Chapter 117 Xiaowu’s Anger
As a village head, w.a.n.g Dafu’s house was the best. It was the only two-story building built by bluestone in the village. There were flat slates on the path. If she didn’t hear the sound of river water rolling from time to time, Su Li would have thought that she did not go out and was in Qinghe Town.
“Old hen, come out. We have honorable guests!”
w.a.n.g Dafu yelled delightedly with a reddish face. A sound of going downstairs thudded from the building. A buxom middle-aged woman with heavy makeup came out. When she saw the head of them was Su Li, disappointment implicitly flashed in her eyes.
She heard early that there were distinguished guests coming to the village. However, she didn’t expect that the head of them was a silly little girl. Her efforts of dressing up was in vain.
Thinking of that, the middle-aged woman walked quickly and said with enthusiasm, “Come in! No wonder I heard magpies chirping in the morning. It turns out that this Miss is coming!”
Su Li curled her lips and did not answer. She looked at Xiaowu beside her and said, “Since it is your home, you can call the shots. I am tired. If you have troubles, you can ask for help from Fang Yuan.”
Xiaowu was looking around worriedly. When he heard Su Li’s words, he became happy instantly. There was a feeling of appreciation rising in the bottom of his heart. He severely bowed and said, “Thanks, Lady!”
Apparently, Mrs. w.a.n.g did not recognize Xiaowu. She was confused and only heard four words, i.e. Su Li was tired. She immediately stepped aside and hospitably said, “Since this Miss is tired, you’d better to have a rest upstairs. Guest rooms are cleaned!”
Su Li glanced at Fang Yuan and others. Then she walked into the building with Mammy Li.
After Su Li left, Mrs. w.a.n.g felt she was relieved a lot, and her expression was normal. She was about to make friendly relations with Fang Yuan and others. However, her sleeves were pulled quietly by w.a.n.g Dafu. She could not help but turn back with anger and whispered, “You have pulled me since I came out. We have guests here!”
w.a.n.g Dafu didn’t have time to care about his wife’s att.i.tude. He was impatient and said, “Where is my father?”
“The Old Cat? Of course, he has gone!”
Mrs. w.a.n.g rolled her eyes and did not see the dramatic change of w.a.n.g Dafu’s expression. She looked back and saw Xiaowu who looked serious. She immediately praised, “This childe is really handsome and looked well-bred. My son Zhuo cannot be not a patch on you!”
Xiaowu smiled coldly and said, “Aunt, you said that I was a b.a.s.t.a.r.d, who had a mother to give birth to but had no father to raise, three years ago. How can you forget it so quickly?”
Mrs. w.a.n.g’s smile froze on her face. She blankly stared at Xiaowu. Did she hear it wrong? This youngster called her aunt actually. He seemed…
“He is Xiaowu.”
w.a.n.g Dafu covered his face and sighed. He had always wanted to tell her, but the old hen had been busy in talking. Therefore, he couldn’t have chance to speak.
“Xiaowu?!”
Mrs. w.a.n.g screamed, and the rouge on her face fell down a lot like lime.
Then she looked at the boy at the side, was that… Datian?
Were those two b.a.s.t.a.r.ds who was driven out by her promising?
Did they come back to square accounts with her?!
Thinking of that, Mrs. w.a.n.g’s face was pale instantly. She quibbled, “Xiaowu! Datian! Three years ago, you wanted to go on your own. Anyhow, we brought you up. Do you return evil for good?”
“It’s grandpa who brought me up, not you!” Xiaowu said coldly, “Aunt, I don’t want to fuss about the previous things. If you hadn’t forced us, we wouldn’t have met Lady Su. I come back now just because I want to see how grandpa is doing.”
Xiaowu looked around and said, “Which room does he live in?”
Mrs. w.a.n.g looked pale and didn’t say anything for a moment.
Xiaowu saw Mrs. w.a.n.g’s reaction, and his look changed slightly. Then he turned his head and looked at w.a.n.g Dafu. He said sullenly, “Uncle, you said that grandpa is fine. Did you lie to me?”
