Chapter 123
Chapter 123
By the time Eighth Master Chang carried Hua Jiunan and Chen Daji home, dawn was already breaking.
Deaf Granny was still standing in the wind and snow, staring into the distance.
The snow on the ground had risen above her ankles.
Before Hua Jiunan could speak, the old woman hurried forward with Zhao Aiguo and Chen Fu supporting her on either side.
“Good, good, good!”
“My precious grandson has come home safe!”
Before she realized it, tears were streaming down her face.
Only now could she finally release the worry and torment she had endured all night.
Zhao Aiguo said softly, “Old Auntie insisted on standing here to wait. She hasn’t sat down once all night.”
“Nothing we said could persuade her!”
Hua Jiunan jumped down from Eighth Master Chang, seized Deaf Granny’s ice-cold hand, and held it to his mouth to warm it with his breath.
“Grandma, it was our fault. We made you worry!”
Deaf Granny examined him carefully, terrified that he might be hurt, then reached out to stroke his cheek.
“My precious grandson, as long as all of you are safe. That’s all that matters!”
Chen Daji approached with a down jacket full of loot slung over his shoulder, grinning foolishly through his blood-caked face.
“Grandma, I’m safe too. Not a damn thing happened to me!”
The wretched state of his son gave Chen Fu a shock.
“Holy hell, you little bastard! What happened to your face?”
“How come Xiao Jiu and Fei’er are fine, but you look like this? What, did those sons of bitches in the tomb single you out for a beating?!”
Before Chen Daji could answer, Eighth Master Chang chuckled and spoke to Chen Fu.
“What nonsense are you imagining?”
“The blood on Daji’s face came from punching himself in the nose!”
Chen Fu looked utterly baffled and muttered, “I did hear that Daji learned some kung fu from Xiao Jiu.”
“Don’t tell me the little bastard has been practicing the Seven Injuries Fist?!”
“Never heard that the Seven Injuries Fist required a man to beat the hell out of his own nose…”
Then Chen Fu noticed the armor on Chen Daji’s back and froze again.
“Where did that thing come from? Why did you bring it home?!”
Chen Daji chuckled and answered his father.
“Stripped it off that Big Zongzi who wanted to kill you.”
“The useless junk weighs a ton, and when you put it on, it pinches your balls like hell!”
Like father, like son. Chen Fu was every bit as curious as Chen Daji.
Otherwise, he never would have found himself a mistress in the city…
After trying on the armor, Chen Fu also began to curse.
“What kind of fucking junk is this? It’s way too big, and it really does pinch your balls!”
As everyone headed into the courtyard, Chen Daji said, “When the scrap collector comes after sunrise, we’ll sell it as junk metal.”
“Should at least get enough for a pack of cigarettes.”
That gave Chen Fu a much better idea.
“Look at you! All you know is selling junk!”
“There’s a hell of a lot more money in selling ore than scrap!”
After scolding Chen Daji, Chen Fu bent down and helped Deaf Granny onto the warm brick bed.
“Old Auntie, the workers repairing the temple in the mountains called the day before yesterday. They said no paint will stick to the Great General’s statue.”
“No matter what paint or coating they use, it always flakes off by the next day.”
“What do you think about putting this iron outfit straight on the Great General?”
“If that won’t work, we’ll have no choice but to buy more gold dust and try gilding him.”
Deaf Granny was startled. How could anything be so uncanny?
After Hua Jiunan repeated what Li Guang had told him, Deaf Granny cried out in alarm.
“This is terrible! The Great General is in mortal danger!”
Hua Jiunan hurriedly asked, “Grandma, how can we help Uncle Snow Corpse?!”
Deaf Granny’s gaze fell on the vicious-looking armor.
“Chen Fu is right. Hurry and take this to the temple. Put it on the Great General!”
“Xiao Jiu, bring incense and offerings and go there yourself!”
“Once you reach the temple, do not come back. Make offerings on time every morning and evening.”
“You must not forget. Do you understand?!”
Hua Jiunan nodded solemnly. “I understand, Grandma. I’ll leave right now!”
Hu Fei’er looked at Deaf Granny. When the old woman nodded, she blushed, transformed into an adorable three-tailed white fox, and leaped onto Hua Jiunan’s shoulder.
Naturally, Chen Daji could not miss out on anything unusual.
“Grandma, I’m going with Big Brother!”
How could Chen Fu not worry about his own son? He gave him a warning.
“Go if you want, but stop using that Seven Injuries Fist for no reason.”
“A few more punches, and you’ll pound your nose into a crater!”
Just before the two of them left, Deaf Granny suddenly said, “Aiguo, have your wife bring out several thick quilts.”
“It’s cold in the mountains. Don’t let the two boys freeze!”
Zhao Aiguo turned and headed out.
“Got it, Old Auntie.”
“I’ll have them take my leather coat too.”
Eighth Master Chang had grown much more self-aware and had already accepted his new identity as their means of transportation.
He had assumed his true form early and was waiting outside the courtyard.
After climbing onto his back, Chen Daji praised him.
“Eighth Master, you’re incredible!”
Eighth Master Chang looked puzzled. “Why?”
Chen Daji chuckled. “You’re high-tech! Self-driving, automatic navigation, and best of all, you don’t even burn gas!”
Eighth Master Chang did not quite understand, but he knew that no ivory ever came out of Chen Daji’s filthy mouth.
He cursed furiously, “Get the fuck off me!”
In the bitter wind, the great green python carried Hua Jiunan and Chen Daji swiftly into the mountains.