Chapter 046: The Machine

Li Ping chuckled and said, “Feng, just give it to her!”

Zhao Feng nodded. “Alright.”

He set Nannan down, took the stinky tofu, and slowly opened the plastic bag. Squatting in front of her, he picked up a piece with a bamboo skewer and held it out.

Nannan’s little face turned red with shyness.

Zhao Feng blinked at her. “What’s wrong, Nannan? Why are you blushing?”

Nannan scratched her head. “No boy has ever fed me before! My mom says I shouldn’t let boys feed me so casually!”

Both Li Ping and Zhao Feng burst into laughter, amused by her innocence.

Zhao Feng grinned, “Come on, try it. Let’s see if it’s good.”

“Okay!” she replied eagerly.

Nannan opened her small mouth and took a bite of the stinky tofu.

“Mmm!” She chewed and swallowed, licking her lips. “It’s delicious!”

“Haha! If you like it, have some more.”

“Hehe, okay!”

Zhao Feng picked up another piece, but Nannan, cheeks still flushed, said, “Let me do it myself! I’m not used to you feeding me, Brother Zhao Feng!”

Her cuteness made Zhao Feng laugh again.

He smiled. “Alright, you do it.”

“Okay!” she said, taking the bowl and suddenly running over to Xianglan. She held up the bowl. “Mom, you have some too!”

Xianglan patted her head. “Mommy doesn’t want any, you eat.”

“But, but—”

“That’s enough, eat up!”

“Okay.”

Cradling the bowl, Nannan began to savor the tofu slowly and carefully. Suddenly, her face scrunched up in pain.

“Ow! Ow!”

Xianglan tensed immediately. “Nannan, what’s wrong?”

“Mom, my chest hurts!”

Panic seized Xianglan. “Oh no! It must be what happened earlier—it was too much for her! Her congenital heart disease is acting up!”

But Zhao Feng shook his head. “Sister, the heart disease is just a symptom. That’s not what’s really wrong with her.”

“What?” Xianglan stared at him, startled.

Zhao Feng nodded. “That’s right, Nannan doesn’t have congenital heart disease. You’re lucky you met me; otherwise, you’d never cure her, no matter how much money you spend.”

By now, Xianglan was completely lost, looking to Zhao Feng for guidance.

“Please, help me,” she pleaded. “I really don’t know what to do.”

Zhao Feng smiled. “Let me stabilize her first, then we’ll find somewhere quiet to talk.”

“Alright!”

With a gentle smile, Zhao Feng knelt before Nannan and extended two fingers like a sword.

A faint humming could be heard as he channeled spiritual energy through his body. His fingers took on the faint outline of a translucent silver needle.

Raising his right hand, he lightly tapped Nannan’s chest. Instantly, her brow unfurled, and she visibly relaxed.

Zhao Feng picked her up. “Li Ping, let’s go.”

“Right away, Feng!”

Li Ping led the way, Zhao Feng carrying Nannan, Xianglan following behind. They made their way out of the snack street in no time.

Li Ping went to get the car while Zhao Feng waited with Nannan in his arms.

Suddenly, a voice called out, “Zhao Feng? You’re still here?”

Zhao Feng frowned and turned around. He saw Kang Hao supporting Zhang Zhi, with Lin Min and Zhang Juan beside them.

Zhang Zhi limped toward Zhao Feng, glaring with hostility. “Well, well, Zhao Feng! Looks like fate just won’t let us escape each other.”

Zhao Feng smiled coolly. “You’d better get to the hospital before it’s too late. If you wait, your bones might go necrotic.”

“Screw you!” Zhang Zhi spat out a curse.

Zhao Feng’s face darkened. “Say one more word and I’ll make sure you never walk again.”

“Hmph! Trying to scare me? Who’s afraid of whom?”

At that moment, Zhang Zhi and the others noticed Nannan in Zhao Feng’s arms and Xianglan at his side.

Zhang Zhi glanced at Xianglan and froze—not because of her looks, but because of the feeling she gave off. There was something about her, a beauty that could topple nations.

He glanced down at the child in her arms, feeling his heart race. To his own embarrassment, his nose began to bleed.

“What a motherly embrace,” he sighed.

Zhao Feng’s cold voice broke in. “If you so much as glance at her again, I’ll gouge your eyes out.”

Zhang Zhi quickly retorted, “Who said I was looking?”

Zhao Feng snorted.

“Tch,” Zhang Zhi sneered. “Who would’ve thought a country bumpkin like you could snag such a beautiful wife—and such a pretty daughter!”

Kang Hao chimed in with a snort, “Zhao Feng, you already have a wife and daughter, so why are you still messing with Ding Lan?”

Zhao Feng wanted to deny it, but the words stuck in his throat. Perhaps out of vanity, he chose not to.

He said, “First of all, I haven’t done anything with Ding Lan. Second, my marriage has nothing to do with you.”

Lin Min laughed mockingly. “A hick in fake designer clothes!”

“That’s right! A country hick!” Zhang Juan echoed.

Xianglan could barely stand it any longer. Furious, she demanded, “What are you saying? Hick? How can you speak so horribly?”

Lin Min sneered, “Sister, it’s obvious you’re from the countryside. Someone like you is only good for being a baby machine.”

A sudden crash of anger flared up in Zhao Feng. “What did you say? Say it again!”

Lin Min smirked coldly, “I said, she’s only good for being a baby machine.”

Xianglan hung her head in shame.

But then—

A loud slap echoed. Everyone was stunned.

Xianglan looked up in shock.

Lin Min stood dumbfounded, a bright red handprint on her left cheek, her eyes unfocused in disbelief.

“Ah!” Lin Min shrieked, furious. “You dare hit me?!”

Zhao Feng snorted coldly. “That slap was for you. I don’t care if you insult me, but you—of all things, you insulted a mother!”

“Damn you!” Kang Hao roared and lunged at Zhao Feng.

Zhao Feng dodged nimbly. “Today, I don’t mind teaching you all a lesson!”

With that, he extended his right foot and kicked Kang Hao squarely in the groin.

“Aaah!” Kang Hao howled, clutching himself and hopping in pain.

Zhang Zhi, enraged, charged at Zhao Feng.

Zhao Feng spun and kicked him sharply in the ankle.

“Ah! Ahhh!” Zhang Zhi clutched his ankle, writhing on the ground in agony.