Chapter 178: Help Me Rush Them

Jiang City was an obscure, third-tier small city. At ten o'clock at night, most of the storefronts on the street were already shuttered. The pitch-black night sky lacked even a single star, and the road was illuminated only by a few aging, disrepair-plagued streetlights casting a dim, orange glow.

Two figures were stretched out very long, casting distorted shadows onto the wall that looked rather eerie no matter how one perceived them.

"Stop right there!" an immensely arrogant voice shouted from behind.

"I said, damn it, stop right there!"

Two men slowly turned around. One wore a floral short-sleeved shirt, black shorts, and had his hair dyed a bright yellow.

The other wore a pristine white casual outfit, had short black hair, and possessed a refined, strikingly handsome appearance.

The red-haired youth had a wooden club resting on his shoulder, and one of his underlings stepped forward to light a cigarette for him.

Dongfang Cheng stroked his yellow hair, bumped the arm of the man in white beside him, and chuckled softly.

"Brother Gu, who do you think is more fashionable, him or me?"

A trace of playful amusement flashed through Gu Ting's eyes. He looked at the red-haired youth across from him, his thin lips parting slightly. "Six of one, half a dozen of the other."

Dongfang Cheng: ......

And here I was waiting for a compliment!

The red-haired youth glared at the two men whispering to each other, his face darkening. Were they treating him like air?

"Damn it! If you know what's good for you, leave the money behind!" The red-haired youth spat his cigarette onto the ground, wearing a fierce and menacing expression.

These two out-of-towners looked quite well-off; they were definitely fat sheep.

"Hahaha..." Dongfang Cheng burst out laughing. A robbery?

The red-haired youth felt a surge of anger. Were they looking down on him?

In that case, he would beat them until they cried for their daddy!

"Damn it! Brothers, beat them until even their own parents won't recognize them!"

Dongfang Cheng pressed his tongue against the inside of his cheek. "Brother Gu, shall we take them together?"

A sneer played on the corners of Gu Ting's lips, and just as he was about to make a move, a crisp and melodic voice rang out from behind them.

"So noisy."

Dongfang Cheng's eyes lit up. Judging solely by the voice, it was undoubtedly a beauty!

Under the streetlight, a young man and woman walked over slowly. The girl's facial features were exceptionally exquisite, her palm-sized face delicate and refined. Clad in a simple white T-shirt and denim shorts, she revealed a pair of long, shapely legs. She walked with a brisk, effortless grace, her long hair streaming behind her shoulders. Her expression was cool and aloof, making her look like an immortal fairy who had descended into the mortal world.

The young man trailing behind her was a head shorter, with refined features and a hint of suppressed ferocity between his brows.

"Oho! This chick is a stunner!" The red-haired youth and his gang stared, their eyes fixed and unblinking.

Gu Ting frowned. These people were utterly filthy.

"Little sister, this...?" Before Dongfang Cheng could finish his sentence, the girl had already darted forward.

"My sister isn't saving you guys; you're simply making too much noise here." The young man materialized beside Dongfang Cheng at some point.

He glanced sideways at Dongfang Cheng and couldn't help rolling his eyes—all flash and gaudy, a total show-off.

Gu Ting's gaze landed on the girl. Her movements were clean, crisp, and devoid of any hesitation or drag. Every punch landed squarely on her opponents' vulnerable spots, and within moments, the petty thugs were sprawled haphazardly across the ground.

"Get lost." The girl relaxed her wrists, her gaze sharp and piercing.

The red-haired youth didn't dare linger for a single second, scrambling away in a panic.

"Zhong Yi, let's go." She glanced toward the spot where the young man was standing, her eyes locking briefly with Gu Ting's.

This man had been staring at her right from the start. She found him somewhat displeasing.

A brilliant smile bloomed across Zhong Yi's face as he trotted over quickly.

"Little fairy, thank you!" Dongfang Cheng hurried after them as well.

Shen Qing glanced at him. His yellow hair was wildly conspicuous, and his peach-blossom eyes were long and narrow, currently squinted slightly in a manner that made him look thoroughly like a playboy.

"No need to thank me."

"Can I add you on WeChat?" Dongfang Cheng blocked their path, his smile warm and polite.

"No."

"Then I'll walk you back." Dongfang Cheng persisted relentlessly.

Zhong Yi cast a sideways glance at him, his look akin to evaluating an absolute idiot.

With a sister whose combat prowess was this monstrous, did she need anyone to walk her back?

"Let's go together. That way, we can protect... each other." Gu Ting stepped forward, standing close to Shen Qing. He lowered his gaze slightly, watching as the girl's long eyelashes cast heavy shadows across the bridge of her nose.

