The blonde-haired person howled in agony, his face turning deathly pale in an instant, tears streaming out, "Motherfucker—"
His eyes bloodshot, he hadn't yet managed to muster any resistance before Lan Jin grabbed his arms and twisted them behind his back, then with a fierce raise of her leg, she kicked him hard behind his knees.
Huang Qiang's knee joint made a noise, and he fell to one knee, a sense of humiliation rising within him.
"Apologize."
Lan Jin roughly grabbed his hair, forcing him to lift his head and face Lan Yichen.
"Hiss—"
Huang Qiang felt a numbness in his scalp from the pain, a hint of panic finally setting in amidst the resentment, thinking a wise man does not court danger, and an apology was just an apology to bide time for revenge later.
"I'm sorry..."
Huang Qiang squeezed out the three words with extreme humiliation, not an ounce of sincerity. Instead, he was gnashing his teeth, his hatred intensifying.
Lan Yichen, standing in front of him, had been dumbfounded all along, standing still as if turned to stone.
At this moment, his gaze toward Lan Jin was more horrifying than encountering a fierce ghost, staying frozen for quite a while without snapping back to reality.
"Louder, didn't you eat?"
Lan Jin was relentless, forcing him to tilt his head back at a 45-degree angle with violent means.
His scalp felt like it was about to explode; the fear suddenly trumped the loathing, and he apologized hurriedly:
"Sorry, sorry, I was wrong, I deserve punishment..."
"So dirty."
Lan Jin immediately let go, disgustingly tossing him aside, then pulled out a handkerchief from her pocket and began wiping her hands methodically.
The midday sunlight, filtering through the gaps in the eaves, shone upon her, bestowing a sacred glow, instantly dispersing the gloom and dazzlingly stirring the heart.
"Let's go."
Seeing Lan Yichen still dazedly rooted to the spot, she reached out and patted his shoulder, calling back his wandering spirit.
Lan Yichen's steps seemed somewhat unsteady as he followed behind Lan Jin, leaving the alley in front of her and behind her.
It wasn't until the two were seated in a restaurant that Lan Yichen began to come to his senses, still in a state of shock.
"You... how did you become so powerful?" Lan Yichen looked at the person across from him in disbelief.
"Order anything you like, my treat."
Lan Jin didn't answer his question but simply continued to peruse the menu.
"Oh, then I won't hold back."
Although Lan Yichen had his doubts, it was his own sister after all. After three years, he finally felt that sense of being protected by his sister again, which was very warm.
He relaxed, resumed his usual insouciant pose, leaned back in his chair nonchalantly, ordered, and muttered to himself.
"It would be nice if we could eat at Lotus Spring Garden."
Unfortunately, Lotus Spring Garden was run by the Zhen Family, the arch-rivals of the Lan Family. Lotus Spring Garden was a famously good restaurant, where one would need to reserve at least half a month in advance, a testament to its popularity.
Mr. Lan Sr and Lan Yanhao had both given the order: no one from the Lan Family was to dine at Lotus Spring Garden for the rest of their lives—any violator would have their leg broken.
Many friends around Lan Yichen had been there, singing praises of how delicious the food at the restaurant was, so good that it could make a person want to swallow their tongue.
Unfortunately, it was too difficult to reserve a seat, and the prices were also quite steep, unaffordable for an average household.
As a result, Lotus Spring Garden had become a popular spot for the upper class, especially for those large families with status and background, who had fixed seats there without the need for reservations.
Lan Yichen had been dying to go there, but he dared not challenge the authority of his own grandfather and father; he could only hide and drool in silence.