While Wang Chen rested, Ye Guyi had already run back to her room.
Leaning against the door, her heart was still racing. Scenes from just moments ago kept replaying vividly in her mind. Her face burned bright red — a mix of shyness, confusion, and an emotion she couldn't quite name.
"What… what on earth was I doing…"
Remembering how she had just touched Wang Chen earlier, Ye Guyi covered her face and muttered softly to herself.
Even though she felt embarrassed, deep down there was an undeniable trace of joy — and anticipation.
Just then, someone knocked lightly on her door.
"Guyi, it's me," came Zhao Yurou's gentle voice.
Ye Guyi quickly opened the door and welcomed her in. Seeing Ye Guyi's flushed, dreamy expression — like a cat that had just stolen a treat — Zhao Yurou immediately guessed what had happened.
There was no doubt that Ye Guyi had just gone to see Wang Chen… and judging from her reaction, probably not for something entirely innocent.
"Guyi," Zhao Yurou teased with a smile, "living in Wang Chen's house seems to make you very happy."
Ye Guyi blushed and murmured, "Auntie Zhao~"
Zhao Yurou chuckled and nodded.
"Guyi, I fully support you being with Wang Chen. He's a rare man — you must hold on to him tightly. But there's something I need to remind you about when you're with him."
Ye Guyi blinked curiously.
"Remind me? About what?"
Zhao Yurou led her to sit down, then spoke softly but seriously:
"If you truly want to be with Wang Chen, you must understand one thing first."
"What thing?" Ye Guyi asked, puzzled.
"A man like Wang Chen," Zhao Yurou said earnestly, "is destined to attract attention — like a bright flame surrounded by countless moths. Many talented and beautiful female Soul Masters will be drawn to him and stay around him. So, when you're with him, the first thing you must learn is tolerance."
Ye Guyi frowned, confused.
"Tolerance? Shouldn't I be driving those women away instead?"
Seeing her confusion, Zhao Yurou sighed gently.
"Guyi, you mentioned before that Wang Chen has a girlfriend named Meng Hongchen, right?"
At the mention of that name, Ye Guyi's earlier cheerful mood instantly soured.
Zhao Yurou continued,
"Meng Hongchen is the granddaughter of Jing Hongchen. Her looks and talent are on par with yours, but her background is far superior. And this is just the beginning. In the future, you'll face even more rivals — women as gifted and beautiful as her, maybe even better. Do you think you can drive them all away?"
Ye Guyi's expression turned pale.
Just imagining several "Meng Hongchens" crowding around Wang Chen made her head ache. Dealing with even one of them was exhausting — if there were more, she'd have no chance.
"Auntie Zhao, what should I do then?" Ye Guyi asked, looking helpless.
Zhao Yurou smiled knowingly.
"If you can't drive them away, then you must learn to coexist with them."
Ye Guyi's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Coexist?!"
Zhao Yurou sighed softly.
"Before I met Wang Chen, I thought he was just a promising young master of the Wang Family — talented and well-matched with you. That's why I came with you, to see if he was truly worthy of your trust."
"But after meeting him… I realized that Wang Chen far exceeds my expectations. He defeated Wang Yan and took the position of family patriarch. His strength is already comparable to a Titled Douluo or a Level 9 Soul Engineer."
"And remember — he's only fifteen."
Zhao Yurou's eyes were full of awe.
"Such a monstrous genius has never existed in the entire history of the Sun and Moon Empire. Though his fame is still small now, one day he'll rise to shake the entire continent. When that happens, countless noblewomen — even princesses and daughters of Soul Engineers — will be drawn to him. It's inevitable."
Ye Guyi pouted, her tone full of grievance.
"Then what can I possibly do…?"
Zhao Yurou smiled softly.
"When that time comes, just stay calm. Don't fight or argue. Stand quietly at his side while others compete for his attention. When they cause chaos and tire him out — you'll be the one he finds comfort in. That's how you win without fighting."
Ye Guyi listened in silence. Though Zhao Yurou's logic made sense, her proud heart couldn't accept it.
Lifting her chin, her golden eyes glimmered with fierce determination.
"Auntie Zhao, I can't do that. If I can't win Wang Chen completely, I'd rather not share him at all. If I can't have him to myself… then I'll just make sure he's mine in another way — and raise our child alone if I must."
Zhao Yurou stared at her for a long time, a mix of surprise and nostalgia flashing in her eyes — as if she saw someone from her past. She sighed softly and wiped the corner of her eye.
"Then you'd better work hard on your cultivation, Girl. Because taking down a man like Wang Chen won't be easy."
Ye Guyi's eyes flared with determination, almost blazing with fighting spirit.
"I'll do it. I'll hunt down every Evil Soul Master I can find, grow stronger as fast as possible, and surpass Wang Chen one day. Then I'll make sure he can only ever love me!"
Without another word, she sat down cross-legged and began cultivating fiercely. She knew that to defeat Evil Soul Masters and grow stronger, she would need real power — or she'd only end up their victim.
Three days later, at the Wang Family Ancestral Hall, Wang Chen sat with thirteen family Elders of Soul Saint rank and above, including Wang Yan, in a formal clan meeting.
The Second Elder slammed the table in fury.
"Yesterday, the rare metals our family purchased from outside were robbed midway! The Tenth Elder, who was escorting them, was seriously injured — barely escaped with his life! How dare they strike at the Wang Family's property? Have they gone mad?!"
The wounded Tenth Elder, pale-faced, coughed heavily.
"The bandits' leader… was a Soul Saint-level expert. His strength was… extremely powerful."
Former patriarch Wang Yan frowned deeply, his voice low.
"A Soul Saint turning to banditry…? That's unusual."
Wang Chen narrowed his eyes slightly as he gazed at the injured Elder, a faint glimmer of thought flashing in his mind…