The food server held up a glowing red iron skewer, staring at Chu the Second. "That bearded fellow isn't an Ascetic Cultivator at all. If he isn't one, why did he come to Kucaizhuang?"
During their clash earlier that day, the server had realized Li Banfeng's cultivation was unusual. He didn't know why Li Banfeng had come to Kucaizhuang, but that fight had severely undermined his authority in the village.
Never mind that he was merely a food server; he treasured his status immensely. His power in Kucaizhuang truly was not small—besides dishing out meals, he was also responsible for distributing grain.
"Just tell me his name. That's all I want to know." Clutching the iron skewer, the server drew closer and closer, Chu the Second's body trembling incessantly.
To say she wasn't scared would be a lie.
Chu the Second bit her lip, her eyes bloodshot as she yelled, "Come on! Come at me! Brand me right here! Let's see if I'm afraid of you! If you don't have the guts, you're a fucking bastard!"
The bystanders were dumbfounded.
Why was this woman so unhinged?
She was a Tier 2 Ascetic Cultivator, but if she actually got branded like that...
He was only asking for a name. Why wouldn't she say it?
Chu the Second didn't know much about Li the Seventh.
The only thing she knew was that Li the Seventh didn't like people prying into his affairs.
"Little girl, you've got guts. I've prepared over a dozen skewers, and I'm going to take my time working you over. Don't say I didn't warn you—once your gateway gets ruined, you won't count as a woman anymore. Though that's fine too. We Ascetic Cultivators shouldn't have so many worldly attachments anyway. If you're really so tough, don't you dare scream in a minute!"
Szzzt!
Chu the Second didn't scream.
The food server did.
"Aaaagh!"
He screamed at the top of his lungs.
The iron skewer in his hand was kicked by Li Banfeng, slamming directly into his own face.
The glowing red skewer seared him all the way from between his eyebrows down to the corner of his mouth.
These people had originally intended to ambush Li Banfeng, but seeing him appear out of nowhere and brand the food server, the mob of Ascetic Cultivators took to their heels, scurrying right back into the Free Food Hall.
Only the food server was left, knocked flat onto the ground by two swift kicks from Li Banfeng.
Li Banfeng planted a foot on the server's chest, the iron skewer in hand, and asked in a calm tone, "What did you mean just now about working over a gateway? What is a gateway?"
The server's voice shook. "A gateway is... just a gateway..."
Chu the Second spat. "A gateway is part of the body."
"Part of the body?" Li Banfeng stared at the server for a long moment. "Where's your gateway? Where is it located?"
The server had no idea how to answer.
Chu the Second murmured under her breath, "How could he have a gateway..."
Li Banfeng didn't understand. "Didn't you say a gateway is part of the body? Why doesn't he have one?"
"He's a man. Men don't have gateways..." Chu the Second's voice grew even fainter, so quiet she could barely hear herself.
"Men don't have gateways?!"
Such a thing was possible?!
Li Banfeng was profoundly shocked by this revelation!
"They just don't have them..." Chu the Second hardly knew what she was saying anymore.
"Really none?" Li Banfeng looked down at the middle-aged man on the ground.
"None! Truly none!" The man shook his head frantically.
Li Banfeng raised the iron skewer. "Then how about I open a gateway for you?"
Chu the Second was terrified out of her wits.
The food server pleaded for mercy over and over.
Szzzzt—scorched smoke billowed up.
The server's deafening howls pierced the air.
Granny Bitter watched from the distance, making no move to intervene.
As long as no lives were lost, she didn't care about suffering.
Cultivation.
This all counted as cultivation.
***
The gateway was opened. The food-serving uncle hadn't died, and now he was sleeping very peacefully.
Li Banfeng muttered to himself, "Should I be calling him an auntie from now on?"
Chu the Second was still hanging from the wooden post, looking down at Li Banfeng. "Did you come to save me?"
Li Banfeng didn't know how to answer.
He hadn't come to save Chu the Second; he had come to the Free Food Hall to stir up trouble.
Yet Chu the Second had stood her ground just now, willing to let her gateway be ruined rather than give up his name. That had changed his impression of her a little.
He would lie to her this once.
"Yes." Li Banfeng looked at Chu the Second and gave a solemn nod.
With that, he pulled down the brim of his hat and turned to leave.
*Yes.*
*He came to save me.*
That single word carried immense weight for Chu the Second.
There was still someone in this world who cared about her.
Watching Li Banfeng walk away, Chu the Second called out through her tears, "If you came to save me, why didn't you let me down?"
She was still hanging there.
Li Banfeng hurried back and untied her from the post.
He had forgotten—he really had forgotten.
