Chapter 12: What a Coincidence?

Liu Shen sighed inwardly, unwilling to meddle in other people's family affairs, and simply said, "Wei Dafu worked himself to death at the docks. Before he died, he entrusted me to deliver his money pouch to his wife."

"Wei Dafu died from exhaustion?"

The burly man was momentarily taken aback, but then a look of relief flashed across his face. He asked, "Where’s the money pouch? Just give it to me."

"That won’t do..."

Liu Shen shook his head and replied, "Before he died, Wei Dafu asked me to hand the pouch to his wife. I agreed, so I can only give it to her."

"You’re a real nuisance, aren’t you?"

The man cursed, "Wei Dafu’s wife is inside, nursing the baby. Want to go in and see her?"

Liu Shen shook his head. "I’ll wait for her to finish and give it to her then."

"You’re really stubborn, aren’t you?"

Annoyed, the burly man stormed out, grabbed Liu Shen by the collar, and snarled, "Hand over that dead man’s money pouch, then get lost!"

"Let go of Shen!"

Before Liu Shen could react, Yuan Xiaofei, standing nearby, rushed over and tried to pull the man's arm off. But with his thin arms and legs, he was no match, and was instead sent sprawling to the ground, clutching his stomach, after a heavy kick from the brute.

Liu Shen’s expression stiffened at the sight. As he regained his composure, a pounding began at his brows, and a surge of malice welled up within him. Even his eyes began to fill with a fine web of blood.

He glanced at the man in front of him, who now seemed shrouded in an indistinct killing aura.

"Did you eat dung as a child? Is that why your mouth reeks so badly?"

Liu Shen felt compelled to vent the malice inside him; he grabbed the two wrists clutching his collar, and with a swift motion, drove his knee into the man’s stomach.

The man felt as though his wrists were locked in an iron vise. Before he could react, pain exploded in his abdomen, forcing him to stagger back several steps before steadying himself.

He was the local butcher—big, burly, and fierce-looking. Few dared provoke him, and he was accustomed to throwing his weight around. Never had he suffered such humiliation.

Seeing the young man glaring at him with bloodshot eyes, he cursed that he hadn’t brought his cleaver...

He clenched his fists, stormed forward in three long strides, intent on teaching this reckless youth a lesson.

Yet, in Liu Shen’s eyes, the man’s movements were slowed to a crawl—full of bluster but lacking in speed.

His heart beat faster, blood surged, and his limbs felt warm. With a simple sidestep, he dodged the punch.

He caught the man’s arm as it swept past, twisted it aside, and kicked hard at the ribs.

A crisp crack was followed by a shriek that sounded like a butchered pig.

The brute collapsed, tears and snot streaming down his face, howling in agony. His right arm hung limp at an unnatural angle—clearly broken.

Startled by the scream, Liu Shen snapped out of his trance. Yet, as he looked at the man’s miserable state, a strange urge to kill him where he lay crept into his heart...

When did I become so violent?

He suppressed the impulse, frowning as he looked at his own hands, then pressed his throbbing brow, suspicion growing in his mind.

As he calmed, the bloodshot haze in his eyes quickly faded, and his vision returned to normal.

"Shen, don’t!"

At that moment, Yuan Xiaofei, clutching his stomach, hurried over, afraid Liu Shen would finish the man off. He grabbed Liu Shen’s hand, pleading in a low voice, "Shen, murder is a crime! Calm down!!"

Just then, a woman carrying a baby rushed out, positioning herself between Liu Shen and the butcher. She demanded sharply, "What are you doing? Who gave you the right to hurt someone?"

Liu Shen glanced at her. "Are you Wei Dafu’s wife?"

"So what if I am? What if I’m not?" She, thinking he was here to defend Wei Dafu, snapped, "That coward leaves for a year or two every time he goes out, and when he’s home, he’s useless as a dead dog. I’ve been married to him seven years and haven’t had a single night of happiness with Butcher Zheng! Good riddance that he’s dead. Want to stand up for him? If you want to kill someone, kill me!"

"Go on, then!"

Liu Shen looked at the ranting woman—hysterical, like a shrew. He didn’t know whether to pity Wei Dafu or think it lucky he’d died early.

"Wei Dafu worked himself to death at the docks. Before he died, he entrusted me to give you this." He had no wish to get further entangled with this family, so he pulled the money pouch from his chest and tossed it at her feet. "He also asked me to tell you to take good care of his son."

With that, Liu Shen pulled Yuan Xiaofei away...

The woman, who had been cursing nonstop, stood frozen, staring at the pouch by her feet. Her face alternated between green and white, as if struck by some sudden realization…

But none of this mattered to Liu Shen now.

After leaving Weijia Village, he glanced at the silent Yuan Xiaofei beside him. "How’s your stomach?"

"I’m fine." Yuan Xiaofei grinned, his eyes dancing. "Shen, you were amazing just now! I was worried you’d lose it and kill that brute."

"I nearly did," Liu Shen said, rubbing his brow with a wry click of his tongue. "Good thing you stopped me, or I’d be a fugitive with blood on my hands."

"Hey, then I did a great deed, didn’t I?"

"You did."

They laughed as they returned to their shabby hut. Yu Hong had already finished packing; after all, all they owned was a handful of clothes.

When they came in, the little girl dropped her head shyly and called out, "Shen."

Liu Shen said nothing, but an inexplicable sweetness welled up in his chest. He took their belongings and led them outside.

The journey to the county town was different this time. On the road, Liu Shen spent three silver coins—an extravagant sum—to catch a ‘lucky ox-cart’ heading toward the town.

By the time they arrived, it was already dusk.

After asking around, Liu Shen brought the siblings to a well-known clinic in the south of town.

Outside the clinic, Yuan Xiaofei looked a little nervous but mostly eager, while Yu Hong glanced at her leg in hesitation.

"Shen, maybe… let’s forget it," the girl said timidly. "I’m used to it. It doesn’t stop me from walking."

"Nonsense!"

Liu Shen glared at her. "You called me Shen, so you do as I say. I brought you here. Don’t worry about money. Understand?"

"Yes," she replied softly, her lips pressed together.

Liu Shen led the siblings into the clinic. Seeing a few patients consulting with the doctors, he had them sit in the front hall to wait.

Perhaps because their clothes were too shabby, though patient after patient was seen and sent on their way, not even a servant came to ask after them.

Orphaned from an early age, Yuan Xiaofei was sensitive to neglect and bullying. He sat with his head down, fists clenched, visibly aggrieved.

"So this is how the Tongda Hall practices medicine?"

Liu Shen saw what was happening. When a servant passed through the front hall, he slammed the table and shouted, "Even beggars deserve to be chased out after waiting this long, don’t they?"

His voice rang through the entire clinic, startling the servant.

The servant quickly composed himself, rushed over with a pot of tea, and apologized with a forced smile, "Sir, forgive us. It’s been busy today, and the master is checking the accounts. We’re short-staffed. I swear on my life, it wasn’t intentional neglect."

Meanwhile, inside the clinic…

Pei Xueyan was frowning over the Tongda Hall’s accounts. Hearing the commotion, she paused, closed the ledger, and got up to see what was going on.

She hadn’t reached the front hall before she saw a familiar figure. When she recognized his face, she stopped in surprise.

Scenes from a few days ago flashed through her mind: the young man, shirtless and sweating, lifting the stone statue; the sheet of calculations he’d written…

A face of striking, honest features; a strong, athletic body; muscles bulging as he carried timber; sweat dripping like beans…

For reasons she could not explain, she felt her heartbeat quicken ever so slightly.

"What a coincidence…"