Wang Qing had been left completely dazed by that earlier punch. At this moment, his head was still buzzing, but pain had already crept up every inch of his nerves. The intense pain twisted his entire face into something ferocious.

Hearing Xiao Li’s words, he bared his bloody teeth, a low growl escaping his throat. He braced both hands against the ground, struggling with all his might to get up.

But the foot on his back pressed him immobile. All his struggles became futile.

To have one’s dignity trampled—nothing exceeded this.

“Brother Xiao, you and Brother Wang are both our own people. Why make such a big fuss…”

The gambling house manager, hearing the commotion here, rushed over to mediate.

Xiao Li’s cold gaze swept over, forcefully stopping the gambling house manager who was attempting to approach and pull him away. The manager could only laugh awkwardly. “This… this… if there’s some misunderstanding, everyone sit down and talk it over…”

Unexpectedly, a scoundrel behind him took the opportunity to lift a wooden chair. With a great shout, he used all his strength to smash it toward the back of Xiao Li’s head. Unable to dodge in time, Xiao Li raised his elbow to block. The wooden chair struck his elbow with a muffled thud, breaking into a pile of splinters.

Xiao Li’s face showed full violent energy. He lifted his foot and kicked the man in the waist and abdomen, kicking him so hard he spat stomach fluids and flew backward more than ten feet.

Wang Qing seized this opportunity, however, and with a wild roar stood up, wrapping his arms around Xiao Li’s waist, using that momentum to drag him backward to crash into the wall.

Seeing this, the lackeys below all grabbed knives and clubs, swarming forward in a mob to attack Xiao Li.

The gambling house manager, seeing the situation becoming increasingly uncontrollable, hurriedly scrambled and crawled upstairs to escape.

Xiao Li was momentarily careless, allowing Wang Qing’s surprise attack to succeed.

His back heavily crashed into the wall, and his abdomen was also powerfully rammed by Wang Qing’s shoulder using his full body weight and the momentum of his running start. Immediately, his entire stomach began to spasm.

Seeing the knives and clubs in those little lackeys’ hands about to swing over, he clenched his back teeth. A roar escaped his throat. His elbow joint exerted force, fiercely striking repeatedly at Wang Qing’s back.

Wang Qing was struck by his several elbow blows until he spat fresh blood, unable to hold his waist any longer. Finally, with one knee strike, his entire nose bled profusely as he fell backward.

The lackeys who had advanced with their weapons, originally about to attack Xiao Li, hurriedly changed course to rush over and catch him.

Xiao Li covered his abdomen with one hand. After suppressing that surge of nausea in his stomach, he lifted his foot to continue walking toward Wang Qing. Not a trace of roguish air remained on him—only fierce violence.

Even though the crowd of lackeys under Wang Qing’s command still had the will to stop him, none dared to step forward.

Wang Qing at this moment could almost not straighten up at all. He was only half-lying on the ground, supported by several lackeys.

Xiao Li approached, grabbed his collar in one fist, and threatened viciously, “The grudge between you and me—come at me! If you involve my mother again, I’ll send you to see the King of Hell!”

Wang Qing, his face covered in blood, met Xiao Li’s gaze, his eyes full of venomous resentment and defiance.

Suddenly, a shout came from upstairs: “What is this about? Stop immediately!”

The little lackeys saw the person standing at the wooden railing on the second-floor terrace and hurriedly accused first: “Boss! Xiao Li wants to kill Brother Wang!”

Manager Han looked at Xiao Li still gripping Wang Qing’s front without loosening his hand. His voice couldn’t help but become more severe: “Xiao Li, the position of gang leader in my gambling house hasn’t been decided yet! Have you become so arrogant that you want to cause a death in my gambling house?”

Blue veins bulged on the back of Xiao Li’s hand. He stared hard at Wang Qing, about to release his grip.

Wang Qing knew well that with Manager Han present, Xiao Li wouldn’t dare do anything more to him. He stretched his mouth into a grin. An extremely malicious smile appeared on his blood-stained face. Looking at Xiao Li, using a voice only the two of them could hear, he said, “Your mother is just a whore ridden by ten thousand men. Can’t people say it?”

