Volume 4: Hidden Battles – Chapter 220: Breaking Into a Private Residence

Chu Tianyu, drenched in sweat, “hugged” Jin Yujie and rushed out like the wind. Yet he could still hear the buzzing discussions behind him—full of exclamations, screams, and gasps!
“Wow, so cool! Look, look! This is what a man should be like! A real man acts like the Third Brother—loving anytime, hugging freely, and showing affection openly!” Bai Lei said, taking the opportunity to speak up. Judging from his volume, it was easy to tell whether his words were out of genuine emotion or meant for two specific people present…
“Tsk tsk. When I first met the Third Brother, I knew he wasn’t ordinary. As expected, what ‘I’ said came true—destiny, nothing but destiny!” The one who spoke in such a condescending tone was obviously Da Ge. As he spoke, he glanced at some of the beautiful women there, clearly implying that by “destiny,” he meant the fate of those pretty girls…
“Zi, Zi Yi, do we still want to keep watching? That little girl seems to be much older than thirteen…” Xue Feifei asked in a low voice.
“Let that charm-spewing guy deal with it. Didn’t you see he’s already so embarrassed by that hot little girl? Why go to the extra trouble? Maybe if we follow them, we’ll even help him out. It’s better to let that little girl keep teasing him…” Ouyang Zi Yi replied in a low voice as well.
From Qin Nianran’s side came a series of irregular heartbeat sounds. Clearly, her emotions were also fluctuating due to what was happening. As for what those fluctuations meant, Chu Tianyu couldn’t tell.
Faced with all the “public opinion” behind him, Chu Tianyu felt utterly innocent. He glanced at Jin Yujie, who was still clinging to him in a dazed, infatuated state—her expression like that of a little girl who had suddenly found a treasure she’d lost for years, wanting to hold it tightly and never let go.
In that moment, Chu Tianyu seemed to be transported back to his early days as a newcomer, to that brief yet unforgettable encounter with the young Jin Yujie. He remembered Jin Yujie holding an ice cream back then, and their conversation—going from strangers to becoming close friends, which gave Chu Tianyu his first understanding of what “friend” meant.

At this moment, Chu Tianyu couldn’t help but think, “Since there was once a brief period in childhood of innocent innocence and unrestrained freedom, why do I now worry about so many things? I’m not even as carefree and sincere as this little girl right in front of me. A true gentleman is open-hearted—why bother with what others say or think? Sigh, Chu Tianyu, all your hard work seems wasted!” With these thoughts, Chu Tianyu seemed to let go completely, both in expression and mindset. Even Jin Yujie seemed to sense it and looked up at him with a sweet voice, asking, “Brother Tianyu, what’s wrong? Why does Yujie feel like you’ve suddenly become more relaxed? And that aura coming from you—it’s also become unbearably light…” Hearing this, Chu Tianyu didn’t explain further. Instead, he stopped under a phoenix tree, naturally helped Yujie turn to face him, and studied her carefully. Though she had grown up a lot, transforming from a little girl into a young woman, the contours of her face and her innocent expression remained unchanged, as if she was still the little girl who had talked to him while holding an ice cream. Deeply moved, he said, “Sister Yujie, I didn’t expect that after all this time, you still remember me…” Before Chu Tianyu could finish, Yujie turned her pretty face away, blinked her big eyes, and retorted, “Doesn’t Brother Tianyu remember Yujie?” Looking at Yujie’s expectant face, Chu Tianyu met her eyes, paused for a moment, then smiled slightly and said two words: “No!” His tone wasn’t loud, nor was it emotional, but it was enough for Yujie to hear the answer she wanted! Sure enough, she was overjoyed, her happiness evident on her face. Without hesitation, she rushed toward Chu Tianyu’s arms again. But this time, Chu Tianyu didn’t let her succeed. He stepped back slightly, used his hand to stop her, and reminded her half-jokingly, half-seriously, “Sister Yujie, is that how you express yourself in Korea? Why do you hug so often? In China, only lovers or couples usually hug like that…”

