C4 Pretentious

"What?" Luo Feng exclaimed, leaping to his feet in alarm.

"Seventh Senior Sister, I regard you as my own sister, and yet you suggest we sleep together and have a child. I never imagined you would be that kind of person."

Luo Feng was so frightened that his thoughts were scattered and his heart raced.

Gu Xuenian, seeing his reaction, burst into laughter. "I was only teasing you to see if you harbored any inappropriate thoughts about me. You've passed the test," she said playfully.

Luo Feng exhaled deeply and slumped onto the sofa with a wry smile. "Seventh Senior Sister, you really gave me a fright."

"Feeling tired? Get some rest. Make sure you're up by eight tomorrow morning; I'm taking you somewhere exciting."

She rose to her feet and gently closed the door behind her.

Yet Luo Feng would never know that she stayed awake the entire night.

Luo Feng always slept soundly, so he naturally awoke early.

Back in the mountains, his master would often remark that his talent was modest, especially compared to his seven beautiful and gifted senior sisters.

Thus, Luo Feng was always diligent, believing hard work could compensate for his shortcomings.

As dawn broke, Luo Feng set out for his morning run.

The early hours in Kluginia were serene. On the streets, he saw the weary, hurried silhouettes of people striving for their livelihoods.

It reminded Luo Feng of something his master once said: The world had changed. They had all been full of fervor once.

But now, there was no vessel left to carry them, the old guard, forward.

The world was no longer a place for them.

Undoubtedly, Luo Feng had the gift of gab, a survival skill his master had imparted as one of the best.

He ran for a long while, eventually reaching the moat. There, he sat down and methodically began his meditation.

It was then that Luo Feng sensed someone standing in the distance.

She was a woman, her stature reminiscent of Gu Xuenian's.

Yet, she possessed a mature aura that Xuenian lacked.

Her long black hair danced in the breeze, her complexion ghostly pale. As she gazed at the churning moat before her, her eyes were brimming with despair.

"Sister, life is too precious to end over something trivial," Luo Feng said as he rose to his feet. His instincts screamed that this woman was contemplating suicide by jumping into the river.

She gave Luo Feng a fleeting, indifferent glance. Her complexion was porcelain, her teeth a dazzling white. Her beauty was striking when she smiled.

Rather than explaining her presence, she scrutinized Luo Feng. "If I were to jump, would you save me?" she asked calmly.

Luo Feng was taken aback, not expecting such a composed question.

"Given your beauty, if you were to jump, I'd have no choice but to save you."

"Is it just because I'm beautiful?"

"Exactly. And then, like in a novel, you'd marry me to show your gratitude. Should I save you then?" Luo Feng had positioned himself behind her, ready to act on a moment's notice.

A subtle smile played on her lips as she tossed her hair back. "Then you're bound to be disappointed."

"Why's that?"

"Because no one dares to like me." Her expression briefly betrayed a hint of loneliness and pain, but she quickly masked it with a practiced, insincere smile.

Sometimes, a woman's beauty can be her curse.

"Don't fret over me; I just need some solitude," she said, casting a glance at Luo Feng. "You should go. It wouldn't be good for him to see us together."

"Who?" Luo Feng asked, puzzled.

As he spoke, a middle-aged man emerged from a black Land Rover parked in the distance.

Luo Feng recognized him instantly.

It was Lee Tianchen, the man who had visited the Gu family the previous night.

"I was informed by our superiors that you were upset, so I figured you'd be here," Lee Tianchen approached, his voice emotionless.

"It's normal for a woman to have a few off days each month," she said, taking Lee Tianchen's hand. "Come on, the temple fair is about to start."

"Do you know him?" Lee Tianchen had spotted Luo Feng from the car.

He was intrigued by Luo Feng, who seemed quite familiar with his future daughter-in-law.

Given the closeness between Gu Xuenian and Luo Feng, their relationship appeared to be quite special.

"He's just a kind-hearted stranger. He thought I was going to jump into the river and came to talk me out of it. He's rather sweet."

Lee Tianchen's brow furrowed as he addressed Luo Feng with a frosty tone, "Some things are beyond your reach, and some women are not for your eyes. Don't fool yourself into thinking I'm unaware of your desires."

With those words, he wrapped his arm around her waist and departed, as though staking his claim.

Unperturbed by Lee Tianchen's warning, Luo Feng simply shrugged and made his way back to the Gu family villa.

"Feng, where have you been?" Gu Xuenian, having received word from a servant that Luo Feng had come back, opened the door to his room.

Freshly dressed in clean, albeit worn, clothes, Luo Feng replied, "Seventh Senior Sister, I just went for a run. Do you need something?"

"Have you forgotten that I mentioned taking you to a fun place today?" Gu Xuenian asked, her tone tinged with displeasure.

"I remember. Will there be good food?" Luo Feng's thoughts lingered on the sumptuous feast he had enjoyed at the hotel the day before.

"Absolutely. My grandfather and father have already left; we should hurry." Gu Xuenian appeared particularly invested in the day's activities. She ushered Luo Feng out of his room, and they set off without delay.

