Chapter Fifty-Two: All Are Punished

"Haha, look, look! Brother Lei is whipping them! Haha, Changsheng is such a rascal—he’d rather lie flat on the ground and take the lashes than get up."

Liu Qin watched the people outside, toppling over and playing tricks, and couldn’t help but hop and bounce on the little table, laughing heartily. While she laughed, she clapped her hands. "Well done, Brother Lei! Don’t act like you haven’t eaten—put some strength into it! Hit them hard, let’s see if they dare slack off again!"

She spoke so righteously that Xiao Wu standing beside her almost rolled his eyes. She had the nerve to talk about laziness—who was the ancestor of laziness here, if not her?

As she jumped on the little table, Xiao Wu grew anxious. The table wasn’t that big. What if she fell off while bouncing? Perhaps because of his nerves, Xiao Wu didn’t realize how he’d suddenly changed—when had he ever cared about others before?

Worried, he unconsciously took two steps closer, positioning himself within arm’s reach of Liu Qin. That way, if she did fall, he could catch her in time and she wouldn’t get hurt again. At the same time, Xiao Wu belatedly recalled that she had mentioned being hurt and had asked him to carry her—yet it was her hand that was injured, not her foot. Why couldn’t she walk on her own?

For the first time, the cold, reticent boy found himself troubled over how to interact with a young girl. In the past, this would never have been an issue. In his world, apart from himself, only his foster father ever lingered in his thoughts. As for others, they never occupied even the slightest corner of his mind. His world had only one purpose: revenge, and more revenge.

But now, he was conflicted. The girl in front of him, bouncing and joyful, dressed in boys’ clothes and nothing like a proper young lady, was nonetheless so adorable, so endearing. She brought nothing but joy and warmth to others, like the sun rising in the sky, drawing people irresistibly toward her. Xiao Wu did not realize that, for someone like him who lived in the shadowy depths of hell, that warmth and happiness were like a drug—addictive, intoxicating, impossible to relinquish once tasted.

Liu Qin, absorbed in the commotion outside, failed to notice the way Xiao Wu’s gaze lingered on her, shifting from cold to warm and back again, as if two versions of himself were wrestling for control.

Her eyes scanned the scene outside, and soon she spotted Jiang Li. Who would have thought that, among so many, the only one still holding his squat and not collapsing was Jiang Li? She recalled her mother had once said Jiang Li was born with a congenital weakness, his health never robust. Though he had been nursed and cared for, the root of his illness remained. No one could say exactly what it was; Liu Qin guessed it was something like being born premature, with insufficient vital energy, resulting in a persistent pallor.

Yet Jiang Li, whose body was frailer than most, possessed a tenacity far beyond the average person—a stubborn spirit that perhaps embodied the saying, when one door closes, another opens.

Seeing Jiang Li’s steadfastness, Liu Qin felt a surge of pride, as if she herself had accomplished something great. She balled her right hand into a small fist and pumped it in the air. "Brother Ah Li, you’re amazing! Keep going!"

She cheered him on, only to suddenly hear Xiao Wu’s puzzled voice beside her. "Keep going?"

His words startled her. From the moment they’d entered this room, Xiao Wu hadn’t made a sound. If she hadn’t heard him speak before, she would have thought him mute. The silence had lulled her into carelessness, and she’d blurted out a phrase foreign to this world.

Liu Qin blinked, then turned to Xiao Wu with a bright, mischievous smile. "It means... to eat well. Only when you’re full do you have strength. I’m encouraging Brother Ah Li, hoping he’ll be as strong as if he’d eaten his fill and can keep going!"

After her explanation, Xiao Wu fell silent, now watching the scene outside with her. Whether he believed her or not, Liu Qin couldn’t say, but she sheepishly stuck out her tongue. She’d have to be more careful in the future—not to let her words give her away.

Outside, the chaos didn’t subside despite Lei Hu’s lashing with the willow branch. Lei Hu himself was becoming dispirited. Being an assistant instructor was harder than he’d thought; he just didn’t command respect. He had the urge to grab each of the boys and give them a thorough beating—maybe then they’d realize who was in charge.

Just as Lei Hu was at his wit’s end, Master Mu, who had been watching coldly from the sidelines, put down his teacup with deliberate slowness and cleared his throat softly. Though the sound was not loud, it rolled through the air like thunder, instantly subduing the commotion. Everyone froze, feeling as though a hand had closed around their throats, and no one dared make a sound. In an instant, the place fell silent as the grave—as if the film had suddenly gone mute and all that remained was movement without a sound.

Master Mu rose with the same unhurried manner, walking slowly to stand before the group. An indescribable pressure settled on everyone, making it impossible to lift their heads. With his hands behind his back, Master Mu looked toward Jiang Li, his eyes filled with satisfaction. "Jiang Li, you may rest. As for the others—" Here he abruptly turned his gaze to the rest of them. "Except for Liu Wenhai, who need only squat for the allotted time, the rest of you will continue for another half hour."

His words left everyone stunned. Another half hour? They had barely survived the original hour—how could they endure more? Was he trying to kill them? Their faces were filled with resentment, but under his oppressive presence, they dared not voice their anger.

Sensing their resistance, Master Mu added in a quiet, chilling tone, "Of course, you may refuse. You may leave now if you wish, but if you go now, there will be no coming back."

At this, everyone fell silent. True, they could leave, but how could they? This opportunity had been hard-won for them, all thanks to the young lady’s efforts—how many good words had she spoken on their behalf? This chance was something many servants in the household secretly envied and resented. If they gave up now, it would not only be a betrayal of her kindness but would also invite the scorn of others.

For the first time, these half-grown boys were given a lesson they would never forget—the importance of perseverance and enduring hardship, no matter what they undertook.

Changxing was the first to stand, squatting down again in the proper stance as instructed by Lei Hu. Then came Fang Nuo, Changsheng... Even little Hai, the youngest, was not to be outdone. He knew he had no privileges here, nor did he want any. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he stood and squatted again, his eyes more resolute than ever before.

Jiang Li did not stop just because Master Mu had given him leave to rest. He felt he could still persist. Though his body was weak, he remembered the wager he had made with Xiao Wu. Xiao Wu had already left him far behind; if he ever hoped to surpass him, to give him a thrashing one day and stand up for his sister, he would have to work harder than anyone else.