...
When Xia Rou saw Yan Xiaobao throwing another punch without saying a word, she quickly pulled two hundred bucks out of her pocket, tossed it on the table, grabbed him, and tried to leave. Zheng Xiaoyu and Chen Long had no choice but to painfully abandon the spicy crawfish they were just about to eat and hurriedly followed.
"You bastard! Attacking me by surprise and now trying to leave?" Lobster Liu, humiliated in front of everyone, burned with rage. He shouted, "Brothers, grab the weapons!"
The cooks, helpers, and servers at Lobster Liu's shop were all his cronies. They immediately grabbed kitchen knives, spatulas, and tongs and surged forward, surrounding Yan Xiaobao and his group.
The surrounding crowd saw the situation escalating and became even more eager to watch the drama. For onlookers with no skin in the game, the bigger the scene, the more entertaining it got.
Surrounded by seven or eight ferocious thugs wielding various "weapons," Xia Rou, Zheng Xiaoyu, and Chen Long turned pale with fright. They had never experienced anything like this in their lives.
Zheng Xiaoyu's voice trembled as she said, "S-Sister Xia Rou, should we… call the police?"
"Do you think they'll give us a chance to call the police?" Xia Rou forced a bitter smile and tugged on Yan Xiaobao's sleeve, whispering to him, "Don't act impulsively. I'll just pay them off to calm things down."
But Yan Xiaobao laughed—laughed as if he were genuinely amused. He shouted at the gang of thugs, "What's wrong? Did you see that fat pig rolling on the ground and think it looks fun? Want to give it a try yourselves?"
Hearing this, Xia Rou and the others instantly felt a collective black line drop across their foreheads… This guy wasn't satisfied with how big the scene already was? He had to go pour gasoline on the fire? What a troublemaker!
The thugs raised their makeshift "weapons" and started cursing:
"Get lost, you idiot! Don't you know whose turf this is? Coming here to make trouble—are you blind?"
"Screw you! You're already at death's door yet acting all cocky. I'll personally teach you the meaning of the word 'death'!"
"Quit yakking with this punk, everyone. Let's beat him up!"
"Hold it!" Lobster Liu, holding his beer belly with both hands, swaggered forward. His greedy eyes roamed over Xia Rou's curvy figure as he let out a lewd chuckle. "Hey there, gorgeous. I, Lobster Liu, am a reasonable man; I don't enjoy unnecessary fights. How do you think we should handle this?"
Xia Rou, although extremely nervous and terrified, mustered up her courage and replied, "It's our fault that my friend kicked you. I apologize on his behalf… and we're willing to compensate you for your medical fees. Is that okay?"
That earlier kick from Yan Xiaobao hadn't even been hard, and Lobster Liu wasn't actually injured. But Xia Rou knew they were in the wrong for initiating the fight and braced herself for extortion.
"I have to admit, I like your attitude. Makes it hard for me to hold a grudge," Lobster Liu laughed heartily. "If you agree to have a couple of drinks with me, this matter's settled."
Upon hearing this, Xia Rou's face changed instantly. She knew all too well the tricks of sleazy gangsters like him. Those "couple of drinks" wouldn't be so simple—one wrong move, and her dignity might not survive the night.
Seeing Xia Rou looking hesitant, Lobster Liu raised the stakes with a smirk, "What's wrong? Don't I deserve just this little bit of respect? If you don't agree… well, let's just say this isn't going to end well."
"Huh?" Yan Xiaobao stepped forward, cutting Lobster Liu off. He looked genuinely puzzled as he asked, "I kicked you, yet you're inviting my wife to drink with you? Shouldn't you be inviting me for a drink if you're scared of me?"
Swish, swish, swish! Everyone's eyes turned to focus squarely on Yan Xiaobao.
Is this guy a complete idiot? Everyone could see Lobster Liu had designs on Xia Rou's beauty and was using the drinks as a pretense. Was this kid genuinely clueless or pretending to be?"
"Are you stupid?!" Zheng Xiaoyu, so mad that she forgot her fear, scolded Yan Xiaobao from behind, "He's not inviting Sister Xia Rou for a friendly drink. He's trying to get her drunk and take advantage of her!"
"What?!" Yan Xiaobao's face twisted in fury. "You filthy pig, how dare you try to put your hands on my wife!" With that, he charged at Lobster Liu in a whirlwind of anger.
"Pow! Pow! Pow!"
"Crash! Bang!"
Before anyone could react, Yan Xiaobao had already knocked Lobster Liu to the ground in a fit of raw rage, kicking his massive body around like a soccer ball.
"You like drinking, don't you? Well, let me serve you properly!" Still fuming, Yan Xiaobao stormed to the beer keg near the shop's entrance. With one hand, he effortlessly lifted the shin-high stainless steel keg over his head as if it were weightless.
Well, damn!
The crowd collectively gasped as they drew in sharp breaths.
That keg, if filled to capacity, had to weigh at least 800-1000 pounds, right…?
Holding the massive keg aloft, Yan Xiaobao looked like some mythical conqueror hefting a mountain—extremely imposing.
Lobster Liu's gang of seven or eight thugs, who hadn't even had time to jump in for backup, were now frozen in fear, rooted to the spot. Their makeshift weapons—knives, spatulas, tongs—fell to the ground with a clatter.
"Aah! No… please… have mercy!"
Seeing Yan Xiaobao poised to bring the massive keg smashing down, Lobster Liu shrieked in terror from the ground, pleading for his life.
But Yan Xiaobao was unmoved. Lifting the keg high, he took measured steps toward Lobster Liu, ready to end it all.
"Stop!" Xia Rou rushed forward, calling out to Yan Xiaobao, "Stop, stop! You'll kill him like this!"
"But that's the plan?!" Yan Xiaobao, still holding the keg aloft, looked completely justified as he replied, "Anyone who dares go after my wife gets beaten to death!"
"..."
Even though Yan Xiaobao's level of violence might have gone overboard, Xia Rou couldn't help but feel a strange sense of warmth in her heart at his words.
After all, what woman doesn't appreciate a sense of safety? Men with dominant, protective airs often have a way of winning over women's hearts.
"Killing someone is illegal. Put the keg down right now…" Xia Rou placed a gentle hand on Yan Xiaobao's arm, her voice soft as she coaxed him, "You've already given him a good beating. It's not worth breaking the law over someone like him."
"Fine. Since my dear Rourou has asked, I'll spare his worthless life. But since he's such a fan of drinking, I'll make sure he drinks to his heart's content." Yan Xiaobao looked down at the terrified, swollen-faced Lobster Liu and barked, "Chin up! Open your damn mouth!"
Lobster Liu, battered and bruised, dared not disobey. His head—swollen almost pig-like—lifted as he opened his mouth wide, resembling a frog about to croak.
With one hand, Yan Xiaobao held the keg. Then, with a loud "bam," he punched a fist-sized hole into its base, unleashing a wild torrent of fresh beer like a fire hose.
"Drink it all! Or I'll bash you to death!"
Under Yan Xiaobao's threats, Lobster Liu gulped down the beer in huge mouthfuls, spluttering uncontrollably.
In the blazing summer heat, taking a big gulp of refreshing, ice-cold draft beer is undoubtedly a pleasure.
But for someone like Lobster Liu, who first got beaten black and blue, then was forced to "DUANG! DUANG! DUANG!" chug down a massive barrel of draft beer, that feeling... well, it's something else entirely…
Even though draft beer has a low alcohol content and isn't easy to get drunk on, drinking such a massive barrel in one go—even if seven or eight-tenths spill out—isn't something a normal person could handle.
By the time half the beer in the barrel was gone, Lobster Liu was already wasted, passed out on the ground, twitching in spasms and vomiting non-stop, making the ground a filthy, disgusting mess.
Xia Rou covered her nose and mouth, stepping back a few paces in disgust.
Yan Xiaobao turned back to look at the seven or eight lackeys under Lobster Liu's command. "So, do you guys want to drink, or do you want to get the hell out of here for me to see?"
"Big bro, I don't drink…"
"Sir, I'm allergic to alcohol…"
"We'll leave... We'll leave right now!"
The seven or eight lackeys immediately dropped down and, in a remarkably standard forward-roll formation, rolled out of Yan Xiaobao's sight at lightning speed.
A few shop owners, who were always bullied by Lobster Liu's group, couldn't hold back any longer and burst into hearty laughter. The onlooking crowd followed suit, laughing and joking rowdily.
"Hahaha, today was really educational—I didn't know that's how the word 'roll' was written!"
"What goes around comes around. The evil always get their due."
"That little handsome guy is amazing. He must be the legendary Inheritor."
"Sigh, it's a pity he's already got a wife. Otherwise…"
"Oh, come on, sis. You're at least a whole zodiac cycle older than that young man…"
...
