08
Qi Xiu Yuan was sick.
Normally his health was exceptionally well...perhaps too well. Even when he was suffering from those injuries for over a hundred days, he was still able to eat deliciously and sleep soundly without any problems. However, when he went to look for Xiao Li yesterday, he caught a little cold, and adding on that emotional roller coaster, along with sleeping with the window open, he actually had a low fever the next morning.
Because of his work, it was customary to go to bed early and get up early. Xiao Li also wake up extra early with him every day. But seeing him in such a weak state, he suggested him to ask for a half a day of leave.
"I'm not that fragile. There shouldn't be any problems going to work." Qi Xiu Yuan said.
Xiao Li thought about it for a second and finally agreed then watched as he took some medicine before heading out, without taking the matter too seriously.
However, he returned home at noon, he saw Qi Xiu Yuan—who was waiting for him to cook—in an ever more sluggish state. Not only had the fever not gone down, he also began to feel dizzy.
"Go to the neighborhood clinic first." Xiao Li said and reached out to pull him back.
"It'll be fine if I just sleep a bit." Qi Xiu Yuan was lying down on the sofa, refusing to get up then simply said a roguish sentence. "How about we do something...if I sweat, I'll be all better."
"Fuck, can you be a bit more serious?" Xiao Li didn't know whether to laugh or cry. It has truly been a long time since he had last sworn.
Since the two had only been in this province for a short while, they have yet to purchase a thick quilt. As a result, Xiao Li could only cover him with two thin bedsheets and a couple layers of clothes before entering the kitchen to cook.
When he came out, Qi Xiu Yuan was already asleep with his brows wrinkled together—and upon closer look—there was a faint shade of blue under his eyes.
Xiao Li quietly walked over and sat down beside him. After watching him for a moment, he reluctantly woke him up to eat.
In the afternoon, Qi Xiu Yuan insisted that his dizziness has reduced and refused to go to the clinic or stay home to and left to work without consulting anymore.
Xiao Li did not know why but the afternoon rolled by, a strange sense of worry struck him. When he looked at the time and saw that it was almost time for Qi Xiu Yuan to get out of work, he asked Zhang Jie to leave early and rushed to pick him up.
When I arrived at the entranceway, he saw an uncle standing at the side of the road, looking somewhere with an anxious expression.
Xiao Li called out to him and before he could even ask about Qi Xiu Yuan, the uncle quickly walked over. "Aren't you Xiao Yuan Laoshi's[1] friend?" He said impatiently. "Xiao Yuan Laoshi may be in trouble!"
"What's going on?" Xiao Li frowned.
"He dealt with a student who was fighting last time and just now, I saw him, and that student walk out together." The uncle quickly said, "That student knows many higher ups people in society. It was like that before too. You know, he even dared to fight with a teacher and pull a knife out. Xiao Yuan did not know that when he first arrived and not that he has been deceived by that student, nothing good will come of it. I have already called the police, but—"
"Where did they go?" Xiao Li interrupted him.
His temperament changed almost immediately, and the gentle expression he had also suddenly changed. The cruel look that appeared on his face made the uncle, who guarded the doorway, couldn't help but to tremble in fear as he stretched out his fingers toward a certain direction.
"They walked over there—"
Only when Xiao Li's figure disappeared in the distance, did the uncle felt his own heart beating violently.
Translator's Note:
[1] Xiao Yuan Laoshi – young professor Yuan, the 'xiao' here means small or young (term of endearment) not Xiao Li's 'Xiao.'
09
The streets of the city were not so level north or south, and sadly enough, there were many half-sloped streets. Xiao Li had carefully remembered the roads while he anxiously looked for Qi Xiu Yuan.
A quarter of an hour later, he finally heard Qi Xiu Yuan's voice outside a certain alleyway.
"Didn't you say you want to take your Laoshi to go see a doctor? Come, take me." He said calmly with a hint of provocation in his voice.
"Hey!" A young and tough voice followed, "Fucking come down and we will take you."
"This wall is too high, I can't get down." Qi Xiu Yuan seemed to be laughing. "How about you come up and help me down?"
