Chapter 48: Walk the Path of Others, Leaving Them No Path to Take

“Honey, open the door! It’s me, Ling Tian!” Ling Tian knew that Lin Elegant was most likely angry at him, and he felt a secret delight in his heart. His wife was jealous—surely because she cared about him, proof that he held a place in her heart.

“Go to hell!” Lin Elegant was furious. Hearing Ling Tian knock and shamelessly call her his wife made her even angrier. How could there be such a shameless man? Just moments ago, he was parading around with a beautiful woman in his arms, and now he dared to call her “wife.”

“No way. If I die, you’ll be a widow. Please open up, honey!” Ling Tian’s skin was growing thicker. Since his rebirth, he’d changed quite a bit—he’d never teased women like this before, but now he found it endlessly entertaining.

Lin Elegant was so infuriated by his words that she flung the door open, hurling her pillow at Ling Tian with all her strength, cursing as she did, “You bastard! You’ll be the widow! We have nothing to do with each other—get out!”

It was hard to imagine the usually graceful and noble Lin Elegant being so provoked by Ling Tian. No one had ever dared to anger her this way.

Of course, Ling Tian wouldn’t leave. Men who retreat when told to by a woman never win beautiful women. He grabbed Lin Elegant, pulled her into the room, and kissed her fiercely on the lips.

Elegant tried to resist but couldn’t utter a sound; she wanted to push Ling Tian away but couldn’t manage it. In the end, tears of grievance fell from her eyes—she felt so wronged.

Ling Tian, engrossed in kissing Lin Elegant, suddenly tasted salt in his mouth—it was her tears. Panic seized him, and he quickly let go.

“Elegant, what’s wrong?” Ling Tian, no longer daring to joke, looked at her seriously. This beautiful woman was actually crying—damn it, it was the first time he’d made a girl cry, and he was flustered.

“Waa!” Lin Elegant burst into tears in Ling Tian’s arms. She felt utterly aggrieved. She’d begun to like Ling Tian, but he’d betrayed her. If they broke up, so be it, but he shamelessly came back to her—she truly didn’t know what to do.

Ling Tian’s heart was thrown into chaos by Lin Elegant’s tears. He’d never held a girl who cried because of him—especially one he cared about so deeply. He had little experience comforting girls; few had ever cried and needed him to console them. But now, he had no choice but to press on awkwardly.

“Elegant, I’m sorry. It’s my fault. Don’t be angry, I’ll treat you well from now on,” Ling Tian promised again and again, not knowing what else to say.

No wonder people say men fear women’s tears most—especially the tears of the woman they love. Comforting a woman is harder than fighting several men.

Lin Elegant cried for more than ten minutes before glaring at Ling Tian in anger. “You’re a philanderer. I hate men who toy with my feelings!”

“Elegant, I swear, I’m sincere with you!” Ling Tian, having called her “wife,” intended for her to be his woman, and he would treat his woman well.

“What about you and Li Gentle?” Lin Elegant finally voiced the question that mattered most to her. How she wished her suspicions were wrong, that Ling Tian and Li Gentle had nothing between them—but today’s events shattered her illusions. These two seemed even closer than she and Ling Tian.

“She’s my woman.” Ling Tian didn’t want to evade the truth. Li Gentle was the first woman he’d been with, and he would always acknowledge it, no matter what.

“You spent the whole night with her?” Lin Elegant’s face turned pale. Ling Tian’s answer wounded her heart deeply, making it bleed.

When Ling Tian pursued her, she had initially dismissed him. But later, after he risked himself to save her, she truly began to like him, though she always believed a woman should remain reserved, so she kept rejecting him.

But she hadn’t expected Ling Tian to sleep with another girl. If it had been an ordinary girl, she could have scorned her for lacking restraint and upbringing, but that girl was Li Gentle, who was in no way inferior to herself. In fact, Li Gentle’s temperament seemed even more reserved and conservative. Could it be that her own restraint was mistaken?

Lin Elegant felt terribly wronged and couldn’t understand why Li Gentle willingly stayed with Ling Tian. She must know about Ling Tian pursuing herself—did she really accept Ling Tian’s two-timing? Lin Elegant truly couldn’t fathom it.

“Yes, both Yuran and I have special bodies. I am of the Nine Yang constitution, and she is of the Nine Yin…” Ling Tian held Lin Elegant as they sat on the sofa, quietly explaining his situation with Li Gentle. Whether Lin Elegant believed it or not, she had the right to know, for she would be his woman in the future as well.

Lin Elegant listened in a daze; all this was beyond her understanding. Instinctively, she wanted to disbelieve, thinking it was just Ling Tian’s excuse for his philandering. But as she calmed down and thought it over, it seemed true.

