As Xiao Yu was about to walk past them, the white-haired man lifted his leg to kick him.
"Don't ask me what that was for. I just don't like you," said the white-haired man while showing an arrogant smile. As far as these two were concerned, it was nothing for them to beat up someone on the street, so long as they didn't beat them to death. If that happened, they would have no choice but to run away again.
Xiao Yu had the chance to evade the kick, but he didn't. With a grunt, Xiao Yu pulled on the white-haired man's foot, causing him to stagger. After balancing himself, Xiao Yu bumped into the white-haired man's arm with his shoulder. At the same time, his fingers moved swiftly as a cold glow glistened around the fingertips of Xiao Yu's right hand. If one observed closely, they would have been able to see a sharp razor about one centimeter long. The razor was so sharp that the jeans worn by the white-haired man were easily slashed before the razor suddenly disappeared. If the scene were to be witnessed by a regular person, they would have thought it was merely an illusion.
Xiao Yu fell on the ground, holding his shoulder with his hand. The white-haired man held his arm with his hand as well, gasping.
In the eyes of the onlookers, this was merely an accident. The white-haired man kicked Xiao Yu first, then Xiao Yu lost his balance and grabbed the foot that had kicked him with his left hand. As he stood up, Xiao Yu bumped into the white-haired man's arm and fell to the ground. That was all that had happened, and nobody had seen what Xiao Yu's right fingers were doing.
"You son of a b*tch, how dare you fight back!" The white-haired man grew more enraged after Xiao Yu bumped into his arm. He kicked Xiao Yu a few more times.
Seeing the white-haired man upset, the man in the tattered jeans went over to help out and vented his anger out on Xiao Yu. Xiao Yu quickly protected his hands because he didn't want them to be injured even if his body was to be wounded. The pain on his back was bearable since he was accustomed to it.
"Forget it. Don't kick him to death. Piece of garbage isn't worth the effort," said the man in the tattered jeans. As he saw Xiao Yu's body twitch, he pulled the white-haired man back slightly.
The white-haired man gave Xiao Yu a few more kicks. Seeing Xiao Yu curled up in the fetal position with no intention of fighting back, he found it depressing and lost interest.
"You little rascal! Remember to behave yourself next time." The white-haired man shook his shoulders a few times, feeling a lot more pleased after beating Xiao Yu up.
"Should we go see that beautiful doctor? She is such a good-looking woman, especially those bazongas and that ass… tsk, tsk. I'd shorten my life ten years if I could bang her," the man in the tattered jeans said exaggeratedly after swallowing some saliva. His mind wandered to the image of the beautiful female doctor in the snow-white overcoat. It was a sight that could easily make someone have impure thoughts.
"Is that true? She'd better not turn out to be a freaking second-rate broad." Seeing the bewildered look on the other man's face, the white-haired man felt somewhat interested.
"I can guarantee this time that she is definitely first-rate material. No... not first-rate… a top-class broad. If that beautiful doctor is a rose, then those working in the night clubs are a pile of stinky dog sh*t," said the tattered-jeans man confidently.
Looking dubiously at the white-haired man, the other man said, "Let's go take a look then."
The white-haired man and the man in the tattered jeans went on ahead, ignoring Xiao Yu.
Xiao Yu sat up and wiped off the blood trickling down from the corner of his mouth. He sneered while looking at the back of the two men, fixing his sight on the white-haired man's pants. The bottom of the pocket on the white-haired man's pants had an imperceptible slit of about three or four centimeters. If one didn't look carefully, they would not have been able to see it. As a matter of fact, the white-haired man's pocket had already been emptied.
Xiao Yu got up and charged toward the two men. Xiao Yu staggered a few times after he pushed the two with all his strength. Having let their guard down, they fell heavily. As Xiao Yu and the two men made brief contact, the cold glow between Xiao Yu's fingers flashed one more time. A long and thin cut was left on the other man's pocket as a few things dropped into Xiao Yu's hand.
Xiao Yu didn't expect to procure them so easily. A faint smile grew at the corners of his mouth.
"What the hell! Do you have a friggin' death wish?!" The two men struggled to get up after they were suddenly attacked. It was by this time that Xiao Yu had already dashed into the distance like a flying arrow.
The white-haired man and the tattered-jeans man started to chase after Xiao Yu. But they had spent most of their energy on women. How could they catch up to Xiao Yu, who was quite young? It only took a few moments for Xiao Yu to distance himself from them.
