Xiuniang

"Mom! What are you saying! Go and cook!"

"My lords, please don't listen to my mother's nonsense, please come inside!"

Tie Niu awkwardly explained to Lu Shuang.

"It's alright." Lu Shuang waved her hand.

Once inside, Lu Shuang took out her storage bag and retrieved all eight wolves, placing them inside the room.

"Mother, I'm taking a wolf to the village chief's house to share with the villagers!"

"Go."

Then, Tie Niu hoisted a wolf onto his shoulder and limped toward the door.

"Let me help you."

As soon as Lu Feng opened his mouth, Tie Niu waved his hands repeatedly:

"The village chief's house is just a few steps away from mine, I wouldn't dare trouble you! I'll be right back!"

Seeing this, Lu Feng stopped insisting.

Sure enough, not long after, Tie Niu returned, dragging the wolf king outside.

With a swift movement of his knife, he skillfully dissected a massive wolf king, dismembering it in just a few strokes.

Then he picked up a large piece of wolf meat and went into the kitchen.

"Mother! Stir-fry this wolf meat! I've already washed and hung the wolf skin to dry!"

"Okay! The kitchen is smoky, get out of here!"

"Oh, right! Take a piece of meat to the Shi family. Shi Hu helped us a lot before!"

"Okay, Mother, I'll go right away!"

Tie Niu picked up a large piece of wolf meat, weighing about seven or eight pounds, and tied it with a straw rope.

"My lords, I'm going out again!"

Unexpectedly, when Tie Niu returned this time, his face was full of sadness.

Just then, the old woman came out of the kitchen carrying dishes, Tie Niu immediately went to help.

During the meal, the old woman asked, "How is Shi Hu's health?"

Upon hearing this, Tie Niu's face darkened again, and he said in a low voice:

"Brother Shi's health... is deteriorating day by day; I'm afraid he won't last much longer."

Upon hearing this, the old woman let out a long sigh.

"Alas! Who could have imagined that such a happy family would turn out like this!"

Then, the old woman began to tell the story of Shi Hu's family.

According to the old woman, three years ago, Shi Hu was a well-known hunter in the village, with the strength of Second-Rate Martial Artist. Ordinary wild animals could not easily get close to him.

Tie Niu's hunting skills were taught to him by him personally.

Three years ago, Shi Hu went into the mountains and unexpectedly encountered a first-tier demon beast.

Although he narrowly escaped with his life, he was seriously injured and has been bedridden for three years.

With the breadwinner gone, the family lost all income, Shi Hu had to take medicine every day to stay afloat, making life increasingly difficult for the family.

Xiuniang worked in the fields during the day and sewed animal hides at night to sell.

Even so, life continued to get harder day by day.

Many elderly people in the village advised Xiuniang to remarry, but she shook her head and refused.

Someone advised her, "If you don't think about yourself, you should think about your daughter." At that time, her daughter, Xiaocui, was not even five years old.

Even so, Xiuniang never thought of giving up.

"Xiuniang is truly unlucky; being saddled with Shi Hu has ruined her life," the old woman sighed.

Upon hearing this, Lu Shuang's expression changed slightly, and she immediately asked, "Where do they live?"

"Ah?"

Both Tie Niu and the old woman were taken aback by Lu Shuang's sudden question and stood frozen in place.

Lu Shuang stood up and walked straight outside.

"I'll take you!" Tie Niu put down his chopsticks, got up, and followed him out.

"Please enjoy your meal, ma'am." After saying this, Lu Feng put down his chopsticks and left the room.

Shi Hu's house was less than 100 meters from Tie Niu's house; the group arrived in just a few steps.

Before me stood a small, dilapidated house, even more run-down than Tie Niu's.

"Xiuniang! I'm here again!" Tie Niu called out from outside the door.

Then, a tall, thin woman emerged from the house, her hands calloused, carrying a bucket of water.

"Tie Niu is here? Please come in and have a seat. And who are these two?"

"These two are my benefactors! I'm here to help you!" With that, Tie Niu stepped forward, took the wooden bucket from her hands, and carried it inside.

Upon entering the room, a strong smell of Chinese medicine wafted towards me.

There was a bed against the innermost wall, and a person was lying on it, motionless.

There was a table next to the bed, and on the table was a half-eaten bowl of medicine.

"The house is too messy, please make yourselves at home."

Xiuniang removed the clothes from the bench and spoke to the three of them.

Lu Shuang did not sit down, but walked straight towards the bed.

"What are you trying to do?!"

Seeing this, Xiuniang rushed over and stood in front of the bed with her arms outstretched.

According to local custom, regardless of gender, if someone is seriously ill, they generally will not allow members of the opposite sex to come near them to visit.

"Let me see if there's any hope for your husband."

"Real?!"

Upon hearing this, a glimmer of hope suddenly ignited in Xiuniang's eyes.

She could tell from their attire and demeanor that they were no ordinary people.

Then, she quietly stepped aside.

Lu Shuang only stood in front of the bed for a glance before turning around and walking outside.

Seeing this, Xiuniang's heart sank to the bottom.

"Here is twenty taels of silver. Your husband is now a cripple; you should find someone else to marry."

"I think Tie Niu is pretty good."

Hearing this, Tie Niu was speechless, his mouth agape.

He did indeed have some feelings for Xiuniang. Xiuniang was a kind person, and his mother also liked Xiuniang. His mother had even tried to sound out Xiuniang's feelings before, but Xiuniang had never agreed.

Xiuniang looked at the silver in Lu Shuang's hand, but did not reach out to take it.

"Sir, is this twenty taels of silver for me, or for me to marry someone?"

"Is there a difference?" Lu Shuang pretended not to understand.

"If this twenty taels is for me, sir, I will accept it. With Brother Tiger in his current condition, twenty taels is enough to buy a top-quality old ginseng root, which might help him recover."

"But if these twenty taels are for me to leave Brother Tiger, then I cannot agree."

Xiuniang looked at the silver ingot and spoke softly but clearly, word by word.

"I heard you have a daughter who's almost seven years old. Where is she?" Lu Shuang didn't answer, changing the subject instead.

"Xiaocui went out to cut grass, she should be back soon," Xiuniang replied honestly.

"Look at the state you've become! Your daughter will have to suffer because of you."

"If you had remarried sooner, you wouldn't be suffering like this now."

"Who said I'm suffering?!"

Xiuniang suddenly raised her voice.

"My family is a bit poor now, but we are very happy!"

"You're not welcome in my home, you should leave!"

Upon hearing this, Tie Niu, who was standing to the side, was at a loss for words.

Lu Feng, however, had already understood why Lu Shuang was being so aggressive.

When she was little, her father became a "disabled person," and her mother remarried.

At this moment, she witnessed a woman with a similar experience to her mother, but who made a completely opposite choice.

She naturally wanted to see for herself and hear for herself what kind of person he was.

So Lu Feng remained standing in place without saying a word.

Just then, Lu Shuang glanced at the door and then walked straight outside.

Lu Feng followed them out, while Tie Niu stayed behind, repeatedly apologizing to Xiuniang.

"Xiuniang, I'm so sorry, I didn't expect..."

"Tie Niu, I don't blame you. I'm so grateful for your help over the years. I know how you feel. But... maybe you should come to my house less often in the future, so people won't gossip."