Faced with Chu Tianyu’s subtle hints, the straightforward and lively Jin Yujie seemed to fail to detect any meaning at all. Instead, she tilted her head and said in a surprising manner, “Yes, I really consider Tianyu Brother as my closest lover—oh, no, no, my sweetheart! Tianyu Brother, do you know? Ever since that meeting in Hong Kong, the aura you showed back then is something Yujie can never forget! From then on, Yujie swore to grow up quickly so she could find you, become your girlfriend, marry you, and then have little babies…”

By the end, Jin Yujie seemed a bit shy, her voice gradually fading, yet her words were smooth and uninterrupted. It seemed this scenario must have appeared countless times in her imagination and dreams. Perhaps this was the moment her dream came true, as evident from the sweet and longing smile on her face.

So, in the face of Jin Yujie’s sudden and bold confession, Chu Tianyu wasn’t at all flustered or confused. After all, given that Yujie had boldly thrown herself into his arms in public just now, it was clear her feelings for him went far beyond simple joy at reuniting after a long separation.

At this point, Chu Tianyu couldn’t afford to be pretentious any longer. Moreover, given Yujie’s determined attitude, it didn’t seem like mere teenage impulsiveness. Clearly, now wasn’t the right time to clarify things—handling this properly would likely require the help of his family.

With that in mind, Chu Tianyu looked at Yujie and preemptively said, “Sister Yujie, I think we need to find time to talk properly. I won’t hide from you—I’ve always treated you as a little sister, with no other intentions. Besides, I already have a fiancée and a girlfriend!”

After hearing this, Yujie replied calmly, “Tianyu Brother is so outstanding that I knew many girls would like him. But what does that have to do with me? I just know I like you, and I want to marry you!”

Chu Tianyu was helpless. Facing such a response, any man would be speechless!

Meanwhile, Jin Yujie blinked her cute big eyes, smiling at Chu Tianyu as if to say, “I’ve chosen you!”

After regaining his senses, Chu Tianyu couldn’t help but cough twice and shook his head with a wry smile. “Sister Yuji, how old are you this year? Even someone of my ‘advanced age’—almost twenty—thinks it’s too early to talk about marriage, let alone you!”
In response to Chu Tianyu’s question, Jin Yuji said proudly, “I’m almost fifteen this year. Counting by traditional age, I’m almost seventeen!”
“What? So you’re only fourteen now?” Chu Tianyu exclaimed, revealing Jin Yuji’s wordplay.
Jin Yuji’s expression turned slightly awkward for once, but she still insisted firmly, “I’m almost fifteen already!”
As if suddenly remembering something, Chu Tianyu asked, “By the way, even if you’re fifteen, you’re not old enough to go to university. How can you attend this exchange event?”
Jin Yuji smiled slyly and said, “Hehe, who says you can’t go to school at fifteen? I’m actually a regular sophomore at Hanyang University!”
Chu Tianyu thought about it and realized that every school has some special talents or genius students who start college early. His question was rather pointless. It seemed that Jin Yuji’s antics had even confused his mind.
“How about this, Sister Yuji? Let’s go back to the event first. After all, this is our main task for now. Tonight, as your elder brother, I’ll treat you to a sumptuous meal at home and introduce you to some nice sisters!” As he spoke, Chu Tianyu silently prayed in his heart, “Ziyi, Feifei, Rourou, I’m so sorry. I can’t handle this little girl anymore. It’s time for you to take over…”
Hearing this, Jin Yuji was overjoyed and immediately pulled Chu Tianyu to give him another kiss!
This made Chu Tianyu finally understand one thing: if a girl is too enthusiastic, it’s unbearable. And if it’s an underage foreign girl who’s too enthusiastic, it’s not just unbearable—it’s extremely troublesome, leaving one with no choice but to bear the blame of exploiting others and ruining their lives…
When Chu Tianyu finally managed to persuade Jin Yuji to keep some distance as they returned to the reception room, he thought he’d have to endure more gossip and comments from others. Unexpectedly, he saw chaos inside—students cheering and applauding, creating a lively atmosphere. Chu Tianyu looked over and saw Bai Lei facing off against an American student. Judging from their postures, they clearly wanted to have a showdown right away.