Xia Rou quickly led Yan Xiaobao and the others away from the scene, rushing off to another street where they found a Lanzhou Ramen shop to grab a quick bite. Too much had happened today, and all she wanted now was to go home, take a nice hot shower, and sleep soundly.
Compared to lobsters, both big and small, Lanzhou Ramen was much cheaper and far from fancy, but Yan Xiaobao didn't mind at all. On the contrary, he became quite intrigued by the art of hand-making knife-cut noodles, so much so that he personally sliced up a bowl.
"Rourou, my dear wife, look at my knife skills—pretty impressive, huh?" Yan Xiaobao beamed as he picked up the noodles he had sliced and presented them to Xia Rou as if offering a precious treasure. "Quick, taste them and see if the noodles I made are delicious!"
"Pfft… Cough, cough…" Chen Long nearly spat the noodles in his mouth onto Zheng Xiaoyu's face across the table.
Xia Rou and Zheng Xiaoyu, being much more innocent-minded than Chen Long, didn't find anything odd about the phrase "Are the noodles I made delicious?".
And, in fact, for Yan Xiaobao's first attempt at knife-cut noodles, the strands were whisper-thin, nearly as delicate as cicada wings, and astonishingly uniform in length, even better than those made by professional noodle chefs.
Xia Rou couldn't help but click her tongue in admiration. Curious, she picked up a strand of the noodles and tasted it; it was genuinely much better than the knife-cut noodles she usually had. "Not bad, pretty tasty." She hadn't eaten much in the shop earlier, and her appetite was now slightly piqued.
"Of course! The noodles I made myself must be the best tasting." Yan Xiaobao was overjoyed and happily whipped up three more bowls, asking the chef to cook them and then serving them himself.
"Thank you, Brother Bao." Chen Long, awed by Yan Xiaobao's martial arts skills, showed his gratitude with great respect.
"No need to thank me." Yan Xiaobao waved him off. "Honestly, if you two weren't my wife, I wouldn't bother making noodles for you to eat. But I got hooked on slicing the noodles earlier and ended up making extra, so count yourselves lucky."
"Who cares! If it weren't for you stirring up trouble, I'd still be happily feasting on spicy crawfish!" Zheng Xiaoyu scornfully turned up her nose and called out, "Boss, get me a bowl of ramen instead."
"If you're not eating it, then great—Rourou, my dear wife, you eat it." Yan Xiaobao wasn't angry and pushed Zheng Xiaoyu's bowl of noodles toward Xia Rou.
"One bowl is enough for me. You eat it yourself." Xia Rou pushed the bowl back toward Yan Xiaobao.
Yan Xiaobao didn't argue further, slurping down both bowls of noodles in no time. Seeing the ramen chef working on pulling noodles by hand, he found it fascinating and ran over to try making a bowl of hand-pulled noodles as well.
"You're eating again?" Xia Rou was slightly startled and tried to warn him. "Overeating isn't good for your health."
"This is only the third bowl." Yan Xiaobao slurped up a long strand of ramen. "Heavenly Sister always prepares lots of food for me so I'm well-fed and strong enough to practice my martial arts."
"Who's Heavenly Sister?" Xia Rou instinctively asked.
"Heavenly Sister is my mentor—and also my wife," Yan Xiaobao replied, his face lighting up with a warm, wistful expression.
"…" Xia Rou was rendered speechless.
This Yan Xiaobao was like a character straight out of a TV drama, someone who didn't seem to belong in this world.
"Heavenly Sister… Might as well call her Teletubbies…" Zheng Xiaoyu muttered as she ate her ramen, not missing the chance to throw shade.
Suddenly, a bone-chilling cold swept through the room, making Zheng Xiaoyu shiver involuntarily. When she looked up, she found herself face-to-face with Yan Xiaobao's razor-sharp, blade-like gaze. She let out a terrified scream, dropping her chopsticks in fright.
"Whoever dares speak ill of Heavenly Sister, I'll make them mute—they won't be able to say another word for life!" Yan Xiaobao's voice turned ice-cold and terrifying.
It was the first time Xia Rou had seen such a frightening expression from him, so she quickly tried to mediate. "Don't be angry. Xiao Yu wasn't saying anything bad about your Heavenly Sister."
"Is that true?" Yan Xiaobao asked doubtfully. "Wife, you better not lie to me, or I'll spank your butt!"
"Not lying, it's true." Chen Long chimed in hastily as well, "Teletubbies is a very famous children's cartoon, and its characters are super adorable."
"Oh, I see…" Yan Xiaobao's icy demeanor instantly melted, as if the frozen tundra had turned to blooming spring. "Heavenly Sister is the most beautiful woman in the world. Mhm, she's indeed very adorable too."
"Uh… Brother Bao, with your martial arts skills, are you…" Chen Long leaned in close and lowered his voice. "Are you one of those legendary Inheritors?"
Yan Xiaobao tilted his head. "What's an Inheritor?"
"I read about it on a mysterious website…" Chen Long said mysteriously, "Apparently, there are people in this world with extraordinary talents. They inherit certain legendary supernatural abilities and are called Inheritors."
"Supernatural abilities, huh… The internet's full of nonsense. Do you really believe everything you read? Use your brain." Zheng Xiaoyu interjected impatiently, rolling her eyes at Chen Long.
"Supernatural abilities are real!" Chen Long retorted stubbornly. "Many strange occurrences have actually happened. Without those abilities, how could ordinary people achieve such feats?"
"Yeah, sure—Batman, Superman, Thor, the Hulk… they're all real, huh?" Zheng Xiaoyu scoffed, clearly not in the mood for further debate, and continued eating her ramen.
"I think Brother Bao is definitely the Inheritor. Otherwise, it's impossible for him to be this skilled." Chen Long continued to insist on his guess.
"I've never heard of such a thing as an Inheritor." Yan Xiaobao kept eating his ramen, not very concerned about the topic.
"Brother Bao, you're so amazing. Can you teach me a few moves?" Chen Long looked at Yan Xiaobao with eager eyes.
Without even glancing at Chen Long, Yan Xiaobao said while eating, "You're not my wife, so why would I teach you? Besides, your innate bone structure is flawed, and you're malnourished. Teaching you martial arts would be a waste of my time."
"Exactly! Just look at yourself. Skinny as a stick, looking like a threadworm, and you named yourself Chen Long—what a joke!" Zheng Xiaoyu snorted disdainfully at Chen Long.
"Yeah, yeah, your figure is great!" Chen Long retaliated angrily, "Your chest and waist are the same width, yet you have the guts to laugh at me!"
"You're lying!" Zheng Xiaoyu raised her chopsticks and knocked them on Chen Long's head.
"Stop arguing! Just eat your noodles quietly!" Xia Rou, who had grown weary of dealing with their antics, sighed heavily.
...
The group finished their ramen, filled their stomachs, and walked out of the Lanzhou Ramen shop.
"Everyone should head home and rest early."
After Zheng Xiaoyu and Chen Long left, Xia Rou thought about the situation. Yan Xiaobao likely had nowhere else to go and no money on him, so she had to take care of his accommodation and meals.
Xia Rou's finances were extremely tight after Sun Peng had almost drained her purse. Adding on the fact that arranging for Yan Xiaobao to treat her sister's illness wouldn't be a quick matter, staying at a hotel was definitely out of the question. Fortunately, her roommates in the shared apartment wouldn't be returning soon, leaving the room vacant.
Xia Rou rented her apartment in a small complex called Hanlin Garden, diagonally opposite Binhai University.
Hanlin Garden was a welfare housing development built nearly twenty years ago by Binhai University for its staff. Despite being somewhat old, the surroundings were serene, and the residents—mainly university faculty—created a simple, harmonious atmosphere with good public safety.
Xia Rou had lived in Hanlin Garden for three or four years and had become acquainted with many of her neighbors. As she walked, she introduced Yan Xiaobao as her cousin to several familiar faces she encountered.
Yan Xiaobao wasn't entirely satisfied with this label, but he didn't say anything. Deep down, he thought to himself that he must work quickly to cure Xia Rou's patients and then officially take his rightful place as her husband.
Upon reaching the fifth floor, Xia Rou unlocked the door and led Yan Xiaobao inside.
It was an older two-bedroom apartment with a modest 67-square-meter layout. Although the furniture and appliances were somewhat outdated, the place was impeccably clean and cozy, adorned with light beige curtains and fresh lilies in vases.
Standing in the living room, facing the two bedroom doors side by side, Xia Rou thought for a moment. Having a strange man stay in her roommates' room didn't feel right, so she said to Yan Xiaobao, "You can stay in my room."
"Sure," Yan Xiaobao agreed readily. In his mind, Xia Rou was his wife, so it seemed natural to stay in her room.
"I'm really worn out tonight. Tomorrow, I'll take you to buy some essentials."
