The sun was high up in the sky, and the scorching heat wave roasted the ground until it was smoking.
Most of the shops on Yushui Street in the east of the city were closed, and only a few farmers carrying poles passed by.
A middle-aged couple led a girl in her teens to randomly pick out fabric in the "Embroidered Clothing Hall". They said that they wanted to cut a small vest for the child, but after looking for a long time, they did not find any fabric that the woman was satisfied with.
The woman was in her early thirties. She was extremely beautiful and dressed plainly, but her movements were graceful and graceful. There was always a faint smile on her face.
She was extremely patient and did not get bored even after looking at more than ten rolls of cloth. On the contrary, the little girl felt a little disgusted and kept pestering her mother to leave. She pulled her clothes and acted coquettishly.
The middle-aged man only stood by the door of the shop. His slightly closed eyes seemed to be indifferent to everything that was happening around him. His hands were behind his back, and he looked content.
Suddenly, there was a commotion outside the shop. He vaguely heard someone shouting,"I'll beat you to death today. Let's see if you still dare to steal!”
"Daddy, what's going on outside?" The little girl asked curiously.
"It's nothing. It's just a child who was caught stealing by a waiter and was beaten up on the ground.”The middle-aged man replied casually. His eyes were fixed on the shop, but he seemed to know everything that happened on the street like the back of his hand.
" It must be Little Ding again," the boss of the Embroidered Robes Hall said,""He is a famous hooligan on Jade Water Street. He is always idling around and doesn't do proper work. Some people gave him some food because they felt sorry for him, but he didn't even thank them. If there was no one to give him alms, he would simply go and eat secretly. He had even caused a ruckus in the restaurants and tea houses on this street.”
"What about his father?" The little girl was a little puzzled. Her pair of pure and flawless big eyes flickered as she asked,"Why isn't there any adults to care about him?"
The boss seemed to like this jade-like girl very much. He smiled and said,"He doesn't have parents like you, little sister. She did not know where Little Ding came from, but she had never seen any adults around him. Speaking of which, it was a sin. He was only a twelve or thirteen year old child.”
At this moment, the noise outside was getting louder and louder. There were many people at the door who wanted to watch the show but could not squeeze in. They stood on the steps and looked inside. Some people even kept cheering and jeering,"Good fight, kill him!"
There were also a few people who couldn't stand it anymore and sighed softly."What a sin. Why didn't you kill him?”However, he did not stop her.
The woman frowned slightly and put down the cloth in her hand. She said softly,"From the sound of this child's breathing, it seems like he's about to die. In a while, someone will definitely die."
"Are you feeling compassionate again?" The middle-aged man chuckled.”
The woman sighed." He's just a child. Why must he become like this?"”
The little girl also pulled her father's big hand and begged,"Dad, he looks so pitiful. Let's save him.”
The middle-aged man snorted." You're such a good person. You can save him for a while, but can you save him forever?"”
The little girl's long eyelashes fluttered a few times and she smiled slyly."Then Daddy can bring him home and teach him how to read and write. Wouldn't no one dare to bully him in the future?”
The middle-aged man shook off his daughter's hand and said,"No, your mother and I have enough to suffer with a little brat like you. I don't have the time to serve another young master.”
" Dad--" The little girl pouted, as if she was about to cry.
The woman also advised,"Brother Zhen, no matter what, we have to save him first."”
The middle-aged man nodded and said," This kid is also tough. He didn't even say a word after being beaten half to death. Just based on this point, I'll be a good person today."”
As soon as he finished speaking, he was already standing on the street.
The boss of the Embroidered Robes Hall and a few waiters rubbed their eyes, wondering if the sun had blinded their eyes. Why didn't they see him squeeze into the crowd?
In the crowd, two tavern waiters were pressing a 12-or 13-year-old boy to the ground and beating him up. One of them, a strong man who weighed more than 200 pounds, simply rode on the boy's body and smashed his huge fists on the boy's thin body like raindrops.
Another skinny man kept kicking the young man and shouted,"How dare you steal our Drunken Immortal Lodge's chicken? I'll definitely beat you to death today!”
The young man's head was firmly pressed into the mud. His hands were pressed against his chest, but he held half of the roast chicken tightly. No matter how the others kicked him, he did not beg for mercy or let go.
"Enough, if you keep fighting, someone will die.”The middle-aged man stood beside the brawny man and said.
