"Village Head, this is terrible, Li Huai is here!" A man with strabismus saw Li Huai from a distance and hurried to report to the Village Head.
This man with strabismus was named Zhang Yitang, and he was a close relative of the Village Head Zhang Lao Er. He grew up stealing chickens and dogs, and even now, he had not changed this bad habit. His reputation in Xiaobaikou Village was as bad as Li Huai's. He feared Li Huai, and not just a little fear; he was terrified.
Why?
In the past, Li Huai had a large yellow dog that suddenly went missing. Li Huai searched the whole village and ultimately found Zhang Yitang cooking dog meat at home?!
"Damn it! This cockeyed fool killed my Da Huang and had the nerve to eat its meat?" Li Huai flew into a rage, beating up Zhang Yitang.
But he was not satisfied. Following that, whenever Li Huai missed Da Huang, he would beat Zhang Yitang. If he was in a bad mood, he would still beat Zhang Yitang up. Whenever he accidentally saw him on the street, he would also hit him. Thus, Zhang Yitang was terrified of Li Huai.
Now, not only seeing Li Huai but even hearing others mention Li Huai would frighten him into wetting his pants.
The bride had just arrived, and Stupid San of Zhang Lao Er's family was smiling from ear to ear, ready to go through the wedding ceremony. Upon hearing that Li Huai was present, it was like a scene of invaders marching into the village.
"Oh no! I forgot to inform this little devil!" Zhang Lao Er hurried to the door. With a slight limp, he barely avoided tripping over the doorstep. When he saw Li Huai about to start a fire next to a pile of firewood, he was startled. The firewood pile was beside his house; if Li Huai set fire to it, his house could be burned down. "Young Master, don't do this, absolutely can't do this," he pleaded.
"Humph! Zhang Lao Er, your Stupid San is getting married, the whole village knows, but not me. You look down on me, how am I supposed to get by in Xiaobaikou Village? Unless you help me save face, otherwise, I'll burn down your house!" Li Huai angrily threatened.
"Young Master, I was too busy and forgot to notify you. I'm getting old, my memory is not that good, do not blame Uncle. Uncle will compensate you. Go eat. You have a table all to yourself with good meat and good wine, alright?" Zhang Lao Er pleaded.
Sigh! Even as the head of the village, he could do nothing about this troublemaker.
"That's more like it!" Li Huai grumbled, and extinguished the flame in his hand. Only then did everyone breathe a sigh of relief.
The wedding continued. The couple was about to bow to each other when Li Huai approached and lifted the bride's veil. When he saw her, his eyes shone, "This woman is beautiful!"
Indeed, the bride was as beautiful as a fairy, fresh and refined, with a divine beauty that was breathtaking, causing people to marvel at her.
Her dark, thick, curly hair was natural, not permed. Her small face was delicate, her skin was as smooth as ice and snow, and beneath her elegant brows, a pair of eyes were achingly beautiful. A noble nose, rosy cheeks and full lips were uplifted at the corner, adding a touch of charm and allure.
She was soft, yet not weak like other women.
Before he saw her, Li Huai thought Yang Hua was the most beautiful woman in the world. But after seeing her, Yang Hua could only be the second most beautiful woman around.
Exactly, even the most beautiful widow of Xiaobaikou Village seemed plain in front of this bride.
Li Huai also found that this bride was different from the other women in the village. She was less charming and more elegant.
However, for some reason, the bride's perfectly beautiful face was devoid of emotion, and she would occasionally furrow her brow. Her eyes, which should have been sparkling, were devoid of spirit. She appeared confused and dazed.
Could it be that she truly is a beautiful fool of a wife?
Zhang Lao'er, seeing the situation was going south, hurried forward and asked, "Li Huai, uncle knows of a beauty in the neighboring village. She's a real stunner. What do you say if I take you to propose to her someday?"
"No need!" Li Huai grabbed the bride's hand, "Zhang Lao'er, I've taken a fancy to this woman. Let your son marry the beauty from the next village and leave this woman to me."
Just knew it! Li Huai's arrival wasn't without its mischief; this rascal actually wanted to steal the bride? This miniature calamity truly knows no limits!
"Wa!" Stupid San, although not entirely witless—at least he understood that someone was trying to make off with his wife—squatted on the ground bawling, "Zhang Lao'er, you old turtle, I want to marry, I want to marry!"
Stupid San, what can you say about him? Whatever Li Huai taught him, he would learn. And now, not only does he call his father Zhang Lao'er, but he even curses him as an old tortoise. The villagers, although cursing Li Huai's shamelessness, couldn't help but to chuckle.
"Have you lost your mind?!" Zhang Lao'er kicked his foolish son several times. It was truly dementing, asking his own son if he was stupid! He was very angry, exceedingly angry—but he dared not refuse Li Huai's demand outright. If he did, he wouldn't see a peaceful day in the village ever again. "Li Huai, you see, it wasn't easy for this Stupid San to get a wife. Could you not take her away from him?"
Zhang Lao'er was worried about the fifty thousand yuan he paid as a bride price. It was the real stuff, silver and gold, given before the wedding. If the bride were taken away by Li Huai, it would be akin to having fifty thousand yuan washed away. Fifty thousand yuan is not a small sum. It nearly emptied his coffers, how could he not fret over it?
Besides, which woman would want to marry an idiot? Zhang Lao'er didn't want to watch him stay a bachelor for the rest of his life. It would lose him face.
Since he knew no woman would want to marry an idiot, how did his son get this wife?
They said she was from the neighboring village, but he knew better than anyone, that family did not have a single daughter. Suddenly, they claim there's a maiden ripe for marriage? Moreover, she seemed unperturbed by son's condition, which made her all the more suspicious. She could even be a kidnapped bride!
Despite knowing this, he had to feign ignorance for his son's sake.
"No can do!" Li Huai continued, "Zhang Lao'er, I won't take this woman without offering something in return. I can cure Stupid San's idiocy. What do you think?"
"What? You know how to heal?" Zhang Lao'er was stupefied. He had known Li Huai to wreak havoc for years, but never once had he heard that Li Huai could heal.
The Ingenious Eighteen Hammers technique that Li Huai learned wasn't haphazardly used. It needed to be coupled with Inner Strength. As it consumed a great amount of Inner Strength, Old Man Wuming told him not to use it recklessly unless he mastered the second form of the Frost Fist.
Only last night, Li Huai managed to break through to the second form. Before this, he had never used the Ingenious Eighteen Hammers technique to heal anyone. Naturally, nobody would know about this skill.
"There's nothing Li Huai can't do," Li Huai said.
Dream on! Even the specialists at the Provincial Hospital don't have this skill. You think Li Huai does?
"Alright, Li Huai, if you can cure my son's idiocy, the woman is yours. But if you can't, you will sit down, eat your meal, and stop stirring trouble," Zhang Lao'er said.
If Li Huai truly could cure Stupid San's condition, losing a wife wasn't the end of the world. Of course, Zhang Lao'er didn't believe that Li Huai had such abilities. But whatever the outcome, Zhang Lao'er felt he wouldn't be at a loss.
"Deal!" Li Huai exclaimed gleefully in his heart, then turned and planted a kiss on the bride's face, "Wife, don't worry. I'll be taking you home soon!"