While speaking, Xia Rou found him a new toothbrush and towel and handed them to him. She frowned slightly and said, "You're out traveling without even bringing a change of clothes... How about I lend you something to wear for now? After you shower, I'll wash your clothes—it's so hot that they'll dry quickly."
"Sounds good," Yan Xiaobao nodded again. Wearing his wife's clothes didn't seem embarrassing to him.
Xia Rou picked a loose, gender-neutral white T-shirt for him from her wardrobe but then got stuck on what to do about bottoms.
After hesitating, she found a black, knee-length skirt and said, "How about wearing this tonight? No one's going to see anything while you're sleeping anyway."
"Alright," Yan Xiaobao agreed without any objections. To him, whatever arrangement Xia Rou made was fine—even a man wearing a skirt to sleep didn't seem like a big deal.
In his eyes, between a husband and wife, nothing was off-limits; borrowing her skirt wasn't anything worth making a fuss over.
...
Yan Xiaobao quickly finished his shower and unabashedly walked out wearing Xia Rou's assigned attire.
"Pfft—" Xia Rou couldn't help but burst into laughter. "White T-shirt and a black skirt, you actually look pretty good in women's clothes."
"Really?" Yan Xiaobao beamed, spreading his arms and checking himself out. He grinned broadly, "If my Rourou thinks it looks good, then it's perfect." freēNovelHub.com
"Stop calling me that! I'm not your wife... You were busy all day with hijackings and fights; you must be exhausted. Get some sleep already." Xia Rou hurriedly escaped to take her own shower.
"Rourou, let me help you scrub your back."
"No way!" Xia Rou darted into the bathroom and locked the door securely.
"Why not? I can give massages—it's really relaxing," Yan Xiaobao muttered as he sat down on the sofa.
He didn't feel tired at all. Neither the hijacking nor the street fights had posed any challenge to him—they were trivial at best. So he made himself comfortable on the sofa and nonchalantly turned on the TV.
...
After her shower, Xia Rou suddenly realized a problem.
Normally, with just the two of them—both women—living in the house, she'd gotten into the habit of taking only her change of underwear to the bathroom and putting on her nightgown afterward in the bedroom. When grabbing clothes earlier, she had been so focused on preparing something for Yan Xiaobao that she'd completely overlooked the fact that he was now staying over as well.
After a brief hesitation, Xia Rou finally called out to Yan Xiaobao, "Um... I forgot to grab my nightgown. Could you find one for me in the wardrobe?"
"Sure thing!" Yan Xiaobao happily rushed off to rifle through Xia Rou's wardrobe.
...
"This little rascal!" Xia Rou cursed under her breath as she wore the nightgown in the bathroom.
The nightgown Yan Xiaobao had picked was the shortest, flimsiest one—a black silk fabric that faintly revealed her fair skin. The gown barely covered her underwear while she stood still, and if she were to walk, it would inevitably expose more...
"Yan Xiaobao!"
"What's up?" Yan Xiaobao ran over immediately. "Did you forget something else?"
"Get me another nightgown!" Xia Rou hesitated briefly but added, "Make it the white cotton one."
"Why?" Yan Xiaobao asked curiously. "I looked earlier, and none of the other gowns are as pretty as this black one."
"..." Xia Rou clenched her teeth. You wish!
"I told you to get it, so just do it—no need for questions."
"No can do," Yan Xiaobao said solemnly. "Rourou, you're so beautiful that you should wear the most beautiful clothes. Actually, I'll be honest—I already threw all the less pretty nightgowns in the garbage just now."
"You!" Xia Rou was instantly furious.
Forget it, at least I purposely put on the safest pair of boxer briefs today. From the bathroom to the bedroom, it's less than ten meters—a few quick steps and I'm there…
With that in mind, Xia Rou opened the door and bolted toward the bedroom as fast as she could.
Who would have guessed…
During her shower, water had splashed from the bathroom door onto the tiles outside, leaving them slippery. In her haste, Xia Rou's footing slipped, and with a "whoosh," her long, pale legs flung into the air as she fell backward with force!
"Ah!" Xia Rou cried out in shock.
If she were to hit the tiles hard, it wouldn't be a laughing matter—she could easily crack her tailbone or even suffer a concussion.
At this critical moment, a warm and strong arm encircled Xia Rou's slender waist, catching her body before she hit the ground.
Xia Rou had just let out a sigh of relief when another hand reached over—and landed squarely on the highest point of her prone body…
For the first time ever, she was held in a man's large palm…
An indescribable feeling surged in her heart. Xia Rou was stunned, forgetting even to struggle or resist, as Yan Xiaobao swept her up in a princess carry.
Surrounded by an intense masculine aura, Xia Rou flailed like a startled deer. "Ah! Put me down right now…"
"No way, the floor is far too slippery—it's dangerous. Getting hurt would be bad." Yan Xiaobao confidently strode toward the bedroom with Xia Rou in his arms. "Rourou, you need to be good and obedient, or else your hubby might just spank your tushie!"
"The living room floor isn't wet or slippery…" Before Xia Rou could finish her sentence, she cried out again. "Ah!"
Something lightly tapped her tushie, like a small stick…
Yan Xiaobao was carrying her with both hands, using his legs to walk—what did he hit her with?
"Ah!" Realizing what the "small stick" actually was, Xia Rou immediately covered her flushed face, frozen in place, terrified that Yan Xiaobao might use the "small stick" to tap her tushie again…
Yan Xiaobao carried Xia Rou into the bedroom and gently placed her on the bed.
Breaking free from his arms, Xia Rou immediately sat up. "You sleep in my room, I'm going to the one next door…"
Before finishing her sentence, Xia Rou froze again.
Her black knee-length dress, worn by Yan Xiaobao, had become a short skirt. Right now, that skirt was being prominently propped up by a certain object, as if saluting her with a flag…
"Whew—"
With a gust of scented air, Xia Rou vanished from Yan Xiaobao's sight, retreating into the room next door.
"Huh? Wife, why are you so fast? Have you trained before?" Yan Xiaobao exclaimed in surprise, before sinking into frustration.
Originally, Xia Rou had arranged for him to stay in her room, and he had thought he could sleep with his wife. Who would have thought that Xia Rou herself would flee to the next room to sleep instead?
Looks like he'd have to heal the patient first, only then would Rourou agree to sleep in the same bed with him. Fine then, I'll get up early tomorrow and start treating her!
Yan Xiaobao quickly brushed off his minor disappointment and gleefully hopped onto Xia Rou's fragrant embroidered bed, falling asleep in no time.
While Yan Xiaobao slept soundly and peacefully, Xia Rou in the next room tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Though her body felt utterly exhausted, her heart was like a tranquil lake disturbed by a heavy stone, sending ripples across its surface.
From a young age, her younger sister's sudden mysterious illness left her in a vegetative state, bringing hardships to an already struggling family. Xia Rou had endured a difficult youth, hardly experiencing the springtime of her life.
In early adulthood, forced into marriage by debt, she eventually escaped to Binhai, working tirelessly while self-studying—her life was plagued by difficulties, leaving no room to entertain thoughts of personal romance.
Thus, at twenty-four years old, Xia Rou's love life was completely blank. Her interactions with men had been limited to a paltry few courtesy handshakes.
Yet today, on the very first day of meeting Yan Xiaobao, she had held hands with him, been wrapped around the waist, carried in a princess hold… and even hit on the tushie by his "small stick." The sheer absurdity…
Time is fair to everyone. Regardless of experiencing the springtime of youth or not, regardless of romantic history, at twenty-four, a woman's body is fully matured, at the prime of "pluck the flower when it blooms."
Which boys aren't amorous? Which girls don't feel yearning in spring?
The attraction between the sexes—it's a law of nature that no one can defy.
Deep down, Xia Rou longed for love too, yearning for a man's protection and affection. She had merely never had the chance to think about such things—until today, when Yan Xiaobao suddenly stirred her latent desires.
The lightweight summer bra, without sponge padding… During her near-fall earlier, Yan Xiaobao's hand had wrapped around her waist while his other pressed against her chest… Even now, she could seem to feel the warmth of his palm lingering…
The firm protectiveness as Yan Xiaobao held her tightly against his chest, that potent masculine aura… that feeling of safety—it was… actually… kind of nice…
If only he hadn't hit her with that "stick," Xia Rou might not have been so strongly opposed to being held by him…
The annoying guy… brave enough to intervene and subdue a thief. A skilled healer, curing a stroke victim with a single touch. Courageous and capable, yet seemingly pure-hearted and steadfast. Clingy to the point of calling the woman he likes "wife" endlessly, but unforgiving and violently swift against bad people.
