"A beauty as peerless and refined as Su Yingxue, yet even she has a fiancé. Chen Feiyu, oh Chen Feiyu, it won't be long before your name spreads through the upper crust. By then, you’ll be the public enemy of at least a third of the young masters in high society. Under such immense pressure, I imagine you’ll come running for the hills, won't you?"
Ye Yilin sighed inwardly.
***
After walking out of the Chaoran Group building, Chen Feiyu began to contemplate his future.
His original plan had been to come down from the mountain, marry Su Yingxue, and then find a way to break through in his cultivation. But now, that plan was in shambles.
When he left the mountain, his master had only given him five hundred yuan. By his count, he had less than two hundred left; even basic survival was becoming an issue. Thinking about it now, letting a young lady like Su Yingxue support him wouldn't actually be such a bad deal.
Sure enough, arrogance brings fleeting pleasure, but the consequences can be disastrous.
Chen Feiyu forced a bitter smile. Then, head held high, he declared, "Just kidding. Ever since I was a child, whether it's food, clothing, or shelter, I've always been self-reliant. How could I let a woman support me? That would be the biggest joke in the world!"
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step—or rather, a single meal. A man needs to be well-fed to accomplish great things.
Chen Feiyu found a small, quaint snack shop on the street, intending to have a full meal first. The shop wasn't large, but the decor was elegant and classical, making it a very comfortable place to sit.
Just as Chen Feiyu was about to order, a voice called out in surprise from nearby: "My god, I thought I was seeing things. Is it really you?"
Chen Feiyu looked up and saw a girl standing there. She wore a ponytail and was exceptionally pure and pretty—and he recognized her immediately.
At this moment, the girl was looking at him with surprise and excitement.
Chen Feiyu had a sudden realization. A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he said, "Oh, it's you."
The girl was none other than the young woman Chen Feiyu had rescued just a short while ago. He hadn't expected to run into her again here.
"After you saved me," Lin Yujia said excitedly, "I never had the chance to thank you properly."
"Oh, it was nothing. Just a small favor. A piece of trash like that wasn't even worth my time," Chen Feiyu said, waving his hand with a cocky air. "By the way, what are you doing here?"
The look of adoration in Lin Yujia’s eyes deepened as she introduced herself.
It was then that Chen Feiyu learned that this shop was owned by Lin Yujia’s aunt, and she was here helping out. Her aunt, having noticed the commotion, came over. Upon learning the truth of the situation, she thanked Chen Feiyu profusely. Eventually, at the insistence of both women, Chen Feiyu "reluctantly" agreed to let them treat him to a meal.
"Brother Yu, have you lived on the mountain since you were a child? That sounds so lonely."
"Hm? It’s not so bad. Life on the mountain is actually quite interesting."
"Brother Yu, since you’re on your own now, have you thought about where you want to work?"
"I haven't really thought about it yet."
"How about..." Lin Yujia noticed Chen Feiyu’s worn clothes and assumed he was stranded in the city with no one to rely on. She plucked up her courage and said carefully, "How about this, Brother Yu? Why don't you come help out at my aunt's place for a while? Just as a transition, how does that sound?"
Help out at the snack shop?
Chen Feiyu thought about it. He was currently strapped for cash and did indeed need to make a living. Besides, this young lady, Lin Yujia, seemed nice enough, and they were quite compatible.
After a brief moment of reflection, Chen Feiyu nodded and smiled. "Sure."
"Yay! That’s wonderful!" Overjoyed, Lin Yujia jumped up from her seat, drawing the gaze of several other customers. Realizing she had made a scene, she let out a cute little poke of her tongue.
Tang Meilian, Lin Yujia's aunt, gave her a playful look of reproach before turning to Chen Feiyu with a smile. "Xiao Yu, I’m so happy you’re willing to stoop to helping out here. But those clothes of yours won't do. Finish your meal quickly, and I’ll take you to the mall for some shopping."
"Yay! We get to go shopping! This is great!" Lin Yujia laughed happily, stealing a shy glance at Chen Feiyu.
After the meal, the shop closed, and Chen Feiyu rode with Tang Meilian in her BMW X6 toward the Mingji Trade Building. Lin Yujia sat next to him, chattering away non-stop.
