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"Ladies and gentlemen: Welcome aboard Malaysia Airlines Flight MH373. This flight will be departing from Kuala Lumpur and heading to Yanhuang Empire Binhai City…"
Yan Xiaobao sat in the first class cabin, his eyes filled with excitement. This was his first time flying, and his first time leaving that mysterious little island.
The outside world really was vast, and there were plenty of pretty ladies too. However... none of them seemed particularly stunning. Even the legendary flight attendants weren't that impressive—they were far inferior to his Heavenly Sister and his little wife...
As Yan Xiaobao daydreamed, he curiously watched the scenery outside the airplane window.
Before long, the plane rose above the clouds and began smooth flight. The flight attendants started cabin service.
"Excuse me, sir, would you like something to drink?" A pleasant female voice pulled Yan Xiaobao's gaze away from the window.
Oh? This flight attendant's pretty cute—fair skin, beautiful face, big eyes, and her smile was quite captivating.
Yan Xiaobao's eyes lit up, and he stared intently at the flight attendant without saying a word.
Tiantian felt slightly uncomfortable being stared at so boldly, and the faintest blush crept onto her cheeks. She hadn't been working as a full-fledged flight attendant for long, and she was still resistant to the various types of gazes male passengers often gave her.
This boy in front of her, seventeen or eighteen years old, his gaze was unmistakably lustful, but it felt a bit different. His eyes were clear, lacking any impurities, seeming almost pure. Although it was impolite for him to stare so directly, it somehow didn't feel too repellent.
Tiantian patiently asked again, politely, "Hello, would you like something to drink?"
Yan Xiaobao shook his head first, then suddenly said rather bluntly, "Miss, you're so beautiful—will you marry me?"
"..."
Not just Tiantian, but the surrounding passengers were equally speechless.
Passengers in first class flirting with flight attendants wasn't unusual to see, but opening with a marriage proposal…
This guy was something else.
Tiantian coughed softly in embarrassment and still maintained her politeness, saying, "Sir, if you don't need any drinks, I'll continue serving the other passengers."
Yan Xiaobao responded with a casual "Oh," and saw Tiantian preparing to push her service cart toward the back row. He quickly added, "Then I'll have… I'll have… any drink will do."
"Alright, I'll get you a mango juice." Tiantian didn't bother with Xiaobao's earlier comment and carefully poured a glass of mango juice, handing it to Xiaobao.
Just as Yan Xiaobao reached to take the glass, the airplane suddenly hit turbulence, causing the cabin to shake violently several times. Tiantian let out an "Ah!" as her hand trembled, spilling half the mango juice directly onto Xiaobao's pants.
"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry!" Tiantian quickly apologized. "Sir, please go to the bathroom and change. I'll cover the dry cleaning fee…"
"But I only have this pair of pants," Yan Xiaobao said, looking at Tiantian absentmindedly.
"Ah? Um…" Tiantian frowned slightly and then said, "Please follow me. I'll help you clean it first."
Yan Xiaobao obediently followed Tiantian to the workstation at the rear of the cabin.
Tiantian grabbed a towel and wanted to wipe off the mango juice from Xiaobao's pants. However, the area stained by the juice was too awkward—it happened to be right next to a certain private spot.
Tiantian blushed, her face turning red, and awkwardly wiped at the spot twice before realizing it didn't feel right.
Yan Xiaobao seemed to be... reacting.
"S-Sir… how about…" Tiantian stammered, her face flushed with embarrassment. "How about you take off your pants, and I'll clean them for you, then dry them…"
"No need." Yan Xiaobao shook his head earnestly and said, "Keep wiping—it feels nice."
Pervert!
Tiantian cursed inwardly, her face serious, as she handed the towel to Xiaobao. "Sir, either take off your pants so I can wash them for you, or please wipe it yourself."
Yan Xiaobao thought for a moment, then handed the towel back to Tiantian. "I don't know how to wash. You should do it."
With that, Xiaobao took off his stained pants right in front of Tiantian.
Pervert!
Tiantian cursed in her heart again, hastily turning her back. But even with just a quick glance…
Yan Xiaobao handed over his pants to Tiantian and suddenly asked, "Miss, what's your name?"
"I'm Tiantian. Employee number MH633. If you want to file a complaint, go ahead." Tiantian grumbled as she turned to wash Xiaobao's pants at the sink.
"Why would I lodge a complaint?" Xiaobao asked, genuinely confused. "Little Tiantian, you're so beautiful. I'd really love for you to be my wife."
Love me? I don't love you! What kind of person is this? His brain must be waterlogged…
Tiantian grumbled inwardly, ignoring Xiaobao, and focused harder on scrubbing the pants clean.
Suddenly, a loud "Bang!" sounded from the front of the cabin, and the airplane abruptly pitched downward!
"Ahhh!" Tiantian lost her balance and stumbled backward.
Yan Xiaobao, standing firmly behind her, instinctively caught her in his arms.
Tiantian felt a pair of warm, strong arms steady her body. Just as she was about to thank him, she suddenly noticed something pressing against her lower back. That was…
Realizing what it was, Tiantian turned bright red and couldn't hold back anymore, "PERVERT!" she shouted.
"Shhh—" Xiaobao quickly covered Tiantian's mouth and whispered in her ear, "Don't make a sound. If I'm not mistaken, someone just fired a gun in the cockpit."
A gun…?
Tiantian's beautiful big eyes immediately filled with panic.
If someone fired a gun on board, it could only mean one thing—hijacking!
Who was hijacking the plane?
How did they sneak firearms onto the flight?
What were they planning to do?
What should I do?
…
A flood of urgent questions swirled through Tiantian's mind.
Yan Xiaobao, however, seemed completely unfazed, casually saying, "Little Tiantian, don't worry—I'll protect you."
With that, his arms around her seemed to tighten.
Tiantian completely ignored Xiaobao's words and actions, her nerves focused instead on the commotion up front.
...
"Everyone listen up! Raise your hands and place them on the backrest of your seats, or else…" A curly-haired man wearing sunglasses fired a gun in the air with a deafening "Bang!"—triggering startled screams throughout the cabin.
"Shut up!" the curly-haired man shouted angrily, silencing the passengers. He continued, "Listen carefully—I won't repeat myself. This isn't a suicide hijacking, so as long as you sit quietly and obey my orders, you'll make it back safely. Otherwise, I won't hesitate to send you to meet God!"
The passengers, upon hearing this, seemed to cling to a sliver of hope for survival. They quickly quieted down, bowed their heads obediently, and began silently praying, much like a flock of ostriches burying their heads in the sand.
The curly-haired man in sunglasses had the situation under control. He ordered the other two armed men to round up all the first-class passengers and herd them back into economy class for centralized supervision. When he noticed Yan Xiaobao's empty seat, he frowned, recalling that someone had been sitting there earlier.
"Samit, go to the tail cabin and bring everyone over."
"Yes!" The burly Samit, holding his handgun, strode toward the tail cabin.
The hijackers were speaking English, and Tiantian, as an international flight attendant, naturally understood every word. Her body stiffened immediately, her face turning pale.
"Little Tiantian, don't be scared. I told you I'd protect you," Yan Xiaobao said in a casual tone, as if the terrifying hijacking incident was nothing to him. "But remember, once I save you, you'll have to marry me, no take-backs."
Tiantian's head was instantly filled with black lines.
At a time like this, this shameless guy was still obsessing over marrying her. Did he not take the hijacking seriously, or was his brain missing a few screws? Or was it...
Could he be in cahoots with the hijackers?
Just the thought of this made Tiantian even more terrified.
At that moment, Samit pulled back the curtain of the tail cabin, his gun in hand, and found Tiantian and Yan Xiaobao still hugging each other. His gaze immediately froze.
A beautiful flight attendant was clutching a pair of damp men's trousers, while a young man, wearing only boxer shorts, was tightly hugging her from behind...
What the hell was going on?
Had these two just been engaging in some R-rated activities back here?
People see what they want to see. As Samit's mind wandered, imagining the beautiful flight attendant in scenarios of amorous entanglement, he momentarily forgot that he was in the middle of a hijacking.
"Hey!" Yan Xiaobao called out, sounding highly displeased. He snapped Samit out of his fantasies, speaking to him in English. "Don't point that gun at my wife, or I'll get really mad!"