Honestly, he was kind of… cute…
If only he were closer to her in age… If only he weren't so flirtatious, calling every pretty woman he saw "wife"… He might actually be an excellent man…
"Bah, bah, bah! What shameless thoughts…" Xia Rou suddenly snapped out of her daze, chastising herself before burying her face into the pillow.
...
The next day, as the morning sunrise cast its first rays, Yan Xiaobao was already up bright and early. Xia Rou also woke up early but looked faint, like she was lacking energy.
At Dexi Hall, Chen Long and Zheng Xiaoyu had already opened the shop and were busy cleaning.
"Morning, Sister Xia Rou." Zheng Xiaoyu greeted her, then noticed the faint dark circles under her eyes and asked, "Sister Xia Rou, didn't sleep well last night?"
"The weather's too hot, the air conditioning is old…" Xia Rou gave a long-winded explanation, yet it came off a little unconvincing.
Zheng Xiaoyu eyed the refreshed Yan Xiaobao suspiciously, leaning close to Xia Rou and whispered, "Sister Xia Rou, don't tell me, on the very first day of knowing him, you already let him push you down…"
"Get lost! What nonsense are you spouting?" Xia Rou scowled, glaring fiercely at Zheng Xiaoyu.
"Oh come on, it's not a big deal in this day and age…" Zheng Xiaoyu giggled mischievously. "That little brat might be annoying, but he's still pretty fresh—a proper little cutie. You wouldn't be losing out, Sister Xia Rou…"
...
Xia Rou immediately reached out and gave Zheng Xiaoyu a fierce twist. "Stupid girl, if you keep spouting nonsense, I'll rip your mouth apart!"
"Alright, alright!" Yan Xiaobao suddenly darted forward, "Wife, let me help you."
"No, no, no! I was just joking..."
Xia Rou and Zheng Xiaoyu chimed in unison, waving their hands frantically. Yan Xiaobao was someone who didn't play by the book — if he took Xia Rou's joking words seriously, Zheng Xiaoyu's little mouth might actually be in danger...
"Ripping someone's mouth apart first thing in the morning? Such murderous energy!"
A yin-yang-toned voice rang out, and suddenly over a dozen people poured into the shop, with another dozen who couldn't fit blocking the shop's entrance entirely.
Xia Rou took a look at the newcomers and her face instantly turned pale.
At the front were four people — three men and a woman. On the far left was Sunx Peng, her nemesis who had been chasing her for debts. On the far right, a fat man with bruises and swollen features resembling a pig's head was none other than Lobster Liu, who had been battered by Yan Xiaobao yesterday and forced to drink half a keg of beer.
The two in the middle were a man and a woman. The woman was about thirty years old and had some beauty, but unfortunately, her overly oily makeup made her look garish and tasteless.
That garish woman was clinging to the arm of the man next to her — he was medium-built, ordinary-looking, but carried a composed demeanor that lent him an air of authority.
That man was none other than Zhao Erhu, the infamous local tyrant of several nearby streets.
Sunx Peng and Lobster Liu showing up together with Zhao Erhu made it clear that these two had run to him yesterday to complain and seek revenge. Thus, early in the morning, Zhao Erhu had brought two to three dozen of his men to stand up for them.
"Xia Rou, who is he? Why is he already in the shop with you so early in the morning? What's your relationship? Explain this to me clearly!" Sunx Peng charged forward aggressively, pointing at Yan Xiaobao and questioning Xia Rou with forceful anger.
"Who he is, what our relationship is — what does that have to do with you?" Initially, faced with the intimidating situation, Xia Rou had felt tense and worried. But seeing Sunx Peng's irritating demeanor, she couldn't hold back. More importantly, in her subconscious mind, she somehow felt that with Yan Xiaobao here, there was nothing to fear.
"Oh, I see! No wonder you've been ignoring me more and more lately — turns out you've secretly been keeping a young man behind my back!" Sunx Peng jumped in outrage, spitting furiously.
Chen Long and Zheng Xiaoyu both glanced at Yan Xiaobao. He ate Xia Rou's food, lived under her roof, and had rather fair skin — he did kind of fit the image of a kept man. However, daring to call Yan Xiaobao a young man right to his face? Wasn't Sunx Peng satisfied with the beating he got yesterday...
To their surprise, Yan Xiaobao didn't seem to have any intention of throwing punches. What they didn't know was that Yan Xiaobao actually found it quite amusing — he was young, had fair skin like jade, and honestly, he didn't mind being called a young man...
"Sunx Peng, you stop spouting baseless accusations!" Before Yan Xiaobao could even get mad, Xia Rou was already furious, radiating an air of protecting him.
"Well now! Dear sister-in-law, haven't you gotten a taste of city life! My little brother may not be as successful as you, but he's still your rightful spouse. Now you're turning your back on family — that's not very virtuous of you, is it?" The garish woman stepped forward with an exaggerated yin-yang sneer. She was none other than Sunx Peng's sister, Zhao Erhu's wife, Sunx Mei.
"Who's your sister-in-law?" Xia Rou was particularly fiery today, her confidence brimming as she spoke up, refusing to back down. "Sunx Mei, you've lived in the city for years now — you ought to have learned a little about the law by now. I never got a marriage certificate with your brother, so we're not legally husband and wife! As for the three thousand owed to your family, I'll pay it all within a year. Don't come bothering me again after that!"
"Three thousand?" Sunx Mei gave a seductive laugh, "Ten years ago, your family borrowed ten thousand dollars from us. You've been paying us back bit by bit over the years, and yes, you've managed seven thousand — but do you really think ten thousand minus seven thousand equals three thousand and that's it?"
Xia Rou's face changed slightly, her teeth clenched. "Fine! Calculate based on the highest bank loan interest rate — how much do I owe? Name the figure. I'll exhaust every means to pay it back within a year!"
"Bank loan interest rates? You didn't borrow money from a bank, darling." Sunx Mei burst into exaggerated laughter again. Then she leaned into Zhao Erhu, brushing her ample chest against his arm as she coyly asked, "Honey, according to your street rules, how should this debt be calculated?"
"We're from the same village, so I'll show some leniency and not treat it as loan-sharking." Zhao Erhu calculated calmly, "According to the law: as long as the rate doesn't exceed four times the current annual bank loan interest rate, it's not considered loan-sharking. So we'll go by four times the bank's 5.6% annual loan interest rate. For a ten-thousand-dollar loan, the annual interest is 22.4%, which is two thousand two hundred and forty dollars. Borrowed for eleven years, the total principal plus interest comes to thirty-four thousand six hundred and forty dollars. Subtract the seven thousand you've repaid, and there's twenty-seven thousand six hundred and forty dollars remaining."
"What!" Xia Rou gasped in shock, "You... you're practically robbing me!"
"Missy, words like that shouldn't be thrown around carelessly." Zhao Erhu replied, his voice heavy, "I, Zhao Erhu, conduct business strictly according to the law and regulations — there's no loan-sharking here, and I haven't added compound interest. This calculation is entirely lawful and reasonable, even in court."
"You... you..." Xia Rou had no experience dealing with loans and was utterly flustered, unsure of what to do.
Paying back three to five thousand a year might be achievable with frugal living, but twenty-seven thousand plus was simply impossible for her to bear with her current situation.
"Xia Rou, we're family, we don't have to be so formal. If you obediently come back with me, stay at home as my loving wife, cook and clean for me, and bear me children, this debt will naturally be wiped off the slate." Sunx Peng swaggered forward triumphantly, reaching out to stroke Xia Rou's delicate, smooth face.
Before his hand could touch her, Yan Xiaobao caught his wrist with a firm grip.
Having stayed silent while money was being discussed, Yan Xiaobao had refrained from interrupting. He had no concept of debt — figures in the tens of thousands were meaningless to him. But now he understood — this scumbag Sunx Peng was here to steal his wife yet again. That was unforgivable.
"You piece of trash, didn't I beat you enough yesterday? You actually dared to come here to snatch my wife again?" Yan Xiaobao raged, tightening his grip.
Sunx Peng immediately felt like his wrist was clamped in a steel trap. The pain brought him to his knees, and he called out to Zhao Erhu for help, sobbing, "Brother-in-law, save me! Ahhh, it hurts! It hurts..."
Lobster Liu saw this scene and immediately poured fuel on the fire, "Brother Hu, look at this! This punk is just this unreasonable, attacking people without provocation!"
...
Zhao Erhu was a rather composed man. Yesterday, he heard about Yan Xiaobao's "glorious feat" of lifting a cauldron over his head and didn't dare to start a fight rashly. He stepped forward and said, "Young brother, we're all reasonable people here. There's no need to fight over every little thing. Can you do me a favor and let go of my brother-in-law first?"
"You know me?" Yan Xiaobao looked at Zhao Erhu with a faint sense of curiosity.
Zhao Erhu froze for a moment, then responded, "Nope, first time meeting today."