However, judging by the situation, it seemed fairly friendly. Even the organizing committee and teachers were watching from the side without intervening. It was unclear what had happened, but it fit Bai Lei’s tendency to seek attention! Still, the arrival of Chu Tianyu and the other two attracted quite a few glances, including from the two people still facing off on the field. The American student didn’t seem too concerned and only glanced over. When Bai Lei looked at Chu Tianyu, the two exchanged a few words through eye contact.

Chu Tianyu: “Why is it always you? What’s the matter this time?”
Bai Lei: “Sigh, there’s nothing I can do. It’s because I have a strong desire to perform! What’s the matter? Of course, it’s that guy annoying me again!”

Chu Tianyu roughly assessed the strength of the American student. Aside from being tall and burly, he didn’t seem to have any other outstanding qualities. But judging from his fighting stance, he probably knew some boxing or similar combat skills. In terms of both height and build, everyone felt that Bai Lei was definitely no match for this guy. Yet Bai Lei was so confident in stepping forward; surely he had some kind of confidence. Chu Tianyu knew well that this confidence came from his hard training. Moreover, according to Li Rou, during this period, Bai Lei not only ran and practiced squats every morning but also spent a lot of free time practicing the Qingfeng Jue technique taught to him initially. Every evening, he would go to the sports field by himself to practice those so-called moves. Though it was unclear where he learned them, Bai Lei practiced them with great seriousness. Whenever asked, given his stubborn personality, he would just smile, shake his head, and say nothing. If pressed further, he claimed he had said something, but it would definitely be an evasive answer…

So, at this moment, Chu Tianyu wasn’t worried at all about Bai Lei challenging him to a one-on-one fight. After all, even without his own practiced moves, relying on the breathing techniques from Qingfeng Jue and his physical training over these months, Bai Lei’s energy and spirit were far beyond what they used to be. As for his strength, it was more than enough to handle an ordinary person who was only slightly stronger than him!

Sure enough, just as Chu Tianyu and Jin Yujie arrived in front of Ouyang Ziyi, ready to hand her that small bag, before he could say anything, the competition on the field had already begun.

That American college student, as expected, relied on his height and reach from the start, launching a series of straight punches in rapid succession. He tried to overwhelm his opponent with his momentum and create distance to prevent the smaller opponent from getting too close for a close-quarters fight. It was a good strategy, but reality was different. Facing the attacks, Bai Lei didn’t dodge at all. Instead, he squared his stance, raised his arms, let out a loud shout, and quickly countered with his own punch. In a clash of fists, the stronger one wins. After a loud thud, the American college student was sent stumbling back several steps, and his grim expression clearly showed he had taken a heavy hit. Bai Lei, on the other hand, remained in place, only leaning back slightly. Their actions already showed who was stronger. But Bai Lei didn’t think so. Taking advantage of the opponent’s confusion, he retracted his stance and kicked the ground hard, launching himself forward like an arrow and instantly appearing in front of the American college student. The man clearly hadn’t expected Bai Lei to be this fast and, without hesitation, threw a series of punches at him. To his surprise—and to the shock of everyone watching—Bai Lei stopped just outside the reach of those punches. He crouched down, braced his hands on the ground, and delivered a spinning leg kick… At that moment, the American college student was focused entirely on his fists, with his lower body unguarded, so he fell easily, allowing Bai Lei to achieve a dramatic victory and win thunderous applause! Seeing this, even Chu Tianyu had to admire Bai Lei’s effective use of tactics. Truly, it’s true that one should reevaluate someone after a while—first, he accurately assessed the enemy’s strength and weaknesses. In response to the enemy’s initial attack, he pretended to go all out, using a punch to assert his dominance, then suddenly surged forward with a powerful kick, giving the impression of being determined to fight hard, leading the opponent to make a wrong assumption that more fierce punches would follow. This allowed Bai Lei to change tactics, gain the upper hand, and win cleanly and decisively, leaving no room for argument.

