Первая книга из серии «Мастер озорства» Кто я

Глава 18

Before I could even throw a few punches, Horse Face let out a muffled roar and, relying on his brute strength, shoved me off him. The shove and push sent me stumbling backward, nearly falling. Before I could regain my balance, Horse Face let out another strange howl and pounced on me. I couldn't dodge in time and was once again pinned down.

Section 153: Obvious and Clear (3)

"thump!"

My vision blurred, and the pressure almost made me vomit blood. I coughed twice but couldn't get a third time before the horse-faced man's fists kept pounding. I finally tasted the metallic saltiness in my mouth. I shoved his fist away with my backhand, then grabbed his neck with both hands.

Bah! I'm no pushover either!

He was struggling to breathe from my choking, his face turning pale. Unable to pry my hands off, he slammed his right foot into my lower abdomen. The pain momentarily loosened my grip, and he seized the opportunity to leap up. With the weight lessening, I immediately scrambled to my feet, roaring as I unleashed a powerful right kick aimed at his face.

Bring it on!

A sudden flash of cold light startled me in the darkness. I jerked back, but it was too late; a sharp pain immediately shot through my thigh. I steadied myself against the doorpost and looked down. My right leg was slashed, a gash about half a palm's width wide. What weapon was that? Looking up, I realized that the Swiss Army knife that had been in my pocket was now firmly gripped in the hand of the panting, horse-faced man.

The gleaming blade, shimmering under the cover of night, emitted a chilling light that sent shivers down one's spine.

It sends chills down your spine!

Now, in this place and at this moment, I have to look at this formidable man who's brandishing a sword at me with new respect. "You, playing the pipa at the Wangjiang Pavilion, are courting death..."

Before I could even get to the point of my rant, Horse Face charged at me, brandishing a gleaming military knife and enveloped in the biting wind! I was unarmed, injured, and exhausted from carrying Ye Min on my back at breakneck speed. Even my last ounce of strength had been worn away in the brief struggle. Horse Face, on the other hand, not only had advantages over me in every way, but he also carried a weapon, making the difference in combat power enormous. Seeing his murderous intent and ferocious look as he pounced, I dared not hesitate and turned to run out of the temple.

A wise man doesn't fight a losing battle!

Horse-faced, his eyes bloodshot, chased after me relentlessly, determined to finish me off in one fell swoop. He forced me from inside the temple to the temple gate, and as he closed in, I endured the pain and rammed my body against the gate, finally managing to break free.

Lightning flashed and thunder roared outside the door.

Out of inertia, I fell straight to the ground after breaking down the door, feeling dizzy and disoriented. On this cold, rainy day, falling hard on the stone floor was quite painful; my bones felt like they were falling apart. If I had fallen like that in winter, I would have fainted from the pain.

Section 154: Obvious and Clear (4)

I scrambled and crawled, with Horse Face following closely behind. Seeing that I was lying on the ground unable to get up, he chuckled strangely and slowly approached me, gripping his military knife.

I gritted my teeth, frowned, and struggled to support myself with my hands, slowly backing away. I had to create some distance between myself and him, and I absolutely could not stand up. Horse Face, sensing my defeat, instantly changed his grinning expression to a menacing glint in his eyes. He raised his Swiss Army knife, yelled, and lunged at me!

As I closed my eyes, the large plaque above the temple gate behind us, which read "Zhi Lei Temple," flickered under the lightning.

"boom--"

Everything quieted down again.

I crawled back behind the stone pillar in front of the temple gate, finally able to catch my breath. Looking back at the charred corpse on the ground, I shook my head helplessly. Don't think I've already sheathed my sword and let my horse graze freely... Counterfeit goods are all made from pig iron, and iron is a highly conductive material. General Manager, this is what you call "choosing the path to hell when there's one." Perfect, you can apologize to Lü Fang in this manner.

This is what is meant by "harming others will ultimately harm oneself, and one will inevitably reap what one sows."