"Then that's that. I don't know you either. Why should I show you any respect?" Yan Xiaobao's face carried an expression of complete bewilderment. "Are you, like, brain-damaged or something?"
"Jesus Christ!" Zhao Erhu, though composed, was still a street thug at heart. There was a limit to his patience, and he instantly waved his hand, shouting, "Get him!"
"Damn it! You don't take kindness seriously? I'm gonna beat you to death!"
"Friggin' hell! Not giving face to Brother Hu? Tired of living, huh?"
"Brothers, get him! Kill this bastard!"
The dozen or so punks inside the shop started yelling as they charged forward, and the dozen or so outside rushed in after them.
"Huh? You guys wanna brawl? Why the hell didn't you start earlier? Made me stand here listening to their nonsense and wasting my time." Yan Xiaobao gleefully strode forward to meet the thugs head-on.
"Smack—Argh—Thud!" The foremost thug with a rooster-shaped hairstyle took the first hit—a slap so hard that three of his teeth went flying. He somersaulted over the heads of the crowd and crashed onto the street outside.
"Smack smack smack..."
"Agh agh agh..."
"Thud! Thud! Thud..."
The twenty or thirty gang members turned into a makeshift acrobat troupe, performing a "low-altitude flying men" act. In clumps of three to five at a time, they traced arcs through the air with all kinds of screams before crashing out of Dexi Hall's front door and onto the street.
In less than thirty seconds, Dexi Hall's interior became eerily empty. Besides Yan Xiaobao, Xia Rou, and two others, there were only four remaining from Zhao Erhu's group still standing. The rest had been launched outside, forming a human mountain pile-up.
"Hiss——"
Zhao Erhu let out a sharp intake of breath. If he weren't witnessing this in person, he wouldn't have believed it. This fair-skinned, harmless-looking young man, Yan Xiaobao, turned out to be such a beast—his combat prowess was downright apocalyptic!
"Rourou, honey, do you want to guess why I let these four stay and didn't toss them out?" Yan Xiaobao asked smugly, looking at Xia Rou.
Although Xia Rou had already mentally prepared herself for Yan Xiaobao's incredible skills, she was still startled. Hearing his question, she hadn't yet recovered, only managing a blank shake of her head.
"Because I noticed, honey, that you're kind of broke. It seems you can't afford to support me. So, I figured I'd earn some money for you." Yan Xiaobao turned his gaze toward Zhao Erhu and said, "Hey! You, Tiger-whatever!"
"Uh…" Zhao Erhu's mind was still spinning as he reflexively responded with a grunt.
"You just said my wife owes you how much?"
"Two hundred seventy-six thousand four hundred…" Zhao Erhu had a natural knack for numbers and, despite his muddled thoughts, recalled the amount clearly.
"Oh…" Yan Xiaobao nodded as if in deep thought, muttering, "Third Brother said back when he treated people, his rates were—what was it? A hundred for medical care, fifty-fifty for life-saving? Sounds about right."
Finished mumbling, Yan Xiaobao suddenly extended a finger and poked Zhao Erhu right in the Dantian.
Zhao Erhu hadn't processed what was happening, but when it hit him, he exclaimed, "What the hell are you doing?!"
"Healing you," Yan Xiaobao replied.
"Healing me?" Zhao Erhu said, baffled. "I'm not sick…"
"You weren't before. Now you are." Yan Xiaobao grinned slyly. "Starting now, you won't be able to sleep with your wife anymore."
"What?" Zhao Erhu was horrified and instinctively looked down. At thirty-something years old, the thought of losing his virility was enough to wreck his world.
"Relax, it's not hopeless. I can cure you," Yan Xiaobao reassured him, waving a finger. "But my rules are: a hundred for treatment, fifty-fifty for life-saving. You give me a million bucks, and I'll fix you up."
"You… this… I…" Zhao Erhu was completely overwhelmed.
"No rush. This condition won't kill you, doesn't hurt or itch. Go home and think it through carefully." Yan Xiaobao finished, then suddenly slapped Sunx Peng without warning.
The slap came out of nowhere; Sunx Peng was momentarily dumbfounded. "Why… Why are you hitting me again?"
"Are you stupid?" Yan Xiaobao stared at Sunx Peng like he was an idiot. "Yesterday, you came to steal my wife, so I hit you. Today, you're back to steal my wife again—obviously, I'm gonna hit you!"
"..." Sunx Peng, who got slapped yesterday and lost two yellow teeth, had his left cheek swollen sky-high, needing to tilt his head to eat or drink. Now his right cheek received another slap, losing two more teeth. This time, eating was completely out of the picture.
"Mark my words, every time I see you in the future, I'll knock out two of your teeth. Let's see how much bank you've got to keep stealing my wife." Having taught Sunx Peng a lesson, Yan Xiaobao shifted his gaze to Sunx Mei.
Sunx Mei shivered fiercely, ducking behind Zhao Erhu, holding her breath in terror.
Yan Xiaobao pondered briefly, realizing he currently had no excuse to hit Sunx Mei, and instead walked up to Lobster Liu.
"B-B-Bro! I… I didn't provoke you today!" Lobster Liu's bulky figure trembled, his rolls of fat jiggling disgustingly, which annoyed Yan Xiaobao. He waved his hand disdainfully. "You're so damn ugly, I don't even feel like hitting you. Get lost!"
"Y-Yes, yes, yes…" Lobster Liu immediately dropped to the floor, curled into a fleshy ball, and rolled out the front door. Not daring to abandon Zhao Erhu, he lay flat among the pile of two dozen thugs pretending to be dead.
"Oh, by the way, I love eating lobsters—ten-pounders, the fresh, kicking kind. Get me some, or I'll invite you out for beers every day."
Yan Xiaobao's voice drifted out of the shop, and Lobster Liu dared not utter even a word of dissent, hurriedly agreeing.
"So, are you fixing your problem or not?" Yan Xiaobao circled back, standing in front of Zhao Erhu.
"I…" Zhao Erhu was utterly unsure of what to do.
If he had the condition, of course he'd want it cured, but a million bucks? That felt like peeling his skin off. Plus, Yan Xiaobao only poked him lightly—so maybe he was bluffing? Better go home and test things first.
"Not fixing it? Then get the hell out of here! Don't ruin my time with my wife." Yan Xiaobao impatiently waved him off, shooing him away like a fly.
The shocked Zhao Erhu acted as if he'd been pardoned, hastily gathering Sunx Mei, Sunx Peng, and the dazed gang members, fleeing for their lives.
Zhao Erhu's gang fled after being beaten, and Dexi Hall fell into a dead silence.
Xia Rou and the other two stared at Yan Xiaobao dumbfounded, completely unsure what to say.
This guy was simply too fierce, even more exaggerated than the action stars in movies. Seeing something this outrageous happen right before their eyes, anyone would struggle to accept it.
"Rourou, my dear wife, I solved your trouble for you. Don't you think it's time to thank me?" Yan Xiaobao grinned cheekily as he leaned his face toward Xia Rou, fishing for some praise and maybe a kiss.
"You only know how to fight, fight, fight! Do you think this is all settled just because of that? Stop being so naïve, okay?" Xia Rou pushed away Yan Xiaobao, her brows furrowed even deeper. She knew that this matter certainly couldn't be resolved so easily.
"Exactly!" Zheng Xiaoyu chimed in, "You're good at fighting, but so what? This is a society governed by law now, violence can't solve everything. The scariest thing about local tyrants like Zhao Erhu isn't their physical force—it's their endless sinister tricks and schemes."
"Tch!" Yan Xiaobao dismissed her words with a carefree smirk. "What tricks can they possibly pull off in front of me?"
"With absolute strength, any conspiracy or scheme is futile. All reactionaries are paper tigers!" Chen Long resolutely sided with Yan Xiaobao, having now completely become his devoted fan.
"Alright, clean up the shop. I need to step out for a bit." Xia Rou, burdened with her thoughts, packed up the first aid kit and headed toward the door.
Yan Xiaobao immediately followed, grinning and laughing all the way. "Rourou, my dear wife, where are you going? I'll come with you!"
"I'm going to do a follow-up visit for a patient. What would you even come for?" Xia Rou had no intention of taking this troublemaker outside.
Yan Xiaobao's eyes darted mischievously. "Didn't you all just say those bad guys wouldn't stop hounding you and might try some underhanded tactics? I'm worried about my dear wife's safety, so I'll come along to protect you!"
Xia Rou pointed at the ground and said, "You knocked out a mouthful of their teeth. They're all busy going to dentists for repairs now. How would they possibly have time to pick on me?"
Earlier, each of Zhao Erhu's gang members lost two or three teeth on average. The dentists in the surrounding few streets are definitely going to have booming business today.