And in the end, this scoundrel pretended to step forward to help the other person up and gave him a warm hug, adopting an air as if grudges could be forgotten with a smile. Cheers erupted once again, led by those teachers, some of whom even had tears in their eyes! What a wonderful spirit of friendship first—our country’s education is truly excellent, not to mention the high standards of our students. Of course, this is also the greatest reward for their hard work and dedication in teaching.

While Chu Tianyu was secretly praising Bai Lei, he suddenly noticed that Jin Yujie released her hand from his arm and, in an instant, rushed over to Bai Lei, who was pretending to be humble and nodding at the audience. Bai Lei felt a blur before seeing Jin Yujie appear right in front of him. Confused, he wondered, “Isn’t this the girl who was clinging to Chu Tianyu? Why did she come here? Could it be she saw what just happened and started to admire me? No way… Could she want to hug me too? Heh, I’d be too embarrassed for that…”

With these wild thoughts, Bai Lei flashed what he thought was his most charming smile and said in a magnanimous tone, “Young lady, admiration is fine, but it must be in moderation. Don’t go overboard—Chu Tianyu and I are the best of friends, and I already have my beloved Yueyue and Jiaojiao. I won’t consider you at all…”

As he spoke, Bai Lei gazed affectionately at Lan Yue and Chu Yunjiao.

“What nonsense! Is this guy sick? But wait—with your little tricks, you still dare to show off and steal the spotlight from Brother Tianyu. Yujie will teach you a lesson!” Jin Yujie thought to herself. But on the surface, she remained calm, bowed to Bai Lei, and said calmly, “Kim Yujie, representative of South Korea, asks for your guidance!”

Most people shared Bai Lei’s initial thought—that this girl who somehow got mixed in with the college students must have some kind of admiration or extreme behavior. But after Jin Yujie bowed and spoke, they realized she wasn’t there to admire or hug him—she was there to challenge him! It was completely unexpected!

Yet once everyone understood what had happened, they became excited. Another exciting scene was unfolding, and cheers and applause erupted, even more enthusiastic than when Bai Lei won…

Faced with Jin Yujie’s challenge and the difficult situation he was in, Bai Lei really didn’t feel good at all. Facing such a delicate young girl, even if he won, it would be a victory by unfair means. Worse still, he might attract a few powerful people who would come to his aid, and then he’d be in real trouble. And the most crucial point was that winning seemed like a mere illusion—something utterly unattainable!

Think about it—how many ordinary people could get involved with someone like Chu Tianyu? Even that guy’s Angel from Europe, who seemed weak and gentle, possessed extraordinary abilities like illusion knives and shadowy forms—nothing short of super-powered warriors from movies. For someone like Bai Lei to challenge such a person was nothing but seeking death!

Now, another young girl had appeared, and judging from her calm demeanor, Bai Lei already had bad feelings. The biggest problem was what would happen if he lost. Getting beaten up a few times might be painful, but he’d already been beaten a lot these past two days. But as a man, being knocked to the ground by such a little girl—where would his face go?

Thinking of this, Bai Lei couldn’t help but look at Chu Tianyu with a pleading expression. But to his disappointment, Chu Tianyu glanced at him briefly before ignoring him completely and turning to talk to Ouyang Ziyi.

Bai Lei knew Chu Tianyu was deliberately teasing him, which made him furious. Just as he didn’t know what to do next, Chu Tianyu’s voice suddenly rang in his ears: “Oh, it seems I just heard someone loudly saying something about love anytime, anywhere, hugging freely, and showing affection so openly! Alas, you wretch, you’ll have to fend for yourself this time! By the way, as a brother, let me give you a tip—Yujie is mainly good at using hidden weapons; she’s average in everything else. Just now, she hit your sore points with a hidden weapon. But fortunately, in such a public place, she probably can’t use them. You can go all out—I still have high hopes for you…”

Although Chu Tianyu’s sarcastic words filled Bai Lei with resentment, they also gave him a bit of courage to face her. If this girl was really only good at hidden weapons, and if he could quickly get close at the start of the fight, he still had a chance. After all, she was just a petite girl—hmph, how much strength could she have?