Catching my breath, I returned to the temple gate. As I closed it, I was utterly exhausted; my eyelids were practically drooping. No wonder—I hadn't expected Horse Face to be so valiant, and I hadn't fought in years, especially not in such a state of exhaustion. It was fortunate I could still move despite being completely drained. Just as I was about to drift off to sleep, I suddenly remembered Ye Min.

Oh, right, Ye Min. I struggled back to her side, picked her up with great effort, and managed to get her from outside the temple into it with all my might. I had never felt that Ye Min, who weighed only 52 kilograms, was so heavy... After putting her down, before I could even check on her, I was so exhausted that my vision went black and I finally passed out.

Huh, where am I? I vaguely see a Buddha statue in front of me, and there are many other things around it. What... what's going on here? A temple?

I found myself in a very strange place, and I turned around to look for an exit...

Huh? I never expected the ground beneath my feet to be completely covered with vessels—big ones, small ones, round ones, square ones, all sorts of shapes and sizes, piled up at my feet. And...aren't these wine cups?!

Section 155: Obvious and Clear (5)

In a daze, I realized that... it seemed like there was something inside? I looked closely... Good heavens! It was full of hairy worms! I was shocked and wanted to run away, but then I heard a strange laugh—the sound came from behind me.

My eyelids twitched, and I slowly turned my head...

It was the Buddha statue smiling at me! I was so frightened that I fell to the ground, everything went black, and silence fell around me, but... wait? I think I heard someone calling me... why does that voice sound so familiar...?

"Ah Feng! Ah Feng!"

I groggily opened my eyes and found a handsome young man standing in front of me, looking at me with a resentful expression. His white shirt was dazzling in the sunlight.

I replied lazily, "What is it... so early? Are you crazy? Let me sleep a little longer." Then I closed my eyes again.

The boy panicked: "Hey, get up! You said we were going to the bookstore together today!"

This time, I didn't even lift my eyelids. I shamelessly lay asleep on the bench by the school playground, raised my hand and waved it dismissively, saying, "Didn't you just get a new girlfriend? Ask her to come with you..." After saying that, I started snoring again.

"Oh! She has class today, come with me! You already promised me..." the boy continued babbling.

"Alright, alright! I'll go with you! You're so annoying." I sat up abruptly, rubbed my eyes, and asked, "What time is it?"

"3:40 PM! We can go to the bookstore together and then have lunch." The boy's face lit up with joy when I agreed to go to the bookstore together.

Sigh, how did I end up with such a friend… I smiled wryly. But, this guy is kind of cute. Alright, let's go shopping then. I've already skipped my afternoon classes anyway. I was planning to take a long nap, but with him making so much noise, I'm not sleepy at all. And I have nothing else to do anyway, let's go.

The sunlight was gentle, its warmth on my face like the soft touch of a girl's delicate hand. Even squinting to look directly at it, it wasn't glaring. The whole way there, Xiao Tong kept telling me about his recent discoveries, acquisitions, and other exciting stories… He was so happy and excited, it made me wonder, where does this kid get so much energy?

After listening to him ramble on for most of the day, I spotted a shop called "Summer's End" across the road. I thought for a moment, took out ten yuan, and said, "Okay, okay, stop now." I interrupted the chattering child.

Section 156: Obvious and Clear (6)

"You've been talking for half an hour, why are you acting like an old woman?" I bluntly voiced my question.

The boy grinned, his face beaming: "Have you ever seen such a handsome wife? Are you afraid I'll talk you to death?"

I shook my head and laughed helplessly: "Please spare me the first half. Save the second half, you little brat, you think you can talk me to death? I'm just getting thirsty from watching you talk for so long." With that, I handed him ten yuan. "See? Summer isn't over yet, there's an ice cream stand, go buy two, I don't believe that food can't shut your woman's mouth."

The boy laughed loudly, "You wait!" He took the money and ran towards the shop across the street.

This kid...

I pulled out half a pack of cigarettes, took one out, lit it, and before I could even take a puff, it fell to the ground.

Little one!

2. Bare face

Oh? The sky has cleared up?