A luxury car and a beauty. Even Chen Feiyu felt it was a pleasant sight.
When the three arrived at the trade building, Lin Yujia’s pure and cute appearance naturally drew many eyes. Chen Feiyu, dressed in his cheap, off-the-rack clothes, looked completely out of place walking beside them, which only invited more curious stares.
Chen Feiyu didn't mind at all; in fact, he was quite smug about it.
Lin Yujia and Tang Meilian didn't have his thick skin, so they quickened their pace. They took Chen Feiyu to get a haircut and picked out several new outfits for him.
One had to admit, the two women had a great eye. Once Chen Feiyu changed into the casual wear, his image and demeanor improved by several levels. The contrast was so stark that even Tang Meilian’s eyes showed a hint of satisfaction—not to mention Lin Yujia’s.
They were about to leave when, at the entrance of the building, two brawny men walked toward them. One had a green dragon tattooed on his arm, and the other was bald with a fierce, menacing look. They were clearly thugs.
When the two men saw Lin Yujia, their expressions immediately turned lecherous, filled with undisguised desire.
The tattooed man grinned. "Hey, miss. You’re moving pretty fast. You just bumped into us—do you really think you can walk away without compensating us?"
"Evidence? My words are the evidence," the tattooed man laughed, acting arrogant. "People on the street call me Snake. Go ahead and ask around; in this area, no one dares to cross us."
The bald man chimed in, "Snake is not a man to be trifled with. Tell you what—we’ll show some grace and let you off without paying a dime. Just come have a drink with us later as an apology. How about that?"
"As for this pretty boy next to you, he’d better beat it, or if he gets me in a bad mood, I’ll finish him off."
As they spoke, they stared greedily at Tang Meilian and Lin Yujia’s chests, their eyes burning with raw lust.
Tang Meilian and Lin Yujia were both angry and anxious; having encountered such shameless men, they had no idea what to do.
Suddenly, a handsome man in gold-rimmed glasses stepped out from the side, looking righteous. "Shut your mouths! Harassing women in public—be careful, or I'll call the police!"
"Call the police?" Snake’s expression turned cold as he signaled the bald man.
The man in glasses thought he had intimidated them. Thinking he could show off in front of such beautiful women—and perhaps win their favor—he puffed out his chest. "That's right! I'll give you three minutes. If you don't leave..."
"Screw you!" Before he could finish, the bald man kicked him to the ground, shattering his glasses.
Still not satisfied, the bald man stomped on him a few more times. "Damn, trying to play the hero? Why don't you look in a mirror and see what you are?"
The man in glasses hadn't expected them to resort to violence so quickly, and he began crying for help. The surrounding crowd, afraid of getting involved, kept their distance.
When the security guards rushed over, Snake immediately sneered, "I work for Brother Hu. If you don't want to die, get lost!"
"B-Brother Hu?"
The name seemed to possess magic. The guards' faces turned pale with fear, their legs trembling. After giving Lin Yujia a look of regret, they turned and walked away.
Even the man in glasses looked shocked. "Brother Hu" was Jiang Tianhu, a figure who struck terror throughout all of Mingji City. If Snake was his subordinate, he’d have to take this beating for nothing.
Snake laughed triumphantly. "Haha, beauty, now that the nuisances are gone, come with us."
As for Chen Feiyu, Snake had already automatically ignored him.
Tang Meilian’s face was ashen. Her life and career had always been smooth sailing; she had never suffered such humiliation. What disappointed her even more was Chen Feiyu’s behavior. He hadn't stood up from start to finish—clearly, he was terrified by the mention of Jiang Tianhu.
She sighed inwardly. *Yujia, oh Yujia, it seems Chen Feiyu isn't as capable as you said. He’s not the right one for you.*
The surrounding crowd also looked at Chen Feiyu with disdain, secretly mocking him as a coward. Only Lin Yujia remained full of confidence in him.
Tang Meilian pulled out her phone to call for help. Snake frowned, assuming she was calling the police. He didn't care much, but he didn't want any extra trouble, so he stepped forward to snatch the phone.
Suddenly, a hand gripped Snake’s wrist.
