Zhang Ergou eyed Liu Cuilan warily, his mind racing to figure out how to handle the situation.
Liu Cuilan doted on her younger brother, Liu Dafa, immensely.
Whatever Liu Dafa said, Liu Cuilan believed without exception.
Zhang Ergou felt a headache coming on; with her preconceived notions, it would be incredibly difficult to change Liu Cuilan's mind.
Zhang Ergou understood Liu Cuilan as well as he understood himself.
“Sister Cuilan, is there perhaps some misunderstanding here? Look, am I the kind of person who bullies children?”
Zhang Ergou quickly put on a fawning smile, looking at Liu Cuilan ingratiatingly.
“Zhang Ergou, are you saying my brother is lying to me?”
Liu Cuilan’s eyes narrowed, her beautiful eyes widening, making Zhang Ergou feel as if his very soul was about to flee his body.
This showed how terrified Zhang Ergou was of Liu Cuilan.
“Then explain to me, what’s with the injuries on my brother’s face?”
Liu Cuilan stared intently at Zhang Ergou, showing no intention of letting him off the hook.
“Perhaps children are too playful, and he was chased by stray dogs, and maybe he fell and got hurt,” Zhang Ergou fabricated wildly.
This greatly angered Liu Dafa, who was standing nearby.
“Zhang Ergou, you scoundrel, you’re spouting nonsense! You hit me, and you were the one bitten by a stray dog!”
Liu Dafa’s already bruised face became even more vividly colored as blood rushed to it from his anger.
Zhang Ergou almost burst out laughing seeing him like this, but he suppressed it when he saw Liu Cuilan glaring at him.
“Zhang Ergou, what more do you have to argue? I’ve treated you well all this time, and you dare to bully my brother, you little brat.”
As Liu Cuilan spoke, she grabbed a wooden stick and walked towards Zhang Ergou, who was by the door.
“Zhang Ergou, if you dare to run today, never show your face to me again.”
Seeing Zhang Ergou about to bolt, Liu Cuilan threatened him.
She had always understood Zhang Ergou’s feelings for her, but bound by parental arrangements and a matchmaker’s words in this small mountain village, she could only resign herself to fate.
Following her father’s instructions, she was married off to Xu Dalu, a skilled hunter. (Su Dan Novel Network)
After Xu Dalu died, Liu Cuilan was ostracized by the villagers as a jinx, because Xu Dalu’s parents claimed Liu Cuilan had caused their son’s death.
Even her own family’s attitude towards Liu Cuilan changed.
They considered Liu Cuilan an unlucky person.
But only her younger brother, Liu Dafa, maintained his attitude, always coming to see her for any reason.
Especially after being bullied by Zhang Ergou, Liu Dafa would always seek out Liu Cuilan. Liu Cuilan, not wanting to hurt her brother’s feelings, would always scold Zhang Ergou in front of him.
Zhang Ergou was also very helpless; who else could it be when he harbored such special feelings for this beautiful girl, who had now grown into a beautiful woman, Liu Cuilan, since childhood?
Hearing Liu Cuilan’s threat, Zhang Ergou, who was about to run, stopped dead in his tracks.
“Sister Cuilan, you can’t be serious, can you?”
Zhang Ergou said with a pained expression.
“Of course I’m serious! I don’t care to lie to you, you little brat!” With that, Liu Cuilan, who had reached Zhang Ergou, grabbed his ear.
“Is my body good-looking, and fair?”
Liu Cuilan twisted Zhang Ergou’s ear, leaned down, and whispered in his ear.
“Good-looking… Heh heh!” Zhang Ergou leered shamelessly.
“Good-looking, so you want to see more?” Liu Cuilan asked, still twisting his ear, a smile suddenly appearing on her face.
“Want… want… want to see!” Zhang Ergou felt like his saliva was about to drip.
“Really? Then I’ll let you see, okay?”
Liu Cuilan continued to tease Zhang Ergou. At this moment, Zhang Ergou was blinded by lust, completely unaware of the abnormality of the situation.
“Okay, okay!” A drop of saliva trickled down Zhang Ergou’s chin.
“Zhang Ergou, it seems you’re still harboring ill intentions. Let’s see if I don’t break your legs today.”
Suddenly, Liu Cuilan’s tone changed, and she twisted Zhang Ergou’s ear even tighter.
With her other hand, she swung the wooden stick, aiming for Zhang Ergou’s thigh.
“Ah!” Zhang Ergou cried out, “Sister Cuilan, you’re actually hitting me?”
“If I don’t teach you a lesson today, you little brat, will you disregard basic seniority and respect? And you still want to watch me bathe?”
Saying this, she swung the stick a few more times at Zhang Ergou.
“I won’t dare, I won’t dare anymore, Sister Cuilan, I’ll never dare again.”
“You’re magnanimous and don’t hold grudges against a child. Just let me go like I’m a fart!”
Zhang Ergou looked at Liu Cuilan, flattering her profusely.
“Pfft… spit!” Liu Cuilan spat, “Vulgar!”
As she spoke, a blush spread across Liu Cuilan’s face, and the hand twisting Zhang Ergou’s ear loosened its grip.
Sensing Liu Cuilan’s change, Zhang Ergou knew his words had worked.
He flattered Liu Cuilan even more enthusiastically: “Sister Cuilan, look how beautiful you are when you smile, you’re truly the fairest flower in Xinshan Village.”
“You should smile more; you’re getting more and more beautiful!”
Liu Cuilan was also overjoyed by Zhang Ergou’s flattery, and the hand holding his ear had already let go.
“You brat, where are you going…”
The moment Liu Cuilan let go, Zhang Ergou darted away like a streak.
The little black dog barked at Liu Cuilan twice and then chased after Zhang Ergou.
Liu Cuilan stamped her foot, only then realizing she had been tricked by Zhang Ergou, and immediately became furious.
Her chest, already ample, became even more so due to her anger.
Shortly after, Zhang Ergou, having escaped, arrived at the river, which was the only river in Xinshan Village.
Zhang Ergou went to the riverbank and cautiously observed his surroundings.
Finding no one by the river, he found a secluded spot and slipped into it.
Having hidden himself, Zhang Ergou carefully took out the small booklet given to him by Chunyang Sanren.
The five traditional Chinese characters on it glowed faintly.
Zhang Ergou opened the first page of the booklet, which read: Heaven and Earth Chaos Art, Opening Chapter – Refining Essence to Qi.
Zhang Ergou continued to read. It said:
“Mind like still water, all thoughts empty. Inhale deeply, exhale thrice, then breathe out. Breathe in briefly, exhale long. Repeat this cycle, with no other thoughts in mind. Stop after thirty minutes and return to your original state.
Adjust for a moment, close your eyes and begin. Inhale deeply, observe internally. The meridians move, following the qi. Circulate through the body. Exhale long, and return to your original state after forty-nine cycles.
Adjust for a moment, close your eyes and begin. Place your hands on the Dantian. Follow the qi’s movement. Inhale deeply and raise your hands, exhale long and return your hands. Stop after fifteen minutes, repeating the cycle. After fifteen minutes, do not stop. Form like the Bagua, moving left and right repeatedly. After ten breaths, return to the Dantian.”
This was the opening cultivation method of the Heaven and Earth Chaos Art.
Zhang Ergou sat down and followed the breathing and qi circulation instructions, trying to feel the changes in his body.
After a long while, Zhang Ergou showed no progress.