Chapter 73

After the scene of the whole family, Ling Jingxuan became famous again. All kinds of versions of rumors were widely spread in the village before dark, but unlike previous blindly criticizing Ling Jingxuan, this time, a lot of people secretly whispering the whole old Ling family’s being unreasonable, especially that unreasonable old woman. Soon Ling Qiyun let Ling Chenglong send Ling Jingxuan ten jin of wheat flour, ten jin of rice, also two jin of pork, but the old woman bringing her daughter-in-law and daughter to break into other’s personal residence still aroused people’s reproaching.

While on Ling Jingxuan’s side, usually words like monster, son of a bitch or other swearing words would always appear along with his name. In the past five years, the villagers bullied him as they wanted, or beat him as they wanted. The way they looked at him was forever with contempt and disdain, but after this thing, when the villagers talked about him again, fear significantly added to their eyes. Ling Jingxuan slapped his third uncle’s wife in public and taught that whole Ling family a lesson left an indelible shadow in their hearts. Especially that Ling Chenghu already got knocked over before he could get close to Ling Jingxuan. Anyone who saw that would feel his heart shuddering whenever they remembered it. Even in their heart they were even surer he is a monster, no dare ever dare bully or beat him again since then.

However, these seemingly had nothing to do with Ling Jingxuan. After those people’s drama, originally ample time became much tighter. The brothers didn’t prepare the one hundred jars of jam before midnight. He even forgot about Yan Shengrui, it was the two buns who sent him the medicine. Perhaps because Yan Shengrui protected them today, the two buns changed their attitude toward him significantly. Though the big bun was still feeling u ncomfortable, he no longer picked on him, and since the small bun was simple and naïve, he completely forgot the words of his daddy and elder brother, dangling before Yan Shengrui all night, playing jokes from time to time, and sometimes curious asking this and that. It didn’t take long for the father and sons to get on well with each other.

“You know, after my big brother was abandoned by the family, it took him whole five years to finally walk out of the shadow. Now he finally turns normal. I don’t care who you are, or what noble status you own, if you dare bully him again, I will fight you till my last breath!”

In the night, Ling Jingpeng, who had spent the whole night making jam, stayed over. He was lying in a corner of the straw stack, black, skinny but healthy body only wearing a pair of white underpants, upper body naked, only a thin robe covering his belly. Five years ago, he was only nine years old. Even if he wanted, he could do nothing. But now was different. He dare not say a word about his family when they tried to bully his big brother. But if an outsider tried to bully his big brother, he wouldn’t agree.

“Tell me that when you are strong enough.”

By moonlight, he glanced at Ling Jingpeng at the other end of the room. Yan Shengrui said in a deep voice, no angry feeling, just telling the truth. The fourteen years old Ling Jingpeng may have grown up, but in front of him, there was no doubt that he was just a small child, so his threats was only a child’s play, no deterrence at all.

“I will.”

Almost integrated with the night, those black eyes shot out firm light, lying on the straw, Ling Jingpeng’s fists were clenching tightly, not only for his big brother, and for his parents and the two nephews, he had to become stronger for them, until one day no one would no longer hurt or bully them.

What Ling Jingpeng didn’t know was that martial arts practitioners could identity things at night. Borrowing the moonlight, his impression all fell into Yan Shengrui’s sharp eyes. For this, Yan Shengrui only gave a faint smile, no longer gave any of his thoughts. Protecting Ling Jingxuan and the two kids is his expectations, and also his. Even if someone he regained his memories and remembered the past, he would never forget about his expectations at the moment.

The next day, Ling Jingxuan still got up early, made a few rounds in the yard several times routinely, and Ling Jingpeng who also got up early almost was done with the breakfast.

“Ge, why are you running every day early in the morning?”

Seeing that the small bun also spontaneously run around the yard after getting up, Ling Jingpeng can not help but wondering. Aren’t they feeling hot?

“Haha…just taking some exercise, Xiaowen and Xiaowu will practice Taichi after running, if you are interested, you can let them teach you. We can have breakfast after that.”

He took over the towel Jingpeng handed to him to wipe off the sweat, then said as he walked to the cart in the yard, which had been placed four big buckets on.

“No, ge, I’ll go with you.”

Afraid that he may not be able to move them alone, Ling Jingpeng took the initiative to move over, but Ling Jingxuan froze a bit, then smiled back at him, “I can do this alone, if you got nothing to do, you can decoct the herbs and send it to Jinghan later.”

He did not want to let him find the Crescent Spring thing, which had nothing to do with trust issue, simply feeling unnecessary. If he had to give a reason, it should be the same why he didn’t want to tell the two little buns. Some things, he should take it to himself. He didn’t want to get anyone involved.

“All right, and don’t you catch too much. They would send people to collect the jam. Remember? It would be bad if we are both away.”

Ling Jingpeng also did not insist, his big brother was important, so was his second elder brother. He also hoped that the second elder brother’s disease could get better as soon as possible.

“I know. Xiaowen, you two, don’t run for too long. You have to practice taichi later.”

Ling Jingxuan, who was pulling the wooden handcart out, saw that the two buns were turning a corner, with the cubs he usually tied in the backyard following behind. As usual, the cubs immediately howled on seeing him, like it was going to pounce over to kill him, making him sweat every time. When will the two cubs forget about the fact that he killed their mother?

“Oh, dad, you are going to catch fish again? Don’t go to too deep places.”

“Daddy!”

The big bun was still so nagging as before, like a little old man. The wounds on his face, after he took the medicine Ling Jingxuan prescribed and the Crescent Spring water, got healed a lot. And the small bun happily ran over and held his leg. Both of them revealed two white front teeth, and their almost the same faces were already sweating after a long time running. But the smile didn’t show any exhausting feeling. Having run for a few days, they gradually got used to and kind of liked this morning exercise.

“Well, the swelling has gone down. Don’t forget to apply the ointment after running.”

Kneading the head of the small bun and then the big bun’s swollen cheeks, Ling Jingxuan bent over to pull up the handcart again.

Two buns obediently nodded and didn’t start running again after watching their daddy disappear in the distance. And the two cubs also frisked by their side. Facing the rising red sun, two buns and two cubs kept running around the yard one circle after another tirelessly. The sweat wetted their clothes but not their will, also made them stronger.