"Uh…" Samit, startled, shook himself out of his stupor. He immediately shifted the gun to point directly at Yan Xiaobao. "Hands up!"
"Hey!" Yan Xiaobao looked even more annoyed. "You're actually pointing a gun at me now? Are you tired of living?"
Tiantian was completely speechless. Now she was certain—this idiot was definitely not in league with the hijackers. With intelligence like his, there was no way he could handle something as complex as hijacking a plane...
"What?" Samit, enraged, shoved the barrel of the gun against Yan Xiaobao's forehead, cursing viciously. "You stupid bird! Do you have a death wish? I'll blow your head off with one shot!"
Yan Xiaobao furrowed his brows in dissatisfaction. "Pointing a gun at me, calling me a stupid bird, and even threatening me… You've crossed the line three times now."
"F*ck!" Samit cursed angrily. He raised his hand, intending to teach Yan Xiaobao a lesson by striking him with the butt of his gun.
Suddenly, there was a blur in front of his eyes. Samit's pupils dilated as he collapsed stiffly to the floor, his expression frozen in disbelief. He had no idea how he had just died.
"Little Tiantian, my dear wife, I told you I'd protect you. Anyone who dares threaten you with a gun? I'll kill them with a single finger." Yan Xiaobao still maintained the same posture, hugging Tiantian from behind.
Meanwhile, Tiantian was completely dazed.
What just happened?
The hijacker... is dead?
Killed by this idiot with a single finger?
But… she hadn't even noticed him move...
Just who the hell was this guy?
What on earth was happening today?
...
In the main cabin, the curly-haired man, hearing the commotion coming from the tail cabin, called out from a distance, "Samit, what's going on back there?"
Of course, the Samit lying dead on the floor couldn't respond.
The curly-haired man's expression darkened slightly. He signaled to the other armed man beside him, and the two of them raised their guns cautiously, advancing toward the tail cabin.
Yan Xiaobao leaned close to Tiantian's ear and whispered, "Little Tiantian, my dear wife, there are two more guys coming. Want me to go deal with them too?"
"Huh?" Tiantian, startled, quickly nodded. "Yes, yes, go deal with them… Oh, wait, can you capture them alive?"
"No problem. Dead or alive, whatever makes my wife happy." Yan Xiaobao finally released his hold on Tiantian. "But if I capture them, you have to promise to marry me. No take-backs, okay?"
"I… fine… just go capture the hijackers..." At a time of such crisis, Tiantian could only agree to Yan Xiaobao's condition and focus on resolving the hijacking first.
"Great! On my first day out, I've already scored a wife, haha!" Yan Xiaobao grinned with delight, flipping aside the curtain as he walked into the main cabin.
"Freeze!" the curly-haired man shouted as soon as Yan Xiaobao appeared, immediately aiming his gun at him. But in the next moment, he was stunned.
The youth, who looked no more than seventeen or eighteen, had a flawlessly fair, innocent face that carried a hint of boyish immaturity. He looked utterly harmless, with not a trace of fear in his expression. And why the hell was he only wearing boxer shorts? That "angrily bulging" tent...
What the hell?
"Hands up! Don't move!" The other armed man exchanged a quick look with the curly-haired man and then shouted, "Where's Samit? What happened back there in the tail cabin?"
"Samit?" Yan Xiaobao finally realized who they were talking about and replied with a grin, "Oh, you mean the guy with the gun earlier... He scared my Little Tiantian, my dear wife, so I killed him."
"What!" The two hijackers turned pale with shock, gripping their guns tightly as their eyes bore into Yan Xiaobao.
"But my Little Tiantian said she wants me to capture you two. So, put down your guns and surrender, and I won't have to kill you." Yan Xiaobao smiled casually, as if the guns in their hands were mere plastic toys.
In the main cabin, the previously cowering passengers, heads down and eyes shut tight in fear, couldn't help sneaking glances at Yan Xiaobao.
Who was this guy, anyway? Standing there with guns pointed at him, and yet he's telling the hijackers to surrender? Is something wrong with his head…?
"Hahaha!" The curly-haired man laughed out of sheer anger. "You little punk, are you here to joke around? I'll count to three—you'd better kneel with your hands on your head, or else..."
"Three!" Yan Xiaobao interrupted before the man could finish, smiling cheerfully as he spoke the number.
"You're asking for it!" The curly-haired man's expression darkened, and he decisively pulled the trigger.
"Bang!"
The sound of gunfire filled the cabin.
The passengers hunched their necks in fright, crouching even lower and holding their heads, barely daring to breathe.
In the tail cabin, Tiantian, who had already been on edge, turned ghostly pale at the sound of the gunshot.
Although that oddball had teased her relentlessly about marrying him and acted somewhat deranged, Tiantian didn't actually dislike him.
When Yan Xiaobao said he was going to capture the hijackers, she had even pinned quite a bit of hope on him, since he had indeed swiftly dealt with one of the armed hijackers earlier.
But now, hearing the gunshot, she was immediately filled with regret.
"Did… did he get shot? Did I cause his death? If I hadn't asked him to go after the hijackers, he wouldn't have been shot and killed. I..."
As this thought crossed her mind, tears of remorse welled up in her eyes, spilling out and soaking her uniform.
But after the gunshots, there was no movement for a long time.
Several bold passengers cautiously tilted their heads to take another look.
The two gun-wielding hijackers were still frozen in their shooting stances, motionless. The flashy-talking youngster from earlier, however, had disappeared without a trace.
The passengers glanced around in twos and threes, their faces puzzled and their minds unable to comprehend the situation.
...
As more than two hundred passengers sat steeped in confusion, Yan Xiaobao emerged from the cockpit, not even bothering to glance at the hijackers who appeared petrified, running gleefully down the aisle and into the tail cabin.
"Little Tiantian, the hijackers have all been caught by me."
"Ah!" Tiantian, her face still streaked with tears, widened her eyes in disbelief and stared at the lively Yan Xiaobao. "You-you-you… you didn't die?"
"Wife, what are you talking about? Your husband is the strongest man in the world—how could I possibly die?" Yan Xiaobao strode forward, wrapped his arms around Tiantian's slender waist, and said with a boastful grin, "Wife, I caught the hijackers! Kiss me and give me some praise."
"The hijackers… They're really… all caught?" Tiantian still seemed like she was dreaming, completely unable to believe it.
"Of course! I never lie to my wife. If you don't believe me, come with me and see for yourself." Yan Xiaobao said, pulling Tiantian's slender waist with him as he lifted the curtain and led her to the cabin.
"Ah!" Tiantian immediately let out a sharp scream.
Because the two hijackers were still holding guns, pointing them directly in Tiantian's direction.
Yan Xiaobao smiled and comforted her, "Little Tiantian, don't be afraid. These two, along with the one in the cockpit, can't move anymore."
"They… can't move?" Tiantian remained tense, confused and asked nervously, "Why can't they move?"
"Because they've been immobilized by your husband's Qiankun Acupoint Technique. For the next 24 hours, they won't even be able to move a finger," Yan Xiaobao casually walked up to the two hijackers, and—"SMACK!" "SMACK!"—slapped them hard across their faces.
The hijackers' faces immediately showed five bright red finger marks, yet neither of them flinched, remaining as still as statues.
"See, wife? I didn't lie to you. They truly can't move." Yan Xiaobao said as he removed the guns from their hands and handed them to Tiantian.
Tiantian quickly took the two guns, ran back to the tail cabin, locked them in a cabinet, and then returned to the passenger cabin. Clutching her chest nervously, she exhaled a long breath: "Phew… That scared me to death…"
"How about that? Isn't your husband amazing?" Yan Xiaobao leaned close to Tiantian with a cheeky smile and said, "Little Tiantian, hurry up and give your husband a kiss to show your appreciation."
"I… I'm not…" Tiantian blushed furiously and lowered her head. "I only just met you today… How can I already be your 'wife'…"
"Why can't you be my wife on the first day of meeting? What kind of nonsense logic is that?" Yan Xiaobao was instantly displeased. "Little Tiantian, you agreed to be my wife—that's the only reason I bothered catching the hijackers. Wife, you can't go back on your word. Otherwise, I'll have to smack your PIPI, you hear me?"
"I…" Tiantian hesitated and struggled for an answer.
