Chapter Seventy-One: Braving Thorns and Thistles
Chapter Seventy-One: Cutting Through Thorns
Shi Bai was speechless. He turned around and said, “What are you talking about? Hurry up and fight!”
Leng Ruoshuang smiled faintly. “I’m not that foolish.”
Shi Bai glanced at her. “How do you want to fight?”
Without replying, Leng Ruoshuang flashed him a mysterious smile. She flicked her iron whip and wrapped it around Shi Bai. “Your body is harder than stone, so brute force is useless. Therefore…”
She exerted her strength, attempting to fling Shi Bai off the stage. Unfortunately, he didn’t budge. Shi Bai stood as immovable as a stone Buddha, as weighty as Mount Tai.
A look of foreboding flashed across Leng Ruoshuang’s face. Shi Bai smiled lightly. “Why aren’t you throwing me?”
Just as Leng Ruoshuang tried to retrieve her whip, Shi Bai pulled her closer with a swift tug.
Startled, Leng Ruoshuang tried to retreat, but Shi Bai caught her. She retaliated with a slap, only to hear a sharp crack—the bones in her wrist broke.
A murmur of sympathy rippled through the crowd. “Ah, she couldn’t escape this fate either.”
The referee hurried forward, declaring Shi Bai the winner and Leng Ruoshuang the loser.
Shi Bai was about to leave the stage when he saw Leng Ruoshuang crouched on the ground, her brow furrowed, cold sweat streaming down as she clutched her injured hand, on the verge of tears.
Shi Bai’s heart softened. He squatted down and said, “Let me treat it for you.”
Leng Ruoshuang looked at him in pain. “You know how?”
Shi Bai nodded. “Of course.”
She hesitated, uncertain. “How will you do it?”
He thought for a moment. “Let me punch you twice.”
She glared at him. “Are you messing with me?”
Shi Bai looked helpless. “No, I mean it!”
She assessed him again. “Get lost!”
Shi Bai, resigned, suddenly lunged forward, grabbing her hand. “Let me do it!”
Thinking he was going to bully her further, Leng Ruoshuang used her other hand to slap Shi Bai across the face. Another sharp crack sounded—this hand broke as well.
“Ah!” Leng Ruoshuang cried out in pain. Both her arms hung limp like a puppet’s, her body nearly collapsing to the ground.
Shi Bai hurriedly caught her. She trembled in agony, completely powerless to resist.
Even as he held her, she still thought he was trying to take advantage of her. She opened her mouth, ready to bite him.
“Stop!” Shi Bai quickly intervened. “Do you want to lose your teeth as well?”
Leng Ruoshuang froze, mouth agape, suddenly feeling utterly wronged. She burst into tears. “You bastard! You’re not human! You’ve crippled me! Just kill me already!”
Shi Bai shook his head with a wry smile. “Who’s crippled you? I’m trying to help you!”
Still sobbing, she protested, “Who says they’re helping while threatening to punch me twice? You’re just kicking me when I’m down!”
Shi Bai shook his head again, realizing she’d never believe him no matter what he said. He simply grabbed her arm—she couldn’t fight back anyway.
“What are you doing?” she cried.
Shi Bai didn’t answer. Suddenly, he tilted his head upward. “Look, a bird!”
Instinctively, Leng Ruoshuang looked up. Shi Bai seized the moment to punch her broken arm.
She screamed, but to her astonishment, the pain vanished. She lifted her arm and flexed it gingerly—delight burst across her face. “It’s better! It’s really better!”
Shi Bai shook his head. “Do you believe me now?”
Leng Ruoshuang nodded eagerly. “That’s incredible! Thank you!” She extended her other hand. “Can you fix this one too?”
Shi Bai smiled, turning away. “Ask me nicely.”
Leng Ruoshuang was taken aback. “Ask you?”
He said, “Didn’t you doubt me just now?”
She grew anxious. “I believe you! I believe you, big brother!”
He replied, “Then ask me.”
Leng Ruoshuang blushed, as if making a monumental decision. “Big brother, please punch me twice!”
She was almost in tears.
Shi Bai told her to hold still, quietly activated his mission, and landed a punch. Her hand healed.
The young woman was stunned, her heart fluttering.
The audience was even more amazed, especially Li Ruyi and the others—only now did they truly understand Shi Bai’s prowess.
The contest continued. As expected, the final four were Shangguan Yunfei, Murong Lingfeng, and Li Pokong.
Shi Bai faced Shangguan Yunfei. Everyone watched with anticipation, but Shangguan Yunfei simply bowed and conceded defeat.
Murong Lingfeng went up against Li Pokong. Murong had seemed certain of victory, but Li Pokong proved astoundingly strong, grabbing Murong and hurling him off the stage.
Next, Shi Bai faced Li Pokong. Li Pokong swung a hammer at Shi Bai’s head—the iron hammer pierced through, then swept sideways and bent out of shape.