“Of course not.” w.a.n.g Dafu immediately waved his hands. He noticed that the group of young men and women looked cool and unhappy behind Xiaowu. He immediately said, “In fact, your grandfather doesn’t live here…”
Before entering the Daw.a.n.g Village, Fang Yuan and others had already had the Appearance Disguising Pills and took down their masks. Facing a group of ordinary people who didn’t practice Xuangong, the lowest level of Appearance Disguising Pills could cover up their appearances. The effect of the Appearance Disguising Pills could sustain for a long time.
“Doesn’t he live here?”
Xiaowu heard that and showed an unbelievable face. Then he said, “Uncle, you are the only biological son of grandpa. He is old and alone. If he doesn’t live here, where can he live?”
w.a.n.g Dafu looked ashamed and he couldn’t say anything.
Xiaowu’s eyes were as a flame on fire. He looked at Mrs. w.a.n.g and said, “Uncle, you drove away Datian and me, that’s OK. Now you even drove away your biological father. Do you have any humanity?”
“Not by me!” w.a.n.g Dafu immediately said and waved his hands. He looked at Mrs. w.a.n.g cowardly.
When Mrs. w.a.n.g saw he was so useless, she was angry instantly and looked pale. She pointed at her husband and abused, “w.a.n.g Dafu, you junk. You make mistakes and s.h.i.+ft the blame onto me. Can’t you blame me for your father leaving!? It is obvious that the old cat left because of himself. He dislikes me and thinks whatever I do is wrong! It’s none of my business…”
“Enough!”
Xiaowu’s roar shook the whole two-story building with echo. Mrs. w.a.n.g shook in her shoes and was as mute as a fish.
“w.a.n.g Dafu, take me to grandpa.”
Xiaowu looked gloomy and even didn’t want to call him “uncle”. w.a.n.g Dafu shrank his neck and said, “He lives in the old house. If you still remember…”
“I do!”
Xiaowu interrupted w.a.n.g Dafu and then turned to Fang Yuan. He bowed and said, “Lords, I have something urgent to do. Excuse me.”
After Fang Yuan consented, Xiaowu immediately ran out of the courtyard. Fang Yuan turned to Fang Mu and said, “Follow him. If he needs help, just help him.”
Fang Mu immediately nodded and went out to follow him. There were Fang Yuan and other two persons and the couple. The atmosphere was very awkward at that time.
Yin Xuetong did not look at the couple. She changed her voices and said, “It’s still early. Why not hang out together?”
She didn’t forget Su Li’s entrustment before coming to the Daw.a.n.g Village. After she put forward the idea, Fang Yuan and Qu Qingning immediately agreed. In a very short time, they all left the courtyard.
Mrs. w.a.n.g stood in the same place for a long time. She suddenly tore w.a.n.g Dafu’s clothes crazily and said, “It is all your fault! I blame you, d.a.m.n! Didn’t you say that the two b.a.s.t.a.r.ds died outside and would not come back? Now they not only come back but also are lucky enough to have connections with bigwigs! How could it be him, not our son?”
“Stop, stop beating me…”
w.a.n.g Dafu’s clothes were torn up. He was like a drowned mouse. Mrs. w.a.n.g’s long nails scratched his body. He said, “The Miss is still upstairs. Stop beating me, old hen!”
Mrs. w.a.n.g’s action froze. After she sobered up, she immediately pulled w.a.n.g Dafu’s ears and went into the house.
Su Li sat beside the window upstairs and watched them from the beginning to the end. However, her expression didn’t change at all.
“Miss, do you really live here?”
Mammy Li stood behind Su Li and angrily said, “We said that we will pay them. Wouldn’t it be too good for Mrs. w.a.n.g?”
“Let’s talk about it later. Don’t worry, mammy.”
Su Li took out the original ma.n.u.script book. She bowed her head and lightly said.
Mammy Li answered her. She remembered all experiences after she revived Su Li last spring. She gradually calmed down inwardly. Then, she turned away to do other things.