As he untied the ropes, Li Banfeng didn't forget to ask, "Do you have a gateway?"
"Yes," Chu the Second answered in a small voice.
"Do you really..."
"What woman doesn't?!" Chu the Second reached her limit.
Li Banfeng thought about the Pendulum and the Earring, then shook his head. "That's not necessarily true."
Red Lotus and the liquor gourd probably had one.
His wife had a door—the cabinet door of the gramophone casing. Did that count?
Chu the Second wiped the blood from her face and said to Li Banfeng, "Once we get back to Lüshui City, I'll take you to a hospital to get your head checked..."
"Rest here for a moment. I'm going to invite them for a bath." Li Banfeng walked toward the Free Food Hall.
He caressed the teapot and murmured, "Old Brother, I don't need to tell you the water temperature, do I?"
"Little Brother, if you keep making such a fuss, Granny Bitter won't let you off lightly."
*Not letting me off is best. She won't kill me anyway. As long as she kicks me out of Kucaizhuang, anywhere is better than here.*
Li Banfeng leaped onto the roof, and before long, waves of agonized wails echoed from inside the building.
*Granny Bitter, where did you go?*
*Didn't you forbid the villagers from bathing?*
*I broke your rules again. Hurry up and throw me out!*
***
That night, Granny Bitter didn't show up.
At daybreak the next morning, when breakfast time arrived, everyone held their bowls, waiting with eager eyes.
The food-serving uncle could no longer cook—he had turned into an auntie now and was still nursing his wounds on a straw mat.
If he couldn't cook, Li Banfeng could do it himself.
Chu the Second chopped the firewood, Chu the Second lit the fire, Chu the Second fetched the water, Chu the Second washed the rice, and Li Banfeng was in charge of managing the heat.
This morning they ate congee, still served with bitter greens, but there was no sand in the congee.
The Free Food Hall had no shortage of grain. At noon, they ate steamed dry rice, and everyone ate until they were full.
Come evening, it was congee again, but this meal had meat. Li Banfeng took out ten cans of meat and poured them into the pot.
This meal was thoroughly enjoyed. For the first time, a flush of color appeared on the faces of the Ascetic Cultivators, which had always been the sickly green of bitter greens.
Granny Bitter stood outside the Free Food Hall, the corner of her eye twitching.
*You think this will make me let you go?*
*Let's see how long you can keep up this madness.*
There was even greater madness to come.
Late at night, Li Banfeng asked the liquor gourd, "What is the strongest liquor in the world?"
"Little Brother, that's hard to say. How strong do you want it to be?"
"Can one jin of liquor knock out sixty people?"
"Easily," the liquor gourd replied with utter confidence.
"Don't make the flavor too strong."
"I can make it so they won't taste a drop of liquor."
Li Banfeng smiled. "We're having congee again tomorrow morning."
***
The next morning, congee was served at the Free Food Hall.
After two bowls went down, a woman suddenly burst into tears. "If that man hadn't tricked me, I never would have come to this place, no matter what."
Her name was Qian Jiafeng. She had originally come from a good family, and just like Yanzi, she had been deceived by a heartless man. In utter despair, she had become an Ascetic Cultivator.
A man sat down beside Qian Jiafeng and asked softly, "What kind of man was he?"
His name was Ou Haidong. In Kucaizhuang, his dwelling was relatively close to Qian Jiafeng's, and the two often looked out for each other. But according to Kucaizhuang's rules, residents did not inquire into one another's backgrounds, so he knew little of her past.
Qian Jiafeng sobbed, "He's the most shameless man in the world. He came to my home to work as a tutor, and relying on his ability to write a couple of poems, he seduced me. When my father found out, he drove me out of the family. I still wanted to make a life with him, but he turned around and found someone else in the blink of an eye."
Ou Haidong sighed. "Don't cry. He isn't worth shedding tears over."
He wanted to embrace Qian Jiafeng, but a middle-aged woman carrying a bowl of congee sat down beside them. "If you ask me, not a single man is any good! They're all heartless beasts!"
With that, the woman tilted her head back and downed the whole bowl of congee!
A middle-aged man nearby leaned in, his face flushed. "That's unfair. I'm a pretty good man."
"Pah!" the middle-aged woman spat. "Stay the hell away from me! I don't trust any of you handle-bearers!"
"I'm a handle-bearer!" the food-serving uncle wailed through his tears as he sipped his congee. "I really have a handle!"
Another man chuckled, "They say you've got a gateway now. Let me see it, won't you? It's been ages since I last saw one."
Throughout the entire Free Food Hall, tears and laughter blended into a chaotic chorus!
