Chapter Fifteen: I Detest Troubles

Lin Yi stared directly at Huang San, his voice calm and indifferent: “Three.”

Huang San was momentarily taken aback. He hadn’t expected Lin Yi to actually dare to count. This was no longer mere provocation—it was plucking the lion’s whiskers.

He grinned, baring his teeth. “Looks like someone needs to bleed today. Any lowlife thinks they can shit on my head now.”

The henchmen at his side began cracking their knuckles, clearly seeing Lin Yi as nothing more than a lamb for slaughter.

The nearby patrons all retreated, though none left. They looked on with the eager anticipation of spectators at a show.

At that moment, a slightly overweight middle-aged man squeezed his way out of the crowd.

Cai Qing hurriedly called out, “Boss, you’re just in time—someone’s causing trouble!”

She knew it wasn’t of much use, but she had to try. After all, with just the two of them, how could they possibly handle these thugs?

But the middle-aged man merely glanced at Cai Qing, then spoke to Huang San in a slightly respectful tone, “Brother Huang San, you’re here—why didn’t you let me know?”

Huang San was the street tyrant here. Without his approval, the Prosperity Restaurant wouldn’t even be able to open.

Cai Qing’s heart sank, bitterly. She glanced at Lin Yi, worry etched in her gaze.

“I’m here to settle some matters today,” Huang San replied, treating the man with a degree of courtesy. After all, these shopkeepers were his bread and butter.

The middle-aged man breathed a sigh of relief. He’d feared Huang San was here just to make trouble. Carefully, he ventured, “Brother Huang San, could you take it outside to deal with?”

Restaurants dreaded such disturbances. If word got out, who would dine here again?

“No problem.”

Huang San agreed immediately, then looked at Lin Yi with a swagger. “Kid, come outside with us. This place is too cramped—if my men get carried away, you might end up crippled for life.”

Lin Yi nodded. “Alright.”

Cai Qing grabbed Lin Yi’s hand, her voice anxious. “Lin Yi, don’t go. Here, with so many people, they’ll still have some scruples.”

“It’s fine.” Lin Yi gave her a gentle smile. “Wait for me here.”

With that, he followed Huang San and his men out of the Prosperity Restaurant, heading into a nearby alley barely a hundred meters away.

Cai Qing bit her lip, then hurried after them.

“So you’ve got guts, actually following us. Too bad your courage doesn’t match your brains. If you kneel and knock your head a hundred times, I’ll let you go. How about it?” Huang San taunted.

“No need for all that trouble.” Lin Yi smiled as well.

He kicked Huang San’s knee lightly. Pain shot through Huang San, and he fell to his knees.

“Damn it, what are you all standing around for?” Huang San roared in fury, not expecting Lin Yi to strike while he was off guard.

The thugs rushed at Lin Yi, but they soon realized their mistake. This was no sheep awaiting slaughter, but a tiger among lambs.

Bang, bang, bang.

Lin Yi hadn’t even warmed up, yet all of them were sprawled on the ground within moments. Only Huang San stared wide-eyed.

“This, this…” Huang San swallowed in fear.

His men were seasoned fighters, yet now they’d all been knocked down in the blink of an eye. He could scarcely believe it.

Not far away, Cai Qing’s mouth was slightly agape. She’d only followed out of concern, but never expected Lin Yi to dispatch everyone so effortlessly.

Page (1/3)

Yet Lin Yi had handled them so lightly, it left Cai Qing both relieved and her heart pounding faster. She hardly dared meet Lin Yi’s eyes.

Lin Yi glanced at Cai Qing, then turned to Huang San, “I hate trouble. Next time, don’t blame me if I break your neck.”

“I—I understand,” Huang San stammered, meeting Lin Yi’s dark eyes and feeling a chill run up from his feet to his scalp.

He suspected now that this man would absolutely do as he said.

Lin Yi left him with those words, then walked over to Cai Qing, speaking calmly, “Let’s go.”

Cai Qing nodded, following behind Lin Yi like a demure woman, her thoughts in turmoil.

After a while, she hesitated, “Um, you…”

“What is it?” Lin Yi feigned ignorance.

“Do you know martial arts?” It was the only explanation she could think of.

“More or less.” Lin Yi nodded. Many martial arts were evolved from old cultivation techniques.

