She had always assumed Li Daofeng was cast off the mountain by his Master because of his poor aptitude. She never imagined that this rascal was actually such a monster that his Master simply ran out of things to teach him and was so demoralized by his talent that he finally kicked him off the mountain.
"Uh! About that... it's really just a little bit! Just a tiny bit..." Li Daofeng said with a sheepish grin.
"A tiny bit, my foot! You're nothing but a brat!" Shang Wanqiu retorted, rolling her eyes as she scrutinized him.
This monstrous Junior Brother had surpassed her Master after only eight years on Taixu Mountain. She wasn't sure how much stock to put in the word of her lecherous Master, but if the old pervert said so, then this Junior Brother’s talent was undoubtedly heaven-defying.
She didn't know much about her Master’s true identity, but she knew at least this much: in the entire world, her Master feared no one.
"Eighth Senior Sister! Don't! Stop looking at me like that! You're scaring me!" Li Daofeng felt a chill under her gaze.
"Scaring you? My foot! Tell me the truth—what is your current cultivation level?" Shang Wanqiu rolled her eyes again.
She felt quite frustrated. She had originally thought her own martial arts were sufficient to protect her Junior Brother, but now she felt like nothing more than a clown.
"Senior Sister... that... I really don't know. The strongest opponents I've encountered since coming down the mountain were Heaven-grade. I haven't met anyone particularly powerful..." Li Daofeng answered truthfully.
"Are you God-grade?"
Truth be told, Shang Wanqiu wanted to beat this jerk to death. What did he mean by "no powerful experts besides Heaven-grade"?
Damn it, since when was Heaven-grade not considered powerful?
"You saw those two ghosts just now. If you had attacked, what would have happened?" Shang Wanqiu asked through gritted teeth.
"I would have killed them!" Li Daofeng said matter-of-factly.
"Everyone can say they'd kill them! I could kill them too! But if they fought for their lives, I’d probably end up severely wounded to take them down!" Shang Wanqiu said.
She was at the Grandmaster-grade Peak! Killing two other Grandmasters was possible, but it would be an exhausting struggle.
"I asked you, how much effort and how many moves would it take for you to kill them?"
*Chapter 22: The Mother-in-Law's Disdain*
Li Daofeng thought for a moment and said, "Their strength was just average. If I..."
Seeing the way Shang Wanqiu was grinding her teeth, Li Daofeng didn't dare finish the thought.
"Um... those two experts! If I used forty percent of my strength... maybe... probably... I could kill them with a single slap."
"You beast! You animal!"
Shang Wanqiu stumbled, nearly falling to the ground in shock.
"Senior Sister!"
Li Daofeng hurriedly stepped forward to support her, asking with concern, "Senior Sister! Did you get injured in the fight earlier?"
It would have been better if he hadn't spoken; when he said that, Shang Wanqiu rolled her eyes so hard she nearly fainted.
This was simply too bullying!
He used forty percent of his strength to slap two Grandmaster-tier Experts to death, while she had used all her strength just to injure one, and here he was asking if she was hurt.
There was no greater way to look down on someone!
*Junior Brother... he's family... we share a Master... he has no parents... he's more pitiable than I am, I should indulge him...*
Shang Wanqiu repeated these thoughts silently several times before she finally calmed down and caught her breath.
"Junior Brother! You are a monster, do you know that? Do you have any idea how few Grandmaster-tier Experts there are in the entire world?"
"And you slapped them to death! Do you think that’s polite?"
"Uh! That... well... Senior Sister... then I'll slap them twice next time..." Li Daofeng replied earnestly.
"Get out! You're a pervert, a monster! An inhuman beast..." Shang Wanqiu was truly crushed.
Li Daofeng: "..."
Just as the two were talking, Shang Wanqiu’s phone rang. Seeing the number, she frowned, hesitating several times before answering.
Li Daofeng couldn't hear what was being said on the other end, but once Shang Wanqiu listened, her pretty face turned icy cold.
"You had best not act recklessly, or I will make you regret it..."
"Fine! I'll be there in three days..."
"What's wrong, Senior Sister?" Li Daofeng sensed that something was amiss.
Shang Wanqiu shook her head. "It's nothing! Just a minor matter, but I need to rush to the Imperial Capital today!"