"Fuck, you think I'm an idiot? If you're fucking capable, come down asshole!"
"If you're capable, come up!"
"If you're capable, come down!"
......
Xiao Li slowed down and slowly strolled into the alley.
The alley was very short; at the extreme end, Qi Xiu Yuan was leisurely sitting at the top of the wall...calmly looking at the seven or eight hooligans surrounding him in a semi-circle formation.
When Xiao Li went in, Qi Xiu Yuan was in the midst of easily and skillfully teasing a rather tall fellow. It seemed, the gang of hooligan has become furious at his nonchalant attitude and was jumping and cursing at him for having taken advantage of them. No one dared to go climb up the wall.
When Qi Xiu Yuan looked up and saw Xiao Li, there was a hint of laughter in his eyes. He slowly said, "You guys doing that won't work. Come and let Laoshi teach you how to behave." He smiled slightly at them. "Wouldn't it work out if you guys just pick up some bricks and throw it at me until I fall down?"
There was a moment of quietness among the hollering hooligans, before a voice said: "Xiao Hui, what he said is right."
"That's right. Then why aren't you guys fucking getting the bricks?" The tall boy named Xiao Hui hit the person that called out with the back of his hand.
Soon, several of the hooligans lowered their heads and began to search around for bricks. But when they turned around and saw Xiao Li standing at the entrance of the alley, they were all taken aback.
Even though, the tall and slender young man—who was handsome in appearance but had a scar on his face—only wore common clothing, and was unarmed and defenseless, merely stood there casually and expressionlessly, it was more than enough to make several of the teenagers, tremble with fear.
"Who the hell are you?" Xiao Hui stepped forward and asked in a fierce manner.
Without saying a word, Xiao Li took one step forward and kicked him in the stomach, causing him to fall to the ground.
The others have yet to response when a teenager that stood near Xiao Hui screamed, took out a fruit knife and charged toward Xiao Li.
Xiao Li easily dodged the knife and reached out to grab that teenager's collar, lift him up and flung him on Xiao Hui who was struggling to get up.
Xiao Hui and that teenager let out a blood-curdling scream as they slammed into each other. It was only then did the other teenagers put on a vicious expression, shout and surrounded Xiao Li, leaving him in the center of all of them.
Unfortunately for those teenagers, Xiao Li remained unfazed when confronting their angry screams. He looked like he was carefully seeking out a certain voice from the distant. The teenagers gestured to each other with their eyes and shouted at Xiao Li again before leaping toward him.
At the age of seventeen, Xiao Li was once blocked by five of Ma Que Zi's men in an alley similar to this. His opponents had iron bars and machetes when he only had a wooden stick in his hand. The fight lasted for more than ten minutes and ended with only him walking out of the alley.
After that time, the name Daoba Xiao resounded in the underworld.
Therefore, the only problem Xiao Li needed to worry about now was to ensure he takes proper measure when he attacked.
However, Qi Xiu Yuan leaned stood up from atop wall and jumped down. By the time he reached Xiao Li's side, every single teenager that had deliberately provoked the fight, all dropped to the ground. One after another, their voices—full of agonizing cries and pain—echoed in the alley.
"My parents have truly miscalculated. It seems, it's also rather risky to be a teacher nowadays." Qi Xiu Yuan laughed mockingly at himself.
Xiao Li did not answer. He went over to grab Xiao Hui who was hiding behind his companions and whispered something in his ear. In just a split second, Xiao Hui's complexion turned deathly pale as he stared at him in fright, looking as though he was going to burst out in tears.
Throwing him to the ground, Xiao Li then turned around to look at Qi Xiu Yuan. He was about to say something else when the loud screeching sound of a siren sounded from afar. And as it got closer, it was apparent that the sound was heading toward their direction.
Hearing that, Xiao Hui's face revealed a pleasant surprise as he tore at his throat and screamed. "Help–Help—!!"
Giving each other a glance, Xiao Li and Qi Xiu Yuan couldn't help it but to laugh in unison. Xiao Li then walked to his side before the two then calmly rushed out of the alley shoulder to shoulder.
-
They make a good team ^_^