Chapter 113

After putting on a pair of clean pants, Zixiu stepped out of his room. Seeing his dad sit in the hall with a grim look, he walked over respectfully, trying to explain to him. “Dad, I wasn’t cursing you. I was cursing Nangong Du!”

‘Nangong Du?’ His intimate form of address for Prince Mu made his dad grow even more suspicious. However, unlike his senior brother, the short-tempered Yan Ke, Liu Wuyi would not slap his son before he made things clear. As Huali and Lingxiao were still outside, given his son’s reputation into consideration, he clenched his fists hard, managing to hold back the urge to hit the ceiling. Staring at his son with sharp eyes, Liu Wuyi said seriously, “Zixiu, Nangong Du is a crafty man, so we have to be careful. Do you understand?”

“Huh?” Zixiu was muddleheaded. He had been thinking that his dad lost his temper because he was cursing just now. Anyway, Nangong Du was indeed a cunning pervert as his dad said, so he nodded approvingly. “Got it!”

Liu Wuyi was more resentful because his son did not, as before, feel aggrieved and even reveal a murderous look at the mention of Nangong Du, but merely calmly answered that he had got it. At the thought of the face-to-face talk in Li’s clinic between him and Nangong Du, especially the moment that prince called him “father”, and what had happened just now, Liu Wuyi could not help but feel worried. Could that be Zixiu had also fallen for that evil prince? Was he mad at Nangong Du only because they had a fight like any other couple? How ridiculous! Had he ever thought of his dad when he did such a disgraceful thing?  “Zixiu, tell me the truth! What did Nangong Du come for?”

Not as quick-witted as his dad, Zixiu wondered how come his dad suddenly changed the topic. “I don’t know!” he answered honestly. He had no idea what Nangong Du had come for. First, Nangong Du had never mentioned it to him. Besides, as this pervert was so moody, Zixiu was reluctant to waste his time speculating on his purpose of coming here. But if Nangong Du had really come here to take him back to his mansion, Zixiu would have nightmares!

“You don’t know?” Observing his son’s expression carefully, Liu Wuyi thought it seemed too arbitrary to draw conclusions based on what he had just seen.  Zixiu was not as strong as Nangong Du. How come he had pinned Nangong Du under him? Obviously, Nangong Du had been playing tricks! No matter if he was really a dandy, with his romantic rivals outside the door, a man as smart as he would not have risked his life and made out with Zixiu in the room only because he was a superb martial artist. Moreover, he had caught a cold, so he would be asking for trouble if he had dared to provoke the two outside!

Thinking of what had happened in the room just now and the obvious sour smell of vomit, Liu Wuyi, who was worrying that his son might have a crush on someone of the same sex, finally realized that he was tricked. Needless to say, whether he was tricked or not, he would never allow Zixiu to be together with that prince of the Nan Kingdom! If he had not given Nangong Du the formation map, the latter would not have got into the valley, so he would try to find a way to get rid of that asshole. What’s more, he would make those guys, including Lingxiao, give up the idea of marrying Zixiu!

“Zixiu!” Looking at his son, who was obviously childish and even a little bit stupid, he said resolutely, “I’ll find a way to get rid of Nangong Du and get you a wife when your pregnancy symptoms go away next spring!”

“Get me a wife?” Zixiu was again shocked by his father’s sudden change of topic!

“It’s settled!” Before his son could protest, Liu Wuyi had shifted the topic again. “Are you hungry? I’m going to cook for you right now!”

Sure enough, this stunned listener was hungry, so he stopped thinking about the connection between Nangong Du and his future wife.

Having lived in seclusion for many years, Liu Wuyi was used to his peaceful and ordinary life, so the sudden arrival of a bunch of uninvited “guests”, especially someone of who was even connected with one of his old acquaintances, had stirred a turmoil in his mind! Over the years, he had become a person who was indifferent to everything except for his son, so he instinctively racked his mind, trying to pull himself together. Even though he could no longer be as calm as before, at least he should not lose his mind and even get innocent people involved in trouble.

His thoughts had been running wild when he was at the cliff. Though his senior brother still hated Wang Ning, Wang Ning indeed had never done anything to him, and he was just taking up the cudgel for his junior brother. Liu Wuyi was clear about that and he was very grateful to Yan Ke. However, it was between Wang Ning and him, and no one else could help. Now that his senior brother had known that Lingxiao could not marry Zixiu, he did not have to stay in the Cirrus Valley anymore!

The lunch was done quickly, and Yan Ke, who had been missing, suddenly reappeared from nowhere. Lingxiao and Huali, who had been self-reflecting for a long time outside, were asked in to eat. The three of them sat down at the dinner table and started eating, each having something on his mind.

Zixiu realized that he was really smarter and more sensitive than before. He could sense the tension in the air even when everyone was gobbling food! To avoid causing trouble, he decided to go on observing quietly.

Liu Wuyi did not think that much. After the three outsiders had finished eating, he got to the point straight and asked them to leave.

“Bang!”

Hardly had Liu Wuyi’s voice faded away, Yan Ke threw his chopsticks at the table angrily without a word.

Zixiu was startled and almost choked on the rice in his mouth.

“Uncle Liu, I’m not leaving!” Lingxiao was the first one to respond. He put down his chopsticks and shot to his feet with an anxious and determined look. After hesitating for a short while, he announced loudly, “Unless you allow me to take Zixiu away. Or I won’t leave the Cirrus Valley!”