"Junior Brother! Are you interested in coming to the Imperial Capital? It wouldn't be bad to meet your future father-in-law early!" Shang Wanqiu teased.
Hearing this, Li Daofeng was speechless once again.
"Forget it! I'll stay in Wancheng. My parents' and sister's spirit tablets are here. I need to keep vigil for them for three years. Unless something urgent comes up, I won't be leaving Wancheng for the next few years," Li Daofeng said.
"Fine then! You stay here and wait for me, Junior Brother! Just take the time to cultivate your relationship with your little wife. It would be best if you could 'cook the raw rice into cooked rice' sooner rather than later!" Shang Wanqiu continued to spout her wild talk.
"Senior Sister... can you not be so..." Li Daofeng truly had no way to deal with her.
"You little brat! Don't play coy with your Senior Sister! I don't know who it was staring straight at Huang Wenyin when she walked out with that big chest of hers. You're just a repressed pervert!"
Shang Wanqiu had categorized him: a shameless, repressed pervert.
"I wasn't!" Li Daofeng was speechless again.
After they finished eating, Li Daofeng saw Shang Wanqiu off the estate grounds. He then returned to begin preparing the medicine for Huang Wenyin's treatment.
By evening, Huang Wenyin and Li Xuemei returned with a middle-aged woman who bore a three-to-five-point resemblance to Huang Wenyin.
Judging by her appearance, the woman was over fifty, with a noble and elegant air. It was clear she was a high-society lady and undoubtedly had a significant connection to Huang Wenyin.
"Brother Li! Let me introduce you. This is my mother! She came without giving you any notice, please don't take offense!" Huang Wenyin said immediately.
"It's no trouble at all! Hello, Auntie!" Li Daofeng said, maintaining his politeness.
"Mom! This is the Brother Li who saved me on the plane! He has excellent medical skills and is even Senior Sister Shang’s Junior Brother! He’s a very good person!" Huang Wenyin added.
"Hello, Mr. Li. Thank you for saving my daughter," Huang Wenyin’s mother said, though there was little joy on her face.
Li Daofeng naturally sensed the woman’s displeasure.
Perhaps this was just the way mothers-in-law felt before accepting a son-in-law; seeing any man near their daughter would make them unhappy.
Li Daofeng didn't care about any of this. He truly didn't have much interest in Huang Wenyin. Although those "spheres" of hers were indeed nice, they were just that—nice to look at; everything else was just average.
"Miss Huang, there are plenty of rooms in this estate. Feel free to choose whichever one your mother likes and have her settle in!"
"Oh, right, Miss Huang. I have already gathered the medicinal herbs for your treatment. Find some time in the next few days, and I'll cure you!" Li Daofeng said.
Unexpectedly, as soon as he finished speaking—and before Huang Wenyin could reply—her mother spoke coldly:
"We know about our Yinyin's condition, so we won't trouble you, Mr. Li! I have already found a young and promising medical prodigy to treat her!"
"We won't be staying here to bother Mr. Li any further," the woman said, quite bluntly.
Without waiting for Li Daofeng to respond, she turned to Huang Wenyin and said, "Yinyin! Pack your things and come with me right now! A young lady living in a strange man's house—what would people think?"
Well!
Li Daofeng finally got the picture; they just didn't trust him.
He thought to himself that while he wasn't exactly handsome, he at least looked like a decent person. Why was it that as soon as he showed some capability, he became a scoundrel and a villain in everyone else's eyes?
When he treated Su Dinglie, he was misunderstood, with some accusing him of trying to play the hero just to pick up girls. Now, treating Huang Wenyin, he was being treated like a wolf in sheep's clothing!
Dammit!
Was this the legendary "no good deed goes unpunished"?
"Mom! What are you saying? How can you be like this? Brother Li is my savior, you..." Huang Wenyin looked at her mother, clearly displeased.
"Hmph! Silly girl! These days, some men will do anything to pursue a beautiful woman!"
"Heroic rescues, 'chance' encounters—they use all sorts of schemes just to trick young girls into giving their hearts, their money, and their virtue! You're still young! You need to keep your guard up!"
*Damn! So I’m the hero who rescues beauties just to con them out of money and virtue!* Li Daofeng thought, nearly shouting it out loud.
"Mom! What are you talking about! You're being unreasonable! I'm telling you, if it weren't for Brother Li on that plane, I would already be dead!"
