Chapter 105

Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW

Chapter 105: Waist Token

At this moment, Liu Er, who hadn’t spoken for a while, opened his mouth and said: “We can’t read, so how would we know what you’ve written?”

Zhang Xiaohua was taken aback and thought: “That’s right, Second Brother can’t read either. Even if I write it, he won’t understand.”

However, he quickly changed his mind. Even if he can’t read, he can ask someone else. It’s not that difficult, so he didn’t stop.

Zhang Xiaohua didn’t have many belongings. When he came a few months ago, he had planned to stay at the escort agency for a short while before returning to the villa, so he didn’t bring much. Now, as he was packing up, it was just some books and miscellaneous items. It didn’t take long to finish packing. Under the watchful eyes of Ma Jing and Liu Er, he skillfully laid out the paper. Just as he was about to find a brush, he sensed someone walking outside the room. Looking up, he saw Zhang Xiaohu pushing the door open and entering.

Nowadays, Zhang Xiaohua feels very sensitive. When Zhang Xiaohu walked outside, his steps were actually very light and Ma Jing and Liu Er didn’t hear it. But Zhang Xiaohua could clearly feel it.

When Zhang Xiaohu entered and saw strangers in the room, he was slightly taken aback. Seeing this, Zhang Xiaohua quickly introduced everyone. Zhang Xiaohu hurriedly saluted and said: “Brother Ma, thank you for taking care of Xiaohua at the Villa.”

Ma Jing also returned the greeting in a formal manner, saying: “Brother Zhang, there’s no need to be polite. Xiaohua is young and can be considered our little brother, so it’s only right to take care of him.”

Zhang Xiaohua, however, felt a bit cynical inside. Care was rare, but the “little shoes” were constant.

After Zhang Xiaohua explained the purpose of their visit, Zhang Xiaohu’s face lit up with joy, saying: “It’s great that you two have come. I was planning to take Xiaohua to the Villa myself, but early this morning, I was called by Sixth Master Li. It turns out there’s an escort mission today that requires us to go out, so I didn’t have the time. Your arrival fulfills my wish.”

Zhang Xiaohua, worried, asked: “Second Brother, where is this escort mission to? Is it dangerous? This is your first time going out, you must be very careful.”

Zhang Xiaohu replied with a smile: “I can’t tell you exactly where we’re going, that’s the rule of the escort agency. However, there shouldn’t be any problems. The destination is very close. Not only is this my first time, but the escort agency has also sent out most of the newcomers who haven’t been on a mission before, and they’ve made me the deputy leader. It shouldn’t be dangerous. Besides, there are highly skilled and experienced bodyguards leading us. You can rest assured.”

Hearing this, Zhang Xiaohua felt somewhat relieved.

Ma Jing noticed that Zhang Xiaohua’s small bundle was already packed, and seeing the reluctance between the two brothers, he said to Zhang Xiaohu: “It’s getting late, Brother Zhang. We need to get back to the villa before noon, so we can’t stay here any longer. We’ll take Zhang Xiaohua back now. If you have time, come visit us at the villa.”

Zhang Xiaohu, upon hearing this, agreed: “Brother Ma is right, it’s proper to return to the villa and complete the errands. Let’s go, I’ll see you out.”

With that, he picked up the small bundle from the kang and invited Ma Jing and Liu Er to lead the way.

The carriage from Huaxi Village was parked at the entrance of the escort agency, looking like the one that Qiu Tong used to take Zhang Xiaohua to the villa.

Standing in front of the carriage, Zhang Xiaohu looked at his younger brother. During this period of recuperation, Zhang Xiaohua gained some weight.

His cheeks were a bit chubby, and he had grown taller. However, seeing his bandaged hand brought a pang of sadness to Zhang Xiaohu.

Zhang Xiaohu placed the small bundle on the carriage and reminded him: “Remember what the doctor said earlier, start with recovery exercises. Don’t do any heavy work. If you’re not careful and the bone cracks again, it will be a big problem.”

Zhang Xiaohua, feeling a bit impatient, said: “Got it, Second Brother, you’ve said it many times. I’ve already told you that the work at the Villa isn’t tiring. Besides, I’m used to using my left hand now. If my right hand isn’t good, I’ll just use my left hand. Actually, I just want to start practicing martial arts as soon as possible. Since the doctor advised against it now, I’ll wait a few days.”

