C13 He Refused

Cradled in the arms of a stranger, Lau Yueru didn't blush in the slightest. She fixed Lin Feng with a steady gaze and demanded, "You... let me down now!"

"Stingy!" Lin Feng retorted with a pout, then blurted out, "Fine, even if I end up crippled, I won't hold you responsible. Happy now?"

A peculiar expression flickered across Lau Yueru's face as she implored, "Come on! Be a dear and put me down—I can jump on my own."

Lin Feng nearly choked on his own laughter. Was she treating him like a child? Did he really look that youthful? Annoyed, he shot Lau Yueru a glare, then, still holding her, made his way to the window.

"Do you actually intend to jump with me in your arms?" Lau Yueru asked, locking eyes with Lin Feng.

"Ding! Congratulations to Host Lin Feng for acquiring a Silver Treasure Chest!"

After hesitating for a full 20 seconds, the Silver Treasure Chest transformed into a streak of light and vanished. Meanwhile, the room was rapidly being consumed by flames, and Lin Feng could feel the searing pain on his back. No more delays—it was time to jump. He hoped his body could withstand the weight of them both.

Lin Feng looked down at Lau Yueru with a devilish grin and said swiftly, "Since you're against being my cushion, I guess I'll have to use you, this foolish woman, as one instead!"

"What?" Lau Yueru was taken aback.

With no time for her to respond, Lin Feng embraced her and leapt from the second-story window.

Lau Yueru instinctively clung to Lin Feng, her scream piercing the air. The onlookers below erupted into a cacophony of reactions.

"Look! Someone's jumping off the building!"

"Wow! And he's got a woman with him!"

"It's like a hero saving a damsel!"

"But will they survive the fall?"

"If they don't die, they'll be crippled for sure!"

"Quick, get this on video!"

"I'm recording as we speak!"

Suspended in mid-air, Lin Feng remained composed, carefully adjusting his posture to avoid inadvertently using Lau Yueru as a cushion.

In that moment, Lau Yueru suddenly spoke up, "I promise you..."

"Bang!"

Before Lau Yueru could finish her sentence, Lin Feng's legs slammed down onto the unforgiving concrete with a vengeance.

The force of the impact caused Lin Feng's legs to bend at a sharp 90-degree angle, and the concrete beneath his feet, unable to bear the immense pressure, cracked open in a spiderweb pattern!

Silence fell over the scene!

Lin Feng turned to Lau Yueru, who was nestled in his arms, with a look of curiosity. "What were you about to promise me?"

Lau Yueru gazed at Lin Feng with a dazed expression and stammered, "I... I... you... are you okay?"

"Do you hope I'm not okay?" Lin Feng countered instead of answering.

"No, that's not what I meant," Lau Yueru replied, her voice tinged with embarrassment.

Lin Feng teased, "Sure seems like that's what you meant!"

Lau Yueru had no response.

"Whoosh!"

The brief hush was shattered as the crowd around them erupted into a lively commotion once more.

Lin Feng, having leapt from the second floor with Lau Yueru in his arms, was astonishingly unharmed. He even had the audacity to engage in playful banter after such a feat, leaving the onlookers in awe.

"Holy crap! Is that guy even human?"

"He's insanely strong!"

"That's like a six or seven-meter drop!"

"He jumps holding someone and walks away without a scratch?"

"He's like a real-life Superman!"

"I need to get a close-up of Superman here, make some room, please!"

"Back off! I'm trying to get a shot here!"

...

Time passed before the fire trucks finally made it to the scene, and a tense firefighting effort ensued.

Thanks to the combined efforts of the firefighters and the public, the blaze was eventually extinguished. But the damage to the Drunken Night Tower was substantial.

The entire first-floor hall was charred beyond recognition, and only one or two rooms on the second floor had escaped the flames...

Away from the crowd, in a secluded street corner, Lau Yueru seemed to have pressing matters to attend to. She quickly jotted down her phone number for Lin Feng, then hurried off.

Shaking his head with a mix of amusement and disbelief, Lin Feng muttered, "I never said I needed you to take care of me. Why the rush? Stingy!"

"Hey! Who's our hero calling stingy now?"

A crisp voice suddenly rang out beside him. Lin Feng turned to find Zhang Xiaoman had walked up behind him.

He slapped his forehead and said with an embarrassed grin, "Uh, sorry, I nearly forgot you were there."

"Figures, you meet a gorgeous girl and Cinderella here gets forgotten," Zhang Xiaoman huffed in response.

"Heh, how's your foot doing?" Lin Feng touched his nose, swiftly steering the conversation elsewhere.

