Chapter Twenty: The Slap (Please add to your favorites, please recommend)

Lu Zhe hurried to catch up with Shangguan Yijing, following behind her. Instantly, he felt the gazes of everyone around him fix upon him. Glancing around, he realized that all those looks came from the people who had just been following behind Shangguan Yijing; apparently, seeing him walk with her had stirred their jealousy.

Lu Zhe could only smile helplessly and distance himself from Shangguan Yijing a bit, but even then, the stares remained as sharp as ever, like blades piercing toward him.

As he walked, Lu Zhe noticed Shangguan Yijing heading toward the right side of the platform, which puzzled him. He was about to ask her something when he suddenly spotted a familiar face below the stage: Xue Ling’er.

“What’s she doing here?” Lu Zhe wondered, quickening his pace almost instinctively.

Shangguan Yijing, walking ahead, heard Lu Zhe’s footsteps speeding up behind her. Turning, she saw him approaching rapidly, grew curious, but before she could speak, he brushed right past her shoulder, completely ignoring her.

She turned to look and found Lu Zhe walking straight down the platform toward a young woman. Raising her gaze, she saw that this woman’s beauty was in no way inferior to hers—in fact, she might even surpass her in certain ways.

Lu Zhe walked directly up to Xue Ling’er, noticing that she was holding a bamboo basket from which steam occasionally wafted—presumably food.

“What are you doing here?” Lu Zhe asked.

“I went to the dock to look for you, but you weren’t there. I heard you’d come here, so I thought I’d drop by,” Xue Ling’er replied, her clear voice gently sounding in his ear.

“Have you eaten yet?” she asked.

Lu Zhe shook his head. Although the line had moved quickly, it had still cost him some time, and now it was about midday. He was beginning to feel hungry, so he and Xue Ling’er found a patch of open ground nearby and sat down. Xue Ling’er, being a lady, found it inconvenient to sit directly, so she crouched lightly and handed her bamboo basket to Lu Zhe.

Thud, thud, thud.

Suddenly, a commotion erupted nearby. Lu Zhe turned to see Li Hu sprinting toward them at the speed of a hundred-meter dash.

Startled, Lu Zhe barely had time to react before Li Hu was right in front of him, eyes full of jealous envy.

Lu Zhe could only smile wryly, pointed with his chopsticks to the spot beside him and said, “Sit.” Then he took a bowl of rice from the basket and handed it to Li Hu.

Just as Lu Zhe was about to eat, he was struck by a sudden realization—he’d forgotten about Shangguan Yijing calling for him. He’d ignored her and gone to eat, which was terribly rude. He jumped to his feet, tossed aside his chopsticks, and dashed back onto the platform at a speed no less than Li Hu’s.

Shangguan Yijing stood there, stunned, watching Lu Zhe leave to eat. She was extremely annoyed; she’d already been displeased with him, and now he’d ignored her in broad daylight to eat—if it weren’t for her concern for her own image, she’d have drawn her sword already.

Just as she was about to shout, Lu Zhe raced toward her at an incredible speed, leaving her dumbfounded. Before she could react, he was already standing before her, and the words she’d prepared to say were swallowed back down.

“Sorry, hahahaha,” Lu Zhe said, panting.

Shangguan Yijing frowned, thinking, Are all these workers like this?

“What is it, Miss Shangguan?” Lu Zhe straightened up after catching his breath.

Before she could respond, Shangguan Hong, not far away, spotted Lu Zhe and called out with delight, “Come here, boy!”

Lu Zhe was surprised, and Shangguan Yijing frowned, turning to walk toward Shangguan Hong.

Lu Zhe followed her in silence.

They soon reached Shangguan Hong, who was visibly pleased to see them, his eyes scrutinizing the two.

Lu Zhe was puzzled, but then Shangguan Hong said, “Boy, take two steps forward.”

Lu Zhe paused, then stepped forward, aligning himself with Shangguan Yijing.

Shangguan Hong looked them over, then burst into laughter, saying, “A perfect match! A perfect match!”

Both were startled—what did he mean by that?

Before they could react, Shangguan Hong continued, “Boy, what do you think of my granddaughter?”

Lu Zhe hesitated, then replied, “Miss Shangguan is beautiful and exceptionally talented—a rare find.”

Shangguan Hong followed, “How about I betroth her to you?”

The words stunned both Lu Zhe and Shangguan Yijing, their mouths agape.

Shangguan Yijing was utterly undone. From a young age, she’d been praised for her beauty and talent, reaching the rank of Spirit Master at fifteen after only a year of cultivation. She was admired by all and hailed as the Shangguan family’s peerless genius. She’d been sent to cultivate at the Windward Sect and quickly became a candidate for the next sect leader. Despite her achievements, her second grandfather, Shangguan Hong, had never praised her. She trained so hard just for a word of approval from him. Now, he was lavishing praise on a boy he’d just met and proposing to marry her off to him—this, this…

Shangguan Yijing lowered her head, biting her lip, hands clenched so tightly her nails dug into her flesh without her noticing.

Lu Zhe, startled, hurriedly waved his hands, “You flatter me—I wouldn’t dare aspire to Miss Shangguan.”

Shangguan Hong smiled, “It’s alright, feelings can be cultivated. You two…”

Bang!

Shangguan Hong’s words were cut off by a sharp slap.

Shangguan Yijing had struck Lu Zhe across the face.

“What right do you have to marry me?” she said angrily, tears in her eyes.

Lu Zhe touched his face, stunned.

Everyone was dumbfounded; even Li Hu, who’d been wolfing down his food below, stopped chewing and stared at the platform.

Xue Ling’er covered her open mouth in shock, staring at the struck Lu Zhe.

The unexpected turn of events left everyone frozen. For a moment, it was as if time itself stood still, all eyes fixed on the drama unfolding above.

Bang!

Another crisp slap sounded—this time, Lu Zhe struck Shangguan Yijing.

“And what right do you have to hit me?” Lu Zhe retorted coldly.

Clang!

Shangguan Yijing suddenly drew her sword and thrust it at Lu Zhe.

Thud!

The blade plunged deep into Lu Zhe’s chest, and a gush of crimson blood sprayed onto the ground.

Ah!

Cries erupted everywhere. Xue Ling’er screamed, and before she could react, Li Hu was already rushing to Lu Zhe’s side.

Shangguan Yijing was stunned. She hadn’t expected the youth before her not to dodge at all. Trembling, she asked, “Why didn’t you move?”

Lu Zhe said nothing, head bowed. His left hand slowly grasped the sword in his chest. The blade