Leng Nuo listened to the man called Li Ge, her face filled with disdain. "Bah! He deserves it! He even steals from children. Kicking him once was too lenient! And you dare to stand up for him!"
Leng Ren and the others simply stood aside, coldly watching the Qi Little Tyrant's group, showing no intention of stopping Leng Nuo. These people were clearly thugs, likely accustomed to such actions.
"You!"
Li Ge, hearing Leng Nuo retort again, was instantly enraged. However, recalling the strength with which she could kick a grown man flying, his surging anger subsided significantly. Anyway, with the second-generation prodigy Qi Little Tyrant present, he didn't believe these outsiders could gain any advantage!
"Is it true? A grown man like you steals from children? Have you no shame? Is this how I usually teach you guys?" Qi Little Tyrant turned to the man called Gong Ye, his face showing genuine disgust.
This is interesting! It seems the little fatty has no idea about the usual conduct of his subordinates.
Leng Nuo, thinking the Little Tyrant was putting on an act, fired back immediately. "What are you pretending for? You're the one who lets them rob ordinary people, aren't you? Without your approval, would they dare to act on their own?"
Upon hearing Leng Nuo's accusation, the Little Tyrant's face turned ashen, like a Garfield cat whose tail had been stepped on. He pointed at Leng Nuo angrily, his chubby face beaded with sweat from agitation.
"What nonsense are you spouting? What is my status? Why would I let my subordinates rob ordinary people? Those things were voluntarily offered to me as tribute, and they personally brought them. I have never stolen anything from anyone! This young master would never do such a thing!"
Seeing the Little Tyrant's face flushed red and his neck thick with anger, Leng Nuo didn't indulge him, her gaze growing even more contemptuous. "Hmph! Dare to do it but not to own up to it. You wouldn't do such a thing? If you wouldn't do such a thing, then what are you doing here now? And why did you call so many people to block us? Isn't it to steal our things?"
"You are presumptuous and talking nonsense. This young master would never steal your things. Someone told me there was delicious food at this restaurant to honor me, which is why I came. If you hadn't stayed hidden in the back, I wouldn't have known you were there. Where does the talk of stealing come from!"
The Little Tyrant, speaking, jumped up and down excitedly, his flesh jiggling with every movement, his very cells seemingly eager to explain.
Seeing that Leng Nuo had sufficiently provoked the Little Tyrant, Leng Ren waved for her to step back. Then, his gaze swept back and forth over Gong Ye and Li Ge, causing the two men to feel a chill run down their spines.
They hadn't expected the situation to deviate so far from the plan. And what was wrong with the Little Tyrant today? Why was he so unhelpful? He usually had a short temper, and even if he didn't beat them up for minor displeasures, a good scolding was always in order.
Why wasn't he angry today? Hurry up and get angry, chase these people away! Or escalate the situation, leading to a fight, which would change things.
Leng Ren's unwavering cold gaze made the two men shrink back. Although the Little Tyrant was usually irritable, he truly had not ordered them to rob ordinary people.
It was they themselves who, in order to curry favor and facilitate their actions, always used his name to oppress ordinary people. They also received considerable benefits privately.
Everything had gone smoothly until now, and the Little Tyrant even thought he was genuinely popular among the common folk. Gradually, their act of stealing and offering him tribute became an unwritten rule in Yong'an Town.
Now that these outsiders had arrived, if the Little Tyrant discovered their usual methods, a severe beating would be inevitable.
What could be done to resolve this?
Gong Ye suddenly no longer cared about his dislodged teeth. A few teeth were a minor issue; if the Little Tyrant found out he had been acting as a bully under his name, the consequences would be far more severe than losing a few teeth.
He might even be driven out of town. He had spent so long establishing himself in Yong'an Town and had finally reached his current position; he didn't want to be expelled like this.
The man called Li Ge also considered this. He exchanged a look with Gong Ye, and a strong desire suddenly arose within him for these outsiders to leave quickly, lest their actions be exposed and they face severe punishment.
Although he was sometimes scolded by the Little Tyrant, he enjoyed lavish meals daily. Even the plain rice he ate was more than others got. In this current era, where else could he find such a good job? He didn't want to be driven away for the sake of a few outsiders.
Leng Ren's stare almost drove the two men to despair. He then turned to the Little Tyrant, his expression softening slightly. "Oh? So, this is a misunderstanding? Since Young Master Qi doesn't intend to detain us, may we leave now?"
Hearing that they intended to leave, the Little Tyrant felt a pang of displeasure. He hadn't gotten to taste those delicacies yet. Yong'an Town was good in many ways, but there were too few delicious foods. Having finally encountered some, he couldn't let them go.
The Little Tyrant looked at his subordinates on the ground, who were groaning and clutching their stomachs, and asked Leng Ren, "You come and go as you please, but what about my subordinates who you beat up like this? And this one, look at how he's been beaten!"
As he spoke, the Little Tyrant pulled over Gong Ye, who was covering his face with his hand. Upon touching the man's exposed, sweaty, and greasy skin, he somewhat disdainfully wiped his hands on Li Ge's clothes.
"Pfft~" Seeing the Little Tyrant's action, Su Muqing couldn't help but laugh out loud. The disgusted expression on his face was truly adorable.
Actually, this Little Tyrant wasn't entirely unpleasant. At least he looked very appealing. His face was rosy and plump, resembling a ripe peach.
Su Muqing's laughter drew the Little Tyrant's attention. When he saw her face, he was momentarily stunned but quickly resumed his haughty demeanor. "What are you laughing at? Who are you? Why do you look so effeminate?"
"How dare you speak so disrespectfully to our Empress... Young Master!" Leng Nuo, hearing Qi Little Tyrant's impertinence towards Su Muqing, immediately stepped forward to reprimand him.
Su Muqing quickly caught Leng Nuo's arm and then shook her head at him with a smile. She stepped forward and said to Qi Little Tyrant, "Young Master Qi, since this was all a misunderstanding, why don't we use this food to prepare a delicious meal to entertain you? We can consider it a 'no bloodshed, but a friendship made.' What do you think?"
Qi Little Tyrant pouted, his bright eyes darting around quickly. Then, he put on a strained expression. "Alright then! This young master will give you one chance."