Chapter 629: Chapter 600: Clash of Dragon and Tiger
Xu Chunliang returned the courtesy to him and said, "Mr. Cha, you’re too kind. Thank you for showing mercy." This was essentially giving Cha Youliang some face.
Having witnessed his senior brother’s exchange with Xu Chunliang, Meng Youde already understood completely in his heart that he was definitely no match for Xu Chunliang.
Cha Youliang asked, "Mr. Xu, where did you learn the Baji Fist?"
Only those with ability can earn others’ respect. This was evident from the way Cha Youliang addressed Xu Chunliang, clearly holding the young man in high regard.
Xu Chunliang replied, "From TV." In truth, at his level, as long as he saw a martial art once, he could grasp its essence.
Cha Youliang sighed inwardly. Just based on the move "Mountain Lean" Xu Chunliang had just displayed, he was definitely trained by a renowned Baji Fist master. But since he was unwilling to say, it wasn’t convenient for Cha Youliang to press further. Cha Youliang still couldn’t figure out how Xu Chunliang exerted his force on the water tank.
At this moment, an elder holding a bamboo cane and supporting an oil-paper umbrella walked out from inside. As he walked, he tapped the ground with the cane. The sunglasses on his face were to cover his long-lost sight, and in a hoarse voice, he asked, "Youliang... have you seen Ah Huang?"
Cha Youliang replied, "Dad, I haven’t seen it. It’s raining so hard, you shouldn’t be walking around." This elder was his father, Cha Enxuan.
"I can’t get lost in my own home." Cha Enxuan stopped beside Xu Chunliang, sniffed, and said, "We have guests?"
Cha Youliang said, "My junior brother Meng Youde and two of his friends."
Meng Youde hurriedly said, "Uncle Cha, I passed by on my way today, specially to visit senior brother. I haven’t had the chance to pay my respects to you yet."
Cha Enxuan’s expression changed, and with a cold snort, he said, "No need, you all never stop harming him."
Meng Youde looked extremely embarrassed.
Xu Chunliang immediately knew that there was definitely a story behind this, but since it was the sect’s internal matter, it wasn’t his place to intervene. Seeing the rain was letting up outside, Xu Chunliang bid farewell to Cha Youliang, and out of politeness, said to Cha Enxuan, "Elder Cha, we’re leaving."
Cha Enxuan snorted coldly, clearly regarding Xu Chunliang as being in league with Meng Youde.
Cha Youliang looked somewhat embarrassed, gesturing for them to leave first.
Su Qing tugged at Xu Chunliang’s arm, finding no reason to stay and face embarrassment, so the two left first.
Meng Youde didn’t feel comfortable staying either and followed behind them. Before leaving, he cupped his fist towards his senior brother.
Cha Youliang made a gesture understood only by their sect, meaning for Meng Youde to control his emotions and not to have any more conflicts with Xu Chunliang. Cha Youliang meant well, for if Meng Youde dared to provoke again, he’d be the one to look bad.
The rain had nearly stopped. As they turned into the alley ahead, Xu Chunliang suddenly raised a hand to stop Su Qing, seeing two figures, one yellow and one red, engaged in a fierce struggle ahead, while a young man and woman nearby squatted filming.
A large yellow cat and a Red Chain Snake were attacking each other in the grass on the right front. The snake raised its head and flicked its tongue, while the cat stood on three legs, its right front paw raised high. As the snake struck, the cat slammed its paw down on the snake’s head and then darted out like lightning, biting the snake right at its vital point.
Su Qing let out a soft exclamation, having never seen such a scene before. Folk referred to it as a "battle between a dragon and a tiger," a rare sight.
When Meng Youde arrived behind them, the large yellow cat had already emerged victorious. The Red Chain Snake was in its death throes, its body wrapped around the cat’s torso, but the cat held firm, gripping its neck with its sharp teeth, which tightened until the snake gradually ceased resistance.
Just then, the sound of bamboo tapping was heard again. It was Cha Enxuan seeking them out. Meng Youde kindly reminded him, "Uncle, there’s a snake ahead."
Cha Enxuan pretended not to hear, calling out, "Ah Huang!"
The yellow cat, dragging the dead Red Chain Snake, brought it to Cha Enxuan’s side.
Cha Enxuan crouched down, took the snake from the cat’s mouth, and said in a gentle voice, "Not bad, not bad, Ah Huang is getting more skilled. We’ll use it for snake soup tonight."
He grasped the snake’s head with his left hand, inserted his right hand’s nails into its neck, and with a swift motion, his nails sharp as knives, he gutted the snake from head to tail.
The scene was too gruesome, causing Su Qing to turn and bury her face in Xu Chunliang’s shoulder, trembling.
Even Xu Chunliang was startled, thinking, this old man is remarkable.
Cha Enxuan extracted the snake’s gall bladder and swallowed it directly, commenting as he ate, "Ah Huang is so filial."
Meng Youde got goosebumps all over. The old man had lost his mind, swallowing a snake’s gall raw. He almost said something, but thought better of it, deciding not to seek unnecessary trouble.
Cha Enxuan, carrying the snake, turned and headed for home, the yellow cat trailing behind.