"What do you know, scholar?" The brawny man stared at him. If he didn't teach this kind of thief a lesson, how could he remember?”After saying that, he punched again.
However, the fist could not move even in the air. The middle-aged man's slender and fair fingers were like iron pincers on his wrist.
"What do you want?" The smaller man shouted.”
The middle-aged man took out a piece of silver from his shirt and threw it on the ground. He said indifferently,"This should be enough to buy ten chickens.”
The skinny man picked up the silver and wiped it with his sleeve. Then, he gritted his teeth and said in surprise,"It's really more than two taels of silver!"
" Take the silver and get lost," the middle-aged man said in a low voice. He could not stand the other party's greedy look.
With this unexpected fortune, the two waiters did not care about anything else. They let go of the young man on the ground with smiles on their faces. Before the burly man left, he spat on the young man and said,"Consider yourself lucky, kid. Don't let me see you again.”
The middle-aged man's eyes suddenly opened, and two beams of light shot out. He reached out his hand and patted the burly man's back gently."Get lost!"
The brawny man staggered, but he didn't think much of it. He took the silver with his companion.
Seeing that the matter was over, the surrounding crowd also dispersed in a hubbub. It turned out that they were all the waiters and shopkeepers of the nearby shops.
The woman walked to the side of the middle-aged man and looked at the burly man who was walking away happily. She smiled softly and said,"You're afraid that he'll be in pain in bed for three days from tonight onwards, right?”
The middle-aged man chuckled but did not answer.
The little girl ran to the boy's side and squatted down, shouting,""Hey, the person who hit you has been chased away by my father. You can get up now.”
However, the person on the ground did not move at all. The little girl was stunned and stretched out her small hand to touch the boy's nose. She felt relieved when she realized that he was still breathing.
"Don't worry, Yu 'Er. He's fine." The middle-aged man said.”
The little girl stared at the young man and asked,""But why isn't he moving?"
Before the middle-aged man could answer, the young man struggled to lift his head from the mud, revealing a handsome face that was mixed with mud and blood. Unfortunately, his face was already bruised and purple, and blood was still seeping out of his nose and mouth. However, his eyes were still bright, filled with deep hatred and rebellion.
The little girl was shocked by his appearance, but then she said happily,"Are you alright?"
The young man ignored her and did not even look at her. He struggled to get up with both hands.
"Are you alright?" The little girl thought that the young man did not hear her and asked with concern.
The young man looked at her coldly and continued to climb up without saying a word.
What a lonely and arrogant gaze!
"Plop!" The young man's hand went limp and he collapsed weakly. He moaned softly and a drop of blood fell into the mud.
"Are you alright?" The little girl took out a beautiful red silk handkerchief from her bosom and handed it to the youth.
"Get lost!" The young man did not appreciate it at all. He pushed the little girl with his hand, but she was soft and did not use any strength.
The little girl did not expect such a reaction from the other party and was stunned. Holding the handkerchief in her hand, she turned to look at her parents. Her big eyes were shining as if she was really going to cry.
The woman couldn't stand it and said angrily,""You child, he was kind enough to help you, but he was too rude.”
The young man lay on the ground and coughed in pain. He replied weakly,""I don't need you to care about me.”
"Good lad, interesting." The middle-aged man laughed.”There was actually a hint of admiration in his words.
"Daddy, he fainted!" The girl cried out in shock.”
The middle-aged man pondered for a moment and smiled. He muttered,"You brat, you don't want me to care, but I insist on doing so. Let's see what you can do to me?”As he spoke, he picked up the young man and strode towards the street.
The woman looked at the middle-aged man's back and shook her head with a bitter smile."Even after sixty years of quiet cultivation, he still hasn't changed his stubborn temper.”
He seemed to have a grudge, but in fact he was very happy.
"What's your name, little brother?”
In a guest room of the Yingfu Inn in the east of the city, a little girl sat on a chair by the bed and stared at the youth with a pair of curious eyes.
The young man lay flat on the bed. His dirty body had been cleaned and his clothes had been changed. He looked much better, leaning against the bed with his pillow.
"Brat, my good daughter is asking what your name is, do you hear me?”the middle-aged man said.
The young man did not even look at them and pretended to close his eyes to rest.
The middle-aged man laughed coldly." I, Su Zhen, have not been to the Gathering Cloud Peak for sixty years. I never thought that the children in the world today would be more arrogant than me." Don't think that I won't do anything to you just because I saved you. If you get angry, I'll skin you alive!”