When I woke up again, the bloodstains on my legs had long since dried, and my whole body ached. I had been caught in the rain and chill, and even my head was throbbing with pain. A cool breeze was blowing in from outside the temple; the thunderstorm and downpour had subsided, and the night sky was bright with twinkling stars. My clothes were still damp, and the wind sent a chill through me.

How long have I been unconscious? Thinking of the dream I just had, my head throbbed with pain again. I struggled to sit up and was slightly surprised that it was still the middle of the night. I tried to check the time, but my watch had been "separated from its body" in this catastrophe. When I raised my hand, I realized that not only was the watch case gone, but even the hour hand was nowhere to be found.

After regaining my senses for a while, I remembered Ye Min's injuries. She had been unconscious for so long; I wondered how she was doing. I hoped nothing bad had happened to her. I looked around but couldn't find her. Just as I was getting anxious, I spotted a large pillar not far away.

It turned out that Ye Min had somehow managed to sit up against the main pillar of the temple, leaning weakly against it. When I rushed over, I found her face deathly pale, and she was unconscious against the pillar.

I checked her breathing; she was still breathing. Then I looked down and examined her calf. The infection was much worse than I'd seen before; almost her entire calf was stained red, looking like a cured ham. Without the necessary expertise and treatment skills, I was at a loss.

Section 157: Obvious and Clear (7)

With mixed feelings, I gently woke Ye Min up.

"How are you feeling? Any better?"

"I'm...thirsty..."

"Wait a minute."

I ran out of the temple and searched for a while before returning with a broken tile containing half a piece of rainwater. I helped Ye Min drink the water, and her complexion improved slightly, but she was still very weak.

"Where are the others...?" She seemed a little surprised to see that it was just me.

"They...they went out to find Su Yan, I stayed to take care of you." I could only stammer and try to brush it off. If I told her the truth, who knows what she would think.

Ye Min seemed unconvinced. "Why...why didn't they wait for us?" she asked, struggling to stand up. I quickly stopped her. "Lu Fang was in a hurry and couldn't delay, so he went. Horse Face saw me with you and went with Lu Fang too, leaving me to stay and take care of you alone." I wiped the dirt off her face and reassured her, "It's okay, they made an appointment with me to meet up later."

Once an agreement is made, who can go back on their word?

Ye Min was relieved and collapsed into my arms, coughing violently. She said she felt hot all over, dizzy, her hands trembled uncontrollably, and her heart was beating rapidly. It felt like all the blood vessels in her body were being moved and beating along with her pounding heart. She could feel that resonance.

Isn't this almost exactly the same symptom as that disease you get from being bitten by a rabid dog?!

My heart pounded wildly for a while after hearing this before I came to my senses. I hurriedly comforted her, saying, "These are normal reactions to being cold and weak. You'll be fine after a rest. Once you feel better, I'll carry you out to see a doctor." Although I said this, I was filled with utter despair. Whether she was poisoned or infected, we were trapped in this place and couldn't get out. In the end, we would only face certain death...

As I was thinking, Ye Min suddenly coughed up blood, struggling in agony, her hands frantically scratching her body, leaving bright red welts wherever she went. Not only that, her legs began to kick wildly, and she babbled incoherently. I could only watch helplessly. Suddenly, she grabbed my hand with such force that her nails almost dug into my skin. Her expression was ferocious and terrifying; veins bulged on her forehead, blood gushed from her mouth, and her bloodshot eyes stared straight at me.

Section 158: Obvious and Clear (8)

"Help me...help me..."

She grabbed me, pleading in extreme pain. Tears streamed down my face. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." Before I could finish, Ye Min vomited blood all over my face, then collapsed to the ground, leaving a scratch on my arm. She writhed in agony on the ground, suffering for a while before finally stopping. Seeing the crimson bloodstains on the floor, her face contorted in pain, and her hands with nails that were so raw and twisted, I finally couldn't hold back anymore and burst into tears too.

"What...what are you doing?"

"Huh?" I was overwhelmed with grief, who would bother me? I stopped crying and looked down to see Ye Min leaning against a pillar, looking at me with a strange expression. "Am I hopeless?" she asked calmly as she watched me sobbing.

