If You Dare Bully Me, I’ll Fight You to the Death
Su Jingyang was completely bewildered. Even if there really was nothing between Ah Li and Ah Yi, why did he have to bring up the matter of the jade pendant? Wouldn’t it have been better to just let the past stay in the past?
The more he thought about it, the stranger the whole thing felt from start to finish. After breaking free from Rong Ci’s grip, Su Jingyang mulled it over again and again, his thoughts in a complete mess, and finally decided to ask Ling Li.
Ling Li was tidying up in the kitchen. Without even turning his head, he spoke softly, “I… I was confused at the time. Because he could help Ah Xuan, I felt it wouldn’t be right not to give a gift on his birthday, so I thought of using your jade pendant as a substitute. Later, I realized that you’re Ah Xuan’s uncle. So it's the same if it came from you. That’s why I went to him and explained it clearly.”
Su Jingyang felt like he should believe him, yet something still felt off. He couldn’t shake the feeling that there was some kind of secret between those two.
From that day on, Ling Li and Ah Yi used their actions to prove just how distant their relationship truly was. It was even colder than when they had first met.
That sense of unfamiliarity wasn’t put on nor was there any trace of lingering emotion. Sometimes when they happened to run into each other, they would only exchange a polite nod, not a single word spoken.
It left Su Jingyang, who had previously seen the two of them as a pair, feeling like a complete idiot.
When System #1 had mentioned facilitating marriages, he had even planned to put in extra effort once Ah Yi returned, achieving two things at once. Now… he might as well forget it.
The weather grew increasingly cold. It rained continuously for several days, drip after drip. Su Jingyang’s roof started leaking, water dripping straight onto the bed, making it impossible to sleep.
Hugging his pillow, he went to squeeze onto Ling Li’s bed again. With the cold weather and more people crowded together, it was warmer. After the rain stopped and the roof was repaired, Su Jingyang still stayed and continued sleeping there.
Ah Xuan lay between the two of them, ears perked as he listened to the sound of rain outside. His big eyes blinked repeatedly, and no matter how Su Jingyang coaxed him, he refused to sleep.
“Go to sleep, go to sleep!” Putting a child to bed was truly a test of patience. Su Jingyang reached out and lightly pinched his cheek. Ah Xuan took it as play, grabbing Su Jingyang’s finger and stuffing it into his mouth to bite.
After biting once, he grinned and said happily, “Uncle, your hand tastes so good!”
After this trip back from Rongcheng, Su Jingyang hadn’t noticed anything different at first. Yet after several days passed, Ah Xuan slowly learned to use chopsticks on his own, his speech became a little clearer, and he would occasionally pick up a new word or two and blurt it out unexpectedly.
Both Su Jingyang and Ling Li were delighted. If Ah Xuan could really recover little by little like this, that would be wonderful.
Su Jingyang leaned over and let out a playful growl, pretending to bite him. “If you don’t sleep, Uncle’s going to eat you up!” Ah Xuan knew he was joking and laughed so hard he kicked the blanket off.
Su Jingyang tucked the blanket back around him, pulled him into his arms, and rubbed his head. “Go to sleep. Race Uncle and see who falls asleep first!”
Whenever Su Jingyang couldn’t coax him to sleep, this was his go-to trick. Ah Xuan pretended to sleep to win, his eyes still moving under his lids at first. Before long, he was truly fast asleep.
Su Jingyang succeeded every time. He let out a long sigh of relief, chuckled softly, kissed Ah Xuan’s rosy little cheek, then gently released his warm, soft body and tucked the blanket corners properly.
Only then did Su Jingyang look toward the inner side of the bed, where Ling Li lay quietly, his gaze unfocused and empty.
Ever since seeing Liu Yue’s parents begging for food at Lin’s Small Eatery earlier that day, Ling Li had been like this, his spirit completely unsettled.
At the time, Su Jingyang hadn’t known who they were. He had simply assumed they were ordinary beggars and served them some hot food. When he turned around, he saw Ling Li standing at the back courtyard entrance. His face was pale, eyes fixed on them, and his entire body exuding a bone-chilling coldness.
Su Jingyang immediately sensed something was wrong and rushed over to ask. Only then did he learn that the two ragged elderly people were Liu Yue’s parents, the culprits who had caused Ah Xuan’s condition and turned Ling Li into someone everyone scorned.
Su Jingyang’s guts twisted with regret. If those two hadn’t already left, he would’ve smashed the bowl in front of them. Even feeding it to dogs would’ve been better than giving it to them.
He promised Ling Li that if he ever saw them again, he would chase them away immediately. However, Ling Li stood there quietly, as if he had lost his soul and saying nothing.
Su Jingyang had heard before that Liu Yue’s parents were both ill and had been seeking treatment everywhere, which was why they hadn’t had the energy to harass Ling Li. Now that he’d seen them, it was clear they were doing terribly. Their clothes were thin and tattered, and they didn’t even have food to eat.
Su Jingyang firmly believed Ling Li regarding what happened back then. As for the specifics, he had his suspicions but never intended to ask.
Yet seeing Ling Li so distraught now, he couldn’t help but wonder whether his soft heart had been stirred by pity.
Perhaps because the food Su Jingyang gave was fresh and tasted good, the elderly couple found a sweet deal here. The very next day, they came back to beg for food again. Su Jingyang didn’t say a word. With a cold face, he drove them away. Even when they knelt, he ignored them.
