TSWPF -Chapter 194 Punishment

Just as Li Qingfeng and Liu Zhiyan were still pushing responsibility back and forth, Liu Zhimou furrowed his brows and said, “One.”

That single word startled Li Qingfeng and Liu Zhiyan so badly that they both jumped. They exchanged a look filled with regret—this was bad. They were definitely going to be punished now.

“Big brother, we’ll talk, we’ll talk…” Before the punishment was carried out, Liu Zhiyan struggled one last time, hoping to test whether Liu Zhimou might soften his heart and give them another chance.

Liu Zhimou glanced at Li Qingfeng and Liu Zhiyan and let out a cold laugh. “Too late…”
He had given them a chance, but they didn’t cherish it. Now that they wanted to speak up, it was already too late.

These two brats—when they weren’t under his watch, they really deserved a good lesson.
If he didn’t properly discipline them this time, they’d grow completely unruly.

Li Qingfeng and Liu Zhiyan cried out in misery. This was really over. They didn’t even know why big brother (brother-in-law) was punishing them!

Thinking of the pain after every previous punishment, they wished they could slap themselves. Why were they shirking responsibility earlier? Who said they couldn’t talk?

They could only hope that big brother (brother-in-law) would show mercy and not punish them too harshly.

Li Qingling chuckled, a bit schadenfreude in her tone. “Zhimo ge gave you a chance, but you didn’t know how to take it. Now you regret it—don’t you think it’s a bit late?”

In her eyes, these two really did deserve a beating. Zhimo ge truly needed to polish them properly.
Zhimo ge wouldn’t beat them physically, but mental torment was far worse than physical pain.

She… would just wait and see.

Hearing Li Qingling’s words, Li Qingfeng and Liu Zhiyan felt even more regretful, to the point where they wanted to pound their chests.

Their brains must have flooded earlier—they couldn’t even tell what the situation was!

Now look at them—about to receive punishment.

Oh heavens, oh earth, they truly regretted it!

Ignoring their wailing, Liu Zhimou said directly, “The Analects—copy it one hundred times. The day after tomorrow, I’ll send someone to collect it. If it’s not finished… heh…”

This time, he was already being lenient. He hadn’t demanded it by tomorrow.

The Analects?
One hundred times?

They were done for, completely done for. Their hands would fall off. Even if they didn’t eat, drink, or sleep, they still wouldn’t finish!

Li Qingfeng and Liu Zhiyan looked at each other, cried out, and hugged each other tightly.

Watching this pair of unfortunate brothers, Li Qingling burst out laughing. These two really were something…

“Elder sister…”
“Sister-in-law…”

Two pitiful faces looked at her pleadingly, hoping she’d help them beg for mercy so big brother would reduce the punishment—anything but copying The Analects a hundred times.

A hundred times would really kill them.

Li Qingling raised an eyebrow. Before she could even speak, Liu Zhimou coolly threw out another line: “Add five more times.”

“Bu—” Liu Zhiyan tried to say something, but Liu Zhimou cut him off again.

“Add another five.”

That was it. Ten more times added in one go—one hundred and ten times total.

Li Qingfeng and Liu Zhiyan immediately shut their mouths tight, not daring to say another word. They were afraid that if they uttered even one more syllable, their ruthless big brother (brother-in-law) would keep adding on.

Then they really wouldn’t be able to live.

Really wouldn’t be able to live.

Compared to this one hundred and ten times, the old punishments of ten or twenty times were nothing at all.

So it turned out that in the past, big brother (brother-in-law) had already been merciful to them.

Li Qingfeng and Liu Zhiyan felt such despair that they wanted to disembowel themselves. Miserable… truly miserable…

Liu Zhimou kept a stern face as he looked at the two dejected boys. The corner of his mouth twitched upward, but he forcibly suppressed it. “Sit properly.”

At his command, Li Qingfeng and Liu Zhiyan immediately separated and sat up straight, eyes fixed on Liu Zhimou. Their hearts trembled with fear, terrified he might increase the punishment again.

The Analects was such a thick book. Copying it one hundred and ten times in just two days was really fatal.

They hadn’t even started copying yet, and their hands already hurt.

“Do you know why I’m punishing you?”

Liu Zhimou never directly told them the answer. He made them think and reflect on it themselves. Only then would the lesson truly sink in, and only then would they avoid repeating the mistake.

Hearing this, Li Qingfeng and Liu Zhiyan lowered their eyes and began thinking seriously.

No matter how heavy the punishment, there was no resentment in their hearts. They knew big brother (brother-in-law) was doing this for their own good.

Only someone who cared would do this much—they understood that clearly.

After a moment, Li Qingfeng raised his eyes and said, “First, you’re punishing us for causing trouble at the academy. Second, you’re punishing us for not daring to take responsibility after causing trouble, but instead pushing it onto each other. That’s not what a true man should do.”

Brother-in-law had taught them before: making mistakes wasn’t scary; what was scary was making mistakes and refusing to repent or take responsibility.

That was why brother-in-law had been so angry and punished them so severely.

This time, he and Xiaoyan really were wrong. They absolutely wouldn’t make the same mistake again.

