Street Stories: A True Account of a Group of Blind Men in the Underworld

On the Mid-Autumn Festival, Xue Si returned to his hometown of Baodi in a disheveled and dejected state.

He used to be very particular about his appearance. His meticulously styled, slicked-back hair was now a mess, like a bird's nest; his face was covered in bruises, and there were faint traces of dried, cracked bloodstains at the corners of his mouth; his once-shiny leather shoes were covered in dust, and his trouser legs were stained with mud.

The affected, pretentious air of the past has vanished completely, leaving him looking like a stray dog ​​being chased around aimlessly.

The moment Xue Si stepped inside the house, he could no longer contain himself. He threw the bundle he was carrying on the ground and began to wail and wail at his father, Xue Laoda.

"Dad! You have to stand up for me! If you don't do something, your son will be beaten to death!"

Old Master Xue is sixty-three years old this year. He is short, stocky and sturdy, and when he stands there, he looks like a black iron tower. His small round eyes are shrewd and he is known throughout the surrounding area for being very protective of his own. He will not suffer the slightest loss.

Seeing his son in such a miserable state, he immediately slammed his pipe against the doorstep, his thick eyebrows bristling.

"You bastard! Who dared to beat my son like this?"

"It's all Qiao Yang's fault! It was all that kid Qiao Yang's doing!"

Xue Si grasped at a straw and scrambled forward, embellishing and twisting the truth, recounting what had happened in Zunhua County.

"Dad, that Qiao Yang, relying on his martial arts skills, completely disregards the Xue family. I can't swallow this insult!"

Boss Xue was not someone to be trifled with, and upon hearing this, he was instantly enraged, his entire body trembling with rage.

"You bastard surnamed Qiao! You think you're all grown up now? Let's go! We're going to Southwest Village right now to find his father, Qiao Zezhong, and settle this matter!"

His family must apologize and pay for his medical treatment today, or this matter is not over!

The father and son immediately agreed, stormed out of the house, and headed straight for the Qiao family in the Southwest Village.

Along the way, Xue Laoda cursed and swore, while Xue Si fanned the flames, thinking only of making a scene at the Qiao family's house and regaining all the face he had lost in Zunhua County.

Before long, the two arrived at the Qiao family's door. Without knocking, Xue Laoda raised his hand and slammed the door hard, making a noise that alerted half the street.

The courtyard gate creaked open, revealing Qiao Yang's mother, Wang Xiuming, and a slender, gentle-looking young woman.

Old Xue was taken aback. He had lived in this village for decades and this was the first time he had ever seen a woman with such a temperament, exuding an indescribable gentleness and elegance.

Upon seeing that it was the Xue family father and son, Wang Xiuming put on a polite smile:

"Uncle Xue, it's Mid-Autumn Festival today, what brings you here? Come in and have a seat."

Old Master Xue refused to comply and started yelling as soon as he entered the door:

"Stop with the pleasantries! I'm calling Qiao Zezhong and telling him to come out right now! His son assaulted and committed violence outside; he demands an explanation today!"

"The child's father isn't home." Wang Xiuming stepped aside to make way. "It's windy outside. If you have something to say, come inside and talk. Don't stand at the door."

After Xue Laoda and Xue Si entered the house, the young woman beside them quickly stepped forward, poured two bowls of steaming hot water, and then brought over a plate of freshly picked cucumbers, which were crisp and refreshing to look at.

Her voice was soft, with a slight foreign accent:

"Uncle, Brother Xue, have a cucumber to quench your thirst and calm down. Let's talk things out."

This woman was none other than Qiao Yang's wife, Su Yue.

Seeing that the other party was polite, Xue Si became even more arrogant, repeating his own words in a haphazard and disjointed manner.

Su Yue listened quietly, a hint of worry in her eyes. Only after he finished speaking did she speak softly:

"Brother Xue, if I may ask, where did you first meet my son, Qiao Yang?"

"Zunhua County!" Xue Si replied in a muffled voice, looking unconvinced.

Su Yue suppressed her anxiety and asked softly:

"So...did my Qiao Yang really hit you?"

She knew best that her husband was a skilled martial artist, and if Qiao Yang really made a move, this matter would not be easily resolved, so her heart was in her throat.

Xue Si pursed his lips, his face full of resentment and frustration, and said in a muffled voice:

"Qiao Yang didn't do anything; it was that blind man surnamed Lin who was with him who did the fighting!"

Upon hearing this, Su Yue's heart, which had been hanging in mid-air, instantly returned to reality.

Firstly, she finally learned that her husband was away and confirmed that Qiao Yang was safe and sound, so she no longer had to worry about him day and night.