"Father!" The little girl looked at her father with dissatisfaction and said,"You're scaring me again."
Su Zhen smiled slightly. What does this child know? Back then, when your father dominated the nine prefectures of the continent, even an idiot would be afraid of my name. If I hadn't met your mother, I'm afraid I would have unified the Demon Sect in the Heaven Continent.
"Child, don't listen to his nonsense. Have some chicken soup first.”The woman pushed open the door and walked to the bed with a bowl of hot soup.
The young man smelled the alluring fragrance and opened his eyes. He took the bowl of soup with difficulty and drank it in large mouthfuls. He looked as if he had not eaten for three days.
Su Zhen clicked his tongue." Kid, eat slowly. Aren't you afraid that the soup is poisoned?"”
The young man finished the chicken soup in one gulp and picked up the drumstick to eat.""Poison is better than starvation."
"Haha, you're finally willing to speak?”"Now, tell me your name, right?" Su Zhen clapped his hands.”
" Ding Yuan," the young man casually spat the chicken bone onto the ground and replied.
The woman secretly frowned, thinking that this child seemed to be just a child from an ordinary family. He had probably never learned poetry and etiquette. It was hard for him to wander alone outside and get beaten up so badly just to have a meal.
Thinking of this, pity rose in her heart again.
"Where is your home? Why did you steal on the street alone?"”
Ding Yuan looked at the woman impatiently and replied coldly,""I'm not as lucky as this little sister. My parents are long dead. If I don't steal, what can I eat?”
"Brother Ding, you're so pitiful," the little girl said sympathetically.”
Ding Yuanxiang, who had been kicked by someone, growled,""I don't need your pity!"
Su Zhen walked to the bedside and looked at Ding Yuan."If you dare to talk to my daughter in this tone again, I'll throw you out of the door and onto the street!”
Ding Yuan was not afraid at all. Instead, he smiled contemptuously and stepped on the ground."Don't think that you can teach me a lesson just because you gave me some chicken soup to drink. You're just using me to show off your so-called kindness. If you don't throw me out, I can walk on my own.”
He put on the shoes and was stunned. He realized that the original tattered straw sandals had been replaced with new boots that fit his feet.
He didn't know what kind of spirit medicine Su Zhen had given him, but the pain in his body had mostly disappeared, and the bruises had also subsided a lot. However, as soon as he stood up, he felt a piercing pain in his ribs. He saw stars and almost fell.
"You have three broken ribs, kid. If you can walk another three steps, I'll kill you."”
Ding Yuan didn't say a word. He lifted his leg with difficulty and stepped forward. Cold sweat dripped down from his forehead like rain.
The little girl couldn't bear to see this and said," Brother Ding, don't force yourself. Go back to bed and let my father treat you."”
Ding Yuan's right foot landed heavily on the ground, panting heavily. Just this step seemed to be as far as a thousand rivers and mountains.
" Two more steps." Su Zhen stared coldly at Ding Yuan and counted.
Ding Yuan gritted his teeth and raised his leg again. However, his body staggered and almost fell. He reached out to the corner of the table and barely steadied himself.
The woman sighed." Why are you doing this? Go back to bed."”As she spoke, she reached out to help Ding Yuan up.
"I don't need your help!" Ding Yuan waved his hand and panted.”
Su Zhen was not angry. He just smiled and said,"Sister Ying, let him be. It's his own business if he falls to his death."”
Ding Yuan held the corner of the table with one hand and took a deep breath. However, it affected the internal injuries on his body. The sharp pain cut through his nerves like a knife. However, this stubborn youth did not make a sound and took the third step with all his might.
As soon as his feet landed on the ground, Ding Yuan only felt darkness in front of him. His head was heavy as he fell forward stiffly. He vaguely heard the little girl exclaiming,"Be careful!"
After that, he did not know anything else.
When he woke up again, he went back to bed, but Su Zhen was the only one left in the room.
His slender and resolute body stood by the window, his hands clasped behind his back as he looked at the cold and clear night outside. Without turning around, he knew that Ding Yuan had woken up. He said leisurely,"Lie down and don't move. Otherwise, you'll be the one at a disadvantage.”
Ding Yuan was stunned. After a moment of silence, he asked,"Why do you care about me?"
"If it weren't for Yu 'Er and my wife, I wouldn't even blink if you died in front of me." Su Zhen snorted.”
