IDWBE -Chapter 38 A Tree Won’t Grow Straight Without Pruning

Still, Lin Yi couldn’t help saying, “It seems you’re quite wealthy. You have the leisure to enjoy the scenery without worrying about making a living.”

In his previous life, sitting in a wheelchair, setting aside the cost of therapy and medicine—even eating had been a problem!

Relying solely on terrifyingly impressive titles like ‘Speed-Clicking Master,’ ‘King of Trash Talk in Honor of Kings,’ ‘China’s Famous Argumentative Troll,’ ‘Standing Council Member of the Chinese Cultivation Association,’ and ‘Art-Film Critic’ was useless…

He had to work hard writing just to keep himself fed and clothed.

As for being a shut-in, he wasn’t qualified.

Only people who owned houses could be called true shut-ins.

Qi Peng was stunned for a moment after hearing this, then smiled and said, “My ancestors have lived here for generations, enduring great hardship before I could enjoy this half-lifetime of leisure.”

Lin Yi laughed. “So in the end, no matter how hard you work, it’s still not as good as being born lucky.”

“That’s an interesting way to put it.” Qi Peng’s stiff expression gradually relaxed. “Brother Lin is quite a refined man.”

“No. What I hate most are scholars—full of schemes,” Lin Yi said with feeling. “I’m a vulgar man. When I see flowers, I just see flowers; when I see the sea, I just see the sea; when I see money, my eyes light up. I don’t have any grand ambitions. Saving a few tens of millions of taels of silver and marrying a dozen or so beautiful wives would be enough.”

Tens of millions of taels?

Hearing this, Qi Peng didn’t know whether to praise him for being content or to praise him for aiming high.

After a while, he forced a smile. “Brother Lin truly is an extraordinary person.”

Ordinary people simply didn’t have such thick skin.

“Nothing special, nothing special—maybe only third in Liang,” Lin Yi said modestly, waving his hand. Then he looked at Qi Peng’s legs. “Can you still use crutches?”

Qi Peng shook his head. “I’ll never be able to leave this wheelchair again.”

Without hesitation, Lin Yi walked over, lifted the hem of Qi Peng’s robe, and frowned. “This won’t do—your calves have already atrophied.”

Qi Peng was stunned by this sudden action. They had only just met, and this man was already lifting his robe to look at his legs!

He was a man!

And he certainly didn’t have that kind of inclination.

Suddenly, without warning, Lin Yi’s hand touched his leg.

His legs had been numb for many years, yet at that moment he suddenly felt a chill spread through his body, and he couldn’t help shivering.

“Brother Lin,” seeing Lin Yi’s hand moving toward his knee, Qi Peng hurriedly pressed down on it. “I appreciate your concern.”

“You should be careful,” Lin Yi said, withdrawing his hand with a smile. “You’ve got sores on your hips, haven’t you? Sitting for long periods blocks the circulation. Rotting flesh, cracks, sores—that’s all normal. You should have someone massage you regularly to prevent blood clots. You can’t neglect it even for a day.”

As someone who had spent years in a wheelchair, Lin Yi was especially experienced in this area.

“Many thanks, Brother Lin.”

Qi Peng naturally knew about his own condition, but he had never had the face to admit it.

“Massage alone won’t solve the problem,” Lin Yi continued. “You should also do passive movement of the lower-limb joints to prevent complications like joint contracture. And you need to exercise your arms as well—it’s good for your health…”

Lin Yi shared his experience without holding anything back.

Qi Peng listened as Lin Yi spoke at length. Although he didn’t understand many of the terms, he grasped the general meaning.

“I am truly grateful,” he said sincerely.

“There’s no need to be so polite,” Lin Yi said, waving it off. “I have a friend who’s a physician. Where do you live? I’ll have him visit and give you acupuncture. At least you won’t suffer so much.”

Qi Peng said, “I’ll be staying here until evening.”

“That works.”

Lin Yi turned to Fang Pi, who was eating pastries nearby. “Remember this place clearly. When we get back, bring Physician Hu here.”

“Understood, Young Master,” Fang Pi replied.

Lin Yi cupped his hands to Qi Peng. “Sorry for the disturbance. I’ll take my leave.”

As he walked over to Fang Pi, he suddenly kicked him. “Let’s go. All you do all day is eat. No wonder you pass so much gas.”

Fang Pi didn’t even have time to finish the last mung-bean cake on the plate. After hesitating for a moment, he decided not to pocket it and hurried after Lin Yi.

Halfway along, the rain suddenly grew heavier.

Taking shelter under an eave, Lin Yi removed his bamboo hat and looked at a yellow puppy hiding from the rain with him.

After teasing it a little, the filthy little puppy actually gathered the courage to lick his fingers.

Lin Yi took a steamed bun from Fang Pi, broke off a small piece, and fed it to the puppy while saying, “Looks like you’re a poor little thing with no parents either.”

“Young Master, it’s a dog, not a person,” Fang Pi corrected seriously. “Besides, it can’t understand what you’re saying. Let’s take it back and eat dog meat. Small as it is, it could still fill a big bowl.”

Lin Yi said, “Hong An, when we get back, tell your master to give Fang Pi a good beating. He’s itching for it.”

“Yes,” Hong An said softly.

“Young Master—!” Fang Pi turned pale with fright. “I know I was wrong, all right? Please spare me!”

Just thinking of Hong Ying’s expressionless face made him shiver uncontrollably.

“A tree won’t grow straight without pruning; a man won’t become capable without teaching.”

Lin Yi ignored him, stretched lazily, put his bamboo hat back on, and stepped into the heavy rain again.

After only a few steps, Hong An grabbed his arm.

Pointing behind them, Lin Yi turned to see the little yellow puppy timidly following. When they stopped, it stopped as well.

“This is a perceptive little fellow,” Lin Yi laughed. “Pick it up. From now on, it’s with us.”

“All right.”

Hong An reacted even faster than Fang Pi, scooping the puppy into her arms without minding the dirt.

After returning to the inn, without needing to be told, she even fetched warm water, washed the puppy clean, and found a broken bowl to use as its food dish.

That night, the rain stopped.

The next morning the sun came out, and after lunch everyone set off again.

There were another hundred fewer refugees.

Once they had enjoyed a single day of comfort, they realized how pleasant it was to lie down and rest.

Since they were willing to stay behind, Lin Yi was happy to let them. The only painful part was that he couldn’t change his soft heart—he still gave each of them a little money to settle down.

After seven days of monotonous travel through desolate land, sleeping in the open and eating rough meals, they finally saw the boundary marker of Nan Province.

Song Cheng said happily, “Your Highness, once we cross this marker, it will be Sanhe.”

Lin Yi dismounted, straightened his clothes, and crossed the boundary stone with great ceremony. Then he turned back and said, “From now on, this godforsaken place where even chickens don’t lay eggs and birds don’t shit—will be ruled by me alone.”

Everyone dismounted, knelt, and shouted, “Long live Your Highness! Long live, long live!”

The refugees behind them reacted a moment slower, but eventually they also knelt, calling out in scattered voices.

After everyone crossed the boundary marker, they traveled another ten li and rested by a clear river.

Continuing on, whenever they encountered fertile land and abundant water and grass, more refugees voluntarily stayed behind. In the end, fewer than fifty refugees remained with Prince He’s party, more than half of them orphans.