Seeing that Zhang Xiaohua didn’t want to listen any longer and thinking that he might become suspicious if he said more, Zhang Xiaohu smiled and nodded. Then he said to Ma Jing and Liu Er: “Xiaohua’s injury is healed, but the doctor said he still can’t fully use his right hand for now. So, I ask for your extra care at the villa. I thank you in advance.”

With that, he bowed deeply.

Ma Jing and Liu Er quickly returned the gesture and repeatedly assured him.

Then the three boarded the carriage, which slowly started moving and then sped away. Zhang Xiaohu stood at the entrance of the escort agency, waving continuously until the carriage disappeared from sight and he could no longer see Zhang Xiaohua’s waving hand. Only then did he turn and go back inside the escort agency.

On the way back, Ma Jing kept asking Zhang Xiaohua all sorts of questions. He was puzzled when he heard Zhang Xiaohu tell Zhang Xiaohua to not practice martial arts. He remembered that Zhang Xiaohua said when he first arrived that he didn’t know martial arts. So how could be he practicing martial arts now?

Zhang Xiaohua practiced martial arts with He Tianshu at the villa without hiding it from Ma Jing and the others. However, the men in blue hats and clothes and the disciples of the Piaomiao Sect lived in two different worlds. They only interacted during meals and rest. The blue-hatted men even felt somewhat inferior and did not venture into the area where the Piaomiao Sect’s disciples were. Zhang Xiaohua was unaware of this. After entering the villa, he ate and worked with Ma Jing and the others but spent his free time with He Tianshu and the others. Thus, Ma Jing knew nothing about Zhang Xiaohua learning martial arts.

Now that Ma Jing asked, Zhang Xiaohua told him everything. Ma Jing was very curious and even more envious. Although he didn’t say it out loud, he wondered why He Tianshu hadn’t chosen him, given his talents and handsome appearance. Was it really that heaven envied his handsome appearance? He had to sigh at his own luck, should he show some goodwill to the Piaomiao Sect disciples at breakfast tomorrow?

Knowing Zhang Xiaohua could practice martial arts, Ma Jing was even more eager to find out how he got injured at the escort agency. After Zhang Xiaohua explained the full story, Ma Jing immediately gave up the idea of learning martial arts. He quickly decided to abandon his goodwill and continue his usual disdain tomorrow. Just kidding, why practice martial arts? After only a month of training, Zhang Xiaohua hadn’t mastered any technique and was nearly beaten to death by a single palm strike. If he learned martial arts himself, he would surely do better than Zhang Xiaohua. But then, wouldn’t someone just kill him with one strike?

Thinking about what Zhang Xiaohua said, his second brother Zhang Xiaohu, was ten times more powerful than him but he still got beaten badly by Yu Deyi and almost died. It was wiser not to pursue martial arts. Ma Jing patted his chest, relieved and proud of his decision to pursue the promising career of a blue-hatted man.

Meanwhile, Liu Er, the simple-minded one, just listened, occasionally smiling and nodding in agreement, faithfully playing his supporting role.

The carriage soon arrived at Huanxi Village, entering through the side gate as usual.

The carriage stopped at the side gate for inspection. Unlike Qiu Tong, Ma Jing and Liu Er didn’t have any special waist tokens and couldn’t bring strangers into the villa. They honestly handed over their waist tokens. The guard then looked at Zhang Xiaohua, who was taken aback and slapped his forehead. He remembered he had received a waist token when he left the villa a few months ago and now needed to return it. But where had he put it? He hadn’t used it for a long time and vaguely recalled using it as a paperweight while studying with Li Jinfeng. He hadn’t noticed if he packed it earlier.

The small bundle was tied up in knots, and while tying it is easy, untying it can be difficult! Zhang Xiaohua struggled to untie it with his left hand and his injured right hand. Ma Jing naturally took the bundle and helped untie it. Zhang Xiaohua rummaged through the items inside and, sure enough, found the missing waist token among a few books. He picked it up and handed it to Ma Jing.

Ma Jing didn’t pay much attention, glanced at it casually, and turned to hand it to the guard. Just as he was about to do so, he suddenly paused, uttered a surprised “Huh?”, pulled his hand back, and examined the waist token closely from all angles. Then, frowning, he asked: “Zhang Xiaohua, why is your waist token different from ours?”

