The Martial Arts World is Full of Experts Chapter 11

43

Zhang Xiaoyuan's embroidered shoes slipped off not far away, tainted with a bit of mud. Lu Zhaoming cleaned the mud off and then turned around to find Zhang Xiaoyuan.

Zhang Xiaoyuan hurriedly reached for the shoes, but Lu Zhaoming had already crouched down, seemingly about to help Zhang Xiaoyuan put them on. Without much thought, he did it while Zhang Xiaoyuan, very nervous, tried to pull back. As Lu Zhaoming touched Zhang Xiaoyuan's ankle, he winced in pain, his face turning pale.

Zhang Xiaoyuan, accustomed to a pampered life, afraid of hardship and pain, had rarely been injured since childhood. A month ago, he was the young master of Very Lucky Winery, a cherished member of the family. Now, inexplicably wearing women's wedding attire and having sprained his foot in the wilderness, he was experiencing a level of suffering he had never known.

Zhang Xiaoyuan just felt too aggrieved to express it.

"Twisted?" Lu Zhaoming frowned slightly, placing the shoes aside. "Let me have a look first."

Wen Tingting, feeling something was wrong, took a few steps closer, stood three feet away from Lu Zhaoming, and asked, "Twisted it? Then hurry back. Magistrate Qi understands medicine. If it's not serious, you'll recover in a few days!"

Lu Zhaoming didn't have many words to say. He simply removed Zhang Xiaoyuan's socks, revealing a swollen ankle. The shoes wouldn't fit anymore, but thankfully, the bones seemed unharmed. With the application of some ointment to reduce swelling and bruising, a substantial recovery of seventy to eighty percent could be expected in just a few days.

Lu Zhaoming then said to Zhang Xiaoyuan, "Let's head back."

Feeling thoroughly aggrieved, Zhang Xiaoyuan asked with a pout, "How do I walk?"

Wen Tingting suggested, "Shall I find a cane for you?"

"No, it's too far," Lu Zhaoming countered directly. "He can only put weight on one foot."

Wen Tingting furrowed her brow. "Then... should I find someone to carry you?"

Lu Zhaoming said, "I'll do it."

As soon as he spoke, both Zhang Xiaoyuan and Wen Tingting were taken aback. Wen Tingting wondered if Lu Zhaoming's stern personality and heavenly afflictions had somehow caused Zhang Xiaoyuan's current predicament. If Lu Zhaoming carried Zhang Xiaoyuan back, who knew what might happen along the way.

Zhang Xiaoyuan, with a simple mindset, feared Lu Zhaoming and had no desire for him to carry him.

However, the constables were already understaffed. Whether it was the rescued women or the masked bandits, they were all afraid of Lu Zhaoming. It would be clearly wrong to let the constables carry him while Lu Zhaoming went to help the others. Regardless, Lu Zhaoming was his senior brother, and it was only fitting for him to take care of his injured junior brother.

Lu Zhaoming crouched in front of Zhang Xiaoyuan. With Wen Tingting's assistance, Zhang Xiaoyuan managed to climb onto Lu Zhaoming's back. She instructed Lu Zhaoming to go ahead and take Zhang Xiaoyuan back to the county town. Dealing with the injury couldn't be delayed, and they could figure out the shortage of manpower later. Following the almost non-existent trail, Lu Zhaoming made his way back.

The mountain road was rugged and difficult to walk on. The distance from here to Fengji County was not far. Zhang Xiaoyuan felt that Lu Zhaoming might be very tired. Stricken with embarrassment, he became nervous and scared. Stiffening his body and holding onto Lu Zhaoming's shoulders, he softly said, "Th...thank you, Eldest Senior Brother."

Lu Zhaoming seemed unable to grasp why he was being thanked. He simply acknowledged with a brief response. After a moment, he said to Zhang Xiaoyuan, "Be more careful in the future."

Zhang Xiaoyuan still felt wronged. Unable to hold back, he whispered, "It's clearly because the shoes do not fit."

Surprisingly, Lu Zhaoming followed along with his words, "The shoes are at fault."

Zhang Xiaoyuan hesitated and then tested the waters, "And this clothing is too troublesome too!"

Lu Zhaoming: "The clothing is at fault too."

Zhang Xiaoyuan pursed his lips. "If it wasn't for you all wanting me to pretend to be a new—"

He realized abruptly that he misspoke. He was blaming Lu Zhaoming, something he wouldn't dare to do openly. Going back and reporting to Master was one thing, but confronting Lu Zhaoming directly was another.

Anxious, Zhang Xiaoyuan swiftly changed his tune, "Th...the new plan is really clever!"

Lu Zhaoming, however, said, "It's my fault."

Zhang Xiaoyuan was taken aback.

"I made you face danger. It's my fault," Lu Zhaoming said softly. "It won't happen again in the future."

Zhang Xiaoyuan couldn't help but think. The Lu Zhaoming he had observed, stern and aloof, or ruthlessly efficient, was all an exterior for others.

Despite Lu Zhaoming often wearing a stern expression, he would share fish with Zhang Xiaoyuan, worry about him catching a cold with wet hair, and feel guilt for involving him in danger. Eldest Senior Brother might express himself less, but he was undoubtedly an ordinary person with a soft heart and protective instincts.

Zhang Xiaoyuan lay on Lu Zhaoming's back, cleared his throat, and said, "Then, when I get back, buy me the glutinous rice cakes from that place last time... consider it an apology!"