"Harassing my friend right in front of me, and trying to snatch her things? Are you prepared to face my wrath?"
Chen Feiyu still wore a harmless smile, but his eyes were chillingly cold.
*Brother Yu is so imposing,* Lin Yujia thought, filled with admiration.
Compared to Snake, Chen Feiyu’s build appeared slight, but when Snake’s wrist was gripped in his hand, it felt like an iron shackle—it wouldn't budge an inch.
Tang Meilian hesitated, putting her phone back down.
"If you don't want to die, let go of me! I work for Brother Hu. Who the hell are you?" Snake sneered.
"The one who's going to end you!" Chen Feiyu retorted, a cold light flashing in his eyes.
"Damn!" Snake cursed, swinging his fist at Chen Feiyu’s face. Chen Feiyu shifted his feet slightly, dodging the blow, and delivered a fierce slap across Snake’s face. If he hadn't still been holding Snake’s wrist, the force would have sent the man flying.
The crowd was stunned. They hadn't expected the thin lad to be so fierce. The man in glasses, who had managed to stand up, looked on with mockery. *Challenging Brother Hu’s men is suicide. A wise man knows when to yield, like I did!*
"How dare you hit me! Baldy, kill him!" Enraged, Snake kicked out at Chen Feiyu while the bald man threw a fist the size of a sandbag at the back of Chen Feiyu’s head.
Caught in a pincer attack, and with the odds stacked against him in terms of size and numbers, everyone assumed Chen Feiyu was done for. Even Tang Meilian turned pale, and Lin Yujia cried out, "Brother Yu, watch out!"
"Hmph. Trying to fight me? You’re overestimating yourselves!"
Chen Feiyu sneered, his eyes narrowing. Two tiny silver needles appeared in his fingers. With a flick of his wrist, the needles flew out, faster than the attackers could react, and embedded themselves into Snake and the bald man.
Suddenly, the two men felt their bodies go numb. Their powerful strikes turned soft and weak, their arms dropping mid-air as they struggled even to stand.
"What... what did you do to us?" Snake asked, terrified.
To the onlookers, it was a bizarre sight. Chen Feiyu stood in the middle, and just as the two thugs were about to land their blows, they both stopped, swaying as if they were drunk.
The crowd looked on in confusion. The man in glasses was floored, secretly wondering if the thugs were just going easy on him. Tang Meilian’s eyes widened with curiosity. Lin Yujia grew excited, remembering exactly how Chen Feiyu had used those same silver needles to save her from the fugitive earlier.
"Now, it's my turn."
Chen Feiyu’s cold voice rang out, and everyone turned to look at him. In front of the crowd, Chen Feiyu extended his right hand—pale and long-fingered. He said to Snake, "This slap is for your slander, accusing my friend falsely."
*SMACK!*
Chen Feiyu delivered a blow. Snake could barely stand, let alone dodge. His right cheek immediately swelled up.
Chen Feiyu raised his hand again. "This slap is for your insolence toward my friend."
*SMACK!*
Snake was sent reeling, stars dancing before his eyes.
"And this slap is for your arrogance, trying to snatch my elder’s phone!"
*SMACK!*
Snake was sent flying, crashing to the ground, unable to get back up. The crowd was shocked. Even Tang Meilian felt a spark of admiration.
"Brother Yu, you’re amazing! Go, go!" Lin Yujia cheered.
Next, Chen Feiyu turned to the bald man, flashing a smile as he walked toward him. The bald man’s face turned pale. Already weakened by the needles, he collapsed to the ground, trembling. "I... I work for Brother Hu! Have you never heard of Jiang Tianhu? The 'First Tiger of Mingji'! If you dare hurt me, Brother Hu won't let you get away with it!"
Chen Feiyu remained calm. He stood over the bald man, looking down at him with a cold sneer. "In front of me, a tiger must lie down, and a dragon must coil up. I don't care if it's Brother Hu or Brother Cat—none of you have the right to be arrogant in my presence. Watch closely. This kick is for attacking me!"
Chen Feiyu slowly raised his foot.
"You wouldn't dare! Brother Hu will kill your whole family..."
Chen Feiyu didn't flinch. He brought his foot down hard.
*CRACK!*
The bald man’s right hand shattered. He let out a shriek like a slaughtered pig.