Seeing Yan Xiaobao's eyes spinning with new schemes, Xia Rou quickly said, "Don't worry, I'll be back soon. Nothing will happen. Clean up the shop, and when I return, I'll take you to buy clothes."
"Oh… alright, fine…" Yan Xiaobao reluctantly agreed with a pout.
After Xia Rou left, Chen Long immediately grabbed a broom and mop to diligently clean up the scattered teeth and bloodstains. Still unwilling to give up, he kept begging Yan Xiaobao to teach him martial arts.
"I've already told you, you don't have the talent. Besides, you're not a beauty. Why would I waste my time teaching you martial arts?" Yan Xiaobao had absolutely no interest in teaching someone who looked as unappealing as a worm-like Chen Long.
"Sure, I'm not a beauty. But my sister is gorgeous! How about this, Brother Bao—just teach me two moves, and I'll introduce my sister to you. Deal?"
"With a face like yours, how stunning could your sister possibly be?" Zheng Xiaoyu scoffed, rolling her eyes.
Yan Xiaobao paused, suddenly feeling that there was some truth to her sarcasm. Honestly, with Chen Long's looks, it was hard to muster much hope for his sister's beauty.
"Ha! The dragon's offspring are diverse and unique, after all. Even though I'm just a bit less handsome than Brother Bao, my sister is absolutely not any less stunning than Sister Xia Rou!" Chen Long puffed out his chest proudly and pulled out his phone. "Don't believe me? Let me show you her photo!"
As they glanced at the photo of the pretty girl on Chen Long's phone, Yan Xiaobao's eyes lit up.
The young girl had rosy lips and pearly teeth, bright eyes full of charm—indeed, a truly striking beauty.
"This is your sister?" Zheng Xiaoyu was equally surprised, staring at Chen Long with suspicion. "She looks so much like Yang Liying, the Heavenly Queen. Is this just a photo you downloaded online?"
"Why would I dare use a random picture from the internet to fool Brother Bao? Do I have a death wish?" Chen Long swore up and down, thumping his chest. "This really is my sister—my actual sister! And she's even prettier in person than in the photo. Once summer vacation ends, my sister's coming to Binhai to attend school. When the time comes, I'll let Brother Bao see for himself how beautiful she is!"
Zheng Xiaoyu was still skeptical, but Yan Xiaobao had already completely bought into it. He figured Chen Long wouldn't dare deceive him.
"Alright then. If your sister agrees to marry me, I'll teach you a couple of awesome moves."
"Deal, deal!" Chen Long was giddy with excitement. "Brother Bao, you have my word—my sister has always listened to me since she was little. Plus, with your handsome looks and incredible martial arts skills, she's bound to like you!"
"You guys are ridiculous!" Zheng Xiaoyu rolled her eyes dramatically, glaring at Yan Xiaobao as she scolded, "How can you act like this? Aren't you in love with Sister Xia Rou and want to marry her? How could you start hitting on other girls behind her back?"
"Oh…" Yan Xiaobao nodded thoughtfully. "Then I'll let my dear wife Rourou know about this when she gets back."
"..." Zheng Xiaoyu was utterly at a loss for words, completely shut down by his absurdity.
What on earth is going on inside this guy's brain? Does he seriously think it's okay to flirt openly as long as Xia Rou is informed?
"With great power comes great responsibility, and also great perks. For an unbeatable man like Brother Bao, having a few close female friends is totally normal," Chen Long chimed in, somehow blindly backing up Yan Xiaobao, without a trace of hesitation about throwing his own sister to the wolves.
"Absolute nonsense!" As a modern woman, Zheng Xiaoyu immediately condemned Chen Long with righteous indignation. "So you're saying that men with influence, power, and wealth are allowed to be playboys? Then what's the point of having the Marriage Law at all?"
"Let me ask you this: What powerful and wealthy man sleeps with only one pillow throughout his life?" Chen Long sneered as he retorted, "Monogamy is just a matter of appearances. And laws—they're merely tools for the ruling class to maintain control anyway."
"Twisted logic!" Zheng Xiaoyu raised her voice by an octave, clenching her fists tightly.
"Haha." Chen Long smirked smugly, leisurely spinning his rhetoric.
"When impoverished, focus on improving oneself; when prosperous, gather a blooming family of wives and concubines. Poor losers and failures don't deserve the right to reproduce, while the rich, strong elites naturally spread their lineage and genes as widely as possible. Men turning bad when they have money isn't a moral failing; it's a privilege and duty bestowed upon them by natural law! This is the crux of biological evolution and the true driving force behind human civilization's progress!"
"In essence, human instincts are just like those of animals. Why are flowers so vibrantly red? Why do male lions, stags, and gorillas fight to the death? It's all to compete for the right to reproduce and carry on their genes. Survival of the fittest, natural selection—it's the overriding law that applies to all living things. Instincts cannot be overridden by simple legal codes!"
Zheng Xiaoyu might have a sharp tongue and love to roast people, but when it comes to debating serious topics, she's simply no match for Binhai University's top student, Chen Long.
Chen Long cited references and rattled off terms like "natural laws," "biological evolution," "civilization progress," "survival of the fittest"… strings of highbrow terminology that instantly left Zheng Xiaoyu speechless, unable to argue back.
"Mm-hmm, mm-hmm, what you're saying makes total sense." Yan Xiaobao nodded enthusiastically, reevaluating his impression of the "useless" Chen Long. This tall and skinny guy who looked like a tapeworm didn't have any other skills, but he sure could talk the talk…
Seeing Yan Xiaobao in a good mood, Chen Long seized the moment, dropped to his knees, and bowed his head, saying, "Brother Bao, no… Master, please accept your disciple's obeisance…"
"Hold up!" Yan Xiaobao stopped Chen Long mid-motion with one hand, "With talent as terrible as yours, taking you as my disciple would be way too embarrassing. Showing you a few moves is okay, but becoming your master… no way."
"Serves you right!" Zheng Xiaoyu scoffed at Chen Long with glee, puckering her lips, "Tried to steal the chicken, lost the rice instead! Wound up sacrificing the lady along with the troops, and even your sister was a waste of investment!"
Rejected by Yan Xiaobao, Chen Long felt a bit downcast at first, but upon hearing Zheng Xiaoyu's mocking words, he perked right back up. Clapping his forehead excitedly, he exclaimed, "You're right! Even if I can't become Brother Bao's disciple, if my sister ends up marrying Brother Bao, wouldn't that make me his brother-in-law? Brother Bao, oh no… my brother-in-law! Show me some killer moves already!"
Yan Xiaobao paused for a moment, realizing that Chen Long actually made sense. His sister was so beautiful, she absolutely should become his wife. In that case, this kid really would become his brother-in-law.
If he's a brother-in-law, then that means family. With that thought, Yan Xiaobao genuinely started teaching Chen Long a few one-hit-kill moves. "Watch carefully. This move's called 'Twin Dragons Playing with Pearls,' it targets the opponent's eyeballs. This one's 'Hundred-percent Dragon Claw Hand,' it goes straight for the vulnerable points on the opponent's chest. And this one's called 'Monkey Stealing Peach'…"
In Yan Xiaobao's eyes, Chen Long's aptitude was garbage, absolute trash. There was no point teaching him the real divine skills. He just passed on three low-tier moves designed to target the enemy's weak spots.
"Master these three moves well, use them flexibly, and you'll be able to handle most ordinary experts." Yan Xiaobao patted Chen Long's shoulder encouragingly, "Train hard."
"Yes!" Chen Long bent over joyfully in gratitude, "Thank you, Master… oh no, thank you, brother-in-law."
"Brother-in-law?" Yan Xiaobao couldn't help but feel that being called brother-in-law made his status seem a notch lower and didn't sound great. "Brother-in-law doesn't sound good. You better call me Brother Bao."
"Yes! Brother Bao." Chen Long responded instantly but suddenly launched a sneak attack with both fingers aiming for Yan Xiaobao's eyes, "Twin Dragons Playing with Pearls!"
"Idiot!" Yan Xiaobao sent Chen Long flying into a chair with a single kick, "I told you these moves are enough for dealing with regular experts. Do you think I'm a regular expert?"
"Uh… no, I was just practicing randomly." Chen Long sheepishly rubbed the back of his head and grinned awkwardly.
"Two silly clowns, a pair of fools!" Zheng Xiaoyu rolled her eyes at the two of them, then went back to work.
"You really do love hitting people, don't you?"
From the store entrance came a commanding female voice.
Zheng Xiaoyu and Chen Long turned their heads to look. A tall female patrol officer entered the shop with her hands clasped behind her back. She was dressed in a black uniform, tall, long-legged, valiant, and awe-inspiring! So cool! So striking!
Meanwhile, Yan Xiaobao was already cheering as he ran to welcome her, "Ahaha! Bingbing Goddess Constable my wife, you came to see me!"
