Chapter 15: You Can’t Even Defeat My Little Lady, Yet You Dare Challenge Me?

Xu Feng stepped out of the courtyard, the morning sunlight dispelling the last traces of chill. The exhilaration of his recovery from injury filled him with vibrant energy. As he walked toward the village entrance, his mind was deep in thought.

That girl, Lin Xue—a nineteen-year-old medical master’s graduate and a sixth-dan in kendo—her talents must not go to waste. Though his body had healed and no longer required her treatment, the art of medicine has long been a golden opportunity. Especially in these times when medical care and supplies were scarce, a good doctor was like a living saint.

To keep her at home chopping firewood and cooking would be a grievous underuse of her abilities. He needed to ask her if she understood traditional Chinese medicine. If she did, that would be perfect. He could go hunting in the mountains while she gathered herbs; the two of them, working in tandem, would surely live well.

He even began to imagine, once he saved enough money, renovating this shabby house and buying Lin Xue a few decent clothes and jewelry. A medical master with a sixth-dan in kendo as his wife should never be made to look shabby.

Lost in these pleasant thoughts, suddenly a figure darted out from behind a crooked willow by the roadside, blocking his path.

Xu Feng’s eyes narrowed as he recognized the newcomer, a cold smile curling at the corner of his mouth. It was none other than Wang Erhu, that scoundrel.

At this moment, Wang Erhu looked pitiful beyond words. The left side of his face was swollen high, tinged purple, with dried blood at the corner of his eye. The right side, while less swollen, was still noticeably puffed up. His lips were split, sealed with a dark red scab.

His already shifty and sly appearance had become both comical and grotesque.

“Xu Feng!” Wang Erhu’s voice was muffled, as if hot sweet potatoes were stuffed in his mouth, accompanied by a hissing lisp.

He stretched out his large, fan-like hand, pointing accusingly at his battered face, shouting angrily, “Look at this! You better explain this to me! Your little woman beat me up like this! You owe me an explanation!”

Xu Feng regarded him leisurely, as if watching a performing monkey, and spoke slowly, “Oh? An explanation? What sort of explanation do you want, brother Erhu?”

He deliberately emphasized the word “brother.”

Wang Erhu was infuriated by Xu Feng’s indifferent tone, but recalling the sting of yesterday’s burning stick, he hesitated.

He stiffened his neck and said with a threatening tone masking weakness, “Explanation? Humph! I’m not asking for much. I heard you got lucky yesterday and shot eight rabbits?”

His eyes flickered with greed. “I, Wang Erhu, am generous. I won’t hold your wife’s beating against you. But you owe me twenty rabbits! That’ll settle it!”

Xu Feng nearly laughed out loud at this.

He sized Wang Erhu up and down, his gaze full of mockery. “Erhu, have you also been knocked silly by my wife? You only shot eight rabbits, and you want twenty? Do you take me for some mountain god or think rabbits line up to jump onto my arrows?”

“I don’t care!” Wang Erhu played the rogue. “If you could get eight yesterday, you can get ten or eight today. You’re going into the mountains anyway; just bring me twenty, and we’ll call it even!”

He paused, then added with righteous indignation, “Besides, that bow and arrow you used belong to me! You used my gear; shouldn’t you pay me rent?”

Xu Feng stroked his chin thoughtfully and nodded seriously. “Hmm, you have a point. Using your bow does deserve some rent.”

Wang Erhu’s face lit up with pride, thinking Xu Feng was just a pushover who would cave under pressure. “Exactly! Wise men know when to concede. Twenty rabbits, not a single one less!”

“Twenty’s too many,” Xu Feng shook his head. “How about I take a loss and give you two? You come with me now to get them. Saves me the trouble of bringing them later.”

“Two?” Wang Erhu’s eyes bulged; he spat a spray of saliva in Xu Feng’s face. “Are you kidding me? Xu Feng, are you asking to get beaten?”

He stepped forward, swinging his fists, trying to intimidate Xu Feng.

Xu Feng didn’t dodge or flinch, still wearing that infuriating grin, even leaning in closer. “That’s right, I want to get beaten. What, do you want to add some color to that face of yours?”

Wang Erhu was utterly provoked by Xu Feng’s tenacity.

He was the type to bully the weak and fear the strong. After being thrashed by a woman yesterday, he was simmering with rage.

Now Xu Feng was provoking him like this—how could he hold back?

“Damn you! You don’t want to drink the toast, fine, then drink the penalty!” Wang Erhu roared as his fist, as large as a clay pot, swung fiercely toward Xu Feng’s face.

He thought with this one punch, Xu Feng’s slight frame would collapse.

But he was wrong.

At the very moment Wang Erhu’s fist was about to land, Xu Feng moved.

His motion was lightning-fast, barely visible. Xu Feng’s body shifted slightly to the side, effortlessly dodging the powerful blow. At the same time, his right hand shot out like an iron clamp, grabbing Wang Erhu’s wrist.

A sharp crack sounded—the distinct noise of a dislocated bone.

“Aaah!” Wang Erhu screamed even more miserably than when he was struck by the burning stick yesterday. The punch he had thrown went limp instantly; his entire arm felt as if its bones had been pulled out and hung uselessly at his side.

The searing pain twisted his face, cold sweat pouring down.

Xu Feng squeezed his grip slightly, causing Wang Erhu to stagger forward uncontrollably.

Seizing the moment, Xu Feng raised his knee sharply into Wang Erhu’s lower abdomen.

A muffled thud followed.

Wang Erhu felt as if his internal organs had shifted, acid rising in his throat. With a retch, he vomited up half of the steamed bun he had eaten that morning.

His stomach churned violently, and he doubled over in pain like a cooked shrimp.

But it wasn’t over.

Xu Feng released his wrist and, with his other hand, delivered a solid slap across Wang Erhu’s already battered face.

The sharp smack echoed clearly.

Wang Erhu spun half a turn on the spot, stars exploding behind his eyes, his ears ringing. The other cheek quickly swelled, forming a perfect symmetry with the side Lin Xue had beaten the day before.

Now his face was truly a riot of bruises and discoloration.

With a thud, Wang Erhu collapsed onto the ground, clutching his face and belly, grimacing in pain. Tears and snot ran freely from his eyes and nose, his earlier arrogance completely vanished.

Xu Feng looked down at him coldly, his tone dripping with scorn. “Wang Erhu, how dare you? You can’t even beat my wife, so what makes you think you can take me on?”