Zhang San was recalling that Xiu Wangchou had indeed fallen into a deep coma due to the poison last night in the later half of the night. But in the first half of the night, when he had just fainted, the poisoning might not have been so severe.
Zhang San thought to himself: This little bastard Wang Xiaoer may be small in size but sly in mind. He had no sense of measure when giving the needle and it was likely that in the first half of night when he was messing around on his own, he really stimulated Xiu Wangchou and caused him to wake up briefly. Even if he didn't open his eyes, he may have really heard something!
Damn!
Just when Zhang San was feeling a little nervous on the surface but his heart was already thundering wildly, Wang Xiaoer hopped over happily from behind, apparently in a very good mood.
Especially when Wang Xiaoer saw Xiu Wangchou, without realizing the severity of the problem, Wang Xiaoer happily said, "Big brother, are you looking for me?"
Xiu Wangchou squatted down and smiled, "Yes, I have a small favor to ask you."
Wang Xiaoer said, "Big brother, you must be a chivalrous hero. I will definitely help you!"
Xiu Wangchou said, "Could you please say the sentence 'My master won't save you, I will save you' once more? I want to confirm if it was your voice that night."
Wang Xiaoer was stunned.
Zhang San understood inwardly that it was all over now.
Despite all the careful calculations, he didn't expect this idiot apprentice of his!
Moreover, there was an obvious trap hidden in Xiu Wangchou's question, just waiting for Wang Xiaoer to step into it.
However, Wang Xiaoer reacted very quickly and replied, "Ah? Big brother hero, what are you saying? Say it again? Why say it again? I've never said anything before. I don't understand what you're saying!"
Wang Xiaoer seemed to have cleverly avoided Xiu Wangchou's question and the trap within it.
Say it again? I've never said it before, so how can I say it again?
While listening, Zhang San understood this has already given it away.
Wang Xiaoer's seemingly perfect response just now was as good as an inadvertent admission of guilt.
Zhang San couldn't help but sigh, this Wang Xiaoer is clever but also truly an idiot!
Xiu Wangchou stood up and looked at Zhang San with a faint smile, "I'm now quite certain that the child's voice I heard last night belongs to Wang Xiaoer. If you want to say that there are other children of the same age on this street, please tell me and I can go take a look."
Zhang San was shocked and furious inwardly, but his mind started racing quickly!
There must be some sophistry I can come up with! I must be able to think of something!
However, Xiu Wangchou continued to press the attack and asked, "Can I take a look at the backyard or back alley of your shop? Maybe it will help me recall something."
This sentence disrupted Zhang San's train of thought.
By now, Xiu Wangchou was almost certain that Wang Xiaoer had been present last night.
If he was allowed into the back alley and did recall something, wouldn't Zhang San be left speechless?
What should he do?
Zhang San could no longer maintain his composure. Xiu Wangchou slightly bowed and sincerely said, "Brother Zhang San, Xiu Wangchou came only to express gratitude, not for any other purpose. I believe Zhang San also sees that Xiu Wangchou came to this county with a goal, but Xiu Wangchou has no intention of dragging Zhang San down."
Xiu Wangchou's sincerity was genuine.
Because if the person who had saved him last night was Zhang San, then the one who rescued the father of that young girl from the Wang Residence and left 300 taels of silver must also have been Zhang San. As for killing those unscrupulous rich villains, that goes without saying.
Xiu Wangchou truly respected and was grateful to such a righteous "chivalrous hero".
However, at that moment, Zhang San only had one thought:
Nonsense! You say you won't drag me down but can you really avoid it?
Although the rich merchant side should be fine now, he had just killed two top experts from Poison Valley yesterday. Could they really let it go so easily? One must know there are not few experts in Poison Valley.
Also, on the official side, the deaths of the catcher, constables, and instructor ... Although still unclear what grudge Xiu Wangchou held against those government people, things had already reached murderous levels. It was impossible for the matter to be easily resolved.
So Zhang San did not want to get involved with this Xiu Wangchou at all.
But seeing Xiu Wangchou's sincere expression now, Zhang San understood it would be very difficult to send this person away.
...
...
Incidentally, for job safety at this time, Zhang San suddenly awakened the professional skills of "Shamelessness" and "Rascality".
What?
You insist he fell in my back alley last night?
Then go take a look! The back alleys of every household on this street are more or less the same right?
What?
There are some black bloodstains under the eaves in my back alley?
How would I know?
Even if the King of Hell came today, I was sleeping in bed all of last night!
What?
My nephew's words just now were a flaw in my story. You say I should just admit it?
Admit what?
He is my nephew! As for what he said...
Sorry, Brother Xiu, you may have misheard. My nephew didn't say anything earlier.
In short:
It wasn't me, it wasn't me, it definitely wasn't me! I'm just an art dealer!
It turned out all reason and justification were so powerless in the face of shamelessness and rascality.
Your suspicions are reasonable.
Then keep having your reasonable suspicions.
Zhang San thought, just because your suspicions are reasonable and justified, must I also provide a reasonable and justified response?
What kind of strange logic is this?
Really nonsense.
Outside the art shop.
After a bout of shameless quibbling, the chivalrous hero from the jianghu Xiu Wangchou finally admitted defeat.
Once again it was proven that for some people, certain talents require no effort at all to instantly master.
Although almost certain the person before him should be the one who helped him last night, the other party simply denied it, refusing to acknowledge anything, and came up with absurd excuses. In summary, he said:
"Even if you beat me to death today, I still won't admit it."
What could Xiu Wangchou do? Could he really take action against the person who saved his life?
That was clearly impossible for a jianghu hero.
Under the blazing sun at noon, the defeated Xiu Wangchou still left the art shop.
Seeing Xiu Wangchou's departure, Zhang San quickly shut all the doors and windows, then...
Zhang San smiled at Wang Xiaoer beside him, "Xiao Er, come, let's have a chat."
Seeing Zhang San's smile, Wang Xiaoer only had one thought in his mind:
Mother, come get me back home quickly!
...
...
In the rear courtyard paved with green stone bricks, Zhang San spread out two abaci.
The sun today was especially fierce. Wang Xiaoer knelt on the abaci, roasting under the sun with both hands holding his ears. His nose was running and tears were streaming, clearly his master's heavy beating was very effective.
Sitting in the shade, Zhang San sneered and imitated Wang Xiaoer's voice, "Ah? Big brother hero, what are you saying? Say it again? Why say it again? I didn't say anything!"
Hearing his master impersonating him, Wang Xiaoer felt even more aggrieved.
Zhang San sneered and asked, "I'm asking you Wang Xiaoer, are you really an idiot or just pretending? Replying like that, isn't it obviously giving yourself away?"
Kneeling there, Wang Xiaoer thought hard and complained aggrievedly, "Master, I think I replied pretty well!"
"Pretty well?" Zhang San laughed angrily, "Then tell me, why did you say that?"
Wang Xiaoer explained, "Because that hero asked 'can you say it once more', I immediately realized he was trying to trap me!"
Can you say it once more?
If I reply I can, wouldn't that be acknowledging that Wang Xiaoer was definitely one of the people who saved Xiu Wangchou last night?
If I say I can't, it's actually the same, because Xiu Wangchou asked to 'say it once more'. If I can't say it once more, doesn't that mean I've already said it once before?
So Wang Xiaoer cleverly avoided the trap in Xiu Wangchou's words, and instead counter-asked: Say it once more? I never said anything before!