Li Daoqiang looked at this naive, earnest young woman and couldn’t help but smile. So foolish—no wonder she was easily deceived.
Seeing Li Daoqiang smile, the already embarrassed young woman grew even more ashamed. She felt she had no real skills, so it was only natural that he looked down on her.
“Anything? Earn money through work and then repay me?” Li Daoqiang said with a light chuckle.
The young woman nodded. This was the only solution she could think of.
“How much is your life worth? And when will you earn enough?” Li Daoqiang seemed in a talkative mood, willing to say more seemingly trivial things. This was something he never did in the Black Dragon Stronghold.
He had to admit, a man facing a man and a man facing a woman were indeed different. Especially when the woman was a great beauty.
The young woman was stumped, unable to speak, and could only blush stubbornly, “I’ll work hard.”
Li Daoqiang waved a hand dismissively. “Alright, I’ll say it once, and my word is final. Since I said you don’t need to repay me, then you don’t.”
The young woman tried to speak again, but Li Daoqiang cut her off, curious. “Instead of that, I’m more interested in you saying you have nothing left. You’re not that old—what about your family and friends?”
At the mention of this, her eyes reddened again. Feeling utterly alone, she seemed to see her savior as someone she could confide in. Without hesitation, she began to speak.
Li Daoqiang stopped her again. “This isn’t the place. Let’s find somewhere to talk slowly.”
The Wan family would arrive soon. Though he didn’t care, he didn’t want the hassle.
The young woman, not knowing where to go or what to do, naturally didn’t refuse.
Under Li Daoqiang’s lead, they entered a courtyard.
Seeing her follow without any guard, Li Daoqiang was speechless. Too trusting!
Still, he kind of liked this naive beauty. Overly clever women were hard to handle. Silly women were more endearing.
They sat down, and the young woman, as if holding back for too long, began to speak.
It was much as Li Daoqiang had guessed. Her name was Qi Fang. Her father was Qi Changfa, and her senior apprentice brother was Di Yun. Her father had vanished, her senior brother was in prison for lust, and she had no other relatives, so she had to stay at her senior uncle Wan Zhenshan’s house. Then today’s incident happened.
After finishing, as if remembering something, Qi Fang said earnestly, “Hero, may I know your name? I will surely repay you.”
“Ha.” Li Daoqiang laughed, a hint of disdain in his voice. “I’m no hero, and don’t call me that. As for my name, once you hear it, you definitely won’t think I’m a good person.”
“How could that be? You saved me, and you even… how could you not be a good person?” Qi Fang shook her head repeatedly, speaking with utmost seriousness. In her heart, someone who saved her and refused repayment couldn’t be anything but good.
“I told you, I value trust and fair deals above all. To me, everything has a price. If someone can pay it, I’ll do it. If I hadn’t wanted to save you on my own, I wouldn’t have let you off without repayment—I’d have made you my concubine long ago,” Li Daoqiang said leisurely, unusually frank.
“Ah!” Qi Fang jumped in shock, her pretty face flushing red again, deeply embarrassed. She looked down at her toes, her small hands fidgeting, and stammered, “Hero, you’re joking, right?” Then, at a loss, she added, “You saved me.”
Li Daoqiang smiled casually. “I never joke. Have you ever seen a hero who helps others expecting repayment? As for saving you, I did it because I wanted to. I just thought you were pretty and felt moved—what does it have to do with you?”
He wanted this woman, but he wanted her to come willingly. Forcing her was beneath him, and he disdained it. As he said, he preferred fair deals. From the start, that was what he wanted. So he refused this repayment. After all, this rescue was staged by him—it wasn’t a real save.
Qi Fang stood frozen, her face growing redder, her worldview shaken. What this great benefactor said completely caught her off guard. Saving me, of course it has to do with me. But somehow, what he said didn’t seem wrong. He didn’t seem like a bad person. Still like a good one. But talk of concubines, beauty, and being moved made her blush. How could the benefactor say such things?
Watching the flustered, naive young woman, Li Daoqiang felt pleased and stopped teasing her.
“Alright, let’s get to the point.”
Qi Fang was puzzled. The point? What point?
“You say your father disappeared for no reason, and your senior brother went to prison for lust. Aren’t you curious? What really happened?” Li Daoqiang’s expression turned serious, his tone meaningful.
