Chapter 188: Beating You Is for Your Own Good

Seeing the Disciple looking like a mouse seeing a cat, Xu Erye couldn't help but laugh.

"Heh, I thought you feared nothing under heaven and earth, but it turns out you have someone you fear."

After being mocked by the Master, Lu Cheng hurriedly got up and brushed the dust off his clothes.

"Just kidding, how could I possibly fear her! It was her silent footsteps that startled me out of the blue."

Xu Erye smiled without replying, and Lu Cheng, unwilling, said: "Master, she's right here, so judge us face to face—does she ever handle things like this?"

Xu Erye stroked his beard: "I know the whole story; this isn't your Senior Sister's fault."

Su Feixue was too lazy to look at Lu Cheng, sat on the small stool beside him, took the Master's smoking pipe, and helped pack the tobacco leaves.

Seeing the two act so harmoniously, Lu Cheng instantly became displeased: "Master, she came first, so the villain must have reported first; you can't listen to her—I am your favorite Disciple."

Xu Erye indeed liked Lu Cheng a lot, because after living a lifetime he understood human nature very well.

Even if everyone sees him as a good‑for‑nothing, his willingness to support the elderly proves this kid's nature is kind.

"You've wronged your Senior Sister; she beat you up for your own good."

"She beat me for my own good?" Lu Cheng plopped back onto the stool, saying angrily.

"I think you're being biased. Yes, I joined later, can't match those Senior Brothers who've known you longer, nor those Senior Brothers with higher rank and authority. For a Disciple like me with no ability, it's normal that you, old Master, look down on me."

Hearing Lu Cheng's somewhat aggrieved words, Xu Erye looked at Su Feixue; the two exchanged a smile, shook their heads, took the smoking pipe, and tapped Lu Cheng on the head.

"You little scoundrel, what kind of person have you imagined your Master to be!"

Lu Cheng turned his body: "I don't want to think of you that way; it's because you were biased."

"Bias your own head! Your good intentions are like donkey liver and lungs; you secretly watched a young girl change clothes, and you still think you're justified…"

Lu Cheng opened his mouth to explain, but Xu Erye cut him off: "Alright, alright, whether you did it intentionally or not, could you have explained that situation clearly at the time?"

"Did you think she was just an ordinary girl on the street? She's a member of a performing troupe; every family has connections! You can't just pick any of them; they're not someone you can provoke."

Xu Erye exhaled a puff of smoke and continued: "During such a large event, countless eyes are watching. If the matter escalates and you're charged with a hooligan crime, think whether you could still attend that university."

Lu Cheng was instantly speechless, so the Senior Sister beat him up, which served as a settlement for those girls and turned a big issue into a small one.

Otherwise, as the Master said, if the matter blew up it would end badly, and the hard‑won chance to get into university might be lost.

In other words, the Senior Sister indeed saved him in another way.

Xu Erye glanced sideways: "Why are you silent now?"

Lu Cheng cleared his throat: "You've already said everything, old Master, what else can I say?"

Xu Erye snorted through his nose: "You kid, all that's left on you is a hard mouth."

Lu Cheng scratched his hair, looked at Su Feixue beside him, and regained a smile: "Look how this got tangled and turned into a misunderstanding. How about this: I'm not someone who doesn't understand, so if you apologize to me, the matter will be settled."

Su Feixue glared: "Your skin is really thick! You just spoke ill of me; you should apologize to me, right?"

Lu Cheng had been waiting for that line, and proactively extended his hand: "Alright then, I apologize to you; let's shake hands and make peace."

Lu Cheng's constant mood swings left Su Feixue unsure which of his faces to trust.

Watching Lu Cheng's outstretched hand, she hesitated, just as she reached out, Lu Cheng swiftly grabbed her hand.

She thought it was a normal handshake, but her palm was suddenly scratched twice, clearly teasing her, and Su Feixue instantly rose in shame and anger.

Lu Cheng hurriedly stepped back: "Hey, that day I just didn't perform well; don't think I couldn't beat you! I saw the Master there, so I shouldn't make a move in front of him."

Su Feixue took a deep breath, muttered a curse of shamelessness, and angrily sat back on the stool.

Seeing this, Xu Erye smiled and changed the subject: "Alright, alright, Lu Cheng, you sit down too. Why aren't you working today?"

"I have a night shift today; my mother asked me to invite you to dine together," Lu Cheng said, then looked at Su Feixue: "How about you, Senior Sister, come along, and consider it my apology gift."

"No need, I'm just helping out out of respect for the Master, and that's the only time."

Seeing Su Feixue decline, Lu Cheng had to drop it.

They sat and chatted for a while; mostly he and the Master talked and laughed, while Su Feixue rarely interjected.

Being a former soldier, she sat there with a straight back, like a beautiful jade sculpture.

After a while, Su Feixue had other matters in the troupe, so she left first.

Lu Cheng finally seized the chance: "Master, you see she wears a sour face every day; no wonder no one wants her."

Xu Erye sighed: "Don't provoke her; she's in a bad mood."

"Bad mood? That's because she lacks a man to train her!"

Xu Erye glared: "Again, stop talking nonsense! Xiao Xue doesn't refuse marriage; it's just that her father has had diabetes for several years."

Lu Cheng didn't understand: "Her father's illness, what does that have to do with her getting married?"

"Of course it matters; diabetes isn't a minor ailment—it requires lifelong Insulin injections. Her father has no income, and the whole family depends on her, so it's been dragging on."

Even though her salary in the troupe is enough to support the family, Insulin is hard to obtain and is about to run out, and she's worrying about this.

Listening to the Master's words, Lu Cheng casually asked: "She's at least a Deputy Leader; a Military District hospital should have that medicine, right?"

Xu Erye shook his head slightly: "Some time ago, I asked a Senior Brother of yours in the military headquarters, but it's still extremely scarce. She doesn't need it once or twice; she needs lifelong injections."

Lu Cheng nodded slightly; even in later times, severe diabetes can be fatal, let alone in today's era of scarce resources.

With the pharmaceutical industry lagging, insulin like this often relies on imports, is extremely scarce, and is prioritized for big‑city hospitals and senior officials' wards.

Now Su Feixue can only reduce the dosage of Insulin for her father or extend the interval between injections.

But this isn't a long‑term solution; if she can't find a stable supplying hospital, her father's life will be in danger.

Yet now she has visited many hospitals; either they lack it or cannot guarantee stable supply.

Watching Xu Erye sigh, Lu Cheng didn't want the Master to worry, so he thought of the Railway Ministry's hospital, perhaps he could inquire there.