Before Bai Lei could finish thinking about his hopes, Chu Tianyu’s voice rang in his ears again: “Oh, Bai Lei, I forgot to mention—Yu Ji is good at hidden weapons, but average in everything else. By ‘average,’ I mean her own mental techniques, combat strategies, Hunyuan Palm, Tianji Legs, and the like. She’s only had about seven or eight years of practice—completely average compared to experts! Well, that’s all I have to say. You, take care of yourself!”
Those words nearly made Bai Lei faint from anger. Vile curses spilled from his mouth: “.＃￥~……——……~￥……”
“Can we start now?” Jin Yu Ji saw Bai Lei standing there stunned after hearing her challenge, looking around nervously, with a complicated expression, unsure of what he was thinking. Eventually, his face turned gray with resentment, his expression extremely complex and hard to decipher.
Bai Lei looked at the seemingly weak Jin Yu Ji—she seemed like a child! But judging from her calm demeanor, Chu Tianyu’s words seemed true; there was no exaggeration. What should he do?
Now faced with Jin Yu Ji’s further questions, he was even more at a loss. The crowd below also grew impatient and started to boo, urging him on.
Bai Lei was sweating profusely from anxiety, frantically thinking as he replied, “O-Okay, but little sister, my fists are quite heavy. Are you really sure you want to fight? What if I hurt you?”
Jin Yu Ji remained unfazed and said, “Don’t worry about that. Even against Brother Tianyu, I can hold my own for a few moves!”
Hearing this, Bai Lei was stunned. He thought to himself, “It’s over! Oh heavens, can I just withdraw from the fight? Sigh, if I get beaten by such a little girl, my reputation as Bai Lei… Wait! She’s just a little girl. If I deliberately show weakness and let her defeat me, maybe no one will laugh at me. They might even say I’m noble and magnanimous, not treating her like a child! Hehe, this is a great idea! I’ll do it!”
With a plan in mind, Bai Lei perked up. He first bowed to the crowd, then said loudly, “Hehe, since everyone is so enthusiastic, I’ll compete with this ‘little girl’ here. But judging by her readiness, it seems she’s well-prepared. Maybe I’ll even have to admit defeat. Haha…”
The crowd laughed along with Bai Lei. Clearly, based on his earlier performance, they didn’t think much of this petite Korean girl either.

Taking advantage of the laughter, Bai Lei immediately approached Jin Yujie and said in a flattering whisper, “Little sister, I’m the best friend of Tianyu. I know how skilled you are. Please don’t make things difficult for me—can you give me a chance?”
“No way! Who told you to show off? Only my brother Tianyu can shine!” Jin Yujie said firmly, puffing out her chest.
Bai Lei inwardly groaned in frustration. So that’s why! It all came down to this. If Tianyu really wanted to stand out, why did he need to show off here? And wasn’t he already enough of a show-off? Fighting both inside and outside, battling against heaven and earth—having three wives and four concubines, even an underage girl like her was his loyal fan, while Bai Lei couldn’t even keep two relationships stable… Sigh, better not say more; it just made him feel sad. Silent tears streamed down as the sound of camel bells echoed in his ears…
“Alright, I’m attacking!” Jin Yujie declared, unwilling to keep entangling with Bai Lei any longer. She made a gesture with her hand and launched a move that combined offense and defense at once at Bai Lei. Perhaps out of courtesy, this move was merely a greeting to announce the start of her attack, so she didn’t use much strength, and naturally, it wasn’t fast.
Realizing he couldn’t avoid it, Bai Lei gritted his teeth, stomped his foot, and decisively blocked Jin Yujie’s pink fist with his arm. He planned to feign falling backward dramatically the moment they touched, then quickly stand up and claim he lost, so everyone would think he deliberately lost to avoid fighting this little girl, thus saving some face.
But no matter how much he planned, Bai Lei failed to account for the fact that he was facing a cultivator. Seeing his clumsy defense, Jin Yujie immediately changed her strategy, swiftly dodging his block. Like a ghost, she moved to his side and kicked him in the lower abdomen with a single strike, solving the problem in one blow. Bai Lei was instantly flung to the side with a thud and fell to the ground. Although Jin Yujie considered him an ordinary person and that he was Tianyu’s brother, she held back and only struck lightly. Yet even that blow caused him severe pain, leaving him too weak to stand up right away.

