“Sir, dear sir, stop! We yield, we admit defeat! Have mercy on us and let us go, like a fart in the wind.”
Ren Yuanhao rubbed his fists and said, “Originally, I intended to let you go like a fart, but who knew you insignificant shrimp would be so unappreciative? And now you want to leave?”
He stroked his stubble, then looked at the woman cowering in the pile of nearly rotten leaves, coughed twice, and continued, “You bunch of insignificant shrimp scared the beauty like this. If you don’t apologize sincerely, it’ll be hard for me to let you go.”
The man gritted his teeth, glancing at the woman. He thought to himself that he shouldn't have gone out today, having encountered such bad luck. A wise man knows when to retreat. Once he gets back and makes proper arrangements, he’ll surely deal with these sickly weaklings.
With that thought, the man resentfully said, “Sorry,” and made to stand up and leave, but Ren Yuanhao called him back.
“Hmm? Did I not say ‘sincerely’? You think a simple ‘sorry’ will get you out of this? How about I abandon you lot in the wilderness and say ‘sorry’ before your corpses? Would that do?”
The man’s face turned green, his jaw muscles bulging. He was filled with anger but dared not express it. He addressed the woman directly, “Miss, we rough fellows have offended you. We apologize profusely. Please be magnanimous and spare us this once?”
The woman, however, remained hunched over, staring intently at the knife lying diagonally on the dry leaves, trembling slightly, and saying nothing.
“Scram. This beauty is quite frightened by you. Don’t let me see you lot again.”
As soon as Ren Yuanhao finished speaking, the group helped each other up and disappeared in the direction of the iron chain bridge. After they left, the woman, who had been silent all along, suddenly grabbed the short knife and lunged it towards her own neck as if possessed!
The situation escalated dramatically. Ren Yuanhao, closest to her, moved with lightning speed, his right hand shooting out like lightning. He could only grasp the tip of the dagger. The blade stopped a mere half-centimeter from the woman’s pale white neck. The sharp edge instantly plunged into Ren Yuanhao’s palm, and blood slowly dripped through his fingers, staining the woman’s green robe, like a blooming rose.
Yang Lingxue, distressed, was about to rush forward but was stopped by Shen Lan Ni. Shen Lan Ni snorted, “Serves her right. When will she ever change her sentimental ways? I suspect that woman might even feel compelled to offer herself in marriage now.”
“Why didn’t you let me die?”
The woman’s tears flowed like two streams of clear spring water down her cheeks, dripping onto Ren Yuanhao’s hand.
“Such a beautiful girl, how could I bear to let you die? Alright, get up. There’s still a long way to go. Just be more careful in the future.”
Ren Yuanhao held the blade between his fingers, and the woman finally obeyed and released her grip.
“There, that’s better. Get up. We’re heading to the village anyway, we can give you a ride.”
“No, you saved me once, but you can’t protect me forever. You’ve offended those people, so you should look out for yourselves too.” After saying this, the woman stood up, brushed the dust off her clothes, and glanced at the crimson blood on the hem of the green robe. She murmured, “Consider this a memento. I know I’m not as beautiful as those two older sisters, but if you fancy this unrefined body of mine, I’m always willing to offer myself to you~”
“Hahaha, don’t say that, young lady. I, Ren Yuanhao, bear the great responsibility of saving countless women in the world. I don’t harbor any vulgar intentions. I saved you because my conscience demanded it.”
“And what if my conscience demands otherwise?” the woman replied softly, her almond-shaped eyes seeming to well up with tears, her cheeks like peach blossoms, her gaze full of allure. Although not as beautiful as the other three women, she possessed a unique charm.
Shen Lan Ni and Yang Lingxue both shook their heads and sighed at the sight.
“Alas, it seems I’m about to gain another sister-in-law,” Liu Yu said. As soon as he finished speaking, he felt two sharp gusts of wind rushing towards his face!
*Slap! Slap!*
Everyone covered their mouths, suppressing their laughter. Liu Yu clutched his face, but the two distinct red palm prints were clearly visible.
“Laugh, go ahead and laugh. This is me bravely reminding you all to be cautious with your words. Be careful, I’m telling you.”
Ren Yuanhao stood dumbfounded, unsure how to console them. At this moment, the men who had been hiding nearby slowly emerged from the bushes. One of them, with sharp eyes, immediately recognized the woman in the green robe.
“Hey? Isn’t that the Shi family’s daughter from under the big locust tree on the west side of the town?”
The woman in the green robe pouted as she sized up the man speaking, her eyes darting around. Suddenly, she remembered that this man was the one she had delivered herbs to half a year ago, a Mr. Li whose mother had been seriously ill. They had met a few times.
“Ah, if I had known it was the daughter of my benefactor, I would have repaid your kindness even in death,” the Li family man scratched his head, his face flushed red. Then, as if recalling something, he said slowly, “I think the unconscious young lady might also be poisoned. Our town has two bodhisattvas who save people from suffering. One is Shi Jingtian of the Shi family. Perhaps it would be better to go to her home for treatment with this Shi family daughter?”
“Hey, don’t keep calling me ‘Shi family daughter’! I have a name, you know?”
“Then what is it?” Ren Yuanhao was already worried about Ye Lan’s ‘love poison,’ and with only five or six hours left until the poison took effect, her situation was precarious.
“Shi Kexin.”
“A good name, a good name! Sister Kexin, can you really save my friend?” Ren Yuanhao was overjoyed. As he looked up, he saw Shen Lan Ni and Yang Lingxue looking at him coldly, and he wasn’t sure if it was because he was being flirtatious or because of Ye Lan.
“Hmph, Sister Lan Ni, do you think this kid genuinely wants to cure Ye Lan’s poison?”
“Only he himself knows. This kid is so scatterbrained, his revolution hasn’t succeeded yet.”
“He’s so badly injured, yet he still insists on acting tough. He’s going to face consequences later.”
The two women whispered behind Ren Yuanhao’s back. When they looked up, they saw Ren Yuanhao had already led Shi Kexin to Ye Lan.
“Another little vixen, hmph!” Shi Kexin crossed her arms, a jealous expression on her face.
“Can you save her?” Ren Yuanhao scratched the back of his head.
“If it were a man, I could save him. But a woman? No, I won’t save her. Hmph!” Shi Kexin said with a touch of arrogance, seemingly having forgotten entirely that Ren Yuanhao had saved her.
Ren Yuanhao was momentarily confused, but then Yang Lingxue stepped forward, placed her hands on Shi Kexin’s shoulders, and whispered something in her ear. Shi Kexin’s face immediately turned bright red.
“I’ll save her! I’ll definitely ask my father to save her! I absolutely won’t let this heartless man have an easy time. Hmph.”