"I'm not saying I won't continue teaching you, Yuxin. It's just that I've had an unexpected health issue. I'm still recovering from it."
"An... unexpected health issue?"
Su Yuxin, who had initially been upset by Ye Feng's announcement about stopping their lessons, immediately shifted from confusion to concern upon hearing about his condition. She stepped forward anxiously.
"Brother Ye Feng, are you okay? Do you need me to call a private doctor? I’ll make sure to get the best doctor in Shu City to examine you."
"It’s not that serious, Yuxin. I just have a minor injury and need some time to recover. I should be able to resume your lessons by next week."
"I... see... Another whole week to wait..."
Though disappointment weighed heavily on her, Su Yuxin knew she couldn’t act spoiled in front of Ye Feng now that Xie Yuyan was around. Throwing a tantrum would only give Xie Yuyan an opportunity to badmouth her to Ye Feng and put him in an awkward position—something she wasn’t foolish enough to do.
"By the way, Brother Ye Feng!"
Perhaps sensing that Ye Feng was about to leave, Su Yuxin quickly spoke up, trying to prolong the conversation. At least this way, she could steal a few more moments with him.
"What is it, Yuxin? You can tell me anything."
"I... I... I want to talk to you alone for a moment."
After saying this, Su Yuxin shot a glance at Xie Yuyan standing behind Ye Feng. The latter’s expression darkened instantly, clearly displeased by the request.
"Can’t you just say it here?" Ye Feng asked hesitantly, but Su Yuxin shook her head firmly.
"No, because it’s a secret between you and me. I don’t want anyone else to hear."
"Ah..."
"It’s fine, Ye Feng. If Yuxin has something important to discuss, you should go."
Xie Yuyan suddenly chimed in, her tone cool and indifferent, though the underlying irritation was unmistakable.
"Alright then. Yuyan, wait here for me. I’ll be back soon."
"Sure."
With that, Ye Feng walked over to talk with Su Yuxin. As they spoke, Su Yuxin flashed Xie Yuyan a triumphant look, though it had no effect on her.
Hmph. A little brat like you can only find joy in these petty moments with Ye Feng. But the things I’ve done for him are far beyond your reach.
Xie Yuyan glanced down at the milk tea in her hand. Her sharp eyes quickly caught the faint red lipstick mark on the straw—undoubtedly left by Su Yuxin. Someone as oblivious as Ye Feng would never notice such details, which meant this wasn’t the first time Su Yuxin had pulled this trick.
Xie Yuyan didn’t expose her right away. A lipstick-stained straw alone wasn’t enough to make Ye Feng suspicious. Instead, she casually tossed the drink into a nearby trash bin while Ye Feng and Su Yuxin were engrossed in their conversation.
Due to their height difference, Ye Feng had to bend down slightly to hear Su Yuxin’s whisper. As soon as he leaned in, she eagerly revealed her "secret":
"Brother Ye Feng, I already know~"
"Know what?"
"I know there must be some reason you’re with Xie Yuyan, right?"
"Yuxin, what are you talking about? I’m with Xie Yuyan because I want to be."
"No way! Brother Ye Feng, don’t think I don’t know! Someone like you would never suddenly fall for a girl out of nowhere. There must be a reason! Did Xie Yuyan find out something about you? Brother Ye Feng, you don’t have to be afraid—just tell me..."
Before she could finish, Ye Feng straightened up and fixed her with a stern look, dousing her enthusiasm like a bucket of cold water.
"Yuxin, how could you assume such things about your sister Yuyan? I chose to be with her of my own free will. Don’t ever say anything like that again, understand?"
"Eh? N-no way! Brother Ye Feng, how could you suddenly get a girlfriend? When you were teaching Li Mucheng and me, you never showed any interest in romance. I refuse to believe your personality changed so quickly!"
Some of Su Yuxin’s words hit close to the truth. Initially, Ye Feng had never planned to pursue romance. Knowing his circumstances, he believed a normal relationship was beyond his reach, so he always maintained a certain distance from the girls around him. Even in situations most people would find unbearable, he remained unfazed.
But the one who truly shattered his defenses was Xie Yuyan. Though she had always treated him well and taken care of him in daily life, it was only after certain unspeakable events that Ye Feng finally chose to be with her.
On one hand, he didn’t want to ruin the new life he had finally found meaning in. On the other, his unique circumstances made emotional attachments difficult.
Yet, in the end, the outcome was clear...
"Enough, Yuxin! Don’t bring this up again. It’s not as serious as you think. Besides, I’ve always seen you as a little sister. Can you just behave, please?"
"......"
This time, Su Yuxin didn’t respond with her usual playful cheerfulness. Instead, her emerald-green eyes bore into Ye Feng with an unsettling intensity, sending a familiar chill down his spine.
But she quickly composed herself. She had listened carefully to every word Ye Feng said, down to his tone and speech patterns.
Her conclusion? His words carried deception—there was something forcing his hand.
If I can exploit this weakness and widen the gap, maybe Brother Ye Feng will come back to me. Then he’ll finally understand how devoted I am to him.
"I understand, Brother Ye Feng. Then... see you next week~"
"Alright."
ose... to cooperate with the protagonist! Shen Yuan: I have a system! Protagonist: What? System: Holy crap, you're just spilling it out like that? Shen Yuan: Let's team up, we'll split the system rewards! Protagonist: Fifty-fifty split? Shen Yuan: No way! Protagonist: What!? I'm the one getting beaten up, and I don't get half? Shen Yuan: Forty-sixty split, I get forty, you get sixty! Protagonist: Deal! Big brother, come on, hit me! As long as it doesn't kill me, beat me like you mean it! Shen Yuan: Don't worry... I will definitely protect all of you! No one but me can lay a finger on you! Guard our Heaven's Chosen Ones! I'm the only one allowed to bully them!
ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!
ts me of treason?" "Correct. The host must return to the capital and gradually build up influence." "Wait—I have half a million soldiers, and you want me to go back to the capital to 'build influence'?" "Host, you are currently the Northern Garrison General, loyal to the Great Xia Dynasty." "Of course I am loyal to Great Xia! Absolutely loyal!" "But you keep referring to yourself as 'We'..." "Never mind the details! Summon all the regional commanders and military officers! We suspect treacherous officials are manipulating the court! They shall march with Us to the capital and purge the corrupt!" "......"
lity and could only live as an ordinary mortal. He only wished to live a peaceful life. Yet he didn't know— The dog he adopted, because it ate his food, became a legendary demon king. The kitchen knife he casually forged became a peerless divine weapon, causing numerous experts to fight desperately for it. The young disciple he took in became an immortal lord that led an era, due to cultivating the techniques Ye Feng taught him. Even the skeletons he looked down on the most were ominous demon kings that suppressed countless worlds. Many years later, looking at the void shattered with a punch, Ye Feng murmured to himself: It turns out the peerless kings were myself all along...