Qi Fang’s spirits lifted, and she stood up, staring intently at Li Daoqiang. A glimmer of hope stirred within her, though she didn’t know what it was. But it was there. In just a few days, her father had vanished, and her senior brother was in jail for lust. Her whole world had changed in an instant. She had been confused and tormented for months. Even if she didn’t fully understand what her benefactor meant, she wanted to hear it.
“Benefactor, what do you mean?” Qi Fang asked nervously.
“First, your father went to your senior uncle’s house to celebrate his birthday and suddenly disappeared there. Your senior uncle can’t escape suspicion. Second, you say your senior brother was honest and steady, but suddenly he tried to rape another woman. And it happened after your father vanished, at your senior uncle’s Wan residence. Don’t you think something’s off? Don’t you trust your senior brother? Or do you trust your senior uncle more?” Li Daoqiang spoke confidently, full of ease.
Qi Fang’s mind was in turmoil. Over these months, she couldn’t deny having doubts. But she was gentle and kind by nature, not prone to suspecting others. And she had no reliable, clear-headed person to explain things to her. With her father missing and her senior brother in prison, her senior uncle’s family had become her closest kin. So naturally, she hadn’t thought of it.
Now, hearing her benefactor’s words, and recalling Wan Gui’s behavior earlier, she began to distrust the Wan family. Still, she couldn’t bring herself to believe it. “Benefactor, are you saying my father and senior brother were set up by my senior uncle? But my senior uncle and father were fellow disciples! And I saw it with my own eyes… the officials said so too.”
“Heh, so what if they were fellow disciples? Fellow disciples killing each other is common. As for what you saw, ever heard of framing someone? And the officials—‘official’ has two mouths, and without money or power, don’t bother. Do you think the officials would side with the wealthy Wan family or two helpless country bumpkins?”
Li Daoqiang smirked, watching the disbelieving naive girl. He paused, then continued, “And third, the Wan family is well-off and influential in Jingzhou City. A failed rape attempt—if they really wanted to get your senior brother out, it would be effortless. Unless they don’t want to, or even want him to rot in prison.”
Qi Fang was already panicked. Her nature made her want to reject these thoughts. But her reason and trust in her senior brother pushed her to accept them. All these months, her senior uncle and Wan Gui, who had been so kind to her, had been deceiving her. They had framed her senior brother and might have harmed her father.
Her mind in chaos, she slumped back down, muttering, “Why? Why would they frame my senior brother?”
“You still don’t get it?” Li Daoqiang laughed.
Qi Fang looked at him blankly.
Li Daoqiang stated firmly, “I can’t be sure if they harmed your father, but framing your senior brother was definitely because of you.”
“Me?” Qi Fang still didn’t understand.
Li Daoqiang said bluntly, “You’re so beautiful. Wan Gui clearly covets you and wants you, so he framed your senior brother. Why else would he have been so nice to you these past months?”
Though still a bit embarrassed, Qi Fang felt more guilt. It was her fault—she had brought trouble to her senior brother.
Thinking this, she wiped away tears with her hand, stood up resolutely, and said stubbornly, “I’m going to confront them. I’ll save my senior brother.”
Just as she was about to thank her benefactor, he interrupted, “Are you crazy?”
Qi Fang looked at him in confusion.
Li Daoqiang sneered, “You’re a weak woman with no support. Going to confront the Wan family—what do you think you’ll achieve?”
Qi Fang opened her mouth, wanting to say she’d go to the authorities, but couldn’t get the words out.
“In the end, they’ll get angry, Wan Gui will force himself on you, and your senior brother will die in prison,” Li Daoqiang said coldly.
Qi Fang stared at him, seeming unable to accept this outcome.
Li Daoqiang shook his head, as if bored. “A girl as dumb as you—I’ve never met one before. Alright, since you’re pretty, I’ll give you a free lesson on the dangers of the martial world. I’m done. You can go.”
Qi Fang’s face went numb. Overwhelmed by the heavy blows, she didn’t know what to do. Hearing this, she nodded obediently and started to walk out.
Li Daoqiang watched, both exasperated and amused. This silly girl had really lost her wits.
Luckily, Qi Fang wasn’t completely dazed. After a few steps, she snapped back. She immediately turned around, knelt before Li Daoqiang, tears streaming even more.
“Benefactor, I beg you, please guide me on what to do! I beg you! If you can save my senior brother, I’ll do anything.” Qi Fang sobbed, knocking her head heavily on the ground.
Li Daoqiang’s face turned expressionless, his tone cold. “Why should I guide you? Do you even know who I am?”
(Please support—any kind of support is welcome.) ······