Meng Youde watched them depart, shaking his head. The two who had been squatting filming the cat-snake battle were left gawking in astonishment.
Xu Chunliang gently patted Su Qing’s shoulder, and she turned away from his shoulder, her face flushed, softly saying, "I was scared to death."
Xu Chunliang pondered, Su Qing’s instinctual cuddle was both expected and unexpected.
Meng Youde said, "After the awakening of insects, spring thunder roars, all things revive..." Before he could finish, a bolt of lightning cleaved the dark clouds like a sharp blade, followed by a rumbling thunder overhead.
Su Qing said, "It’s going to rain again."
Xu Chunliang nodded, "Let’s hurry back."
The man who was shooting the video earlier approached Xu Chunliang, "Hey, do you know that old man? Did he just swallow the snake gall?"
Xu Chunliang laughed, "Yes!"
Su Qing thought the man looked familiar. After thinking for a moment, she asked, "Are you the culinary blogger Three Two Three?"
The man smiled, "That’s me."
This Three Two Three is a popular culinary blogger with tens of millions of followers online. His assistant, Xiaojie, was by his side.
Xu Chunliang usually doesn’t pay attention to such things, so of course, he didn’t know who Three Two Three was. He only thought he looked average and wondered what drew fans to him. Hearing Su Qing, he figured he must be a famous food streamer.
Three Two Three said, "Are you here for tourism too?"
Xu Chunliang replied, "Meeting." Seeing the sky darken with rain, he didn’t say much more to the internet celebrity and hurried to the gathering location.
Just as the three returned to the boat, the rain started pouring again.
Fu Guomin had returned earlier, seemingly having had a successful talk with Xing Wenhua. He found Xu Chunliang and whispered to him that Secretary Xing had agreed to help Dongzhou Culture and Tourism secure policy support.
While they were waiting, a man and a woman ran towards the dock—it was the internet star Three Two Three and his assistant.
There were only two cruise ships at the dock, and since they were reserved by the conference organizers, they naturally couldn’t let anyone board casually. Three Two Three tried negotiating with the staff to pay for a ride back, but they waved him off to wait for another boat.
Xu Chunliang then stepped forward, spoke up for them, and got Three Two Three and his assistant on board. With such heavy rain, he couldn’t just watch them stand there getting soaked.
Three Two Three boarded the ship and thanked Xu Chunliang profusely.
Su Qing handed Xiaojie a tissue, asking her to wipe off.
Three Two Three took out a cigarette, only to find it already soaked. He chuckled to Xu Chunliang, "I was in such a rush today that I didn’t check the weather forecast. Now I’m drenched like a wet chicken."
Xu Chunliang asked, "Do you also live near Taiming Lake?"
Three Two Three nodded, mentioning the hotel he was staying in, which turned out to be the same as Xu Chunliang’s group. He also knew they were there for a national culture and tourism conference.
As the two chatted, Xiaojie suddenly collapsed. Fortunately, Su Qing caught her in time, "Xiaojie, what’s wrong?"
Xu Chunliang and Three Two Three quickly rushed over.
Xiaojie’s face was pale, lips blue, and her frail body trembled uncontrollably.
Three Two Three said, "Probably caught a chill from the rain."
Xiaojie said, "It hurts... it hurts... my waist..."
Xu Chunliang asked those around to step back. Su Qing lifted Xiaojie’s clothes, and was startled by the sight—a colorful centipede clung to her spine, about an inch and a half long, sucking her blood.
Three Two Three, never having seen such a large centipede, stammered, "Cen... centipede..." It’s likely when they were filming in the bushes earlier, the centipede slipped in unnoticed. Luckily, it went to the waist; anywhere else could have been more troublesome.
Gulp!
Everyone turned their heads simultaneously; the sound came from Xu Chunliang. But everyone was puzzled—why swallow at a time like this?
Xu Chunliang hadn’t had the treat in a while—boiled quickly, dipped with a little seasoning, even tastier than shrimp.
Three Two Three asked, "Any chicken?" also having the amusing thought that a rooster, the centipede’s enemy, would eat the centipede.
Xu Chunliang said, "Help me find a pair of chopsticks."
Three Two Three was baffled, staring at him—wasn’t this a rescue? You’re asking for chopsticks? Do you need condiments too? But he quickly figured it out; Xu Chunliang intended to use chopsticks to remove the centipede.
He carried chopsticks, being a food streamer, not carrying a pair would lack professional flair.
The reason Xu Chunliang asked for chopsticks was to avoid making it too obvious. He could easily remove the bloodsucking centipede directly, but feared causing unnecessary speculation.
Xu Chunliang first borrowed a cigarette from someone nearby, and flicked some ash on the centipede. Actually, the ash was just to cover up his drug powder. The bloodsucking centipede reacted quickly, its body shrinking in size till it was half of its original length. Coupled with the shrinking, the blood it had sucked was expelled, leaving a red stain on Xiaojie’s back.
When the blood was completely expelled, Xu Chunliang gently clamped it off Xiaojie with chopsticks, placed the centipede into a prepared mineral water bottle, and then opened another mineral water bottle, letting her drink it. He seemed to have opened a new bottle, but he had actually dissolved detoxifying powder while opening the cap.