Xiao Yu disappeared after entering a throng of people on the crowded street.
"This rascal high-tailed it so damn fast and just vanished." The white-haired man waved his hand a few times while breathing heavily. "I can't run anymore," he said while gasping.
"If I see him again, I will beat him within an inch of his life," the man in the tattered jeans swore while looking at Xiao Yu's disappearing form.
Looking behind him, Xiao Yu realized they hadn't caught up to him. He looked at his hands reflexively. He had acted very quickly and very precisely so that the white-haired man and the other man wouldn't notice. It would take them a long time before they realized that their money had been stolen. On the other hand, the two must have done many evil things before, so they got what was coming to them. Thinking about all of it, Xiao Yu felt a sensation of tremendous achievement, but this slight feeling of achievement was why Xiao Yu was so indecisive as to whether or not he should be a thief.
Xiao Yu was a thief and a pretty skilled one at that; he was a thief who lived a hard but simple life.
Thieves had to follow certain morals.
This motto made Xiao Yu feel like he had the air of a knight.
Xiao Yu reached his right hand into his pocket and felt the thickness, quality and number of the paper money. His hand could accurately count it, almost like a machine—it was 1300. He smiled faintly. Though it was not much, it was nevertheless enough for him and Little Rain to live on for several months if they spent the money frugally.
When he passed by the Roasted Duck Restaurant, Xiao Yu halted, enticed by the aromatic scent of the roasted ducks. After taking a glance at the restaurant by the street, it occurred to Xiao Yu that he should buy some food for Little Rain to add some nutrition to her diet. He then headed toward the Roasted Duck Restaurant.
As he walked up the steps, he felt a sudden pain in his back that made him grit his teeth. The pain was caused by him aggravating his wounds. Those two men had kicked him pretty hard.
After walking into the Roasted Duck Restaurant, Xiao Yu saw the owner of the restaurant—a fat, short middle-aged man, who was busy wrapping up a roasted duck for a customer.
"Boss, bring me a roasted duck," said Xiao Yu while withstanding the sharp pain in his back. His gaze drifted over to a poster on the wall.
The Legend of Enzes? Was this a new game created by the Heaven and Earth Company?
It was hard to find a job nowadays. Many of the university graduates couldn't even find one, much less Xiao Yu, who hadn't graduated from high school and who had a record of bad behavior. He suddenly came up with the idea of becoming a professional video game player. It was said that some people made a lot of money as professional players when "The Primeval Era" was popular.
"Maybe I can become a professional video game player and make some money to support my family. That way, I wouldn't need to steal to make a living," Xiao Yu thought to himself.
Xiao Yu checked the date and found that the Legend of Enzes would be tested publicly in three days. The game was to be released on March 25th! But when Xiao Yu looked at the bottom part of the poster, he couldn't help but freeze, a bitter smile forming on his face. A regular helmet could easily cost ten thousand yuan! There was no way Xiao Yu was going to spend so much on a helmet! Ten thousand yuan was enough for him and Little Rain to live on for a year!
"Your roasted duck is ready," the fat, short middle-aged man said as he handed the wrapped roasted duck to Xiao Yu.
Taking the roasted duck from the man's hands, Xiao Yu could feel the heat coming off of it, and the aromatic scent made his mouth water.
"Thank you very much," he said to the man.
"Haha. You're welcome, young man," said the man with a faint smile. He liked this young man from the bottom of his heart because he had often seen Xiao Yu help out elderly people on the street. It was rare to spot someone as kind as him these days.
Xiao Yu left the Roasted Duck Restaurant and headed home. He had to travel through much of the city to get there.
Xiao Yu finally arrived home after walking on the long streets covered in stone slabs. Little Rain was not home because it was still early, and school was not over yet. Xiao Yu looked around the room and found that his home was mostly empty. A few items in the room were arranged neatly by Little Rain. This wooden house gave him a sense of home and warmth, even though it was dilapidated, and water would drip down from the roof each time it rained.
Thinking of the sweet smile on Little Rain's face, Xiao Yu felt a warmth in his heart. He set down the roasted duck on the table.
Hiss!!!
A sharp pain shot up his back as Xiao Yu took off his clothes gingerly.
If someone saw him, they would have been shocked by what they saw: Ugly wounds were all over Xiao Yu's body, with hundreds of cuts varying in size. His abdomen and chest had many scars, most of which could have taken his life. However, Xiao Yu didn't die, and instead, he had survived and grown stronger over time. These scars were proof of how Xiao Yu had been struggling over the years.
