Peerless Martial Expert in the City
Chapter 186 - 185: Unexpected Incident

Chapter 186: Chapter 185: Unexpected Incident

(I’d like to thank the book friends Happy Soul and Not Afraid of Sour Grapes for their rewards. Thank you. For an author, seeing people reward your work every day, even if it’s just one yuan, is truly a source of happiness and moving moments. It’s the feeling of knowing there are always people reading, liking, and supporting your book every day!)

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In the last two years, as things had eased up a bit, he had quit that exhausting job at the company and gotten himself a van. He drove commuters to work in the suburbs and sometimes provided rides for those nearby who needed to travel for work or helped transport goods. His income was decent, certainly better than that of a regular wage worker.

Perhaps because the two brothers weren’t together and couldn’t see each other often, the relationship between Wang Dawei and Wang Qingqing’s father had always been very good. It wasn’t filled with the quarrels and conflicts typical among many siblings.

Through what Wang Dawei told him, Xiao Yi had also learned a lot about Wang Qingqing. When the wave of people moving south hit the village the Wang family lived in, many young people yearned to try their luck down there. However, because their parents were getting on in years, only one of the Wang brothers could go. In the end, Wang Qingqing’s father gave way to his younger brother and chose to stay behind in the countryside. Life in the countryside was tough, and the family’s situation had always been very difficult. Although he later became an elected official in the village, the modest salary and lack of power didn’t afford him any notable benefits. With his neighbors and relatives living all around, being a village official meant he couldn’t profit from his position. Instead, he often found himself giving more than he received for the benefit of others, which is why the family’s financial situation remained strained.

Wang Qingqing grew up in such a challenging environment but had always been a well-behaved and understanding child. From elementary through high school, she was always the class president and excelled academically, rarely ranking below second place. When the time came for the college entrance exams, she didn’t disappoint and was admitted to Z University with the third highest score in their county. She was the first person from her village to get into Z University, as the best anyone from there had managed was admission to some second-tier universities.

Speaking of Wang Qingqing getting into Z University, Wang Dawei’s honest eyes shone with pride. He was genuinely proud of his niece’s achievement.

After hearing these stories, Xiao Yi felt a slight tremor in his heart and a sense of compassionate admiration for Wang Qingqing.

From his regular interactions with Wang Qingqing, he could never tell that she was a girl who had grown up in hardship. What he saw in her was an attitude toward life that was positive, ambitious, and optimistic. He never noticed any of the inferiority complex, excessive pride, sensitivity, or other negative emotions that are commonly found in students with her background.

Her father must also be an extraordinary man.

Xiao Yi thought to himself.

As they talked, the kitchen began to emit a rich and tantalizing aroma, whetting Xiao Yi’s appetite. Wang Dawei, who was beside him, couldn’t help but swallow and, with a smile, said to Xiao Yi, "That must be Qingqing’s cooking. Her dishes always whet the appetite before one even starts eating."

"Indeed, just the smell alone is mouthwatering."

Xiao Yi also smiled and sincerely admired, having grown up under the critical palate of an old man, he was a connoisseur of fine food. The aroma alone was enough to confirm that Wang Qingqing’s culinary skills were indeed extraordinary. He couldn’t help but silently commend her, wondering who would be fortunate enough to marry such a girl in the future. Whoever it would be would indeed be incredibly blessed.

Beautiful both inside and out, suitable for the kitchen and the hall, like a lotus flower, not only was she elegantly beautiful like the flower but, more importantly, she bore an inner purity and loveliness just as the lotus does.

"Time for dinner,"

came the call just as they were expressing their admiration. Wang Qingqing approached, wearing an apron like a chef, yet not lessening her radiant beauty. Glistening beads of sweat on her forehead added a different kind of charm as she brought out a steaming dish and smiled at the two men.

"Such skill indeed, the presentation is as appealing as the aroma, and without even tasting it, one can tell it’s delicious!"

Xiao Yi praised as he looked at the tantalizingly colored dish, steaming and exuding a rich fragrance.

"Hehe, I hope it tastes as good as it smells, and you won’t find it too bad,"

Wang Qingqing laughed with a touch of pride, yet her words remained modest. She then turned and reentered the kitchen.

The first dish was like the opening act of a feast. Following that, dish after dish quickly arrived at the table, and soon, the dining table was filled with a variety of appealing dishes.

"Auntie Li, how come Xiaohu hasn’t come back yet?"

Once all the dishes were on the table and they were ready to start dining, Wang Qingqing remembered that her cousin Wang Xiaohu had not yet returned, and she asked Li Xiaomei with some concern.

