"Could your lines be any cornier?" Bai Yunfei curled his lip, his voice dripping with scorn.
"You..." Though Loong the Second didn't understand the word 'corny', Bai Yunfei's undisguised contempt was crystal clear. He pointed a trembling finger and bellowed at his lackeys, "All of you! Get him! Break his legs! Beat him half to death!!"
The four attendants, hearing their master's command, instantly adopted vicious expressions and lunged at Bai Yunfei.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
Four rhythmic, dull thumps echoed. Then, under Loong the Second's stupefied gaze, the four attendants who had just charged forward menacingly all flew back in graceful arcs, landing squarely on top of him!
Struggling to push the groaning pile off himself, Loong Tao (for that was his name, though destined to be forgettable) scrambled to his feet. The arrogance had vanished from his face, replaced by sheer terror as he stumbled backward, seeing Bai Yunfei walking calmly towards him. "Y-you! Stay back! I am Loong Tao, Second Young Master of the Loong Family!! My father is Loong Gang! My elder brother is a Soul Master! If you dare harm me, the Loong Family will hunt you to the ends of the earth!"
Bai Yunfei stopped. He stared at the blustering young master with a profoundly strange expression. After a moment, he couldn't help but let out a derisive snort. "Heh... no wonder. You really are just a 'Lout'!" (The word in Bai Yunfei's mind was unmistakably 'long tao' - cannon fodder).
"Yes, yes! I'm Loong Tao! Loong Family's Second Young Master! You can't hurt me!" Oblivious to the sarcastic play on his name and its deeper meaning, Loong Tao nodded frantically, mistaking the comment for deference.
Bai Yunfei's lip twitched. He couldn't be bothered to explain. He flicked his wrist dismissively. "Get lost."
Watching the group flee in disgrace into the throng of pedestrians, Bai Yunfei shook his head, his expression still faintly bemused. He wasn't quite sure what to make of the situation or his own reactions.
"Miss! Oh, Miss! What's wrong?!"
A voice thick with panic jerked Bai Yunfei back to the present. He spun around. His breath caught. The young woman in pale blue robes, who had been leaning weakly against the wall, now lay prone on the ground. Her maidservant knelt beside her, frantically calling her name, her voice choked with tears.
Bai Yunfei rushed over. "Miss, what's wrong with your mistress? Can I he—"
His words died in his throat. His feet seemed rooted to the spot. He stared, dumbfounded, at the pale face of the unconscious girl lying before him.
"It's her! It's actually her!" Shock surged through Bai Yunfei. The young woman was none other than Liu Meng – the girl who had been with Zhang Yang back in Luoshi City!
A complex tangle of emotions – surprise, confusion, perhaps a flicker of something else – washed over him. He stood frozen, transfixed, until the maidservant's desperate cries pierced his daze.
Snap out of it! He mentally shook himself, forcing his turbulent feelings down. He knelt swiftly beside Liu Meng, determined to help however he could.
Liu Meng lay on her back. Her normally fair complexion was frighteningly pale. Her cherry lips were pressed thin, her delicate brows knitted tightly together in evident agony. She showed no response to her maidservant's pleas.
Seeing her like this, an inexplicable pang pierced Bai Yunfei's heart. He hovered helplessly before her, utterly at a loss. He knew nothing of medicine. The young maid, Xiao Ning, seemed just as frantic, reduced to repeating "Miss! Miss!" over and over.
Suddenly, a thought flickered through his mind. He blinked, murmuring almost to himself.
"Hmm... does she need artificial respiration?"
As Bai Yunfei wrestled internally with the ethics and practicality of administering this seemingly 'effective' emergency technique, a soft groan escaped Liu Meng's lips. Her eyelids fluttered open.
Instantly ashamed of the flicker of disappointment that followed her awakening, Bai Yunfei leaned closer, concern etching his voice. "Miss? Are you alright? Where does it hurt?"
Though conscious, Liu Meng didn't open her eyes. Her brows remained furrowed, a sheen of sweat glistening on her forehead. She seemed locked in a battle against intense pain. Her voice was a frail whisper. "Xiao... Ning? Are... are you there?"
"Miss! I'm here! I'm right here!" Xiao Ning instantly grasped her mistress's hand, her voice trembling with relief and renewed anxiety. Tears finally spilled over. "What's wrong? Don't scare Xiao Ning like this!"
"Dai... take me to the physician... quickly..." Liu Meng's faint plea finally reminded the distraught maid what needed to be done.
"Yes! Yes! To the physician!" Xiao Ning scrambled to help her mistress sit up, then faltered. She was far too small to support Liu Meng properly, let alone carry her.
Just as panic began to set in again, strong arms slid beneath Liu Meng – one behind her neck, the other beneath her knees. Bai Yunfei lifted her gently but firmly into a cradle hold.
Xiao Ning gasped, startled, then recognized their rescuer. Seeing Bai Yunfei holding her mistress so intimately felt slightly improper, but urgency overrode propriety. "Th-thank you, Young Master! Please, please take her to the physician's shop quickly..."
"Right. Lead the way." Holding the warm, soft weight of Liu Meng felt awkward, but Bai Yunfei's primary sensation was profound worry. He urged Xiao Ning forward.
......
Inside a modest physician's shop, Bai Yunfei sat on a stool near the entrance. His gaze was distant, fixed on the ebb and flow of people on the street outside, lost in thought.
Over an hour had passed since he'd carried Liu Meng here. The physician was still attending to her inside, and Bai Yunfei felt it best to wait outside, not wanting to intrude.
The soft scuff of footsteps behind him broke his reverie. His face lit with hope as he turned.
Supported by Xiao Ning, Liu Meng walked slowly towards him.
Her pale blue robes flowed gracefully, emphasizing her slender waist and elegant poise. Her dark hair cascaded like a waterfall down her back. A faint, healthy pink bloom had returned to her cheeks. A soft smile touched her lips as she regarded Bai Yunfei with large, luminous eyes.
For a moment, Bai Yunfei was utterly captivated...
Pfft... "Young Master!" Xiao Ning's amused voice shattered the spell. "My mistress is speaking to you! Come back to earth!" The maid's eyes sparkled with mischief. Beside her, Liu Meng's blush deepened. She shot Xiao Ning a reproachful glance before turning back to Bai Yunfei and offering a graceful, albeit slightly shaky, curtsey.
"Earlier... thank you for your timely assistance, Young Master..." Her voice was clear and gentle, like wind chimes.
Bai Yunfei froze for a heartbeat. A pang of disappointment lanced through him: She... truly doesn't remember me.
He gave a nearly imperceptible shake of his head, mentally chiding himself. What was I expecting? Of course she doesn't remember. To people like her, back then, I was just... a lowly commoner.
"Oi! Young Master!" Xiao Ning's voice piped up again. "You're drifting off again!"
Bai Yunfei pushed the unwelcome thoughts aside. "Hmm? What?"
Giggles... "Though my mistress is undoubtedly lovely, Young Master, it's rather rude to stare so intently!" Xiao Ning couldn't suppress her laughter. "My mistress would like to invite you for tea, to properly express her gratitude for your aid!"
"Ah? Oh... alright..." Bai Yunfei scratched the back of his head, a flush rising on his cheeks as he nodded.