Bringing News

When the first ray of sunlight from Stone Man Peak shone upon the wild jujube grove, Zhang Xiaohua opened his eyes as well. Something flickered in his pitch-black eyes, vanishing in an instant.

Zhang Xiaohua did not get up at once as usual. Instead, he lay on the heated brick bed and closed his eyes again. His swollen cheeks no longer burned as fiercely as they had last night, and unless he deliberately moved them, the split corners of his mouth barely hurt anymore. The wounds on his body would slowly heal, but what about the wounds in his heart?

Scenes from yesterday afternoon spun through Zhang Xiaohua's mind like a revolving lantern. His father had not been wrong to hold his eldest brother back and stop him from stepping forward. What his father said had also been right: matters beyond one's ability should not be meddled in, for a hot-blooded impulse might bring a fatal disaster. Yet his eldest brother had not been wrong to intervene either. Though Miss Liu had met them only once, they had helped each other before. Even if she had been a stranger, watching an innocent girl get dragged away by vile men and defiled—if they had not acted then, perhaps it would have become a thorn lodged in their hearts, one they could never pull out for the rest of their lives.

Then he thought of the countless onlookers around them, those numb, thrill-seeking, pitying faces. Did they truly not want to step forward and stop it?

Then he thought of the two short, fat men and their pack of servants, vicious as rabid dogs, brazenly committing deeds that outraged heaven and reason before so many people.

Then he thought of his father and two brothers being trampled underfoot, beaten with fists and kicks. Perhaps those evil servants had not intended to kill them, merely taking pleasure in it, using their bodies as tools for amusement and their blood to kindle their excitement. But what if those evil servants had wanted their lives? Could they have escaped?

Then he thought of Wen Wenhai and his junior sister descending from the sky, effortlessly knocking down that pack of evil servants. The two had not even told Zhao Wansheng their names, yet with only a few martial arts moves and a single token, they had made those two swaggering bullies surrender without resistance and obediently apologize.

A thought flashed through his mind like lightning: martial arts!

I need strength. I need martial arts.

This time, they had happened to encounter Senior Brother Wen Wenhai and his junior sister, and those two had rescued them out of righteousness. If they had not intervened, his family might have suffered a savage beating at best and lost their lives at worst. Relying on anyone else was unreliable; he had to rely on himself. Only if he possessed strength himself would he have the ability to protect himself and his family, and only then would he have the spare strength to help others.

Zhang Xiaohua's heart suddenly opened up. The heaviness that had been knotted in his chest since yesterday instantly gave way to vast clarity. Just like reclaiming wasteland, once one had a goal, everything became easier. What he lacked was not perseverance, nor the resolve to endure hardship, but direction. With direction, he could do his utmost to see it through.

Having found the direction for which he would strive, Zhang Xiaohua no longer wanted to remain in bed. He nimbly climbed off the heated brick bed and walked out of his grandmother's little room into the sunlight.

But the excited Zhang Xiaohua did not know that martial arts could hardly be learned so simply. Inheritance, talent, perseverance, opportunity—none could be lacking. Yet what young man had never possessed his own dreams? What young man, in the bloom of youth, had not pointed at rivers and mountains, brimming with vigor? Whether one succeeded or failed, how could the impulses of youth differ so much? It was only that everyone walked a different road; only after walking it would one know right from wrong.

Our Zhang Xiaohua was no exception!

As Zhang Xiaohua stepped out of the little room, he saw his grandmother sitting by the door. He walked over and said, "Grandmother, it's still early, and the wind outside is chilly. Go back inside first. When it's nearly noon, you can come out and bask in the sun."

Hearing her grandson's voice, Grandmother said lovingly, "Xiaohua, Grandmother wants to breathe in a little more of the air outside. I live one day at a time now; I don't want to stay in that little room every day. But you—does your body still hurt? You should sleep in bed a while longer."

Zhang Xiaohua said cheerfully, "Grandmother, I've been fine for ages. Feel my face—the swelling's already gone."

Zhang Xiaohua took his grandmother's rough hand and placed it against his face. She carefully felt it, then smiled and said, "Good, good. As long as you're better." Afterward, she used her sleeve to dab at her moist eyes. It seemed she still dearly ached for her youngest grandson.

In the courtyard, Guo Sufi was busy at the stove beneath the simple awning outside the house. Liu Qian and Liu Yueyue were helping beside her, both looking very happy. Yet Liu Qian seemed a little shy. Zhang Xiaohua rubbed his eyes and looked carefully. Sure enough, Liu Qian's face still carried a rosy flush. Strange—what was going on?

What Zhang Xiaohua did not know was that Liu Qian and Liu Yueyue had awakened before dawn. Unaccustomed to sleeping away from home, neither could fall asleep again. Afraid of disturbing Guo Sufi, they huddled together and spoke in low voices about yesterday's events, rejoicing endlessly at having escaped such a great calamity. Liu Qian felt especially grateful to Zhang Xiaolong. Had he not rushed forward in time to stop them, it would have been disastrous once those two bullies dragged them into the alley. Moreover, Zhang Xiaolong had been unarmed, yet he had used his own body to shield two weak young women. Though badly injured, the steadfast expression on his face had been deeply imprinted on her heart.

