Finally, Xia Yunfan managed to search Second Master's pockets and retrieve her phone.
With practiced ease, he transferred the modest balance from his master's bank account onto his own phone.
"You little bastard! You should at least leave me some living expenses! Just wait, I'll have your nine senior sisters teach you a harsh lesson!"
Second Master reached out with both hands, looking wild enough to rip the top of Xia Yunfan's skull right off.
"Second Master, I'm heading out. Take good care of yourself while I'm gone."
Xia Yunfan turned and bolted into the distance, a joyful smile beaming across his face. As he left, he didn't even forget to wave goodbye to Second Master.
"This little rascal actually knows how to care about people now."
Watching the retreating figure of Xia Yunfan, Second Master felt a heavy wave of reluctance and a bittersweet ache in her heart.
"Once I land myself a sugar mommy and get rich, I'll take you to live in a big city. I hear they really know how to party up there—they even have co-ed baths! I'll treat you when the time comes."
Listening to Xia Yunfan's voice fade away, veins bulged on Second Master's forehead as she extinguished the very last shred of master-disciple affection in her heart.
"This makes my chest hurt with anger. If the three of us sisters hadn't adopted this little bastard in the first place, I probably could have lived another hundred years."
Second Master thought resentfully, "That little bastard causes so much trouble, is he going to get himself beaten to death out there?"
"Well, his strength is pretty decent now, and not many people can beat him. Plus, those senior sisters of his should be able to help him out."
Pushing the thoughts aside, she finally had time to attend to her own affairs now that Xia Yunfan was gone.
"I just hope I can catch up to the footsteps of Eldest Sister and Third Sister, and finally bring the truth of what happened back then completely to light!"
With a swift pivot, Second Master's figure flashed and vanished into the woods.
...
On the flight to Lanhai City.
Chu Xinyue kept her gaze fixed out the window. Her heart was as heavy and bitter as the gloomy sky outside the plane.
Her grandfather—the only person who treated her like true family—had fallen gravely ill quite suddenly, and the doctors said the chances of him pulling through the danger zone were extremely slim.
Burning with anxiety, she had boarded the earliest available flight to Lanhai City. Because she bought the ticket so late, she had only managed to secure a seat in economy class.
Chu Xinyue pulled her gaze back and found that the man sitting right next to her was wearing a floral shirt, shorts, and flip-flops.
He looked just like a low-life hoodlum off the street, yet he was actually holding and reading a thoroughly vulgar magazine.
Just glancing at the figures on the pages made Chu Xinyue's face burn hot and red.
Yet not only did this little punk make no effort to hide his wretched gaze, but he was even critiquing the magazine out loud. How shameless.
After just a single sideways glance, Chu Xinyue quickly looked away, afraid of soiling her own eyes.
"There are so many disgusting men in this world. My little brother is still the best."
Chu Xinyue would never forget that day when her grandfather—who had always been her mountain of strength and support—suddenly collapsed in front of her from a heart attack.
In her moment of deepest despair and utter helplessness, her little brother had appeared.
He had stroked her head so gently, whispering words of comfort and telling her not to be afraid.
Those words had been like a beam of light, piercing through the fear that filled her heart.
Over the years, she had faced countless hardships in school, society, and the business world.
Whenever she felt like she couldn't take it anymore, she would always recall the comforting words her little brother had given her. It was those very words that had sustained her through every trial.
"Tsk tsk tsk, the models in this magazine lack nerve, and their faces are pretty average. Only their figures are barely worth mentioning—no wonder this could never be a classic magazine."
Hearing the vulgar man's voice right beside her, Chu Xinyue turned her head toward the window in disgust.
And this movement instantly caught Xia Yunfan's attention.
"A beauty! A major beauty!"
Xia Yunfan's eyes lit up.
His three masters were peerless beauties of the mortal realm, and his nine senior sisters were absolute national stunners.Growing up with them, Yunfan had developed an exceptionally high standard of beauty; even village belles like Xiaocui barely caught his eye.
Yet, Yunfan was now stunned to realize that the beautiful woman sitting beside him was a ten out of ten.
She had long hair and a dainty, oval face, with features so exquisite they looked like a masterpiece carved by the heavens. There was a faint, exotic allure to her appearance—she was likely of mixed heritage.
Although she was dressed quite modestly, Yunfan had a sharp, discerning eye, and he could tell that beneath her clothes, she possessed a figure that was absolutely explosive.
Perhaps due to her mixed lineage, her proportions were incredible; there was no doubt that her future children would never go hungry.
Her chest was so ample that the fabric of her top was pulled tight, making Yunfan worry that the buttons might pop off at any moment.
Yunfan tossed his magazine aside and said with a smile, "Beautiful, you're sick."
Xinyue frowned deeply, disgusted. "You're a lunatic."
Yunfan maintained a look of intense seriousness. "I'm not a lunatic. Tell me, have you been feeling dizzy and tight-chested lately, and have you been getting tired very easily?"
Xinyue had no desire to converse with such a sleazy character and closed her eyes to take a nap.
Yunfan, knowing when to quit, shut his mouth. He liked women, certainly, but he wasn't the type to become a groveling sycophant just because he saw a pretty face.
Just as he was about to swap his magazine for another, a flight attendant began pushing the meal cart down the aisle.
The cart stopped beside Yunfan, but the flight attendant politely asked the passenger on the other side what he would like to eat.
That passenger was a middle-aged man with a protruding belly, his face greasy and reeking of alcohol as he wore a lecherous grin.
The flight attendant maintained her professional smile. "Hello, sir, would you like noodles or rice?"
The fat man gave a lewd laugh. "I'll take the noodles. I hear the flight attendant's 'noodles' are delicious."
"Sir, here are your noodles."
The flight attendant took a meal box from the cart, but just as she was about to place it in front of the fat man, a large hand landed on her leg.
The man’s hand began to slide upward, clearly trying to get a feel for her.
"Ah!"
The young flight attendant was new to the job and completely inexperienced; she shuddered in fright, and the meal box slipped from her hands, spilling all over the fat man.
The high temperature caused the fat man to let out a howl of pain, and he jumped straight out of his seat.
The plane was small, and almost everyone was startled by the man's shout, turning their heads to look in their direction.
The young flight attendant was stunned into silence. "I'm sorry, sir! I'll clean it up for you right away!"
"Clean it up? Screw you! I’m meeting a major client as soon as I land! How am I supposed to meet them with my pants looking like this!?"
The fat man cursed furiously, "Damn it! What’s your name? I’m going to report you!"
"You aren't serving us passengers at all—you’re trying to kill us!"
The fat man’s eyes were filled with such murderous rage that he looked ready to strike. A searing pain radiated from his leg; he had clearly been scalded.
If the spill had been just a little further over, he might have lost his manhood entirely. How could he not be filled with hate?
"Sir, I’m sorry, please don't report me. It was only because you touched my leg that I was startled and lost my grip."
Upon hearing the threat of being reported, the young flight attendant was terrified.
Being reported was a nightmare for any flight attendant.
At best, it meant a formal reprimand and a cut to her salary and bonuses.
At worst, it meant being grounded or having her contract terminated.
Her heart was filled with dread, anxiety, and pure terror.
She crouched beside the fat man, tears streaming down her face as she begged for his forgiveness.
Her posture was so low that it was no different from kneeling and pleading.
The man roared with righteous indignation, "You nearly killed me and ruined my career, and now you’re making it my fault???"
"Sir, I..."
Just as the young flight attendant was weeping, begging for the fat man's mercy, Yunfan spoke up from beside them.
"Hey, flight attendant, bring me a portion of noodles."