The young man slammed his cards on the table, his voice dripping with arrogance.
"I'm done pretending! I just want to mess around with your girl!"
The polite smile on Xiao Rou's face vanished instantly.
"Sorry, I don't know you."
"Xiao Fan, let's go!"
Disgust flashed in Xiao Rou's eyes as she grabbed Lin Fan's hand, eager to leave.
Was this guy out of his mind?
Why else would he be out here on the street, hitting on random girls?
Lin Fan was equally stunned. This guy's scheming was so shallow he just blurted out his intentions?
Around them, several young women glared at Xiao Rou, their eyes red with envy.
Instead of being outraged by the young man's crude behavior, they shot resentful looks at Xiao Rou, as if she was the one in the wrong!
Their expressions screamed that Xiao Rou was ungrateful.
"Who does this woman think she is, acting all high and mighty?"
"With that flirty face, isn't she just out here selling herself? Why pretend to be pure?"
"Exactly! A rich, handsome guy driving a Ferrari with one hand—if he came for me, I wouldn't just agree, I'd pay him!"
"This chick is disgusting!"
They didn't bother hiding their venomous comments about Xiao Rou.
The fact that a wealthy, good-looking guy ignored them and went straight for Xiao Rou already pissed them off. Now, her rejection of him in front of everyone made them feel like she was deliberately playing hard to get.
Hearing the women's chatter, Xiao Rou's face paled.
She felt wronged.
What was wrong with saying no?
Why did it feel like she'd committed some crime?
Lin Fan gently took her wrist and smiled. "Ignore their nonsense. In a big forest, you'll find all kinds of birds."
"Those women are just like that, so they assume everyone else is too."
"When filth becomes normal, staying pure feels like a sin."
His comforting words warmed Xiao Rou's heart, and she nodded firmly.
Her life had been full of twists and turns.
Her parents once ran a successful company, and she'd been a pampered rich girl.
But a car accident had taken everything away.
Just when she thought her life was hopeless, Lin Fan appeared.
Maybe this was heaven's way of showing her kindness, giving her the greatest gift of all.
As the two whispered and turned to leave, the young man's face darkened with fury.
"Stop!" he roared, grinding his teeth in rage.
This was the first time Liu Qingsong had been humiliated like this!
But Lin Fan and Xiao Rou ignored him completely, as if he didn't exist.
This only fueled Liu Qingsong's anger and embarrassment.
He lunged forward, throwing a punch at the back of Lin Fan's head!
Just as the fist was about to connect, Lin Fan, as if he had eyes in the back of his head, spun around and slapped him hard!
The movement was fluid, precise, and effortless.
*Slap!*
A resounding smack landed square on Liu Qingsong's face.
A bloody tooth hit the ground.
The stinging pain on his cheek snapped Liu Qingsong's dazed expression back to fury.
He'd been hit!
He, the esteemed Young Leader of the Qinglong Gang, had been struck!
How could this be?
The onlookers were dumbfounded.
Even if they didn't know Liu Qingsong's identity, anyone driving a Ferrari was clearly no ordinary person.
This guy dared to lay hands on him?
Wasn't he afraid of the consequences?
Shanghai was a city of hidden dragons and crouching tigers. Any random person on the street could be a secret billionaire!
Lin Fan rubbed his palm, pouting. "Your face is so thick, it hurt my hand."
"I'm warning you—don't push your luck, or I'll make you pay for my medical bills!"
*Crunch!*
Liu Qingsong's teeth ground together, his eyes blazing with rage. He wanted to tear Lin Fan apart!
Medical bills?
You hit me, and now you're demanding *I* pay for *your* medical bills?
Damn it!
*Vroom!*
At that moment, the roar of engines cut through the air. Two luxury cars screeched to a halt beside the red Ferrari.
A gray Bugatti Veyron.
A Mercedes-AMG GT.
The doors swung open, and two young men, decked out in flashy gold and silver, stepped out.
Seeing Liu Qingsong's battered face, they were stunned.
One, a young man with slicked-back hair and casual clothes, frowned. "Young Master Liu, weren't we supposed to race?"
"How'd you get beaten up in just a few minutes?"
The other, a fierce-looking guy, added in shock, "Who's dumb enough to mess with you, Young Master Liu? Tell us, and we'll handle it!"
These two were also young masters from wealthy families, Liu Qingsong's lackeys.
The trio roamed the streets almost every night, racing their luxury cars and picking up girls together.
That was the simple, carefree life of rich second-generation heirs—no stress, no worries, just choosing which car to drive and which girls to chase.
As the two appeared, sharp-eyed onlookers recognized them immediately.
"Oh my god!"
"Isn't that Li Tianhua, the young master of the Li Group?"
"And that's Ning Feipeng, the young master of Longyue Jewelry!"
"Now that you mention it, I saw them on TV yesterday!"
"Wait, did you hear what they called that guy? Young Master Liu? Could that be Liu Qingsong, the Young Leader of the Qinglong Gang?"
"Hiss! This kid's in deep trouble!"
As their identities came to light, Liu Qingsong's status was exposed too.
The crowd shot mocking glances at Lin Fan.
Of all people to mess with, he picked the Young Leader of the Qinglong Gang!
In their minds, Lin Fan was already a dead man.
Not long ago, another reckless young man had crossed Liu Qingsong over some petty issue. That guy had some backing too, but the Qinglong Gang still taught him a brutal lesson. Rumor had it his limbs were nearly chopped off!
If his father hadn't offered gifts and company shares, he'd probably be six feet under by now.
Hearing the trio's identities, Xiao Rou's face grew anxious, and she pressed closer to Lin Fan.
Only his presence gave her a sense of safety.
She'd met plenty of big shots before, but never anyone from these kinds of circles!
Sensing her fear, Lin Fan gently patted her head, whispering, "It's okay. Don't be scared. I'm here."
Xiao Rou shook her head, her voice trembling. "Xiao Fan, let's find a chance to run. These guys aren't simple!"
"You just crossed Li Hu, and now you've hit Liu Qingsong. He's a gang leader—he won't let us go!"
Her voice was almost pleading.
She couldn't bear the thought of Lin Fan getting hurt because of her.
Lin Fan's heart warmed, and he smiled. "Alright, I'll listen to you."
With that, they turned to leave.
"Stop!" Liu Qingsong bellowed.
"Did I say you could go?"
Xiao Rou froze, her body stiff as a board, her nerves stretched to the breaking point.
Lin Fan, however, was unfazed.
With his skills, did he really have nothing to back him up? His Beginner Palm Technique wasn't just for show.
Wrapping an arm around Xiao Rou, Lin Fan turned back, smirking. "What? Not leaving now? You inviting us to dinner or something?"
"Honestly, just looking at you kills my appetite."
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