Zhang Xiaohua was puzzled. He took the waist token back, examined it carefully, and said: “This is the only one I have. It was given to me when I left the villa last time. Isn’t this the right one? Did I lose the proper one?”

Ma Jing was also confused and said: “This waist token should be from our villa. It looks similar to ours and it feels familiar to me, like I’ve seen it somewhere before.”

Zhang Xiaohua asked: “Are there different types of waist tokens in the villa?”

Ma Jing explained: “Yes, there are different waist tokens for different tasks. For example, Nie Xiao’er and the others who work near us have different tokens… Oh, I remember now! When Nie Xiao’er first arrived, he and I went to Pingyang City together. His waist token was like this one. At that time, I compared the two tokens side by side. So, this is why it looks familiar. How did you end up with this kind of token?”

Zhang Xiaohua smiled wryly and said: “Brother Ma, this is my first time using a waist token. How would I know the differences? Maybe you should ask the guard.”

Ma Jing thought that made sense, so he handed the waist token to the guard. The guard inspected it carefully, registered it, and put it away. Then, Ma Jing approached the guard with a friendly smile and said: “Excuse me, Guard Brother, may I ask a question?”

The guard nodded.

Ma Jing asked: “Guard Brother, can you tell me why my younger brother received this kind of waist token?”

Hearing this, the guard smiled and replied like he was looking at an idiot: “I don’t know. I only verify whether the waist token is real and allows people to enter the villa. As for what kind of waist token someone should have, that’s not my concern. If you want to know about issuing waist tokens, you’ll need to ask the people who issued the waist token up front!”

Ma Jing felt quite dissatisfied, what was the difference between saying this and saying nothing? However, he didn’t dare show his displeasure and just put on a fake smile, repeatedly thanking the guard.

The guard didn’t say anything further, waved his hand, and allowed the carriage to enter the village. Internally, he thought: “I knew you’d be unhappy. You’re saying ‘thank you,’ but who knows what you’re really thinking about me.”

The carriage dropped the three off at the entrance of the small courtyard and then left.

As Zhang Xiaohua got out of the carriage and looked at the familiar outer gate, he was struck by a wave of nostalgia. Time had flown by, and many things had changed. After a few months away, he was overwhelmed by the contrast between his initial childlike ignorance and the familiarity he had gained from countless comings and goings through this gate. He remembered the sweat and the incomplete moves he practiced on the vacant lot beside the gate. And now, months had passed, and he returned with an injured body. It felt as though fate had played a trick on him.

Carrying his small bundle, Zhang Xiaohua followed Ma Jing and Liu Er into the courtyard. It was already noon, but no one else had returned. The courtyard was quiet. Zhang Xiaohua, lost in thought, followed the two into the small house. He casually threw his bundle onto the kang where he used to stay and sat down. However, he soon noticed that Ma Jing and Liu Er were looking at him strangely, with Liu Er even giving him a silly grin. Zhang Xiaohua was taken aback, looked down at himself and his feet, and wondered if he had stepped in something unpleasant. What could be so amusing?

When he looked around, he quickly jumped off the kang. It turned out that the bedding had been changed and the items on the small table were different. Zhang Xiaohua realized that Liu Er, who used to share the room with Ma Jing before he left, must have continued staying in the original room and on the original kang after returning. He hadn’t noticed, and now he had made himself the subject of their amusement.

As Zhang Xiaohua blushed and was about to say something, Liu Er quickly spoke up, saying: “It’s fine, Zhang Xiaohua. You’ve been through a lot, so you should rest on the kang for a while. With your recent injury, you need to take care of yourself.”

Zhang Xiaohua was touched. Liu Er was such a kind person, a rare gem among the blue-hatted group.

Liu Er continued: “If you’re used to sleeping on this kang, I’ll go find Brother Xi and ask him to arrange another room for me. You can stay here with Ma Jing.”

Zhang Xiaohua, woke up like being stricken by a lightning strike, suddenly realizing what Liu Er was implying, quickly waved his hand and said: “No, no. A gentleman doesn’t take what others have. Since this kang was originally Brother Liu Er’s, I should give it up. I won’t stay here. I’ll find somewhere else to stay.”

