"You, you dare to hit me?"
The man clutched his burning cheek, which felt as if a thousand ants were gnawing at it, and stammered.
"Oh? You expect this slap to land on your woman's face? Tsk, tsk, tsk, have you no shame?"
Upon hearing Ren Yuanhao's words, the woman slapped the man's face again. "Tell me, is that truly what you were thinking?"
"Damn it, I'm being framed! For you, let alone a slap, I wouldn't even flinch if I were sliced into a thousand pieces."
Men's declarations of loyalty are ten-to-one all nonsense, but unfortunately, women in love have an IQ infinitely close to zero.
"That's more like it," the woman said, affectionately stroking his face. She then turned her attention back to Ren Yuanhao, her gaze as fierce as a tigress.
"Who are you, savage? Do you know whose territory this is?" the woman demanded, pointing vaguely at a large promotional poster on the stage. With her hands on her hips, she looked like a shrew yelling in the street.
Ren Yuanhao calmly lit a cigarette. "Oh, my apologies. So you're the leader of the 'Explosive Girls' group?"
Seeing that despite his words, there was no hint of an apology on his face, the woman immediately grew angry. "So, now you know whose territory this is?"
"Not at all!"
Ren Yuanhao abruptly stubbed out his cigarette. Like a berserk beast, he lunged toward the woman. Standing a head taller than her, Ren Yuanhao looked down with cold eyes, and an icy aura that seemed to solidify instantly enveloped them both!
The couple seemed stunned. Ren Yuanhao continued, "Today is Qingluo's performance. So tell me, whose territory is this? It's you who should be leaving."
Ren Yuanhao's voice wasn't loud, but the woman felt her eardrums vibrate slightly. The man sensed his companion's fear and knew that as a man, he should step forward.
However, as he took a half-step forward, Ren Yuanhao, with lightning speed, raised his hand and delivered another slap to his face, stinging intensely!
"Your woman hasn't even spoken, so why are you so eager to pledge your loyalty? Let me repeat myself: you two, disappear from my sight, immediately."
Guan Ying, standing behind Ren Yuanhao, was already pale with fright. In the past, when their sisters were bullied, Qingluo would usually stand in front of them, carefully reasoning with the aggressors to escape.
She had never experienced such a domineering way of resolving issues. However, she had long wished for something like this to happen, as they had been subjected to "special attention" from the 'Explosive Girls' since they moved their operations here.
Ren Yuanhao's unreasonable slaps completely extinguished the man's earlier bravado. The couple left dejectedly. Once outside, the man grumbled angrily, "Damn it, punk, just you wait!"
After the couple departed, Guan Ying quickly stepped forward and asked timidly, "Are, are you alright?"
"What could happen to me? If people like that aren't taught a harsh lesson, my anger won't subside."
Just then, other members of Han Zhi Yun quickly approached the inner area.
"W-what's going on? Even the venue hasn't been cleaned?"
"This is making things difficult for us!"
"Let's not talk about that, Guan Ying. All the clothes and props are in the car. Don't just stand there talking, come help."
Guan Ying hurried forward, but before she could even step out of the venue, she saw the man and woman who had just been driven away by Ren Yuanhao running into a small alley, carrying their needed props!
"Oh no, quick, chase them! Chase them!"
As the women reached the alley entrance, they saw the pair speeding away on a motorcycle. Scattered props lay everywhere, but not a single Hanfu remained. They had been stolen, and they sped off, leaving behind billowing black smoke like dark clouds, casting a chilling rain of despair over everyone's hearts.
"Now we don't even have our performance costumes. How are we supposed to perform?"
The five girls stood frozen, tears streaming down their faces in frustration. The wind whistled through the alley like blades, scraping against their faces.
Ren Yuanhao had not expected the couple to be so audacious. Though angry, he knew that rage would solve nothing. He immediately rushed to Guan Ying's side.
"Don't you have backup Hanfu?"
"No, those clothes were quite expensive, so..."
"As long as it can be solved with money, it's not a problem." Ren Yuanhao's brow furrowed slightly. The first thing he needed to do was to encourage the girls. "Without further ado, where did you buy your Hanfu?"
Guan Ying felt embarrassed, constantly owing favors. But then she thought that this matter concerned their future and destiny, so she couldn't afford to hesitate any longer. She immediately replied, "Gu Yun Fang."
...
Ten minutes later, at Gu Yun Fang.
"Shopkeeper, have any new arrivals come in recently?"
The shopkeeper, dressed in a wide-sleeved Hanfu of emerald green, her temples adorned with black hair and a jade hairpin askew, had a full face and eyebrows like distant mountains, exuding an aura reminiscent of ancient beauties.
She smiled faintly. "Sister Lan, the rate at which my shop restocks is far slower than your collecting speed. The recent new items are mostly old stock, with similar styles. You shouldn't waste your money."
The shopkeeper held the hand of the woman speaking, as if they were close friends chatting.
"Shopkeeper, pushing away business with just a sentence isn't appropriate, is it?"
The speaker wore a mask, but it couldn't conceal her extraordinary aura. Her eyebrows were elegantly arched, like distant mountains, her skin as smooth as congealed fat, like swirling snow in the wind, and her dark hair like satin. A few strands of air bangs graced her forehead, like light clouds obscuring the moon.
Who else could this be but Ye Lan?
"Sister Lan is an old customer. I wouldn't cheat anyone else if not you, right?"
Ye Lan smiled faintly, illuminating the entire room. At that moment, a man and five women squeezed through the entrance.
From afar, Ye Lan spotted Ren Yuanhao, then glanced at the five flustered women standing behind him. Feeling a flicker of annoyance, she hid behind a display Hanfu adorned with stars.
"Why are you hiding?"
"I know that man. Let's hide for now. Shopkeeper, please don't make a sound."
"Okay."
After hearing Ye Lan's instructions, the shopkeeper immediately stepped forward solicitously.
"May I ask what this young master is looking for, accompanied by such a bevy of beauties?"
"Uh, I don't understand. Let them pick for themselves."
Ren Yuanhao knew that Hanfu were beautiful and gorgeous, but he was completely clueless about them.
The shopkeeper thought she had found a generous customer, and seeing that little lass Ye Lan seemed somewhat displeased, she felt it wouldn't be right not to charge him handsomely.
Under these circumstances, Guan Ying no longer held back. After explaining their purpose, the shopkeeper hesitated.
"Han Zhi Yun? I've never heard of it before. Promoting Han culture is a good deed. Don't worry, I won't rip you off today."
The shopkeeper quickly took their measurements, then found herself in a predicament.