C6 In the Bedroom

Liu Hsing had somehow managed to slip his mouthguard back in without notice, his gaze fixed on the bloodied stage and the scattered teeth.

"Those... those were my wisdom teeth! They've been with me for years..."

Tang Xiaomin was at a loss for words with Liu Hsing's antics. Even now, he was concerned about his wisdom teeth.

Weakly, Liu Hsing patted Tang Xiaomin's shoulder to signal he was alright.

"Beauty, I'm not hurt... I haven't been beaten yet..."

Before Tang Xiaomin could respond, Liu Hsing's attention returned to Black Bear, who stood there, stunned.

"Big guy, you just knocked out the wisdom teeth that have been with me for years. You've really made me angry now. You're done for, Black Bear."

"Have you lost your mind?! Stop acting tough!"

Tang Xiaomin shot Liu Hsing a stern look, fighting the impulse to knock some sense into the foolhardy man with a single punch.

"Beauty, trust me... Just give me one more chance, and I'll take down this big guy."

Liu Hsing staggered away from the ropes, swaying as he stood before Tang Xiaomin, his fist pointed at Black Bear.

"I'm talking to you! Big... big guy, did my presence scare you? Bring it on!"

Black Bear observed the wavering Liu Hsing and a cruel smile crept across his face.

"Pathetic. If you're so eager to die, I'll oblige. Hyah!"

With a ferocious roar, Black Bear charged at Liu Hsing. Known for his brute strength, his regular appearances in competitions meant his speed and reflexes were also formidable.

Black Bear aimed a simple, yet powerful straight punch at Liu Hsing's right chest, expertly controlling his force. If the punch connected, Liu Hsing would surely pass out, but it wouldn't be fatal.

As the punch neared, a sense of impending doom washed over Liu Hsing. Summoning strength from deep within, he struck Black Bear's fist with his own, altering the punch's path. With a swift side-step, Liu Hsing narrowly avoided the blow.

Black Bear, caught off guard by the shift in his own center of gravity, fixed his gaze on Liu Hsing.

At that moment, Liu Hsing cracked a smile. Black Bear had an ominous feeling, but what happened next...

A thick gush of blood erupted from Liu Hsing's mouth, spraying directly into Black Bear's eyes...

Not only was Black Bear temporarily blinded, but he was also left standing there in shock. Most importantly, he found Liu Hsing utterly repulsive.

Seizing the moment of Black Bear's confusion, Liu Hsing mustered all the strength he had left and threw a punch at Black Bear's cheek.

"Bang!"

The sound that followed was not Black Bear being struck, but Liu Hsing collapsing to the ground, completely drained. His punch had barely affected Black Bear, yet Liu Hsing was grinning with satisfaction; he had managed to land a blow on the face of the street fighting champion.

After wiping his eyes clean with his clothing, Black Bear glared at Liu Hsing, his eyes practically shooting fire. The humiliation was unbearable. Even though Liu Hsing's attack was weak, he, the martial arts champion and head of the Green Parasol Fist Club, had been struck in the face by someone who couldn't even box.

"Kid, you've really made me angry now!"

Liu Hsing's antics had thoroughly enraged Black Bear, but Liu Hsing remained unfazed, still smiling.

"Big fella, I've always been the champion at spitting contests, how about that? Fair or not?"

"Ah! Damn you!"

Black Bear had lost it. He paid no mind to Liu Hsing on the ground and charged at him, aiming to stomp on Liu Hsing's head.

But Liu Hsing wasn't scared in the slightest, for out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Tang Xiaomin, the stunning beauty, springing into action.

With a swift movement, Tang Xiaomin was at Liu Hsing's side. Having already removed her boxing gloves, she quickly pulled Liu Hsing out of harm's way, leaving Black Bear stomping at nothing but air.

Tang Xiaomin didn't pause. With a push off her snow-white feet, she propelled her body into the air, her right foot soaring over Black Bear's head. In a spectacular descending arc, she brought her foot down hard on Black Bear's face, much to his astonishment.

The Black Bear barely had time to react before Tang Xiaomin's swift chop sent him stumbling backward. A striking red footprint instantly adorned his face, and blood sprayed from his nose.

Without missing a beat, Tang Xiaomin landed and spun on the balls of her feet, her body lifting off the ground once more. Her long, pale legs whipped through the air, and a graceful spinning kick landed flush on the Black Bear's cheek.

"Pfft!"

Thick blood gushed from the Black Bear's mouth. Gone was his earlier bravado; he was utterly unable to evade Tang Xiaomin's blistering assault, which she executed in less than a second.

Despite the searing pain, the Black Bear tried to straighten up and retaliate, but Tang Xiaomin's relentless kicks found their mark on his face once again. Her left foot struck his cheek, jolting his body upward, while her right foot slammed into his neck, halting any further movement.