Secondly, the husband did not participate in the fight, so no matter how much Xue Si cried and made a scene, the blame could not be placed on Qiao Yang.

She breathed a soft sigh of relief, her gaze falling on Xue Si. Seeing that although he was disheveled, his clothes were of fine material, unlike those of an ordinary farmer, she casually smiled politely:

"Brother Xue's attire is quite refined; the material looks high-quality, and you can tell he's seen the world."

Boss Xue, who was standing to the side, kept glancing at Su Yue the whole time.

The woman before him was beautiful, spoke gently, and possessed an exceptional temperament. Not to mention Xixinan Village, even the entire Baodi County could not find such a remarkable woman.

He nudged his son Xue Si with his elbow, then turned to Wang Xiuming and asked:

"Sister-in-law Qiao, who is this pretty young lady? I've never seen her before."

Wang Xiuming smiled smugly and pointed at Su Yue, saying:

"This is my daughter-in-law, Su Yue. She's from Tianjin. Qiao Yang went to Tianjin to make a living this spring, and we met by chance. We just got married not long ago."

Xue Laoda's eyes widened as he listened, secretly marveling at how Qiao Yang, that kid, could pick up such a beautiful city wife while setting up a fortune-telling stall.

The Xue father and son didn't cause any trouble at the Qiao family's house. Instead, they sat there for almost half an hour before finally leaving with long faces and a disgruntled expression.

As soon as I stepped out of the gate, I was surrounded by my neighbors.

Wu Hu grabbed Xue Laoda's arm and asked curiously:

"Uncle Xue, what's wrong with you two storming into the Qiao family's house in such a huff? Has that brat Qiao Yang caused trouble again?"

By now, Xue's anger had subsided considerably, and his mind was filled with Su Yue's beautiful image. He had no intention of settling scores and casually replied:

"Nothing much, just dropping by for the Mid-Autumn Festival to catch up."

Wu Hu's gaze shifted and landed on Xue Si, and she immediately smiled and teased him:

"Oh my, this must be your eldest son? Look at him, so handsome, with his stylish parted hair and shiny leather shoes. He looks like someone who does important things in the city, unlike us country bumpkins."

As she spoke, she smiled knowingly:

"Look at Qiao Yang, he went to Tianjin and brought back such a beautiful wife."

Why don't you send your eldest son to Tianjin to try his luck? With his looks and qualifications, he'd definitely be able to marry a city girl even prettier than the Qiao family's wife!

He does not mean that.

As if struck by a revelation, Boss Xue nodded subconsciously and repeatedly responded:

"Hmm...that makes sense, it makes perfect sense!"

On the way back to the Xue family home, Xue Si finally couldn't hold back any longer and started shouting as soon as he entered the door:

"Dad! Are we just going to let this go? The Qiao family didn't even offer an apology, and we're just going to swallow this insult?"

Contrary to his usual behavior, Xue Laoda didn't get angry. Instead, he closed the door, lowered his voice, and chuckled at his son.

"What's the rush? It's just a minor injury, nothing serious."

Xue Si was taken aback, his face full of confusion:

"Not a big deal? Then let's settle accounts with the Qiao family!"

"What's there to settle?" Old Master Xue patted his son's shoulder, his eyes full of calculation. "Didn't you see the wife Qiao Yang married? She's from Tianjin, and you won't find another one like her in Baodi!"

Qiao Yang managed to win a wife by setting up a fortune-telling stall in Tianjin, why don't you learn from him?

Xue Si's eyes seemed to light up as well, and his breathing became somewhat rapid:

"Dad, you mean...?"

"What I mean is, once the bruises on your face have healed, you should also go to Tianjin!"

Old Xue became more and more proud as he spoke: "I've heard that life is tight in Tianjin. Every family doesn't have enough food to eat and relies on the small amount of supplies from the stores every month. The living spaces are so cramped that you can't even turn around. You even have to queue to use the toilet. Which girl doesn't want to find a reliable country man?"

"Take Qiao Yang as your role model, set up a fortune-telling stall in Tianjin, and with our skills, why should we worry about not being able to win back a wife even prettier than Su Yue?"

Xue Si was overjoyed to hear this, and the grievances he had suffered in Zunhua were instantly forgotten.

He was already envious of Qiao Yang for marrying a city wife, and now, after his father described it this way, his mind was filled with the dream of going to Tianjin to marry a beautiful wife. He wished the injury on his face would heal immediately so that he could set off for Tianjin the next day.

He nodded repeatedly, patting his chest to assure them:

"Dad! I'll do whatever you say! As soon as my injury heals, I'll go to Tianjin!"