Li Huai came up to Stupid San, dropping his usual goofiness and looking extremely serious.
Upon witnessing this, everyone thought, could this little rascal really cure illnesses?
No way!
This mischief-maker must be pretending, perhaps he's plotting something to steal Stupid San's wife.
Unmoved by people's doubts, Li Huai patted Stupid San on the forehead a few times, identifying that three vital points—the baihui acupoint, the Shenting acupoint, and the temples—were blocked by illness. The intensity of the disease made Li Huai somewhat unsure of himself.
After all, he had only mastered the first three strikes of the Ingenious Eighteen Hammers. No matter, the effectiveness could only be determined once the treatment was given.
Nobody noticed that a faint white mist had begun to emanate from Li Huai's right hand. He was channeling his energy.
Once he felt ready, he non-stop patted the three Death Acupoints on Stupid San. He was healing, not fighting, so his touch was gentle and Stupid San didn't feel any pain.
A few minutes later, Li Huai suddenly withdrew his hand. From Stupid San's three blocked points, a puff of murky, dark yellow energy was drawn out and immediately dissipated into the air. Before long, the originally dull eyes of Stupid San became bright.
Li Huai wiped the large beads of sweat from his forehead, took a deep breath, and announced, "Done!"
Done? Is Li Huai saying that Stupid San's idiocy is cured?
Zhang Lao'er was skeptical but noticed something different about his son. He decided to test him by asking, "Son, what's your name?"
"My name is Zhang Tiezhu," Stupid San answered.
Everyone was amazed to hear this. Ever since Stupid San became idiotic, not only did he fail to recognize his parents, but he also did not know who he himself was.
But now, he can say his own name? Moreover, his tone is no longer foolish, but normal. Could his stupidity really have been cured by the little mischief-maker?
Zhang Lao'er nearly burst into tears of excitement and asked, "Son, who am I?"
"You're my dad, who else could you be?" Zhang Tiezhu felt as if he'd been asleep for a long time. It struck him as odd, however, that when he had awakened, his father was asking him these strange questions. What had happened?
"What about him?"
"My uncle."
"And her?"
"My aunt."
"Where does our family live? How many years of education have you received? How many siblings do you have?"
"We live in Xiaobaikou Village in Wolong Mountain Town, Liang County, Yangnan City, Jizhou Province. I have spent…"
No matter what Zhang Lao'er asked, Stupid San could respond clearly and logically. It was a miracle! Without injections, without medicine, just by patting and tapping on Stupid San, the little nuisance had actually cured Stupid San's idiocy?
"Zhang Lao'er, I'm taking the bride!" Li Huai then left with the bride, swaggering off in his usual fashion.
Although he was still reluctant to part with the fifty thousand yuan bride price, his son's illness was healed. Besides, what he had just said earlier was in front of all the villagers. He couldn't go back on his word. Therefore, all he could do was watch helplessly as Li Huai took the bride away.
However, just as Li Huai left, Stupid San began acting foolish and crazy again. He was dazed and incoherent, even cursing at Zhang Lao'er and calling him a bastard. What happened? He was just cured, why did he suddenly become stupid again?
Indeed, you can't trust the word of a little troublemaker!
Tears welled up in Zhang Lao'er's eyes; he felt he had been completely deceived, "Li Huai, you damned bastard, return my wife to me!"
Li Huai was living in the dilapidated temple at the entrance of the village. However, by the time Zhang Lao'er and his men reached the temple, there was no sign of Li Huai. Humph! The monk can run away, but the temple can't. Zhang Lao'er would get his wife back for his fool of a son sooner or later.
Instead of returning to the temple, Li Huai took his wife to a cave in the back mountain. The old man who taught him martial arts and medical skills used to live in that cave before his disappearance.
A year ago, the old man vanished without a word. Where he had gone, Li Huai did not know. He hasn't heard from the old man in a year, and the old man hasn't returned to check on him either.
Although Li Huai is only sixteen this year, he's been smoking for nearly two years. The habit was also introduced by the old man, who used to say that a man who doesn't drink or smoke can't be considered a man. Consequently, Li Huai began smoking and learned to drink.
Li Huai began by making a small pile of dirt. He then took out three cigarettes that looked as wilted as cucumbers from his pocket, lit them, and planted them into the dirt pile.
"Old man, I don't know whether you are dead or alive. I've got some good news. I'm married. Yes, she's the one next to me, isn't she beautiful? I'm an orphan and no one in the village likes me. Others honor heaven, earth, and their parents, I honor heaven, earth, and you."
Most people's weddings are bustling with firecrackers and drums, decorated with lanterns and colored banners, with a room full of guests. Li Huai's wedding, however, was bleak and dreary, leaving him feeling a bit desolate.
"Wife, come on, kowtow to the old man. Once we do, we are officially a couple."
This wife of his neither cries nor laughs, she can't even speak. It seems she's not only a simpleton but a mute as well. That said, as long as she's pretty, it doesn't matter. Besides, her big buttocks indicated that she could definitely give birth to boys.
With his wife being so rigid, Li Huai had to pull her to kowtow to the old man.
As the sun set, Li Huai took his wife back to the run-down temple. On such a momentous day, they naturally needed to eat something good. But being broke, Li Huai went and bagged a chicken from the neighbor's house, and also took a bottle of liquor.
His wife didn't touch the delicious Beggar's Chicken. Li Huai ate half of it and saved the other half for her.
A man not only needs to pamper his wife but also to listen to her, to hand over all his earnings to her. Whether the wife is right or wrong, she is always correct. At least in front of others, he can trick them however he wants.
In front of his wife, however, he must behave and be honest. This was a rule Li Huai had set for himself before he got married. Now that he was married, he stuck to it.
When the night grew deep and quiet, it was time for their wedding night. Li Huai even took a bath in the pond behind the temple. When he returned clean, and saw his wife still lying in bed, he felt extremely happy. Wiping the drool from his mouth, he lay down beside his wife, only to feel frustrated when he realized he didn't know what to do at the critical moment.
"Li Huai, Li Huai, this isn't like you. Besides, she's your wife. Damn it, what are you afraid of, go for it!"
Li Huai grabbed his wife's soft, tender hand, and his heart fluttered. His wicked eyes fell on her ample chest. He had seen it plenty of times before but had never touched it. He didn't know what it would feel like.
Just as Li Huai was about to touch it, a small hand appeared out of nowhere and swatted his hand away. His wife abruptly sat up and even started speaking, "Don't touch me, stay away!"
Li Huai was taken aback. Wasn't she supposed to be a simple-minded mute? But it seemed like she was definitely not that.
Li Huai couldn't help feeling thrilled. She was not only beautiful but wasn't mentally impaired or mute either. In that case, he had hit the jackpot. Although his wife seemed a little fierce, if he behaved obediently, she would surely lighten up.
"Wife, don't be angry, you won't look pretty when you're upset," Li Huai said.
"I'm not your wife!" The woman glared at Li Huai and gave a queen-like order, "Go, get me something to eat and drink!"
"Okay!" Li Huai happily brought over the half-eaten Beggar's Chicken and a bowl of water. The woman devoured the chicken as soon as she received it. Her hunger made Li Huai feel distressed, "Wife, eat slowly, no one's going to snatch your food. If it's not enough, I'll get more for you."
"Don't you understand human language? I'm not your wife. My name is Liu Xiangli, and I was sold here by human traffickers. If they hadn't drugged me, I would rather die than let them manipulate me!" Liu Xiangli gritted her teeth; she would not let those traffickers off.