Chapter Eleven: Soaring Together

The slap landed so hard that the arrogant young master was utterly stunned. Even Tie Wula couldn’t help but praise, “As expected of someone from the General’s Estate—even the maidservants are this impressive.”

But it wasn’t Liu Ling’er who was impressive; it was the young master himself. He shamelessly rubbed the cheek that had just been slapped by Liu Ling’er, grinned lasciviously, and offered the other side of his face, saying, “A slap means affection, a scolding means love. If there’s no hitting or scolding, there’s no romance! Fiery little pepper, you’ve got some spice—I…”

Before he could finish the word “like,” a flurry of slaps—seven or eight in quick succession—landed on him. His greasy, pudgy face swelled like risen dough, nearly covering his lecherous, beady eyes.

Liu Ling’er shook out her hand and scolded, “I’ve seen shameless people before, but never anyone as shameless as you! Your face is thicker than the city walls of the imperial capital. Look, you’ve made my hand swell from hitting you!”

“Damn it! Outrageous—absolutely outrageous! Do you not know the name Li Yujian? No one in the capital dares disrespect me. Get her! This girl is mine tonight!” The young master, a coward at heart, realized he couldn’t outmatch Liu Ling’er and shamelessly called for his lackeys.

A gang of thugs swarmed forward. Liu Ling’er’s expression darkened. If only she still had a tenth of her former strength, she’d have them all kneeling and singing in defeat. But now, with not a trace of inner power left, she had no choice but to flee.

Her feet carried her swiftly through three alleys, and only when she was sure no one was behind her did she stop, panting for breath.

Just as she turned around, she found herself face-to-face with a charming girl whose phoenix eyes bored into her, as if they could swallow her whole. Their noses were barely a finger’s width apart; even the slightest movement would bring them into contact. So startled by the eerie scene, Liu Ling’er couldn’t help but cry out.

She jumped back two steps, clutching her racing heart with one hand and pointing at the girl holding a pot of narcissus with the other. “You—why are you following me so closely? You’re like a ghost!”

The girl with the narcissus replied, “Thank you for saving my life just now. If you hadn’t stood up for me, I would’ve been in real trouble! So, to repay your kindness, I’ve decided to follow you from now on. I’m yours.”

As she spoke, she pressed herself closer to Liu Ling’er, who felt increasingly uneasy; goosebumps prickled her skin from head to toe.

She quickly stepped aside, putting a safe distance between them, and said awkwardly, “You don’t need to repay me. It was nothing—just a small favor. You should go home to your parents!”

A subtle, sly smile flickered in the narcissus girl’s eyes. Oh, how adorable her cousin Tao had become after all these years. She raised her slender hand and said, “That’s not up to me. Look—they’re coming.”

Liu Ling’er glanced back—sure enough, the alley was blocked at both ends. The young master leered at her viciously. “Run all you want. Let’s see if you can grow wings and fly away today. Don’t worry—even if you do, I’ll make sure the two of you fly together and never get enough of it.”

Liu Ling’er spat directly at his face, her heart filled with frustration. Times had changed—dragons stranded in shallow waters are mocked by shrimps; tigers in the plains are bullied by dogs; a phoenix without its feathers is no better than a chicken!

She braced herself to charge forward, but just then, a carriage barreled into the alley, blocking the young master’s path completely.

At the sight of the carriage, Liu Ling’er’s eyes widened. Wasn’t this the carriage of that perverse and wretched prince? What was it doing here? If they recognized her, she’d be in serious trouble.

Suddenly, the scent of narcissus enveloped her. Her hand was seized by the girl's delicate grip, and in a flash, her body felt weightless. Following the girl, she soared into the air, and in the blink of an eye, they’d landed on a nearby street.

The narcissus girl released Liu Ling’er’s hand. Liu Ling’er stammered, “Wow! I didn’t expect you to be such a skilled fighter!”

The girl pressed the pot of narcissus into Liu Ling’er’s hands, flicked her gently on the forehead, and laughed, “Ye Xiao Tao, after all these years, have you really forgotten your cousin Su Yun Yun?”