Liu Er said: “I’m used to sleeping anywhere. For someone recovering from an injury like you, it’s better to stay in the original place. The comfort of familiarity is important and will help you recover.”

The two continued to argue, each insisting that the other should keep the best spot. Ma Jing, watching the exchange, felt a wave of admiration. Such good people! It must be due to my good character that those who live with me are influenced to become gentlemen as well.

Just as the two were exchanging the blame, the noise of a commotion came from the courtyard, indicating that Tian Chongxi and the others had returned.

Zhang Xiaohua, excited, ran out of the small house. He was not only eager to escape Liu Er’s overwhelming kindness but also wanted to see his “friends” from the past month. As Zhang Xiaohua appeared in the courtyard, the group of blue-hat servants, who were surprised to see him, gathered around and started asking questions. Although Zhang Xiaohua was not very familiar with them, and he hadn’t truly integrated into their circle during the short month, his sudden reappearance and the news of his injury piqued their curiosity. They asked: “Zhang Xiaohua, we heard that you fought against a strong person from the Lotus Escort Agency and he was so angry that he badly injured you with a single slap. Is that true?”

Another asked, “Zhang Xiaohua, is it true that you fought twelve of the Escort Agency’s best fighters and collapsed from exhaustion?”

Yet another said: “Zhang Xiaohua, we heard that you were bewitched by the female head of the Lotus Escort Agency using an Enchanting Technique and then she used some Yin-Yang Harmony Powder to defeat you. You’re our idol now. By the way, how is that female head’s figure?”

Zhang Xiaohua felt overwhelmed by the barrage of questions and exaggerated rumors. He had initially intended to explain everything in detail, but the sudden onslaught of questions drained his energy. He could only smile weakly and mumble vague responses.

Tian Chongxi, standing on the edge of the crowd with a calm demeanor, waited until the noise died down before speaking firmly: “Everyone, disperse. Zhang Xiaohua is back. If you have questions, you’ll have plenty of time later to ask. He’s still recovering, and if anything happens to him because of your curiosity, you’ll be responsible for his medical expenses.”

This effectively made the crowd disperse immediately, with each person keeping their distance from Zhang Xiaohua. Even if he were to stumble, they were now clear of any responsibility.

Tian Chongxi continued: “Hurry up and get ready for dinner. We have a lot of work to do in the afternoon, and if we fall behind, don’t blame me for cutting your wages.”

This threat had its intended effect, who wants their wages deducted? The crowd quickly scattered, each returning to their respective rooms, their earlier enthusiasm having vanished.

Tian Chongxi then looked at Zhang Xiaohua, who was still bewildered by the sudden shift in the crowd’s behavior, and said: “Zhang Xiaohua, come with me.”

Without waiting for a response, Tian Chongxi walked back to his own small house.

Zhang Xiaohua found Tian Chongxi’s indifferent attitude puzzling, but he knew this wasn’t the time for deep reflection. Seeing that Tian Chongxi was already heading into his room, Zhang Xiaohua quickly followed.

Once inside, Tian Chongxi turned to Zhang Xiaohua and asked in a neutral tone: “Zhang Xiaohua, how is your injury?”

Zhang Xiaohua, cautiously observing Tian Chongxi, replied: “I’m fine now, Brother Xi. Although I’m not fully healed yet, I can work with my left hand. It won’t affect the tasks assigned to us by the villa.”

Tian Chongxi said with a chuckle: “Hehe, that’s not my concern. Now that your injury is better, I’m relieved. After all, you used to be one of my younger brothers. If anything happened to you, it wouldn’t sit well with me either.”

Zhang Xiaohua found this remark a bit puzzling, not quite understanding what Tian Chongxi meant.

Tian Chongxi then pointed to a pile of bedding that was lying unused on the kang, and said: “That bedding is for you. Take a look and see if anything is missing, and then follow me. I’ll arrange a place for you to stay from now on.”

Zhang Xiaohua, hearing this, jumped up like a monkey who’s tail caught on fire and said: “Brother Xi, please don’t put me in the same room as Brother Ma again. Please, please.”
✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦

Orluros’s Vault of Secrets: If you liked the chapter feel free to donate 🙂 and if you find any errors in the translation please mention them in the comments