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We returned to the resting quarters, and Shunzi was more seriously injured. Jenny had Li Xin re-bandage him and give him an anti-inflammatory injection. On the surface, it seemed like Shunzi's injuries weren't too serious, but some wounds had already become inflamed. This was evident as we rushed back; after all, I wasn't very skilled in medical matters and still needed Li Xin's help.
Once we sat down, Jenny was the first to speak. "I'm so glad to see you all back safely. Really, I'm so excited that I don't even know what to say." From her expression, it was clear that Jenny wasn't just saying this for show.
Jiao Ba and I exchanged glances but didn't respond. At that moment, Mai Lao said, "We really dodged a bullet! I never thought we would make it back alive. If it weren't for that fishing boat, none of us would have survived."
Jenny clasped her hands together in a prayer-like gesture and said, "Thank God, thank the merciful Lord. I'm just so happy."
I then realized she was a Christian, probably influenced by her mother. After all, aren't most Americans religious? I shot a glance at Jiao Bayi and gave him a look. He spoke up, "Jenny, what happened on the boat after we left?"
"What happened? What do you mean?" Jenny seemed confused.
I decided to be straightforward. "What else could have happened? How did you manage to escape? Weren't the Bearded Man's people always watching you?"
"How else could we escape? We saved ourselves," Li Xin suddenly interjected from the side, her tone dripping with disdain and indifference.
I turned to look at her and said bluntly, "Could you not interrupt?"
"I'll speak if I want to; who are you to tell me otherwise?" Li Xin replied coldly, a slight smile playing at the corners of her mouth.
Seeing our attitudes clash, Jenny opened her mouth to speak but I pressed my hand down on her shoulder. Squinting at Li Xin, I said, "Did I ask you? If I didn't ask you, then don't chime in."
"What kind of attitude is that? Do you even know how to talk to people?" Li Xin suddenly stood up as if ready to fight me at any moment.
I forced a smile and said, "What I think is none of your business. If I didn't ask you, just keep your mouth shut. Don't you realize how annoying you are?"
Li Xin sneered and replied, "Ha! You talk more annoyingly than I do. You soldier, I really don't know how you're so lucky. The ship sank, and yet you're still alive. Someone like you should have drowned long ago."
"Fuck, what did you just say? Say that again if you dare." I slammed my hand on the table and stood up. Her words truly infuriated me; I was almost beside myself with anger. I didn't want to stoop to her level, letting people think I was a big man bullying a little woman. But I couldn't hold back any longer. If I kept this up, I'd be letting down all the men in the country.
"I'm talking about you! What are you going to do about it? Who do you think you are? You're just a lowly worker in front of me. What right do you have to act tough? You think anyone's afraid of you? With someone like you, I could take you down in a minute." Li Xin was equally unyielding, her fury rivaling that of any man.
I was so furious that I didn't know what to say. Jenny and Jiao Ba were both trying to persuade me and Li Xin: "Brother Yi, just say a few less words! We're all on the same side; why argue?" Jiao Ba grabbed my arm, worried that in a moment of impulse, I might hit Li Xin.
I shot him a meaningful glance, and Jiao Ba's eyes lit up as he instantly understood my intention. The truth was, my argument with Li Xin wasn't just because of her irritating temper; there was another crucial reason—I wanted to see her skills.
Since we set sail, I hadn't had the chance to witness her fighting abilities. Even on the day when Bearded Man hijacked the ship, she hadn't put up any resistance at all. In terms of combat skills, she hadn't shown any weaknesses. It was precisely because of this that I doubted her capabilities. Jenny kept saying she was a master; I really wanted to see for myself just how skilled this so-called master truly was. Only by understanding her abilities could I gauge her true strength.
The moves displayed by the dark-clad man were still fresh in my mind, and I wanted to confirm whether Li Xin had that kind of ability. Of course, if she were indeed one of those dark-clad figures, it wouldn't be impossible for her to deliberately hide her strength.
But looking at it from another angle, if she got angry and used all her strength to take me down, then I could conclude she was one of them. If she were intentionally concealing her power, I'd be able to discern some things as well—unless she wasn't one of them at all. At most, I'd just give her a beating; if it came to that, she could always hit me back later. This was my last resort; there was no other way around it. If I didn't provoke her, how could I spar with her?
Jenny held Li Xin back and said, "Alright, Li Xin, just say one less thing! It's not easy for us to meet; why are you so angry?"
"Look at him! It's embarrassing that he's supposed to be a man! What a piece of work! I really want to beat him up," Li Xin continued relentlessly, pointing at me and shouting.
Seeing her so fired up, I decided to play along. With a smile, I said, "You don't need to worry about me. If you can't stand me and want to hit me, feel free anytime; I won't fight back. That way no one can say I'm bullying a weak woman." I said this on purpose because I knew she'd take the bait.
Sure enough, Li Xin sneered again and said, "Hmph! You think you're something special just because you've been in the army for a few years? Even if you fought back, what would it matter? Can you beat me?" Her arrogant confidence made it seem as though she viewed me as nothing more than an easy opponent.
I said calmly, "Alright! Let's have a little spar. If I hurt you, don't say I'm bullying you."
"Come on! I'm not afraid of you," she replied, starting to walk out of the rest area. I immediately planned to follow her, but just then, Mai Lao shouted, causing both me and Li Xin to stand at attention. "Sit down! Are you two looking for more trouble?"
Li Xin and I exchanged cold glances. Although we hadn't stepped outside yet, neither of us was willing to back down. "Did you not hear what I said? Sit down!" Mai Lao yelled again. This Old Man rarely got angry, but when he did, it was quite powerful; his voice reverberated through the cabin.
I still couldn't let it go. Seeing Li Xin about to fall into his trap, I thought if we let this slide, it would be hard to find another opportunity later. "Mai Lao, you also—"
"I told you to sit down! Do you not understand my words?" Before I could finish, Mai Lao glared at me and interrupted.
With no choice left, we both sat back down. Mai Lao looked at us and finally softened his tone. "We're all on the same team here. Stop with the infighting; it's embarrassing. What will the other sailors think if they see this?"
"We're a team, and we can't keep bickering like this," he continued.
None of us spoke; we all kept our heads down, even Jenny didn't dare to say a word. Mai Lao sighed and said, "Loyalty and Righteousness, Li Xin, I don't want to see any more conflict between you two. If you argue again, you might as well get off the ship and go home! Don't think I can't make that decision; if I say you're out, Jenny won't say a thing."
Sure enough, Jenny didn't utter a single word; it seemed this Old Man really had authority. Once he saw we had quieted down, he said, "Now let's talk about serious matters."
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