"That rascal, he loses track of time when he’s out playing. He promised he’d be back early, and now look at the time—he’s still not here. Let’s not wait for him; we’ll eat without him. Serves him right if he misses out."

Li Xiaomei, reminded of her absent son by Wang Qingqing’s question, immediately became irritated. It was tolerable when he was just a little mischievous, but this morning, before he went out, she told him not to go and to come back early since his cousin and a guest were visiting. He still hadn’t returned, so how could she not be angry?

"Auntie Li, don’t be mad. Maybe he’s on his way back. Just give him a call and ask where he is; tell him to hurry back,"

Wang Qingqing quickly tried to defuse her aunt’s anger with a smile and some comforting words.

"No need to call, let’s not bother with him, let’s eat, and finish all the food. Let’s see if that brat starves,"

Li Xiaomei did not calm down because of Wang Qingqing’s comforting words; she continued to express her anger.

"If he starves, it’s Auntie who’ll be most heartbroken, hehe. Let me call him. I also want to scold that brat. My sister finally comes over for a visit, and he dares to run off,"

Wang Qingqing gave Li Xiaomei a mischievous smile, quickly walked aside, took out her phone, and started searching for her cousin’s number.

Xiao Yi himself merely smiled slightly, without really starting to eat. He could tell that Li Xiaomei’s words were spoken in anger, that in her heart, she simply couldn’t ignore her son. This was evident from the trace of worry in her eyes.

Wang Dawei, who was sitting beside him, smiled apologetically at Xiao Yi, quietly waiting for Wang Qingqing to call her son.

"Ring ring..."

While Wang Qingqing was still dialing the number on her side, the landline phone beside them suddenly rang violently.

"I’ll get it."

With a look of apology towards Xiao Yi, Wang Dawei said to his wife, who was huffing with no intention of moving, stood up quickly, walked over to the phone, and picked up the handset.

"You... what... say?"

Wang Dawei had just picked up the handset, heard a sentence from the other side, and his simple face suddenly changed, turning pale in an instant, let out an exclamation, and his voice trembled.

"Clack!"

Followed by the repeated words coming from the other side of the phone, Wang Dawei’s handset clattered to the ground.

"What’s wrong, Wang?"

Everyone’s gaze turned to Wang Dawei, who was on the phone. Even Wang Qingqing forgot about the busy tone coming from her cellphone. Li Xiaomei’s voice was filled with tension as she looked at her husband.

"Xiaohu has been taken to the hospital,"

Wang Dawei said, trembling.

"Hello, are you a relative of Wang Xiaohu? This is the Provincial People’s Hospital. Wang Xiaohu’s injuries are severe, and there is a possibility of life-threatening danger. Please notify his family to come to the hospital as soon as possible,"

At this moment, a strange voice also came through Wang Qingqing’s cellphone, likely a doctor or nurse from the hospital, judging by the tone of the voice.

Hearing the unfamiliar voice from the phone, Li Xiaomei’s figure swayed, and she collapsed. Wang Qingqing also went pale, her hands shaking uncontrollably, her face reflecting disbelief, unable to accept that the news from the phone was real.

Xiao Yi was close to Li Xiaomei and quickly moved to support her as she started to fall, holding her carefully and comforting her, "Auntie Li, nothing is certain yet. Try to stay calm; they might have made a mistake,"

He said it, though he didn’t quite believe it himself—the hospital had called them directly, and the likelihood of an error was slim.

If they had mistaken the person, how could they have their home phone number? Besides, Wang Qingqing had dialed his cellphone, and it was certainly no mistake.

However, his support seemed to have some effect. Li Xiaomei managed to hold herself together and did not pass out. After a moment of shock, she bolted upright and, like a madwoman, rushed towards the door, shouting at her husband, who seemed to have been completely shattered by the news, "What are you dazed for? Get up quickly, to the hospital!"

Upon hearing his wife’s shout, Wang Dawei jolted awake, and like one snapped out of a dream, he sprang up from his chair without a word to Xiao Yi or Wang Qingqing and ran to the door. After a few steps, he turned back, grabbed a bunch of keys from the table, and dashed out the door again.

"Auntie, wait for us!"

Seeing the two disappear out the door, Wang Qingqing suddenly came to her senses, yelled out to the front, then pulled Xiao Yi and headed for the door, saying, "Come on, Xiao Yi, let’s go check it out too."(To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for recommendation tickets and monthly tickets on Qidian. Your support is my greatest motivation.)