Chapter 144 Extra: Cat's Mother
Yuelun City, for Su Zhixu, this name does not represent her hometown, but a dark shackle that trapped her childhood.
"Hey! Little monster!"
A few children who were dressed slightly better cornered a little girl who was wearing tattered clothes and was skinny.
They picked up stones from the ground and threw them at her with great force.
The sharp little stones hit my body, bringing a clear sense of pain.
"Your father doesn't want you because your mother gave birth to a monster like you!"
"A monster! An unwanted bastard!"
"Lululu, jinx!"
It is hard to imagine that these vicious words were spoken by these young children. I guess this is what adults say on a daily basis, and the children follow suit.
Su Zhixu, who was surrounded in the middle, lowered his head, his long bangs covering his eyes, and said nothing, his small body tense.
Her silence was taken as cowardice, which made the children even more proud and they threw stones more unscrupulously.
However, they didn't know that this silence was not fear, but waiting, waiting for them to get closer, waiting for an opportunity.
Just as a slightly older boy tried to reach out and push her, Su Zhixu moved suddenly.
She quickly grabbed a handful of gravel mixed with sand and soil with both hands, and with all her strength, threw it at the children's faces.
"Ah! My eyes!"
"Pah! Pah! Sand!"
"it hurts!"
Screams and cries rang out instantly. The children were caught off guard, their eyes blinded by the sand, and they immediately became a mess.
Su Zhixu did not take the opportunity to escape. A fierceness that was not in line with her age flashed in her eyes, like a wolf that was forced into a desperate situation.
She rushed forward and used her hands and feet to hit, kick, scratch and bite the children who had temporarily lost their sight. In the chaos, her thin body burst out with amazing strength.
But after all, the other side had more people. After the initial chaos, the children reacted and, relying on their numerical advantage, quickly pinned her to the ground, punching and kicking her like raindrops.
Finally, they were tired of fighting and afraid of making things too big, so they dispersed cursing, leaving Su Zhixu lying on the ground in pain, unable to move.
The sky gradually darkened.
She slowly stood up from the cold ground, and her newly washed clothes were covered in dirt and stains again.
Su Zhixu frowned, endured the pain, and limped towards the river, intending to wash the clothes before going home so as not to let his mother see him.
As she walked out of the alley, a figure blocked her way.
Su Zhixu raised his head.
It was a woman, wearing a neat outfit, with an upright posture and a sword at her waist. Her eyes were clear and bright, and she was looking at her with some interest.
Wen Yao was a traveling knight who happened to pass by and witnessed everything that had just happened in the alley.
She didn't intervene. She was interested in the unyielding wildness in the little girl's eyes.
"Kid," Wen Yao said, her voice casual.
"Do you want to learn martial arts from me? As long as you agree, no one will be able to bully you anymore."
Su Zhixu seemed not to hear her. He walked around her expressionlessly and continued walking forward.
Wen Yao was not angry at being ignored, but instead found it even more interesting.
She took a step and followed the little girl slowly.
"Hey, kid, what's your name? Who else is at home?" Wen Yao continued to talk.
Su Zhixu still ignored him, walked to the river, silently took off his coat, carefully rubbed the stains on it, then wrung it dry, put it back on wet, and walked towards home.
Wen Yao just kept following.
Pushing open the creaking wooden door, under the dim oil lamp, a thin and pale woman was mending clothes in the dim light. It was Su Zhixu's mother Su Yu.
Seeing her daughter coming home so late, her clothes still wet and clinging to her body, she immediately became worried: "Zhixu, why are you home so late? Why are your clothes wet? Did you fall into the river?"
Su Zhixu lowered his eyelashes and whispered, "Well, I accidentally slipped."
Su Yu hurriedly put down her needlework and pulled her daughter over to check her up and down: "Is she hurt?"
Only then did she notice a strange woman standing outside the door. She had an extraordinary temperament and was startled. "Who is this...?"
Wen Yao put on a bright smile and took the initiative to speak: "Don't panic, sister. I was passing by the river and saw this child fall into the water. I helped her out. Her home seemed to be over here, so I sent her back."
Su Zhixu frowned when he heard this and was about to open his mouth to refute, but when he saw his mother's worried look, he swallowed his words back.
If her mother knew that she had fought with someone again, she would definitely be sad and sigh, as her health was not good to begin with.
Upon hearing this, Su Yu quickly expressed her gratitude, "So that's how it is. Thank you, lady, for saving me! Please come in and sit down!"
She looked at the bare house with some uneasiness, "My home is simple, there's nothing good to entertain you..."
Wen Yao, however, didn't care at all and walked in openly: "Sister, you're too polite. People who travel the world don't care about these things."
She took the coarse tea poured by Su Yu and ate the simple food on the table with gusto, and praised sincerely: "Sister's cooking skills are really good!"
Su Yu felt a little embarrassed by her praise, and a long-lost smile appeared on his face.
When Su Yu turned around to go to the kitchen to add water, Su Zhixu immediately tugged at Wen Yao's sleeve, with a warning look in his eyes and a low voice: "I don't care what you want to do, just finish eating and leave!"
Wen Yao raised her eyebrows, changing her cheerful demeanor just now, and a nearly malicious smile appeared on the corner of her mouth: "Be my apprentice, otherwise..." She deliberately lengthened her tone.
Su Zhixu's heart tightened: "What do you want to do?"
Wen Yao changed the subject and smiled like a fox: "I think your house is very nice. I just came to Yuelun City and haven't found a place to stay yet, so I decided to live here."
"You!" Su Zhixu was furious and reached out to push her out.