…
Xiaowu and Datian went to the old house according to their memories. When they saw the straw hut, which was about to collapse, their eyes were red immediately, and they rushed in at the same time.
Fang Mu looked at the oblique straw hut and signed. Then he stooped to walk in.
Because of the effect of Su Li’s elixirs, he was taller than before.
Although it was the daytime, the light was dusky in the hut because the straw hut’s window was small. After Xiaowu stooped to walk through a straw door, he instantly saw a weak old man lying in bed. He was the old village head who he missed for a long time.
“Grandpa!”
Xiaowu raced to the straw bed and knelt down. He said with tears, “Grandpa, I’m back! I’m Xiaowu. Datian and I both come back to see you!”
The old man lying in the bed drowsily opened his eyes. His eyeb.a.l.l.s were muddy. He heard the sound and instantly reached out his rough hands which were like barks. When he caught Xiaowu’s hands, he immediately smiled and revealed his several teeth. Then he said,
“You are Xiaowu. You come back. You come back. Good…”
Xiaowu held the old man’s hands tightly. He looked at grandpa’s clothes, which was like a beggar’s clothes. He didn’t know how long grandpa hadn’t taken a bath, because he was giving off unpleasant stink all over. His body was too weak to speak loudly. Obviously, he was so hungry that he had no energy.
Xiaowu’s eyes s.h.i.+ned with cold light. Three years ago, he was a hale and healthy old man in a neat dress. Today his appearance was like this. It was abnormal absolutely.
Fang Mu looked at the grandfather and grandchildren at the door and did not go in. He turned into another room of the straw hut. From its location, it might be a kitchen.
There was a pot in the kitchen. It seemed that it was used recently. Fang Mu opened it and saw turbid soup floating in it. He took a spoon and scooped the soup to have a look.
There were all wild vegetables.
“He even didn’t have food to eat. No wonder the old man is so weak.”
Fang Mu whispered. Although he was not a doctor, he had experienced the kind of weakness of the old man. Therefore, he knew what was going on at a glance. After meditating for a moment, he took the water bag from his waist and took out an elixir. Then he turned around and went into the room.
“Grandpa, tell me, did w.a.n.g Li make you like this? I am going to find her now!” As soon as Fang Mu entered the room, he heard Xiaowu’s words with full of killing intentions.
“No… don’t… don’t get into trouble.” The old man gasped and said intermittently. He was afraid that Xiaowu might do something stupid, so he used all his strength to hold Xiaowu’s hands and not let him go.
However, he was so anxious that he rolled his eyes and fainted completely.
“Grandpa, what’s wrong with you?” Xiaowu was immediately fl.u.s.tered. He constantly wobbled his grandfather’s body and couldn’t stop crying, “Grandpa, don’t scare me!”
Fang Mu couldn’t stand it anymore. He pulled Xiaowu and scolded in a low voice, “If you don’t want your grandfather to starve to death, get out of my way!”
Xiaowu stood up without saying anything and knelt down before Fang Mu with a sound of “flop”. He said, “Lord, please save my grandfather’s life. I can do anything for you!”
Fang Mu sat down at the bed and fed the old man the elixir. Then he hit some acupuncture points on the old man’s chest and said,
“Rest a.s.sured. Your grandfather is alright. He was so hungry that he fainted. I fed him an elixir with mild property. It is enough to make him recover from the weak state. Don’t waste your time on kneeling down. Go to the carriage and get some food. The elixir can’t make him stuffed.”
Hearing Fang Mu’s words, Xiaowu was cheered up instantly. He wiped the tears and said, “Thank you, Lord. I will go!”
Datian knelt down and kowtowed to Fang Mu a few times. He didn’t know how to express his grat.i.tude. He could only tell Fang Mu through his action.
Fang Mu slightly sighed. The elixir was prepared for him by Su Li. It was valuable. However, since Xiaowu could be considered as Su Li’s servant, shouldn’t she blame him because he gave it to Xiaowu’s grandfather?