knife

Chapter 57 Troubling Things

Li Dachui was also filled with amazement.

Come to think of it, he really hadn't noticed before that the colors of the summer solstice were so outstanding when she dressed up!
Xia Zhi came to Li Dachui's side when she was five years old.

She was a maid carefully chosen by Zhou Zhi to serve Li Dachui.

Both its color and its inherent martial arts qualities make it an excellent choice.

Zhou Zhi personally taught Xiaoman, Xiaomao, and Xiazhi their martial arts.

Over the course of ten years, they practiced martial arts together, ate together, and studied together. Li Dachui had grown accustomed to the woman beside him.

Later, the group ventured into the wilderness, and Xia Zhi's maturity and ruthlessness made everyone forget that she was a beautiful girl.

Perhaps it was because they had spent so much time with Xia Zhi that they had become unaware of her beauty, never realizing that Xia Zhi was actually quite beautiful.

This is also because Xia Zhi rarely dresses up. She often leads troops to fight in various places, and she wears armor most of the time. After a day, the smell of sweat on her body can keep mosquitoes away. What is there to dress up for?
So Xia Zhi's unusually elaborate attire today immediately caught Li Dachui's eye.

"Haha, is my Xia Zhi really this beautiful?" Li Dachui laughed. "I almost didn't recognize her! She gave me quite a fright. Look, she even scared the kitten away."

Xia Zhi placed the tray on the table, arranged the wine and dishes one by one, and then stared intently at Li Dachui. Suddenly, her big eyes filled with tears, so watery that they seemed about to spill over at any moment.

"Stop, stop, what are you trying to do now?" Li Dachui poured himself a cup of wine and looked at Xia Zhi, saying, "Whenever you make that face, it means you want something from me again. Tell me, when have I never agreed to anything I could?"

"Young Master, please don't play dumb!" Xia Zhi's voice was choked with emotion.

Li Dachui banged on the table and said, "Why would I play dumb? You've been acting strangely all day. The Xia Zhi I know has always been a straightforward and decisive person. What are you trying to do by being so hesitant and timid?"

Xia Zhi jumped to her feet and shouted, "Young master, how do I compare to that Miss Zhang Qingyun? Is she prettier than me?"

Li Dachui looked her up and down and said, "Zhang Qingyun is only sixteen or seventeen, right? She hasn't even grown up yet. How can she be as pretty as my Xia Zhi? My Xia Zhi has a beautiful face and a great figure. What does that little girl have? Nothing!"

"Is her martial arts skill higher than mine?"

"Are you kidding me? Your martial arts cultivation is at the peak of the seventh rank of the Profound Origin Realm, a genuine expert. She's no match for you." Li Dachui laughed, "What's wrong with you today? Why are you comparing yourself to a little girl?"

"Then in what ways is she better than me?" Xia Zhi asked angrily.

Li Dachui scratched his head and said, "If there's anything she's better at than you, it's probably that she's read more books than you! I've heard she's quite accomplished in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, but I haven't really seen her in person yet. They say that a person with a wealth of knowledge naturally exudes elegance, and this young lady is probably like that. Hmm, she has quite a good temperament."

Xia Zhi's eyes welled up with tears, which then streamed down her face. "I knew it! I knew you liked this kind of thing, young master. It's not my fault that I'm not well-educated. Didn't I have to practice martial arts and protect you since I was little?"

"Stop!" Li Dachui slammed his hand on the table. "Who said I like that kind of look?"

“Everyone outside is saying that the young master has taken Miss Zhang back to be his wife. I also know that the young master has settled that girl in a big mansion in Tai’an City, and she’s even living in the main house!” Xia Zhi said, sobbing. “I’ve never even lived in the main house.”

"Who's so quick to speak!" Li Dachui said irritably, "What do you know? I brought that girl back because I need to protect Zhang Ruo's life. Zhang Ruo is of great importance and will play a huge role in our future cooperation with Xiao Changche. As for the stakes involved, you can ask Mao Daxian for details tomorrow. I'm too lazy to explain it to you!"

"Doesn't the young master like her?" Xia Zhi's eyes lit up.

"I like her my ass!" Li Dachui roared. "I'm not a dog, why would I like a woman I've only met once? Especially a young girl!"

Hearing this, Xia Zhi jumped up happily, moved to the side and was next to Li Dachui. She grabbed his sleeve, her face flushed, and asked shyly, "Does the young master like me?"

Li Dachui hit the other person up and down, slowly saying, "You're like my own sister, so tell me, do I like you or not?"

From initial joy to being doused with cold water, Xia Zhi's face darkened instantly, and she shouted, "Young Master, I don't want to be your sister! I'm not your sister!"

“We’ve been together since we were five years old. Oh, and Fang Xiaomao, and Gu Xiaoman too. We eat together, study together, practice martial arts together, bathe together, and sleep in the same quilt. What else could you be but my sister? Xia Zhi, you, including Xiaomao and Xiaoman, are all my closest family. I value you more than anything else.” Li Dachui put his hand on Xia Zhi’s shoulder. “You ask me if I like you? How could I not like you? But this is the affection between family members, the love between family members, do you understand?”

