"Wuwah, Daddy, Daddy..."
Seeing no one for a long time, Hua Bao cried and got up, trying to pull Zhang Liunian away with her small body. But she couldn't move him no matter how hard she tried. Just as she was in despair, a voice suddenly appeared.
"Hua Bao?"
Zhang Liuxing, who was on his way back to the city, had heard his niece's crying from afar. Feeling puzzled, he sped up his bicycle and pushed it up the hill. As he walked closer, he realized something was wrong. First, the motorcycle was lying on its side, and then his third brother, who had just been lecturing him, was lying on the ground, his life or death unknown. What happened here?
"Second Uncle, please save my dad, save him." Hua Bao didn't know what conflict there was between her father and her second uncle. She only knew that her father was saved.
"What happened to your dad?" Zhang Liuxing stopped his bicycle and walked over to check on Zhang Liunian.
"How did he end up like this?" As Zhang Liuxing squatted down to help him up, he touched a hand full of blood, his expression solemn.
"It was a bad guy who wanted to harm Daddy, that bad guy. Can you help me save Daddy?" Hua Bao glared at Hong Fei, who was lying on the ground not far away, his life or death unknown.
Zhang Liuxing followed her gaze and saw another man covered in blood. This man also had his eyes tightly closed and was securely bound with a belt.
Who was this person? Zhang Liuxing became interested and got up to walk over to the man.
"Second Uncle, please hurry and help me. Daddy is bleeding a lot, he needs a doctor." Hua Bao saw Zhang Liuxing paying attention to the bad guy again and hurriedly begged.
Zhang Liuxing turned a deaf ear, not in a hurry at all. He even had the leisure to turn Hong Fei over to confirm his identity.
After all, this was someone who had fought Zhang Liunian to a standstill. He really wanted to know who this person was, but when he saw the man's face clearly, his expression was extremely shocked.
Hong Fei, the leader of the Hong Gang in Nancheng. He had seen this man from afar before and heard that he was very powerful in Nancheng, managing most of the underground affairs. Although his numbers were not large, he was one of the earliest leaders in the underworld.
Therefore, many people in Nancheng recognized him.
However, Zhang Liuxing had also heard that this person was very capable, not necessarily the best in Nancheng, but at least among the top five.
Such a capable person, yet he couldn't gain any advantage from Zhang Liunian. This showed that his third brother was quite skilled.
Why had he never noticed this before?
It seemed he had been hiding it. After all, his third brother had always been quiet and kept to himself. Then, without a word, he married the celestial Jiang Qingqing. Now, without a word, he started his own business, openly challenged his prestige in the village, and was praised by everyone. With such cunning and methods, he had truly underestimated him.
Thinking like this, Zhang Liuxing's gaze suddenly swept over the motorcycle beside him, his eyes darted around, and then he stared at the blood-covered, battered Hong Fei for a long time.
A bold idea took shape in his mind.
Didn't Zhang Liunian seem arrogant just now? He had even slapped his face. Now, wasn't this an opportunity for him to compensate him?
This car and this person were a good offering!
Thinking this, he curved his lips.
"Second Uncle, Second Uncle, please save my dad. I'll kowtow to you, and I can give you all my money." Hua Bao had been calling for a long time, but Zhang Liuxing didn't respond. She immediately put the two yuan in her pocket in front of Zhang Liuxing and begged with her small hands clasped together.
Was this an insult to him?
Zhang Liuxing twitched the corner of his mouth and handed the money back to Hua Bao. "Your dad is my third brother, and I won't stand by and do nothing. Come, I'll carry your dad to the clinic."
After saying this, he threw Zhang Liunian onto his back without another word, as if he was afraid Zhang Liunian wouldn't suffer further injury.
Hua Bao, unaware of his scheme, with her little face smudged, trotted after him.
Upon arriving at the clinic, Zhang Liuxing threw Zhang Liunian onto the hospital bed again, instantly staining the white bedsheet with blood.
The doctor glanced at Zhang Liuxing with a frown, then quickly examined and treated him, to avoid any fatalities.
Just as the doctor was treating Zhang Liunian and applying medication, and asked for payment, Zhang Liuxing made an excuse that he hadn't brought enough money and needed to go back to get it.
The doctor didn't make things difficult for him, only asked for his workplace before letting him go.
"Second Uncle, my home is on the second floor." Hua Bao led Zhang Liuxing smoothly to their doorstep.
Jiang Qingqing opened the door and didn't see Zhang Liunian, but saw Zhang Liuxing instead. She was a little confused. Upon asking, she learned that Zhang Liunian was injured and hospitalized, and Zhang Liuxing had rescued Zhang Liunian halfway. He was here now because he didn't have money on him, and Zhang Liunian needed to pay the medical expenses.
"What? Liunian is injured? Is it serious?" When Jiang Qingqing heard that her husband was injured again, she was instantly shocked, and her body trembled involuntarily.
"Be careful!" Seeing her like this, Zhang Liuxing quickly stepped forward to help her, but Jiang Qingqing refused, leaning on the doorframe.
"It's okay, I'm going to see Liunian." Jiang Qingqing said, then turned to get the money and took her daughter's hand to the clinic.
"Doctor, how is Liunian?" Rushing to the clinic without delay, Jiang Qingqing anxiously followed the doctor to inquire about his condition.
The attending physician, a middle-aged man, looked serious when he saw the family member arrive. He explained, "He was stabbed twice in the back. One of the wounds was only a centimeter away from his lung. The rest are minor external injuries that will heal with rest."
Jiang Qingqing breathed a sigh of relief, but when she saw Zhang Liunian lying on the hospital bed, covered in blood, she couldn't help but shed tears.
What exactly happened? Wasn't Liunian going back to the village to see someone off? Why was he lying here when he returned?
Jiang Qingqing had many questions, but compared to these, she was more concerned about her husband's injuries.
"Doctor, when will Liunian wake up?"
"It depends. He might wake up soon, or he might not wake up until tomorrow. Don't worry about this. His injuries are not life-threatening, so you can relax." The doctor finished speaking and went about his business.
Jiang Qingqing secretly rejoiced that his life was not in danger. She stepped forward, sat by the bed, and held Zhang Liunian's hand tightly, tears falling uncontrollably.
Zhang Liuxing couldn't bear to see a beauty cry, so he consoled her insincerely, "Qingqing, you don't have to worry too much. The doctor just said that Liunian is fine."
Third brother is really lucky to be alive. He's fine even after this. It seems he'll be bouncing back in a couple of days. Well, this time it's considered as if third brother gave him people and wealth, so he'll reluctantly accept it.
"Second Brother, I really have to thank you this time. If it weren't for you, who knows what would have happened to Liunian. Thank you so much." Jiang Qingqing knew that Zhang Liunian's rescue this time was really thanks to Zhang Liuxing, so she was sincerely grateful for his appearance and intervention.
"He's my third brother, and even if he wasn't, I wouldn't stand by and do nothing. This is what we should do." Zhang Liuxing waved his hand dismissively, indicating that it was nothing.
His nonchalant attitude made Jiang Qingqing think even more highly of him.
"Second Brother, it's getting late. Why don't you stay at my place tonight? I'll be fine here." Since Liunian hadn't woken up, it wouldn't do for them to just stare at each other. Moreover, it was getting late, and it was impossible to return to Nancheng now.