“You bastard, don’t you think it’s embarrassing enough?” Without hesitation, Yan Ke jumped up in anger and slapped his son’s head hard. He was irritated not only because of what Liu Wuyi had said, but also because he had realized that it was a waste of time to self-reflect! His son was still thinking about marrying Zixiu after hours of self-reflection, and his junior brother was still as stubborn as before! He should have thought of it! It had been over ten years, but he still fantasized about his junior brother’s forgetting that woman completely. What a nosy fool he was!

Beaten and cursed by his dad, Lingxiao did not scream and run about in the room as usual. He understood the meaning of his dad throwing chopsticks in silence. As a man of high self-esteem, his dad would not stay here any longer after Uncle Liu had asked them to leave. Lingxiao was worried that if he left with his dad, he would never have a chance to meet Zixiu again, so he could give in to any unreasonable demands his dad made, except for asking him to leave Zixiu. He had never been so persistent before he met Zixiu months ago. But now, he did not dare even to imagine a life without him! Before yesterday, in the months of searching for Zixiu’s whereabouts, he felt that the pain of missing someone was more unbearable than any torture. He knew well that he could not live without Zixiu! “Dad, I swore I would not marry anyone else except for Liu Zixiu…”

“Shut up!” Yan Ke flared up at his son’s words in an instant. He picked up a bench and smashed it on Lingxiao. “You little brat, how dare you fool me? How could you even think of marrying a man? I’m going to… ”

This was the Yan family’s business, and Liu Wuyi was aware that his senior brother was so furious partly because of him, so he chose to keep silent.

Luo Huali was silent as well because he had no idea what to do. Like Lingxiao, he did not want to leave Zixiu so hastily. If it was as Zixiu said that his love was illusory and unrealistic, Zixiu’s understanding of his own feelings was kind of arbitrary and even prejudiced like most people. Since love was built on understanding, he hoped that he could have more time to get along with Zixiu so that they could get to know each other better and know exactly how they felt about each other. Then even if this feeling between them was not love, he had nothing to regret. However, Master Yan already lost his temper like this because of Lingxiao, and if he knew that his first disciple, who had great respect for his master and had never caused any trouble, had taken a fancy to a man, too, he would not be able to stand such a blow!

In hesitation, he did nothing to stop his master from punishing his junior brother either!

Zixiu was astonished when he saw that the two who were close to Yan Ke and his son all turned a blind eye to the brutal domestic violence in front of them. How come his usually benevolent dad and friendly senior brother became so indifferent? What absurd excuses had they given themselves?

Since he was kidnapped, Zixiu had become increasingly suspected that he did not belong to the same world or era as the people around him. Compared with Lingxiao’s personal safety, no excuse could hold water! This was not the first time that Lingxiao had been beaten hard by Uncle Yan. Though Lingxiao himself should bear part of the blame for the beating, Uncle Yan would at least have been less violent if others had stopped him in time! Could it be that no one even knew that although parents had the duty to bring up their children, they definitely had no right to beat or abuse them? Obviously, these people were lack of law awareness!

Finally, Zixiu could not bear it anymore. “Stop!” he suddenly shouted.

Although his voice was not that loud, the one who had lost his mind stopped short when he saw Zixiu suddenly step over and shield Lingxiao behind him.

“!!” The bench almost fell on Zixiu’s big belly. Yan Ke looked at him in astonishment. He had never expected that Zixiu would have begged for mercy for Lingxiao. He remembered his son had never won Zixiu’s favor! Er… There was no need to look into it. Liu Zixiu was a boy, so there was no way he could become his daughter-in-law. He would never allow an outsider to interfere in the domestic affairs of the Yan family!

“Uncle Yan, if you keep doing this, Lingxiao will have the right to accuse you of domestic violence and abuse of a minor!” Seeing that Yan Ke was about to beat his son again, Zixiu continued. He was taking a risk, but fortunately, Lingxiao’s dad was not really mad.

“Domestic violence? Abuse of… a minor?” Everyone present, including Lingxiao, who had already suffered some bruises, and Liu Wuyi, who had been used to his son’s nonsense, froze on the spot. What was he talking about?

As he had been used to it, Zixiu was not at all surprised by their reaction. He believed that as a nobody, it was not his business to popularize knowledge of the law. So, disregarding the puzzled look in others’ eyes, he turned around swiftly, held Lingxiao up, and carefully checked his wound.

Yes! He would like to put on airs to frighten those bullies on such occasions.  He was not naive enough to hold even a trace of hope for those in power, like Nangong Du. ‘Alas, how hapless to live in such a chaotic time!’

As his son was fighting for Lingxiao out of a sense of justice, Liu Wuyi decided to give him a hand. Moreover, he did not want his senior brother to stay in the valley for too long. He then asked Zixiu to help Lingxiao into the room and apply some ointment to his wound. Now the fierce conflict between Yan Ke and his son finally came to an end. Liu Wuyi cleared up the dinner table alone silently and walked into the kitchen with bowls and chopsticks. He was certain that his senior brother would leave!

Zixiu and Huali helped Lingxiao into the room. Though Nangong Du, was still sprawling on the bed, no one was in the mood to pay attention to him.

“Don’t get me wrong. To be frank, your dad is too merciless!” Meeting Lingxiao’s enchanting eyes, Zixiu explained at once, as flustered as a cat with its tail trodden on! Sure enough, someone misunderstood him! It was really annoying!

“…” Looking at Zixiu’s anxious look, Lingxiao fell silent. He gritted his teeth and finally lowered his head without a word.

Realizing what he said might have frustrated Lingxiao, Zixiu felt a little guilty. He then added, trying to comfort him, “Don’t think too much. You may drop in on me when you have time…” But his words seemed far-fetched. If the two families would still keep in touch in the future, how could his dad have driven them away? Having no idea what to say, Zixiu could only force a bitter smile. “He-he…”