C4 Please Treat Me to a Meal!

If she could, Lin Baobao really wished she could slip off her other high heel and hurl it at the boy's face, imprinting a size 36 mark on his surely size 38 face.

Expecting a defenseless woman with a knife at her throat to fight back against robbers, and instructing her on how to do it right in front of them, is just ludicrous. Are you braindead? Are you an idiot? You must want me dead in a hurry!

It's bad enough that Baobao ran into a robber, but to encounter such an outstanding specimen of idiocy is just adding insult to injury!

"Hurry, do as I tell you, or you're going to die," he said, his face a picture of earnestness, his voice steady.

Sure, because it's not you who's dying, is it?

The robber behind was torn between skepticism and belief. Moments ago, he would have dismissed Lin Baobao as a fool, but this guy had just knocked out his accomplice with a single blow. Now, his words and demonstrated actions might actually hold some truth!

The hostage could turn the tables at any moment, becoming a boss capable of knocking him out in an instant, and there was an even more formidable boss right in front of him. What to do?

Before the robber could make up his mind, Lin Baobao had made her decision.

"Ah... I'm going all out against you!" she declared. Death was certain either way, but it was far better to rely on oneself than to die a pathetic death without a fight!

She lifted her arm, channeling all her strength into her elbow, and burst forward with all her might.

Ye Rong chuckled.

The girl's movements were grandiose and riddled with openings. She likely didn't even know where her spleen was, and she was too slow. At this rate, she was sure to have her throat slit!

But she had successfully captured the knife-wielding man's attention.

With a swift motion, Ye Rong was on the move.

His steps were quick and silent, blending into the shadows, and before anyone could notice, he was already behind the man with the knife.

The man's grip on the knife visibly tightened.

The girl's fair neck was already indented, and blood was imminent.

"Thud!" The high heel struck, targeting the temple, and down she went, unconscious.

"Mom!" But this time, more than one person collapsed. The girl was terrified. After delivering an elbow strike, her body was left sore and weak, trembling uncontrollably. As the man fainted, the knife dropped, and as she felt its movement, her nerves heightened. Inadvertently, she moved her neck against the blade, cutting herself. Then, she closed her eyes and fell.

Ye Rong acted swiftly, slipping under her arm to catch her in a secure embrace.

"Mom... I'm sorry, Baobao can't stay by your side to bring you joy," the girl in his arms murmured, managing to shed a single tear.

Ye Rong's face went through a series of changes, unsure of what expression to settle on.

Are all the people in this world so bizarre, immature, and foolish?

What happened to the resolve to face death together?

Ye Rong silently observed the girl in his arms.

She seemed to believe she was already dead, yet she also felt that dying this way was rather comfortable. There was no severe pain, no darkness, no chill—just a soft warmth, and even a faint smile graced her lips. She lay motionless for what seemed like an eternity.

Time passed, and then, after what felt like forever, the girl's body suddenly shuddered, and her eyes fluttered open. She was awake.

"You! How dare you embrace Baobao! You're asking for it!" she exclaimed, swinging a slap at him as she regained consciousness.

Ye Rong, reacting quickly, let go, and the girl plummeted downward.

"Ah!" In a panic, she switched from slapping to clutching, grabbing Ye Rong's neck. In her haste, she gripped too tightly. Ye Rong, already frail, stumbled forward, and in the commotion, his head ended up just inches from her chest, enveloped by her scent.

Lin Baobao was taken aback. She was about to lash out in anger, but before she could, the boy before her had already lowered his face.

"This has gone too far."

I'm the one who was taken advantage of! Why are you the one who's upset? Lin Baobao stood up from Ye Rong's embrace, glanced at his earnest, non-joking expression, and turned her face away in disbelief. Clearly, he was gay!

Feeling a bit wronged, Baobao wondered if she wasn't beautiful enough to turn a gay man straight.

Ye Rong averted his gaze, uncomfortable around women who, he believed, were inherently venomous. Even the strongest could be ensnared and lose their souls to them. Many cultivators had perished for this reason, and sects like Serpent's Kiss and Stoic Order exploited the emotions of male cultivators. As a minor cultivator without powerful treasures, Ye Rong made it a point to avoid female cultivators and maintain a safe distance when interaction was unavoidable.

