It's Love, Can't Hide That Flustered Gaze

The moment Su Zhenhai was sent flying backwards, the space in the courtyard rippled like water. A tall, slender figure stepped out of the void and stood in front of Su Qingyue, shielding her from all danger.

The newcomer was none other than Qin Hao. He ignored the others in the courtyard and instead turned to look at his patron, Su Qingyue.

Teardrops rolled down Su Qingyue's fair and delicate cheeks, making her picturesque features look even more pitiful and moving.

Qin Hao gently wiped away her tears, his voice full of apology. "Qingyue, I am sorry. I am late."

Qin Hao was very satisfied with his own performance. Jokes aside, when it came to playing the deeply affectionate lover, he was a professional.

"You, are you my rented Dao companion?" Su Qingyue's red, teary almond eyes appraised Qin Hao with curiosity.

The man before her was completely different from what she had imagined. There was no trace of the wretchedness or sycophancy she expected. Instead, he possessed an ease that seeped into his very bones, a condescending calmness that viewed all creation as nothing but dust.

His face was extraordinarily handsome, especially his eyes. The moment Su Qingyue met his gaze, she felt as if her soul was being sucked in. Those eyes seemed capable of seeing through all secrets.

She even saw what appeared to be visions of primal chaos opening and stars being born and dying within them. This was the phenomenon of his dual pupils not yet fully concealed.

Qin Hao gently tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Drop the word 'rented'. I am your Dao companion, Qin Hao."

His intimate gesture brought a slight blush to Su Qingyue's cheeks. It was her first time being in such close contact with the opposite sex. Somewhat at a loss, she lowered her head in shyness.

Qin Hao gently held her hand, which was slightly cold from despair. His movements were incredibly natural, as if he had practiced them millions of times.

"Your hands are so cold." Qin Hao lightly stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. A stream of warm and gentle spiritual energy passed over, instantly dispelling her chill and fatigue.

Su Qingyue's body stiffened. An electric sensation instantly spread from the back of her hand throughout her entire body. Having her hand held by a man for the first time made her heart pound like a drum.

She wanted to pull her hand back, but the warmth of Qin Hao's palm seemed to carry a reassuring power, giving her an indescribable sense of security.

On the other side, Su Zhenhai, who had been swatted away by Qin Hao's palm strike, slowly stood up. He glared at Qin Hao with wide, angry eyes and gritted his teeth. "Who are you! Why are you causing trouble in my Su family?"

Qin Hao said nothing, simply turning his head calmly to look at Su Zhenhai.

Those eyes were so profound they could swallow a person whole. Su Zhenhai felt as if he were being stared down by an immemorial vicious beast. His back was instantly drenched in cold sweat, and all his angry curses caught in his throat, unable to make a single sound.

Clang!

The guards beside him fared even worse. Just by meeting Qin Hao's gaze, their legs went weak. They could not even maintain a grip on their swords, letting them drop straight to the ground.

Su Zhenhai forcefully suppressed the fear in his heart and shouted, tough on the outside but trembling within, "Who, who exactly are you? Trespassing in my Su family and interfering with our domestic affairs! Do you know that the Su family are in-laws with the Lord of Clear Wind City? He is a mighty Golden Core realm expert!"

"A mighty Golden Core expert? Heh, since when could someone in the Golden Core realm be called a mighty expert?" Qin Hao's eyes were full of disdain. It was not just that he looked down on Su Zhenhai; everyone present was trash in his eyes! Except for his patron, of course.

As the Imperial Son of a Desolate Ancient Family, even a dog raised by Qin Hao had a cultivation base higher than the Golden Core realm. To think Su Zhenhai vainly attempted to use a Golden Core cultivator to intimidate him, what a naive thought!

"Get lost!" Qin Hao shouted lightly. He did not even make a physical move; a faint, almost imperceptible flash of light merely swept across his dual pupils.

Boom!

Su Zhenhai was struck as if by an invisible giant hammer, screaming as he was sent flying backwards once again.

He crashed heavily into the courtyard wall, smashing through several walls before finally coming to a stop.

"Blegh!"

Su Zhenhai violently spat out a mouthful of blood. The look he directed at Qin Hao was filled with terror. In this moment, he finally realized that if Qin Hao wanted to kill him, it would only take a single thought.

Su Qingyue stared blankly at everything happening before her, her red lips slightly parted and her almond eyes wide open.

What had just happened? That powerful father of hers, who was always dignified, whose word was absolute law, and who possessed a cultivation at the eighth level of the Foundation Establishment realm, was actually so helpless and vulnerable before this man who claimed to be her Dao companion?

There had been no earth-shattering clash of spells, no fierce battle. Qin Hao had merely glanced at him and lightly uttered the words 'get lost', and her father had been sent flying backward without even the slightest room to struggle.

Was this his true strength?

Su Qingyue's heart pounded wildly in her chest. Such an understated, effortless crushing display completely overturned her understanding of the world. At the same time, an unprecedented sense of security enveloped her.

The commotion in the small courtyard soon attracted the people outside, among whom was the steward of the City Lord's Estate.

Upon seeing his master's delicate young bride-to-be holding hands with another man, the steward, Zhang San, shouted loudly, "Bah! You shameless slut! You are about to marry my master, yet here you are tangling with another man. How disgraceful and indecent!"

Qin Hao extremely naturally covered Su Qingyue's ears, isolating her from most of the outside clamor.

Su Qingyue looked up at Qin Hao's face, which was close at hand, feeling the warmth radiating from his palms. At the tip of her nose, she could even catch the crisp, pleasant scent lingering on him.

'Is he doing this so that the other party's foul language will not reach my ears?'

An unprecedented emotion began to spread from the bottom of Su Qingyue's heart.

"Where did you come from, you wild brat! How dare you touch my master's woman! Do you know that my master is the only mighty Golden Core realm expert within a hundred miles?"

"Noisy! Die!"

Qin Hao glanced at Zhang San, his tone flat. From the depths of his right eye, a destructive black light shot forth.

The instant his words fell, the veins all over Zhang San's body bulged, and his body began to rapidly swell.

With a loud bang, Zhang San exploded into a mist of blood on the spot, not even having the time to let out a scream.

Having done this, Qin Hao raised his eyes to look at the surrounding crowd. "Who else among you has an issue with my, Qin Hao's, Dao companion?" His voice was not loud, but it carried an invisible, oppressive might that made everyone's heart stop.

The sound of people dropping to their knees rang out in succession. Having witnessed Qin Hao's terrifying strength, who would dare to act out of line?

Being cared for like this for the first time, Su Qingyue's nose tingled, and tears welled up in her eyes.

Qin Hao raised his hand, incredibly naturally wiping away the tears that had somehow seeped from the corners of her eyes again. "Why are you crying again? That trash City Lord here bullied you, right? Let us go to the City Lord's Estate right now and settle this matter once and for all, okay?"

Qin Hao's voice was soft, but it made Su Qingyue feel incredibly at peace.

"Rest assured. With me here, from now on, no one will ever dare to force you to do anything you do not want to do."

Hearing these words, all the fear and grievance in Su Qingyue's heart were submerged by a much vaster, more turbulent, and utterly irresistible emotion. It was far more than just a sense of security.

It was an irresistible fluttering of the heart, a deep surrender to the feeling of being treasured, protected, and claimed with a fierce yet tender possessiveness.

Su Qingyue let out a soft murmur, and then, almost instinctively, nestled even closer into Qin Hao's embrace.