In the kitchen,
Gu Yan hummed softly while washing the dishes.
Mei Xue, who was helping nearby, felt utterly speechless.
This guy was seriously annoying.
Sure, he sang well. Sure, he cooked well. But her master clearly didn't really like him—and yet he kept clinging to her master every chance he got.
Hmph. Let's see if you can still laugh after the Gu family is taken away.
At that moment, Gu Yan suddenly turned to Mei Xue and smiled.
"Oh right, Mei Xue. I have something I'd like to ask you."
That sudden friendliness made Mei Xue feel strangely uncomfortable.
She looked at Gu Yan, who was genuinely smiling at her, and felt a bit awkward. He'd always spoken to her with a fake politeness before.
"…What is it?"
"It's nothing serious," Gu Yan said casually. "Didn't Qingqiu ask you to secretly protect me?"
"But it doesn't really matter. I have other experts around me."
"I don't need you."
"So I want you to go protect Qingqiu's sister—Leng Ling'er."
To be safe, Gu Yan had already arranged for people to keep watch near Leng Ling'er's school.
But one could never be too cautious.
Having Mei Xue—someone skilled at hiding in the shadows—protect Leng Ling'er would add another layer of insurance.
There was no need to worry about Leng Ling'er's safety. Even if Mei Xue couldn't defeat the enemy, escaping with her would be easy.
Mei Xue frowned.
"But the master ordered me to protect you."
Even though Leng Ling'er was Leng Qingqiu's sister, Leng Qingqiu's direct order had been for her to guard Gu Yan.
Of course, she would obey whatever Leng Qingqiu decided.
Gu Yan smiled faintly.
"Then think of this as the second thing you do for me."
"And… maybe it'll be a good thing for you."
"A good thing?"
Mei Xue's brows knitted together, her expression conflicted.
After thinking it over several times, she finally nodded.
"Alright. But you're really using your chance for this?"
She genuinely couldn't understand Gu Yan's logic. What did other people's safety have to do with him?
Gu Yan nodded.
Mei Xue stopped asking questions.
Instead, her emotions began to stir.
It's almost time… soon… little brother…
Wait just a little longer… your sister is about to find you…
What Mei Xue didn't know was—
Gu Yan's gaze had turned faintly distant.
He had asked Lao Gao to investigate Mei Xue's "younger brother" long ago.
And unexpectedly…
It was him.
Heh. Interesting.
Could this be fate?
---
Jianghai High School.
Inside a restroom.
Bang!
"Didn't I tell you not to stare at Ling'er?!"
A young man with dyed yellow hair punched a thin, bespectacled boy squarely in the face.
The boy fell onto the wet floor, clutching his face and curling up in the corner, trembling as he apologized.
"I—I'm sorry…"
"He's crying! Hahaha!"
"Are you even a man?"
"Oh right, I forgot—you're trash with no parents, and even your sister went missing!"
"Hahaha! Brother Wang, even if this loser had a hundred guts, he wouldn't dare compete with you for Big Sister Ling'er!"
Several boys surrounded the thin boy, laughing mockingly as he sobbed in the corner.
Wang Zilin listened with satisfaction. He glared at the boy and warned coldly:
"Deng Feng, you'd better put away those useless thoughts!"
"Just because you get good grades doesn't mean you can get close to Leng Ling'er!"
"She only asks you questions because of the college entrance exam. Don't delude yourself into thinking she likes you!"
Wang Zilin felt deeply irritated.
Leng Ling'er had been acting strange lately—suddenly studying hard, saying she wanted to get into university, refusing to join gang activities.
He'd even asked his parents for movie tickets, planning to invite her out.
But then rumors spread that she had found a rich boyfriend… who was supposedly her brother-in-law.
Nonsense! Ling'er clearly likes me!
Those rumor-spreaders deserved a beating.
Deng Feng clenched his fists tightly.
Someone was insulting his parents and sister right in front of him.
He wanted to rush forward.
But…
His hands loosened.
Guilt and despair filled his eyes.
I'm such a loser…
Why am I so useless?
The person insulting my family is right there… and I don't even dare to talk back.
Why… why am I like this…
People like me… are better off dead.
The light in Deng Feng's eyes dimmed.
And just then—
"Wang Zilin! Stop it!"
An angry yet clear voice rang out at the restroom entrance.
Everyone turned.
Leng Ling'er stood there holding a notebook, her eyes blazing with anger.
Beside her, Bai Qionglan laughed lightly.
"What a bunch of trash. So many people bullying one person—are you even men?"
Wang Zilin stiffened, his face turning ugly, but he didn't dare retort.
Leng Ling'er was the girl he liked.
And Bai Qionglan was the Bai family's eldest daughter.
He forced a flattering smile.
"Ling'er, what are you saying? I was just teaching this ignorant trash a lesson."
Leng Ling'er frowned coldly.
"Did I say you could call me Ling'er? Are we close?"
"And—you're 'teaching' my friend a lesson?"
"Apologize. Right now."
Friend?
This trash?
Wang Zilin's smile cracked.
The boys around him avoided eye contact, sensing the heavy atmosphere.
"Apologize?" Wang Zilin sneered. "You want me to apologize to this piece of trash? Are you kidding me?"
It hurt more than death to apologize to someone like this.
"You useless piece of crap," Leng Ling'er snapped, handing the notebook to Bai Qionglan and stepping forward.
"Did you eat shit? Why does your mouth stink so much?"
Her eyes burned with fury.
"Apologize!"
Wang Zilin clenched his fists, teeth grinding.
Finally, he forced out:
"…Sorry."
He glared viciously at Deng Feng.
"Remember this."
Then he stormed off with his group.
The restroom fell quiet.
Leng Ling'er walked up to Deng Feng and extended her hand.
"Are you okay?"
Leng… Ling'er?
Deng Feng stared at her hand, light flickering in his eyes.
He wanted to reach out—
But a figure appeared in his mind.
The man who had come to pick Leng Ling'er up that day.
Her boyfriend…
People like me…
"…I'm fine."
He forced a smile, stood up using the wall, and bowed his head.
"Thank you."
Then he ran off, not wanting anyone to see him like this.
Especially not her.
"He left, Sister Ling'er," Bai Qionglan said, waving the notebook.
"Didn't you still want to ask about today's class?"
Leng Ling'er sighed in frustration.
"Damn it, I wanted to ask him questions. Why did he run away?"
She shook her head.
"Forget it. I'll just ask my sister."
Bai Qionglan smiled meaningfully and poked her.
"So? Why are you suddenly trying to be a good student? You really want to go to college?"
Leng Ling'er's eyes lit up.
"I'll only tell you this—my brother-in-law said that if I get into college, he'll take me to get a driver's license!"
"He even said I could pick any motorcycle I want!"
She pouted slightly.
"It's just that he's been really busy lately and hasn't come to pick me up."
Bai Qionglan's eyes sparkled.
"Oh? Our brother-in-law is that nice? Then you—"
"Get lost!" Leng Ling'er snapped.
"That's my brother-in-law! Don't get any weird ideas!"
Bai Qionglan laughed, though a hint of envy flashed in her eyes.
The two walked away, laughing and joking.
Neither of them noticed—
A middle-aged man wearing glasses, holding a physics textbook, had quietly stopped nearby.
He stared at the spot where Deng Feng had been beaten, deep in thought.
"That boy…"
"There seems to be an unusual power inside him…"
"Very suitable for the Xuanwu Sect's techniques…"
"The master did say he was looking for an heir…"