But how could Bai Lei give up so easily at this point? Although the process had changed a bit, the outcome remained the same—whether it was the fake opponent being sent flying or the real one being kicked away, wasn’t this exactly what had been planned? So, Bai Lei put to use the results of his training from this stage, and with his strong will and unwavering belief in victory, he managed to endure the pain, stood up shakily, and forced a relaxed expression on his face, laughing cheerfully and saying, “Wow, I was knocked down! That little girl is really amazing! Big, big brother admits defeat!”
Bai Lei’s performance indeed won applause from everyone. Still sweating and in pain, he managed to open his arms to respond to the audience before walking away with a smile, claiming he needed to use the restroom after two consecutive matches…
Soon after, muffled groans came from the bathroom: “Ugh! It hurts so much! How could that little girl not know how hard to squeeze? I’m going to settle accounts with Chu Tianyu… Ouch… And that little girl too—why kick someone in the stomach? Now I’m in agony and having to go at the same time… Ugh… Pfft…”
…
That night, at Ouyang Ziyi’s villa, Chu Tianyu and his group, along with Jin Yujie, attended a welcome party. As Chu Tianyu had promised, they prepared a lavish Chinese meal for Jin Yujie.
As soon as they entered and saw the steaming delicious food, Bai Lei was the first to step forward and ask loudly, “Is this a joke? So much delicious food? Huh, no wonder you hardly ate at the welcome party. So you had this planned all along. Why didn’t anyone tell me?”
The tall man glanced at Bai Lei and replied with a smile, “How could no one tell you? I told you to eat less back then. Before I could finish speaking, you already said something disgusting like you’d gone hungry several times and were starving. With your gluttonous eating habits, who could stop you?”
Hearing this, Bai Lei looked at his still swollen belly and was speechless! He had no temper left today. After learning about the relationship between Chu Tianyu and Jin Yujie, he had intended to cause trouble for Chu Tianyu, but unexpectedly, Jin Yujie took the initiative. She immediately grabbed the hem of his clothes with a cute expression, her innocent big eyes pleading, “Brother Bai Lei, it’s Yujie’s fault. Yujie was reckless. Yujie apologizes—please don’t be angry, okay? Do you still feel pain?”

In such a situation, what else could Bai Lei say? He could only swallow his anger and force a smile, saying, “No, it doesn’t hurt anymore. It’s fine, really fine. Haha…” But in his heart, he added bitterly, “Sigh… It doesn’t hurt anymore, but I’ve already had diarrhea five times in a row. Isn’t this going to kill me? Sigh…” Regardless of Bai Lei’s feelings, the rest of the Cotton Team enjoyed their postponed feast to the fullest. The conversation at the table was very lively, with everyone having a great time—especially with Jin Yujie. They asked her various questions, quickly drawing her attention away from Chu Tianyu, who had been clinging to her. This allowed Chu Tianyu to breathe a sigh of relief and look gratefully at Ouyang Ziyi and Xue Feifei, who were chatting with Yujie. Soon, Chu Tianyu also freed himself up and called over Jin Zhongpu and Jin Mingpu, the two brothers who had come with Jin Yujie. They had come specifically to accompany her to this combat exchange event, but their task wasn’t to compete; their only responsibility was to ensure Jin Yujie’s safety. Chu Tianyu secretly assessed them and realized that although their skills weren’t particularly high, their internal strength far surpassed Jin Yujie’s, suggesting they must be among the best of the Jin family’s younger generation. The two brothers treated Chu Tianyu with great courtesy. At first, Chu Tianyu was a bit puzzled, but as the conversation progressed, he learned that the incident of his meeting with Yu Ji back then had even reached the ears of the head of the Jin family, Jin Yujie’s grandmother. Based on Yujie’s description, the old lady had given him a high evaluation, saying that the aura he possessed—something that made Yujie feel close and familiar—must surely indicate a close relationship with one of their ancestors! She also speculated that even if the boy wasn’t the person they were thinking of, someone with such an aura could hardly be bad, as good vibes often come from good people. After all, Yujie kept insisting that she wanted to marry this “Tianyu brother” when she grew up. The old lady just smiled and didn’t say much about it, and soon this story became a famous tale within the Jin family. As a result, everyone wanted to see what this “Tianyu brother,” who had been regarded as a master since childhood, was like—a man with extraordinary abilities who could make Yujie so obsessed and crazy!