Liu Zhimou nodded, fairly satisfied with Li Qingfeng’s answer. His gaze then shifted to Liu Zhiyan, asking for his thoughts.

Liu Zhiyan looked up at Liu Zhimou and answered seriously. He agreed with everything Li Qingfeng had said.

That was exactly what he thought as well. This time they’d done wrong, and next time they absolutely couldn’t repeat it.

If they did repeat it, there’d be no need for big brother to punish them—he’d punish himself.

“Go over what I’ve told you before in your mind every day. Don’t make such low-level mistakes again. If you do, you know what will happen…”

“Yes, we won’t do it again,” Li Qingfeng and Liu Zhiyan replied in unison.

They would engrave this lesson deeply in their hearts. They truly wouldn’t repeat it.

They wouldn’t let big brother (brother-in-law) down.

Seeing their sincere attitude, Liu Zhimou’s expression softened a little. He then directly asked, “So what trouble did you cause?”

Li Qingfeng and Liu Zhiyan’s hearts thumped again. Normally, after punishing them, big brother (brother-in-law) wouldn’t ask what exactly they’d done. Why was he asking this time?

But since he asked, they couldn’t hide it.

Li Qingfeng cleared his throat and looked away, not daring to meet Liu Zhimou’s gaze. He said in a low voice, “A few days ago, Xiaoyan and I were surrounded by a classmate who has a grudge against us, along with some others. We… we got into a fight.”

Afraid Liu Zhimou would scold them again, he hurriedly added, “That classmate has always been against us and often tried to trip us up. We used to ignore him, but this time it was for self-defense that we fought back.”

Fortunately, he and Xiaoyan were stronger and didn’t suffer much.

Instead, those brats were beaten until they cried out in pain.

That fight was really satisfying—it vented all the pent-up frustration in his heart.

Let’s see if that guy dares to trip them up again.

Although brother-in-law found out and punished them, they didn’t regret it.

After speaking, Li Qingfeng and Liu Zhiyan sneakily glanced at Liu Zhimou. Seeing his expressionless face, their hearts weren’t just trembling—their whole bodies were.

They didn’t know what big brother (brother-in-law) was thinking.

As long as he didn’t increase the punishment, anything was fine.

Just thinking about copying The Analects one hundred and ten times made their scalps tingle. They really didn’t want it to get worse.

“Were you injured?” Li Qingling looked at Liu Zhimou. Seeing that he didn’t speak, she anxiously asked, “Let me see—are you hurt? If you are, you need to go to the clinic.”

Li Qingfeng and Liu Zhiyan waved their hands frantically, repeatedly saying they weren’t injured. Those guys didn’t have much strength and couldn’t beat them.

This was thanks to the fact that they often did farm work, unlike those rich young masters who never did anything physical and had no strength—of course they’d lose in a fight.

After carefully examining them and seeing that they really didn’t look injured, Li Qingling finally relaxed a little. As long as they weren’t hurt, it was fine. She was most afraid they’d been injured and were enduring it silently.

“Do you want to practice martial arts? That way, if something like this happens again, you won’t be at a disadvantage.”

“…”

Li Qingfeng and Liu Zhiyan turned their heads away, trying hard to hold back their laughter. They knew sister (sister-in-law) would say this.

They actually liked her straightforward, fight-back-with-force approach. Unfortunately, big brother (brother-in-law) didn’t like it. He preferred striking silently and leaving no evidence behind afterward.

As soon as Li Qingling finished speaking, she quickly covered her mouth. She liked being direct—if someone wanted to fight, then fight, no need to hold back. But her little husband didn’t support this approach, so she didn’t dare teach the children at home. She’d leave it to him.

Liu Zhimou lowered his eyes and looked at Li Qingling, who was hunching her shoulders. A hint of amusement flashed through his eyes, though his face remained expressionless.

Sensing his gaze, Li Qingling tugged at the corner of her clothes and looked up at him with a silly smile. “You go on, you go on…” She didn’t dare say anything more—she was afraid that if she spoke again, her little husband would punish her too.

He raised his hand and gently rubbed her head, saying nothing, then turned back to Li Qingfeng and Liu Zhiyan. “Does the teacher know about the fight?”

“No. It was that guy’s fault—he doesn’t dare go complain to the teacher,” Liu Zhiyan shook his head. He and Xiaofeng had been on guard, waiting to see if that guy would complain, but after several days of no movement, they finally relaxed.

Liu Zhimou hummed. “If you do something like this again, think it through first. Don’t let others catch hold of evidence.” After a pause, he added, “If you must fight, do it somewhere no one can see. Understand?”

“…”

Li Qingfeng and Liu Zhiyan froze for a moment, then nodded repeatedly. “Understood… understood…”

With big brother (brother-in-law)’s words, they were completely reassured.

As if he hadn’t noticed their foolish expressions, Liu Zhimou continued giving them advice. The more they listened, the wider their grins became, repeatedly saying they understood.

As expected of big brother (brother-in-law)—so devious… no, no, so strategic.

Li Qingling, standing to the side, was already dumbfounded. She never imagined her little husband could be this black-bellied.

She firmly resolved to remember this: she absolutely must not provoke him. Absolutely must not provoke a black-bellied wolf. 🐺