Why did your face turn into a pig's head?

Meanwhile, Liu Caixia hadn’t slept a wink all night, and her entire body was aching.

She had no choice but to ask for leave in the morning and take a bullock cart to the county hospital to see a doctor. She had already found out yesterday that Ma Zhiming had been beaten up and was hospitalized there. It was a good chance to check on him, though she never expected her first time could leave her in such severe pain.

Upon arriving at the county hospital, she first sought out a female doctor and explained her situation. The female doctor simply listened to the woman talk about experiencing intense pain after intercourse and began her examination.

After the examination, the female doctor remarked, "I don't see any signs of tearing. Tell your man to be a bit gentler next time."

The doctor herself found it strange—wasn't it just a matter of a few seconds? It shouldn't have been enough to cause her whole body to ache like this.

Since Liu Caixia was in absolute agony and the doctor had said so, she assumed the pain was indeed caused by intercourse and asked the doctor to prescribe a few painkillers.

It wasn't until after she took the painkillers that she went to look for Ma Zhiming.

Walking into the hospital room, had Ma Zhiming not called out to her, she truly wouldn't have recognized that the person before her was him. He was an utterly horrifying sight; his cheeks were covered in bruises and swelling, and his eyes were swollen into two narrow slits. Had his clothes not been ones she was familiar with, she wouldn't have dared to step forward and acknowledge him.

Liu Caixia took a few steps closer to them and said with eyes full of distress, "Brother Zhiming, who did this? How did you end up hurt this badly?"

Seeing his woman come to visit him, Ma Zhiming was deeply moved. He mumbled indistinctly, "I don't know who hit me. After the two of us parted that night, I wanted to relieve myself outside before heading back, and someone kicked me flat on my back from behind. That person was way too fast; it was too dark to see clearly. They were beating me to death, and now my whole body hurts terribly."

He had also taken a double dose of painkillers to make the pain bearable. Had he not been attacked outside the outhouse at the educated youth point last time, he wouldn't have resorted to relieving himself out by the field ridges. Every single punch from that assailant felt like an attempt on his life. Fortunately, his luck held out.

Ma Zhiming continued, "Since you're here, help me handle the discharge procedures, and we can go back together."

Staying in the hospital was expensive, and the money spent this time came from his long-term savings. Fortunately, none of his bones were broken, otherwise there was no telling how many days he would have had to stay.

Liu Caixia tried to dissuade him, "Brother Zhiming, maybe you should stay a few more days? You look quite seriously injured."

Covering his cheek, Ma Zhiming mumbled vaguely, "I can recuperate just as well back at the educated youth point. Just getting some medicine is enough."

Enduring the pain in her own body, Liu Caixia completed the discharge procedures for Ma Zhiming. As the two walked along the main road, Ma Zhiming asked softly, "Xia'er, did you come to town specifically to see me today?"

Liu Caixia shot Ma Zhiming a coquettish glance and retorted, "If I didn't come to see you, who would I see?"

Giving it some thought, she decided to whisper about her post-intercourse discomfort directly into Ma Zhiming's ear.

Hearing this, Ma Zhiming—who had been feeling rather mortified about his brevity last time—instantly swelled with pride. He hissed in pain as the movement tugged at the wound on the corner of his mouth, then whispered back into her ear, "I've made you suffer. I'll be gentler next time. There was nothing I could do this time—who asked me to be so formidable and naturally gifted?"

Liu Caixia lowered her head shyly. Since it was her first time and she had never experienced anyone else, she genuinely believed his claim of being naturally gifted; otherwise, how else could her entire body be aching so much?

Since Liu Caixia had finally made it to the county seat, she looked at Ma Zhiming and suggested, "Brother Zhiming, since you're hurt so badly, let's go to the state-run restaurant to eat and build up your strength."

Ma Zhiming figured she was right; someone injured this severely definitely needed good food. He readily agreed to take Liu Caixia to the state-run restaurant: "Xia'er, it doesn't matter whether I eat or not; mainly I want to build you back up. It's because I was too powerful that you suffered. Once I've healed up, I'll definitely take it easier next time."

