Chapter 596 — After the Injury

"My brand of fierceness and hers are not the same... how should I put it?" Liu Xinlan might have been a blunt sort, but there was a fine edge hidden in that bluntness, and her eye for people was keen. "Her fierceness is the innocent, sweet kind — though I'd bet eighty percent of it is an act! Either she really is that sort, silly and naive, pure and ambiguous, or else she's lecherous and clever..."

"What kind of nonsense is this!" Tang Zhi's face flushed as she listened. "Why should I care so much about other people's business?"

"Haven't you ever heard the saying? There are no couples that can't be split apart — only mistresses who don't try hard enough!" Liu Xinlan said, as though exasperated by Tang Zhi's failure to live up to her potential. "Yun-yun, you have to be on your guard!"

"All right, all right, I know..." Liu Xinlan's words had indeed lodged themselves in Tang Zhi's heart, but what good would that do? Everything still came down to Wei Zhao's attitude.

Tang Zhi and Liu Xinlan were driven back to the hospital by Fatso Lai's wife. Tang Zhi's head did not ache in the least anymore; just as Wei Zhao had said, the bandages could likely come off after a single night. As they were leaving, Fatso Lai handed Tang Zhi another bottle of painkillers — since Tang Jucheng had been injured as well, the painkillers had been used up rather quickly.

Meanwhile, in the private residence behind the Geli Fuyun Bar, Zhao Qibing and Uncle Zhu both lay on sickbeds. Zhao Qibing had already regained consciousness and was howling in agony, calling for his mother and father. Uncle Zhu, by contrast, sat with his eyes shut, circulating his internal energy to heal his wounds.

"Young Master Bing, please bear with it a little longer. the Medicine King is already on his way — he should be here very soon!" Li Cihua said with a sigh. He had never imagined Wei Zhao could be so ruthless! In the past, Li Cihua had fancied himself a somebody in Songshan City, a man others had to show some respect — but ever since he had crossed paths with Wei Zhao, Li Cihua understood that he was nothing at all in Wei Zhao's eyes. Wei Zhao had never once looked at him straight on!

"Damn it! Just what is this Wei Zhao's background? He actually dared to break my legs! What does my father say? Has he sent anyone to deal with him?" Zhao Qibing truly could not swallow this insult! He had only just arrived in Songshan City, and before he could even open up the situation, Wei Zhao had given him a show of force to put him in his place — not only had his building been toppled, but both his legs had been broken. How was he supposed to establish himself in Songshan City after this?

If he did not do away with Wei Zhao, how could he ever show his face in Songshan City again?

"The head of the family is already looking into Wei Zhao's identity..." Li Cihua said with a bitter smile. "But from what Uncle Zhu says, Wei Zhao is a Mystic-rank expert. With a status like that, I'm afraid he ranks none too low even in the boss's eyes!"

"Mystic-rank? Wei Zhao is Mystic-rank?" Zhao Qibing was struck dumb on the spot. He had been unconscious earlier, so he had no idea what Uncle Zhu had said — but hearing this news now, he was shaken to the core!

He had not asked further about Uncle Zhu's injuries, because his own legs hurt so terribly that he had no attention to spare for anyone else. He had assumed Uncle Zhu's wounds had been caused by a bulldozer or an excavator, and so had thought nothing more of it.

"Yes, early Mystic-rank!" At that moment, Uncle Zhu, who had kept his eyes closed all this while, spoke up. "Young Master Bing, Wei Zhao is gravely injured as well. Without rare treasures to replenish him, I reckon that even if he survives this time, his strength will be gone. It all depends on what he chooses — whether he clings to his power at the risk of his life, or disperses his cultivation and becomes an ordinary man."

"Oh? So you're saying that if Wei Zhao has no rare treasures to replenish him, now is the best time to strike? That he's injured right now and no longer has the strength of a Mystic-rank?" Li Cihua was a cunning man, and he grasped Uncle Zhu's meaning at once.

"Heh heh, his condition is not much better than mine! Even with rare treasures to replenish him, and even with a skilled hand like the Medicine King treating him, it would take him more than half a year to recover to the peak of his powers — and that is the ideal scenario." Uncle Zhu said. "In truth, even a slight mishap, or a failure in the supply of rare treasures, and he will not recover so quickly. Whether he can even return to his former peak at all is hard to say!"

"Then that's wonderful! We'll strike before his strength recovers and leave him unable to fight back!" Li Cihua had long wanted to deal with Wei Zhao, only he had never found an opening. Now that he had learned such news, how could he let the chance slip? And most importantly, it would avenge Young Master Bing — killing two birds with one stone.

"Best to wait for the head of the family's decision." Uncle Zhu was a man who obeyed the family's orders absolutely; whether or not to move against Wei Zhao was for Zhao Guangyin to decide. He was merely offering a few suggestions of his own.

Li Cihua nodded. Indeed, without Zhao Guangyin's command, no further action could be taken for the time being! They could only wait for the Medicine King to arrive and then make their decision.

……………………

Wei Zhao drove carefully. The young miss's face was cold and severe, and it was impossible to tell what she was thinking. Shen Yushu, by contrast, was still her usual silly self, playing with her fingers back there, not sensing the slightest strangeness in the atmosphere — or perhaps she did sense it, but it simply had no effect on her whatsoever.

"Yao-yao, are you really going to start pursuing Arrow-brand Bro in earnest?" Shen Yushu asked after she had run through her fingers a good many times.

Wei Zhao broke out in a sweat. Earlier, when Gu Mengyao had said that, she had only whispered it to Tang Zhi; sharp as Wei Zhao's ears were, he could very well pretend he had not heard a thing. But now that Shen Yushu had said it aloud, it was rather awkward.

The young miss pursuing him? Wei Zhao did not quite believe it. Who knew what fit had seized her just now to make her say such a thing — but Wei Zhao did not take it to heart.

Gu Mengyao's expression froze at once, and she shot Shen Yushu an angry glare before her face smoothed back into calm. Then, in a most indifferent tone, she said, "Wei Zhao, don't listen to Xiao Shu's nonsense. Earlier, when I quarreled with Tang Zhi, I said that only because I was too angry to hold it in! You're my follower, yet you got hurt for Tang Zhi's sake. To be honest, I find her very disagreeable! That's why I said it on purpose, just to provoke her. Don't take it seriously..."

"Ha, I know. I didn't take it seriously." Wei Zhao nodded with a smile, thinking to himself: now that's the young miss for you...

A flicker of disappointment crossed Gu Mengyao's eyes, and a faint bitterness welled in her heart. This was the first time she had ever declared that she meant to pursue a boy, and he had not taken her seriously?

"From now on, if anything like this happens again, you must tell me first, understand? You are mine... uh, my follower, so you are responsible for my personal safety!" Gu Mengyao went on: "What if I run into danger? What if Xiaoshu gets stuck in the iron fence again? What if we need you, and you are injured?"