Chapter 25: A Beautiful Life

Since Wu Mianfeng's leg was broken by Huang Yaoshi, he was driven off Peach Blossom Island without receiving any treatment.

The medicinal decoction Mo Laodao brewed was mainly for promoting blood circulation, removing stasis, and relieving pain; it did not properly treat the injury. It was still Wu Chengyu who had some medical knowledge, using wooden sticks to splint and immobilize the broken leg.

In a month's time, Wu Chengyu was walking around begging with a crutch, enduring severe pain every day. After that, he fought a fierce battle with the scum of the Beggar Sect, and his just-healing left leg suffered another heavy injury. Afterwards, he disregarded his wounds and stirred up so much trouble.

Now Wu Chengyu knows without touching that the broken bones have already knitted crookedly; continuing like this will inevitably make him a cripple.

Now that there is Black Jade Bone-Healing Ointment, recovery is possible, but the prerequisite is to re-break the injured area and realign the bones.

This process cannot be omitted, but not just anyone can accomplish it.

One must strike with precision, with just the right force, ensuring the already-knitted bone breaks exactly at the union, without causing other greater injuries.

Currently in Gushan County, the only one who can achieve this and whom Wu Chengyu trusts is Hong Qigong. Anyway, letting Lu Youjiao do it — Wu Chengyu would absolutely not feel at ease. His name is Youjiao 【Has Feet】, so one imagines his hands lack measure.

The day after Hong Qigong finished handling the scum of the Gushan Branch, he rushed to Qingyu Guan without stopping, and only returned today. Wu Chengyu had successfully refined the Black Jade Bone-Healing Ointment; the timing was just right.

"What exactly do you want to do, kid? You really don't want this leg anymore? One mishandling and it'll probably have to be amputated."

"Clan Chief Hong, I have had a prescription in my possession all along, specifically for treating bone injuries. Previously I lacked the conditions; only today did I finish compounding it. However, my bones have already knitted crookedly; they must be realigned before the medicine can take effect."

"Truly? I believe you can endure the pain of a broken leg again, but if this medicine lacks the efficacy you speak of, what then?"

"Truly. This kid never regrets his own choices; even if I lose this leg afterwards, I will absolutely not be a useless person."

Wu Chengyu naturally had confidence in the Black Jade Bone-Healing Ointment; after all, his golden finger dad had already made the appraisal.

"Chief, wait, I haven't... ahhh... Hong Qigong, your grandpa."

Wu Chengyu had long prepared the ointment and the wooden rulers and cloth strips for binding the leg, even a towel to bite in his mouth. Unfortunately, Hong Qigong was an absolute man of action; the moment Wu Chengyu's words fell, he ruthlessly struck. Before Wu Chengyu's preparations even reached his side, his leg had already been broken.

Over a month later, at the Hongyun Restaurant in the Gushan County Fang Market, recently the restaurant's business became extraordinarily good as soon as the noon market started.

Forever full, even turning tables twice; the restaurant shopkeeper's face had completely become a chrysanthemum 【beaming】, and Hongyun Restaurant had truly become Gushan's number one.

Before the long table in the northeast corner of the restaurant, A Ku wore a set of pink clothes, a red dot on her brow, rouge on her cheeks, and two little buns on her head. Like a little calf, she sang a small tune in a childish, milky voice.

"Peach leaf tips are pointed, willow leaves hide the sky; the bright lord in his place, listen closely to my words..."

Wu Chengyu sat to the side, unknown where he got a small drum; with a faint smile at the corner of his mouth, he held the drumstick and tapped lightly, keeping the beat for A Ku.

The current A Ku was long no longer the frail little beggar of before; her face actually had a bit of baby fat, her eyes large. For a month now she ate until her little belly was round and plump every day; to A Ku this was honey mixed with oil. The little girl's height had also grown, her voice full of vigor; the only pity was her hair was still somewhat yellowed.

The Black Jade Bone-Healing Ointment's effect was truly good; just applying it for a month, Wu Chengyu was already able to get out of bed. Leaning on a crutch he could walk a few steps on the ground; as long as he didn't exert force he basically felt no pain. By Wu Chengyu's estimate, in another month it would be fully healed as before.