Lu Zhaoming's tone remained calm. "Okay."

Zhang Xiaoyuan: "I also want almond pastries!"

Lu Zhaoming: "Okay."

Zhang Xiaoyuan: "Malt candy!"

Lu Zhaoming hesitated and then said, "...okay."

Zhang Xiaoyuan: "And candied hawthorns!"

Lu Zhaoming: "......"

Lu Zhaoming puased in his tracks.

"Junior Brother," he furrowed his brows slightly, "Aren't you afraid of cavities?"

44

Zhang Xiaoyuan awkwardly chuckled and said, "Eldest... Eldest Senior Brother, I was just speaking casually."

"When Second Junior Brother was ten and newly entered the sect, he secretly ate half a can of rock candy and had toothache for a month. Luckily, he hadn't lost his baby teeth then, and it hasn't affected him since," Lu Zhaoming continued walking downhill, conversing with Zhang Xiaoyuan, "It's better to eat less of these sugary things."

He rarely spoke at length, especially about such domestic matters. Zhang Xiaoyuan found the atmosphere strange. It didn't quite match Eldest Senior Brother's usual demeanor. Unable to comprehend someone not liking pastries and snacks, he finally muttered under his breath, "Don't you like to eat... it's fine once in a while."

"No benefit," Lu Zhaoming replied. "Don't like it."

Zhang Xiaoyuan was momentarily silenced by Lu Zhaoming's few words and couldn't help muttering, "Well, your life must be really dull."

Lu Zhaoming: "In this world, many people are dull, and I am just one of them."

Lying on Lu Zhaoming's back, Zhang Xiaoyuan couldn't resist softly complaining, "Square cakes, sesame cakes, osmanthus cakes, peach pastries, egg pastries, jujube paste pastries, four-color flaky candies, sugar candies, steamed flaky pastries, cheese candies, candied chestnuts, candied hawthorns... you don't like any of them!"

He seemed to hear Lu Zhaoming chuckle, perhaps finding his words amusing. However, remembering the last time he smiled, deceiving Zhang Xiaoyuan into wearing women's clothing, now, hearing him laugh made Zhang Xiaoyuan's back tingle. He cleared his throat and asked, "Eldest Senior Brother, about what I said... you don't like any of them?"

"Don't like them," Lu Zhaoming replied, "I haven't tried them."

Zhang Xiaoyuan found Lu Zhaoming's words extremely contradictory. How could he know if he liked them or not if he hadn't tried them? Unable to resist, he wanted to give proper names to many of his beloved snacks. "In a couple of days, there's a temple fair, I'll take you to try them!"

He didn't believe anyone could resist the temptation of sweets!

Lu Zhaoming didn't refuse. He didn't even mention the consequences of eating too much sugar. As they neared the main road, Lu Zhaoming spotted Pei Junze and a few constables searching for them in the distance. Lu Zhaoming walked directly towards them. Seeing this, Pei Junze, assuming Zhang Xiaoyuan was seriously injured, was taken aback. He hurriedly approached and asked loudly from a few steps away, "Young Hero Lu, what happened to Young Hero Zhang?"

Lu Zhaoming answered, "No worries, just twisted his ankle."

Twisting an ankle wasn't a big deal. Pei Junze felt relieved and asked again, "Where is Chief Constable Wen and the others?"

Lu Zhaoming pointed the way for him. Pei Junze learned that Wen Tingting and the others were fine, easing his worries. Walking beside Lu Zhaoming, he inquired about the situation with the bandits. Suddenly, he changed the topic and asked Lu Zhaoming, "Young Hero Lu, are you planning to carry your junior brother back like this?"

Lu Zhaoming: "Twisting an ankle can be serious. In any case, we should go back and find a healer."

"Let's head straight to the county office. Magistrate Qi is quite knowledgeable in medicine. Since Young Hero Zhang got injured while on official business, the county office should take responsibility for his recovery." After saying this, Pei Junze's expression showed hesitation and a hint of reluctance. "But... Young Hero Lu, do you want someone else to carry Young Hero Zhang back?"

"No need," Lu Zhaoming said, "He's not heavy."

"I'm not suggesting that," Pei Junze explained, "The issue is entering the city in this way..."

A government official approached, calling him, "Master Pei, do you want to come with us?"

Pei Junze was interrupted and ended up swallowing his words. He exchanged a knowing smile with Lu Zhaoming, and that smile seemed to carry some profound meaning. He clasped his hands towards Lu Zhaoming and said, "Young Hero Lu, after you and your friend return to the city, head directly to the county office. Magistrate Qi has been uneasy today, waiting for you two."

Lu Zhaoming nodded. "Alright."

"The rest of the matters, Magistrate Qi will handle appropriately," Pei Junze smiled again. "I'll take my leave first, see you at the office later."

After a while, they finally saw the city gate.

Zhang Xiaoyuan breathed a sigh of relief, and Lu Zhaoming seemed to relax a bit. "We're almost there."

Panicking, he grasped Lu Zhaoming's shoulder and said, "Eldest Senior Brother—"

Lu Zhaoming: "What's wrong?"

A little kid by the roadside happily grabbed his mother's hand, shouting, "Mom! Look! It's Zhu Bajie carrying his wife!"

Lu Zhaoming: "......"

Zhang Xiaoyuan: "......"