So upon meeting him today, after learning Chu Tianyu’s identity, the brothers Jin Zhongpu and Jin Mingpu were deeply impressed by his demeanor and grace, especially his resolute facial features. Jin Zhong, the eldest brother who had initially come out to dissuade Yu Ji, had secretly tested Chu Tianyu’s strength and, combined with the legends that had long existed, was completely convinced of his superiority. Now that they had the chance to talk face to face, they were overjoyed. Although their language was still a bit awkward, they got along very well with Chu Tianyu.

Later, when Jin Yuji heard that the other two women present—Xue Feifei, Ouyang Ziyi, and Li Rou—were all Chu Tianyu’s close friends, she was shocked. She immediately said something that shocked everyone and far exceeded Ouyang Ziyi and the others’ expectations: “Wow, that’s amazing! I knew my Tianyu brother was the best. So many beautiful ladies like him, including my most admired Feifei sister. Oh, I don’t even know what to say. I’ve decided—I definitely, absolutely, and surely will marry Tianyu brother. Hehe, then I can share one husband with the sisters, reviving the old ways—what a wonderful life that would be! And I can listen to songs with Feifei sister every day without having to buy tickets anymore…”

Everyone was already shocked by Jin Yuji’s boldness, but when they heard her last sentence, they burst into laughter, finding it both amusing and ridiculous. No one expected such a childlike determination to marry him and such thorough plans to listen to songs for free. She was truly adorable, still just a child…

Thinking of this, everyone turned their disdainful gazes back to Chu Tianyu, looking at him as if he were an old ox. Of course, Chu Tianyu heard this as well and, feeling everyone’s stares, felt utterly helpless. With nothing to defend himself with, he could only sigh inwardly, “Why are they looking at me? Who did I offend? I’m so wronged!”

With a “Pfft!”, Chu Tianyu turned toward the sound. It was Bai Lei, looking furious, staring at him with an even more aggrieved expression than before. Her gaze not only conveyed disdain but seemed to understand his inner thoughts, as if saying, “You’re wronged? I’m more wronged! I finally made some progress in my skills and was about to show off, especially in front of Yueyue and Jiaojiao. But then you, your little wife, kicked me into the toilet. Who can I complain to? You’re wronged? Pfft…”