The Kluginia Temple Fair was a hallmark celebration of Kluginia.

Gu Xuenian informed Luo Feng that the festival boasted a history spanning over three hundred years.

Long ago, Kluginia was a desolate place, far from the thriving prosperity of today.

The fair began as a ritual established by the ancestors to beseech the heavens for rain. For the people of Kluginia, it was more than just a festival—it was a testament to their faith.

As a prominent family in Kluginia, the Gu clan bore the duty to lead and inspire the city's citizens.

The gathering was initially intended to unite Kluginia's great families, fostering bonds and strategizing on the city's future trajectory.

At that moment, Old Mr. Gu occupied a seat at the event. Although it should have been a joyous occasion, the news of Lee Haoran's altercation the previous night cast a shadow over his mood.

Gu Qingyun asked with concern, "Lee Haoran was beaten by Luo Feng? How severe are his injuries?"

"Mr. Gu, Young Master Lee isn't seriously hurt, but the Lee family is incensed. They claim that Old Mr. Gu has broken his word. He had once agreed to a marriage alliance between our families, but then Luo Feng came into the picture."

Old Mr. Gu responded coolly, "Is the Lee family suggesting that I exploited Luo Feng to insult them?"

The servant replied uneasily, "That's precisely their claim."

"The Lee family is well aware of my fondness for liquor. They deliberately got me drunk that day, coaxing me into promising Gu Xuenian's hand in marriage to them. How else could I have agreed?" Old Mr. Gu harbored deep resentment towards the Lee family for their deceit.

It was common knowledge among the Gus that Lee Haoran was an infamous womanizer.

In terms of character and family background, he was not even close to being a match for Gu Xuenian.

"Grandfather, we've arrived." At that moment, Gu Xuenian entered with Luo Feng, hand in hand, completely indifferent to the scrutinizing stares of the other prominent families present.

This was precisely Gu Xuenian's intention.

She aimed to show the Lee family that Lee Haoran was unworthy of her.

Moreover, she wanted to make it clear that she was already spoken for.

From afar, Lee Haoran burst out of the crowd, his face dark with anger, "Gu Xuenian, how dare you bring him to such a significant event! Are you intentionally trying to shame the Lee family?"

"Who do you think you're speaking to?" Gu Qingyun's expression turned stern as he retorted, "Mind your language. The Gu family has never formally consented to your engagement!"

"Father, I haven't falsely accused Gu Xuenian," Lee Haoran stammered, intimidated by Gu Qingyun's rebuke, retreating to stand behind Lee Tianchen.

"Old Mr. Gu, by tolerating your granddaughter and Luo Feng's actions, you're allowing them to disgrace the Lee family, which could tarnish the Gu family's reputation," Lee Tianchen said icily, casting a disdainful glance at Luo Feng.

It was no surprise he had taken an instant dislike to Luo Feng; it turned out he was the one who had given Lee Haoran a thrashing.

Old Mr. Gu gave a sidelong look at Lee Haoran's bruised face and remarked impassively, "A little scuffle among the youth is nothing out of the ordinary."

He hadn't anticipated Luo Feng would give a member of the Lee family such a beating.

Far from being angry with Luo Feng, Old Mr. Gu was actually quite thankful to him.

His ire had been piqued when the Lee family had first broached the subject of marrying Gu Xuenian to Lee Haoran. Yet, he had to restrain himself, as his behavior was a reflection of the Gu family's honor.

Luo Feng's timely arrival proved to be a stroke of luck for him.

"Old Mr. Gu, are you aware of what you're saying?" Lee Tianchen ground his teeth and spoke with a heavy tone, "Isn't this a bit dismissive? Are you suggesting my son deserved to be hit by Luo Feng?"

Old Mr. Gu narrowed his eyes and responded, "What would you have me do?"

An agitated Lee Haoran, pointing at Luo Feng, demanded, "I want Luo Feng to kneel and apologize to me in front of everyone! And then, he must stay away from Gu Xuenian for good. She belongs to me!"

Old Mr. Gu, with a smile, turned to Luo Feng, who was intently eyeing the feast on the table, and said, "Luo Feng, you heard him. What's your take on this?"

He was eager to see how Luo Feng would handle the situation.

Gu Xuenian, feeling helpless, urged Luo Feng, "Feng, what's going on? Please, respond to the question."

Luo Feng chuckled and asked, "Old Master Gu, could you repeat that?"

Old Mr. Gu, intrigued, pressed, "Lee Haoran demands that you kneel and apologize. What's your opinion on that?"

Luo Feng's gaze fixed on Lee Haoran, sending a shiver down his spine.

Approaching Lee Haoran, Luo Feng spoke in a hushed tone, "I didn't catch that earlier. Would you mind repeating who you want to kneel and apologize?"

Lee Haoran replied, "I want an apology from you."

Luo Feng's laughter filled the air before his hand struck Lee Haoran's cheek. Lee Haoran let out a wail and crumpled to the ground.