Chapter 5, Chapter 5: The boy's chest was half-exposed.

"Why did you take the ox away without saying a word!" Tie Niu was furious. He rushed to Liu Jiao and questioned her.

Liu Jiao replied naturally, "Since I'm already breaking off the engagement with you, I'll naturally take the cow back."

Tie Niu got anxious: "When did I say I wanted to break off the engagement?"

Of course, Tie Niu couldn't choose to break off the engagement; he still wanted Liu Jiao's cow.

After all, his ox died during the spring planting season, and apart from Liu Jiao's family, no other family had any spare oxen. Even if wealthy gentry families did have some, the rent would be higher than their entire year's income.

He and his mother depended on each other for survival. Without anyone's help, and with his mother needing medical treatment, if they paid the rent for the ox to the local gentry, would they starve next year?

Liu Jiao looked puzzled: "Didn't you break off the engagement voluntarily? You and Widow Qian were kissing, which means you wanted to break off the engagement! After all, who goes around kissing another girl after being engaged?"

She bluntly and ruthlessly laid out the truth.

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

"I told you long ago, my business with her is none of your concern. You're overthinking it!"

When his sore spot was hit, Tie Niu's breathing became rough.

Tie Niu began to berate Liu Jiao, "Can't you talk things out properly? There should be a limit to throwing a tantrum. It's spring planting season, and the work in the fields won't be delayed for even a day. Your unreasonable behavior is ruining the harmony between our two families!"

They simply put Liu Jiao on the grill to bake.

But Liu Jiao clearly wasn't taking the bait. She yawned, indicating that she was going back to bed to sleep: "What good is it for our two families to be at peace? I'm already breaking off our engagement."

"I'm telling you today, no matter what, I will absolutely break off the engagement. I cannot accept my husband having marital relations with someone else! I live in this world, and I must have my own principles and choices!"

Tie Niu was furious: "You're really biased!"

"I'm biased? Pshaw, I think you're the real jerk."

Liu Jiao rolled her eyes and said casually.

She felt that Tie Niu's words were illogical and inexplicable, so she led Niu and Sang Ji into the courtyard.

"How dare you talk like that, you little brat! You dare to swear? You've gone too far, you little rascal!"

These slightly abusive words didn't infuriate Tie Niu, but they did startle Liu Jiao's father.

Dad: "Apologize!"

Liu Jiao did not respond.

She clenched her fist, a long-suppressed resentment, or rather, a deep sense of confusion, slowly building up and filling her heart.

Why is that? What gives them the right?

Shouldn't her family stand by her side?

This caused her to be a step behind, failing to use the method she had figured out to calm her father down, and not admitting her mistake immediately.

In the blink of an eye, Dad's hand came slapping down.

"I think you brat haven't been beaten enough. A good beating will do the trick."

He's used to this trick. But it's actually quite effective, because Liu Jiao really can't beat him.

She could only run.

To save the cow, Liu Jiao temporarily put down the rope. Just then, Sang Ji got annoyed with the farce and wanted to go back to the house. As he got off the cow, Liu Jiao handed him the rope to hold temporarily.

Her father saw her movements and sneered, "The village is only so big. If you don't want to be laughed at and ridiculed, you can't leave this yard. Sooner or later you'll get what's coming to you."

But they couldn't outrun it.

With no way to avoid it, just as the slap was about to land on her face, Liu Jiao had a flash of inspiration and dashed behind the blood-soaked weapon, Sang Ji.

The bustling night froze for a moment.

Sang Ji's already dark face became even darker, making him look extremely murderous.

Father stopped in his tracks.

He pointed at Liu Jiao and stammered for a long time, but his momentum weakened when he saw Sang Ji, who was a head taller than him, and he became shaky.

Finally, feigning composure, he coldly snorted and shook off the hand that was pointing at him: "I see that Tie Niu was right after all, you are just being extreme."

But he didn't go forward to hit anyone again.

Because of Sang Ji's imposing stature and terrifying appearance, who would dare to kill him alone?