Xia Zhi plopped down on the ground, tears welling up in her eyes: "I don't understand."

"If you don't understand, go down and think about it slowly. Come back and tell me when you've figured it out!" Li Dachui grabbed Xia Zhi and shouted angrily. "What are you thinking about all day long instead of doing anything productive?"

Xia Zhi turned around and walked away, crying loudly as she went.

Watching Xia Zhi's retreating figure and listening to her unrestrained crying, Li Dachui couldn't help but pat his head in distress.

As people get older, all sorts of worries begin to arise. Thinking about it, Xia Zhi is five years younger than me, but she's already twenty. In traditional society, fifteen-year-old girls are already married.

It's time to consider finding a suitable partner for Xia Zhi.

However, given the current situation, I'm afraid the time isn't right yet.

However, it's true that a girl like Xia Zhi has a hard time finding a suitable partner.

When Gu Xiaoman returns, let him try to persuade Xia Zhi. Among the four of them, Gu Xiaoman is a full twelve years older and has played the role of the eldest brother since childhood. Xia Zhi should be able to listen to his words.

However, upon closer reflection, it's really not easy to find a situation like the summer solstice.

Her martial arts skills are extremely high. There are not many people of similar age or slightly older who can match her martial arts skills. Moreover, Xia Zhi has a very high status. She is a core member of her armed group. She looks down on ordinary men, and they don't dare to get close to her.

Putting myself in their shoes, I wouldn't want to marry a woman who's better than me in every way!
Don't be fooled by Xia Zhi's submissive and submissive demeanor in front of me. In reality, she has a very strong temper. The tough officers of the Earth Battalion really don't dare to breathe loudly in front of her.

This is the bad temper that I, Gu Xiaoman, and Fang Xiaomao personally raised in me since I was a child.

Who can blame her for being a young girl?
The three men naturally indulged her in every way.

Now, Fang Xiaomao and Gu Xiaoman are perfectly fine, but I'm the one with a headache.

He needs to make her understand that he has always treated her like a younger sister, and that incest is not allowed!
Come to think of it, I've never really liked any girl!

Zhang Qingyun?
Thinking of that young girl who is now studying and working hard in Tai'an City, Li Dachui couldn't help but shake his head.

In Li Dachui's view, a strong will, a hard-working nature, and a clear mind could make him a good subordinate, but as a partner?

Li Dachui shook his head again.

So what kind of woman do I like?

Suddenly, a person's face appeared in my mind, and that face became clearer and clearer in my mind.

Li Dachui couldn't help but shudder. He suddenly raised his hand and slapped himself hard. This is too perverted. This isn't me. I'm a normal man, with no problems whatsoever.

A happy day, but a distressing night.

Li Dachui tossed and turned, unable to sleep. He was frightened by a thought that had crossed his mind.

Xia Zhi cried for half the night, filled with regret. She regretted it so much. She should have kept quiet; before, if things hadn't been clear, she could have had some hope. Now, she'd been met with a direct rejection.

Gu Xiaoman was intercepted by Fang Xiaomao as soon as she arrived at Helan Plain.

Thirty-eight-year-old Gu Xiaoman is the oldest of the four. Since childhood, he has played the role of an older brother, taking care of the other three.

Although the four of them were nominally master and servant, they were actually like brothers and sisters. Zhou Zhi personally taught them martial arts. Gu Xiaoman, Fang Xiaomao, and Xia Zhi all practiced Zhou Zhi's martial arts. Li Dachui was different; he practiced martial arts passed down from his mother. Even Zhou Zhi only guided Li Dachui through the basics and then left him to explore on his own.

Zhou Zhi explained Li Dachui's unique qualities to them clearly when they were a little older. He said that the martial arts Li Dachui was practicing would have been impossible to learn without these unique qualities.

By now, Li Dachui has pulled ahead of the other three.

Li Dachui had already reached the ninth rank, Gu Xiaoman and Fang Xiaomao were both at the eighth rank, and Xia Zhi was at the peak of the seventh rank, just one step away from the eighth rank of Xuan Yuan.

For someone their age to have this level of skill is truly astonishing in the martial arts world. However, considering that they have a master of innate talent as their backer, it's understandable.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances and without dying prematurely, as long as Li Dachui continues his training methodically, reaching the Innate Realm is a certainty. The threshold that blocks others is nonexistent for him.

Gu Xiaoman is now only one step away from the ninth rank of Xuan Yuan, and she may break through at any time.

"That little girl is throwing a tantrum?" Gu Xiaoman said nonchalantly, "What, is she taking it out on you?"

"I tried to persuade her yesterday, but she kicked me out!" Fang Xiaomao patted his hip. "That girl's cultivation has improved again!"

(End of this chapter)