Dongfang Cheng was somewhat startled, looking at Gu Ting with sheer disbelief in his eyes.

He was actually initiating a conversation with a girl? Had the iron tree finally blossomed?

Shen Qing shifted her gaze. The man beside her was dressed in an utterly ordinary white athletic outfit, wearing a brand-new pair of DL sneakers on his feet. His skin was very fair, and his facial features were handsome without looking feminine.

"As you like." Shen Qing raised her gaze and reached out to tug at the hem of Zhong Yi's shirt. Before anyone could react, she had already taken a step forward.

"Are you from Jiang City?" Dongfang Cheng asked.

"Mhm," Zhong Yi nodded.

"Brother Gu and I are just here to visit. Do you have any recommendations?"

"None."

Dongfang Cheng: ......

He then let out a dry, awkward laugh. "Hahaha, this little fellow is quite aloof."

Gu Ting walked on Shen Qing's left side, close enough that he could catch the faint, delicate fragrance emanating from the girl.

"Something the matter?" Shen Qing glanced at her sleeve, which was nearly brushing against Gu Ting, her brow furrowing slightly in evident distaste.

Gu Ting caught the micro-expression on the girl's face, his gaze pausing for a fraction of a second.

"How about we add each other on WeChat? Since we're new here, things might be a bit inconvenient at times." Gu Ting added the latter half of the sentence after a micro-pause of one second.

Dongfang Cheng clicked his tongue in amazement. Was this really the Gu Ting he knew, who excelled in every form of indulgence from drinking and dining to gambling?

Zhong Yi curled his lip in disdain. What a pathetic excuse to ask for WeChat!

Shen Qing glanced at him and ignored him entirely.

Perhaps the man's gaze was simply too scorching, because Shen Qing grew increasingly impatient with being stared at the entire way.

She reached into the pocket of her denim shorts and pulled out an extremely thick smartphone. The brand was unrecognizable, but her hands were undeniably striking—knuckle-defined and long-fingered.

"I'll scan you, just stop following me." The moment Shen Qing finished speaking, Gu Ting extended his phone displaying a QR code, his eyes brimming with a smile.

Shen Qing sneered inwardly; he moved fast enough.

"Add me too." Dongfang Cheng also whipped out his phone and opened WeChat.

"Sis, hurry up." Zhong Yi took the phone from Shen Qing and pulled her along, walking ahead.

Dongfang Cheng: ......

That little brat did it on purpose!

Gu Ting clicked accept on the friend request. The other person's profile picture was a yellow Chinese rural dog baring its teeth at the camera.

"Brother Gu, give me the little fairy's WeChat ID too," Dongfang Cheng whined, sidoning up to him with a cheeky grin.

"I earned this through my own ability, why should I give it to you?"

"You've changed, doggie. Sob, sob, sob..."

"Get lost!"

***

The August sun was scorching and fierce, making people feel dizzy from the heat.

"Sis, the bus is here."

Watching the bus pull to a halt, Zhong Yi fished out some loose change, dropped the fare for two into the box, and headed to the back to find a pair of window seats.

As soon as she sat down, Shen Qing fired up a mobile game, while Zhong Yi pulled a palm-sized book out of his backpack. Shen Qing glanced at it briefly but said nothing.

It took Shen Qing and Zhong Yi half a morning of bus riding to finally reach the Jiang City High-Speed Railway Station. Zhong Yi used his ID card to collect the two tickets, they grabbed a hurried lunch, and they finally arrived at Fancheng by six in the evening.

Stepping out of the station platform, Shen Qing immediately spotted the placard being held up by the Yu family's welcoming party.

"Miss?" The middle-aged man looked at Shen Qing's stunning face with a hint of uncertainty; she didn't look much like the master of the house.

"Mhm." Shen Qing nodded.

Having his identity confirmed, the butler He Zhong let out a heavy sigh of relief.

"Hello, Miss. I am the butler sent by the master to pick you up. The master has a business dinner tonight and couldn't get away."

"It's fine, let's go." Whether Yu Fei came or not was of no concern to Shen Qing.

"And your luggage?" He Zhong looked at Shen Qing, who didn't even carry a shoulder bag, and only then noticed the young man trailing behind her.

"No luggage. This is my neighbor, Zhong Yi." Shen Qing briefly introduced Zhong Yi's background.

He Zhong was momentarily stunned. A neighbor had tagged along to Fancheng as well?

Nevertheless, a warm, amiable smile quickly returned to his face. "Miss, please follow me."

He Zhong led the two of them to a sleek black sedan, opening the rear door for Shen Qing. Considering that Zhong Yi was a young man and no longer a child, he directed him to sit in the front passenger seat.