Urban Martial Saint

Seeing this shadow, Ye Qing was also stunned. Because this shadow was simply a little girl of about eight or nine years old, no wonder she looked so small and thin.

This little girl was wearing a large piece of clothing, clearly an adult’s clothing, with several scars on her small face. Her face was covered in dirt, who knows how long it had been since she last washed. Her hair was messy, her clothes tattered, looking even dirtier than a beggar.

Being held by the Wolf Monk, the little girl’s face was full of fear, timidly looking at Ye Qing, with her small hands hidden behind her back as if she was hiding something. Her small face showed a hint of stubbornness, teeth tightly biting her lower lip. Although she was frightened, and tears welled up in her eyes, she was stubbornly holding them back.

Seeing the little girl like this, Ye Qing was also full of confusion. He originally thought people from the Corpse Ghost Dragon or Ning Qianshu had come, but from the look of this little girl, she shouldn’t be one of their people. But then, who was this little girl? What was she doing here in the middle of the night?

”Why is it a little girl?” The Wolf Monk had already let go of the little girl’s hand. Although he had killed countless people, he had no temper with a child.

With confusion, Ye Qing squatted down and looked at the little girl, saying, ”Little girl, what are you doing here?”

The little girl did not answer but stretched her hands further back, her face clearly showing some panic.

Ye Qing did not press her, glanced back, and saw clearly that the little girl was holding a bag in her hands. And inside that bag were the leftovers of the meal Ye Qing and the others had eaten that night.

Could it be that this little girl came to steal food? That couldn’t be right, could it? It was already past ten o’clock, how could an eight or nine-year-old girl come to this manor to steal food? How was that possible?

”Little girl, tell Uncle, are you hungry?” Ye Qing asked again, speaking as gently as possible, fearing to scare this child.

The little girl still did not answer, stubbornly biting her lower lip, not saying a word.

”Don’t worry, Uncle won’t blame you. If you are really hungry, whatever you want to eat, Uncle can give it to you.” Ye Qing said again.

The little girl’s eyes showed a flicker of delight, but it immediately disappeared again. She seemed a bit scared, shrinking back, still not daring to answer Ye Qing’s question.

If this little girl wasn’t willing to talk, Ye Qing had no way of dealing with her. After asking a few questions, the little girl still wouldn’t answer, leaving Ye Qing unsure of what to ask next.

At this time, footsteps were heard from behind. The two turned their heads to see Huangfu Ziyu and Lin Tianyou bringing Shen Tianjun with them.

Huangfu Ziyu had waited in the room for a while, and when Ye Qing and the Wolf Monk hadn’t returned, she became a bit worried, so she brought Shen Tianjun out to have a look.

Ye Qing explained the situation on this side, and Huangfu Ziyu slightly frowned. Looking at the little girl, she felt that this little girl shouldn’t be a bad person. But still, a little girl coming out at eight or nine in the evening to steal food didn’t seem right.

”Could she be a child from An Family Village?” Lin Tianyou suddenly asked.

”That’s possible,” Huangfu Ziyu said, ”Shall we call Bai Yuanhang to ask?”

At this point, there was no other way. Ye Qing nodded, and Huangfu Ziyu took out her phone and called Bai Yuanhang.

It wasn’t long before Bai Yuanhang, along with Old Five An, rushed in from outside. After receiving Huangfu Ziyu’s call, he ran faster than anyone, not daring to delay for a moment.

”Patriarch Huangfu, what happened?” Just upon arrival, Bai Yuanhang immediately asked.

Old Five An’s gaze was fixed on the little girl, his face changed instantly, and he said anxiously, ”Xiao Hua’er, what... why is it you again!?”

Huangfu Ziyu was about to inquire from Bai Yuanhang, but upon hearing Old Five An’s words, she immediately frowned slightly, looking at Old Five An, and asked, ”You know her?”

The little girl was startled when she saw Old Five An, and before Huangfu Ziyu could speak, she burst into tears.

”Uncle An Wu, I…I won’t dare anymore in the future. Please don’t tell my grandma. I’ll…I’ll return everything, okay?” The little girl sobbed while handing over all the food she had hidden behind her, clearly very afraid of Old Five An.

”You child!” Old Five An’s face was extremely unpleasant, and he stepped forward to grab the little girl but was stopped by Ye Qing.

”What’s going on here?” Ye Qing asked.

”This…” Old Five An scratched his head, glanced at the little girl, then looked at Bai Yuanhang, clearly embarrassed.

Bai Yuanhang said, ”Mr. Ye is asking you a question, answer him!”