Just then, Su Yu came back with some water. Seeing Su Zhixu's actions, she gently scolded him, "Zhixu! Don't be so rude! How can you treat your benefactor like this?"
Su Zhixu said anxiously: "Mom, she! She..."
Wen Yao smiled and said to Su Yu, "Sister, to be honest, I'm new here and can't find a suitable place to stay. I wonder if I could bother you for a few days? I can pay some money for food and lodging."
Su Yu looked at Wen Yao, hesitated for a moment, and finally nodded: "As long as the lady doesn't mind, there's no need for money, it's just a matter of an extra pair of chopsticks."
Things have come to this point, no matter how dissatisfied Su Zhixu is, he can only hold his anger and turn his head away.
The next day, trouble came knocking.
A group of angry neighbors gathered outside the house, dragging their bruised and battered children and blocking the door and shouting.
The weak Su Yu was frightened by the scene and her face turned pale. Su Zhixu stepped in front of his mother and looked at the group of people coldly.
"Madam Su! Look at what your girl has done! She beat my child like this!"
"And my son! His arms are all bruised!"
"Children without a father's guidance are wild! There must be an explanation!"
Accusations came pouring in, and Su Zhixu wanted to say that they were the ones who started it first and were the ones who bullied others first!
But as soon as she opened her mouth, Su Yu raised his hand and slapped her in the face.
"Zhixu, why did you get into a fight again? Apologize to everyone!"
It didn't hurt, but it felt like a needle piercing my heart.
Su Zhixu suddenly closed his mouth, turned his head away stubbornly, his eyes were red, and he bit his lips tightly to prevent the tears from falling.
Seeing her like this, Su Yu was anxious and angry, and said a few words to her.
Su Zhixu couldn't bear it any longer, so he pushed the crowd away and ran out.
She hid behind a tree not far away, watching her mother humbly apologize to those people, bending down repeatedly to apologize. Her heart seemed to be tightened, painful and angry.
At this time, Wen Yao's voice sounded beside her: "Did you see it? Because you are not strong enough, you can't protect yourself, let alone the people you want to protect, so she can only bow her head for you."
Su Zhixu raised his head, the last trace of hesitation in his eyes disappeared, leaving only determination: "Teach me martial arts."
Wen Yao smiled: "Okay."
From then on, Wen Yao began to teach Su Zhixu.
With her martial arts foundation, Su Zhixu never lost in any conflict with those children. She even learned to threaten them with a cold face: "If you dare to go home and complain, I will be more ruthless next time."
The children were scared after being beaten, and they knew that Su Zhixu was no longer the punching bag who could be bullied at will, so they gradually became obedient.
What's strange is that although Su Zhixu is fierce, she never provokes others. Sometimes when she sees weaker children being bullied, she will take action.
Unconsciously, she had become the tacit leader of this group of children. Those who had been beaten by her or protected by her all recognized her as the boss, and Su Zhixu just went along with it.
However, his mother's illness lasted for several years, and she passed away when Su Zhixu was eleven years old.
Wen Yao accompanied her during that period. To Su Zhixu, Wen Yao was no longer just a master, but also a family member.
By the time Su Zhixu grew up, a few strands of white hair had quietly grown on Wen Yao's temples, and fine lines had appeared at the corners of her eyes.
One day, she suddenly said to Su Zhixu: "All good things must come to an end."
Su Zhixu's heart sank suddenly.
Abandoned by her father, left behind by her mother... the fear of being abandoned instantly gripped her. She opened her mouth but didn't dare to speak to keep him. She just stared blankly at her master.
Wen Yao looked at her like this, smiled, and reached out to rub her hair.
"Silly girl, I'm a wandering man, and I'm used to being wild. It's a surprise that I've been able to stay in Yuelun City for so many years."
"Now that you've grown up, you shouldn't be trapped in this small Moon City and waste your time. We'll meet again someday."
Su Zhixu knew that her master was determined to leave. She suppressed the bitterness in her heart and solemnly kowtowed three times to Wen Yao, thanking her for her years of raising and teaching.
After seeing his master off, Su Zhixu quickly packed his bags and left this place that had carried so much pain and depression.
Like her master Wen, she travels around doing justice.
Until one day, she passed by Anfeng City and ran into several black-clad assassins chasing a rich young man who looked like a weak scholar.
Su Zhixu didn't think much about it, and drove the assassin away and saved him.
I thought the matter was over, but unexpectedly, after the scholar straightened his clothes, he bowed to her solemnly and said, "Thank you for saving my life, my lady. I have no way to repay you except by giving you my body!"
Su Zhixu's first reaction was: I've run into a lecher, and a smooth talker at that! Without a second thought, she grabbed the man and gave him a beating, subconsciously avoiding that overly handsome face.
Later, she stayed temporarily in Anfeng City, but that guy kept haunting her, finding all kinds of ways to find her, giving her gifts, and finding excuses to talk to her, which was very annoying.
But Su Zhixu had to admit that this man was indeed the most handsome man she had ever seen, with picturesque features and a gentle temperament, completely different from those vulgar people in Yuelun City.
And after getting to know him more, I found that he was not a frivolous person. Instead, he was knowledgeable and treated people sincerely, but his way of expressing himself was sometimes very straightforward.
Gradually, the two became friends, and later, at some point, they began to see different feelings in each other's eyes.
Su Zhixu knew that he was finished.
Before leaving, the master specifically reminded me not to be fooled by the sweet words of men outside.
She found that what popped up in her mind from time to time was Bai Yize's handsome smiling face and his clumsy but sincere concern.
She knew she had fallen, but she was happy with it.
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