Zhang Xiaoman blushed and sheepishly replied, "Yeah, it's all good now."

"Great to hear that. Heh," Lin Feng said, still looking a bit awkward.

"Really, Lin Feng, I can't thank you enough for today," Zhang Xiaoman suddenly said, her tone earnest.

"It was nothing, no need for thanks," Lin Feng chuckled.

"How about we grab another bite to eat? Consider it a way to calm our nerves," Zhang Xiaoman proposed out of the blue. "My treat this time, what do you say?"

Lin Feng patted his stomach, which was only partially full, and nodded, "Sure! Why not find a roadside stand and grab some barbecue?"

"Heh, trying to save me some money, huh?" Zhang Xiaoman giggled, covering her mouth.

Lin Feng gestured to his shirtless torso and replied with a wry smile, "In this state, what restaurant would even let me in?"

"Heh, don't be so modest. Those muscles are actually pretty handsome!" Zhang Xiaoman's eyes sparkled.

"Got a bit of a crush, do you?"

"Pfft! Compliment you a little and you're ready to soar to the skies?"

"Enough talk. Help me pick out some clothes first, then we can go feast."

"Deal!"

...

Even though it was already around 9 PM, some malls were still open.

Zhang Xiaoman led Lin Feng into a sports apparel shop and personally selected a sporty outfit for him. Only after Lin Feng was decked out and looking sharp did she drag him to a food stall to keep the feast going.

Zhang Xiaoman's demeanor toward Lin Feng had done a complete 180, her warmth bordering on excessive.

At the table, she was relentless in serving Lin Feng, as if worried he wouldn't get enough to eat. When Lin Feng mentioned wanting a beer, Zhang Xiaoman didn't hesitate to order a whole case, then joined him in raising a glass.

After a few rounds of drinks, both Lin Feng and Zhang Xiaoman were showing signs of tipsiness. Seizing the moment when Lin Feng stepped away to use the restroom, Zhang Xiaoman hurried to settle the bill.

Eventually, they leaned on each other for support as they got into a taxi. Zhang Xiaoman gave the driver an address before snuggling against Lin Feng's shoulder and drifting off to sleep.

Though slightly inebriated, Lin Feng's mind was still sharp. Observing Zhang Xiaoman's behavior, he wondered if she was intending to take him to her place.

Whoa! Things are getting a bit complicated, let me catch my breath...

True to Lin Feng's hunch, when the taxi arrived at the entrance of a tranquil residential area, a flushed Zhang Xiaoman turned to him and said, "Lin Feng, would you like to come over to my place? I can make you a cup of tea to help sober you up."

Lin Feng gave Zhang Xiaoman a peculiar look before asking with a mischievous grin, "And then?"

Caught off guard by his question, Zhang Xiaoman's face turned an even deeper shade of red. She bowed her head, fidgeting with the hem of her shirt, clearly agitated.

"Maybe next time," Lin Feng said with a casual smile.

"What? Why?" Zhang Xiaoman blurted out, lifting her head in surprise.

"I'm just not prepared yet," Lin Feng replied earnestly.

Zhang Xiaoman couldn't help but laugh, giving Lin Feng a playful glare. "I was merely inviting you over for a visit. What's on your mind?"

"Exactly what you were thinking just now!" Lin Feng shot back.

"Pfft! You're such a rogue!"

"Ah? So you do have improper thoughts about me!"

"Lin Feng, you're... terrible!"

"Ha ha!"

...

Lin Feng turned down Zhang Xiaoman's invitation and headed back to his own place alone. It wasn't that he wasn't interested in Zhang Xiaoman; he simply didn't have the funds to be frivolous with women.

Lin Feng suspected that Zhang Xiaoman was only after his money, which explained her eagerness. He wasn't exactly flush with cash; he had spent a hefty sum on a watch solely to snag the Bronze Treasure Chest from Zhang Xiaoman.

With just four hundred thousand left in his bank account, that money wasn't even enough for his own expenses, let alone to start supporting someone else's.

Before he could rake in more cash, he had to fend off every temptation!

So what if she was a D-cup beauty?

His own neighbor was a G-cup goddess, and hadn't he given her a piece of his mind just the same?

The thought of Su Mei twisted Lin Feng's features into an odd grimace. Had she ratted him out?

Today, Lin Feng strutted around in a white lab coat, swindling left and right. The situation could escalate quickly. If Su Mei lost her marbles and snitched to the hospital brass, that would spell trouble!

But whatever, let her do her worst. As long as he played dumb, she couldn't touch him.