Xiao Yu glanced at the new wounds on his abdomen. He found many dark bruises that were caused by the men kicking him with their leather boots. They kicked him pretty hard, and the wounds on his back must be even worse than these on his abdomen. If Xiao Yu hadn't been physically strong, he would have had to crawl back home.
"I should go see a doctor, or else Little Rain will be worried," he thought. He put on his clothes and walked out of the room, heading into the distance.
The place where Xiao Yu resided was a shantytown in Xiu City. A Red Cross Hospital operated by the government was not far from his home. It was free to get treatment there, and all the doctors in the hospital were volunteers and were usually very friendly. Most of the wounds Xiao Yu had sustained were treated at this hospital.
Xiao Yu headed toward the hospital. Though it was not a large hospital, it was a godsend for the residents living in the slums. The poor residents around the hospital regarded the doctors there with great respect, and their gratitude was expressed from the bottom of their hearts.
"Little Xiao, did you fight with somebody again? Why are you always so short-tempered? It's truly a strange thing; you're usually not so hot-headed, so why do you often get involved in fights?" Madam Wu, at the reception desk, recognized Xiao Yu right away. This was understandable because Xiao Yu was sometimes seen there, and he always had wounds that needed treatment. As a result, Madam Wu, who was responsible for receiving the patients, knew him very well.
"Hmm," answered Xiao Yu, but he didn't explain further.
"Hey, Little Rain hasn't come here in a while. I kind of miss her. Ask her to come to see Madam Wu next time," she said. She showed a motherly expression on her face when she talked about Little Rain.
"She is fine. She often mentions you," said Xiao Yu. Thinking of what Little Rain said this morning, he couldn't help but show a bitter smile.
"I knew it. I like her very much. She is obedient and considerate, and she knows how to take care of people." Whenever Madam Wu talked about Little Rain, she would smile broadly. She glared at Xiao Yu while saying, "She is not like you. You always make trouble and fight."
"Madam, I'll go get my wounds treated now," Xiao Yu said while getting up. He was well aware that Madam Wu would keep on talking if he didn't leave right away.
"Wait a second. Dr. Wang is away on business, and he's the one who treats you, but I found you another doctor—Dr. Zhao." This Red Cross Hospital was not as well-organized as the others. They would usually contact a random doctor for the sick and wounded. A nurse would be enough to handle the minor wounds Xiao Yu sustained. However, Madam Wu offered him special treatment and found the best doctor in the hospital for him.
"Thank you very much, Madam."
"Dr. Zhao is a good person. She is friendly and pretty, and an honored graduate student from med school. Many young men at the hospital are chasing her… what? Where is he?" Madam Wu looked around and didn't find a trace of Xiao Yu.
"He must have left," she thought to herself. Madam Wu shook her head and complained with a faint smile, "That little troublemaker."
Xiao Yu walked toward the deepest part of the hospital. After passing a long corridor and rounding a corner, he arrived at the place instructed by Madam Wu.
"Where is that pretty female doctor you mentioned?"
"Wait a little. We'll be there soon. You're too impatient today. I promise, she really is a beauty. You won't be able to eat for a few days after you see her. No, my bad. I should say that you won't think of eating and drinking… yeah, that's the saying: not thinking of food or water."
Hearing the voice, the expression on Xiao Yu's face changed a bit. This was truly like the saying: "enemies are always meeting each other in a narrow alley." Xiao Yu thought that he was being quite careful, but yet he still ran into these two men, even though the place he first bumped into them was on the other side of the city. Xiao Yu couldn't help but admit that this world was truly small.
The two men were coming towards him, and Xiao Yu was so worried that he turned and left through an exit door in the corridor. He suddenly felt an impact on his chest. It turned out that he had bumped into somebody. The other person was almost knocked over by him. Xiao Yu grabbed the hand of the other person, but the person stumbled into his chest as he had pulled with too much force.
Xiao Yu also discovered that the person's chest was very soft, indicating that she was female.
The other person cried out in surprise, but Xiao Yu quickly covered her mouth with his hand.
When Xiao Yu looked at the other person's face, he was shocked. She was almost as old as he was but wore the uniform of a doctor. Her beautiful hair was tied up behind her in a ponytail. Though she didn't have any make-up on, she was nevertheless very appealing. She was about 1.7 meters tall, and her eyebrows and small nose were so pretty that words were inadequate to describe them. She had a pale face so tender that water could possibly be squeezed out of it. At the moment, she was glaring at him with wide eyes.
