The Revelation of Fourth Brother

“Oh, so you’re Fourth Brother…” Guo Hao and the others finally seemed to have heard clearly this time.

All three repeated the phrase with a nonchalant air. However, it took a moment for the three men to fully grasp the meaning of my words.

“Wait a minute, little girl, what did you just say? Say it again?” Guo Hao was the first to speak, his voice tinged with an unreal, hazy quality.

Fidgeting for a moment, I finally mustered my courage once more. “Um, I said, I am Liu Fang. I am your Fourth Brother…” I replied, timid yet resolute.

Yang Laoer paused, then turned to Linghu Ruoxu. “Third Brother, let me punch you and see if it hurts, then tell me if this is a dream, okay?”

The latter’s hand rose and fell like a blade. Using his palm as a sword, he delivered a move akin to ‘Sole Splitting Mount Hua’, striking Yang Laoer’s head with a resounding ‘thwack’.

Yang Laoer instantly clutched his head and squatted down. Despite the pain, he still had the energy to yell, “Linghu Ruoxu, what the hell are you hitting me for? I’m a wounded patient!”

His words held truth. Due to the injury to the back of his head inflicted by Senior Sister Kang Qiao, his head was currently wrapped in several layers of gauze, giving him a subtle, almost Indian-like aura, much like Principal Dugu.

Indeed, the origins of the Yang family’s martial arts could be traced back to the ‘Sword Demon’ Dugu Qiubai, establishing a clear lineage.

It is said that obvious mischief is easy to dodge, but hidden malice is hard to guard against. By this classification, Linghu Ruoxu clearly belonged to the latter type.

He spoke with an innocent expression, “Didn’t you ask me to check if it hurt, if this was a dream, Second Brother? Judging by your reaction, it seems it’s not…”

Only then did Guo Hao interject, his voice filled with doubt. “You two, stop messing around. What exactly is going on? Little… girl, is what you’re saying the truth, or are you toying with us? How could you… how could you be… Fourth Brother?”

I answered with a bitter smile, “I am a maiden now. If I insist I’m a man, would there be any point in messing with you like this?”

“That’s not necessarily true. From what I know, there have been instances in the history of the jianghu where people impersonated others, with women disguising themselves as men to achieve some ulterior motive. What were those examples called, again?” Guo Hao immediately retorted, only to stumble when trying to recall an example.

Sighing softly, I slowly continued, “In the past, a master from the Five Absolutes Academy, Senior Duan Yu of the Southern Emperor specialization, once went to Western Xia to participate in the consort recruitment. At that time, he and Senior Wang Yuyan, the original ‘Mobile Armory’ of the Gusu Murong family, were trapped in a dry well, almost missing the consort preliminary selection.

His accompanying companions, the great heroes Xiao Feng and Xuzhu Zi, entrusted Senior Duan’s half-sister, Mu Wanqing, to disguise herself as a man and infiltrate the Western Xia palace to participate in the ‘Good Consort of Western Xia’ event, so as not to fail the departing instructions of the Dali ‘King of Zhennan’.

Later, when Senior Duan and Wang escaped and arrived, Senior Wang Yuyan also donned male attire, so they wouldn’t be separated and could continue their public displays of affection.”

As I recounted these tales of the jianghu, the three men on the other side listened, utterly dumbfounded. After a long moment, Guo Hao spoke, his voice strained and awkward. “Strange, the way you talk, and this reserve of unorthodox knowledge… it really does sound like Fourth Brother…”

Linghu Ruoxu also offered a wry smile, reluctantly adding, “I feel the same way. This rambling manner of speaking… it really seems to be Fourth Brother…”

Yang Laoer, still squatting with his head in his hands, looked rather like a patron caught by the Six Fan Gates constables during a raid on an illicit establishment. He feebly raised one forelimb in agreement.

“So, I am your Fourth Brother…” I sighed softly, feeling that with everything said, there was nothing left to hide. “As for the specific circumstances, allow me to explain in detail later. For now…”

I slowly swallowed, then somewhat timidly glanced around. Several curious onlookers from neighboring dormitories, unaware of the full truth, were gradually gathering to watch the spectacle.

This matter, neither grand nor trivial, was at least considered confidential by Principal Dugu. Therefore, I had no desire for these unrelated individuals from other dormitories to overhear.

“Um, can I come inside first? This isn’t something for outsiders to hear,” I cautiously suggested.

The three exchanged glances, then scanned the several furtive heads peeking out from the door cracks of adjacent dormitories. Guo Hao and Linghu Ruoxu nodded to each other.

“Alright, um, you’re right. For a matter like this, we should discuss it inside. Come, little… old… damn, I don’t even know what to call you. Just come in!” Guo Hao finally said, as if having made up his mind.

“After all, family scandals shouldn’t be aired outside, and neither should dormitory scandals…” Linghu Ruoxu quickly added. Only after I shot him a fierce glare did the ungrateful, sharp-tongued fellow quiet down a bit.

Having dealt with the loudmouthed Linghu Ruoxu with a look, I nodded slowly at Guo Hao. I then stepped forward and entered the dormitory I once knew so well.

However, Linghu Ruoxu, who was responsible for closing the door, was likely still flustered and distracted from my intimidating gaze. He carelessly pulled the door shut, completely forgetting about Yang Laoer, who was still squatting on the ground. With a loud ‘bang’, our poor Second Brother suffered another injury.

“Damn it, Third Brother, are you trying to murder your own sworn brother or what?!” Yang Chun, finally on his feet, cursed and grumbled as he entered the dormitory, slamming the door shut behind him.

****

Reflecting on it later, our handling of the situation at the time was indeed somewhat inappropriate. We should have at least offered some explanation to the curious onlookers.

However, being young and inexperienced, we didn’t realize the impropriety until much later. Eventually, rumors spread through the dormitories, escalating into a wild tale.

They claimed that Liu Fang, Fourth Brother of dormitory 322, had impregnated a girl from Tianwu University Affiliated High School and then fled, only to be tracked down to the dormitory by the girl, who adamantly demanded the scoundrel take responsibility for the child in her belly.

As the protagonist and antagonist of this melodramatic story, I truly regretted it to my core!

After receiving several harassing calls from surrounding dormitories, and being threatened with reports to the campus security — accusations that the boys of dormitory 322 had forcibly kidnapped a girl into their room… (Beep… beep…) — Guo Hao finally decided, in a fit of indignation, to pull out the phone line!