“Why?!” Helian Kong was the first to jump out and express his discontent. “What do you see in him?”

Bu Wei turned his head lazily, glanced up and down at Helian Kong, then snorted coldly through his nose. “Pretty boy, if you’re not convinced, I, your grandfather, will give you a chance to duel me one-on-one. If you win, I’ll give Miss Ling’er to you.”

“My grandfather is way better looking than you!” Helian Kong spat disdainfully, then turned back to Ling Long. “Miss Ling’er, I’m willing to offer twenty thousand taels— no, name any price, as long as you’ll let me redeem you!”

Yin Yin: “……”

She felt Helian Kong had reached a whole new level of stupidity. She could no longer keep up with his thought process.

Ling Long looked at Helian Kong, frowning slightly with a trace of displeasure. Haitang, noticing the mood, quickly interjected, “Young master, there’s no need to say more. It seems you and Miss Ling’er simply aren’t fated to be.”

“Why?!” Helian Kong widened his eyes at Ling Long, looking utterly heartbroken. “Why am I not good enough?”

Ling Long leaned closer to Haitang and whispered a few words. Haitang’s lips curved into a faint smile as she looked at Helian Kong and said, “Miss Ling’er says…… your face is too stupid.”

Helian Kong: “……”

Yin Yin silently lit incense for him in her heart.

The gauzy curtain fell again, and a graceful young woman walked up to Bu Wei with a charming smile. “Young Master, please follow me.”

Bu Wei shot Helian Kong a contemptuous glance, then, amidst a chorus of envious sighs, followed the young woman upstairs with a delighted grin.

The young woman stopped before a room at the end of the corridor. “Young Master, this is the place.”

Standing at the door, Bu Wei deliberately sniffed. “Smells so good.”

His expression was as perverted as it could get. Yin Yin almost couldn’t stop herself from storming over and stomping on his face.

The young woman covered her mouth and chuckled softly, then bowed to Bu Wei and left. He adjusted his clothes at the door, cleared his throat, and pushed it open.

Ling Long was reclining against the bed, and the moment the door opened, he lazily cast a sideways glance. Just that one look sent shivers down Bu Wei’s spine. His blood boiled with lust.

“Hiss……” Bu Wei sucked in a breath. “It’s been ages since I’ve seen such a top-tier beauty.”

He eagerly walked toward the bed, already starting to strip his clothes off. Had he known this earlier, he wouldn’t have bothered straightening them before.

“Beau—” He reached out, trying to lift Ling Long’s chin. But before he could finish his words, the door suddenly slammed open.

Yin Yin rushed to the bed like a gust of wind, spreading her arms protectively in front of Ling Long like a mother hen shielding her chick. “You filthy pervert! What do you think you’re doing?!”

Bu Wei hadn’t even seen how she entered. He only felt a gust of wind sweep past him, and then someone stood in his way. A jolt ran through his heart. He and Bu Xing had long relied on their agility, not martial prowess, to evade pursuers.

But this woman…… her qinggong was so good he couldn’t even track her movements.

Even Ling Long was astonished by the sudden display. Had she been hiding her true strength all along?

Truth was, if Yin Yin had such superb qinggong, she wouldn’t have been scared to death when she was attacked by wolves at Wild Fox Ridge. This time, seeing Bu Wei’s pig trotters^[1]a derogatory term for sexual harassers or gropers, particularly when used to describe someone who is being perverted or making unwanted advances about to land on Ling Long’s face, she simply acted out of desperation and unlocked a burst of hidden potential. Even when Ling Long later had her try several times again, she couldn’t replicate it.

Though Bu Wei was shocked, he didn’t let it show. “I heard this place is Caiqing Garden.”

“And so?” Yin Yin raised her chin.

“So I naturally came to visit a lady.”

It was only then that he noticed the little spitfire standing before him was also a true beauty. He leered at her. “Could it be…… you’re here to join us?”

Ling Long frowned in displeasure and rose from the bed. When Bu Wei noticed how he stood a full head taller than Yin Yin, the corner of his mouth twitched. “This lady is…… rather tall.”

Ling Long chuckled coldly. “Of course. Because I’m not a lady.”

Bu Wei froze. The voice, though pleasant, was undeniably masculine.

Yin Yin, mimicking a brothel owner, let out three exaggerated laughs. “What’s the matter? Has your brother picked all the flowers in the capital already, so now it’s your turn to start picking men?”

Well, chrysanthemums^[2]euphemism for the anus are technically flowers too.

Bu Wei, a veteran of the martial world, immediately realized something was off. His first instinct was to run— fast.

But Ling Long was even faster.

Before Bu Wei could pivot, Ling Long struck, freezing him in place. A group of armed subordinates Yin Yin had prepared long ago swarmed in.

Bu Wei was now sure that he had walked into a trap.

He cursed under his breath and asked in lowered voice, “Who are you people? What do you want?”

Yin Yin giggled again, enjoying her role as brothel owner immensely. “The once-famous flower-thief of the martial world, reduced to this? If word gets out that you now prey on men, the only way to redeem yourself would be to castrate yourself and beg forgiveness from the world.”

Bu Wei glared daggers at her, gritting his teeth. “What the hell do you want?”

