Yang Chen was not that petty, so he did not want to be angry with Lin Qingxue. Although their misunderstanding did make Yang Chen feel somewhat discouraged, he then thought about the deceased Lin Nan. He thought to himself, "Lin Nan only has this one younger sister, Qingxue, who is still just a young girl. Why should I hold her to the same standards as myself?"
With this in mind, Yang Chen softened his tone and said, "Qingxue, I have no relation to you. So, I cannot really be your master. If I lose later, you can choose not to acknowledge me. After all, you never promised anything. Also, don't worry, I will absolutely not lose. So there's no point discussing what kind of person I am now. Everything will become clear in three days. What do you think?"
Lin Qingxue's tender body shuddered as she suddenly realized how ridiculously wrong she had been, judging a noble person with such a petty mind. She could imagine how much she and Qingqing had hurt Yang Chen's feelings. He had wholeheartedly protected them, yet they had suspected his motives.
"I'm sorry!" Lin Qingxue's eyes reddened as she struggled to steady her emotions.
Hearing the hurt in her voice, Yang Chen's heart softened. He laughed heartily and said, "Silly girl, I see you as a sister, so there's nothing to apologize for."
"But why would you help us like this?" Lin Qingxue still wondered.
Yang Chen fell silent.
He knew he could no longer brush off Lin Qingxue with the same old excuses, but he also did not want to tell her that Lin Nan had died.
"Perhaps it's fate," Yang Chen finally said. "I enjoy an unrestrained life. Coming here was an opportunity, and since we've met, I cannot simply stand idly by if you're in trouble."
"Is that really it?" Lin Qingxue asked. "But for someone like you, how could you be content being a mere security guard?"
Yang Chen felt a headache coming on. After a while, he said, "There's nothing wrong with being a security guard. It's the life I enjoy. Just know this - I would never harm you."
Lin Qingxue fell silent.
She could not completely trust Yang Chen either, as trust takes time to build.
After that, their conversation ended.
Sitting nearby, Xu Qing had been listening the whole time. "Was that your boss you were on the phone with earlier?"
Yang Chen nodded.
"So it turns out your boss is a young girl," Xu Qing said sincerely. "Your boss is really incredible."
Xu Qing felt dejected about her own lack of accomplishments.
Noticing this, Yang Chen smiled slightly and said, "Qing-jie, you are also one of a kind."
Xu Qing's brow softened as she smiled faintly, "You really know how to comfort people."
Yang Chen chuckled.
Then Xu Qing seemed to remember something and asked with concern, "I overheard you talking earlier about winning or losing something in three days. What was that about?"
Not wanting Xu Qing to worry, Yang Chen casually said, "Just a small matter that I can handle."
Seeing Yang Chen's nonchalant attitude, Xu Qing did not pry further.
By the time they returned to the rental apartment with the barbecue and beer, it was already 7:30 pm.
Night had just fallen.
They were still in Xu Qing's room, which she had tidied up.
The two sat at the table, clinking their glasses together.
On this summer night, with the electric fan blowing and cold beer and barbecue to enjoy, it was quite pleasant.
Xu Qing ate the barbecue elegantly and charmingly, her little mouth particularly alluring, making one want to lean in and give her a kiss.
Smelling Xu Qing's fragrance, Yang Chen felt utterly at ease.
They quickly downed a few bottles of beer.
Xu Qing's cheeks flushed red as she did not have a high alcohol tolerance. She felt a bit tipsy and emboldened, suddenly saying, "Yang Chen, why are you so good to me?"
Yang Chen was taken aback.
He did want to say that he liked her.
But he also knew that Xu Qing was quite sensitive, and he was afraid that if he said it, she might leave this rental apartment.
Embarrassingly, Yang Chen realized that what he feared most was not being able to see Xu Qing bathe anymore - the happiest and most eagerly anticipated part of his day!
"Why aren't you saying anything?" Xu Qing asked with a cute pout.
This charming, adorably coy Xu Qing did not seem at all like a mother of a five-year-old child.
So Yang Chen said, "It's because you're so beautiful, Qing-jie. You have such a wonderful grace that makes people want to be close to you. You're something beautiful, so I can't help but be good to you. It's like how people can't help but admire and care for a beautiful flower when they see one."
Yang Chen certainly knew how to speak to a woman's heart. What do women love most? The timeless desire to be called beautiful.
As expected, Xu Qing beamed with delight, but she still said, "What beauty? I'm just an old maid now."
Yang Chen immediately exaggerated, "If you're not beautiful, Qing-jie, then are there any beautiful women left in this world?"
"Hahaha!" Xu Qing laughed heartily. "You little rascal, such a silver tongue!"
Yang Chen quickly said sincerely, "Qing-jie, I always say exactly what I mean and tell the truth!"
Xu Qing burst into laughter, laughing until tears came to her eyes. She was truly happy - happier than she had been in a long time.
"Cheers!" Xu Qing raised her glass.
Yang Chen immediately raised his as well.
After drinking more, Xu Qing eventually became drowsy and fell asleep.
Yang Chen gazed at the slumbering Xu Qing on the bed. Her black dress had ridden up slightly, revealing her snowy white thighs and the color of her underwear beneath.
It was an extremely alluring sight.
Yang Chen's desire surged wildly again. He really wanted to cast aside all restraint and strip off Xu Qing's dress.
That would be the pinnacle of indulgence.
But Yang Chen forcefully suppressed this urge.
Xu Qing was like a flower, and doing that would be tantamount to defiling her beauty. He would then lose the chance to admire her loveliness ever again.
He felt he could not betray Xu Qing's trust.
So after downing two gulps of cold beer to douse the fire in his belly, Yang Chen helped Xu Qing wash her face and feet before turning off the lights and quietly leaving her room.
In the presidential suite of the Dihao Grand Hotel, Luo Ren was seated cross-legged on the living room sofa.
It was dimly lit, with no lights on.
Only the faint glow of street lamps outside filtered in through the floor-to-ceiling window slit.
Luo Ren's breathing seemed to blend with the entire living room, making it difficult for an outsider to detect any human presence inside.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.
Luo Ren said calmly, "Come in."
The door opened, and Du Yi and Qi Jiaojiaoć„ entered. Qi Jiaojiao carried a food box filled with delicious vegetarian dishes.
As soon as he entered, Du Yi respectfully called out, "Master."
Qi Jiaojiao also said, "Big Brother Luo, we've prepared a vegetarian meal for you. Please eat."
Luo Ren did not respond but simply uncrossed his legs and sat properly on the sofa.
"How did the notifications go?" Luo Ren asked Du Yi.
Du Yi did not dare neglect his question, replying, "Reporting to Master, Grand Masters Zhu Hongzhi, Xue Lianhu, and Liu Zhengyi have all agreed to come and officiate. As for the Eagle King and the Little Martial King, they said they could not make it, so theywill not be present."