Xiao Li’s hand gripping his collar suddenly tightened. A vein protruded at the side of his neck. His expression became visibly violent to the naked eye.

Wang Qing was still looking at him with a malicious and vicious smile, thinking he had gotten in a good comeback.

Who could have expected that Xiao Li would swing the heavy jujube wood bench beside him and cleave it directly at his head.

This time, he truly split his head open and blood flowed.

Even the petty thugs who were used to seeing big scenes were all frightened into silence.

Manager Han was also shocked by this sudden action, both hands pressing on the second-floor wooden railing, shouting sternly, “Xiao Li!”

Xiao Li raised his head. Half his jaw was covered in splattered blood. Wicked energy and violent energy interwove on that face that was excessively young and excessively handsome. He only said, “That deal—I’ll take it.”

After speaking, he turned and walked out of the gambling house.

Seeing that Manager Han hadn’t spoken, none of the lackeys below dared to obstruct him.

Manager Han watched his departing back, his expression displeased. Looking again at Wang Qing, whose head had been cracked open and who lay on the ground with uncertain life or death, he only ordered, “Get him a physician.”

The lackeys below hurried—those fetching a physician fetched a physician, those cleaning the main hall cleaned the main hall.

The gambling house manager followed Manager Han into the elegant room on the second floor, flattering him: “The boss is still brilliant. With just a small scheme, you’ve caused Wang Qing and Xiao Li’s rivalry to intensify further, and even made that wolf cub Xiao Li, who can’t be tamed, agree to kill Hu Xianbai. With the chain of a murder around his neck, whether he’s a wolf or a dog, won’t he from now on just have to listen to your orders whenever you pull the chain?”

But Manager Han shook his head. “I originally saw that this child had exceptional qualities and his mind wasn’t as scheming as Wang Qing’s, which is why I’ve always favored him. If I support him to the position of gang leader, his qualifications are inferior to Wang Qing’s. To completely establish a firm foothold, he can only be loyal to me. In this way, both of them can be used by me. It’s just that this child has been imprisoned, and his conduct is far more cautious than ordinary people. Aside from his mother being one soft spot, he hasn’t left any other handle for me. If I hadn’t allowed Wang Qing to blow up Chen Laizi’s matter, I wouldn’t have found an opportunity to have him do this murder job for me. Without provoking him, he wouldn’t easily agree. But you also saw today—this child’s violent energy is too strong. Using him, I don’t know if it’s right or wrong…”

The gambling house manager smiled cheerfully. “You only punished Zheng Hu and the others for the gambling house brawl. A few ignorant workers below wildly guessed that you were dissatisfied with Xiao Li and wanted to suppress his group of brothers. They also gossiped about his mother once being the top courtesan at Zuihong House. When this matter reached Wang Qing’s group’s ears, they themselves lost their heads and wanted to use this to humiliate Xiao Li. How can this be blamed on you?”

But Manager Han didn’t show any pleasure. He stroked the short beard by his mouth, only saying, “Forget it. Since he’s agreed to kill Hu Xianbai and retrieve the account book for me, according to the rules, get the silver for him.”

The gambling house manager smiled and agreed.

Wen Yu had done embroidery all afternoon. Her neck was somewhat sore and painful.

She stopped her needlework, rubbing her neck as she glanced outside the courtyard. Outside the courtyard gate, there was still no sound at all.

She lowered her long lashes, took up her needle, and continued embroidering the double-sided embroidery for which she had already outlined the pattern.

Xiao An’s injuries were not light. The physician told him to rest in bed for several days. He had no remaining relatives at home and usually lived at the gambling house. In order not to cause trouble for the Xiao family mother and son, he requested to spend a few more coins himself and stayed at the medical clinic.

When he was pressed to the ground and beaten by that group, the clothes on his body were covered with muddy snow, too dirty to be worn.