At the time, the entire plane had been hijacked, with her and over two hundred passengers' lives hanging by a thread, the situation extremely dire. Forget agreeing to being his wife—if Yan Xiaobao had demanded to be her father, she'd have nodded in desperation…
But who could have imagined that Yan Xiaobao would resolve the situation with the hijackers so effortlessly? And now, was she really supposed to keep her word and be his wife?
They'd only known each other for less than an hour—there wasn't even the slightest foundation for a relationship. Love? They weren't even at "like" yet. How could marriage even be considered?
Meanwhile, as the passengers began understanding the situation, the weight of fear lifted from their hearts one by one.
A brave middle-aged male passenger meanwhile called over some younger men to help tie up the statue-like hijackers. Speaking diplomatically, he suggested, "Our beautiful flight attendant, Miss, regardless of anything else, this young man acted bravely to take down those hijackers and save us all. A kiss would be a proper gesture of gratitude."
"Yes, yes, just a kiss—what's the big deal about that."
"Exactly! This handsome young man is courageous and capable. Being his wife wouldn't be a loss at all."
"Hurry up and kiss him. If you don't, I'll go kiss him myself!"
The passengers in the cabin began to cheer and chant:
"Kiss him!"
"Kiss him!"
"Kiss him!"
Faced with the rising chants, Tiantian couldn't resist. With her face blazing red, she reluctantly pursed her lips slightly and slowly leaned toward Yan Xiaobao's cheek…
Tiantian had intended only to offer a swift light kiss on Yan Xiaobao's cheek to show her gratitude. Little did she know, Yan Xiaobao would suddenly strike a Latin-dance pose, grabbing her by the waist and dramatically dipping her low!
Tiantian felt herself falling backward, staring up at the ceiling, her hands instinctively clasping tightly around Yan Xiaobao's neck. She was just about to struggle upright…
"Mmm—"
Her lips were kissed by Yan Xiaobao. Tiantian's mind went "BOOM," exploding into a blank abyss.
My first kiss…
...
Just as Yan Xiaobao was savoring Tiantian's kiss, a sudden panicked shout rang out nearby: "Dad, what's wrong? Dad! Please wake up, Dad!"
Passengers turned in the direction of the cry, where a bespectacled middle-aged man anxiously shook the arm of an elderly man beside him, calling out urgently.
Noticing more trouble had arisen in the cabin, the dazed Tiantian snapped back to her senses, flushed and hot-headed as she pushed Yan Xiaobao away. Straightening her flight attendant uniform, she stepped into the crowd to ask, "Has the elderly gentleman been startled and triggered a heart condition?"
"My dad doesn't have heart disease," cried the middle-aged bespectacled man, standing up in a panic and turning to the crowd, asking desperately, "Is there a doctor here? Is anyone on board a doctor?"
"I'm a doctor. Please let me through, let me take a look." A woman stepped forward from the spectators, moving toward the elderly man and beginning to examine him.
Oh? This doctor lady is pretty too. How come I didn't notice her earlier?
The beauty of this doctor wasn't earth-shattering, but her features were unusually delicate, exuding a faint, gentle charm that felt serene and refined.
Yan Xiaobao's eyes lit up as he walked closer, observing her intently.
Dr. Xia Rou examined the elderly man's heartbeat and breathing, then carefully parted his tightly shut eyelids for closer observation. She frowned and said gravely, "This is bad. Preliminary diagnosis suggests signs of brain hemorrhage."
"Ah!" The bespectacled middle-aged man gasped loudly.
The three words "brain hemorrhage" struck him like thunder, leaving him utterly shaken.
A brain hemorrhage is no joke; if not treated promptly, there's a high risk of sudden death. It could also leave severe aftereffects like paralysis or loss of physical mobility.
"Doctor, please save my father! Please, do something… Hurry, I beg you…" The middle-aged man grabbed Dr. Xia Rou's hands, pleading desperately.
Tiantian quickly ran to fetch the emergency kit on the flight and handed it to Xia Rou.
But such a severe acute condition like a brain hemorrhage is not something a small emergency kit can alleviate.
Xia Rou wiped the fine beads of sweat from her forehead, feeling a bit helpless. "I'm a traditional Chinese medicine doctor, not a specialist in cardiovascular or cerebrovascular diseases. Plus, there's no proper treatment setup on the plane. I think it's better to contact the nearest airport and arrange for an emergency landing to seek medical assistance."
"Alright!" Tiantian nodded and prepared to report to the captain.
"No need." Yan Xiaobao suddenly spoke. "In no more than the time it takes to burn an incense stick, he'll be dead."
"What did you just say?!" The middle-aged man with glasses was enraged, yelling at Yan Xiaobao, "What do you mean by that?"
"Are you stupid?" Yan Xiaobao looked at the bespectacled middle-aged man as if he were an idiot. "I said he's about to die. Isn't that simple enough to understand?"
"You… You're talking nonsense!" The glasses-wearing man was livid. "I don't know you, we have no conflict, so why are you cursing my father to die?"
If Yan Xiaobao hadn't just subdued four armed hijackers minutes earlier, clearly proving himself a formidable character, the middle-aged man would have probably tried to hit him.
"You're out of your mind." Yan Xiaobao said with clear displeasure. "I'm just stating he's about to die. I'm not hoping for it to happen faster. How is that cursing him?"
"Sir, please calm down. Now's not the time to argue." Tiantian tried to pacify the middle-aged man. She herself hadn't noticed that, unknowingly, she had already started leaning toward Yan Xiaobao's side in this matter.
"How do you know he's about to die?" Xia Rou asked, puzzled while looking at Yan Xiaobao. "Are you a doctor?"
"Me?" Yan Xiaobao pointed proudly to his nose and grinned widely. "To be precise, I'm a Divine Doctor."
"Divine Doctor?" Xia Rou frowned slightly.
What kind of era is this? Even traditional Chinese medicine emphasizes scientific methods now. Who can possibly call themselves a Divine Doctor?
Except for the legend from eighteen years ago—the Medical God Hua Mingyuan, who once single-handedly resolved the global Arthas virus crisis—a figure globally recognized as the sole individual worthy of the title "Divine."
"You don't believe me?" Yan Xiaobao gestured toward the unconscious elderly man. "I can cure him in no time at all and show you what I mean."
"Really?" The bespectacled middle-aged man disregarded his earlier frustrations and urgently pleaded, "L-little Divine Doctor, I'm begging you, please save my father…"
"Why should I save your father?" Yan Xiaobao replied irritably, looking at the middle-aged man. "Your father isn't a beauty, and neither are you. Why should I bother saving him?"
"Uh…" Everyone around froze in bewilderment.
Saving someone… What does that have to do with beauty?
"I… I…" The bespectacled man stammered for a long time, unable to come up with a retort to Yan Xiaobao's bizarre reasoning.
Who in the world has ever seen someone operate like this…
"I can give you enough compensation—no matter how much money you want, I'll find a way to gather it!" The middle-aged man, clearly devoted to his father, was willing to give everything for his treatment.
Everyone initially assumed this must be the cue Yan Xiaobao was waiting for, but even Tiantian started feeling uncomfortable about this turn of events.
Earlier, Yan Xiaobao had dealt with the hijackers and saved everyone, vaguely earning the image of a heroic figure in her heart. But if he was using the man's father's life to extort money for profit, then his character would truly be questionable...
"Money? What would I even do with money?" Yan Xiaobao seemed completely baffled by the suggestion of compensation from the bespectacled man.
His reaction caught everyone off guard.
Money? What's the use of it?
Is there really anyone in this world who thinks money is useless…?
If he wasn't after money, then why was he refusing to help the dying old man?
Xia Rou contemplated for a moment, then gently persuaded, "An emulating doctor's compassion is like that of a parent. Saving a life is worth more than building a seven-layered pagoda. Since you don't care about compensation, why not do a good deed and save the elderly man?"
"Compassion like a parent?" Yan Xiaobao replied with evident disdain. "I don't want to become other people's parents. Kids are way too much trouble."
"Then what exactly do you want?" The middle-aged man became desperate.
"I want a beautiful wife." Yan Xiaobao's gaze became "mischievous" as he looked at Xia Rou. "Doctor sister, you're quite pretty. If I cure this old man for you, will you marry me?"
"..."
Everyone was now completely flabbergasted.
This guy… speechless doesn't even begin to describe him.
He had just moments ago desperately pursued the pretty flight attendant Tiantian, even stealing a passionate kiss. And now, within a mere few minutes, he… was already shifting targets to the beautiful doctor Xia Rou, proposing marriage again...
