Qi Lixiao had been lying quietly on the flatbed cart, waiting for Li Zhichen. Before long, a hubbub came from afar.
He looked up, only to find that the people approaching were not Li Zhichen but five or six young men.
All of them were dressed in magnificent silk robes and had their hair slicked back. Despite their opulent appearance, their demeanor was rather off - putting, giving an extremely uncomfortable feeling. They seemed to be drunk and were staggering in his direction.
Even in the cold winter, the leading man was holding a woman in revealing clothes in his arms.
The woman's makeup was garish. The powder on her face was unevenly applied and flaked off whenever she spoke, looking rather terrifying.
When she opened her mouth, her voice was cloyingly sweet.
"Brother Wang, you promised to buy me a bracelet yesterday. I've already boasted to my sisters. You mustn't go back on your word!"
Wang Tian felt extremely contemptuous but still pinched the woman's waist, taking liberties with her.
"If you serve me well, you'll surely get some nice things."
Hearing this, the woman felt relieved and nestled deeper into the man's arms with a coquettish smile.
Although Wang Tian was not good - looking, he never lacked money. His father was a wealthy local landowner, and his brother - in - law worked in the yamen.
He was idle and lawless all day long. His greatest pleasure was to drink, visit brothels, gamble, and have fun with a few friends.
As long as one could please Wang Tian, he would be quite generous.
Their conversation reached Qi Lixiao's ears word for word, annoying him. He simply closed his eyes.
When this group passed by the dead tree, the woman accidentally glanced back and saw Qi Lixiao on the flatbed cart. She let out a shrill scream.
Wang Tian and the others were also startled, and the alcohol in them wore off a bit. Immediately, Wang Tian cursed:
"Damn it! You scared the hell out of me. Which bastard is playing tricks here?!"
Wang Tian stepped closer. When he saw Qi Lixiao's face, he was stunned for a moment, and jealousy and contempt welled up in his heart.
They were both men, but why was Qi Lixiao so good - looking? He was just a pretty boy!
A real man should be like him, big and strong, full of vigor!
Wang Tian squinted his eyes, picked up a long wooden stick at random, and lifted the quilt on Qi Lixiao's body. Two stiff legs came into view, lifeless.
Everyone was stunned for a moment and then burst into loud laughter.
The woman sized Qi Lixiao up and down, covering her mouth with a handkerchief and snickering. "So he's a cripple. It's really a pity for such a handsome man."
The people around immediately laughed suggestively. "What? Do you feel sorry for this cripple? Do you want to spend the night with him?"
The woman spat disdainfully, tightened her clothes, and hid behind Wang Tian.
"I don't want to! A useless man who can't even stand up is not even worth a hair of Brother Wang!"
Wang Tian looked down at Qi Lixiao haughtily. This sense of superiority made him feel very satisfied.
Qi Lixiao stared blankly at the floating clouds in the sky. No matter how these people mocked him, he didn't react at all. There was even a hint of disdainful smile on his lips.
Wang Tian felt embarrassed and thought he had lost face to Qi Lixiao. He said unhappily, "Hey, are your throat and ears broken too?" He waved to the people behind him. "I'm in a good mood today. Whoever can make this cripple beg for mercy will be handsomely rewarded by me!"
As soon as he said this, those people immediately became interested.
One of them immediately picked up a stone and threw it at Qi Lixiao. The stone hit his leg precisely, and a dull pain instantly hit him. Qi Lixiao frowned imperceptibly.
Li Zhichen was rushing back from the alley with a steaming plate of osmanthus cakes in her hands when she saw this scene: Qi Lixiao was surrounded and mocked by a group of people. His face was hidden in the shadow cast by the tree branches, looking even thinner. His eyes were desolate, with a faint sneer floating in them.
Li Zhichen took a deep breath, and the string of rationality in her mind snapped.
"Don't touch him."
The cold words reached Wang Tian and the others' ears. They turned around blankly and saw Li Zhichen staring at them coldly.
Qi Lixiao looked up. Li Zhichen still had a calm look on her face, but there was a heavy sense of hostility in her black pupils.
Qi Lixiao wondered if he was hallucinating. He felt that Li Zhichen seemed a bit aloof and even strange at this moment. Was she... angry?
Qi Lixiao was suddenly stunned. Li Zhichen had always been gentle and bright these days. He had never seen her so angry before.
Wang Tian scrutinized Li Zhichen carefully for a while, and a hint of amazement flashed in his eyes.
This girl was very beautiful. Her eyes were like autumn water with cold stars. Just one look at her made his heart itch.
He took a step forward, squinting and smiling. "Who are you to this cripple? If you don't want us to touch him, it's okay... How about going with brother to the small woods for some fun?"
As soon as he said this, Qi Lixiao's face darkened instantly. His eyes became extremely sharp, like a sharp blade exuding a chilling aura. There was an uncontrollable hostility all over him.
"Don't you touch her!"
The people around were waiting to see Li Zhichen's ashamed and indignant expression, but to their surprise, Li Zhichen stared at Wang Tian expressionlessly for a moment and then suddenly grinned. "Sure."
As soon as she said this, not only was Wang Tian stunned, Qi Lixiao was also shocked, and the people around were completely at a loss.
Even the system was inexplicably scared. Although this host usually acted out of the ordinary, according to the data, Li Zhichen's anger value had clearly reached its peak. This smile of hers was too strange!
Who could tell it what the host was going to do?
The woman was the first to react and sneered. "People always say that we women in the brothel are unrestrained. I think this little girl is no different. Could it be that she's been so lonely staying with a cripple all day that she's having amorous thoughts?"
Wang Tian hesitated.
He had just been verbally teasing Li Zhichen. If she was an easy - to - bully person, it would be time for him to make a move.
But who would have thought that this girl would agree so readily?!
When things are abnormal, there must be something wrong. Wang Tian was lustful but not stupid. For a moment, he didn't know what Li Zhichen was up to.
But then he thought that such a good opportunity should not be missed. Since Li Zhichen had agreed, there was no way she could go back on her word!
This place was sparsely populated, and all the people around were his. A group of big and strong men surely didn't need to be afraid of such a delicate girl.
Thinking of this, Wang Tian leered. "You said it yourself. If you regret it or cry out in pain later, I won't stop!"
After saying that, Wang Tian strode towards Li Zhichen. As he got closer, he could even smell the faint fragrance on Li Zhichen's body, and his mind immediately became filled with lust.