C30 A Psychological Flaw

"I've got something to do today. I'll come find you tomorrow." Ye Luo knew this wasn't the place for a chat. After letting go of Ling Loxi's hand, he took a step back.

Everyone's gaze was fixed on Ling Loxi, expecting her to erupt in fury. It seemed Ye Luo was about to face dire consequences.

It was almost comical. There was a tale about a wealthy playboy who once tried to take liberties with Ling Loxi and ended up with a broken leg, courtesy of her bodyguard. Moreover, Ling Loxi had ruthlessly toppled the playboy's family business and annexed it into her own corporate empire.

Ye Luo's actions today were beyond an attempt; he had blatantly crossed the line.

His fate seemed sealed!

A female bodyguard, athletic and alert, stood beside Ling Loxi, ready to step in and deal with Ye Luo.

Unexpectedly, Ling Loxi held her back.

"We're leaving," Ling Loxi announced, giving Ye Luo a serious look before turning and walking away decisively.

What just happened? Ling Loxi left?

Just like that?

Ye Luo had held her hand. Wasn't she bothered by it?

Impossible. The notoriously aloof and stunning CEO of Linhai City, how could she allow a man to casually take her hand?

If Ye Luo had caught her off guard, Ling Loxi's initial lack of response might have been understandable.

But now, Ling Loxi appeared utterly unbothered and didn't retaliate against Ye Luo. How could this be explained?

Hu Kui, along with the senior executives of Lingfeng International and those who admired Ling Loxi, were all at a loss.

Some of the men were filled with regret.

If only they had known, they would have made their move as well.

To hold Ling Loxi's hand, so smooth and tender... to experience that moment, that feeling... It would be a tale to brag about for a lifetime.

Alas, they hadn't foreseen this, and Ling Loxi had already disappeared from sight.

Ye Luo walked up to Ziyuan and playfully waved his hand in front of her eyes, "What's wrong? Dazzled by my valiant charm?"

Ziyuan came to her senses, looking at Ye Luo with disbelief. "You dared to hold Ling Loxi's hand and got away with it. You're becoming more and more curious to me."

Ye Luo offered a faint smile and confidently said, "Of course I'm not faint-hearted. If I were, would I have dared to impersonate your boyfriend? As for curiosity, don't waste your time. A great philosopher once said that when you start being curious about a man, you might already be falling in love with him."

"Pfft, what a narcissist," Ziyuan retorted, rolling her eyes. "We've got the clothes; let's leave before you embarrass us further."

Ziyuan had intended to enjoy a leisurely stroll with Ye Luo, but the day's events had dampened her spirits.

Ye Luo nodded but suddenly stopped and turned back to Ziyuan, "Wait a second."

Ignoring the stares of those around him, Ye Luo sprinted toward Xue Xianjiang, who was drenched in urine and smelled strongly of it.

"What is he doing?" Ziyuan asked, startled.

Xue Xianjiang, shocked and on the verge of tears, watched as Ye Luo bore down on him.

Without a moment's hesitation, Ye Luo arrived and kicked Xue Xianjiang squarely in the calf.

The sound of snapping bones was clear, accompanied by a wail of agony as Xue Xianjiang collapsed to the ground, crying out in pain.

"Whoa, that's harsh! The problem was already resolved, wasn't it? Xue Xianjiang had let it go. Why can't Ye Luo?" the onlookers whispered in shock.

Ye Luo casually brushed off his hands, looking around at the crowd. "I broke his bodyguards' limbs. It wouldn't be right if he got away with just wetting himself. That would leave his bodyguards feeling aggrieved."

The crowd was speechless, overwhelmed by the scene before them.

Ziyuan was speechless too, but as she watched Xue Xianjiang wailing on the ground and Ye Luo standing there, hands in his pockets, looking as calm as ever, her curiosity about him grew. What kind of person was Ye Luo, to break someone's legs in broad daylight and remain so unfazed? He must have nerves of steel.

Ye Luo was the kind of person who could break someone's leg in broad daylight and remain utterly composed—a testament to his remarkable mental fortitude.

"Let's go, and try not to drown in my handsome appearance and profound depth. Otherwise, you might find yourself lost in the sea of my endless charm," Ye Luo said to Ziyuan with a straight face.

"Do you ever worry about getting struck by lightning for being so brazen?" Ziyuan asked, giving him a sideways glance.

"The ugly ones get struck first," he quipped.

After their outing to the mall, Ye Luo joined Ziyuan on a trip to the fruit shop, picking up some fruit. It was their first visit, and even if it was just for appearances, they needed to make it count.

By late afternoon, Uncle Feng, who was responsible for Ziyuan's safety, drove them to a manor on the outskirts of Linhai City.

Ye Luo took in the manor with a slight frown. His sharp instincts alerted him to the presence of several Martial Cultivators within. There were more than a dozen at the middle Houtian stage, three at the late Houtian stage, and even two at the Xiantian stage, with one at the middle Xiantian stage. Martial Cultivators seemed to be everywhere these days, which piqued his curiosity. In his previous life, he had rarely come across Martial Cultivators in all of Huaxia. But given the Zi family's likely ties to the influential Martial Arts Realm Mu family, the presence of a few Martial Cultivators wasn't so surprising.

"What's wrong?" Ziyuan inquired, noticing Ye Luo's furrowed brow. She thought perhaps her lavish manor had intimidated him. It made sense; Ye Luo might be skilled in combat, but he was still a student and an orphan, likely unaccustomed to the splendor of a powerful family like the Zi's.

Ye Luo gave a wry smile. "Playing your fake boyfriend is shaping up to be quite the challenge."

"You can say that again. If you slip up today, don't expect my family to go easy on you," Ziyuan replied with a smirk.

"And about that guy who's supposed to be your blind date—if he gets too full of himself, you won't mind if I break his legs, right?" Ye Luo asked suddenly.

Ziyuan's expression darkened. They hadn't even met the guy, and Ye Luo was already talking about breaking legs. She was beginning to question whether he had a strange affinity for such actions.

It hadn't been a full day since she last saw him at the school gates, and if her memory served her correctly, the number of people Ye Luo had left with broken legs was already in the double digits.

"Why do you enjoy breaking people's legs so much?" Ziyuan glanced at Ye Luo's pants, pondering whether he might have a disability himself, which had led to a psychological issue. Perhaps seeing others with functioning legs fueled his envy...

She was certain of it; Ziyuan concluded that he was just being overly sensitive.

"Why are you looking at my leg?" Ye Luo noticed her stare and asked.

Ziyuan thought to herself, "He gets defensive when I look. Definitely a sign of an issue—a psychological flaw."

"Ahem, Ye Luo, some things aren't worth getting worked up over. You've got to stay level-headed. As the saying goes, nobody's perfect. Little imperfections aren't a big deal, and there's no need to overreact. Just keep a cool head. Obsessing over them can lead to real psychological issues, like depression," Ziyuan said soothingly.

"Huh?" Ye Luo looked puzzled. "What am I supposed to be worried about? I'm totally relaxed. It's just playing the role of a boyfriend. I've been through two lifetimes; this is nothing."

Of course, Ye Luo was oblivious to Ziyuan's internal speculations. If he knew what she was thinking, he'd probably be outraged.