Chapter 33
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Chi Shuyan got on the subway muddleheaded, and seeing no seats around, she was forced to stand by the window. She gripped a handrail, closed those large round feline eyes and squeezed in the corner, slouching laggardly against the subway car wall. Her pretty, delicate face was bloodless and her skin almost transparently pale, as if she was sick and listless. With her hair tied up blindly in a bun, natural tendril curls hung down her temples.
These few days had been torturous for Chi Shuyan. Since the day her Yin Ghost Gonfalon had eaten too much ghost qi and yin qi, that extreme pleasure ended in sorrows, causing her some ‘indigestion’. She had been drowsy all day and just wanted to sleep. Soaking in medicinal baths could have alleviated it a bit, but coincidentally, all the herbs at home were also gone, so she needed to go shopping again. She’d been drowsy and put it off, explaining her frail appearance today. She still had overestimated her physical fitness.
With the few remaining shreds of clarity in her head, Chi Shuyan thought about how she never seemed to have encountered this kind of ‘indigestion’ problem in her previous life, and was instantly saddened by the reminder that she had a strict master controlling the overall situation.
In a daze, Chi Shuyan felt as if a lot of people were pouring in, like sardines tightly packed together. She frowned, listening to the movements outside. Feeling someone squeezing onto her, she felt uncomfortable, so she subconsciously pressed against the car wall, but her eyelids were too heavy to lift.
Chi Shuyan didn’t know if it was a misconception, but when she squeezed an inch inside, the person behind her followed suit, even jostling forward again and almost attaching himself bodily to her. However, she soon realized that the man was doing it on purpose. After sticking to her, a hand crept up her waist when he noticed that she wasn’t moving.
Now, Chi Shuyan had completely sobered up. Her fingertips pinched the palm of the hand and she opened her eyes to see a plain-looking, middle-aged man in his thirties or forties very close to her. His eyes were looking at her lustfully, with one hand holding a briefcase to cover his other unruly hand. Seeing her awake, that unruly hand didn’t withdraw at all, and instead stroked lower and lower, with a certainty that Chi Shuyan wouldn’t dare say anything.
Chi Shuyan took a deep breath, gritted her teeth, and stomped directly on the man’s foot, warning coldly, “Get away from me.” After warning and pushing the man strenuously, she squeezed in another spot.
“Hey, this little girl is so rude. I just accidentally squished you. Why did you have to get angry and step on my shoes? Do you know how expensive my shoes are?” Noticing the attention of the crowd shifting over to him, the man felt a little guilty and deliberately put the blame on her.
“What’s your unruly hand groping for?” Chi Shuyan pinched the bridge of her nose, looking a little beaten and sleepy, her half-lidded eyes hooded with a layer of mist. She had chosen to take the subway because she couldn’t stand the smell of taxis and a bumpy bus ride, completely forgetting that the subway was just as crowded in the morning. With so many people, the odor was nowhere near as good, making her want to vomit terribly. But of more concern was the fact that she had come across a pervert.
When everyone heard Chi Shuyan’s words, they looked at the man skeptically. The man flushed red under their scrutiny and exploded into rage from the embarrassment, “This girl is too shameless. How old am I to take advantage of you? With the car so crowded, bumping and squeezing is normal, so don’t you dare talk nonsense and ruin my reputation.”
Chi Shuyan gave him a mocking glance, not bothering to argue with him. She really didn’t have much energy to argue with anyone and squeezed over in another direction.
Now that Chi Shuyan had turned around to leave, the man thought he scared her. Looking at how pretty and young she was, he decided that she was easily deceived and cajoled. Naturally, Zhao Hai was reluctant to leave her just like that. It was the first time he’d run into such a good-looking girl on the subway and she looked unwell, moving slow and sluggish. It didn’t really hurt when she stomped on him.