This female doctor had a steady state of mind. She didn't appear startled because the expression in her eyes was fairly calm. She placed her right hand on Xiao Yu's right wrist after she steadied herself.
Xiao Yu was taken aback. It occurred to him that the pose she held was for attacking. If he was to do anything further, would this female doctor launch a counterattack?
"Shh." Xiao Yu found that he was still covering her face with his hand. The soft and smooth feeling of her lips on his fingers made his heart skip a beat. Xiao Yu's face flushed as he quickly pulled his hand back. He put a finger to his lips, gesturing for her to be silent and then pointed outside.
"That broad ain't here. Did she not show up for her shift today? Doesn't seem possible."
"You bastard, are you lying to me?!" The person swearing must be the white-haired man.
"That's impossible. Should we come back next time?"
The white-haired man and the man in the tattered jeans cursed some more as the sound of their footsteps slowly disappeared. Xiao Yu felt relieved. He took a look at the female doctor and found that she was also looking at him. Her eyes were as tranquil as serene lake water, and she displayed a noble and elegant air even though her clothes were plain and simple.
Her gaze made Xiao Yu feel a bit uncomfortable.
"They're bad guys, and it seems that they came here for you," said Xiao Yu indignantly. He didn't bump into her on purpose earlier. On the other hand, this female doctor was indeed pretty. Xiao Yu had never seen anyone as beautiful as she was. Still, Xiao Yu merely thought of all this fleetingly because he was fully aware that he had no chance of pursuing any females due to his poor family background. Whenever he saw a beautiful female, he always felt bad about himself, thinking that he was as insignificant as an insect. All he could do was look up at the butterflies dancing freely in the sky.
"Why are you here?" asked the female doctor. She didn't appear disoriented after what just happened to her. Instead, she was rather calm at the moment, something Xiao Yu hadn't expected.
"I'm here to see a doctor," Xiao Yu answered honestly. Xiao Yu was afraid of several types of people; one was teachers and the other was doctors. Even though she was about the same age as he was, Xiao Yu still answered her question uneasily, as if he were a primary school student being questioned by his teacher.
"What's your illness?" The female doctor had a mature and elegant air that was incompatible with her age, and her voice was very pleasant. Little Rain's voice was crisp, but also very gentle.
"I was attacked by those two men," said Xiao Yu. The answer explained why Xiao Yu was so nervous earlier. Having said this, Xiao Yu touched the tip of his nose reflexively.
"You're Xiao Yu, right? Come with me," said the female doctor after glancing over Xiao Yu. She then headed toward the infirmary room.
Looking at the back of the female doctor, Xiao Yu wondered how she knew his name.
He caught up to her. There was no doubt that her back looked wonderful. Her sexy body could vaguely be seen even though it was covered under a loose medical overcoat. This sight gave Xiao Yu an indescribable sensation.
Xiao Yu shook his head a few times to push away the wayward thoughts.
The two of them walked into the infirmary room.
"Where are you hurt?" inquired the female doctor while checking him out with her eyes. To her surprise, this boy was quite tall and physically robust. Her head could only reach his eyes even though she was rather tall herself. Judging by his pallid suit, he must come from a poor family. Otherwise, who would come to this hospital if they were rich?
"My stomach and back," answered Xiao Yu. Seeing her gaze fixed on his suit, Xiao Yu was hit with a feeling of low self-confidence again.
The female doctor sat down in a chair and started writing something with her head lowered.
"Take off your clothes," she commanded. "My name is Zhao Lanxin. You can call me Dr. Zhao. Madam Wu mentioned you to me. I'll be tending to your wounds, should you have any, while Dr. Wang is away."
Upon being commanded by someone of the same age, Xiao Yu blushed for the first time in his life and felt a little embarrassed. However, this was a hospital, so he shouldn't mind such a thing. After he pep talked himself, Xiao Yu took off his coat.
The fountain pen between Dr. Zhao's fingers halted as she lifted her head and looked at his body. Xiao Yu had a symmetrical and strong body with defined muscles. However, her eyes were not drawn to his muscles but the wounds on his body. The wounds numbered in the hundreds, and they were so dense that it was hard to find a patch of uninjured skin. Many of them were located on his chest and abdomen, lethal locations for wounds, which meant that he should be dead. What she couldn't wrap her head around was why Xiao Yu was still alive.