Li Pokong was shocked and tried to lift Shi Bai and throw him, but couldn’t budge him.
Shi Bai flicked a finger at Li Pokong’s forehead—Li Pokong flew off the stage.
He landed heavily, gravely injured and unconscious.
Li Baxian was furious. How could anyone take such a blow to the head and remain normal? He rushed at Shi Bai. “Give me back my son’s life!”
He attacked furiously. Ye Rulong, Ye Xingzu, and Li Jiankui also leapt onto the stage.
Iron hammers rained down on Shi Bai like a storm.
Shi Bai was undaunted, neither dodging nor avoiding the attacks.
Soon, Shi Bai made his way home. His house was close to the school—a fifteen-minute walk at most.
When he arrived, his mother had just finished cooking. His father wasn’t home, likely tending the fruit stand.
Shi Bai set down his backpack and hurried to help his mother set the dishes on the table. She paused in surprise, then smiled. “What’s gotten into my boy today? You’re actually helping your mother set the table!”
She scooped him a big bowl of rice.
Shi Bai took it at once, grinning. “How could I not be eager when it comes to eating?”
His mother shot him a reproachful glance. “All you care about is eating—just like your father!”
He picked up his chopsticks and took a bite, smiling. “Of course. After all, I am my father’s son.”
His mother laughed and let it pass, starting to pack a meal for his father.
The food was simple: shredded potatoes and scrambled eggs with tomatoes. After a few bites, Shi Bai found it rather bland, but didn’t dare complain.
After a moment’s thought, he took out a hundred-yuan note. “Mom, I found a hundred yuan. Tomorrow, can you buy us some meat?”
His mother brushed her hair back with the back of her hand, eyeing the red bill in Shi Bai’s hand, her gaze turning cold.
She set down her bowl, face serious. “You didn’t steal this, did you?”
Shi Bai had expected this. He immediately replied solemnly, “No! Don’t you know me by now? Ever since you beat me nearly half to death for taking money from home when I was five, when have I ever taken money again?”
She clearly believed him. Her expression softened as she took the money, examining it carefully. “Let’s hope the person who lost this only lost this much, and may they be safe.”
Shi Bai felt a pang in his heart. The helplessness of the poor—unable to return found money, yet feeling guilty for keeping it.
Luckily, this was his own money, so he felt no burden.
After dinner, his mother picked up the lunchbox to take food to his father, but Shi Bai snatched it away.
“I’ll take it today!”
She stared at him. “You? Don’t you have homework?”
“There wasn’t much today. I finished it at school!” Shi Bai called as he hurried out, leaving his mother bewildered.
“What’s gotten into that boy today?”
His father’s fruit stand was nearby, just five minutes away. Shi Bai hurried along, hopping and skipping, and soon arrived.
“Dad, time to eat!” he called.
His father, in the midst of hawking his wares, turned in surprise. “You’re delivering lunch today? Don’t you have homework?”
“There wasn’t much, I finished early!”
“You should still be reading at home! Your mother, honestly…”
“Boss, how much are the watermelons?” A woman customer approached.
His father quickly put on a welcoming smile. “One yuan each! Fresh stock today—how many would you like?”
“Oh, that’s too expensive! Forget it,” the woman grumbled and walked away.
His father’s face clouded as he sighed. “Ah, this batch of melons turned out bad.”
Shi Bai was taken aback and quickly asked, “What happened?”
His father looked at him, then waved him off. “Never you mind!”
A wave of bitterness rose in Shi Bai’s heart.
That was his father’s way—no matter the trouble, he bore it alone, never telling Shi Bai a word. Last time, his business failed and he owed hundreds of thousands, and it was just the same.
At first, Shi Bai resented him for not confiding in him, for never discussing problems together. Later, he understood—his father simply didn’t want him to worry, or let it affect his studies.
“Don’t worry, Dad,” Shi Bai thought to himself. “In this life, I’ll help you.”
“Old Shi!”
As Shi Bai was about to open his system, a middle-aged woman approached.
She was around forty or fifty, heavyset, dressed in a floral short-sleeved shirt and wide green pants that looked like something an elderly lady would wear. She fanned her dark, round face with a free plastic fan covered in advertisements.
“So this is your son?” She glanced at Shi Bai. “Don’t see him around much, do we?”
His father just looked at her and smiled. “Yes, he’s in his second year of high school—too busy studying to come by.”
“Really?” Aunt Li scrutinized Shi Bai, then laughed. “Doesn’t look like you!”
His father laughed. “No, he takes after his mother!”
“No wonder he’s so short! Ho ho ho!” The old woman covered her mouth, chuckling.
Both Shi Bai and his father’s faces darkened.
Shi Bai actually knew this woman—she ran the fruit stall next door and everyone called her Old Li’s wife.
Old Li’s wife had a sharp tongue and was terribly petty—she couldn’t stand to see Shi Bai’s family do well. Whenever business was slow, she’d come over just to toss a few jabs their way.