Chapter 46: The False Monk Meets the True Monk

With Shi Xiaocai present, Dai Jin and Yuan Bao felt no fear of trouble; in fact, they almost hoped someone would come looking for a fight, just so they could really feel like gangsters. So, the two of them hurried out as well. Lin Youya and Song Xiaomei also stepped outside—after all, someone had actually come to their doorstep to provoke them; this was simply outrageous.

As expected, outside the villa, several dozens of men armed with machetes stood menacingly at Lin Youya’s gate. At the front stood two figures: one was Viper, and the other was a burly, bald man, his face thickset and fierce, eyes cold and ruthless—a man who was clearly not to be trifled with.

Behind them, many students from Jianghai University had gathered to watch the commotion. Leaning against a neighboring villa were Li Feng and his four bodyguards; Li Feng watched with ill-concealed malice, eager to see Shi Xiaocai and his friends humiliated.

Normally, a gang of thugs armed with machetes would never swagger so openly onto campus. But they had driven straight to the villa, claiming to be looking for Li Feng. The guards, having received a call from Li Feng, let them in without even checking their vehicle. What’s more, Li Feng had warned the guards not to interfere with anything happening at the villa—he would take responsibility for whatever happened. The guards knew this wasn’t right, but Li Feng’s reputation filled them with dread; crossing this young master could mean not only the loss of their jobs, but even retaliation against their families. So, none dared to object, and thus these dozen-odd thugs arrived at Lin Youya’s villa.

As for the other students, none dared get involved; it was clear at a glance these men were gangsters, and some even recognized Viper among them—though the burly bald man was unfamiliar to most.

This time, Lin Youya was far calmer than before. The last time she’d been kidnapped, the thugs had been even more formidable—their presence was on another level entirely. Those men had wielded heavy, broad-bladed knives, while these carried only the shorter, lighter blades favored by common street punks. Most importantly, this was happening on school grounds; surely these men wouldn’t dare brazenly abduct someone here. Their aim was likely to challenge Shi Xiaocai and Lingtian to a fight. In any case, Lin Youya felt no fear—only anger that Lingtian, that heartless cad, had yet to return at such a time.

Regardless of what the others thought, Shi Xiaocai strode directly up to the group, his expression full of contempt. After spending so much time with Lingtian, Shi Xiaocai had developed a swagger of his own—especially in front of these posturing toughs, he was determined to suppress their momentum with his own.

“Monk, that’s Shi Xiaocai,” Viper introduced, nodding toward him. “Behind him are Dai Jin and Yuan Bao, and then Jianghai University’s belle, Lin Youya, and her cousin, Song Xiaomei. The two women are off-limits—Brother Li is interested in them. We’re here for the men, though Lingtian isn’t around this time.”

Shi Xiaocai stifled a laugh at the name. Monk? Was that the bald man’s nickname? How amusing, for someone to call himself “Monk” in front of a real monk like him.

“So you’re Shi Xiaocai? Where’s Lingtian? Call him out. Today, I’ll deal with both of you at once—let you little punks know this world isn’t something just anyone can muscle into!” The bald man’s stare was fierce and domineering.

“Amitabha, and who might you be?” Shi Xiaocai regarded him coolly, certain this fellow was no match for him. He could handle all these men himself; there was no need to call Lingtian.

“They call me Monk—on the streets, everyone knows me as Brother Monk. I’m Viper’s boss. Heard you beat up Viper and boasted that Jianghai is now your turf? Today, I’ll show you just how high the heavens are and how deep the earth runs!”

The man looked at Shi Xiaocai with utter disdain. In his eyes, there were no real monks these days; this Shi Xiaocai, with his shaven head and pretense of asceticism, was just putting on a show. Did he think he’d walked out of Shaolin Temple? Shi Xiaocai? As if he were Shi Xiaolong’s junior. Pathetic!

“You dare call yourself Monk? What a fraud. Today you’re unlucky to meet a real monk like me! No need to call Lingtian—I alone can flatten all of you. Allow me to show you some Shaolin kung fu!”

With that, Shi Xiaocai spun his staff into a ready stance—offensive or defensive at will, his aura powerful and imposing. He was already strikingly handsome, his physique well-proportioned; now, he exuded a magnetic masculinity that drew starry-eyed gazes from the girls in the crowd.

“Wow! Shi Xiaocai, you’re so handsome! Flatten them all and I’ll sleep with you tonight!” Song Xiaomei gazed at Shi Xiaocai with sparkling eyes—her man truly was extraordinary.