The newcomer was none other than Han Ruobing, the Cold Ice Goddess Constable whom Yan Xiaobao had met at the airport.
Chen Long and Zheng Xiaoyu simultaneously thought, "Oh crap!"
When did this stunning female patrol officer become Yan Xiaobao's wife? Wait… or was she just his self-proclaimed wife?
Zheng Xiaoyu unknowingly found herself scrutinizing Han Ruobing with a touch of hostility. Her chest tightened with unease.
This isn't good… This female patrol officer, in terms of looks, isn't inferior to Sister Xia Rou at all. Not to mention, she's tall and bombshell-curvy…
Wait a second? Why am I worried about Sister Xia Rou? Could it be I've really started treating Sister Xia Rou as Yan Xiaobao's wife?
While Zheng Xiaoyu was still feeling confused, Han Ruobing's expression hardened as she barked sharply, "Shut up! I'm not your wife."
Yan Xiaobao didn't seem bothered in the slightest and kept grinning, "I know you're not my wife yet, but you'll be my wife very soon. Oh, Bingbing Goddess Constable wife, how did you know I'd be here?"
Han Ruobing was already used to Yan Xiaobao's senseless rambling and didn't engage in his nonsense. Instead, she flashed her badge and said matter-of-factly, "Yan Xiaobao, you're suspected of intentional assault. Please come with me for questioning."
"Sure!" Yan Xiaobao nodded delightedly, ecstatic. In his mind, the Goddess Constable wife was asking him to go with her, which was an incredible opportunity! As for the part about questioning, he had already mentally filtered that out.
"Wait!" Chen Long hurried forward to ask, "Officer, where are you taking Brother Bao?"
"To Baofeng District's Patrol Office. Remember to bring him lunch at noon." Han Ruobing replied before leading Yan Xiaobao out the door.
...
"Oh no, Brother Bao was taken by the patrol officer! Hurry and call Sister Xia Rou."
Xia Rou had just finished a follow-up check on a patient when she received Chen Long's call. She rushed back immediately, "What's going on?"
Chen Long answered quickly, "A patrol officer came over, said Brother Bao is suspected of intentional assault, and took him to the Patrol Office."
"Suspected of intentional assault?" Xia Rou paused, trying to guess, "Was it Zhao Erhu and his gang who reported this?"
"It has to be them. Who else could it be?" Zheng Xiaoyu couldn't help but complain, "What kind of world is this? Thugs calling the cops to arrest someone? Do they have no criminal bottom line anymore?"
"Don't worry, Sister Xia Rou." Chen Long tried to console her, "Brother Bao seems to be quite close with that female patrol officer; I don't think he'll be in trouble."
Xia Rou frowned, "Female patrol officer? Close?"
"Yeah." Chen Long answered without much thought, "That female patrol officer is just as pretty as you, Sister Xia Rou. Brother Bao even called her wife… Ouch!"
Zheng Xiaoyu pinched Chen Long hard, "Couldn't you shut up for two seconds without choking on it?"
Realizing he misspoke, Chen Long rubbed his arm where Zheng Xiaoyu had pinched him, now flushed purple, and remained silent.
"Looks like this isn't something for us to worry unnecessarily about." Xia Rou set down her medical kit with a cold tone, "Xiaoyu, go buy groceries. Chen Long, cook lunch for three people, that's enough."
"Sister Xia Rou..." Chen Long wanted to say something but didn't know how.
"What? You think he'll starve to death at the Patrol Office?"
"No…"
"Then start cooking!"
"Okay…" Chen Long muttered dejectedly as he and Zheng Xiaoyu went off to prepare lunch.
Xia Rou sat alone behind the desk, feeling a tightness in her chest.
Female patrol officer? Pretty?
What, no one else alive in that Patrol Office?
Coming to arrest someone suspected of intentional assault, why would they send a female patrol officer?
Wait, why am I feeling upset over this?
.
...
"Name?"
In the interrogation room of the Patrol Office, two young officers routinely questioned Yan Xiaobao.
"I'm not telling you." Yan Xiaobao had no interest in conversing with the two male officers, "If you need something, ask my Bingbing wife to talk to me."
The young officers froze upon hearing this. "Your Bingbing wife?"
"Yeah, my wife Han Ruobing. She's an arrest officer too. If there's something to ask, get her to come."
"Bang!" The tall and burly officer slammed the table. "Be honest and cooperate!"
Of course, the officer knew the famous Han Ruobing and was well aware that she didn't even have a boyfriend, let alone a husband. This suspect might have been joking, but as a member of the Binhai Patrol, how could he allow someone to blatantly disrespect their goddess?
"Why are you being so aggressive? If you keep slamming the table and glaring at me, I might just give you a beating!"
Having followed Han Ruobing to the Patrol Office only to be treated like a criminal, Yan Xiaobao was getting annoyed.
"Oh, really?" The burly officer rolled up his sleeves. "You're bold enough to act arrogant here? I've never seen someone behave like this in the Patrol Office. Are you suggesting you'll hurt me?"
"Though you're weak and not worth my effort, if you keep stopping me from finding my Bingbing wife, I will be forced to stop being polite with you." Yan Xiaobao said, getting up and heading toward the door.
Yan Xiaobao was merely suspected of engaging in a brawl that violated public order, not a major criminal offense. Thus, Han Ruobing hadn't handcuffed him.
"Stop!" Both officers stepped forward to block Yan Xiaobao's path. "If you dare to run, that's resisting arrest, which adds to your crime!"
"I'm going to find Bingbing wife. How is that running away? If you keep blocking me, I won't be polite!" Yan Xiaobao replied impatiently.
"Heh! You really dare to get physical... Ah!"
With a swift move, Yan Xiaobao caught each officer by the wrist, forcing them to squat down in pain.
"Stop it!"
Han Ruobing's sharp voice rang out as she walked in, her expression icy cold.
"Chief Han, he..."
"I saw everything. You two, step outside," she interrupted, waving her hand dismissively.
Yan Xiaobao's unconventional attitudes and actions were far from normal, combining a tendency for violence with what seemed to be highly skilled martial arts. It was clear she needed to handle this personally to prevent the situation from escalating further.
After the two officers left, Han Ruobing began questioning Yan Xiaobao herself. "Name?"
Yan Xiaobao looked at her, astonished. "Bingbing wife, I'm Xiaobao! Did you lose your memory?"
"..." Han Ruobing was speechless. She chose to bypass the question entirely.
Name, age, address—she could just copy this basic information from Yan Xiaobao's previous interrogation records later.
"Let me ask you directly," Han Ruobing started, cutting to the chase. "This morning at the Dexi Hall Clinic, did you injure Zhao Erhu, Sunx Peng, and a group of others?"
"Yes," Yan Xiaobao admitted without hesitation.
"Why did you hurt them?"
"They dared to try stealing my wife! Of course, I had to beat them up." Yan Xiaobao confidently declared, "If anyone dares to steal my Bingbing wife, I'll beat them up too."
"Stealing your wife…" Han Ruobing pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration. How could she possibly record this statement properly?
"The wife you're mentioning—is it the young female physician, Xia Rou, who works at Dexi Hall?"
"Yeah," Yan Xiaobao nodded. "Zhao Erhu's group came demanding money from my Rourou wife. When she couldn't pay, they threatened to marry her off to that idiot Sunx Peng. Of course, I couldn't stand for that, so I beat them up and chased them away."
Han Ruobing was clearly familiar with Zhao Erhu's group. The matter itself wasn't complicated or particularly severe, so much so that the Patrol Office had initially dismissed it as too trivial to bother filing a case.
Street fights involving petty thugs—losing a few teeth here or there—rarely resulted in anyone calling the police. Even if reported, it wouldn't amount to much, and the patrol officers wouldn't waste their time on such minor incidents.
However, Zhao Erhu had reported that Yan Xiaobao had inflicted permanent injury on him, making the situation more serious. Permanently disabling someone was grounds for significant criminal charges.
Still, the Patrol Office didn't entirely trust Zhao Erhu's claims.
After all, his version of the story sounded utterly absurd.
According to Zhao Erhu: Yan Xiaobao had merely poked him with a finger, and then he… medically speaking, developed male erectile dysfunction.
Getting poked by a finger and becoming dysfunctional? Who would believe that?
Yet Zhao Erhu's wife, Sunx Mei, testified that he had still been "functional" as of last night but was no longer "functional" today. Tests at the hospital confirmed the dysfunction as quite severe, but doctors couldn't determine the underlying cause.
Thus, the Patrol Office brought Yan Xiaobao in for questioning.
"What did you do to Zhao Erhu?" Han Ruobing pressed, asking the most crucial question.
Yan Xiaobao replied openly, "I targeted his acupoint so that he'll never be a man again. Let's see if he dares to help Sunx Peng try to steal my wife!"