Ding Yuan's arrogance was immediately aroused when he heard this. He replied coldly,"Even if I really die, I won't beg you!”
Although he was young, he had lost his parents since he was young and had been homeless since then. He had experienced all kinds of hardships in the world and gradually developed a strange and eccentric personality. Almost everyone around him regarded him as an incorrigible thief and trash. They either despised or laughed at him. Occasionally, someone would pity him and just give him some food.
It was a common occurrence for him to be beaten half to death by two workers on the street today. Although the fists landed mercilessly on his body, he was unwilling to beg for mercy because he knew that the more he begged for mercy, the happier those people would be.
He had engraved the appearance of everyone who had bullied him in his heart. Perhaps he was too weak to take revenge now, but one day, he would seek justice.
"There is no justice in this world. Justice only belongs to the strong.”Ding Yuan remembered what his mother had said to him when he was young. At that time, it was hazy, but now he had a deep understanding.
However, this middle-aged man and his wife and daughter, whom he did not know, had saved him. Not only that, but they had also taken care of him in every possible way.
Ding Yuan did not understand why they were doing this. What was the motive behind all of this? However, he only wanted to leave this place as soon as possible, to leave this family of three. He would rather return to the cold street than lie in a comfortable bed.
He couldn't bear to see the couple pampering their younger daughter. He couldn't tell whether he was jealous or disgusted. He only felt that he was actually an extra here. Before others chased him away, the best outcome was for him to leave first!
Ding Yuan thought so, so he said,"No matter what, thank you for saving me. But I have to go now."
"Where to?" Su Zhen looked out the window and asked.
" Go back to where you came from," Ding Yuan replied as he got out of bed. However, he found that the pain in his body had almost disappeared, and there was only a faint pain in his ribs.
He wondered how his injuries could be healed so quickly. He did not expect Su Zhen to use his hundred years of pure cultivation to push the Blood Palace for him and use the Carefree Pill that everyone dreamed of to treat him externally. Even if his life was hanging by a thread and his breath was weak, he would be able to come back to life in less than a day, let alone an ordinary injury like Ding Yuan.
Ding Yuan also did not know that the three Carefree Pills he had taken were refined by Su Zhen after thirty years of painstaking effort. If a cultivator took one pill, they would be able to clear their meridians, strengthen their foundation, and cultivate their vitality. Moreover, he used three pills at once?
At this moment, the door opened, and the little girl ran in and shouted,"Daddy, is Brother Ding awake?”
"He is awake, but he wants to leave again.”Su Zhen replied.
The little girl was stunned. She looked at Ding Yuan, who was putting on his boots, and asked,"Brother Ding, why are you leaving?”
Ding Yuan didn't know why he didn't like this little girl. He replied unhappily,"This isn't my home. Why wouldn't I leave?”
"But your injuries haven't healed yet. Father said you need to rest for at least five days."”
Ding Yuan stood up and said,""Uncle, please tell me your name. Although I, Ding Yuan, am young, I know that a real man can distinguish between kindness and hatred. If there is an opportunity in the future, I will definitely repay you.”
Su Zhen laughed out loud when he heard that." Interesting. I might as well tell you my name, but you don't have to return the favor." My name is Su Zhen, and I have always done things based on my own likes and dislikes. Saving you today was just out of interest, so just treat it as saving a cat.”
"Brother Ding, my name is Su Zhiyu. My parents call me Yu 'er." Don't you want to leave?"
The two of them spoke one after the other. Their attitudes and tones were completely different. How did they look like father and daughter?
Ding Yuan cupped his fists at Su Zhen." It's your business whether you want to save me or not. It's my business whether I want to repay you or not." Uncle Su treated it as if he had saved a wild cat, and I treated it as if I had been saved by another cat.”
" Interesting." Su Zhen laughed." I've been down the mountain for many days and I'm about to go back. I didn't expect to meet such an interesting child like you." It's a pity that you're not willing to come with me, or else I could consider taking you in as my disciple.”
"I'm used to being alone," Ding Yuan replied,"I can't stand any restrictions.”
Su Zhen was about to speak when his expression suddenly changed. He sneered and said,"It's rare for me to come out for a walk, but there's someone who doesn't want me to have peace.”
The woman had walked in at some point and stood beside Su Zhen. She said in a low voice,"An old friend is here."
Ding Yuan and the little girl did not know what they were talking about. They stared at Su Zhen and the woman in a daze, but they could vaguely feel the nervousness of a storm.