For a month he wasn't idle either. Although he couldn't get out of bed and needed Shopkeeper Wei to send a cook to help cook, or A Ku would go out to buy the meat buns she loved most, whenever he had time he taught A Ku to read and sing. To Wu Chengyu, these were also the most comfortable days he had lived since transmigrating.

Hong Qigong quietly left on the second day after breaking Wu Chengyu's leg; unknown if it was because Wu Chengyu scolded him as "your grandpa," he left without leaving a single word.

But to him, a mere Gushan Branch had really consumed too much time. Beggar Sect affairs were complicated; the next meeting knew not what day.

Lu Youjiao formally took over the Gushan Branch. Because of Wu Chengyu's chaotic entry, his growth trajectory had already greatly diverged from the original work. Unknown if he could still become the later Nine-Pouch Elder, or even the Beggar Sect Chief. But Wu Chengyu felt this was very good. For Lu Youjiao, being able to be a Branch Chief — by all means don't go be the Clan Chief.

After lying motionless in bed for a month, Wu Chengyu truly couldn't bear it. He hobbled on a crutch to Hongyun Restaurant and started storytelling again, and A Ku also started singing for a living.

Only pity the original plan to do cross-talk together with A Ku fell through. A Ku simply didn't know what was the straight man's role, what was rhythm; on stage she was foolish, only knowing that line "go to hell." Wu Chengyu really couldn't teach her, so every day it was A Ku singing a little tune first, then Wu Chengyu storytelling.

After that day's "Who is a hero among heroes," Wu Chengyu's status had already changed. No one dared treat him as a child anymore; the restaurant shopkeeper, seeing him, must first bow with hands clasped.

"Last chapter we spoke of, Lu Bu shooting the halberd at the camp gate, resolving the dispute between Liu Bei and Yuan Shu. A full hundred fifty paces away, one arrow hit the small halberd; all present were terrified."

"This Lu Fengxian is truly the number one fierce general of the Three Kingdoms. Height eight chi, waist circumference also eight chi, Diaochan under his crotch, known as the Red Hare Rouge Horse..."

Anyway, the Romance of the Three Kingdoms in Wu Chengyu's mouth changed in myriad ways. Sometimes a bit proper, sometimes spouting nonsense. It was just so carefree. Every time he saw the audience below the stage confused by his telling, Wu Chengyu could be happy all day.

Originally just to supplement household expenses. After Shopkeeper Wei covered all living needs for him and A Ku, Wu Chengyu didn't quibble. The Beggar Sect's help to Shopkeeper Wei's business was great; Wu Chengyu felt he could afford it. So coming out to tell stories every day became Wu Chengyu's best pastime.

But the restaurant's business had indeed become much better because of Wu Chengyu. Coming to Hongyun Restaurant at noon to drink and listen to stories became a grand event in Gushan City. This also counted as repaying the restaurant shopkeeper's favor. After all, the shopkeeper had indeed helped him back then. Even if he insisted on charging a venue fee, it was merely seeking a peace of mind.

But for Wu Chengyu, the most, most important thing this month, besides A Ku's increasingly happy smile, was the Bamboo Slips' enormous help to him.

Take storytelling for example. Originally he just watched some in programs and copied blindly; actually he didn't understand a single thing. Lying in bed trying to practice a few times, the Bamboo Slips produced a new Storytelling Guide. What is opening the face, what is arranging the ending, how to praise, how to stack couplets — the Bamboo Slips explained them all clearly to Wu Chengyu.

Even where to pause, where to stress, where to add gestures, where to ask the audience for money — Wu Chengyu mastered them all. So now Hongyun Restaurant's business is this good.

Storytelling and cross-talk, without a bit of basic skill, real kung fu, cannot retain an audience.

But Wu Chengyu's greatest gain was cultivating the Green Wave Heart Method under the Bamboo Slips' guidance, and even breaking through the Green Wave Heart Method.

Thank you Gourd Sister, Miao Sheng, Big Sea Beast, Li Yue Shuang Xue, Book Friend 5546, I Am A Drifter, Book Friend 5234, Book Friend 0111, Book Friend 0470, Spring Passed With A Smile for the recommendation tickets.

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(Chapter End)