Chapter 24: Brother Li Biao

Finally, I'm done scolding you!

Wang An began to explain, "Ma, when you're out in the mountains, you just hit whatever you run into. How am I supposed to dodge?"

"That thing runs incredibly fast. If I don't hit it and it ambushes me, I won't even be able to defend myself."

"Besides, that 'Big Claw' thing... I haven't heard of it in years. Even if it were real, no matter how brave I am, I wouldn't dare mess with something like that!"

After a moment's thought, he added, "Ma, just rest easy, okay? I know what I'm doing and I know my own limits! Besides, my marksmanship is wicked! I can take down a wild boar with a single shot!"

After Wang An's long explanation, Liu Guilan seemed to understand. Once you enter the mountains, nothing is decided by what humans say!

At that moment, Wang Dazhu spoke up from the side, "Xiao An, Biaozi came by this morning asking where you went. I told him you went into the mountains to hunt. After lunch, find some time to head over to his place and check on him."

Wang An asked casually, "Did he say what he wanted?"

Wang Dazhu said, "He didn't say. Just go take a look! I told him to look for you when you got back!" Having said that, he went back to work.

Mentioning Biaozi, the river of Wang An's memory opened up once more. Biaozi was his childhood friend, his best brother, and the only brother from his previous life who had gone to the fence village to visit him several times!

Biaozi, whose real name was Li Biao, was a classmate of Wang An's, just like Mu Xueqing, though he had dropped out after the second year of middle school. He was a few months younger than Wang An and always addressed him as "Brother Wang."

He was about the same height as Wang An, but thicker and sturdier.

Every time they wrestled, Wang An would rely on a burst of raw strength to hold his own against Li Biao.

However, whenever they reached a stalemate after ten or twenty minutes, Wang An would eventually lose because Li Biao had more endurance.

That said, Li Biao didn't have as many schemes and tricks as Wang An, so he usually just listened to Wang An. As it turned out, listening to Wang An was indeed better than making his own decisions!

It was precisely because of him that Wang An had been so arrogant at school! Wang An himself was 1.8 meters tall, which wasn't very common in this era—even 1.75 meters was considered tall!

Li Biao was also 1.8 meters. Although the two of them hadn't reached 1.8 meters back in middle school, they were still the ones who stood out like cranes among chickens.

In a fight, height is absolutely a major advantage! Many people claim that smaller people are incredibly powerful and skilled fighters. That's not denied, as they might have practiced martial arts!

But if you haven't practiced, that's nonsense! Either you've never fought, or you're just talking big!

In short, two tall, powerful, and robust men, plus a few close buddies, made them invincible in school!

In their first year, they dared to beat up the second-years; in their second year, they continued to beat up the third-years and the crowd from the previous year!

As a student one grade below Wang An, Li Biao never had the chance to rule the school.

For lunch, Liu Guilan stewed a piece of that fire fox meat. To be honest, fox meat was quite delicious!

She also stewed a piece of venison, and combined with yesterday's leftovers, it made for a very sumptuous meal!

The only thing was the staple food—those same old cornmeal pancakes!

During the meal, Wang An told Wang Dazhu to save the deer head and antlers for him to make a decorative piece. He was met with a dual scolding from both parents because antlers could be sold for money!

This time, Wang An did not yield, saying only one thing: "This kind of ornament is very valuable!" The couple fell silent.

He also told Mu Xueqing not to forget to knock off and preserve the four large tusks from the wild boar!

No one opposed him this time; nobody wanted those things these days, and even kids didn't play with them.

After lunch, Wang An strolled over to Li Biao's house.

Li Biao's house wasn't far from Wang An's, located to the east, about six or seven hundred meters away.

Arriving at Li Biao's place, he entered the courtyard without even calling out; the big yellow dog at Li Biao's house recognized Wang An and didn't bite.

Wang An walked to the door and pretended to cough a few times to alert the people inside. This was a common habit in the countryside!

It was to avoid startling the people inside, or to remind them to hide whatever secrets they needed to hide before he entered!

After waiting a few seconds, Wang An pushed the door open. It seemed everyone at Li Biao's had finished eating; except for Li Biao, everyone else had gone out to visit neighbors.

Speaking of Li Biao's family, they were quite a unique bunch. Li Biao's father was named Li Facai, and his mother was Zhao Jinling.

