"Ye Feng, don't you think letting that punk go so easily is just too lenient?" Hao Jian grumbled, chewing on a skewer as he spoke. He couldn't help but feel that just slapping the guy wasn't enough for harassing Lin Shiyun.
"Of course, it's not that simple. Didn't you hear what he said before he left?" A glint of icy determination flashed in Ye Feng's eyes as he responded. Anyone who dared to lay a finger on Lin Shiyun would never escape unscathed.
"You mean he's going to call for reinforcements?" Hao Jian asked, piecing it together.
"Well, obviously," Van Tong interjected with a scoff.
"Doesn't matter. Who's afraid of a bunch of low-level thugs anyway?" Van Tong added dismissively, clearly unimpressed. To him, these small-time troublemakers weren't even worth mentioning. Even the so-called big shots in the city's underworld held no sway over him, thanks to his family background—though compared to Ye Feng, he still felt like a novice.
"Ye Feng, let's just go. If they come back with backup, it might get messy," Lin Shiyun said nervously, worry flickering in her eyes. She couldn't bear the thought of anything happening to Ye Feng.
"Don't worry. Didn't I say? One comes, I'll deal with one. Two come, I'll take on two. Your man is more than capable," Ye Feng reassured her with unwavering confidence. Unless an expert far superior to his martial arts skills appeared—a rarity in this world—no number of opponents would pose a threat to him.
"Alright, alright. Let's drink." Ye Feng raised his beer toward Hao Jian and Van Tong with a sly grin. "I'll bet fifty cents that punk will show up with his backup within ten minutes."
"Cheers to that," Van Tong laughed, raising his glass.
"Ah, enjoying a cool beer on a street corner, savoring skewers, and with a beauty like Sister-in-law here—this is what life is all about," Hao Jian declared dramatically, raising his cup before downing it in one gulp.
"Classy," Ye Feng teased, shaking his head.
"Brother Wei, it's them—those four over there. The tall one sitting next to the girl is the one who hit me. You've got to help me settle this score!" Huang Mao spat out venomously as he led a gang of a dozen thugs. The sting from Ye Feng's slap still lingered, and he burned with the humiliation. In his mind, that stunning girl would soon belong to his boss tonight.
"Second Dog, is that schoolgirl really as beautiful as you've been raving about?" Brother Wei asked impatiently, his focus entirely on the girl rather than who had hit Huang Mao.
"Brother Wei, she's the kind of beauty you'd think only exists in the heavens—an ethereal gem rare to find on Earth," Huang Mao replied, his eyes gleaming with lust as he recalled Lin Shiyun's unparalleled beauty.
"Alright, if she's really that stunning, and if I'm satisfied tonight, you'll be handsomely rewarded," Brother Wei said with a lecherous grin.
"Thank you, Brother Wei. I'm deeply grateful!" Huang Mao exclaimed, his voice trembling with gratitude.
Huang Mao had originally been enjoying a barbecue with Brother Wei at a nearby stall when, during a brief trip to relieve himself, he happened to catch sight of Lin Shiyun's radiant beauty. Overcome by lust, he had gone over to harass her but ended up with a stinging slap from Ye Feng. Realizing he couldn't handle the situation on his own, he had rushed back to seek his boss's aid.
"Brother Wei, it's them—the four sitting there. The tall one beside the girl is the one who hit me!" Huang Mao barked, leading Brother Wei and the gang toward Ye Feng's table with righteous fury.
"Brother Wei?" Hao Jian echoed, smirking as he overheard the name. "Man, that's one unique name."
His comment drew chuckles from Ye Feng and Van Tong. Being men, they immediately connected the name with a certain infamous product.
"What are you laughing at?" Lin Shiyun asked, puzzled by the trio's amused expressions.
"It's nothing, really," Ye Feng replied, suppressing his laughter. Judging by her innocence, it was better not to explain the reason.
"You think he gave himself that name because he's compensating for something?" Van Tong joked slyly.
"Definitely," Hao Jian agreed with a hearty laugh, showing no fear of the approaching thugs.
"Are these guys idiots? We're here, and they're still laughing!" one of the thugs muttered incredulously.
"Idiots? Look again, moron—there's a goddess sitting right there. Take those three guys somewhere quiet and teach them a lesson. As for the girl, she's mine," Brother Wei sneered, his gaze locked on Lin Shiyun.
"Over my dead body," Ye Feng growled, his expression darkening as he noted Brother Wei's lecherous stare. Lin Shiyun was his—his untouchable treasure.
"Hey, what's going on here?!" Lin Shiyun whispered nervously, inching closer to Ye Feng.
"Don't worry. I'm here. Stay behind me," Ye Feng said reassuringly, gently gripping her hand. Turning to Hao Jian and Van Tong, he ordered, "You two, make sure to protect Shiyun."
"Got it," they replied without hesitation, moving to shield Lin Shiyun. After witnessing Ye Feng's strength on the rooftop against Left Fei's gang, they had an unshakable faith in his abilities.
"You've got a death wish, kid," Brother Wei snarled, gesturing for his men to move in. All notions of discretion in a public place had been cast aside.
"Take him down! If I get my hands on that girl, there'll be rewards for everyone!" Brother Wei promised.
"You're the one who's courting death," Ye Feng said coldly, his anger erupting. No one was allowed to sully Lin Shiyun—not even the king of the heavens himself.