Han Ruobing was simultaneously shocked and concerned upon hearing this.
She was shocked because Yan Xiaobao truly managed to disable Zhao Erhu with a simple poke—such martial arts were absolutely unbelievable.
She was concerned because Yan Xiaobao's admission amounted to confessing to causing permanent injury, a crime that could land him in prison for years.
Despite being an officer dedicated to justice, Han Ruobing couldn't help but feel partial to Yan Xiaobao.
After all, Zhao Erhu was a troublemaker, the very type of local tyrant that patrol officers hated dealing with. He rarely did anything good and frequently skirted the edges of legality, making it frustratingly difficult to take him down with concrete evidence.
On the other hand, Yan Xiaobao was a hero who had once resolved a hijacking crisis and saved over two hundred lives.
The purpose of laws is to punish evil and promote good. In Han Ruobing's eyes, Zhao Erhu represented evil, while Yan Xiaobao embodied good. Yet in this case, Zhao Erhu was the victim, and Yan Xiaobao was the perpetrator.
It left Han Ruobing deeply conflicted. With urgency in her voice, Han Ruobing warned, "Yan Xiaobao, do you know that admitting to this means you're confessing to a crime and putting yourself at risk of severe legal punishment?"
"Oh…" Yan Xiaobao blinked and asked, "Bingbing wife, then tell me—how should I respond?"
Han Ruobing straightened her expression, speaking solemnly, "I'm a patrol officer. I enforce the law. I can't tell you what to say."
"Even if you don't say it, I already know," Yan Xiaobao chuckled. "My acupoint technique leaves no trace. As long as I don't admit it, no one can pin this on me, right?"
It dawned on Han Ruobing that this guy wasn't as clueless about the situation's gravity as he appeared. Curious, she asked, "Then why did you admit to it?"
Yan Xiaobao responded matter-of-factly, "Because I don't want to lie to you."
You don't want to lie to me?
Intentional harm, causing disability. Such a serious charge, and you're confessing just because you don't want to lie to me?
Han Ruobing was stunned.
Yan Xiaobao continued, "Heavenly Sister said, a wife is someone you can share everything with, even your life. So you have to treat your wife well and be honest. Sister Bingbing, look how good and honest I am—you should agree to marry me."
"Ridiculous!" Han Ruobing snapped out of her daze, her head aching.
This kid is on the verge of being jailed, yet he's still rambling on about wives this and wives that, completely irresponsible. She really wanted to help Yan Xiaobao, but, as a person who valued justice and upheld the law, she simply couldn't bend the rules for him.
"I'm not being ridiculous! Marrying me comes with plenty of benefits." Yan Xiaobao started counting on his fingers like listing treasures. "My medical skills are amazing. If you become my wife, you'll never have to worry about getting sick your entire life. I'm also great at fighting—anyone who dares bully my wife, I'll poke them to death with a single finger. And I even know the secret of breast enhancement. But Bingbing, you don't really need that..."
"Enough!" Han Ruobing put one hand to her forehead and the other to her chest.
"Bingbing, what's wrong? A headache or chest tightness?" Yan Xiaobao stepped forward with concern, "Let me give you a little massage—it'll feel better in no time."
As he came closer, looking down, Yan Xiaobao was treated to quite the view.
Although Han Ruobing was dressed meticulously, with only the top button of her uniform left undone—no matter how you looked, there wasn't any cleavage visible—the curves revealed by the uniform were enough for Yan Xiaobao to mentally picture an intoxicatingly alluring scene.
Han Ruobing raised her head and noticed Yan Xiaobao staring straight at her chest. Suddenly, her face burned with a mixture of shame and anger. She shouted furiously, "Yan Xiaobao, sit back down right now!"
"I was just worried you seemed unwell, Bingbing..." Yan Xiaobao said, aggrieved.
"If you'd behave, I'd feel much better!"
"Oh..." Yan Xiaobao reluctantly plopped back into his chair.
After some serious deliberation, Han Ruobing finally made up her mind and declared solemnly, "Yan Xiaobao, intentional harm is confirmed. I am hereby officially placing you under arrest."
"Huh?" Yan Xiaobao stared at her in shock, "Bingbing, are you really going to arrest me?"
"The law is emotionless!" Han Ruobing stood up, grabbed a pair of handcuffs, and walked toward Yan Xiaobao with deep regret. She said earnestly, "Because you've demonstrated a good attitude in confessing, I'll plead for leniency with the Sentence Officer on your behalf. If you need, I can also help you find the best lawyer."
"I'm not confessing!" Yan Xiaobao stubbornly lifted his head. "Those jerks bullied my Rourou and even tried to force her to marry that Birdman Sunx Peng. I spared them when I didn't wipe them all out—that already showed mercy!"
"Clink!"
Han Ruobing cuffed Yan Xiaobao's left hand. She was just about to cuff his right hand when, suddenly, her vision blurred.
"Clink!"
To her shock, Han Ruobing discovered that the other half of the handcuffs was now cuffed to her own right hand.
"Hehehe!" Yan Xiaobao held Han Ruobing's hand and grinned mischievously. "Bingbing, are you afraid of being apart from me? Don't worry, I'll never leave your side."
No matter how hard she struggled, Han Ruobing couldn't free herself from his grip. Furious and anxious, she yelled, "This is resisting arrest and assaulting an officer! It'll earn you an even heavier sentence. Let me go right now!"
"Whether or not I'm guilty isn't up to others to decide." Yan Xiaobao appeared completely unconcerned, still holding Han Ruobing's delicate hands with affection.
Just then, the door to the interrogation room swung open, and an arrest officer walked in with two subordinates.
"Chief Han, weren't you interrogating a suspect? What's all this cozying up to a suspect about?" This arrest officer was relatively young with a snide, off-putting tone.
"Shi Jianzhong, stop with your nonsense! I was..." Han Ruobing's expression darkened with a trace of anxious defensiveness as she explained, "I was urging him to confess and comply with justice."
"Tsk, tsk, tsk!" Shi Jianzhong shook his head theatrically, smirking sarcastically. "Chief Han's interrogation methods are truly unique—eye-opening, even. No wonder your clearance rate is the highest in the entire district. Tsk, tsk, tsk... Who knew? Nowadays, solving cases really depends on looks."
Shi Jianzhong's remark was cutting, insinuating that Han Ruobing used her charms to seduce suspects in order to crack cases.
Furious, Han Ruobing retorted, "Shi Jianzhong, is your mouth itching again?"
Once, Shi Jianzhong had been one of Han Ruobing's zealous pursuers. However, during a team banquet, he used tipsiness as an excuse to behave inappropriately toward her and make indecent comments. Han Ruobing humiliated him with a few well-placed slaps in public, shattering his pride. Ever since, Shi Jianzhong harbored resentment and made a point to challenge her at every turn.
"Hmph!" Shi Jianzhong sneered, "Don't get too arrogant, Han Ruobing. Caught red-handed acting indecently with a suspect, and you still have the guts to challenge me in the Government Office?"
"You bastard!" Han Ruobing was seething with anger and raised her hand to strike Shi Jianzhong, only to find herself still bound by the handcuffs to Yan Xiaobao, unable to lash out.
"Bingbing, don't get worked up and hurt yourself. Let me deal with this guy for you." Yan Xiaobao pointed at Shi Siming casually and said, "Hey! You dared insult my wife. Normally, I'd beat you to death. But since Bingbing doesn't appear to like me fighting, I'll make it easy on you—slap yourself ten times, and I'll let you off the hook."
"Your wife? Hahaha!" Shi Jianzhong clutched his belly and laughed hysterically, "Han Ruobing, Han Ruobing... Of all the rich heirs and powerful sons of officials pursuing you, you went for old cow eating young grass? Really?"
Then Shi Jianzhong pointed to his own face and said to Yan Xiaobao, "You want to hit me? Fine! I'll stand right here. Try it if you dare!"
"Smack!"
A crisp slap landed squarely on Shi Jianzhong's face, sending him reeling. His vision swam, and he nearly collapsed to the ground.
"You... You actually hit me!" Shi Jianzhong roared, stunned and furious, his disbelief etched across his face.
"Smack!"
Yan Xiaobao answered with another hard slap.
This one was even heavier. Shi Jianzhong, weighing over 140 pounds, stumbled against the wall from the force. A streak of bright red blood stained the white surface, shocking anyone who saw it.
"Stop!"
Han Ruobing quickly intervened, alarmed to notice the stainless steel chain of the handcuffs had somehow snapped in the commotion.
"He was the one who asked me to hit him!" Yan Xiaobao said matter-of-factly, confused by Han Ruobing's reaction. "If I didn't hit him, wouldn't that make me seem cowardly? And I'm definitely not a coward—otherwise, how would I get Bingbing to become my wife?"