Ma Zhiming clutched his mouth—two of his molar teeth had been knocked out, and it genuinely hurt. Fortunately, it wasn't his front teeth, or else how could this handsome face of his charm women?

Liu Caixia lowered her head bashfully, shooting him a coy glare, "Brother Zhiming, stop talking. Let's walk faster."

She hadn't eaten meat in ages; she absolutely had to have a proper, hearty meal today.

The two of them arrived at the state-run restaurant. Looking at the menu board hanging on the wall, Ma Zhiming proposed, "Caixia, how about we just order two bowls of pork noodles?"

Ma Zhiming calculated that two bowls of noodles would only cost five cents, which he could afford.

Liu Caixia had rarely made it into town, and today she didn't even have to spend her own money and food coupons; she was determined to eat well. She said softly, "Brother Zhiming, we aren't eating noodles. We're having braised pork. You need to build your strength back up, and besides, it's not expensive—only fifty cents a portion. I'll go order."

With that, she turned to the waiter and said, "Two bowls of white rice, one portion of braised pork, braised eggplant, and fried..."

Before she could finish, Ma Zhiming interrupted her, "Just order those two things."

Why couldn't this woman feel any pity for money? Just how many cash and food coupons would this cost?

He calculated the prices in his head: white rice was three cents a bowl, braised pork was fifty cents, and braised eggplant was fifteen cents. What an absolute spendthrift of a woman.

Liu Caixia had originally intended to order a plate of fried eggs as well.

Not long after the two of them sat down, she saw Lin Yu and Xie Beishen walking in. Xie Beishen was carrying a bag in his hand.

She instantly felt a wave of awkwardness. She still wanted to pursue Xie Beishen; if he saw her dining with Ma Zhiming, would it cause a misunderstanding?

After placing their orders, Xie Beishen and Lin Yu looked for a seat and happened to sit down at the table directly opposite Ma Zhiming's.

Lin Yu spotted Liu Caixia and the man with a face swollen like a pig's head across the aisle at a single glance.

Xie Beishen naturally saw them too, his gaze carrying a critical assessment. Judging by the force of his blows, the man shouldn't have been discharged from the hospital this quickly; it seemed he hadn't hit him hard enough. It looked like he needed to step up his training in all aspects going forward.

Under Xie Beishen's indifferent, chilling, aloof, and authoritative gaze—which felt as though it possessed the power to pierce straight through human hearts—Liu Caixia felt an immense wave of pressure. Why was this man so ice-cold?

At the same time, Ma Zhiming was experiencing that exact same sensation.

Liu Caixia offered them an awkward smile and said, "What a coincidence, you're eating here too? I just happened to run into Educated Youth Ma at the hospital today, and I helped him handle his discharge, which is why we came here to eat."

Ma Zhiming gave them a slight nod. He wasn't close with either of these two, and since his body was aching all over, every single word he spoke hurt.

Lin Yu smiled and remarked, "Oh, so it's Educated Youth Ma. How did you manage to turn yourself into a pig's head?"

Hearing this, Ma Zhiming felt an even sharper pain across his face. Why was this person so devoid of tact? He mumbled through his swollen mouth, "I was beaten the night before last, and I still don't know who did it. If I ever find out, I'm definitely turning them over to the Public Security Bureau."

Hearing this, Lin Yu rolled his eyes. What a coincidence? Big Brother Shen had come back very late the night before last with an injured hand—could it have been Big Brother Shen? Or Su Heng?

Too lazy to bother with someone who clearly wasn't a good person, Lin Yu walked over to the service counter to buy two bottles of soda since the weather was hot. He popped the cap off one of them, placed it in front of Big Brother Shen, and started drinking his own.

Xie Beishen looked at the soda in front of him, his eyes narrowing slightly. Thinking of how that silly woman had been easily bribed with a single bottle of soda, his deep gaze suddenly contracted sharply. The look he cast toward Ma Zhiming grew even more bone-chillingly cold.

He picked up the bottle and took a sip—it was orange-flavored.

Turning to Lin Yu beside him, he asked, "What other flavors does this soda come in?"

Lin Yu replied, "Orange, banana, apple, pineapple, and salted soda."

Xie Beishen finished the soda in his hand in one go and commanded, "Buy five bottles of every single flavor and bring them back."