###################################
The sun was high up in the sky, and the scorching heat wave roasted the ground until it was smoking.
Most of the shops on Yushui Street in the east of the city were closed, and only a few farmers carrying poles passed by.
A middle-aged couple led a girl in her teens to randomly pick out fabric in the "Embroidered Clothing Hall". They said that they wanted to cut a small vest for the child, but after looking for a long time, they did not find any fabric that the woman was satisfied with.
The woman was in her early thirties. She was extremely beautiful and dressed plainly, but her movements were graceful and graceful. There was always a faint smile on her face.
She was extremely patient and did not get bored even after looking at more than ten rolls of cloth. On the contrary, the little girl felt a little disgusted and kept pestering her mother to leave. She pulled her clothes and acted coquettishly.
The middle-aged man only stood by the door of the shop. His slightly closed eyes seemed to be indifferent to everything that was happening around him. His hands were behind his back, and he looked content.
Suddenly, there was a commotion outside the shop. He vaguely heard someone shouting,"I'll beat you to death today. Let's see if you still dare to steal!”
"Daddy, what's going on outside?" The little girl asked curiously.
"It's nothing. It's just a child who was caught stealing by a waiter and was beaten up on the ground.”The middle-aged man replied casually. His eyes were fixed on the shop, but he seemed to know everything that happened on the street like the back of his hand.
" It must be Little Ding again," the boss of the Embroidered Robes Hall said,""He is a famous hooligan on Jade Water Street. He is always idling around and doesn't do proper work. Some people gave him some food because they felt sorry for him, but he didn't even thank them. If there was no one to give him alms, he would simply go and eat secretly. He had even caused a ruckus in the restaurants and tea houses on this street.”
"What about his father?" The little girl was a little puzzled. Her pair of pure and flawless big eyes flickered as she asked,"Why isn't there any adults to care about him?"
The boss seemed to like this jade-like girl very much. He smiled and said,"He doesn't have parents like you, little sister. She did not know where Little Ding came from, but she had never seen any adults around him. Speaking of which, it was a sin. He was only a twelve or thirteen year old child.”
At this moment, the noise outside was getting louder and louder. There were many people at the door who wanted to watch the show but could not squeeze in. They stood on the steps and looked inside. Some people even kept cheering and jeering,"Good fight, kill him!"
There were also a few people who couldn't stand it anymore and sighed softly."What a sin. Why didn't you kill him?”However, he did not stop her.
The woman frowned slightly and put down the cloth in her hand. She said softly,"From the sound of this child's breathing, it seems like he's about to die. In a while, someone will definitely die."
"Are you feeling compassionate again?" The middle-aged man chuckled.”
The woman sighed." He's just a child. Why must he become like this?"”
The little girl also pulled her father's big hand and begged,"Dad, he looks so pitiful. Let's save him.”
The middle-aged man snorted." You're such a good person. You can save him for a while, but can you save him forever?"”
The little girl's long eyelashes fluttered a few times and she smiled slyly."Then Daddy can bring him home and teach him how to read and write. Wouldn't no one dare to bully him in the future?”
The middle-aged man shook off his daughter's hand and said,"No, your mother and I have enough to suffer with a little brat like you. I don't have the time to serve another young master.”
" Dad--" The little girl pouted, as if she was about to cry.
The woman also advised,"Brother Zhen, no matter what, we have to save him first."”
The middle-aged man nodded and said," This kid is also tough. He didn't even say a word after being beaten half to death. Just based on this point, I'll be a good person today."”
As soon as he finished speaking, he was already standing on the street.
The boss of the Embroidered Robes Hall and a few waiters rubbed their eyes, wondering if the sun had blinded their eyes. Why didn't they see him squeeze into the crowd?
In the crowd, two tavern waiters were pressing a 12-or 13-year-old boy to the ground and beating him up. One of them, a strong man who weighed more than 200 pounds, simply rode on the boy's body and smashed his huge fists on the boy's thin body like raindrops.
Another skinny man kept kicking the young man and shouted,"How dare you steal our Drunken Immortal Lodge's chicken? I'll definitely beat you to death today!”
The young man's head was firmly pressed into the mud. His hands were pressed against his chest, but he held half of the roast chicken tightly. No matter how the others kicked him, he did not beg for mercy or let go.
"Enough, if you keep fighting, someone will die.”The middle-aged man stood beside the brawny man and said.