“Ahem…” Shi Xiaocai nearly choked at her words. Now he was truly in a bind—should he really knock them all down? He didn’t want to break his monastic vows of chastity.

The onlookers were equally stunned by Song Xiaomei’s declaration. So the legendary cousin of Lin Youya was indeed something else—such bold tastes, and for a monk, no less!

“Hmph! I bet you’re no real monk either—you’ve long since broken your vow of chastity!” The bald man looked at Shi Xiaocai with even greater contempt, though inwardly he was envious of Shi Xiaocai for attracting a wealthy and beautiful girl.

“That’s none of your concern. Today I’ll make you admit defeat!” Shi Xiaocai replied, swinging his staff at the bald man’s head. Monk was no slouch, dodging swiftly, but his dozens of men surged forward, machetes raised, to attack Shi Xiaocai. Viper, still nursing yesterday’s injuries, hung back.

The crowd could scarcely believe Shi Xiaocai could prevail; after all, two fists are no match for four hands, and he was facing dozens of armed thugs alone. Even Yuan Bao grew uneasy.

“Dai Jin, should we call Lingtian? Can Shi Xiaocai handle this himself? We probably can’t help much,” Yuan Bao asked nervously.

“Yes, let’s call him. We might be interrupting Lingtian’s fun, but if Shi Xiaocai can’t hold out, all of us could be in danger. If Lin Youya gets hurt, Lingtian will blame us for not telling him,” Dai Jin said, seeing how ruthless the attackers seemed.

He quickly pulled out his phone and dialed Lingtian.

Lingtian had just finished an intimate moment with Li Youran, having passed her the basic techniques of the Yin-Yang Sutra. When he saw Dai Jin’s call and realized it was already past two in the afternoon, he felt a pang of guilt—he’d gotten so caught up with Li Youran that he’d forgotten all about Shi Xiaocai and even his duty to protect Lin Youya.

For a man, a woman with whom he’s been intimate always holds a special place in his heart. It’s said that, except for those paid or one-night encounters, men consider any woman they’ve been with as their own. That’s why so many men find it hard to refuse ex-girlfriends or ex-wives, and why those ties are hard to sever completely. Some call it fickleness, an endless appetite for the new without ever discarding the old.

Though reluctant to part with Li Youran, Lingtian knew he had to go—after all, he’d been the main force in yesterday’s fight with Viper.

“Darling, I have to go fight. Want to come with me?” Lingtian, unable to bear leaving Li Youran, hoped to bring her along and let her see how formidable her man was in a fight.

“Alright, I don’t have class today. I’ll come with you. But what should I wear?” Li Youran suddenly cared very much about her image with Lingtian, worried she might embarrass him.

She was a stunning beauty who outshone all others wherever she went, but love makes one anxious. Now, every part of her, inside and out, belonged to Lingtian.

“You look beautiful in anything,” Lingtian replied truthfully. Every time he saw Li Youran, he was struck anew by her elegance—her classical grace taking on new charm with every outfit. But most stunning of all was when she wore nothing at all.

“Alright, then wait for me.” Li Youran got out of bed to change, while Lingtian dressed quickly as well.

When Li Youran reappeared, Lingtian was momentarily dazed. She wore a simple white gauze dress, its style both classical and modern. It perfectly complemented her timeless grace without seeming out of place.

“You’re so beautiful, darling! I’ll carry you—we’d better hurry, or Shi Xiaocai might not hold out!” Lingtian said, scooping her into his arms and dashing off toward Lin Youya’s villa.

In less than five minutes, Lingtian arrived with Li Youran in his arms, startling the crowd who’d been engrossed in the brawl between Shi Xiaocai and the thugs.

Their arrival was so sudden that everyone fell silent. The fairy-like beauty Li Youran, Jianghai University’s famed teacher, was actually being carried by a man—and that man, just days ago, had been pursuing Lin Youya, calling her his wife. The situation was positively bizarre.

As Lingtian set Li Youran down, her beauty once again stunned the crowd. Her waist-length hair, unadorned and silky, danced gently in the breeze; her white dress billowed elegantly; her exquisite face and classic poise set her apart from the world—a beauty untouched by dust or vulgarity.

Lin Youya, seeing the two arrive together, turned pale. They really were together; Li Youran had even let Lingtian carry her here. Anyone could guess the nature of their relationship. But what did that make her? She’d given him her first kiss, he’d touched her intimately—yet just because she hadn’t given herself to him fully, he’d gone to Li Youran, who was perhaps even more beautiful than she was?