After Wen Yu settled him at the medical clinic and returned home to get Xiao Li’s clothes for him to change into, she had originally wanted to lie and conceal things. But Xiao Huiniang had already learned from several embroiderers who had resigned what the scoundrels had done. Her son had gone to wash clothes and hadn’t returned for so long. Wen Yu and Xiao An had gone to buy ink and brushes and also hadn’t come back. She guessed it must be related to that matter.

Seeing Wen Yu taking Xiao Li’s clothes to go out, thinking that Xiao Li had gotten into a fight with someone and was injured, she insisted on going out with Wen Yu no matter what. During this time, she cried several times, constantly blaming herself for letting down her son.

Seeing Xiao Huiniang cry like that, Wen Yu knew she couldn’t hide it anymore. Only then did she reveal everything.

Learning that Xiao An had been injured standing up for her, Xiao Huiniang was even more guilt-ridden. She insisted on personally going to look after him and had Wen Yu stay at home, saying she was afraid Xiao Li would also return with a body full of injuries and there would be no one at home to take care of things.

So Wen Yu used this afternoon to outline the pattern on silk fabric according to the embroidery design. After it dried, she began stitching.

With work in her hands, her heart wouldn’t be chaotic.

Although she and the Xiao family couldn’t yet be called close, Xiao Huiniang had shown her kindness, and that hoodlum’s character was fairly upright. Here, although her situation wasn’t particularly good, it wasn’t bad either.

If that hoodlum really fell to the opponent Xiao An spoke of, with only Xiao Huiniang, a widow, and Xiao An, a severely injured half-grown child remaining, wouldn’t they just be at the mercy of others’ bullying?

Since that group was vicious and evil to that extent, at that time, she—this “maidservant” used by Chen Laizi to pay his debt to the Xiao family—would most likely be targeted by them.

Falling into the hands of such a group of people who were truly rotten to the core, Wen Yu didn’t dare imagine what she would experience.

Therefore, she still especially hoped that hoodlum could return in one piece.

After embroidering another small piece of flower and leaf, when sounds finally came from outside the courtyard gate, Wen Yu almost reflexively looked up.

Heavy knocking sounds rang out again. Worried that the hoodlum’s injuries were too severe, Wen Yu hurriedly put down her embroidery frame and walked outside, saying, “Coming!”

She removed the door bolt and opened the door, only to see a man and a woman standing outside.

The man’s body was thin and gaunt, his cheekbones protruding, his eye sockets sunken, yet his expression carried a mean and fierce air. The woman with her head lowered beside him had tear tracks on her face, looking completely submissive.

Before Wen Yu could open her mouth to inquire, the man had already shouted, “This is Master Xiao’s house from Qiankun Gambling House, right?”

Wen Yu hesitantly nodded and asked, “You are…”

The man said, “I owe Qiankun Gambling House money. I heard that if you send someone to warm Master Xiao’s bed, it can offset a gambling debt.”

As he spoke, he pushed the woman beside him forward, saying, “This is my younger sister. She’s still a virgin. No matter what, she should be able to offset my five taels of gambling debt!”

Wen Yu looked at the girl whose tears wouldn’t stop but who didn’t dare say a word. Her brows furrowed slightly. She asked, “Who told you this?”

The man showed a mouthful of yellow teeth, saying, “Hasn’t it spread everywhere already? Everyone says Chen Laizi used a woman to offset thirty taels! This damn girl, two days ago I told her to come find Master Xiao herself. She cried and ran back home, lying to me that Master Xiao told her to get lost.”

He revealed a somewhat ingratiating smile. “So, I had her tidy herself up a bit, and today I personally brought her to Master Xiao!”

Wen Yu immediately thought of that laundry girl from yesterday. She had said she encountered Xiao Li being blocked in the road by a woman crying at him. Was this what had happened?

It was all a misunderstanding spread because she had been used by Chen Laizi to pay his debt to the Xiao family.

She said to the man, “This never happened. It’s all rumors spread by others. Moreover, since she’s your younger sister, how can you disregard the affection of flesh and blood and use her like an object to pay debts to others? Where is your conscience?”