"What do you know, scholar?" The brawny man stared at him. If he didn't teach this kind of thief a lesson, how could he remember?”After saying that, he punched again.
However, the fist could not move even in the air. The middle-aged man's slender and fair fingers were like iron pincers on his wrist.
"What do you want?" The smaller man shouted.”
The middle-aged man took out a piece of silver from his shirt and threw it on the ground. He said indifferently,"This should be enough to buy ten chickens.”
The skinny man picked up the silver and wiped it with his sleeve. Then, he gritted his teeth and said in surprise,"It's really more than two taels of silver!"
" Take the silver and get lost," the middle-aged man said in a low voice. He could not stand the other party's greedy look.
With this unexpected fortune, the two waiters did not care about anything else. They let go of the young man on the ground with smiles on their faces. Before the burly man left, he spat on the young man and said,"Consider yourself lucky, kid. Don't let me see you again.”
The middle-aged man's eyes suddenly opened, and two beams of light shot out. He reached out his hand and patted the burly man's back gently."Get lost!"
The brawny man staggered, but he didn't think much of it. He took the silver with his companion.
Seeing that the matter was over, the surrounding crowd also dispersed in a hubbub. It turned out that they were all the waiters and shopkeepers of the nearby shops.
The woman walked to the side of the middle-aged man and looked at the burly man who was walking away happily. She smiled softly and said,"You're afraid that he'll be in pain in bed for three days from tonight onwards, right?”
The middle-aged man chuckled but did not answer.
The little girl ran to the boy's side and squatted down, shouting,""Hey, the person who hit you has been chased away by my father. You can get up now.”
However, the person on the ground did not move at all. The little girl was stunned and stretched out her small hand to touch the boy's nose. She felt relieved when she realized that he was still breathing.
"Don't worry, Yu 'Er. He's fine." The middle-aged man said.”
The little girl stared at the young man and asked,""But why isn't he moving?"
Before the middle-aged man could answer, the young man struggled to lift his head from the mud, revealing a handsome face that was mixed with mud and blood. Unfortunately, his face was already bruised and purple, and blood was still seeping out of his nose and mouth. However, his eyes were still bright, filled with deep hatred and rebellion.
The little girl was shocked by his appearance, but then she said happily,"Are you alright?"
The young man ignored her and did not even look at her. He struggled to get up with both hands.
"Are you alright?" The little girl thought that the young man did not hear her and asked with concern.
The young man looked at her coldly and continued to climb up without saying a word.
What a lonely and arrogant gaze!
"Plop!" The young man's hand went limp and he collapsed weakly. He moaned softly and a drop of blood fell into the mud.
"Are you alright?" The little girl took out a beautiful red silk handkerchief from her bosom and handed it to the youth.
"Get lost!" The young man did not appreciate it at all. He pushed the little girl with his hand, but she was soft and did not use any strength.
The little girl did not expect such a reaction from the other party and was stunned. Holding the handkerchief in her hand, she turned to look at her parents. Her big eyes were shining as if she was really going to cry.
The woman couldn't stand it and said angrily,""You child, he was kind enough to help you, but he was too rude.”
The young man lay on the ground and coughed in pain. He replied weakly,""I don't need you to care about me.”
"Good lad, interesting." The middle-aged man laughed.”There was actually a hint of admiration in his words.
"Daddy, he fainted!" The girl cried out in shock.”
The middle-aged man pondered for a moment and smiled. He muttered,"You brat, you don't want me to care, but I insist on doing so. Let's see what you can do to me?”As he spoke, he picked up the young man and strode towards the street.
The woman looked at the middle-aged man's back and shook her head with a bitter smile."Even after sixty years of quiet cultivation, he still hasn't changed his stubborn temper.”
He seemed to have a grudge, but in fact he was very happy.
"What's your name, little brother?”
In a guest room of the Yingfu Inn in the east of the city, a little girl sat on a chair by the bed and stared at the youth with a pair of curious eyes.
The young man lay flat on the bed. His dirty body had been cleaned and his clothes had been changed. He looked much better, leaning against the bed with his pillow.
"Brat, my good daughter is asking what your name is, do you hear me?”the middle-aged man said.
The young man did not even look at them and pretended to close his eyes to rest.
The middle-aged man laughed coldly." I, Su Zhen, have not been to the Gathering Cloud Peak for sixty years. I never thought that the children in the world today would be more arrogant than me." Don't think that I won't do anything to you just because I saved you. If you get angry, I'll skin you alive!”