"It doesn't matter if you don't trust Brother Li, I do! I want Brother Li to treat me. If you want to stay, stay; if you don't, go back!" Huang Wenyin was genuinely angry.
Her mother wasn't giving her any face at all.
"You girl, look at what’s become of you, how can you talk to your mother like that! I think you've been bewitched!"
Her mother was furious, more convinced than ever that her daughter’s behavior was due to this scoundrel, Li Daofeng. She used to be such an obedient girl; now she dared to talk back to her, all for a man.
"Mom! If you keep talking like this, just leave! You're making it impossible for me to hold my head up!" Huang Wenyin was on the verge of tears.
"Hmph! I don't care about that. Your condition doesn't need his treatment. I've already found a doctor for you. You're coming with me now!" her mother said domineeringly.
"If you want treatment, go get it yourself! I don't want it! Go away! I don't want to see you again!" Huang Wenyin roared, tears streaming down her face.
Ever since she was a child, everything she did was controlled by her mother. Now that she was grown, the control had reached an absurd level.
"You stubborn girl! You've gone too far! You will get treated, whether you like it or not. If you don't go today, I'll bring the doctor here tomorrow!"
"And another thing! I'm warning you, stay away from this man! If you follow him, you’ll be the ruin of our entire family! Think it over! I'm leaving, and I’ll bring the doctor tomorrow!"
Her mother was completely unrelenting. After throwing down those words, she turned and left the estate.
*Chapter 23: Being Pestered*
Li Daofeng watched Huang Wenyin’s mother stomp out, and he felt terrible.
He hadn't done anything wrong! He’d greeted her politely, offered them accommodation, and was even willing to treat her daughter for free!
Heaven knows his heart was pure; he was just acting out of a sense of duty to save lives. But in the end, it was all his fault?
Who was she putting on an act for?
As if he were desperate to treat her daughter! The arrogance on her face—who did she think she was?
Just because she had money, she thought she was something special?
Li Daofeng’s thoughts were in a whirlwind. Since coming down the mountain, he hadn't learned much, but he had gathered a few insights:
First, people in this society were all so weak; he could wipe out a whole group with a single slap!
Second, there were many bad people in this society, and they all liked to put on airs.
Third, it was hard to be a good person!
Fourth, women in this world were wild! Eighth Senior Sister was a prime example.
And the most important one: men really needed to protect themselves when they went out.
"Brother... Brother Li! I'm sorry... my mother is really..." Huang Wenyin looked at Li Daofeng with red, teary eyes, clearly embarrassed.
What could Li Daofeng say? *Get out! I don't want to see you?* That wouldn't be very gentlemanly, would it?
"It's fine! Perhaps your mother has some misunderstandings about me. Don't worry about it. Get some rest!" Li Daofeng finished and went straight to his room without lingering.
"Sister Li! Is Brother Li angry?" Huang Wenyin asked worriedly.
"Ms. Huang! I shouldn't be the one to say this, but what Madam said just now was really..." Li Xuemei said, trailing off.
Hearing this, Huang Wenyin became even more anxious.
"Then Brother Li must be angry! What should I do? He must hate me!"
Seeing her boss so distressed, Li Xuemei couldn't help but say, "Ms. Huang, don't worry too much. Brother Li isn't that kind of person!"
"Don't forget, on the plane, I spoke to him that way. If it were anyone else, they would have been angry and walked away, but Brother Li still treated you. And here we are, still staying in his house!"
"Besides, don't forget, Brother Li is the fiancé Sister Shang found for you! Even if he were angry, he wouldn't be truly mad. Since when does a man get truly angry at his future wife?" Li Xuemei teased.
"Oh! Sister Li, what are you saying! If you keep talking like that, I'll get angry!" Huang Wenyin’s face turned scarlet.
"Ooh, 'she'll get angry!' Our bold, heroic businesswoman—when have you ever been shy over a man before?" Li Xuemei laughed.
"Hmph! You're still talking! I'm not listening to you anymore! I'm going to take a bath and sleep!" Huang Wenyin said, walking away with a flushed face, pretending to be annoyed.
"Heehee! Ms. Huang, it's already so obvious, don't pretend. Even the Old Master has agreed to this, why are you still so shy?"
Li Daofeng heard every word the two women said outside.