Granny Bitter stood before the door of the Free Food Hall, the corner of her eye twitching once again.
*Fine. Let's see how long you can keep up this madness!*
***
The three days of free food came to an end, and everyone returned home.
When night fell, Li Banfeng and Chu the Second didn't return home; instead, they followed Qian Jiafeng to her residence.
Li Banfeng kept his voice low. "Are you sure those two have feelings for each other?"
Chu the Second nodded. "The last time I came to Kucaizhuang, they were constantly making eyes at each other, but neither of them dared to talk through the window paper!"
Li Banfeng gave her a look of utter disdain. "Haven't you ever read a book? You don't 'talk through' window paper, you poke through it!"
Chu the Second froze for a moment. "Are you talking about windows or gateways?"
***
The two didn't have to wait long before Ou Haidong arrived.
Chu the Second had predicted his arrival accurately. "Every time the free food ends, he comes to Qian Jiafeng's house to help tidy up."
Li Banfeng glanced at her. "Did you come to Kucaizhuang to cultivate, or to watch the drama?"
Chu the Second lowered her head. "I just happened to notice..."
Chu the Second in Kucaizhuang was truly a different person from Chu the Second in Lüshui City; Li Banfeng had no idea which one was her true self.
Before long, the room was cleaned up. Qian Jiafeng offered to let Ou Haidong stay for a cup of tea. Ou Haidong was an upright gentleman; after finishing a single cup, he stood up to leave.
Qian Jiafeng walked him to the doorway, only to see a woman with a face full of scars and a sinister expression standing outside.
Qian Jiafeng shuddered in fright, and Ou Haidong quickly shielded her behind him.
"You're the young lady who took a beating earlier, aren't you?" Ou Haidong recognized Chu the Second. "We didn't dare offend the food server, so we couldn't help you, but we didn't harm you either."
Chu the Second looked at Ou Haidong, then at Qian Jiafeng. "Truly neither of you took part?"
Ou Haidong said solemnly, "I conduct myself with an open and upright conscience. If I've done something, I will not deny it."
"Good. I believe you." Chu the Second turned and walked away.
Qian Jiafeng trembled for a long time. "Wh-why is she so terrifying?"
Ou Haidong said grimly, "She's pitiful, but she seems quite unhinged. She might come back."
Qian Jiafeng grasped his hand. "I'm... scared."
Ou Haidong said, "Don't worry. I'll stand guard at your doorway. I'll watch over you all night."
"The doorway..."
Ou Haidong lowered his head. "I won't enter your room, don't worry."
And so he stood guard right outside Qian Jiafeng's door. After keeping watch for over half an hour, Qian Jiafeng came out.
"Why don't you come in for another cup of tea?"
"No," Ou Haidong took a deep breath. "You should get some rest early."
"It's just... a cup of tea..."
Ou Haidong thought for a moment and nodded. "All right."
He drank another cup of tea.
This cup was special; there was liquor in it, but he couldn't taste it at all.
This was fine liquor—invigorating, and wonderfully suited to stoking passion.
After a few more cups of tea, Ou Haidong suddenly caressed Qian Jiafeng's cheek.
Qian Jiafeng gripped his hand and pulled him into the inner room.
***
Li Banfeng and Chu the Second lay flat against the window sill, watching intently.
After watching for a while, Li Banfeng signaled that it was time to leave.
Chu the Second didn't move.
After watching for a while longer, Li Banfeng signaled again that they should go.
Chu the Second was watching with veins bulging on her forehead, still refusing to leave.
Li Banfeng gave her backside a pinch. Chu the Second winced in pain—a pain that somehow felt rather delightful—and only then did she reluctantly pull herself away.
On the way back, Chu the Second complained constantly. "I went through all that trouble with you all night, and you won't even let me watch?"
"Do you know where that middle-aged woman lives?"
"I do, but what's there to see at her place?"
"Plenty. You don't understand..."
Sharing their insights along the way, the two headed off toward the next household.
Granny Bitter watched from behind them.
*Fine, I'll let you go mad. Let me see...*
*I can't watch anymore.*
Unable to endure it any longer, Granny Bitter gave Li Banfeng a thorough beating the following day.
Li Banfeng didn't care in the slightest; he simply treated it as tempering his sinews and bones.
After pounding Li Banfeng, Granny Bitter returned to her dwelling and began plucking bitter greens stalk by stalk.
She was more than halfway through when she heard Li Banfeng's hearty laughter once more.
"Hwahahaha! This place is great!"
What was this madman up to now?
Granny Bitter threw the bitter greens into her basket, gritting her teeth fiercely.
Chapter 183