The onlookers stared as if they had seen a ghost. *Damn, this kid is ruthless! Is he really not afraid of Brother Hu’s revenge?*
The man in glasses felt a surge of spite. He had thought Chen Feiyu would be beaten like he was, but seeing Chen Feiyu show such power only made him feel like a fool. *Hmph, it doesn't matter. Snake works for Brother Hu. You’ve offended him, so just wait to be tortured to death. The one who laughs last is the winner.*
Chen Feiyu kicked the bald man away, then walked over to Snake, grabbed him by the hair, and sneered, "I’ve beaten you up. Are you convinced yet?"
"Yes, I’m convinced. Big Brother, please, let me go!" A flash of hatred crossed Snake’s eyes.
Chen Feiyu scoffed. "Whether you’re convinced in your heart or not, it doesn't matter to me. Remember this: my name is Chen Feiyu, and I am a doctor—a very skilled doctor of traditional Chinese medicine. I’ve already done something to your bodies. In three days, you’ll know what it feels like to wish you were dead. That is your true punishment."
Without another word, Chen Feiyu walked over to Lin Yujia, took the shopping bags, and said with a grin, "Let's go. Time to go home."
"Okay," Lin Yujia nodded firmly.
Tang Meilian watched them, sighing inwardly. As Lin Yujia's aunt, she could clearly see the girl had feelings for him. After this incident, those feelings would only grow deeper. Tang Meilian was an open-minded woman; Chen Feiyu was responsible and, though poor, clearly had potential. He was a good match for Yujia. The real trouble would be Yujia’s parents—that was going to be a tough hurdle for the young couple.
Recalling her sister and brother-in-law, Tang Meilian gave a wry smile and walked out with the two of them.
To the onlookers, Chen Feiyu had become a demon. The crowd parted like the tide, clearing a path for them.
"Wait, please stay a moment."
A melodic voice came from behind.
Chen Feiyu turned to see a stunning, mature woman in a black professional suit. A beauty mark near the corner of her mouth only added to her allure. Behind her stood a female secretary.
She was Han Muqing, the twenty-eight-year-old general manager of the Mingji Trade Building—a woman with a limitless future.
She had watched Chen Feiyu discipline Snake from start to finish. At first, she hadn't paid much attention, but when she saw him paralyze the men with silver needles, she was completely shocked. Generally, only experts in traditional Chinese medicine used needles, and to have such precision in identifying acupuncture points meant he was a true master. She immediately formed an idea in her mind.
The surrounding crowd clearly recognized her, and whispers began to spread.
Chen Feiyu looked at her with an amused smile and gestured toward Snake. "What, are you looking to stand up for them?"
"No, no, sir, you misunderstand," Han Muqing said with a polite smile. "I am the manager here. I apologize deeply that you were harassed while visiting our building."
With that, Han Muqing turned to her secretary with a stern expression. "Xiao Liu, these two are distinguished guests of the building. From now on, they are to receive a thirty percent discount on all purchases here. Also, the security guards on duty today were negligent; fire them all."
"Understood, Miss Han." Xiao Liu was stunned. A thirty percent discount on everything was an enormous gesture. Even to apologize, was it really necessary to go that far?
The crowd was both shocked and envious. The guards at the door slumped to the ground, their faces ashen. "It's over... it's all over. I've lost my job."
Never one to turn down a benefit, Chen Feiyu grinned. "You’re a reasonable person. Thank you for your kindness."
Han Muqing then turned to Chen Feiyu, looking slightly respectful as she handed him her business card. "Mr. Chen, though it might be forward of me, there is something I must confirm."
"Alright, go ahead," Chen Feiyu said curiously.
"Tell me, are you truly a doctor?" Han Muqing asked, looking slightly nervous.
"I am."
"And your medical skills... are they truly profound?"
Chen Feiyu suddenly studied Han Muqing, a playful smile appearing in his eyes. "You’ve been suffering from a dry mouth lately, with a slightly bitter taste. You’re irritable, suffer from insomnia and vivid dreams, and frequently dream of dark, surging water. Am I right?"
"How... how did you know?" Han Muqing was stunned. Every word he said was completely accurate.