Chapter 25 - Zhou Xianming with a Battered Face

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

“I’m back.”

“You’re back? The hot water is ready.”

An Jing found it a little strange. In the past, Zhao Qingmei would always welcome him warmly every time he returned from a consultation. However, she would only reply casually today.

“Darling, I’m back.”

An Jing walked towards Zhao Qingmei with a smile and said, “It’s already so late and you’re still sewing the clothes. You’ve worked hard.”

“This shirt is torn. It’s better to change into a new one.”

“Then why are you still sewing?”

“The weather is getting cold. Many people in the south of Beggar Street don’t have clothes to wear.”

“I see.”

An Jing nodded, feeling that something was amiss.

“Darling, what’s wrong? Are you unhappy?”

Zhao Qingmei put down her clothes and looked up with a smile. “No, you’d better take a shower. You smell like rouge.”

Although she was still smiling, it made his heart ache.

An Jing laughed guiltily and thought to himself that he had forgotten about it.

“Darling…”

“Go on.”

Zhao Qingmei lowered her head and continued sewing her clothes.

By the time An Jing was done showering and washing up, Zhao Qingmei had already fallen asleep.

An Jing carefully lay down beside her, afraid to wake her up.

Soon, even breathing sounds could be heard.

Zhao Qingmei opened her eyes gently and stared at the man lying in front of her.

…

No matter how dull An Jing was, he could feel that his wife was angry.

Although she was still cooking porridge and sunning herbs, she still spoke to An Jing gently.

This vexed An Jing.

His visit to the pleasure boat probably got found out. How could he explain?

Should he say that he did not cheat on her?

Would she believe it?

An Jing leaned against the door, his palm caressing Lil Blackie.

“Tan Yun, where did Madam go?”

“She went to the south of the city early in the morning to donate clothes.”

“Tan Yun, where did I put the China root herbs?”

“Young master, why are you looking for that?”

“Nothing. Just asking.”

“Tan Yun…”

“What is it?”

“Nothing.”

“How does Missy behave when she is angry? “

“I… I don’t know.”

Tan Yun seemed to have thought of something as her body trembled.

As time passed, people came to get the medicine from time to time and An Jing got busy.

In the blink of an eye, it was noon.

“When you go back, remember not to eat spicy food anymore. Your diet must be light. Brew this medicine for two hours once every morning and once every night. After ten days, come back again and I’ll take a look again.” An Jing packed the herbs in the cowhide paper and instructed.

“Thank you, Doctor An.”

The woman took the herb and thanked him repeatedly before leaving slowly.

“It’s raining. Why isn’t Darling back yet?”

An Jing walked to the door and frowned.

At this moment, the drizzle was like silk that dripped onto the ground. The Yuzhou River was hazy.

Zhao Qingmei left the house early in the morning and had been gone for almost four hours. She had never been out alone for such a long time.

“I’m not sure.”

Tan Yun also stuck her head out and looked outside.

“You keep an eye on the pharmacy. I’m going to look around.”

An Jing’s heart sank. He picked up the oil paper umbrella from the shelf and walked out.

“Where are you going?”

At this moment, Zhao Qingmei walked in with a basket of vegetables.

An Jing looked at Zhao Qingmei and said, “I was thinking you’ve not returned after more than four hours…”

“Darling, don’t worry.”

Zhao Qingmei chuckled and said, “Are you still afraid that something will happen to me? I’ll be fine.”

“Of course I’m scared.”

“Miss, you’re back.”

Tan Yun quickly stepped forward and grabbed the basket. She then looked at the paper in Zhao Qingmei’s hand and asked, “What’s that in your hand?”

“It was distributed in the notice board. It seems like Cao Gang’s expert wants to challenge that mysterious swordsman.”

Zhao Qingmei handed the piece of paper to Tan Yun and said with a smile, “I found it interesting, so I brought one back.”

“Show me, miss.”

Tan Yun received the white paper and then laughed loudly. “Cao Gang’s people actually used this method to challenge that peerless swordsman.”

“Yeah, it’s very interesting.”

“I don’t think anyone will call this swordsman a peerless swordsman in the future. He should be called the Pighead Swordsman.”

“Hahahaha.”

…

“What is it? Let me take a look too.”

An Jing looked at the two of them talking and laughing. He also turned his head and asked.

“Tan Yun, come with me to cook.”

When Zhao Qingmei saw An Jing walking over, she handed the paper slip to him and walked towards the kitchen.

“Yes.”

Tan Yun stuck out her tongue at An Jing and followed him.

An Jing picked up the paper on the table and took a look.

It turned out that the Cao Gang wanted to challenge him and they were searching for him everywhere. They sounded harsh and their words carried a bit of provocation.

These paper slips must have spread throughout the entire Yuzhou City. Their goal was to force him to appear.

“This is too low-level.”

An Jing looked at the piece of paper in his hand and shook his head. This kind of provocation could only be used against a few inexperienced kids.

As he spoke, he crushed the paper slip in his hand and threw it into the paper basket.

“Doctor Xiao An…”

At that moment, a person who was wrapped tightly walked in sneakily.

An Jing looked at the person and asked doubtfully, “You are…?”

“I… I’m Zhou Xianming.”

That person took off the bamboo hat that was wrapped around his body and spoke with a sobbing tone.

Looking at Zhou Xianming, An Jing was stunned.

His face was bruised and swollen, and his face looked like a pig’s head, as if he had changed into another person. Even though An Jing recognized Zhou Xianming, he still could not recognize him from his facial features. This showed how serious his injuries were.

“What… what’s wrong with you?” An Jing gulped.

“I… I don’t know either. When I came out early in the morning, I was weapped in a sack. Then, the fists began to strike me like a storm and flew towards my head and knocked me unconscious. When I woke up, I found myself like this.”

Zhou Xianming said with tears in his eyes, “Doctor An, they hit me so hard, sob sob…”

An Jing could tell from Zhou Xianming’s expression that his injuries must have hurt.

Who was so heartless!?

From the looks of it, his grudge with Zhou Xianming was not small.

“Doctor An, who do you think I’ve offended recently? Why is God so unfair to me?”

The more Zhou Xianming spoke, the more his heart ached. When he thought about his recent unhappy life, his cries became even louder.

“Stop crying.”

An Jing patted Zhou Xianming’s shoulder and sighed helplessly.

Logically speaking, who would go against a poor scholar like him?

This old man must have provoked someone. Could it be related to the martial arts practitioner from last night?

“Who is it!?”

Upon hearing her cries, Zhao Qingmei walked out of the backyard..