Unable to use his own sister to pay his debt and instead being lectured, the man immediately went rabid like a mad dog: “She’s my sister. Even if I sell her to the pleasure district, so what? Is it any of your business?”

He looked Wen Yu up and down, suddenly letting out a mocking laugh, saying sharply, “Could you be the woman Chen Laizi used to pay Master Xiao? You’re an ugly woman yourself. Are you afraid Master Xiao will dislike you after seeing my sister, deliberately not letting my sister in!”

Hearing the man’s shrill voice, several nosy heads immediately poked out from neighboring houses.

The neighbors were already gossiping about the Xiao family today. With him making such a commotion, it immediately drew them out to watch the excitement.

Wen Yu stood at the door looking at him. In her seemingly distant and calm eyes, there was an inexplicable oppressive meaning: “I’ve said it—the Xiao family doesn’t accept people to pay debts.”

Unwilling to argue anymore with this person who was like stinking maggots and rotten worms, she was about to close the door when she heard the other party say in exasperation, “Aren’t you afraid of ruining a good opportunity for Master Xiao, and he’ll punish you when he returns!”

Hearing this, the neighbors couldn’t help discussing among themselves, directly saying that this Xiao Li was indeed one who bullied men and dominated women.

Seeing the neighbors’ discussions and thinking of how Xiao Huiniang had always worried about Xiao Li’s marriage, and how his reputation had now been ruined like this, after today’s matter spread, it would only become even more unbearable. How could he marry a girl from a good family?

This matter had at least some connection to her. She immediately said, “What kind of person do you take our Second Master for? He’s been collecting debts at the gambling house for so many years. When hasn’t he been all business? When has he ever bullied men or dominated women? I was used by Chen Laizi’s trickery. He deceived the old madam’s soft heart, which is why he used me to pay his debt to the old madam as a maidservant. Since you can see I’m ugly, you should also know that those outside rumors saying he accepts beautiful women to pay debts are all gossip and can’t be taken seriously.”

The man was rendered speechless by her words, yet still stubbornly said, “Someone raised in the pleasure quarters, a prostitute’s son—you speak as if you’re so noble. Give him a woman, how could he not want her?”

Wen Yu didn’t speak. She only stared at the man.

Being stared at by her excessively cold eyes, the man inexplicably felt panic in his heart. His voice unconsciously became smaller.

Wen Yu said coldly, “If you think he’ll accept her, go find him and tell him to his face. Why waste words on me, someone who can’t make decisions? Moreover, if people could choose their own origins, who wouldn’t want to be born into a family of high officials and nobles? The nobility of character—how can it be judged by birth? It’s this world that has been unkind to them, mother and son. Now they’ve climbed out of that mud. What is there to ridicule? On the contrary, someone like you who is neither benevolent nor righteous, neither filial nor fraternal—you don’t deserve to be called human!”

After speaking, she didn’t give the man a chance to speak. With a “bang,” she closed the gate, leaning her back against the door panel to steady her breathing.

The man cursed loudly outside. She just took it as dog barking, completely ignoring it.

She hadn’t been this angry in a long time. This kind of scum who could openly talk about selling his own younger sister to a brothel—in the future, she must tell her royal father to establish laws to punish them!

Half a lane away, Xiao Li stood with his arms crossed, leaning against the wall at the corner. Tiny snowflakes fell on his raven-black lashes. His eyelids only lifted slightly. The bloodstain on his cheek had already dried. All that fierce violence and anger were hidden in this light snow that had started falling from who knows when.

The man, having been shut out, cursed as he walked back with his sister. Passing the corner and seeing him, his feet went weak. The expression on his face changed for several moments before finally forming an ingratiating smile. Just as he was about to step forward, he only heard him lightly utter one word: “Scram.”

Not knowing how long he had been listening here, the man was terribly frightened in his heart. Receiving these words was almost like receiving a great pardon. He quickly took his sister and ran off, scrambling away.

Only then did Xiao Li raise his eyes, looking up at those large, large snowflakes falling toward the mortal world.

Wen Yu’s words from just now still echoed in his ears.

She had said—was it the world that had been unkind to him and his mother?