What does this mean?
What kind of behavior is this?
Does he think wives can be acquired wholesale?
Tiantian blushed furiously out of a mix of embarrassment and anger, her face alternating between shades of red and white.
This detestable rascal was simply too much. She had seen heartless flirts before, but this was beyond anything imaginable. Not only had he shamelessly stolen her first kiss earlier, but now he was openly pursuing another woman right in front of her and all the other passengers!
Utterly unbearable!
Xia Rou examined Yan Xiaobao thoroughly, noting that even after spewing such "outrageous and shameless" remarks, his expression remained relaxed and natural. His eyes gleamed with an unexpectedly clear and transparent look, as if what he had just said was the most justifiable thing in the world, and he didn't find anything wrong with it.
This man's way of thinking was completely different from ordinary people—oddly peculiar, as though disconnected from modern society...
There wasn't time to dwell on this strangeness. The priority was saving this dying patient.
After briefly pondering, Xia Rou decided to placate Yan Xiaobao first—to save the man and then deal with everything else later. "Treat him first. We can discuss other matters later."
"No way." Yan Xiaobao shook his head vigorously and refused outright. "Heavenly Sister said the prettier a girl is, the more likely she is to trick people. So, you'll have to promise to be my wife first."
This man sometimes lacked sense, but when he dug in, he was truly unyielding—a tough nut to crack. Xia Rou resigned herself to negotiating with him. "If you can save him first, and then also treat my household's patient, I'll agree to it."
Xia Rou had a younger sister, Xia Yan, who at age eight suffered a sudden illness that turned her into a vegetative state. For ten years, she had been confined to a bed without any consciousness. Despite trying all major hospitals and fervently studying acupuncture herself, Xia Rou had failed to find any remedy.
"Alright, deal! If I cure this old man and your family's patient, then you and Sister Tiantian will both have to marry me." Yan Xiaobao grinned with great delight.
"Deal." Xia Rou nodded.
She proposed this condition with no actual belief that Yan Xiaobao could cure her sister. It was simply a "legitimate excuse" to politely reject his inappropriate demands.
Nearby, Tiantian furrowed her brows in frustration, growing increasingly enraged.
What did he mean, "marry me like Sister Tiantian"? How could anyone marry two wives at the same time?
This was absurd!
Tiantian turned around and walked out of the crowd to report to the captain, preparing for an emergency landing to seek medical assistance. At the same time, she made up her mind: she would absolutely never have anything to do with this brat again. As for the stolen first kiss just now... well, let's just consider it a sacrifice made to capture the hijacker and save the passengers...
"Quick, please save my dad!" The middle-aged man with glasses clung to Yan Xiaobao like he was his last hope, urging him non-stop.
"What's the rush? Since I said I'll save your dad, he won't die." Yan Xiaobao stretched out his index finger and tapped the elderly man's forehead. "Done."
"What? Done?" The middle-aged man with glasses stared at Yan Xiaobao in disbelief.
Others around him shook their heads, unsure of what to say.
The beautiful doctor had diagnosed the condition as a brain hemorrhage, and just moments ago Yan Xiaobao claimed the patient was about to die.
But now, with a casual poke on the patient's forehead, he claims he's cured?
This is utter nonsense! Who would believe that...
"How could you do this?" Xia Rou frowned and said angrily, "Lives are at stake! How can you joke around like this? If you don't know how to treat people, don't mess around! If you delay treatment, can you bear the responsibility?"
"Are you freaking joking with me?" The middle-aged man with glasses finally lost his temper. He grabbed Yan Xiaobao by the collar, roaring, "My dad's life is on the line, and you're here messing with me? If anything happens to my dad, I—"
"What? What will you do?" Yan Xiaobao retorted, equally annoyed. "If you don't let go, I'll hit you, okay?"
The middle-aged man with glasses grew even angrier. "You're going to attack me in front of all these people? I am—"
"Zh… Zhixue…" A faint calling shattered the middle-aged man's fury, leaving him stunned like he'd been struck by lightning. He turned slowly and incredulously...
"Awake... awake?"
"Awake? The patient actually woke up!"
Gasps and murmurs erupted from the surrounding passengers.
The elderly man who had been in a coma moments ago suddenly opened his eyes. Looking slightly confused, he asked, "Zhixue, why are you arguing with people?"
"Dad! You—" The middle-aged man immediately released Yan Xiaobao and rushed to his father's side, grasping his hand tightly, "Really? Are you actually better? How do you feel? Is there any discomfort?"
"What happened?" The elderly man looked at his son, puzzled. "I just took a nap. There's nothing wrong with me."
"Whoa!"
An even louder wave of astonishment swept through the crowd.
"An elderly man who had just been on the brink of death due to a brain hemorrhage, now waking up completely healthy, claiming he merely took a nap... How is this possible?"
"Was the beautiful doctor's diagnosis wrong? Was it not actually a brain hemorrhage?"
"Hard to say. Maybe this young guy really has miraculous medical skills."
"Or maybe…" someone whispered to their companion, "this is all a scheme they orchestrated. Let's go, stop watching, and be careful not to get tricked."
Amid the buzzing speculations of the passengers, Xia Rou herself was overwhelmed by turmoil.
She had full confidence in her medical expertise. Based on the man's symptoms just now, there was over a 90% chance it was a brain hemorrhage, and if not, it was definitely still a severe cerebrovascular disease. There was no way he could simply be "perfectly healthy and just sleeping."
Yet Yan Xiaobao cured the elderly man with a mere touch in less than a second. This meant...
That Yan Xiaobao was certainly a genius, an extraordinary figure whose medical skills were beyond the comprehension of ordinary people!
If that were the case, then maybe her sister Xia Yan truly had a chance to be saved!
But… if Yan Xiaobao could really cure Xia Yan, then her previous promise... what should she do...
By now, the middle-aged man had already told his father about everything that had just transpired.
After hearing the story, the elderly man's entire body trembled, his face full of shock.
One finger to kill a gun-wielding hijacker, one finger to save himself from a sudden brain hemorrhage.
One touch brings life, one touch brings death. One touch controls the world!
Could this young man truly be the legendary…
The elderly man suppressed his astonishment and, along with his son, walked up to Yan Xiaobao. Bowing respectfully, he handed over a business card. "Thank you, Divine Doctor, for saving my life. I am Zhang Hongde, and this is my son, Zhang Zhixue."
"Divine Doctor is fine—but why add the word 'little'?" Yan Xiaobao was visibly displeased and made no effort to accept Zhang Hongde's business card. "You're not a beauty, and neither is your son. Why would I care about your names?"
Zhang Hongde wasn't bothered at all. He chuckled and placed the card into Yan Xiaobao's hand. "Words can't express our gratitude. If there's ever anything we can help with, my son and I will do our best."
Yan Xiaobao tucked the card into his pocket indifferently, not feeling that he would ever need anyone's help—especially not from this elderly man who had almost died moments ago.
At this point, Tiantian returned from the cockpit, astonished to see the previously dying elderly man now standing energetically, looking entirely healthy as if he'd never been sick.
Did Yan Xiaobao truly save a dying man in such a short span?
Yan Xiaobao puffed out his chest and stood proudly in front of Xia Rou, as if seeking praise. "Rourou, how about it? I said I'd save him, and I did. My medical skills are amazing, right?"
"Amazing, amazing…" Xia Rou murmured absently, still struck by the wave of shock and unable to recover completely.
Hmph! Just because you're skilled at martial arts and medicine doesn't mean you can randomly claim beauties as your wife!
Tiantian turned away with a huff and ran back into the cockpit to report to the captain: the patient had regained consciousness, and there was no need for an emergency landing or medical assistance anymore.
"Rourou, I saved that old man. Give me a kiss as my reward, okay?" Yan Xiaobao grinned, tilting his face toward Xia Rou.
"Sorry, but I'm not your wife yet." Xia Rou blinked playfully. "We agreed that you have to cure my family's patient first. Then... we can discuss the whole 'wife' thing."
"Oh…" Yan Xiaobao's face briefly showed disappointment before he quickly regained his cheerful demeanor. "No problem! I can cure any patient. Very soon, you'll be my wife. So, kissing me in advance should still be okay."
"No boasting allowed! Cure the patient first, then we'll talk." Xia Rou pushed his face away.
