Chapter 27: I’m So Afraid

With a scream of agony, Qian Xiaoxia clutched her face and collapsed to the ground. One side of her face swelled grotesquely, her eye puffing up like a bulb.

“Who gave anyone from the Qian family the nerve to act out in front of me?” Ye Tian looked down on her from above, eyes utterly indifferent.

He was always the kind to protect his own, and he had never felt the slightest compunction about hitting a woman—especially when that woman was from one of the three great families of Zhongdu, the Qians.

“I haven’t even had the chance to settle accounts with that old fool in your family, and you come here on your own, making a scene. What are you supposed to be?”

“Young Miss!” The bodyguards stood stunned as they witnessed their charge beaten in such a humiliating manner. Only after a moment did they come to their senses, hurrying forward to shield her.

“You actually dare hit me!” Qian Xiaoxia was helped to her feet, clutching her swollen cheek, her one visible eye glaring at Ye Tian with venomous hatred.

“So what if I hit you? If you’re not satisfied, have this bunch of useless thugs behind you try and fight back.” Ye Tian sneered, pointing at the bodyguards with contempt.

At his words, Qian Xiaoxia’s face twisted in rage. Never in her life had she suffered such humiliation.

“Get him! Beat him to death!” she screamed.

The bodyguards surged forward in succession, but before any could get near, Ye Tian sent each one flying to the floor with a casual kick, as if they were children.

“All your country bumpkin goons are down.” Ye Tian brushed the dust from his clothes and strode over, snatching the suit jacket from Qian Xiaoxia’s hands.

“Hitting women is getting dull. Go home and send your useless grandfather if you want a beating.”

“You know who I am, and you still dare to act so arrogantly?” Qian Xiaoxia shrieked, her voice shrill with rage. “I’m the granddaughter of the Qian family! Are you tired of living?”

“Idiot.” Ye Tian didn’t spare her a glance. He raised a hand, motioning for the sales assistant who had been hiding in the shadows to come over.

“Would you please wrap this up for me?”

“Of course, handsome! You really showed them!” The saleswoman was ecstatic. Finally, someone had stood up to that bully!

The crowd in the distance buzzed with approval.

At last, someone had put that madwoman in her place!

“Well done!”

“That was satisfying!”

…

The commotion quickly drew even more onlookers. The crowd swelled, and soon the mall manager arrived. As he took in the sight of dozens of bodies sprawled across the floor and Qian Xiaoxia shrieking like a madwoman, the bald-headed manager broke into a sweat.

He hurried over and, without a word, slapped the sales assistant across the face.

“What do you think you’re doing? Do you have any idea how to follow the rules?”

“If Miss Qian wants this jacket, you should have wrapped it up for her immediately! How did you let it get to this point?”

The sales assistant, face full of grievance, quickly explained what had happened. She’d expected the manager to see reason, but instead his face grew even darker. He jabbed a finger in her face and cursed, “Are you an idiot? This is Miss Qian! Whatever she wants, you give her. Do you understand?”

“Do you think these two nobodies can compare to Miss Qian?”

He cast a scornful glance at Ye Tian and his companion. Observing their unremarkable clothes and lack of expensive watches, his tone became even more disdainful.

“You’ve been in Zhongdu this long and you don’t recognize Miss Qian? No wonder you’re doomed to be poor your whole lives!” With that, he hurried over to help Qian Xiaoxia up, fawning all the while. “I’m so sorry, Miss Qian. This is all due to our poor management. Please forgive us.”

“I’ll call security right now and have these two paupers thrown out!” His contempt was palpable.

“I’ve had enough of this.” With the manager backing her up, Qian Xiaoxia dusted herself off and stood up, still bristling with indignation. But when her eyes met Ye Tian’s, she instinctively shrank back, a tremor of fear in her heart.

This man’s eyes were cold, and he showed no mercy, even when hitting a woman. She was genuinely afraid that another wrong word would earn her another beating.

“Hmph, forget it. I’m just unlucky today. Wrap up the suit for me; it’s a gift for my cousin.”

“Let them go—they’re an eyesore.”

“Oh!” The bald manager slapped his thigh and turned to Ye Tian. “You two, aren’t you going to apologize to Miss Qian and get out of here?”

“Miss Qian is being so generous. Don’t you know the first thing about courtesy?”

“Lapdog!” Li Muqing was so angry she laughed. It was Qian Xiaoxia who had tried to snatch the jacket for no reason, and she had thrown the first punch. Now this toady of a manager expected them to apologize? What a joke.

“What did you say?” The bald manager flushed with anger, jabbing a finger at Ye Tian. “Control your girlfriend. If you won’t apologize, at least don’t be so foul-mouthed!”

“Why should I control her?” Ye Tian scoffed. “She’s right—you are a sniveling dog who looks down on people.”

“You—!” The bald manager was so furious he nearly lost control, but he reminded himself he was here to maintain order. Swallowing his anger, he sneered, “That suit costs two million. Look at you, dressed in nothing but cheap linen.” He pointed at Ye Tian.

“And you—your dress costs a few bucks online, and those earrings are plastic. Can you even afford this? Just saying you’ll buy it doesn’t mean you can.”

“Whether I can afford it is none of your business. Just keep playing the lackey,” Ye Tian replied coldly, pulling out a black True Dragon Card, guaranteed by all the great families.

He tossed it to the sales assistant. “Charge it. The password is six sixes.”

“Right away.” The saleswoman, still burning with resentment, didn’t spare another glance at Qian Xiaoxia. She took the card and went to swipe it.

“Tsk, he’s really putting on a show now,” the bald manager snickered. “That black card—I’ve never seen it in any bank. It doesn’t even have a number. Probably a membership card he picked up at some dodgy foot massage parlor. Ha!”

But as soon as the words left his mouth, the POS terminal beeped—payment approved.

“What?” he gasped. “Eighteen hundred eighty thousand—just like that?”

The crowd broke into surprised murmurs.

“Who’d have thought? He looks so ordinary, but he’s actually rich!”

With those words, the manager’s face turned a deep shade of red.

“So what?” he stammered, hastily pulling Qian Xiaoxia in front of him as a shield. “So what if you can afford the jacket? Do you think you can compare to Miss Qian?”

“Miss Qian is the granddaughter of the Qian family patriarch. Offend her, and I guarantee you’ll never get by in Zhongdu again!”

“Oh, I’m terrified,” Ye Tian replied, looking at him as if he were an idiot. He took the packaged suit, grasped Li Muqing’s hand, and turned to leave.