He didn’t want Cai Qing exposed to knowledge of cultivators, so he said no more—protecting her in his own way.

“Oh.”

Lin Yi escorted Cai Qing to the door of Rainmaker Bar, then left.

Cai Qing watched his departing figure and sighed softly.

Suddenly, a palm slapped her backside. She turned to see Lu Lu.

“What are you doing, so many people watching!” Cai Qing protested shyly.

“You talk! How far have you two gotten?” Lu Lu grinned, winking.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Cai Qing rolled her eyes at Lu Lu.

“I mean you and Lin Yi. Spill it, I’m curious.” Lu Lu clung to Cai Qing’s arm.

“What could we possibly have?” Cai Qing tapped Lu Lu’s forehead, though inwardly she sighed.

Everyone could see it, but Lin Yi was as oblivious as a block of wood. It made her both amused and exasperated.

Forget it, the future will sort itself out.

…

Meanwhile, in the alley.

Huang San called Sun Lei, “Hey, Sun Lei, I’m completely screwed this time.”

“What happened?” Sun Lei asked, confused. Huang San was the street bully—who would dare mess with him? Even a dragon wouldn’t dare cross a local tyrant.

Huang San replied sarcastically, “You have the nerve to ask what happened? You told me Lin Yi was just a regular bar waiter?”

Sun Lei affirmed, “Yeah.”

“Damn it, all my seven or eight men got wiped out by him!” Huang San cursed.

“No way. Lin Yi’s just a useless third-rate college student. I’ve docked his pay plenty, never saw him do anything.” Sun Lei said.

After all, he and Huang San were allies—no reason to deceive him.

Page (2/3)

He always thought Lin Yi only knew some hypnosis tricks, never imagining he could fight like this.

Huang San sent Sun Lei a message with several photos attached, showing the battered state of his men.

Sun Lei’s heart skipped a beat at the sight.

Then Huang San said, “I did your dirty work, got nothing out of it, and got beaten up. Give me a hundred thousand, or I’ll hang you from a tree.”

“I’ll ask Boss Wang,” Sun Lei replied. He had no choice—this whole mess had started with Wang Hongquan.

“Alright. If I don’t see the money tomorrow, you know what happens.” Huang San warned, adding, “And since we’ve known each other so long, I’ll give you a tip: Lin Yi is not someone we can afford to mess with.”

He recalled the look Lin Yi gave him at the end—that was the gaze of someone who’d killed, and not just once.

Huang San couldn’t understand how Sun Lei and Wang Hongquan had managed to offend such a person, but he had no intention of wading into these murky waters again.

Sun Lei said nothing, dismissing Huang San’s warnings as overblown.

Just a beating and now he’s scared of his own shadow.

Maybe Lin Yi knew some martial arts, but so what? This world is ruled by money.

Sun Lei called Wang Hongquan and explained the situation.

Wang Hongquan said, “I underestimated him, but everyone has a weakness.”

Sun Lei smiled knowingly, “Boss Wang, Lin Yi is quite close to a waitress at the bar—her name’s Cai Qing, very pretty, great figure. Someone even saw them dining together today.”

“Oh?” Wang Hongquan’s eyes lit up. If he could steal the woman from Lin Yi’s side, it would be rather entertaining.

He asked, “Do you have a photo of Cai Qing?”

“Yes, Boss Wang, I’ll send it now.” Sun Lei sent over Cai Qing’s photo.

He felt a pang of regret—he’d fancied Cai Qing for some time, but she was shrewd and always slipped away.

The more Wang Hongquan looked, the more lecherous his gaze became. He muttered, “What a beautiful girl.”

Sun Lei didn’t press for a response.

After more than ten seconds, Wang Hongquan said with satisfaction, “You did well. I want all her information.”

…

Lin Yi had no idea Cai Qing was now being targeted. When he got home, he found Lin Dou Dou sitting on the sofa, hugging a bear plush as big as herself and watching TV.

“Lin Yi, you’re back!” Seeing him, Lin Dou Dou lost interest in the television.

She wore bunny slippers, bounding over to Lin Yi.

“Mm.” Lin Yi patted Dou Dou’s little head.

She clung to his arm, then suddenly her nose twitched—she’d clearly caught the scent of another woman’s perfume.

Page (3/3)