Although Xia Rou had just witnessed Yan Xiaobao's miraculous medical skills, she still harbored a bit of skepticism. After all, curing an acute brain hemorrhage wasn't as challenging as reviving a vegetative person—especially one who had been comatose for ten years. From the perspective of modern medicine, the possibility of recovery for someone who'd been in a vegetative state for a decade was nearly zero.
...
Binhai International Airport, after MH373 successfully landed, it was immediately surrounded by a large number of patrol cars, ambulances, and fire trucks.
Armed hijacking is one of the most severe crimes, so the Binhai Patrol Office treated it with the utmost seriousness and made thorough preparations. As soon as the flight came to a halt, apprehension actions were swiftly taken.
(Important Note: Last year, three of my books were banned for lacking harmony... To ensure greater safety and harmony, certain terms in this book will use alternative names. Apologies for any inconvenience this causes to readers, and I hope for your understanding. Here, "Patrol Office" is akin to the modern-day police department.)
Since there were a total of four armed hijackers—one was poked to death with a single finger by Yan Xiaobao, and the other three were immobilized and tied up like dumplings by passengers after being struck at their acupoints—the apprehension task was so smooth it wasn't even worth mentioning.
As the hero who eliminated the hijackers, saved the passengers, and resolved the hijacking crisis, Yan Xiaobao naturally received high praise and exceptionally courteous treatment.
However, as one of the key parties involved at the scene, he still had to patiently provide a detailed account of the incident.
Yan Xiaobao was very dissatisfied with this and grew impatient, as a bunch of Patrol Officers (uncle cops) and Chief Officers (uncle cops' bosses) clung to him, preventing him from finding the two gorgeous wives he had just met today.
"Some villain pointed a gun at my wife Tiantian, so I poked him to death. Then Tiantian asked me to capture the other villains, so I caught them all. It's that simple, stop bothering me, will you?"
The two Patrol Officers responsible for questioning him looked at each other in disbelief.
Just that simple?
If they submitted such a report, their supervisors would definitely chew them out...
"Mr. Yan, we really don't want to bother you, but," one Patrol Officer began persuading him in a polite tone, "a report like this wouldn't pass. Also, detailing the full sequence of events can help assess your merits for rewards and recognition."
"I've said everything already. What's left to say... huh?" Yan Xiaobao's gaze passed through the two Patrol Officers in front of him and locked tightly onto the back of a female Patrol Officer in the distance.
Thanks to his extraordinary eyesight, Yan Xiaobao could clearly see her even from a distance. She wore a black uniform and stood tall and poised, exuding an air of elegance. There was a unique charm about her, especially the way her tight uniform highlighted her perfectly rounded "peach"—exquisite! If slapped, it'd probably feel unbeatable...
"If you must ask me everything in detail..." Yan Xiaobao pointed toward the female Patrol Officer in the distance, "then let her question me instead."
"This..." The two Patrol Officers exchanged hesitant looks.
They were familiar with the Patrol Officer Yan Xiaobao was pointing at: her name was Han Ruobing. She was renowned within the entire Binhai Patrol Office as a Chief Officer. Her fame stemmed not only from her breathtaking beauty but also from her name matching her demeanor—Han Ruobing, as cold as ice. She was always icy and unapproachable, never showing a smile. Yet when handling cases, she was swift, resolute, and uncompromising, holding the highest case-solving rate in Binhai—earning her the nickname "Goddess Catcher."
Having the illustrious Cold Ice Goddess Catcher personally take the report? It was obvious that this would end badly. So the two Patrol Officers hesitated, neither wanting to face this impending doom.
As they stalled, a Chief Officer walked over and asked, "How's the report going? If it's done, send Mr. Yan off to rest."
"Constable Xing, you've come just in time," the two Patrol Officers said with visible relief.
Constable Xing was Han Ruobing's deputy, known for being considerably amiable. The two Patrol Officers quickly conveyed Yan Xiaobao's request to him.
"Alright, I'll go ask Chief Han to come over." Constable Xing glanced at Yan Xiaobao, secretly amused. Since this boy had fallen for Han Ruobing's beauty, he'd let him experience the full force of the Cold Ice Goddess Catcher's personality.
Constable Xing turned and spoke a few words to Han Ruobing, who then glanced toward Yan Xiaobao before walking straight over.
Seeing Han Ruobing approach, Yan Xiaobao's eyes widened even further.
Wow, just unbelievable! Estimating her height, she must be at least 170 centimeters tall. Her uniform pants hugged her long legs, which were straight and proportionate. Unlike those tacky seductresses who sway while walking, she moved decisively and upright, exuding a heroic aura. Her light blue patrol uniform blouse was a bit loose, yet the curves across her chest remained undeniably impressive.
Not only was she tall with shapely curves, but her face was also stunning—a beauty capable of ruining nations. A devil's figure paired with an angel's face—absolute perfection!
Wow, who would've thought such a gorgeous lady existed? She's almost on par with Heavenly Sister. I must make her my wife!
Yan Xiaobao gleefully made up his mind, grinning from ear to ear.
As Han Ruobing walked over, she also scrutinized Yan Xiaobao. This young man looked about seventeen or eighteen, and his gaze toward her was far from polite, as though it could see right through her clothes. Yet, his smile and expression carried an unusual clarity and a touch of innocence, starkly different from the lewdness of others.
Because of this, Han Ruobing didn't take offense at Yan Xiaobao's invasive gaze, which seemed to ravage her with its intensity. Instead, she politely said, "Mr. Yan, thank you for your heroic deeds in saving the passengers aboard the flight..."
"How do you plan to thank me?" Yan Xiaobao interrupted urgently.
Han Ruobing was momentarily stunned but then replied, "Once the case is concluded, we'll assess your contributions and award you a certificate, banner, and monetary bonus."
"I don't want those," Yan Xiaobao shook his head in apparent disappointment. "You said you'd thank me, so why use these useless things to brush me off?"
Yan Xiaobao's logic left Han Ruobing momentarily speechless.
"If I hadn't helped you capture those hijackers, you'd surely have faced great trouble. So..." Yan Xiaobao grinned cheekily. "Patrol Officer Jie Jie, how about you treat me to a meal?"
The two Patrol Officers taking notes exchanged glances, discreetly shaking their heads.
The certificate and banner were one thing, but the monetary bonus would certainly be significant. For such a major armed hijacking case, the airline alone would likely offer a bonus starting at a million! To give all of that up and only ask Han Ruobing to treat him to a meal? This Yan kid really was going all-in to make his move...
"I never accept or offer invitations for meals," Han Ruobing coldly turned down Yan Xiaobao before seriously questioning, "Name?"
Han Ruobing refused the offer to have dinner. Yan Xiaobao didn't get angry; instead, he cooperatively replied, "Officer, my name is Yan Xiaobao, and yours?"
Han Ruobing said with a straight face, "This is to make a record. Just answer my questions, why ask so much?"
"Then I'll make a record for you too." Yan Xiaobao asked the two officers nearby for paper and pen, "You ask me one question, and you have to answer one of mine too. That's only fair."
Han Ruobing took a deep breath, expressionless, as she reported her name, then asked, "Age?"
"I..." Yan Xiaobao looked up at the sky, thought for a moment, and then answered, "I'm eighteen years old. Sister Ruobing, how about you?"
"Twenty-five." Although a woman's age is a secret, Han Ruobing clearly didn't see herself as an ordinary woman and wasn't shy about revealing her age, "Address?"
"I don't have a place to stay right now." Yan Xiaobao looked intently at Han Ruobing, "Where do you live, Sister Ruobing?"
An address is quite a private matter and not something to easily disclose to strangers. Han Ruobing turned to the two officers and said, "Skip the address section."
"Occupation?" Han Ruobing continued to ask.
"I don't seem to have an occupation." Yan Xiaobao seemed very interested in this Q&A session, "Sister Ruobing, what's your occupation?"
Han Ruobing glanced at her uniform and replied irritably, "Isn't that a rhetorical question?"
"But I like hearing Sister Ruobing tell me personally." Yan Xiaobao said righteously.
"Officer..." The black lines on Han Ruobing's forehead grew thicker. She felt that if she continued asking these basic questions, she would definitely have wrinkles by the next morning, so she turned to inquire about the details of the hijacking incident.