"Father!" The little girl looked at her father with dissatisfaction and said,"You're scaring me again."
Su Zhen smiled slightly. What does this child know? Back then, when your father dominated the nine prefectures of the continent, even an idiot would be afraid of my name. If I hadn't met your mother, I'm afraid I would have unified the Demon Sect in the Heaven Continent.
"Child, don't listen to his nonsense. Have some chicken soup first.”The woman pushed open the door and walked to the bed with a bowl of hot soup.
The young man smelled the alluring fragrance and opened his eyes. He took the bowl of soup with difficulty and drank it in large mouthfuls. He looked as if he had not eaten for three days.
Su Zhen clicked his tongue." Kid, eat slowly. Aren't you afraid that the soup is poisoned?"”
The young man finished the chicken soup in one gulp and picked up the drumstick to eat.""Poison is better than starvation."
"Haha, you're finally willing to speak?”"Now, tell me your name, right?" Su Zhen clapped his hands.”
" Ding Yuan," the young man casually spat the chicken bone onto the ground and replied.
The woman secretly frowned, thinking that this child seemed to be just a child from an ordinary family. He had probably never learned poetry and etiquette. It was hard for him to wander alone outside and get beaten up so badly just to have a meal.
Thinking of this, pity rose in her heart again.
"Where is your home? Why did you steal on the street alone?"”
Ding Yuan looked at the woman impatiently and replied coldly,""I'm not as lucky as this little sister. My parents are long dead. If I don't steal, what can I eat?”
"Brother Ding, you're so pitiful," the little girl said sympathetically.”
Ding Yuanxiang, who had been kicked by someone, growled,""I don't need your pity!"
Su Zhen walked to the bedside and looked at Ding Yuan."If you dare to talk to my daughter in this tone again, I'll throw you out of the door and onto the street!”
Ding Yuan was not afraid at all. Instead, he smiled contemptuously and stepped on the ground."Don't think that you can teach me a lesson just because you gave me some chicken soup to drink. You're just using me to show off your so-called kindness. If you don't throw me out, I can walk on my own.”
He put on the shoes and was stunned. He realized that the original tattered straw sandals had been replaced with new boots that fit his feet.
He didn't know what kind of spirit medicine Su Zhen had given him, but the pain in his body had mostly disappeared, and the bruises had also subsided a lot. However, as soon as he stood up, he felt a piercing pain in his ribs. He saw stars and almost fell.
"You have three broken ribs, kid. If you can walk another three steps, I'll kill you."”
Ding Yuan didn't say a word. He lifted his leg with difficulty and stepped forward. Cold sweat dripped down from his forehead like rain.
The little girl couldn't bear to see this and said," Brother Ding, don't force yourself. Go back to bed and let my father treat you."”
Ding Yuan's right foot landed heavily on the ground, panting heavily. Just this step seemed to be as far as a thousand rivers and mountains.
" Two more steps." Su Zhen stared coldly at Ding Yuan and counted.
Ding Yuan gritted his teeth and raised his leg again. However, his body staggered and almost fell. He reached out to the corner of the table and barely steadied himself.
The woman sighed." Why are you doing this? Go back to bed."”As she spoke, she reached out to help Ding Yuan up.
"I don't need your help!" Ding Yuan waved his hand and panted.”
Su Zhen was not angry. He just smiled and said,"Sister Ying, let him be. It's his own business if he falls to his death."”
Ding Yuan held the corner of the table with one hand and took a deep breath. However, it affected the internal injuries on his body. The sharp pain cut through his nerves like a knife. However, this stubborn youth did not make a sound and took the third step with all his might.
As soon as his feet landed on the ground, Ding Yuan only felt darkness in front of him. His head was heavy as he fell forward stiffly. He vaguely heard the little girl exclaiming,"Be careful!"
After that, he did not know anything else.
When he woke up again, he went back to bed, but Su Zhen was the only one left in the room.
His slender and resolute body stood by the window, his hands clasped behind his back as he looked at the cold and clear night outside. Without turning around, he knew that Ding Yuan had woken up. He said leisurely,"Lie down and don't move. Otherwise, you'll be the one at a disadvantage.”
Ding Yuan was stunned. After a moment of silence, he asked,"Why do you care about me?"
"If it weren't for Yu 'Er and my wife, I wouldn't even blink if you died in front of me." Su Zhen snorted.”