Liu Jiao peeked out from behind the boy, her two broad shoulders protecting her firmly.

Is this what they call bullying others by abusing one's power and taking advantage of someone else's authority? Thank you so much, Master Sang!

"Sigh, isn't Dad doing this for your own good?" Seeing that his hard approach wasn't working, Dad softened his tone and began to persuade, "We're all family, would Dad harm you? If you hadn't been so extreme and made such a fuss, would our family be like this now? You used to be so well-behaved, and you knew how harmonious our family used to be."

Yes, that kind of harmony was something Liu Jiao endured because she was young and couldn't resist. In reality, Liu Jiao had suffered a lot of grievances.

"Give the cow to your aunt, and this matter will be over. Listen to your father. Do you really expect your father to kneel down before you?"

Tie Niu's mother also played the good cop: "It's Tie Niu's fault. I only just found out he was still entangled with that widow. If there's anything wrong, blame me. Don't blame Tie Niu. If he hurts you lovers and ruins things, then it's all my fault..."

No sooner had one problem been solved than another arose. Her father did not hit her again, but instead kept approaching, trying to snatch the cow directly.

With one playing the righteous and the other the wicked, Liu Jiao was left with no way to avoid or escape.

Should we give in again, just like so many times before?

Liu Jiao had received little formal education and lacked skills. She tried her best to protect herself, but her strength was too weak.

This feeling of helplessness, like being drowned, left Liu Jiao feeling empty inside.

To be honest, it's quite hopeless.

Is there really no other way?

Let's just give up and do whatever we want.

Liu Jiao closed her eyes.

When she opened her eyes again, a look of resignation flashed in them. Then, she lay down directly under Sang Ji's legs, clinging tightly to his thighs and refusing to let go, while also gripping the cow rope in her hand.

Waaah, Brother Eagle, I hope you'll kick me away a little later.

Because of his severe injuries, Sang Ji was caught off guard and was grabbed by the leg by this foolish village girl.

He took a deep breath, and countless ways to kill someone with a single sword stroke flashed through his mind.

Seriously, it's really annoying.

I've never been so annoyed.

He used to despise scheming people and admire pure and kind people, but now, he despises stupidity the most.

Sang Ji's cold, phoenix-like eyes fixed on her prey, her fingertips tracing the familiar hilt of her sword—

What came into view was the trembling shoulders of the girl beneath him.

She was terrified and pleaded with him.

She looks exactly like the princess when the crown prince betrothed her to him.

Sang Ji hesitated for once, his fingertips tracing the jade bamboo pattern on the sword hilt.

If a princess were to ask someone for help in this way, that person would respond with the same cold indifference as him.

Those shoulders are so thin; they shouldn't have to endure so much pain.

Fingertips slipped silently from the hilt of the sword.

She was actually a pitiful person.

The princess said that he needed to accumulate good deeds.

Forget it, I'm too lazy to move.

——

The expected pain of being kicked two miles away did not come. Liu Jiao, who was clinging to Sang Ji's thigh and not moving, heard a familiar voice coming from above her head, which made her feel at ease.

"Get out of here." Sang Ji's two cold words fell clearly in the courtyard, devoid of any warmth. "I hate anyone getting close to me."

Liu Jiao, who was clinging to the leg and refusing to let go, was startled. Upon hearing this, she quickly observed everyone's reactions and secretly opened one eye—

Father stopped trying to take the ox and limped back into the house in anger. Tie Niu wanted to say something, but his mother pinched him hard and dragged him away from Liu Jiao's house. Tie Niu kept looking back at the ox, his expression even more affectionate than that of the widow looking at money.

Wow! ! !

Liu Jiao's eyes lit up instantly.

She...she wasn't beaten by her father?

Did she beat her father?

She protected the cow!

yeah!

Why didn't this troublemaker just kick her away?

Actually, after getting to know him, Liu Jiao realized that this troublesome guy—or rather, this chivalrous hero—wasn't as cold and unapproachable as he seemed on the surface.

So, if she serves him well, wouldn't he become her own ready-made protector?