The couple had four boys in a row: the eldest, Li Long; the second, Li Hu; the third, Li Bao; and the "little lump," Li Biao!

The four brothers were spaced exactly two years apart, and all their birthdays were in the eleventh lunar month!

After that, the couple refused to have any more children, saying that if they had another, they'd have to name him Li Lang (Wolf), and that wasn't a good name!

"Brother Wang, I haven't seen you for days, I missed you!" Li Biao said with a grin. Unobtrusively, he walked behind Wang An and wrapped his arms around Wang An's upper body, squeezing hard!

Wang An was caught off guard and couldn't react in time!

Since both were using their maximum strength, their power was roughly equal!

But it was a case of the prepared attacking the unprepared; because Li Biao had him in a bear hug, Wang An couldn't break free!

If it were reversed, it would be the same; if Wang An hugged Li Biao and squeezed, Li Biao wouldn't be able to escape either!

After struggling for a long time until his face turned red, Wang An still couldn't break free! He simply couldn't overpower him! He really couldn't!

He could only say sternly, "You idiot Biao, can you let go of me? You're acting so damn annoying. You're a grown man, aren't you ashamed?"

Li Biao continued to squeeze.

Wang An remained firm: "You idiot, you're going to strangle your big brother to death! Let go, damn it!"

Li Biao continued to squeeze.

Wang An's voice softened: "Biao, Biao, okay, I give up! Just let me go, okay? I yield, alright?"

Li Biao spoke triumphantly, "Tell me, what have you been doing these past few days?"

Wang An answered helplessly, "Hunting, I've been hunting. Will you let me go now? Why do you keep hugging me?"

Li Biao asked plainly, "If you were hunting, then why did Mu Xueqing run to your house?"

Wang An raised his tone slightly, "We ran into each other at the market, so I brought her home! You should call her Sister-in-law! Besides, don't you know why I haven't been visiting you? Can you let go now?"

Li Biao asked calmly, "What have you caught?"

Wang An answered forcefully, "Wild boars, roe deer, a fire fox, some wild chickens and rabbits, and I'm going to get a wild boar today! Satisfied? Can you let go now?"

He didn't mention the sika deer, as he had found it rather than hunted it.

Li Biao asked with a hint of excitement, "Why didn't you call me when you went hunting?"

Wang An replied even more forcefully, "What's so great about hunting? Why would I call you? Holy crap, are you crazy? Can you just let go of me?"

Li Biao asked in a softened tone, "Can you take me with you next time you go hunting?"

Wang An replied with a mix of firmness and helplessness, "Damn it, whether I take you or not, can you let go of me first? What's the use of you hugging me like this?"

Li Biao raised his voice, asking excitedly, "I'm just asking if you can take me! Yes or no??" Having said that, Li Biao increased his strength.

Wang An hurriedly replied loudly and helplessly, "Yes, yes! I'll take you! You're going to damn well strangle me to death!"

Li Biao raised his voice even higher, asking with great excitement, "Will you take me every single time?"

Wang An replied helplessly in a softened tone, "Yes, yes, every time!"

Li Biao let go of Wang An.

Wang An instantly lunged, appearing directly behind Li Biao!

His right hand clenched into a fist with the wrist straight, his forearm hooked around Li Biao's neck, while his left forearm and wrist quickly gripped his own right wrist. Using his waist to drive forward, his right forearm snapped backward. Because Li Biao's neck was being pulled back, he couldn't use his upper body strength and naturally fell backward. Wang An took the opportunity to step back with his left leg to stabilize himself, pressed down with his right arm, and slammed Li Biao directly to the ground!

Then came a flurry of blows—punches and kicks, hands and feet never resting. He was muttering as he went, but because he was putting so much strength into his limbs, his words were disjointed. He would kick once and say a phrase, punch once and say a phrase, his speech broken and staccato!

"Let you strangle me, let you strangle me!"

"Let you threaten me!"

"Let you act all cocky with me!"

"I'll kick the life out of you!"

"You think you're so great?"

"Still wouldn't let go!"

"No matter what I said, you wouldn't let go!"

"I'll just kick your ass into oblivion!"

Three minutes later, the two were sitting at opposite ends of the heated bed, chatting casually.

If not for the pile of shoe prints on Li Biao's body, it would have seemed as if nothing had happened at all!