Chapter 287: Offended
The moment Jiang Gaoxuan fled like a frightened dog, Shao Wanwan also froze and her expression twisted with disbelief.
That voice just nowâit sounded far too familiar.
Now, staring at that face⊠she was sure.
It was him.
From the way he called out to Luo Qingqian, there was unmistakable concern in his voice. And Luo Qingqianâs reaction? It was equally tellingâshe clearly cared deeply for him too.
A terrifying thought struck her like lightning.
Could it be⊠her ancestor was interested in Luo Qingqian?
It wouldnât be the first time. The ancestor had a twisted taste for righteous sect beauties. First Bian Suwen, now Luo Qingqian.
Shao Wanwan felt smug just minutes ago, having swindled a massive payment from Jiang Gaoxuan. Sheâd been imagining how impressed the ancestor would be once he learned of her accomplishments.
And now?
She nearly screwed up his grand plan. Her heart thumped with panic. There was no way she could go up and apologizeânot with the ancestorâs identity at stake.
She did the only thing she could.
She ran.
Faster than sheâd ever run before, Shao Wanwan vanished into the woods, not daring to look back.
And just like that, the scheming duoâJiang Gaoxuan and Shao Wanwanâbolted one after the other, fleeing like startled rats.
Wang Haoran watched their retreating figures and let out a silent, amused chuckle, and his lips curled ever so slightly.
He originally planned to come in like a classic hero, unleashing his overwhelming power to rescue the damsel in distress. It wouldâve been a great show.
But the moment he recognized Jiang Gaoxuan and Shao Wanwan, he gave up that idea entirely.
Those two? They fled at the mere sight of him. No need for theatrics.
So instead, he completely concealed his aura, hid his True Qi, and simply appeared like a harmless, clueless mortal.
If heâd gone in guns blazing, Luo Qingqian wouldâve definitely asked him to help dispel her poison using True Qi. He could do it easilyâhe had the Internal Energy and skills to do so.
But thatâs the kind of move a protagonist would pull.
He wasnât the protagonist. He was a villainâcharming, dangerous, and always a few steps ahead.
Across from him, Luo Qingqian stared blankly in the direction where the two had vanished. Her brows knit in confusion as her eyes shifted back to Wang Haoran.
He wore the perfect expressionâone of surprise and cluelessness.
âWho were those people just now? Why were they running like that? They looked like characters straight out of a wuxia drama!â he asked, eyes wide with innocence.
The question momentarily threw Luo Qingqian off. She instinctively extended her senses and realizedâthere was no trace of True Qi on Wang Haoran at all.
No. It couldnât have been him who scared them off⊠could it?
But still⊠something felt off.
Why would Jiang Gaoxuan and Shao Wanwan flee like that? She couldnât wrap her head around it, and right now, she didnât have the luxury of time to think. Her condition was rapidly spiraling out of control.
Her body trembled as the poison was nearing its peak.
âYou⊠come closer,â she whispered, eyes shimmering with unspoken need. She looked at him, voice soft, but laced with a desperate undertone.
âWhatâs wrong?â Wang Haoran stayed exactly where he was, playing the part of an innocent passerby to perfection.
âCome here. Iâll tell you.â She smiled.
A smile that could topple nations. A smile she would never wear under normal circumstances.
But this wasnât normal. The poison had taken hold.
Still, Wang Haoran didnât budge.
Thenâ
whoosh
âa wave of Qi wrapped around his body. His feet left the ground.
He was pulled forwardâunwillingly, but irresistiblyâuntil he hovered right in front of her.
âForgive me, Young Master,â came a breathless, shame-laced whisper.
The last thing he saw before she closed the gap was her beautiful face, inches away, eyes swirling with a cocktail of guilt, longing, and desperation.
ââ
Night fell.
Inside a luxurious villa, the atmosphere was thick with anxiety.
Bian Suwen and Qiu Qianwei sat in the living room, faces clouded with worry.
Luo Qingqian had left that morningâand now it was night and still, no sign of her.
Qiu Qianwei kept pacing back and forth. âWhat if she lost her temper and hurt him?â
She meant Wang Haoran, of course.
âMaybe she broke his legs? Or whipped him? Or did something⊠even worse?â
The fears werenât unfounded. Luo Qingqian was like the acting head of the house while their parents and eldest sister were away. She was powerful, impulsive, and highly protective of them.
And her martial strength? Terrifying.
Compared to her, punishing someone like Wang Haoran would be as easy as flicking a fly.
Beside them, Bu Feiyan and Ji Shuiyao werenât as tenseâbut they still looked uneasy.
Theyâd seen Wang Haoran fight. They knew his strength was nothing to scoff at.
But even so⊠against Second Sister?
Heâd be on the receiving end for sure.
And Liu Yue? She was just as concernedâbut her worry came from a different place.
Her role wasnât that of a sister.
She was his masterâs wife.
If something happened to Wang Haoran, how could she face his master?
The five of them sat in various states of silent dread, each lost in their own thoughts.
Finallyâ
click.
The sound of the door.
All eyes snapped toward the entrance.
But it wasnât Luo Qingqian.
It was Lin Chen.
The little brother strode in, arms full of takeout containers.
âThird Sis, Fourth Sis, Fifth Sis, Sixth Sis, Seventh Sisâitâs dinner time!â he beamed, setting the food down in the living room.
Heâd been hanging around the villa all day. When Luo Qingqian didnât come back, he figured the girls hadnât eaten. So he brought food.
After all, theyâd skipped two meals already.
But no one reached for the food. Instead, they stared at him with narrowed eyes.
A shiver ran down his spine. He shrank back instinctively.
âChenchenâŠâ Qiu Qianweiâs tone was icy. âNever knew you were such a gossip. You love tattling now?â
âWhat? No! Second Sis asked me, I had no choice!â Lin Chen put on his most innocent face.
âOh? Did she twist your arm? Hold a knife to your throat? Force it out of you?â
He had no answer.
Bian Suwen didnât even speak. She turned and quietly walked into the kitchen.
When she came back, she held a broom.
Lin Chenâs eyes widened in horror.
âFourth Sis, Fifth Sis, Sixth Sis, help!â he cried out.
Bu Feiyan, Liu Yue, and Ji Shuiyao all looked away and pretended not to hear.
Bian Suwen reached him in a flash.
He bolted.
But he was only eight years oldâshort legs, no stamina.
She was a grown woman with long legs and fire in her step.
She caught him easily.
Thwack!
The broom came down on his exposed forearm.
Lin Chen hissed in pain and sucked in a sharp breath, and froze.
His arm had a red mark, which shouldnât be possible as he had a special body. Even knives couldnât cut him. Pain, sureâbut injuries?
Never.
Not until now.
What the hell?
His mind reeled.
This was⊠new.
Read this chapter on CrimsonScrolls.net · Support the Translator · © 2025 CrimsonScrolls.net
Read on CrimsonScrolls.net