"Bang!"

The Black Bear's body crashed to the ground, his head bouncing before he succumbed to unconsciousness.

"Hiss!"

A collective gasp rose from the coaches ringside. They respected Tang Xiaomin's prowess, but they were also well aware of the Black Bear's capabilities. Could it be that in less than ten seconds, he was knocked out?

Tang Xiaomin glanced at the fallen Black Bear with a snort, wiped the blood from her elegant feet, and turned her attention to Liu Hsing.

Liu Hsing, however, had managed to stand up again, clinging desperately to the ropes. He looked from the defeated Black Bear to the stunning Tang Xiaomin and, with some effort, removed one of his gloves to give her a thumbs-up.

"Beauty, this... big guy is down, and I'm still standing. Does that mean... I win?"

No sooner had the words left his mouth than Liu Hsing's grip failed, and he collapsed to the mat.

As darkness overtook his vision, he saw only a slender figure catching him...

When Liu Hsing awoke from his stupor, it was already the following day.

Liu Hsing felt as though his body was falling apart. With great effort, he managed to pry his eyes open.

The room before him left him bewildered.

Where was he? The bed was soft, the blanket cozy, and the room was adorned with luxurious furniture and accessories, all bathed in a pleasant scent.

It all seemed characteristic of a woman's room. Liu Hsing could only recall being embraced by Tang Xiaomin before he lost consciousness; beyond that, he knew nothing.

Was this Tang Xiaomin's home? The thought made him unwittingly smile, but even that simple gesture made him wince in pain.

Rubbing his still-swollen cheek, Liu Hsing felt the punches he had received were well worth it, especially considering that Black Bear had taken a good beating from Tang Xiaomin. He didn't feel shortchanged.

Being in Tang Xiaomin's home meant he had successfully made contact with her, despite the potentially awkward situation of being alone together as a man and a woman.

He quickly dismissed the thought, recalling Tang Xiaomin's rage and the sorry state of Black Bear, and shook his head.

"You're awake!"

A voice, cool and tinged with languor, reached Liu Hsing's ears.

The door was open, and there stood Tang Xiaomin in a red nightgown that barely covered her curves, her fair and shapely legs fully exposed to Liu Hsing's view.

The chiffon of the nightgown hinted at purple lace beneath, and while her full figure was not entirely visible, the playful outline of her form was accentuated beautifully by the garment.

With her tousled hair and sleepy eyes, Tang Xiaomin's bare-faced beauty was still enchanting, her allure captivating Liu Hsing to the point where he couldn't look away.

"Cough, cough!"

A gentle cough broke the spell, and Liu Hsing quickly averted his eyes, feeling a twinge of guilt. He was worried that his lapse might cause Tang Xiaomin to take a dislike to him.

"Do you like it?"

"It's lovely... Ah?"

Liu Hsing's skin prickled at the sound of her voice. He had responded to Tang Xiaomin's question almost instinctively, but upon realizing what he had said, he looked at her, puzzled.

"If you're going to look, just look. No need to stare so intently."

Liu Hsing managed to sit up with difficulty, the throbbing pain in his lower abdomen sapping his strength.

"Is this... your place?"

"Yeah, you passed out yesterday. I was going to take you to the hospital, but I didn't feel comfortable leaving you there by yourself, so I brought you here. It's no trouble—I live alone."

Tang Xiaomin said this nonchalantly as she fetched a red chair from the room and sat beside the bed.

"Your injuries aren't too severe. You've got a muscle tear in your lower abdomen; it should heal in a day or two. As for the cut on your face, I applied some anti-swelling ointment yesterday. It's quite effective; you'll be better in a couple of days. The only issue is your wisdom tooth..."

Watching Tang Xiaomin's cheerful expression, Liu Hsing scratched his head in embarrassment.

Tang Xiaomin regarded Liu Hsing with a gaze that seemed devoid of any aversion.

"What's your name?"

"I'm Liu Hsing, Hsing as in 'star'."

"Spill it! Why are you trying to get close to me?"

"Ah?"

Liu Hsing was startled by Tang Xiaomin's blunt question.

"I don't dislike you. If you're trying to get close to me because of yesterday's incident, I'll tell you now, you've succeeded. But I have no patience for lies, so I hope you value this chance."

Liu Hsing inhaled deeply, looking earnestly at Tang Xiaomin.

"Let me introduce myself properly. I'm a salesperson at a media company. I'm aiming to secure the promotional campaign for Hangda's new property development, Hangda Distance's pre-sale. Initially, I wanted to get to know you to create an opportunity to land the deal. But later on..."

Tang Xiaomin didn't show any sign of surprise, instead, she nodded approvingly.

"What changed later?"

"I wanted to make a good impression on you, and my stubborn streak kicked in, so I never backed down."