Ding Yuan's arrogance was immediately aroused when he heard this. He replied coldly,"Even if I really die, I won't beg you!”
Although he was young, he had lost his parents since he was young and had been homeless since then. He had experienced all kinds of hardships in the world and gradually developed a strange and eccentric personality. Almost everyone around him regarded him as an incorrigible thief and trash. They either despised or laughed at him. Occasionally, someone would pity him and just give him some food.
It was a common occurrence for him to be beaten half to death by two workers on the street today. Although the fists landed mercilessly on his body, he was unwilling to beg for mercy because he knew that the more he begged for mercy, the happier those people would be.
He had engraved the appearance of everyone who had bullied him in his heart. Perhaps he was too weak to take revenge now, but one day, he would seek justice.
"There is no justice in this world. Justice only belongs to the strong.”Ding Yuan remembered what his mother had said to him when he was young. At that time, it was hazy, but now he had a deep understanding.
However, this middle-aged man and his wife and daughter, whom he did not know, had saved him. Not only that, but they had also taken care of him in every possible way.
Ding Yuan did not understand why they were doing this. What was the motive behind all of this? However, he only wanted to leave this place as soon as possible, to leave this family of three. He would rather return to the cold street than lie in a comfortable bed.
He couldn't bear to see the couple pampering their younger daughter. He couldn't tell whether he was jealous or disgusted. He only felt that he was actually an extra here. Before others chased him away, the best outcome was for him to leave first!
Ding Yuan thought so, so he said,"No matter what, thank you for saving me. But I have to go now."
"Where to?" Su Zhen looked out the window and asked.
" Go back to where you came from," Ding Yuan replied as he got out of bed. However, he found that the pain in his body had almost disappeared, and there was only a faint pain in his ribs.
He wondered how his injuries could be healed so quickly. He did not expect Su Zhen to use his hundred years of pure cultivation to push the Blood Palace for him and use the Carefree Pill that everyone dreamed of to treat him externally. Even if his life was hanging by a thread and his breath was weak, he would be able to come back to life in less than a day, let alone an ordinary injury like Ding Yuan.
Ding Yuan also did not know that the three Carefree Pills he had taken were refined by Su Zhen after thirty years of painstaking effort. If a cultivator took one pill, they would be able to clear their meridians, strengthen their foundation, and cultivate their vitality. Moreover, he used three pills at once?
At this moment, the door opened, and the little girl ran in and shouted,"Daddy, is Brother Ding awake?”
"He is awake, but he wants to leave again.”Su Zhen replied.
The little girl was stunned. She looked at Ding Yuan, who was putting on his boots, and asked,"Brother Ding, why are you leaving?”
Ding Yuan didn't know why he didn't like this little girl. He replied unhappily,"This isn't my home. Why wouldn't I leave?”
"But your injuries haven't healed yet. Father said you need to rest for at least five days."”
Ding Yuan stood up and said,""Uncle, please tell me your name. Although I, Ding Yuan, am young, I know that a real man can distinguish between kindness and hatred. If there is an opportunity in the future, I will definitely repay you.”
Su Zhen laughed out loud when he heard that." Interesting. I might as well tell you my name, but you don't have to return the favor." My name is Su Zhen, and I have always done things based on my own likes and dislikes. Saving you today was just out of interest, so just treat it as saving a cat.”
"Brother Ding, my name is Su Zhiyu. My parents call me Yu 'er." Don't you want to leave?"
The two of them spoke one after the other. Their attitudes and tones were completely different. How did they look like father and daughter?
Ding Yuan cupped his fists at Su Zhen." It's your business whether you want to save me or not. It's my business whether I want to repay you or not." Uncle Su treated it as if he had saved a wild cat, and I treated it as if I had been saved by another cat.”
" Interesting." Su Zhen laughed." I've been down the mountain for many days and I'm about to go back. I didn't expect to meet such an interesting child like you." It's a pity that you're not willing to come with me, or else I could consider taking you in as my disciple.”
"I'm used to being alone," Ding Yuan replied,"I can't stand any restrictions.”
Su Zhen was about to speak when his expression suddenly changed. He sneered and said,"It's rare for me to come out for a walk, but there's someone who doesn't want me to have peace.”
The woman had walked in at some point and stood beside Su Zhen. She said in a low voice,"An old friend is here."
Ding Yuan and the little girl did not know what they were talking about. They stared at Su Zhen and the woman in a daze, but they could vaguely feel the nervousness of a storm.
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。