"Mei Jie!"
As Ma Xiaoyao shouted, a woman in her mid-thirties, still possessing considerable charm, emerged from the house.
The woman was slightly plump. Although time had left a trace on her face, one could still imagine her youthful beauty shining through the years.
"Xiaoyao, why are you back?" Mei Jie exclaimed in surprise.
"School's out, so of course I had to come back, hehe." Ma Xiaoyao's joy was evident upon seeing Mei Jie.
"Come inside quickly. Mei Jie will make dumplings for you tonight," Mei Jie said, ushering Ma Xiaoyao into the house.
Ma Xiaoyao and Mei Jie entered the dilapidated house. At this moment, a man of similar age to Mei Jie wheeled himself forward.
"Xiaoyao's back!" The man's face broke into a rare smile upon seeing Ma Xiaoyao.
"I'm back, Brother Li. Why are you out by yourself? Let me push you." Ma Xiaoyao quickly went to the wheelchair and began pushing it into the house.
Brother Li and Mei Jie were a couple, but Ma Xiaoyao had grown accustomed to their titles and hadn't changed them.
Ever since his grandfather kicked him out of the Ma family two and a half years ago, he had been living here with Brother Li and Mei Jie, the three of them relying on each other.
"How are you, Brother Li? Has your leg improved at all recently?" Ma Xiaoyao naturally squatted in front of Brother Li and began massaging his legs with practiced ease.
"Sigh... it won't get any better." Brother Li shook his head and sighed. However, noticing Ma Xiaoyao's expression, he immediately feigned cheerfulness and said, "But it's alright. Your Brother Li is used to it. These wheels are like my legs now."
Ma Xiaoyao's massaging hands slowly stopped. With a look of shame, he said, "Brother Li, it's all my fault. I'm so sorry."
When Ma Xiaoyao fell out with his grandfather, Brother Li had his legs brutally broken simply for speaking up for Ma Xiaoyao. If Ma Xiaoyao had any regrets about that incident, it was for Brother Li's legs.
"Xiaoyao, please don't say that!" Brother Li suddenly said sternly, "You did nothing wrong in that matter. Moreover, your father was incredibly kind to me. Let alone just two legs, even if it meant sacrificing my life, I, Li Jiahui, would have no complaints."
Ma Xiaoyao clenched his fists, took a deep breath, and said, "Brother Li, don't worry. One day, I will heal your legs!"
"Yes! I believe you, Xiaoyao!" Li Jiahui nodded heavily. He completely believed those words, simply because the person saying them was Ma Xiaoyao!
At this moment, Li Jiahui suddenly asked again, "Xiaoyao, how were your final exam results this semester?"
"Uh... well, that's..." Ma Xiaoyao's face immediately turned awkward, and he scratched his head. "How about we talk about something else?"
"Ha, you!" Li Jiahui pointed at Ma Xiaoyao, a mix of amusement and exasperation on his face. Without Ma Xiaoyao needing to say more, he guessed that the results were likely not something to be proud of.
Inside the house, Li Jiahui and Ma Xiaoyao were chatting animatedly. Outside, Mei Jie was busy making dumplings. In the fleeting moments, one might be under the illusion of a family living together in harmony.
"Come and eat dumplings!" With Mei Jie's call, the steaming dumplings were brought to the table.
Ma Xiaoyao helped get the bowls and chopsticks, and the three of them sat around the table, eating and chatting merrily.
"They smell so good, lamb filling!" Ma Xiaoyao sniffed the air, his face showing a greedy expression.
He picked up a steaming hot dumpling and popped it into his mouth. However, it was too hot, and after a couple of chews, Ma Xiaoyao had to swallow it whole.
His eager demeanor made Brother Li and Mei Jie burst into laughter.
"What's so funny? You're all so happy!" As the door was pushed open, a man's voice entered.
"Ma Decai, what are you doing here?" Li Jiahui's expression changed drastically upon seeing the newcomer.
The person was named Ma Decai, a distant uncle of Ma Xiaoyao. He was currently in charge of the Ma family's guard. Before Ma Xiaoyao's falling out with the Ma family, Li Jiahui was the captain of the guard, hence the existing friction between Ma Decai and Li Jiahui.
There was a legend about Ma Decai. It was said that when he was just born, a blind fortune-teller passing by their house declared that this child would grow up to be talentless and immoral, and only by adding these two characters to his name could he be redeemed. Thus, Ma Decai got his name.
However, as time passed, it became evident that some people's lack of talent and morality could not be remedied by their name alone.
The Ma family disdained associating with the ordinary villagers of Taoyuan Village, but Ma Decai was an exception. Not only did he associate with them, but he also wreaked havoc in the village. However, relying on the Ma family's influence, no one could do anything about him.
Ma Decai glanced sideways at Li Jiahui and sneered, "I can come and go in this area as I please. What, you have a problem with that?"
Li Jiahui's eyes turned red, and his fists clenched, blue veins bulging on his knuckles.
If it weren't for his legs, he would have killed Ma Decai on the spot. Ma Decai had harassed Mei Jie more than once, and it was thanks to Mei Jie's wit and resilience that this scoundrel had not succeeded.
"Heh heh." Ma Decai suddenly grinned, "Look at you, all scared. I'm here on official business this time. The old man wants to see young master Xiaoyao, and I'm here to pick him up."
Li Jiahui looked at Ma Xiaoyao with confusion. Ma Xiaoyao nodded and said, "Yes, that's right. He's ill and said he wants to see me... I was planning to go after dinner."
"Oh." Li Jiahui nodded, then advised, "Then, talk things through properly. He's still your grandfather, after all."
"I know," Ma Xiaoyao said indifferently, though in his heart he thought, whether it's good or bad is not up to me to decide.
Ma Decai slowly walked over to the dining table. Seeing the ill-intentioned look in Ma Decai's eyes as he glanced at Mei Jie, Ma Xiaoyao wiped his mouth and said, "I'm done eating. Let's go."
"Alright, let's go." Ma Decai's attitude towards Ma Xiaoyao wasn't exactly respectful, but it wasn't overly hostile either.
As the two walked side by side for a few steps, Ma Decai suddenly turned around, grabbed Mei Jie, who was sitting in a chair, and said, "I can't help it. This woman is too tempting. My pants are on fire. I have to take care of her first today!"
"Ah, let go of me!" Mei Jie screamed in terror.
Li Jiahui, even more agitated, lunged towards Ma Decai, forgetting that his legs were crippled. It was precisely because of this that Li Jiahui stumbled and fell to the ground.
Seeing this, Ma Xiaoyao's eyes blazed with fury. He roared, "Ma Decai, you beast, stop it!"
Ma Decai, however, said dismissively, "Listen up, all of you, big and small. Just be quiet. If you push me too far, I'll take care of all of you!"