He immediately raised his hand and grabbed Chi Shuyan’s arm, while putting on an honest and simple smile. “I won’t blame you, little girl. Why do you have to squeeze over there? You’re my daughter’s age and I’m distressed watching you like this. You’d better stand in this corner, else you get bumped.”
Chi Shuyan’s irritation rose at the man’s unrelenting grip and entanglement. With a few flashes of suppressed hostility between her brows, her eyes gleamed viciously. Just as she was about to teach him a lesson…
A distinctly bony, lean, and powerful palm appeared out of nowhere, opening the man’s grip uncivilly.
“Are you all right?” A clear and deep baritone resounded in Chi Shuyan’s ears. Chi Shuyan froze, but before she could return to her senses, she saw a large mass of purple and gold. She blinked, focused her eyes, and without saying a word, swallowed her spit. I want to hug him, hug him so badly! This man probably wouldn’t feel anything if I rubbed myself furtively against his purple qi!
Chi Shuyan felt her sanity forsaking her and nodded impassively, not quite understanding why he appeared here.
“You- What are you doing? I was just asking nicely since she looked uncomfortable. What do you mean, you want to hit me?” Zhao Hai looked at the tall and handsome man in front of him with a bit of guilt.
“Yeah? Then, I’ll have to thank you properly.” Qi Zhenbai raised a seemingly shallow smile and extended a palm.
“Hahaha, well said, well said, just don’t misunderstand me, brother. We’re all outside, so we should all take care of each other. I’m just quite warm… AHHH-” Before Zhao Hai could utter the word ‘hearted’, Qi Zhenbai fiercely grasped the hand that dared to reach over. Then, there was a loud scream.
Qi Zhenbai, tall and cold, with one hand in the pocket of his black trench coat, twisted his hand cleanly and with just the cracking of bones, the wretched pervert’s wrist was bent and dislocated.
“Be more disciplined with your actions next time.” Qi Zhenbai advised icily. Meeting Qi Zhenbai’s cold and austere gaze, Zhao Hai was so frightened that his legs weakened and he broke out into a cold sweat. He nodded repeatedly and fled.
Qi Zhenbai ignored the crowd’s eyes, which were either amazed or curious, and walked towards the unsteady, pale Chi Shuyan. Looking around, he could only suppress a touch of revulsion to human touch and pulled her to the corner where she was just standing and squeezed. He braced both arms on Chi Shuyan’s sides to give her a luxurious space.
The tip of Chi Shuyan’s nose was filled with Qi Zhenbai’s cool clean, woody scent, along with a whiff of medicine. It didn’t smell bad, rather it made her relax a bit. She tilted her head up and found that Qi Zhenbai was really very tall. Visually, he should be at least 1.8 meters, close to 1.9 meters. He looked slim, his skin as white as jade, and his lips as red as fresh blood. His features were finely sculpted, deep and handsome, evocative of a courageous, sick beauty. But having just easily taken down a grown man, he should be pretty powerful.
“What a coincidence.” Chi Shuyan grinned, her large, round feline eyes curving into a crescent moon.
“It isn’t. I just saw you entering the subway station.” Qi Zhenbai’s voice was as clear and cold as jade.
“Oh, thank you all the same.” If Qi Zhenbai hadn’t taken action, she would have definitely struck heavily in light of her impetuous breath just now, but the aftermath would have been troublesome.
Qi Zhenbai nodded, thinking that she was thanking him for dealing with the pervert. Icy eyes shifted over her pretty white face, and he hesitated for a moment before saying, “Pay more attention next time you go out.” However, as his eyes wandered down her dainty body, unease still crossed his slender eyes, and after a moment’s pause, he suggested in a deep voice, “It’s best if you go out with company.” Apparently in his eyes, she wouldn’t be able to cope or would be at a disadvantage when she ran into such matters, given her dainty physique.
Looking at how he was advising her so seriously, Chi Shuyan didn’t look away, but almost burst out laughing. She didn’t say that even a dozen men like that pervert couldn’t scare her at all.