Upon hearing Yan Xiaobao say he poked a gunman to death with one finger and used the Qiankun Acupoint Technique to subdue the other three accomplices, Han Ruobing and the two officers couldn't help but think of three words: Nonsense!
The two officers silently thought: Dude, even if you're boasting, it should have some limits. You can't just exaggerate to impress a girl...
Through a round of questioning, Han Ruobing didn't bother to waste more words with this "unreliable" Yan Xiaobao. Even if his statement was unreliable, a summary of everyone else's statements would clarify the hijacking incident.
"That's it for now. You two take him to where he's staying." She instructed the two officers and turned to leave.
Seeing Han Ruobing about to leave, Yan Xiaobao hurriedly shouted, "Sister Ruobing, don't go!"
"What else do you want?" Han Ruobing turned back coolly.
Yan Xiaobao answered openly, "I want to marry you."
"Clatter! Boom!" The notebooks and pens in the hands of the two officers fell to the ground.
Nima… There are plenty of people pursuing Han Ruobing, wealthy ones, powerful ones, those with backgrounds, good-looking ones... all sorts, but someone as bold as Yan Xiaobao… hasn't been heard of before…
Han Ruobing is undoubtedly the goddess in the hearts of tens of thousands of officers in all of Binhai. However, everyone knows that this Ice Goddess is not easy to deal with. Countless people have tried and got hurt in front of her. Yet even so, many continue to rush forward, hoping to claim this police goddess as their own.
There are many aloof women in the world, as well as many beauties. But someone as cold as Han Ruobing is indeed rare. Moreover, someone as formidable as Han Ruobing is probably unique. Countless men of significant status have been slapped by Han Ruobing. But Han Ruobing has always been safe and sound, not only avoiding setbacks but even getting promoted from officer to chief constable.
According to rumors, Han Ruobing has very strong backing, but no one knows who exactly that background is. However, if she didn't have backing, how could she remain unharmed after causing so much trouble? Moreover, many have noticed that even the Chief Constable of the Binhai Patrol Office is very polite when he sees Han Ruobing.
"What did you say?" Han Ruobing's voice was icy, like ice itself.
"I said, I want to marry you." Yan Xiaobao seemed very serious, not at all as if joking.
The hearts of the two officers nearby jumped to their throats.
This practically amounts to openly flirting with Han Ruobing. Given her temperament, Yan Xiaobao is bound to get slapped. But at this moment, Yan Xiaobao is a hero who resolved the hijacking crisis and saved over two hundred passengers' lives. He is absolutely untouchable!
The two officers were about to step in to mediate, but they found that Han Ruobing didn't seem to intend to hit anyone.
In fact, at this moment, Han Ruobing was a bit dumbfounded.
From a young age, she grew up under the envious eyes of women and the suggestive eyes of men. From elementary school up to now, the men pursuing her were countless, employing countless tactics, be it sweet words and romantic gestures, or luxurious cars and villa-like financial projects, there was nothing they didn't try...
She thought she had seen every trick men use to pursue women, but she never imagined... that there would be a young guy who, after knowing her for just over ten minutes, bluntly asked her to be his wife...
Looking at Yan Xiaobao's extremely sincere and hopeful eyes, Han Ruobing deeply took three breaths, calmed down, and waved her hand, "You two quickly take him away, I don't want to hit anyone today."
"Huh? Sister Bingbing, do you want to hit someone? I'll help you, I'm very good at fighting. Who made you angry? I'll help you beat them up..."
Listening to Yan Xiaobao's nonsense, Han Ruobing had even more black lines on her head and quickly quickened her pace to leave. Otherwise, if he continued to pester her, she might truly not be able to help herself.
"Hey, why are you two stopping me?" Yan Xiaobao glared angrily at the two officers blocking him from chasing after Han Ruobing, "If you keep blocking my way, I'll have to beat you."
"Mr. Yan, please sign this record." The two officers detoured to stall Yan Xiaobao. If they let him continue his nonsense, this situation would indeed be difficult to manage.
Yan Xiaobao hastily scribbled his name on the record, but Han Ruobing had already walked twenty or thirty meters away. He was about to catch up quickly when the beautiful doctor Xia Rou walked over and asked, "Have you finished the record?"
"Finished." Yan Xiaobao replied while still looking reluctantly at Han Ruobing's gradually retreating figure, thinking to himself: Meals are eaten bite by bite, and wives are sought one by one. Never mind, I won't seek Sister Bingbing as my wife for now. I'll handle Rourou first.
...
Yan Xiaobao made up his mind and stepped forward to wrap his arm around Xia Rou's waist. "Rourou, let's go."
Xia Rou pushed Yan Xiaobao's hand away. "I'm not your wife yet. Take care of the patient first, then we'll talk."
"Alright, then I'll go help you treat the patient right now. Let's hurry." Yan Xiaobao stopped trying to hold Xia Rou by the waist and instead grabbed her hand, quickly walking away in excitement.
The two patrol officers stared blankly as Yan Xiaobao left.
What the hell is this guy's brain made of? He was just calling Han Ruobing his wife, and now he calls someone else his wife? What kind of nonsense is this…
Luckily, Han Ruobing had already left. Otherwise, today's scene would have been impossible to clean up… After all, she's someone who detests flirty, fickle men who abandon relationships…
...
As they walked out of the airport building, Xia Rou asked, "Are you planning to immediately come with me to treat the patient?"
Yan Xiaobao answered seriously, "We agreed that once I cure the patient, you'll become my wife. Of course, I'll treat them now. If I'm late and someone else beats me to it, wouldn't you end up as someone else's wife? That can't happen."
"..." Xia Rou was speechless at Yan Xiaobao's bizarre logic and then added, "The patient isn't in Binhai right now. Let me go back, arrange some things, and then I'll take you to the patient."
"Oh…" Yan Xiaobao thought it over and said, "Alright, but make sure no one beats me to it and treats them first."
Xia Rou placed a hand on her forehead and nodded silently.
Her younger sister Xia Yan had already been in a vegetative state, bedridden for ten years. If it were possible to cure her, she would have been treated long ago. This guy is afraid someone else will get there first? It's utterly absurd...
Seeing Yan Xiaobao still patiently staying by her side, showing no sign of exchanging contact info and saying goodbye, Xia Rou asked, "Where do you want to go?"
Yan Xiaobao looked at Xia Rou with an "Isn't it obvious?" expression and said, "Wherever you go, I'll go. Isn't that obvious?"
"I'm going home now; are you going with me?" Xia Rou was taken aback. "Aren't you going home?"
Yan Xiaobao replied, "My home isn't here."
"..." Xia Rou asked again, "What did you come to Binhai for? Don't you have any relatives or friends here to pick you up?"
"Oh yeah!" Yan Xiaobao slapped his forehead. "I almost forgot. I'm here to find Xiao Wan. I'll give her a call…"
With a head full of black lines, Xia Rou watched Yan Xiaobao pull out his phone to search for a number and thought to herself: This guy… He doesn't go three sentences without mentioning 'wife.' There's truly no one like him… Coming to Binhai to find someone but not even informing them in advance…
Just as Yan Xiaobao was about to make the call, he suddenly put his phone down again. "No, I won't call. I'll appear suddenly in front of Xiao Wan and give her a big surprise."
"Didn't expect you to know a thing or two about romantic gestures." Xia Rou looked at Yan Xiaobao with a teasing smirk. "So, where's your Xiao Wan? If you don't know where she is, I can point you in the right direction."
Yan Xiaobao replied, "Xiao Wan is studying at Binhai University. You can drop me off at Binhai University."
This guy really doesn't hold back, even asking a beauty to give him a ride! However, Binhai University happened to be along the way, so Xia Rou flagged down a taxi and took Yan Xiaobao to Binhai University.
...
Binhai University is a comprehensive institution offering a variety of disciplines, including arts, sciences, business, and law. Renowned both nationally and internationally, it's one of the "Yanhuang Four Great" universities. The main campus sits beside the picturesque East Lake, spanning nearly a thousand acres, and with its surrounding affiliated facilities, it resembles a small town.
However, the campus of Binhai University was eerily quiet at this moment, with barely anyone entering or exiting the spacious gates—because it was currently summer vacation…
Standing at the gates of Binhai University, Yan Xiaobao thought about it for a moment and decided to resist the urge to call her.
They say distance makes the heart grow fonder. It had already been a full year since they were apart. Since he had decided to give her a surprise, there was no way he could give up halfway.
