The masked man glanced at Uncle Zhang, who lay unconscious. His face twisted in disdain as he prodded the body with his boot, and then he turned his sharp gaze back to Yan Rou.
She stood alone now, surrounded by a dozen smirking thugs.
"Now that the trash has been dealt with, let us get back to business."
"Now, where were we?" the masked man looked playful. He started to circle her like a wolf stalking its prey.
"Ah, yes. We were discussing your… delayed travel plans."
His lackeys chuckled. Their eyes were filled with malice, and they were just waiting for an order.
Yan Rou was unwilling to show weakness, so she stepped forward and tried to take an authoritative stance.
"My family will not let this go. Whoever you are, whatever master you serve, they will hunt you to the ends of the earth."
"Perhaps," the man said with a dismissive shrug. "But the ends of the earth are very far away. And we are here, right now."
"Furthermore, do I look afraid of you and your family right now?"
The masked man sneered and stepped closer, stopping just in front of her. His presence felt overwhelming. "Tell me, who do you think I serve?"
Yan Rou stepped back, her eyes narrowed as she tried to recognize the person from his voice, his build, or anything else that might give her a clue.
She searched her memory for any families who might be enemies of the Yan family, but she still couldn't figure out who he was.
He laughed again. "It does not matter who I am. What matters is that you, the proud Young Miss of the Yan family, are completely at my mercy."
He raised a hand, his long fingers reaching slowly for her face. "Let's see if that famous pride of yours is as fragile as your skin."
The sneers of his men grew louder. Yan Rou saw the cruel anticipation in their eyes and knew there was no escape.
"Finished. I am completely finished."
She was outmatched and alone. A wave of despair washed over her, and she closed her eyes, bracing for the humiliating touch.
But the touch never came.
Instead, a strong hand grabbed her wrist. She was pulled back in one swift motion and stumbled into a warm, solid chest.
She opened her eyes and looked up at the person who had pulled her back.
"Lei Feng!!"
Yan Rou saw Lei Feng's usual lazy, carefree look. But this time, there was something different in his eyes.
His gaze was fixed on the masked man, and for the first time, Yan Rou saw a slight anger in his eyes that had not been there before.
He held her securely with one arm around her waist. "Tell me who," Lei Feng asked, slightly annoyed, "gave you permission to touch my potential wife?"
The masked man froze, his hand still outstretched.
He had ignored the simply dressed young man, assuming he was just a servant or an unimportant companion. However, it seemed like he had been mistaken.
The sudden interruption and bold question caught him off guard.
His shock quickly turned to fury. "Who in the hell are you?" he snarled, his eyes blazing with anger. "What is your relationship with this woman? What do you mean by potential wife?"
"Do you even know who she is?"
Lei Feng didn't blink. He tightened his hold on Yan Rou, pulling her closer.
"Me?" he said, a corner of his mouth turning up in a confident smirk. "I am Lei Feng. The strongest, most handsome man to ever walk upon this planet."
He paused to let his words sink in, then nodded toward the woman in his arms.
"And this is Rou Rou, my potential future wife. Her candidacy, of course, depends entirely on her future physical development."
"What? Future physical development?" Everyone gasped.
His words were so strange that everyone fell silent. The masked man and his thugs stared in confusion, and Manager Wei's mouth dropped open.
"Development?" the masked man finally sputtered. His anger was momentarily forgotten and replaced by sheer confusion.
"What in the world are you talking about? What physical development? Do you mean her cultivation level?"
"Ah. It is not that. I mean…"
Before Lei Feng could offer an explanation, Yan Rou, who had been frozen in a state of shock, finally snapped. Lei Feng's words had erased her fears, and she was more worried now at Lei Feng running his mouth unnecessarily.
Her face turned bright red, a mix of embarrassment, anger, and a bit of relief.
"LEI FENG!" she shrieked, her voice cracking like lightning. She twisted in his arms to glare up at him, her eyes flashing with fire.
"If you dare," she hissed through clenched teeth, "to say one more word about my… 'development'… I swear I will be completely and utterly finished with you!"