The warmth in his heart did not diminish—it burned even fiercer.

Rather than feeling disappointed, he became even more certain of his own thoughts. Senior Brother Wu was protecting him, not wanting to drag him into it. This was what a true brother was! He got things done for you without letting you get your hands bloody. He would not even say, "I did it," taking every risk upon himself.

He rubbed his hands, his palms soaked in sweat. Watching Wu Mingyuan and the others disappear around the alley corner, his eyes shifted twice. After thinking it over, he happily ran home again.

"Qing'er, why are you back again?" Tong was carrying dishes to the table when she looked up and saw her son run in with a beaming face. She was completely baffled.

What was wrong with this child today? He had suddenly come home, then left, and now he had just left only to come happily running back. Was he even eating at home or not?

"Mother." Xu Qing stepped closer, his voice extremely low, though he could not suppress his excitement. "I solved Chen Jiang's matter."

Tong was still holding half a scallion. She froze. "You solved it? What do you mean?"

Xu Qing leaned closer again, the pride on his face nearly overflowing. "Yesterday, I told Senior Brother Wu about Chen Jiang always going to Second Uncle's shop to cause trouble. The Senior Brother Wu I told you about—the young master of the wealthy Wu Clan, the kind whose family can walk sideways through the county town."

"The moment I brought it up, he agreed without the slightest hesitation. I never expected him to have it taken care of that very night. What's called swift and decisive? That's swift and decisive!"

The scallion in Tong's hand fell to the ground with a slap. Her mouth hung wide enough to fit an egg, and only after a long while did she come back to herself, her voice changing pitch. "R-Really?"

"Absolutely true." Xu Qing lifted his chin slightly and puffed out his chest. "Mother, don't you dare tell anyone about this. Senior Brother Wu's family may be powerful, but word of killing someone getting out would still sound bad. Just pretend you don't know and let it rot in your belly, understand?"

"I understand! I understand!" Tong nodded again and again, but the gleam in her eyes could no longer be hidden, and she could not suppress the curve of her lips.

Xu Qing reminded her twice more, "Don't tell anyone," and "No one at all," before returning to the martial arts hall in relief. This time, his steps were as light as if he were treading on cotton, and he even hummed an off-key little tune.

But the moment he left, Tong washed her hands, changed into clean clothes, and rushed out excitedly without even eating.

She would not tell outsiders. She knew better; killing was not something to spread around carelessly. But Second Brother's family, who had benefited from it, should at least know who their benefactor was, shouldn't they?

They could not let them remain in the dark, receive such grace, and not even know whom to thank.

Besides, when she asked them for silver in the future, would she not have a reason? This favor was sitting right here like a mountain. Even if they had to squeeze it out, they would have to produce a few taels of silver.

She headed straight for Xu Cheng's steamed bun shop.

Xu Cheng was kneading dough, both arms covered in flour as he worked the dough over and over. The kneading board creaked beneath the pressure.

Xu Yan was beside him making steamed buns, her fingers flying as she pinched out one pleat after another with practiced efficiency.

When the two saw Tong burst in with joy written all over her face and pride she could not hide, their hearts immediately tightened. Every time this sister-in-law came by, she was either borrowing money or causing trouble. Nothing good ever came of it.

"Sister-in-law, what is it?" Xu Cheng wiped his hands and forced out a smile.

Tong gave the two of them a glance, the corner of her mouth lifting. "You've both heard, right? Chen Jiang is dead! Someone beat him to death last night!"

"We heard." Xu Cheng nodded, unable to conceal his happiness. It was real happiness, as though a boulder that had weighed on his chest for half a year had finally been carried away, making his whole body feel lighter.

Seeing this, Tong smiled smugly, leaned closer, and lowered her voice. "I'm telling you, our Qing'er handled this!"

Xu Cheng's hands paused. Xu Yan raised her head as well.

"He has a senior brother at the martial arts hall, a young master from the Wu Clan. His family is wealthy and powerful, with influence everywhere. Qing'er told him about what was happening here, and without another word, the man had Chen Jiang dealt with that very day!"

Without realizing it, Tong's voice grew louder. She spoke with vivid gestures, her spit nearly flying onto the steamed buns. "Tell me, isn't Qing'er a thoughtful child? Wasn't all that love and care for him worth it? The silver you usually spent on him wasn't wasted, was it?"

Xu Cheng and Xu Yan were stunned. Then they abruptly came to their senses and exchanged a glance, their eyes full of disbelief.

Chen Jiang—the man who came every few days to cause trouble, who got handsy and had kept them on edge for more than half a year—had been beaten to death by someone Xu Qing found?

Xu Yan's eyes reddened at once.

She remembered how Xu Qing had kicked over the food box last time and yelled at her, "You think I'm lacking for one of your steamed buns?" Her heart was sour and bitter. But if he truly had found someone to settle Chen Jiang... then this child still had her, his second aunt, in his heart. He did not say it aloud, but he carried it in his heart.

"Sister-in-law, it really was Qing'er...?" Xu Yan's voice choked slightly.

"What else could it be?" Tong patted her chest. "Qing'er told me himself! That Senior Brother Wu of his treats him so well, like a real brother! From now on, don't say Qing'er is unreasonable anymore. He may not say it, but he keeps it in his heart! You're all family—how could he just watch you be bullied?"

Xu Cheng stood beside them, his lips moving as though he wanted to say something, but he swallowed the words.

Apart from the last incident, he had never thought too poorly of Xu Qing. The boy had been rather lovable when he was little. He had simply been spoiled later on, becoming somewhat willful and ungrateful.

But this time... if he had truly done it, then the boy really did have a heart.

He could not describe how he felt. It was sweet and bitter at once, like biting into a persimmon that was only half ripe.