At worst, he'd wait until Xiao Wan returned for the new semester. It wasn't long until the school reopened anyway. He'd already waited a year; what's another few days?
Other than Xiao Wan, whom he referred to as "wife," Yan Xiaobao didn't know anyone else in Binhai. Left with no choice, Xia Rou decided to take him to her medical clinic.
After all, she still wanted him to try treating her sister. She couldn't very well just let him sleep on the streets.
They arrived at the entrance of Xia Rou's clinic, where Yan Xiaobao took a couple of glances around.
Above the door was an old sign that seemed to have some history, with three large characters written in calligraphy: "Dexi Hall." The clinic was modest, a single room shop spanning about thirty to forty square meters, with two rows of tall herb cabinets on either side inside, emitting a strong aroma of traditional medicine.
"Sister Xia Rou, you're back?" A petite young girl walked out of Dexin Hall to greet them. The girl had a delicate and charming appearance, exuding a cute vibe. She was the only formal employee of Dexin Hall—Zheng Xiaoyu.
But Yan Xiaobao took only one look at Zheng Xiaoyu before averting his gaze. This girl wasn't pretty enough, not meeting his standards for a wife, so he couldn't be bothered to look further.
"Sister Xia Rou, I'll help you take the luggage inside." Following Zheng Xiaoyu was a lean young man who was currently a student at Binhai University working part-time at the clinic—Chen Long.
As for men, Yan Xiaobao was even less interested in giving them a glance. The Immortal Sister had said this: He was the one and only man on this planet, and no other men deserved to be compared to him.
"Sister Xia Rou, who's he?" Zheng Xiaoyu pointed at Yan Xiaobao and asked.
Xia Rou walked into the clinic as she replied, "His name is Yan Xiaobao. I brought him here to take a look at my sister's condition. He's a doctor."
"A doctor?" Zheng Xiaoyu's eyes widened as she looked at Yan Xiaobao skeptically. "Him?"
Even Chen Long, standing nearby, didn't believe it. These days, to become a doctor, even having a medical school undergraduate degree wasn't enough; one needed at least a year of work experience to qualify for the medical licensing exam. Yan Xiaobao looked even younger than him—how could he possibly be a doctor?
Yan Xiaobao didn't pay the slightest attention to Zheng Xiaoyu's or Chen Long's disbelief. He wasn't interested in either of them, so why would he care what they thought?
But Zheng Xiaoyu seemed hesitant and asked cautiously, "Yan Xiaobao, you claim to be a doctor—are you a traditional Chinese medicine doctor or a Western medicine doctor? Do you have a medical license?"
"Chinese medicine? Western medicine?" Yan Xiaobao curled his lips and replied sincerely, "Neither. I'm a Divine Doctor."
"Pfft!" Zheng Xiaoyu gave him a disdainful look, her impression of Yan Xiaobao sinking further. Calling himself a Divine Doctor? Definitely nonsense, or he was one of those fraudsters from worldly society.
"You don't believe me?" Yan Xiaobao glared at Zheng Xiaoyu, finally taking a closer look at her before saying, "I'll give you a secret recipe for breast enhancement. Within a month, I guarantee you'll go from an A-cup to a C-cup!"
...
Zheng Xiaoyu's face turned red, and she crossed her arms over her chest. Then, puffing out her chest, she angrily said, "How am I an A? I'm clearly a B!"
"Alright, then I'll guarantee to take you from a B to a D." Yan Xiaobao muttered under his breath: What B? It's obviously an A...
"Really?" Zheng Xiaoyu seemed a bit tempted. In this era where curves were coveted, every flat-chested woman wished to be bigger, and then a bit bigger...
"I never lie."
"Fine, I'll give it a try," Zheng Xiaoyu stepped closer. "What's the secret recipe?"
Yan Xiaobao extended his hand. "First, give me the money."
"How much?"
Yan Xiaobao glanced at the busy Xia Rou nearby, pondered for a moment, and replied, "For the sake of knowing my wife Rourou, I'll give you a discount—ten thousand bucks."
"Are you crazy!" Zheng Xiaoyu spat at Yan Xiaobao and added, "Lousy scammer!"
Xia Rou, after a round of busy work, looked at the clock. "It's late; let's prep dinner. Are there groceries in the shop?"
"Not much. I'll head to the market to get some," Zheng Xiaoyu said as she walked out the door. Chen Long, on the other hand, headed to the kitchen at the back of the shop to wash rice and start cooking.
"Get more lobsters; I love them!" Yan Xiaobao called out to Zheng Xiaoyu's retreating figure. Back when he lived on the island, diving for ten-pound lobsters was one of his favorite things—the taste was unbeatable.
"Lobster? Dream on, you lousy scammer!" Zheng Xiaoyu scolded, running toward the market without looking back.
But she had barely run a few meters from the door when she suddenly darted back as if she'd seen a ghost, panic plastered across her face as she yelled to Xia Rou, "Sister Xia Rou! Trouble! Sunx Peng is here!"
Hearing this, Xia Rou's expression subtly shifted. She was about to tell Zheng Xiaoyu to close the shop door, but it was already too late. A man with dyed red hair swaggered through the door.
Yan Xiaobao shot him a glance, immediately displeased. The man, Sunx Peng, walked in shirtless, with a sweaty undershirt slung over one shoulder, a pair of garishly patterned beach shorts below, and cheap plastic sandals. He radiated sleaziness—a clear lowlife.
"Wife," Sunx Peng leered at Xia Rou, his gaze crawling over her body, his expression both lecherous and greedy. "Only a few days apart, and you've gotten prettier, wife."
"What are you doing here?" Xia Rou's face turned icy as she snapped, "I'm NOT your wife!"
"By parental arrangement, the matchmaker's word, the dowry paid, and the wedding drinks served—you can't just deny it," Sunx Peng chuckled at Xia Rou. "A few days ago, you gave me five thousand bucks; it's spent. Give me another five thousand."
Xia Rou coldly replied, "I've been out these past few days, and the shop hasn't had much business. There's no money right now. Come back in a few days."
"No money?" Sunx Peng plopped himself onto a chair. "Then I can't afford food or a place to stay. Guess I'll just crash here for now."
"You're not welcome here! Get out!" Xia Rou angrily pointed to the door.
Sunx Peng leisurely crossed one leg over the other, picked his nose, and smugly said, "Why should I leave? You're my wife. Living with you is natural and justified."
"You…" Faced with Sunx Peng's shamelessness, Xia Rou, a refined beauty, was at her wit's end.
This was far from the first time Sunx Peng had caused trouble here. Xia Rou had reported him to the police several times before, but they were powerless. The whole situation was a tangled mess. Sunx Peng hadn't committed any outright crime, so they couldn't arrest him.
"Are you really his wife?" Yan Xiaobao stepped up to Xia Rou, looking very tense.
If Xia Rou truly were this scoundrel Sunx Peng's wife, it would be devastating. It'd be like a fresh flower growing in cow dung… No! Worse—like a fresh flower shoved into dog shi*t!
"No!" Xia Rou firmly denied, then explained.
Turns out, years ago, when Xia Rou's younger sister Xia Yan fell ill, their family borrowed a lot of money from Sunx Peng's family. Later, when they couldn't repay the debt, Sunx Peng's family proposed that if Xia Rou married Sunx Peng, the debt would be canceled as the bride price.
Xia Rou's parents, desperate and seeing Sunx Peng's family as one of the wealthiest in the village, agreed. But Xia Rou staunchly refused. On the wedding day itself, she fled from home.
To repay the debt and to treat her sister, Xia Rou ran off to Binhai City, working at Dexi Hall while studying for her certification. After years of hard work, she finally became a licensed physician.
A few months ago, Sunx Peng found out Xia Rou worked at Dexi Hall, and he tracked her down. Xia Rou gave him all her savings, but it wasn't enough to cover the debt. So, Sunx Peng began showing up frequently, demanding more money and pressuring her to marry him.
"Got it," Yan Xiaobao said after hearing the story, visibly relieved and happy. As long as Xia Rou hadn't actually married Sunx Peng, everything was fine.
"Hey, you red-haired monkey! Trying to snatch my wife? You've got a death wish!" Yan Xiaobao swaggered over to Sunx Peng, pointing a finger at him. "Get lost, or I'll poke you to death with one finger!"