First, Li Gentle was not a promiscuous girl—she’d never had any scandals, nor had she ever dated anyone. She was like an ethereal fairy untouched by the world, with no hint of impropriety. Yet such a girl was willing to share a man with another woman—unless there was a special reason, unless that man was truly exceptional.

Second, Ling Tian’s miraculous medical skills were extraordinary, especially for someone so young. Perhaps his abilities were really tied to that “Yin Yang Formula” he mentioned.

In this world, some women would rather share a man with others if he was outstanding—whether handsome, powerful, influential, skilled at winning hearts, or simply extraordinary. Ling Tian was one of these men; he was truly exceptional.

After hearing Ling Tian’s explanation, Lin Elegant’s anger subsided, and she began to understand his situation with Li Gentle—especially after learning that Li Gentle’s Nine Yin constitution could threaten her life if she didn’t meet a man of the Nine Yang. Lin Elegant even felt a bit of sympathy for Li Gentle—thank goodness she met Ling Tian.

But what about herself? Lin Elegant was a kind girl, empathetic and understanding, but she couldn’t accept being one of Ling Tian’s girlfriends alongside Li Gentle. Li Gentle could do it, but she couldn’t—at least not yet.

“Elegant, do you understand now? I am not an ordinary man. If my Yin Yang Formula reaches a certain level, I’ll be even more powerful. Maybe I have a wandering heart, but I will treat the women I love well. I’ll prove it to you by my actions.”

Seeing Lin Elegant’s expression calm, no longer angry with him, Ling Tian breathed a sigh of relief and hurried to declare his determination.

“I understand, but I don’t want to be just one of your women.” Lin Elegant sighed softly. The first time she was moved by a man, she encountered one like this.

“I won’t give up! You have a good rest—I’m going to find Shi Small Fortune and the others.”

Lin Elegant’s words did not dissuade Ling Tian. The most important thing in his life was finding a wife. The woman he wanted, he would win—not just her body, but her heart. In this city by the river and sea, only he was worthy of Lin Elegant.

With that, Ling Tian left to discuss some matters with Shi Small Fortune and his companions.

…

Dream Jiangnan Nightclub.

Baldy, Viper, and seven or eight brothers were drinking and singing in a large private room, each accompanied by a scantily-clad woman—most of them of above-average quality.

Viper’s hand was inside the clothes of the beauty beside him, kneading her voluptuous curves. The woman gasped and smiled seductively, eager to please. To her, a man with money was attractive—a target to curry favor with.

Viper didn’t look at her face; though his hand didn’t stop, his expression was grim. Toying with her was mere venting. His gaze was fixed on his boss, Baldy.

“Boss, what are we going to do about Ling Tian and Shi Small Fortune? They took protection money from several of our venues today. We thought their gangster talk was just bravado, but they’re really competing with us for territory,” Viper said, deeply frustrated.

“Hmph! This is outrageous. Was it Shi Small Fortune who took the money?” Baldy’s eyes blazed with anger.

“Yes, Shi Small Fortune was followed by Dai Gold and Yuan Treasure. Ling Tian didn’t show up. Shi Small Fortune claimed he was collecting donations to gather all the world’s wealth and ensure everyone’s safety. If refused, they’d smash the place. Our brothers guarding the venues were beaten several times by them,” Viper gritted his teeth at the mention of Shi Small Fortune. Despite being rich—a monk adorned in gold—he was competing with them for turf.

There’s a saying: walk someone else’s path, leave them nowhere to go. Shi Small Fortune and Ling Tian were now doing exactly that to Viper and Baldy, driving them into a corner. As for Ling Tian’s absence, it was because he needed to protect Lin Elegant—once her situation was resolved, he would join in personally.

“Damn! I didn’t expect them to be serious. Last time we were outnumbered and suffered, but this time we must teach them a lesson. Tiger Brother is our last backup—we’d rather not trouble him unless necessary, since asking for help means more tribute later. Let’s figure out how to deal with these four!”

When Baldy left last time, he’d said he’d ask Tiger Brother to deal with Ling Tian and the others. But after cooling down, he decided to handle it himself if possible. Maybe Ling Tian and his group were only bluffing—not real gangsters. They certainly didn’t look like they needed money.

What he hadn’t expected was that Ling Tian’s group would directly go to his own venues and collect protection money. Now he really had to come up with a plan.

“Hmph, they can handle dozens, but I don’t believe they can take on hundreds. Boss, you have more than three hundred brothers under you, right? We must teach them a lesson!” Viper’s eyes gleamed with malice. Twice beaten, he was determined to avenge himself.