Chapter 121 Wu Changgui's Legs Are Broken

Sun Erdan, Tiedan, Gou Dan, Qian Dahu, Zhao Xiaolong, and Li Hetao lined up in front of Bai Zilin: "It's Master Liu, hello Master Bai..."

Bai Zilin nodded without a smile: "You don't need to be so formal. Liu Ye has told me everything that has happened in the shop these past few days. I'll be staying here tonight too."

"Willow Leaf, are there enough rooms?"

Liu Ye nodded and said, "It's enough. The three servant rooms on the west side of the backyard are all habitable. One room is used to store grain. The warehouse is also empty, but it can't be used for living. I'm too lazy to mess with the things inside, so I put the grain in the servant room."

Bai Zilin nodded: "Okay, I understand. You can go and rest now."

Liu Ye laughed as soon as she heard this: "What are you resting for? It's almost lunchtime. Our noodle shop is always packed. Don't be scared later."

Bai Zilin had already guessed it: grain from the south couldn't get in, and even if grain was available, it was sold at exorbitant prices. She only sold a bowl of noodles for 50 coins, which was more cost-effective than buying rice to cook herself. No wonder there were so many customers.

When lunchtime arrived, with Bai Zilin joining the team, there were enough people available. Liu Ye was still collecting money at the counter, while Bai Zilin and Da Hu were serving noodles to customers. They were busy working until after lunchtime, when all the noodles were sold out. Customers who couldn't buy noodles could only wait until evening, when they could finally relax and catch their breath.

As usual, Walnut took over from Willow Leaf to count the money. Sun Ergouzi quickly cooked their own meal, a big pot of noodles. After working all morning, they were starving and their legs were trembling as they walked.

Liu Ye added another large spoonful of lard to the pot: "If we're just eating this ourselves, you can add more. I'll get some more when we run out."

Sun Erdan nodded with a pained expression: "I understand..."

The noodles were cooked, and with Bai Zilin added, there were now seven of them sitting around the table. All seven of them were eating with their heads down, and all you could hear was slurping; no one was talking.

After dinner, Sun Erdan, Tiedan, and Gou Dan, the three brothers, started kneading dough again to prepare for the evening. Qian Dahu and the others cleaned the shop and then went to wash the dishes.

Bai Zilin went for a walk outside and came back with a serious expression. "There are two people watching us from behind and one from the front!" Qian Dahu put down his bowl and stood up. He was as big as a small mountain, making the 1.85-meter-tall Bai Zilin look petite. "Boss, should I go and chase them away? If we ignore them, they'll think we're easy to bully!"

Liu Ye didn't say anything. Since she had let Bai Zilin manage the noodle shop, she would let him make the decisions.

Bai Zilin shook his finger: "Not for now, let's see what they're up to first."

Qian Dahu squatted down and continued washing the dishes. Before he knew it, it was evening. The noodle shop saw off its last customer and closed for the day. After finishing his meal, Bai Zilin took Liu Ye home and then reluctantly returned to the noodle shop.

Liu Ye delivered Bai Zilin's package to his room, then returned to her own room to light the stove, washed her feet, and got into bed.

Her mind was filled with thoughts of Bai Zilin. It was so good that Brother Bai was back. She would never let him go again. Delivering goods to the south was too dangerous. On the way, she heard from Brother Bai that they had encountered several groups of robbers. Young Master Zhao had almost died several times. It was thanks to his protection that they were able to return safely without losing any goods.

Oh, right, Brother Bai also said that Wu Changgui, the son of Village Chief Wu, was also a guard in Young Master Zhao's household. He went to the south this time, but he won't be able to go anymore. He won't even be a guard in the Zhao household anymore. Young Master Zhao was so angry that he fired him. It would be too good for him if he wasn't killed.

According to Brother Bai, when they were besieged by bandits for the second time, Wu Changgui actually pushed Young Master Zhao out to take the blows. If he hadn't been quick-witted and shot the bandit to death with an arrow, Young Master Zhao would have been cleaved in two by the bandits.

However, Wu Changgui wasn't much better off. His left leg was also chopped off by the bandits. The bone was broken, and it was still attached by a little skin. With the current medical conditions, it was impossible to reattach it. He was probably crippled. He deserved it. Harming others ultimately harms oneself.

Willow Leaf drifted off to sleep, but the village chief's house was shrouded in gloom. Old Mrs. Wu had cried herself to sleep several times. Her eldest son, who had been healthy, had lost his leg after a trip to the south. It was as if her heart had been ripped out: "Waaah, my poor son! Why are you so unlucky? Waaah, God is blind! My poor son!"

Wu Xincao's eyes were also red from crying. She sat on the edge of the kang and sobbed softly. Village Chief Wu tenderly stroked Wu Changgui's left leg, tears welling up in his eyes. Only half of it was left; it was all gone from the knee down. The doctor said that if the bad leg wasn't cut off, it would keep rotting upwards, and by then, the person might be gone.

"My son, I'm heartbroken for you! You broke your leg saving Young Master Zhao, how could he just let you go like this? Tomorrow I'll go and demand an explanation for you!"

Wu Changgui, looking guilty, tried to stop him, saying, "Father, don't go. My leg was cut by bandits, it has nothing to do with Young Master Zhao. Besides, he has already compensated me. Why are you going to find him? If you anger him, we'll be in big trouble. His father is the prefect of Xiancheng."

Granny Wu threw a bag of silver onto the kang (a heated brick bed): "Waaah, my son! You've lost a leg! He only gave you 50 taels of silver. Is he giving me a beggar's money? Waaah, my poor son! He gave so little! 50 taels of silver can't even buy 100 catties of rice. How are you going to live? You've lost your leg and become a cripple. Who will want to marry you? What family would want to marry their daughter to someone with only one leg? Even a toad has four legs, and a chicken has two! My God! Oh, my good son! You'll have to hop around from now on! My God! Goddess Nuwa! My poor son! How will you go to the outhouse? Waaah, waaah!"

Wu Changgui stiffened his neck, rolled his eyes, and fainted from anger at his mother. Enraged, Village Chief Wu slapped Old Woman Wu across the face.

"Shut the hell up! Changgui is already suffering enough, and you're rubbing salt into his wounds. If I hear you call him a piece of trash or a one-legged man again, I'll chop off one of your legs so you'll be a one-legged man too. Get out!"

After being slapped, Granny Wu stopped crying. Feeling wronged, she covered her face, swayed her hips, and sat down on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), silently shedding tears.

Village Chief Wu glared fiercely at Granny Wu, then pinched Wu Changgui awake by pressing his philtrum. Wu Changgui slowly woke up, two lines of clear tears streaming from his eyes. After hearing his mother's words, he felt like dying. Now that he only had one leg, how was he going to live? How could he go out and face people? The villagers would talk about him behind his back, if not to his face. Just thinking about all this made him lose the courage to live.