Chapter Eight: Your Second Uncle Is Cold-Shouldering Me!

Geng Wudi smiled, "Maybe it's because I drank too much water from the sewer?"

The memory seemed to touch a long-festering wound, and Geng Wudi's mood grew visibly somber. Zhuzi looked at his younger brother, his lips twitching, but he remained silent.

Geng Wudi said softly, "Brother, back then, they didn't want me. If I hadn't met you, I would have been dead long ago."

Liu Haizhuzi's eyes widened as he shouted, "Are you fucking sick in the head?! Why are you bringing this up in the middle of the night?! You're an orphan, and I... my mother is dead and my father ran off! What makes me any better, huh?!!!"

"Cough, cough..." Auntie Er shouted from the inner room, "Zhuzi, don't force me to get out of bed!"

Hearing this, Liu Haizhuzi shrunk his neck, not daring to make another sound.

Geng Wudi wiped his mouth with a napkin. "Brother, they all say I'm stupid."

"Damn it!" Liu Haizhuzi gave him a hard punch, though he nearly cried out in pain himself. "Are you the reincarnation of the Calabash Brothers or something?"

Looking at his own bruised, purple-colored fist, Zhuzi asked, "Let's not talk about that. I can't figure it out no matter how hard I think—where did you learn all these skills? And if those cursed foster parents of yours knew you were so capable, that you could earn over a hundred a day just by moving bricks, wouldn't they cry themselves to death in the bathroom?"

Geng Wudi scratched his head and gave an honest, dull smile. "Don't ask. Even if I told you, you wouldn't believe it."

"Oh?" Liu Haizhuzi raised an eyebrow, pulled his legs up to sit cross-legged on the sofa, and was instantly intrigued. "Tell me, tell me."

Geng Wudi looked even more foolish. "Brother, you'd think I was a lunatic."

Liu Haizhuzi’s eyes sparkled. "How about this, little brother? I'll trade you for my secret. Deal?"

Geng Wudi thought it over carefully and replied, "Alright, deal!"

Liu Haizhuzi blinked and whispered, "When I was about ten years old, I found a cave, and inside, I ate a red fruit."

Geng Wudi blinked, tilted his head, waited for a while, and then looked at his brother in confusion. "…And?"

Liu Haizhuzi nodded earnestly. "And!"

Even as simple-minded as he was, Wudi finally realized what was happening. He stretched his neck and asked, "That's... that's it?"

Liu Haizhuzi spread his hands. "That's it. Your turn."

Geng Wudi: "…!"

Liu Haizhuzi: "Tell me, tell me!"

Geng Wudi scratched his head vigorously. "I can tell you, but don't go telling anyone else, okay? They'll think I'm a complete idiot."

Liu Haizhuzi gulped. "Don't worry, tell me, tell me!"

"Remember, it was my tenth birthday. I don't even know how they knew it was my birthday. I thought they would treat me a little better that day, or at least give me a full meal. But they held a banquet at home, collected all the gifts, and then kicked me out. Do you know, I hadn't eaten for two days? I was so hungry."

Hearing this, Liu Haizhuzi fell silent. He knew exactly who 'they' were. 'They' were the foster parents his brother lived with in Jiangcheng, the ones his brother never wanted to see again for the rest of his life.

"…That day, I was so hungry I couldn't take it anymore. I thought to myself that dying might be better. I walked and walked for a long time, until I couldn't walk anymore. It was in the suburbs, I think, with no one around. I walked onto a field ridge next to a small river, laid down, and stared at the sky. I just kept staring. I remember clearly that there was no sun, but the sky was very bright. Suddenly, I saw a person walking in the sky. He was far away, but I could see him clearly. For some reason, I felt he looked quite familiar. Just as my vision was about to go black, that person seemed to look down at me. I don't know what happened after that."

Liu Haizhuzi smacked his lips, still not quite satisfied. "And then?"

Geng Wudi shook his head honestly. "That's it."

Liu Haizhuzi didn't want to believe it. "And then you just turned out like this?"

Geng Wudi smiled. "Seems like it."

Liu Haizhuzi bared his teeth. "Damn!"

Geng Wudi scooted a little closer and asked with a smile, "Brother, you don't blame me, do you?"

Liu Haizhuzi rubbed his still-aching wrist and squinted at his brother. "We're brothers for life, stop the nonsense. Don't I know your character?" He pulled his brother into a hug. "If anyone dares to laugh at you, I'll beat them up!"

Wudi pushed him away. "Don't touch me, it's disgusting!"

Liu Haizhuzi: "Damn! ...Well, I'd say you're destined for poverty. Your bones are tough, so if you want to go move bricks at the construction site, just go ahead."

Geng Wudi looked at his brother's fierce expression and said mysteriously, "Brother, let me tell you something."

Liu Haizhuzi raised an eyebrow. "What?"

Geng Wudi leaned in close. "I often have this dream. In the dream, I'm the crown prince of a great family. ...I have a powerful father, a strong mother, and a beautiful girl by my side. And I am a perfect, all-powerful warrior! Brother, do you think I might have really been a rich man in my past life?"

Liu Haizhuzi smacked his lips. "...Often?"

Geng Wudi: "Yeah!"

Liu Haizhuzi: "...Then you're a badass!"

...

The next day, the sun was shining brightly. Geng Wudi had gone to the construction site early. Auntie Er was left at home feeding the chickens, and Comrade Liu Haizhuzi was sleeping in, clutching his belly.

Auntie Er pushed the door open with a creak and roared, "Get up!"

Liu Haizhuzi pulled the quilt over his head and kept sleeping.

"Damn it!" Auntie Er was furious. When she returned, she held a feather duster in her hand.

"Swish!" "Swish! Swish...!"

A set of unpredictable, whip-like strikes, infused with the grace of Tai Chi, sent Liu Haizhuzi howling on the bed, rolling around in pain with his eyes shut tight.

Who was Liu Haizhuzi? He was the man of Huang'an. He wouldn't get up, and his bones were just that stubborn, just that tough!

Auntie Er grew tired and leaned against the bedpost, panting. On the bed, Liu Haizhuzi was snoring.

"Waaah!" Auntie Er suddenly sat on the floor and wailed, "Your mother is gone... your cursed father ran off without a trace... your second uncle stays in the wild hills and gives me the cold shoulder. He won't even see me! There's only the three of us left in this family... relying on each other... you child... how can you ever give your aunt some peace of mind?! I just want you to go on a blind date... why is it so hard? ...Are you... are you going to let the Liu family line end with you?! My poor Zhuzi!"

"Whoosh!" Liu Haizhuzi feared hearing this more than anything. He flipped up, sitting bolt upright. "Auntie, I'll go, I'll go, alright?!"

Auntie Er wiped her tears, instantly retracting her divine powers. She beamed, "Look, sigh, isn't the girl beautiful? ...She said that after seeing your photo, she hasn't been able to eat or sleep, and she's been waiting for you for days."

Liu Haizhuzi raised an eyebrow. "What's surprising about that? With my looks, with my charm, what girl wouldn't be smitten?"

Auntie Er rolled her eyes and pulled a photo from her pocket. "Here... take a look!"

Liu Haizhuzi took the photo and sighed—she really was a looker!

Auntie Er sat down next to him and pointed at the beauty in the photo. "This girl is twenty years old, her name is Zhizhi, and it's a lovely name. She's a year younger than you. Forget about you, even I’m impressed by her. ...I'm telling you, you have to put in some effort. Aren't you going on a business trip? I'll even give you some money! Take her to Hong Kong for a trip, make things happen, and when you get back, we can finalize the marriage!"