novelraw Chapter 866: Niohulu Xu Ke
Chapter 866: Niohulu Xu Ke
The old drunkard and the woman were busy in the kitchen, and the speed of cooking suddenly improved. In no time, several dishes were served at the dining table.
"Alright, the food is ready, come and eat." The woman untied the apron from her waist and spoke softly to Xu Ke.
At the dining table, in front of the two men, the woman recounted what happened in the alley. But this matter seemed to have a significant impact on her. As she spoke, her hands trembled slightly, and her eyes turned red involuntarily.
"Stop talking about it, don’t think about it anymore. It’s over. I won’t let those three guys go. I will definitely get justice for you." The old drunkard held his wife’s hand, his eyes burning with anger as he promised.
"Let it go. They got a good beating today, and you’re not young anymore. If something happens to you, what am I supposed to do?" The woman said tearfully, holding back his hand.
"This can’t just end like this. If we don’t teach them a lesson, beat them until they yield and fear, once their wounds heal, they’ll come back to bother you. I have to work during the day, it’s impossible for me to be by your side 24/7 to protect you. Only by making them realize that we’re not to be messed with, that the price of bothering you is something they can’t afford, will they stop eyeing you." The old drunkard insisted firmly.
"There are some things we can compromise on, but those are trivial matters. For something like today that touches principles and boundaries, we absolutely cannot give in." The old drunkard said, holding his wife’s hand tightly, trying to comfort her in this way.
"Just be careful about everything. They don’t look easy to deal with, and you’re not as young as before. I’m afraid you’ll get hurt." The woman said worriedly.
"Actually, if you don’t mind, I can go with you, uncle. I’m young, and I’ve already fought them once. With me there, I believe they won’t dare do anything to you." Xu Ke swallowed the food in his mouth and then spoke leisurely.
Hearing Xu Ke’s voice, the two people finally realized there were others at the table. The older woman was a bit embarrassed, lowering her head, too shy to look Xu Ke in the eye. The old drunkard, however, stared straight at Xu Ke, unashamed, and gazed at him with an inquisitive look.
"I heard from my wife that you saved her. I haven’t thanked you yet. Unfortunately, we’re out of wine, so I can’t offer you a toast today and can only use tea instead. I hope you don’t mind." The old drunkard poured tea into Xu Ke’s cup and raised his own cup as he spoke.
"It was just a small gesture. I’m sure anyone who saw the scene would have jumped in to help. I only did what most people would do; I don’t deserve your thanks." Xu Ke said, though he still raised his cup to clink with the old drunkard’s.
After drinking the cup of tea, the greasy feeling from eating the meat dissipated significantly.
Before Xu Ke could put his teacup down, the old drunkard posed a question, "I’m just curious, my wife’s usual path through that alley is rarely used. How did you happen to be there today? Were you looking for someone here, or...?" Though the old drunkard did not finish his sentence, the implication was clear.
Xu Ke’s hand holding the teacup didn’t pause even for a moment, nor did his facial expression change a bit.
"I’m new to this town, and I don’t know anyone here, so I couldn’t be looking for someone." Xu Ke smiled wryly as he continued, "I’m a photographer, and the first thing I do when I reach a place is find its most beautiful spots. Believe it or not, I just happened to walk there today and didn’t expect to encounter such an incident."
"That’s too much of a coincidence," the old drunkard spoke with an evident tone of disbelief.
"It is too coincidental. If I hadn’t experienced it myself, I wouldn’t believe such coincidences exist in this world. But now it truly happened to me. It’s understandable you don’t believe me. I’ve had a great meal today, thank you for your hospitality. I’ll stop here. I know you’re uneasy about me, so I won’t appear around here anymore. I hope this way, I can prove my innocence to you."
As Xu Ke spoke, he stood up from his seat. The woman, who was listening, grew anxious immediately. She pulled her hand away from the old drunkard and instinctively grabbed Xu Ke’s wrist, stopping him from leaving.
"My husband just overthinks things. He watches too many TV dramas and has all these conspiracy theories in his head. Don’t take his words to heart. I believe you have nothing to do with today’s incident. If you insist on a connection, it would be that you saved me. Sit down; you’ve only had a few bites of my cooking, surely you’re not full yet. If you don’t finish these dishes, I won’t let you leave." The woman held onto Xu Ke’s wrist as she spoke.
As she spoke, she gave the old drunkard a fierce glare, clear blame in her eyes.
Xu Ke looked at the dishes on the table following the woman’s words. His face and eyes were filled with longing, but he did not sit back down.
"No need. Uncle had a point. I can’t explain why I was precisely at that alley at that time, so leaving is the best choice. Please don’t argue with uncle because of me. After all, he’s doing this because he loves you so much. He’s worried about you, which is why he’s acting this way. Don’t let it bother you. As for the food, I naturally have a smaller appetite than most, so I’m already full and won’t stay any longer."
Although Xu Ke said he wanted to leave, his eyes remained glued to the table full of meat, his longing gaze almost floating out of his eye sockets. If his eyes could display words, there would be two: "Want to eat!"
The woman, seeing Xu Ke’s look, felt her heart melt with a motherly affection, wanting to hug Xu Ke, pinch his cheek, and fill his bowl with all the delicious food from the table.