Not long after, Guo Sufi woke as well. She listened to the two girls talking without interrupting them. Seeing that dawn was near, she coughed a few times and sat up, and the two girls hurriedly rose too. Last night, Guo Sufi had been worried about her family's injuries, and the light had been poor, so she had not looked closely at the two girls. Now that it was daylight and her family's injuries had stabilized, she finally had the chance to examine them carefully. Both girls were very pretty and well-proportioned. Though one was taller and one shorter, Plum, Orchid, Bamboo, Chrysanthemum each had their own merits. Then again, without some beauty, how could they have been harassed in the street? After that, Zhang Xiaolong's mother began asking questions to learn about the two girls' circumstances. Only then did she learn that Liu Qian's household had just three people: her father and elder brother, while her mother had died of illness several years earlier. Liu Qian's father was a teacher, and her brother was also a frail scholar. They owned little land and lived solely by teaching, though they were considered highly respected in their village. Liu Yueyue was Liu Qian's cousin. Her father was a butcher and Liu Qian's father's younger brother, and they lived in the same village. Both of Liu Yueyue's parents were alive, and she was their only daughter. Yesterday, guests had come to Liu Qian's home, so her father and brother had been entertaining them, while Liu Yueyue's father had been busy with his business. With no one to accompany the two sisters to market, yesterday's incident had occurred. The three women exchanged many private words, and Guo Sufi even asked whether the two girls were betrothed. Both answered no. Liu Yueyue did not think much of it, but Liu Qian's face turned completely red. Seeing Liu Qian's bashful expression, Guo Sufi was overjoyed.

Once dawn broke, Guo Sufi got up to prepare breakfast, and the two young women came to lend a hand. After they had worked for a while, the blush on Liu Qian's face had still not entirely faded, which was why Zhang Xiaohua noticed a hint of something unusual.

Zhang Xiaohua walked up to the stove and said, "Good morning, sisters."

It was an entirely ordinary greeting, but Liu Qian heard the sensitive word "sisters" and felt as though this younger brother had discovered her thoughts. The blush rose to her brows again. Liu Yueyue happily replied, "Morning, little brother."

Zhang Xiaohua asked about his father and brothers. Guo Sufi said she had already checked on them. There had been no change; their external injuries had eased, but they had not yet regained their spirits. They would probably get up soon.

As they spoke, Zhang Cai came out from the house, holding a wooden stick as a crutch. He limped along, as though his right leg was still uncomfortable. Guo Sufi and Zhang Xiaohua went forward to meet him. Zhang Xiaohua brought his father a chair and placed it in the courtyard for him to sit on. Zhang Cai stretched, baring his teeth from the pain in his waist.

Liu Qian and Liu Yueyue stepped forward to greet him, but Zhang Cai repeatedly said there was no need. Then he said, "Since you two girls did not return last night, your families must be worried. All of us men are injured, and Xiaohua alone cannot escort you home. I think we should have Xiaohua go with someone from the village to bring word to your families and have them come fetch you. What do you think?"

Liu Qian and Liu Yueyue looked at each other, then both nodded in agreement.

Afterward, Zhang Cai and Zhang Xiaohua found an adult man in the village, and the two of them headed to Baligou to bring news to Liu Qian's and Liu Yueyue's families.

Baligou lay southwest of Guo Village and was quite far away. By the time Zhang Xiaohua and the other man arrived at Baligou, it was nearly noon. Baligou was a village built between two great mountains. From the outside, it appeared quite large, four or five times the size of Guo Village. There were also many people in the village, making it rather lively. When Zhang Xiaohua reached the village entrance, someone spotted him and asked whom he was seeking. Zhang Xiaohua said he was looking for Mr. Liu, the teacher. The man's face immediately grew wary, but after looking at Zhang Xiaohua's even shabbier clothing and the honest-looking farmer following behind him, he still asked, "Where are you from? Why are you looking for Mr. Liu?"

Zhang Xiaohua said, "We're from Guo Village. We've brought news of Sister Liu Qian and Sister Liu Yueyue for Mr. Liu."

The man was overjoyed when he heard this. "Is that so? Good, hurry and follow me."

With that, he led Zhang Xiaohua and the other man at a jog to a neat little courtyard. Before they even reached the gate, they heard him shout, "Mr. Liu! Liu the Butcher! News of your daughters has arrived!"

A booming voice immediately rang out from within the courtyard. "Ah, the kidnappers have sent word? Let me see which little bastard did this!" Along with the voice came a burly man, two heads taller than Zhang Xiaohua and built like a tower. He leaped out of the courtyard, grabbed Zhang Xiaohua by the neck, and said, "What band of kidnappers are you from? Speak! Speak!" Zhang Xiaohua was being choked so badly he could barely breathe, his face turning red. How could he possibly speak? The man who had come with Zhang Xiaohua and the guide were about to intervene when someone else came out of the courtyard and said, "Second Brother, can't you stop being so rash? Look at this little fellow—his bearing, his clothes. Does he look like a kidnapper? Even if he were one, you should let him speak."

The burly man laughed, released his grip, and said, "Elder Brother, wasn't I just worried about my daughter's safety? Don't you know how to worry?"

Zhang Xiaohua took several deep breaths before his complexion slowly returned. Looking at the two men, he understood that the composed man who had spoken later was Liu Qian's father, Mr. Liu, while the man who had grabbed him was likely Liu Yueyue's father, Liu the Butcher.