The young master's frown deepened as he watched their intimate interaction. His chest was instantly filled with a strange mix of jealousy and anger.
This who**! he thought bitterly. She acted all pure and delicate when I was trying to be generous. Didn't want me near her, wouldn't even let me touch her! But now, she's letting him pat her head? Clinging to him like some saviour?
The young master's hands balled into fists, his ego bruised as he watched the girl's teary gratitude directed at someone else.
Meanwhile, Lin Fang paid no attention to the young master's growing resentment. His focus remained on the girl. He reached into his pouch and pulled out a small piece of cloth, handing it to her.
"Here, wipe your tears," he said softly.
She hesitated for a moment, then took the cloth with trembling hands.
"T-Thank you," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Lin Fang nodded again and stood, turning his gaze back to the two men. His previously calm expression hardened slightly, his eyes narrowing as he sized them up.
The young master finally broke the silence, his voice dripping with disdain. "Who are you to interfere in matters that don't concern you?"
Lin Fang raised an eyebrow, tilting his head slightly as if genuinely considering the question.
"Who am I?" he repeated. "Well, just someone who doesn't like seeing people act like garbage."
The young master's face flushed with anger. "You dare insult me?! Do you know who I am?"
"Nope," Lin Fang replied, his tone cheerful. "And frankly, I don't care. But if your introduction is going to take as long as your pathetic attempt to scare me, can we skip to the part where you leave her alone?"
The old man, sensing the young master's rising temper, stepped forward. "Young man," he said cautiously, "it would be wise to walk away. The consequences of meddling in affairs like this could be dire."
Lin Fang smiled faintly, his tone light but firm. "You're welcome to try and teach me those 'consequences.' But I warn you—it won't end the way you think."
The young master's pride burned, but Lin Fang stood calmly, his easygoing demeanour making the old man think twice.
The girl, still clutching the cloth Lin Fang had given her, looked up at him with awe. For the first time, her tears stopped, replaced by a flicker of hope that she was saved.
The old man leaned in close to the young master, his voice a hushed whisper meant only for the two of them. Although, unknownest to him, Lin Fang was able to hear every word.
"Young master," he murmured, his tone cautious, "I can't sense this man's cultivation realm. Either he's far stronger than me, or…" He hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "Or he's just an ordinary human. It's not worth risking our lives for this woman now."
He glanced at Lin Fang, who stood with an almost lazy posture, one hand resting lightly at his side, his gaze calm yet unyielding. The old man's instincts screamed that something was off. Better to retreat and live to fight another day.
"We can leave for now," he continued, his voice urging reason. "Gather more support, then come back and teach these two a proper lesson. What do you think?"
But the young master wasn't listening. His eyes were locked on the woman standing behind Lin Fang, her tear-streaked face lit with an expression he could only describe as… admiration.
Admiration for that man.
The young master's chest tightened as jealousy surged through him like wildfire.
"Damn it," he thought bitterly, his hands clenching into fists. 'Why can't I get a gaze like that?'
His mind flashed back to the mirror that had been his tormentor. The face staring back at him was always the same—plain, awkward, with features that seemed to mock him with their mediocrity.
A face that only a mother would love.
He had talent. That much was undeniable. But no matter how high he climbed, no matter how much power he amassed, his looks held him back. The only way women ever came to his side was through his status and wealth.
Not once had anyone fallen for him.
And now, here was this nameless nobody standing there, and this woman—this woman who rejected him so fiercely just moments ago—was gazing at him like he was some kind of immortal.
It burned. It clawed at his chest like a physical pain.
The old man noticed the young master's silence and leaned in again, speaking urgently. "Young master, we should leave. This isn't the time—"
"No," the young master hissed, his voice venomous. His eyes, still locked on Lin Fang, blazed with fury. "We're not going anywhere."
"But—"
"No BUTS!" he snapped, cutting the old man off. "We're killing them both. Right here. Right now."
The old man stiffened, his brows furrowing. "Young master, this is reckless. If he's as strong as he appears—"
"He's bluffing," the young master snarled, his voice rising. "Do you see him using any qi? Any technique? He's all talk and no substance. A con artist trying to scare us off. If we leave now, what's stopping them from running? This will be my heart's demon, if that demon forms my dad will not only kill you, but he will not be satisfied until your whole lineage is extinct."
The old man hesitated, glancing at Lin Fang again. His instincts told him to retreat just in case, but the young master's wrath was not something he could disobey lightly.
The young master's face twisted further, his jealousy transforming into rage.
"He can have her admiration," the young master thought darkly, "but he won't live to enjoy it. Neither of them will."
"Attack them," he muttered, his voice dripping with malice. "Now!"
The old man straightened, his reluctance buried beneath years of drilled obedience. With a reluctant nod, he prepared himself, his qi beginning to gather.
Lin Fang, still standing with that infuriatingly calm expression, raised an eyebrow as he watched their exchange.
"Looks like you two are having a lively discussion," he said, his tone casual.
The young master glared at him, his face a storm of anger and humiliation.
"You'll die today," he spat, his voice trembling with rage. "I'll make sure of it."
Lin Fang sighed, shaking his head. "You know," he said, "you really should listen to your old man there. He seems like the only one here with half a brain."