Chen Ling was an exception; she had rescued him and their interactions were modest, her attire unassuming. But this girl was different, her presence brimming with this world's unique allure. Such intimacy was out of the question. The brief encounter had already sent Ye Rong's heart racing, and he doubted he could clear his mind of the distraction anytime soon.

"What a stroke of bad luck," Lin Baobao grumbled under her breath. Today had been a series of unfortunate events: a robbery, being taken advantage of, and to add insult to injury, scolded for it. She felt utterly aggrieved.

Intent on giving one last glare to the gay man, Lin Baobao turned her head, only to wince at a sharp pain in her neck, which also felt strangely damp. Upon touching it...

"Ah...!" Lin Baobao's cry pierced the air as tears welled up in her eyes. "My face is ruined!"

She was ready to bolt when Ye Rong's hand slammed against the wall in front of her.

"Leaving so abruptly doesn't seem quite right, does it?"

She hadn't expected him to use such force; she nearly dislocated her arm! It was just a small bloodstain on her neck that would scab over soon. Was such a fuss necessary? Ye Rong was perplexed; in his world, even a broken limb was hardly cause for concern.

Lin Baobao banged on the wall several times without success. With tears brimming in her eyes, she turned to Ye Rong and demanded, "What on earth are you trying to do?"

"At the very least, I saved you. Or should I say, I helped you fend off a formidable foe. You owe me something for that! Will you promise me one thing?"

"One thing?" Lin Baobao instinctively stepped back, wrapping her arms protectively around her chest. Had she escaped the dragon's lair only to walk into a tiger's den?

What did he want from Baobao? Money or... something else?

But then she remembered, this guy was gay! He had taken advantage of her earlier, yet he was the one who seemed distressed. He was oblivious to the stroke of luck that had befallen him. How could he be interested in sex?

Lin Baobao lowered her hands and huffed, "You have the nerve to say you saved me? Who saves someone by letting them fend off bandits on their own?"

"I was merely diverting his attention," Ye Rong explained.

"Was there really no better way? I've never seen anyone saved in such a manner!" Lin Baobao crossed her arms, incredulous. How could this guy still think he was in the right?

Ye Rong did have other methods, but the enemy of one's enemy must become an ally. He needed to align her with his cause; otherwise, he would bear the brunt of the animosity, and it would be all too easy for the enemy's enemy to backstab him. Now that both the girl and he were involved in the conflict, any grudges would be shared between them.

"Regardless, I helped you. You need to agree to one condition."

"What condition?"

"I need your agreement before I can reveal it," Ye Rong insisted. This condition was crucial to him. If he disclosed it and was rejected, it would be awkward for both parties. He knew all too well how to navigate social interactions.

"You have to tell me so I can decide whether I can agree or not!"

"You must promise first."

"…"

Lin Baobao thought about the wound on her neck. If it wasn't treated promptly, it would scar. How unsightly it would be to have a scar marring her pale skin! She bit her lip in frustration. This man wasn't after her in that way, but he insisted on her agreement before stating his terms. He must have recognized her identity. Humph! He was really taking advantage of the situation! Just this once, she'd let him have his way. What an infuriating man! And to think he had the audacity to corner her like this!

"Alright, I agree. Now spill it!"

"Take me out for a meal. Uh... it should be nutritious and filling."

Ye Rong patted his belly, which conveniently rumbled on cue.

He had expended too much energy healing his wounds over the past couple of days. Without movement, he felt fine, but any exertion caused his strength to drain away rapidly. It had been a challenge just to get to this secluded spot, not to mention the scuffle with these two thugs. The moment the first knife-wielding man came after him, he had resolved to have the girl treat him to a meal once he saved her. Otherwise, he'd be too drained to search for food elsewhere after the brawl. Besides, he wasn't yet familiar with the original Ye Rong's memories and needed time to recall where to find a decent meal.

"A meal?" Lin Baobao stared at the boy before her as if he were a simpleton. She had gone to great lengths to get him to agree to a condition, and it was all just to get a meal?

This guy was either clueless or incredibly sly!

Chapter 12 – The Naive Girl and the Sly Fox