Just as Su Jingyang turned to head back into the eatery, Liu Yue’s mother spat at him. Her cracked lips flapped as she hurled a string of resentful curses before dragging the sickly old man away. Su Jingyang was utterly speechless.
After giving them food the day before, he hadn’t received even a bit of gratitude energy, which he had found strange. Now it seemed they had taken his actions for granted. No gratitude when given and only curses when refused. Truly bizarre.
Su Jingyang thought that would be the end of it, but somehow someone with a loose mouth had been secretly watching Ling Li’s place and went to tell Liu Yue’s parents that meat smells drifted from the house every day now, that they wore new clothes, and that Ling Li must have come into money.
The Liu couple, who hadn’t shown up in a long time, immediately came to Ling Li’s home. They brought up old matters, demanded compensation, claimed their son’s life was owed, and blocked the front gate while throwing tantrums and refusing to leave.
Su Jingyang was so furious he grabbed a shovel, ready to drive them out, but Ling Li stopped him. The area had been quiet for a long time, and now many onlookers had gathered. Ling Li was afraid Su Jingyang would get dragged into trouble and ruin his reputation.
Su Jingyang didn’t care about that at all. Yet seeing the pleading look in Ling Li’s eyes, he couldn’t bear to make him feel guilty and could only suppress his anger for the time being.
He thought they would be blocked until nightfall, but by sheer coincidence, Rong Hua and Rong Ci returned and witnessed the scene of Liu Yue’s parents crying and demanding money at Ling Li’s doorstep.
Rong Hua only ever behaved obediently in front of Ling Li. Around outsiders, she never restrained her temper. She happened to be holding a cowhide whip This looks really painful ngl. lol and, without a word, lashed out at the two of them while cursing, “You dare block my family’s door, filthy dog sh*ts? Tired of living?!”
The two screamed miserably, unable to dodge. The crowd scattered in terror at the ruthless ferocity radiating from Rong Hua.
After only a few strikes, Liu Yue’s parents were bleeding all over, wailing and begging for mercy as they crawled and stumbled away under Rong Hua’s whip. Rong Hua wanted to chase after them but was stopped by Rong Ci.
“Another hit and someone will die. Don’t cause trouble.”
Rong Hua spat fiercely, the vicious look still lingering in her eyes. “They came here to mess with Ah Li. Of course I want to kill them!”
She said that, yet still had to listen to Rong Ci. They were from Rongcheng, and their status was sensitive. Killing someone here would indeed be troublesome.
If they ever ran into them again, however, Rong Hua wouldn’t be afraid of trouble.
Ling Li and Su Jingyang heard the commotion and hurried out. The moment the door opened, Rong Hua’s expression instantly changed. She looked back, appearing shaken, and clinging to Ling Li’s arm as she asked softly, “Ah Li, Ah Li, you weren’t frightened, were you? Who were those people? They’re so good at making scenes!”
Ling Li patted her shoulder, eyes fixed on the direction Liu Yue’s parents fled, and said quietly, “It’s fine.”
Su Jingyang was holding Ah Xuan and craning his neck to look, thinking to himself that those two old leeches were finally gone. Rong Ci suddenly walked over. Su Jingyang sensed him and turned his head, instinctively glancing down. The pixiu jade pendant was still properly hanging at his waist.
Rong Ci leisurely examined him for a moment and said in a low voice, “Why do people like this always bully you, and you don’t even dare lift a hand? Who are you expecting to protect you?”
“Certainly not you.” Su Jingyang was irritated by his words. Looking back at him, he said, “They’re not worth hitting. I’m not interested. If you dare bully me though, I’ll fight you to the death!”
Rong Ci looked him up and down. “Fight to the death? Like the first time we met, using your mouth?”
“I can bite you to death too!” Su Jingyang snapped.
Seeing how indignant he looked, Rong Ci curved his lips. “That’s your only redeeming quality, knowing how to boast. I almost believed you.”
Su Jingyang didn’t want to tangle with him anymore and moved to lead Ah Xuan inside. Ah Xuan suddenly broke free from his hand and ran toward Rong Ci, scrambling to climb up while making soft, spoiled noises.
Su Jingyang noticed that ever since returning from Rongcheng, Ah Xuan had grown increasingly close to Rong Ci.
Rong Ci effortlessly picked him up and naturally walked alongside Su Jingyang. Tilting his head, he raised his voice slightly. “Hey, that egg pancake you made for me last time wasn’t bad. I’m hungry. Make one for me.”
“I made that for Ah Li. Who said it was for you?” Su Jingyang shot him a glare. “And why should I make it for you? I’m nobody to you. I worked so hard to cook noodles for you before, and you didn’t eat a single bite. You think you can play me again?!”
“Last time…” Rong Ci glanced out of the corner of his eye at Ling Li’s suddenly frozen figure behind them. He fell silent for a moment, his lips moving as he was about to speak.
Ah Xuan, biting his finger in Rong Ci’s arms, blinked his big eyes and suddenly shouted at Su Jingyang, “Uncle, Uncle! Xuan wants to eat! Wants to eat pancakes!”
Su Jingyang widened his eyes in shock. Ah Xuan’s mouth glistened with drool. Seeing Su Jingyang hesitate, he leaned forward, pushing him urgently. “Go! Go, Uncle! Want to eat!”
“…” Su Jingyang ground his teeth and reached out to pinch Ah Xuan’s face. Under Rong Ci’s gaze full of triumphant amusement, he snorted coldly but still resignedly headed into the kitchen.
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