I then realized I had lost my temper. I hurriedly wiped away my tears and snot and choked out a shout at her, my voice hoarse: "How could this be! Don't say such things!" Feeling her calmness, my nose stung again. Yang Feng, you really are a fucking coward!

Ye Min gave a bitter smile for a moment, "Stop lying to me... If I still have hope, then why are you so sad?"

I... I couldn't answer for a moment. I couldn't very well tell her that I had seen her fate.

Ye Min seemed to have anticipated that I would also be speechless. She tremblingly raised her hand and stroked my unshaven face. "Actually... none of this matters to me... I know you care about me... although... although whether at the company or in private... you're always so cold to me... but I know... you're afraid... you won't be able to build anything... afraid you can't support me... that's why you deliberately... deliberately keep your distance from me..."

To be honest, this is the scene I dread most—it's so moving, it'll bring you to tears. When Ye Min uttered "Right?", I was itching to see her again. I quickly and gently covered her mouth, afraid her tears would fall again. "Don't say anything more. It's just a bug bite, it's nothing. That bug eats grass. It's just fatigue and tension. Don't talk or move around anymore..."

When Ye Min heard what I said, she weakly hit me and said, "Look at what you're saying. Even a small poisonous insect can overpower an elephant. I'm not even as big as an elephant's leg, so how could I be nothing?"

Section 159: Obvious and Clear (9)

"Yes, yes, once we get out of here, I'll take you to ride the beautiful and strong elephants of Xishuangbanna. I promise you, I'll never lie to you again, I'll never be so cold to you again, I'll promise you anything..." I hugged Ye Min tightly, turning my face away. I was almost sobbing uncontrollably. This weak version of myself... I can't let her see this again... I can't...

Ye Min listened to me quietly, leaning against me, and I felt that she seemed to be smiling.

Just as we were embracing and weeping, a figure suddenly burst in from outside the temple, panicked and panting. I was so startled I almost dropped Ye Min from my arms. Had the horse-faced corpse come back to life?!

The sudden appearance of the figure seemed to freeze the air.

The large pillar Ye Min was leaning against was a bit of a distance from the temple entrance. We were in the shadows, so we weren't completely exposed to the "horse corpse," but that didn't mean we were safe. He could easily find us with just a quick turn. Ye Min couldn't run away in her condition, and although I could hide, how could I possibly abandon her?

What should I do?! I was so anxious that I was sweating profusely.

As the footsteps drew closer, my heart pounded in my chest. I could almost see the horse-faced man grab me with his charred, smelly hands, brandishing a blackened Swiss Army knife struck by lightning, and yelling, "Give me back my life—give me back my life—!"

It's that persistent ghost again!

Just as I was about to ambush him the same way he ambushed me, the dark figure at the temple entrance fell to the ground as if on its own. I was puzzled. Was he dead again? When I cautiously approached, I realized that it was not some horse-faced corpse that had risen from the dead. The person on the ground was petite, with pink lips and a fair face, disheveled hair, and wearing a dirty navy blue top and casual pants.

Isn't this the bare face that Lu Fang has been longing for?

I was quite surprised. Didn't Lü Fang say that this young lady had been captured by ancient cavalry to be their wife? How did she end up here on her own? It's truly a case of "searching high and low without finding it, only to have it come to you effortlessly." It's a pity that her old flame will never have the chance to "meet her again from afar."

Staring at her, I suddenly remembered the legend Ye Min had told me in the car; their love was indeed as enchanting and vibrant as the red spider lily.

Buddhist scriptures say: "The red spider lily blooms for a thousand years and withers for a thousand years, its flower and leaves never meeting. Love is not bound by cause and effect, fate determines life and death." To love each other life after life yet be separated in every lifetime, what a tragic fate.

Section 160: Onward (1)

Forget it, it was never a blessed relationship to begin with. Let's talk about it later. I bent down and gently patted Su Yan, who was lying on the ground. She didn't react; she seemed exhausted. Who knows what kind of extraordinary experience she might have had? I'll ask her about it when she wakes up. I gave her a quick check-up. Apart from some obvious scratches, Su Yan was fine. She should recover quickly with some rest.