“Shh, someone’s coming.” Shen Xia covered Li Xiao’s mouth and pulled him into a corner beside the alley.
Soon, several people appeared at the other end of the lane.
“Brother Mingran, we came out to drink and enjoy ourselves without bringing Brother Tang. Isn’t that a bit inappropriate?”
Walking in front, Zhang Mingran replied indifferently, “The only reason we used to bring him along was because he paid for everything. He got hurt pretty badly today, so how could he possibly be in the mood to spend money on us?”
“Who would’ve thought Brother Tang was so weak? He only got kicked once and nearly couldn’t get out of bed.”
Someone suddenly made that remark, and the group immediately burst into laughter.
The Tang Family was wealthier than theirs, so they had always acted like followers around Tang Wen. Now that he had been publicly humiliated by someone from the Shen Family, they were secretly delighted.
“You know, that Shen Family concubine-born girl is actually quite something. She injured Brother Tang and still managed to walk away unharmed. I heard Prefect Murong merely comforted Old Master Tang a few times and had no intention of punishing the Shen Family.”
“Just who is that Shen Family girl? She even protected Li Xiao. If we run into him again, can we still bully him?”
“Look at you, scared of everything. He’s just a little beast who was exiled here. That Shen Family girl can’t protect him every day. When I get the chance, I’ll personally show you all how to train a dog.”
“Hahaha, Brother Mingran really has guts.”
The laughter drifted over, and Shen Xia’s face turned cold.
“Filthy mouths really can’t speak decent words.”
Picking up a stick from the ground, she strode toward them.
“Wait, Brother Mingran, am I drunk, or is there a young lady standing ahead?” someone suddenly stopped.
Zhang Mingran let out a drunken burp and rubbed his eyes. Sure enough, he could vaguely make out the silhouette of a woman approaching.
He could not see her face clearly, but judging from her figure, she was probably quite attractive.
Rubbing his hands together, he whistled and said in an extremely lewd tone, “Little sister over there, are you here to play with your brothers?”
“Did you know we’d be passing through here and waiting especially for us? Why not come back with us and have some fun?”
“Hahaha, Brother Mingran, you really aren’t picky about men or women.”
Standing behind Shen Xia, Li Xiao listened to their disgusting remarks. His fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles cracked, while dark clouds gathered across his face.
Shen Xia rolled her wrists.
Good! Hopefully they would still be laughing in a moment.
Mistaking her approach for an invitation, Zhang Mingran continued spewing vulgar nonsense.
The next instant, a stick smashed into his head.
Stars exploded before his eyes, and he could not utter a single word.
The others finally reacted and tried to fight back, but Shen Xia was even faster. Within moments, she had beaten them until they were crying for their fathers and mothers.
In no time at all, every one of them was sprawled on the ground.
Shen Xia handed the stick to Li Xiao.
“Whatever they did to you before, pay them back.”
A flicker of light flashed through Li Xiao’s eyes.
She had brought him here specifically to take revenge?
Just because these people had bullied him before?
Without hesitation, he accepted the stick.
Soon, miserable screams echoed through the alley once more.
“Spare us! Spare us! Miss, Young Hero, spare us!”
Because the surroundings were so dark, they could not see Shen Xia or Li Xiao clearly. Thinking some wandering heroes had come to teach them a lesson, they curled up on the ground and begged for mercy, completely lacking the arrogance they had shown earlier.
The commotion had become so loud that people were already heading this way.
Shen Xia pressed down on Li Xiao’s hand.
“That’s enough for today. Let’s go back.”
“Alright.”
Li Xiao obediently agreed, looking incredibly well-behaved.
But after they tossed aside the stick and walked some distance, he suddenly stopped.
“I think I left something behind. I’ll go back and get it.”
“I’ll come with you.”
Shen Xia immediately moved to follow him.
“There’s no need. I can go by myself.”
He shook his head firmly.
“But…”
“Really, it’s fine! Sister, I can do it.”
The way he called her “Sister” actually sounded quite nice.
Shen Xia raised an eyebrow.
So he was finally willing to call her Sister? How obedient.
“Alright then. Go on, but be careful and don’t get caught.”
She gently reminded him.
Li Xiao turned and ran back.
Meanwhile, Zhang Mingran had only just managed to crawl to his feet. Cursing furiously, he snarled, “Where did that filthy bitch come from? If I ever find out who she is, I’ll skin her alive and throw her into a brothel where countless men can—”
Before he could finish, a lean yet powerful hand seized his throat and slammed him against the wall.
Li Xiao was much shorter than him, yet he effortlessly lifted Zhang Mingran’s bulky body off the ground.
“Cough… cough…”
Zhang Mingran could barely breathe and struggled desperately.
“A filthy bitch? Throw her into a brothel?”
Li Xiao repeated his words quietly.
A cold laugh escaped him. Beneath the strands of hair shadowing his face, his eyes were filled with darkness.
“I really hate hearing you talk about her like that.”
Lowering his gaze, he murmured the words to himself.
Zhang Mingran finally realized this boy was taking revenge for that woman. He wanted to beg for mercy.
But Li Xiao gave him no chance.
A small dagger slipped from his sleeve.
Then it plunged downward.
A despairing scream tore from Zhang Mingran’s throat.
Moments later, his eyes rolled back and he passed out.
Looking down at the bloodied blade, Li Xiao tossed it aside in disgust.
Expressionless, he carefully wiped the blood from his hands before running back to Shen Xia.
“Did you find it?”
Seeing him return, Shen Xia frowned slightly.
A moment ago, she had vaguely heard another scream from that direction.
How should she describe it?
It sounded remarkably like a pig being castrated, crying out in absolute despair.
Li Xiao…
Surely he had not done something, had he?
Meeting her scrutinizing gaze, Li Xiao’s face remained perfectly calm, without the slightest flaw.
“I found it.”
“Since you found it, let’s head back.”
Shen Xia withdrew her gaze and did not dwell on the matter.
Silently walking beside her, Li Xiao continued wiping away the remaining traces of blood inside his sleeve.
For some reason, he simply did not want her to see the ruthless side of him.