“Ah?” Ling Chuxi blinked and looked at Luo Li who was acting oddly. She could not understand the situation. What exactly was going on? Why did she feel that Luo Li was trying to avoid something?
“Then, we’ll be going in first,” said Ling Chuxi as she followed after Cao Zhibai and entered the courtyard of the wooden house.
With an odd expression on his face, Luo Li nodded and stood rooted to the spot without moving.
Ling Chuxi was very perplexed by Luo Li’s attitude, because she seemed to have detected a painful emotion channeled through Luo Li’s eyes that seemed to say, “Take care of yourself more”. What did this mean?
What happened next allowed Ling Chuxi to understand all that was going on.
Cao Baizhi pushed the door open and shouted happily towards the inside of the wooden house, “Wen Qing, I have brought another expert back again. Your legs will definitely be able to be cured this time!”
The reply Cao Zhibai received to his good-natured greeting was the fierce lash of a whip. With a whoosh, the whip wrapped around a teacup and sent it crashing accurately into the door frame, splashing tea onto Cao Zhibai. Ling Chuxi only managed to avoid getting splashed by the tea as she was very agile and immediately retreated.
“This old broad does not need it! This old broad is telling you to get lost!” rang out a crisp female voice from the inside of the house. It was extremely domineering!
“Wen Qing, don’t be like this. Your legs can really be cured this time. Really, really!” pleaded Cao Zhibai earnestly without bothering about the tea stains on his clothes. “Truly, my good Wen Qing, won’t you believe me once more?”
“I told you, this old broad doesn’t need it!” declared the sweet but loud voice again. At the same time a rumble could be heard from inside the house. Ling Chuxi stood by the door and looked in. She saw a young lady in her twenties slowly wheeling herself out on a simple wooden wheelchair. This woman was Cao Zhibai’s lover, Wen Qing. She was good-looking and full of vigor. The whip in her hand was curled around her wrist as she glared at Cao Zhibai.
“Wen Qing, don’t give up on yourself. I’ve said it before, no matter what happens to you, I will take care of you for life!” proclaimed Cao Zhibai as he anxiously rushed towards her.
Then Ling Chuxi saw a scene that made her eyes pop out and her mouth hang agape. The whip in Wen Qing’s hand swung forward and latched around Cao Zhibai’s waist. Then with a swing of her hand, Cao Zhibai was directly flung out of the house. Ling Chuxi watched Cao Zhibai flying out the door with her own eyes. Then, he rolled over on the ground a few times outside the courtyard looking disheveled. Then, Luo Li approached him and picked him up with great familiarity.
Ling Chuxi cursed Cao Zhibai out in her mind a few times. ‘Was this the woman you said was extremely gentle?! The one as gentle as calm waters?! Why, this sturdy lady is practically a tigress, all right? With her skills, does she really need you, a weak scholar, to take care of her? She could crush you to death with a single finger, okay?!’ Now, she finally understood why Luo Li did not enter.
Judging by the spot in which Luo Li was standing, it was as if he had predicted that Cao Zhibai would be flung there. Additionally, seeing how he supported Cao Zhibai back up, that was what was called quick and skilled!
“Are you the expert that idiot, Cao Zhibai, invited over?” enquired Wen Qing as she kept away her whip and looked at Ling Chuxi. She gave her an indifferent smile, but her tone on the other hand was very courteous as she said, “Please go back. I know all too well about my own injuries. It is impossible for me to stand up again. It is only that idiot who does not believe it and goes all around finding doctors for me. He’s really stupid to death.”
“But, if you don’t try me out, how would you know?” asked Ling Chuxi as she looked at Wen Qing’s decrepit legs with a calm expression. Although Wen Qing’s attitude toward Cao Zhibai was bad, Ling Chuxi could tell by the few short sentences Wen Qing said that she had a deep-seated affection for Cao Zhibai.