”Yes!” Old Five An quickly replied, looking at the little girl, he said softly, ”Mr. Ye, this…this child is a kid from our village. I think she…she must have come to steal food!”

”Nonsense!” Bai Yuanhang said in a deep voice, ”It’s almost eleven o’clock, an eight or nine-year-old isn’t sleeping, and goes to such a desolate manor to steal food? Do you believe that yourself?”

”This…it’s true…” Old Five An’s face was full of embarrassment, he said in a low voice, ”Bai, listen to me. This kid is indeed not very honest in the village, she used to sneak out at two or three in the morning to steal, so coming out at eleven is…also normal.”

”Coming out late at night to steal food?” Ye Qing asked Old Five An in surprise, ”Why?”

”Ah!” Old Five An sighed and said, ”After all, isn’t it just forced by circumstances? If there’s food, who wants to come out and steal? This kid is really pitiful.”

Through Old Five An’s explanation, Ye Qing finally understood what was going on. It turns out that this child is indeed from An Family Village. However, her life is really bitter. Her father is a drunkard and gambler proficient in everything, who angered her mother to death. And her father messes around outside every day, and the child grew up with her grandmother. She has a younger sister, her grandma is over eighty, and she can’t even take care of herself, let alone raise two children; life is naturally very difficult.

In earlier years, it was still manageable, the grandma could struggle a bit, plant some crops, barely able to sustain two kids. But then, the father owes a mountain of debt outside, unable to survive, so he comes back to the village to ask the grandmother for money. Unable to get any, he beats the grandma up, and the grandma fell ill from this, she no longer has the strength to work, let alone support two children. The father treats the home like a free hotel; when there’s nothing to eat outside, he comes back asking for food, drink, money, and once he’s eaten enough and got money, he leaves to gamble and womanize again, not caring for his aging mother and two children at all.

”There are people like this!” Wolf Monk’s face turned cold, he couldn’t help exclaiming angrily: ”Such a person, it’s better to kill them. If I ever encounter them, I must kill them!”

Old Five An glanced at Wolf Monk in shock, he never expected this monk to harbor such strong murderous intent. Other monks always persuade people toward kindness, putting down the butcher knife to become a Buddha instantly, yet this monk is clamoring to kill—does he still count as a monk?

Not just Wolf Monk, even Ye Qing and Huangfu Ziyu were extremely angry. Looking at this little girl, both felt more compassion.

”Ah!” Lin Tianyou also sighed and said, ”Unkind, unrighteous, unfilial, such people can truly be said to have lost all humanity!”

Lin Tianyou has always been mellow, rarely discussing anything beyond medicine, let alone judging a person. For him to say such words, is rare, showing his extreme anger towards the child’s father.

”Right!” Old Five An also sighed, saying: ”Speaking of which, this kid’s father is one of our relatives, named An Hongyuan. But every family has its difficulties, after all, it’s their family matter, us outsiders can’t interfere. Besides, An Hongyuan is simply a rogue, can’t bicker with such people. Even the villagers can’t manage their affairs, can only occasionally help them out. However, the two children are sensible, Xiao Hua’er often helps her grandma with farm work, takes care of grandma and her sister, she handles it all alone. But after all, she’s a child, can’t compare to adults, can’t dig much from the ground. Plus such a father, the family’s life is impoverished, gradually…gradually developed some minor problems, occasionally stealing food in the village, nobody minds, after all knowing their family’s situation. But this time I never…never expected her to steal…steal from Mr. Ye, this…it really is unforgivable…”

Old Five An said this, glaring at Xiao Hua’er, saying: ”Hurry up and apologize to the uncles!”

Xiao Hua’er was already terrified by Old Five An, hearing this, she immediately turned around, knelt on the ground with a thud, begging and crying: ”Uncles, I was wrong, I…I won’t dare anymore in the future…”

”Child, get up!” Huangfu Ziyu hastily picked Xiao Hua’er up. Despite being the murderous East State Poisonous Mantis, deep down she is still kind-hearted. Moreover, she suffered hardships like Xiao Hua’er when she was young, seeing Xiao Hua’er, her heart automatically felt compassion.

Ye Qing also sighed deeply, unexpectedly, after coming to Medicine King Mountain, he still encountered such things. Unfortunate events happen every day, it’s just that in these remote mountains, they occur more frequently.

”It’s alright!” Ye Qing reached out to pat Xiao Hua’er’s head, softly saying: ”If you want food, just ask uncle. Don’t take it yourself; taking without asking is stealing, stealing is wrong. Xiao Hua’er may be poor, but must have the dignity of the poor, understand?”