Bai Dazhu cried in pain, he stayed lying on the ground because he couldn’t get up. Bai Dabao’s legs softened in fright and he couldn’t utter a word. He was afraid that ferocious Awu will swing his arm in front of him.
Hu Changlin called Awu: “Awu, forget it, let’s go back. You don’t have to worry about this kind of people.”
A group of people walked past Bai Dazhu, no one pay him another look. Bai Dazhu was in so much pain, but still, he angrily stared at Zhou Awu’s back and shouted at him: “Zhou Awu, just you wait, this old man will not let you go. Just wait and see!”
Awu suddenly turned back and looked at Bai Dazhu with cold eyes. Although he didn’t say anything, the look in his eyes made Bai Dazhu’s heart skipped a beat in fright. He closed his mouth immediately and didn’t dare to say another word.
*
Bai Dabao helped his father to go home. Mrs. Liu was drying clothes in the yard. When she saw the two, she was so shocked that she knocked over the bamboo pole on the ground. All the clothes she just washed fell to the ground.
“This, this, what happened? Didn’t you go to town to sell the wheat?” Mrs. Liu rushed forward and reached out to support Bai Dazhu. But as soon as she touched his arm, she heard Bai Dazhu’s miserable cry like a pig being killed.
“Niang, father’s arms are injured. Don’t touch his arms.” Bai Dabao hugged his father’s waist and took him into their room.
Old Lady Bai heard a sound, so she went to ask: “Hey, what’s wrong?” She went close to Bai Dazhu and asked: “Dazhu, why are you like this? Who made you like this?”
Bai Dazhu gritted his teeth and said, “Who else can it be aside from that Zhou Awu.”
Mrs. Liu, who was so anxious, angrily said: “Zhou Awu? How could he beat you? You two have no grudge to each other, why did he hurt you like this?”
Bai Dazhu sat down in the chair. “Don’t ask too much, hurry up and find me a doctor, I can’t stand the pain in my arms.”
Doctor, that word was like a hammer that hit hard Old Lady Bai and Mrs. Liu’s heart tremendously. Especially to the old lady, there was nothing much left in her box. Last time, she only gave Bai Erzhu 30 copper coins to keep enough money for Bai Xiaofeng’s study. If they look for a doctor this time, she’s afraid that there will be no money left.
What should we do?
Mrs. Liu looked at the old lady: “Niang, you see, this—”
Seeing the old woman hesitant, Bai Dazhu said angrily, “What are you still doing? Do you want to see me die or become disabled? If I become disabled, can you two old ladies live a good life?”
At this time, Bai Erzhu came in from the outside, he was holding a basket in his hand, which contained two fresh fish and half a bag of rice.
When he was pa.s.sing by the river, he happened to see a few fish jumping into the shallow puddle, which saved him some worries. He caught at least four pieces, and then give two pieces to his brother-in-law, in exchange for borrowing some rice.
When the old lady saw Bai Erzhu, she rushed up and grabbed his arm: “Erzhu, Erzhu, it’s good your back. You come with us and let the people who bully your brother pay.”
Mrs. Zhang, who was standing at the door winked at Bai Erzhu.
Bai Erzhu understood her meaning, so he didn’t push away the old lady and asked softly: “What’s wrong? What happened?”
Old Lady Bai cried for Bai Dazhu and said: “You see, that Zhao Lan and Hu Changlin are too much, how could they bully our family? It hasn’t been that long since your brother’s arms recovered, how could they break it again?”
“Zhao Lan and Hu Changlin break his arms?” Bai Erzhu was full of doubt. Who were Zhao Lan and Hu Changlin? They were famous for being good old people in the village, so how could they beat someone?
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