"Heh! You little punk, barely out of diapers, and you dare act tough in front of me? I'll slap the life out of you!" Sunx Peng stood up, raising his hand to slap Yan Xiaobao hard.
"Smack!" A crisp sound echoed.
Before Sunx Peng realized what happened, he was sprawled out on the ground like a dead dog, two teeth knocked out and lying in front of him.
"Don't kill him!" Xia Rou urgently pleaded. She knew Yan Xiaobao had once killed an armed hijacker on a plane. If he killed Sunx Peng here, it would be a disaster.
"Alright, Rourou, I'll listen to you. I won't kill him," Yan Xiaobao said, grabbing Sunx Peng by the ankle and casually tossing him out the door.
"Ahh—!" Sunx Peng let out a long, miserable scream as he flew several meters through the air and landed heavily at the doorstep. He writhed and struggled on the ground for ages before finally crawling up.
"Xia Rou, you treacherous wench! How dare you keep a young man behind my back? You… you just wait!" Sunx Peng shouted as he sprinted out the door at full speed.
"How dare you insult my wife!" Yan Xiaobao roared, grabbing a white porcelain teacup from the table and hurling it at the fleeing Sunx Peng.
"Bang!" The white porcelain teacup shattered upon impact.
"Ahh!" With the cup smashing squarely on his head, Sunx Peng fell to the ground again.
This time, he didn't dare linger or curse anymore. Clutching his blood-soaked head, he scampered off in a straight line, utterly defeated.
Hearing the commotion, Chen Long emerged from the kitchen, carrying an electric rice cooker. He stared wide-eyed at Yan Xiaobao, his face brimming with admiration. "Brother Xiao Bao, you're incredible—my idol!"
Yan Xiaobao glanced at Chen Long, slightly displeased, and nodded. "Calling me bro is fine, but drop the 'Xiao' in front."
"Yes, yes, Brother Bao."
Watching Chen Long nod and grovel, Zheng Xiaoyu sneered coldly. "Does violence really solve problems? Sure, you beat Sunx Peng away today, but you've only stirred a bigger mess. His brother-in-law Zhao Erhu is the local tyrant of this street. Sunx Peng will definitely get him involved after this beating. Then what?"
...
"The mighty Divine Dragon from the Nine Heavens, afraid of a local tyrant?" Yan Xiaobao turned his wrists with an air of arrogance. "Doesn't matter how many, I'll handle them all!"
"Bragging without even drafting it first!" Zheng Xiaoyu rolled her eyes at Yan Xiaobao in annoyance. "Zhao Erhu, nicknamed Brother Hu, has dozens of underlings. You think you alone can fight off dozens of people?"
"What's the big deal?" Yan Xiaobao nonchalantly curled his lips. "Forget dozens, even hundreds or thousands, I wouldn't flinch. I'm the most formidable man on earth."
Zheng Xiaoyu immediately retorted, "I think you're just the best at bragging."
"Alright, that's enough. Shut up and let's cook. I'm exhausted." Xia Rou massaged her temples, looking drained.
The matter with Sun Peng was, aside from her younger sister Xia Yan's illness, the biggest concern weighing on Xia Rou's mind. As she ate, she mulled over whether she should just take a few more days off to avoid trouble.
Lost in thought, Xia Rou instinctively reached for food with her chopsticks but found empty air; the three dishes were all empty.
Earlier, Zheng Xiaoyu had gone out to buy groceries but ended up running into Sun Peng causing trouble, so she didn't manage to buy any. They had to make do with scraps, which Yan Xiaobao cleared out completely in less than three minutes.
Staring at the empty plates, Yan Xiaobao looked disgruntled. "The food is so bad and doesn't even fill me up… Rourou, you don't care about me…"
Zheng Xiaoyu shuddered, her skin crawling, unable to muster any kind response.
Xia Rou said apologetically, "Let's go out to eat then."
Yan Xiaobao was a guest she had invited to help treat her sister's illness. Plus, he just chased off Sun Peng, which counted as lending her a hand. Serving leftovers to him felt a bit inappropriate. She just hadn't paid attention in the moment because her mind was preoccupied.
"Sure!" Yan Xiaobao immediately stood up, beaming. "Rourou, let's go eat some lobsters!"
"Do you know how expensive lobsters are?" Zheng Xiaoyu immediately grumbled in dissatisfaction.
"Expensive?" Yan Xiaobao was oblivious to the price levels in the Yanhuang Empire.
"Although Binhai is a coastal city, lobsters aren't widely distributed in our seas." Chen Long explained, "The high-end seafood restaurants mainly import lobsters from Australia by air, and they cost hundreds of bucks per pound."
"Hundreds of bucks? That expensive?" Yan Xiaobao looked puzzled. He had never used money, but occasionally on the island, he overheard his junior brothers discussing money—always in the millions or billions. Something costing a few hundred bucks felt almost like it was free.
"Talking big is bad luck!" Zheng Xiaoyu gave him a disdainful look, scanning Yan Xiaobao's simple casual outfit without brand logos. "You don't look like someone with money. If you think it's cheap, why don't you treat us to a lobster feast?"
"Sure." Yan Xiaobao nodded naturally, then spread his hands. "But I don't have any money now. When I left home, my junior brothers told me that when they ventured out, they always started from scratch. I'm their senior brother, so I must be better than them—so I didn't bring any money."
"Let's go. If lobster is off the menu, then little lobster it is."
Xia Rou made the final call, ending Yan Xiaobao and Zheng Xiaoyu's verbal spat and taking the group of three to the street behind Binhai University to eat little lobsters.
Summer vacation was the peak season for little lobsters. At the food street, there were countless open-air stalls selling little lobsters lined up like a dragon.
Luckily, with the sun still high and the heat lingering, there weren't too many customers yet. If it were nighttime during supper hours, finding an open table would be almost impossible.
The four of them—Xia Rou ordered six pounds of spicy little lobster. She figured one pound each for Zheng Xiaoyu and herself would suffice. Yan Xiaobao and Chen Long, the two men, had already eaten half-full at home, so two pounds each should do.
Fresh off the stove, the steamy, fragrant platter of spicy little lobsters was served up. Zheng Xiaoyu stopped bickering with Yan Xiaobao, focusing instead on diving into the food alongside Chen Long, sweating buckets and yelling "spicy!" while eating on in exhilaration.
Yan Xiaobao tried one spicy little lobster, scrunched his mouth, and said, "These lobsters are too small, plus they've been out of the water for three days. Not very fresh."
"I used to catch lobsters to eat myself all the time." Yan Xiaobao said matter-of-factly.
Though his voice wasn't loud, the food street was still relatively quiet at this hour, so the owner of the stall overheard him.
The stall owner, a burly man with a butcher-like demeanor, shirtless and covered in muscle, walked up looking displeased. "Buddy, you can eat nonsense but don't speak nonsense. Everyone in Binhai knows my lobsters are the freshest and tastiest. You call my lobsters not fresh—trying to tarnish my 'Lobster Liu' brand, are you?"
"Who are you calling 'buddy'? Me? I don't even know you, so why would I be your buddy?" Yan Xiaobao replied with a baffled look.
Next, he glanced at the greasy sign outside the stall with the words "Lobster Liu," wrinkling his nose. "Your sign is so dirty, breaking it would only dirty my hands. If you want to break it, do it yourself."
Lobster Liu let out a cold snort. "Kid, sounds like you didn't come here genuinely to eat. Fine, go somewhere else! I'm not serving you!"
Normally, businesses prioritize harmony to attract customers—this behavior was out of the ordinary.
But Lobster Liu wasn't merely a night market stall owner. He worked for the local tyrant Zhao Erhu, often using his patron's power to suppress nearby competitors, so he didn't worry about losing customers.
The infamous bullying of suppliers and big businesses was plain behavior like this.
Initially, Yan Xiaobao didn't particularly care for the spicy little lobsters here. Eating or not wasn't an issue for him. But Lobster Liu's attitude—especially the "get lost" remark—wasn't something he could accept.
"I've never had to 'get lost' since I was born, so I don't know how. Why don't you give me a demonstration first?" With that, Yan Xiaobao kicked Lobster Liu square in his gut.
Lobster Liu's massive body immediately curled up into a ball, rolling like a gourd from the stall onto the street outside.
The owners of nearby stalls, who had long endured Lobster Liu's tyrannical actions, secretly cheered but kept calm faces and quietly observed.