Ignoring his murderous gaze, Yin Yin continued, “Especially Bu Xing. If he finds out his big brother is now seducing men to get off, he’ll die laughing! Hahahahaha!”

“You. Tell. Me. What. You. Want!” Each word was squeezed out between Bu Wei’s clenched teeth. He swore that if he could move, he would defile and kill the woman in front of him— and then defile her corpse again. Unfortunately, all he could do now was glare.

“I want you to help us deal with Bu Xing.” Yin Yin said quickly.

Bu Wei blinked, then laughed. “Why should I?”

“You don’t really have a choice right now, do you?” Yin Yin said, blinking playfully. “Of course, you could choose to die with honor.”

Bu Wei: “……”

Was this a threat? It had to be a threat, right?

“He’s my brother— my real brother.” Bu Wei tried to appeal to human decency.

“I know. I’m not asking you to kill him. Just help us rescue the girls he abducted from the capital recently.”

“That’s it?” Bu Wei didn’t believe it.

“If you happen to kill him while you’re at it, I won’t object either.”

Bu Wei: “……”

He considered it for a moment. “Why don’t you do it yourselves?”

“Because we like watching you dogs bite each other.”

Bu Wei: “……”

He wanted to throw her to the dogs.

“Have you decided yet?” Yin Yin frowned impatiently. “If you refuse, I guarantee tomorrow’s headlines will read, ‘Former Flower-Thief Now Lusts After Men— Is It Desperation Or A Grand Coming-Out?'”

Bu Wei: “……”

He didn’t understand exactly what she meant, but he knew it wasn’t good.

“Maybe Jia Renyi would take a real interest in you~” After all, they have similar tastes.

Jia Renyi? Bu Wei’s heart sank. That was the top martial artist of the generation and the current leader of the Martial Alliance. What did he have to do with this?

Wait— could it be……? Was Jia Renyi also into men?!

The idea shocked him. The mighty alliance leader was…… a cut-sleeve?! He feared for the future of martial arts.

No, he should be worrying about himself first.

His eyes darted toward Ling Long, who had remained silent. If the alliance leader was a cut-sleeve, then Bu Wei’s own ‘taste’…… people would believe it! Not just believe it, but under Jia Renyi’s influence, it might even become a trend!

Unacceptable!

How would he ever do those shameful things with beautiful young ladies again?

He had to stop this tragedy from unfolding.

“Fine!” Bu Wei gritted his teeth, a picture of righteous indignation. “I’ll help you!”

“Deal!” Yin Yin clapped her fists together. “Do it tonight. I want to see those girls tomorrow morning.”

“Got it!” Veins bulged on Bu Wei’s forehead. If not for the happiness of the martial world, he would never tolerate being bossed around by a little girl.

Ling Long tapped him twice swiftly, and Bu Wei darted out the window into the night. Yin Yin watched him vanish and couldn’t help but praise his qinggong.

“Alright, show’s over. Everyone can leave~” After dismissing the guards and onlookers from Caiqing Garden, Yin Yin shut the door, then turned to Ling Long with a wicked grin.

Oh, what a lovely little flower. So delicate and alluring. Time for this grandpa to shower you with love, mwehehehe!

Her final laugh burst out loud from sheer excitement.

Ling Long: “……”

Yin Yin: “……”

There was an awkward silence.

“Um, well,” Yin Yin sidled up with an ingratiating smile, “Xiao Ling’er, you worked hard today. Want me to massage your back?”

“No.”

“Oh, no? Then massage mine.”

Ling Long: “……”

When it came to being shameless, no one in the world could beat Yin Yin.

This was true.

“I need to change.” Ling Long said.

“Oh!” Yin Yin clenched her fists, nodding eagerly.

Ling Long: “……”

“Aren’t you changing yet?” Yin Yin urged.

Ling Long fought to contain his temper. “Get out.”

“Why?!” Yin Yin looked wounded.

“Because I’m changing clothes!” Ling Long was already grinding his teeth.

“And I’m here to watch!” Yin Yin sounded genuinely anxious.

“……Get lost!”

With a loud thud, she got thrown out the door.

Rubbing her sore shoulder, Yin Yin muttered, “Seriously! It’s not like you’re some unmarried girl. Why not just let me watch?”

A palm strike whooshed through the air from inside, slamming her into the wall again.

Ling Long changed quickly. When he stepped out dressed in men’s clothes, Yin Yin let out a few resentful grumbles.

……

Helian Kong was still causing a fuss downstairs over ‘Miss Ling’er’, so Yin Yin and Ling Long slipped out of Caiqing Garden unnoticed.

On the way back to Zhuwang’s headquarters, Yin Yin kept sighing in regret. Her crush was so stingy. He wouldn’t even let her watch him change!

“Yinyin.” Ling Long said softly.

“Hmm?” Yin Yin looked up at his perfect side profile.

“I made quite the sacrifice today.”

Her heart skipped a beat. Was he going to bring up money again?

“What do you want?”

Ling Long turned to her, amber eyes drawing her in. “It’s all going on your tab.”

Yin Yin: “……”

How much debt had she racked up by now? Would she ever pay it off in this lifetime?

Darkness loomed over her future.

“But first, I’ll take a little interest.” Ling Long said, suddenly curling his lips in a mischievous smile.

Before she could react, Ling Long leaned down and kissed her.