Of course, he didn't have a bad habit of eavesdropping; his hearing was just too sensitive. He could hear an ant walking hundreds of miles away if he wanted to, let alone through a single wall.
"What does this mean! Am I really being pestered? What should I do!" Li Daofeng worried in his room.
His messy brain wondered if his "red string of fate" had been moved, if he was cursed with romantic trouble, or if he’d been struck by an arrow from Cupid, that little bird-man without pants. Why were all these men and women setting their sights on him?
Suddenly, a fiancée appeared, and he had to play doctor. The Old Master also wanted to set him up with his granddaughter.
What was going on? Was he just too outstanding?
If so, he would change!
After some narcissistic musing, Li Daofeng put away the medicinal herbs in front of him.
After much deliberation, he made a decision that went against his ancestors: he would no longer take the initiative to save anyone!
Regarding Huang Wenyin’s condition, if she asked him to treat her, he would; otherwise, he wouldn't offer.
How to put it? His medical skills were not that cheap.
In other words, he wasn't going to be a doormat!
Following the example of those "miracle doctors" on TV who always made decisions that went against their ancestors: to those who believed in him, he would treat them for free; to those who didn't, he wouldn't treat them even for a mountain of gold.
That was just how badass he was!
From this day forward, Li Daofeng vowed that even if he were to die—even if he jumped off a mountain and fell to his death—he would never again take the initiative to treat someone.
A matter of pride!
After making this solemn vow, Li Daofeng fell straight asleep.
The next morning, before he even got up, he heard a commotion outside.
"Yinyin! Come over and meet your cousin! He’s amazing! He just returned from the States after completing his studies at a top medical university. He's already a professor-level doctor, and his specialty is cardiology. He'll definitely be able to cure your illness!"
Hearing the voice, Li Daofeng didn't even need to think to know it was Huang Wenyin’s mother, accompanied by a cousin back from the States!
Hearing the word "cousin," Li Daofeng suddenly understood why Huang Wenyin’s mother had treated him that way last night. So it was all because of this cousin.
Though, in this day and age, cousins getting together was a bit absurd.
Li Daofeng was too lazy to go out, so he stayed in bed and listened.
What did he, an outsider, have to do with their cousin-related business? He wasn't Duan Yu! He didn't like to fawn over people!
"Cousin! Long time no see. Do you remember me? I'm your cousin, Li Longhao! It's been so many years, you've grown up so much! And you've become so beautiful!" a man’s voice said.
*Damn! What kind of talk is that! This kid loves acting like an elder! What does he mean "grown up so much"? If he's referring to that, then that's just wrong!* Li Daofeng thought.
"Cou... Cousin! It really has been a long time!" Huang Wenyin said, her voice sounding awkward.
"Yinyin! Let your cousin feel your pulse..."
In his room, Li Daofeng sat up abruptly, stunned by the mother's words.
Was the world really this open-minded?
"Let your cousin check your pulse! He’ll definitely be able to cure you. Your cousin’s medical skills are incredible; he combines Eastern and Western medicine—he can cure anything!"
Huang Wenyin’s mother’s voice was filled with pride.
*Phew... so she hadn't finished her sentence. I was going to say, even if the world is open, you don't just go around feeling people up the moment you meet! Even if he is back from the States, you can't be that open, right! After all, they’re human! How can they compare to the States!*
*Chapter 24: The Cousin*
"Mom! I already told you, Brother Li can cure my illness! There's no need to trouble my cousin. Why are you like this?" Huang Wenyin said, displeased.
"You child! How can you talk like that? Your cousin came back from abroad and the first thing he thought of was your illness. He traveled such a long way, and he didn't even let me tell you because he wanted to give you a surprise! Hurry up and thank your cousin!"
Huang Wenyin’s mother, Li Qiongsi, clearly didn't want Huang Wenyin mentioning Li Daofeng anymore.
"Thank you, Cousin! You've gone to so much trouble," Huang Wenyin said, her expression unnatural.
Li Longhao smiled elegantly. "Cousin, you're too polite. We're family! Why talk about trouble? If I can cure your illness, then all these years of my hard work studying medicine won't have been in vain."
He couldn't sit still anymore!
Li Daofeng, in his room, really couldn't sit still. This "cousin" of Huang Wenyin’s was truly good at putting on airs.
Just listen to him!