It feels so good to be protected instead of fighting alone for the first time!

Liu Jiao burst out laughing.

"Stop laughing. Do you have any medicinal wine?" Seeing her gleaming white teeth, Sang Ji couldn't help but interrupt.

How can a person be so dull...

"Yes, yes, how about I help you back to your bedroom and then I'll go get it for you?"

Liu Jiao's gaze met Sang Ji's, who was about to faint due to the lack of timely treatment for his wound, and she quickly went to help him up.

I was still rejected.

Liu Jiao gazed at Sang Ji's swaying figure, who finally managed to force open the study door, and sighed deeply.

Are all men so concerned about saving face?

She didn't insist on helping him anymore. She first tiptoed to her own living room, found the medicinal gauze she usually used for the chickens, ducks and livestock, and then knocked on the door of Sang Ji's study.

"Enter."

*

The night was dark and the stars were sparse. The oil lamp was unusually dim. The boy was shirtless, with his chest half exposed. He had a beautiful and slender figure. He was muscular but not grotesque when he took his clothes off. His muscles showed that he had real strength. He was top-notch.

"Put it here." Sang Ji's expression remained unchanged, distant and indifferent.

He took the medicated gauze, soaked it with cotton wool, and made a move to pull down his collar. His tall frame was cramped under the narrow bedding, and he stretched out his strong arms with some difficulty to shove the cotton wool behind his back.

Liu Jiao stood rooted to the spot, motionless, staring blankly at him.

Sang Ji paused, his eyelids fluttered open, and he impatiently shooed them away, his voice hoarse: "Aren't you leaving?"

Liu Jiao said sincerely, "Let me help you, hero. I know how to bandage and treat wounds. Such a serious injury needs to be treated promptly, otherwise it will be very painful. Don't be stubborn."

Sang Ji: "What's so serious about this injury? You're making a mountain out of a molehill."

It's not serious even though it's already punctured and has drawn blood.

Liu Jiao thought.

However, judging from Sang Ji's still-killable appearance, it seems he truly doesn't care.

Sang Ji truly didn't care whether he was injured or not.

In his mind, so what if he got injured? It was just a normal occurrence, something he had to endure for his job. If he survived, he would continue living; if he couldn't, he would die. It was a simple problem, easily solved.

"Anyway, we won't lose anything, so what's the harm in giving it a try?" Liu Jiao rubbed her hands together.

Sang Ji didn't refuse anymore, because the audacious Liu Jiao had already made her move, and her technique was indeed quite impressive.

Her movements were meticulous and her strength just right, no different from that of a specialist physician.

etc.

No different from a doctor?

How could a country girl like her be so skilled and adept at bandaging, almost like a doctor?

A thought flashed through my mind, and there was only one possibility:

She has ulterior motives.

Thinking back to when he and the princess were choosing their lodgings, a woman whispered that Liu Jiao used stillness to overcome movement and highlighted her own excellence, which is why she was chosen by him.

As for her intentions... considering the connections made, neither the Crown Prince nor the Second Prince's people could find him, so there's only one possibility:

She had other feelings for him.

This woman is scheming and cannot be allowed to live.

A sudden surge of vigilance rose within him. With lightning speed, his left hand gripped the sword that was always at his side, while his right hand abruptly seized Liu Jiao's wrist as she applied the medicine. His sharp, eagle-like eyes pierced through human nature, fixed intently on Liu Jiao, not missing a single expression on her face.

How did you learn to bandage?

Who instructed her? What did she want from him? Why did she want to get close to him? Or was she planning to make contact first and then deliberately seduce him?

He had seen too many people like this, and he loathed them the most.

Liu Jiao thought she had hurt him, causing him to distrust her bandaging skills, so she earnestly introduced how skilled she was:

"Don't worry, hero, I spend all my time bandaging the chicks. I manage such a huge chicken farm all by myself; my skills are absolutely top-notch!"

She bandaged up the chicks so well! Brother Eagle, don't disbelieve me!

Sang Ji: "..."

A note from the author:

----------------------

Sang Ji: ...I overestimated you.