The resentful look in Bai Lei’s eyes made Chu Tianyu shiver immediately; he quickly avoided her gaze—surely he could avoid someone he couldn’t afford to provoke! But while Chu Tianyu could avoid Bai Lei, he couldn’t avoid Jin Yujie! It was this Korean girl who truly gave him a headache. To be honest, though Jin Yujie was called “young,” she was already fourteen. With today’s advanced and open media landscape, such a young girl might even speak more authentically about love than he could. Yet, Chu Tianyu felt nothing toward her at all; he saw her merely as a little girl from his wonderful memories, without any of the feelings of love or marriage she kept mentioning. Moreover, years of education had prevented him from harboring any improper thoughts—otherwise, he would truly be a beast like an old ox eating young grass! On this point, Chu Tianyu had taken the time to explain clearly to Ouyang Ziyi and Xue Feifei. This dinner was meant to properly handle this relationship and preserve what could be considered childhood friendship. But judging from the current situation, it seemed Chu Tianyu’s efforts hadn’t succeeded, and Ouyang Ziyi and the others’ actions had also produced no effect. Seeing them even tactfully mention his having three wives and four concubines only seemed to strengthen Jin Yujie’s resolve. Even more absurdly, she suggested sharing one husband with Xue Feifei to save money—utterly speechless! Moreover, Jin Yujie’s speech wasn’t just seemingly childlike and crazy; she only showed that style when talking about Chu Tianyu. When discussing other topics with Ouyang Ziyi and Xue Feifei, she displayed a calm, well-educated demeanor, often making insightful remarks that felt like a perfect conversation. At the same time, she listened carefully to others, adding a sentence or two during pauses to please them and make them feel understood. At this moment, Jin Yujie’s behavior reminded Chu Tianyu of Ouyang Ziyi’s effortless social skills and grace when she first followed him to his grandfather’s house.

Thus, with all the joking and chatting continuing until the end of the dinner, Chu Tianyu’s original goal of resolving the issue without bloodshed was not achieved. Just as everyone was about to leave, Jin Yujie caused another disturbance—she clung tightly to Ouyang Ziyi and refused to leave, muttering that she wanted to have a long chat in private with Sister Ouyang, Sister Feifei, and Sister Rourou. Her stubborn behavior really gave Chu Tianyu a headache. Even Jin Zhongpu and Jin Mingpu, who came with her, were extremely awkward. Clearly, with Jin Yujie making such a fuss, it was inconvenient for them to say they also lived here, but if they left, how could they fulfill their duty to protect her? So for a while, the two brothers were also in a dilemma.

Seeming to notice their difficulty, Jin Yujie loudly said, “You don’t need to worry. Here, by Brother Tianyu’s side, it’s safer than anywhere else. You can go back to the hotel with peace of mind. Tomorrow morning, we’ll meet at the place arranged by Qingda on time!” Her tone sounded like she was discussing things, but her firm expression made it clear to Jin Zhongpu and Jin Mingpu that she had already made up her mind, and there was no need for further discussion.

Jin Zhongpu knew it was impossible to change the young lady’s mind. Thinking about her words, he realized it was indeed safe here, and given Sister Xue Feifei’s reputation, it was unlikely anyone would harm her. So he could only say, “Then we’ll go back first, miss. Please let us know if anything happens. Brother Chu, we leave our sister in your care. Sorry for the trouble!”

With everyone speaking like that, Chu Tianyu couldn’t back out and could only nod in agreement, even promising a few words like “you can rest assured she’s here,” as if he had initiated this stay in the first place…

…

After seeing off the guests, including Bai Lei, Chu Tianyu returned to the living room. Along the way, Ouyang Ziyi couldn’t help but tease him, “Satisfied now? You’ve tricked yourself into taking care of another ‘little’ girl!”

Chu Tianyu gave a bitter smile and replied, “Stop teasing your husband. I really treat her like a sister. Besides, she’s only fourteen!”

Ouyang Ziyi didn’t buy Chu Tianyu’s complaints. She said nonchalantly, “Oh, how old are you anyway? Just nineteen. By the time you’re twenty-five, she’ll be twenty-one—perfectly matched. And for love, isn’t age a problem?”

“Of course not!” Jin Yujie, who was being led forward by Xue Feifei, suddenly turned around, smiled with dimples, and said playfully.

It turned out that Ouyang Ziyi was being mischievous. Her voice grew louder as she dragged Chu Tianyu along, unknowingly amplifying the volume of their conversation. Not only did Jin Yujie turn around and respond, but from Xue Feifei’s trembling shoulders in the background, it was clear that everyone knew about the topic. Just then, before anyone could enter the house, there was a loud sound of a door being broken down, and two dark figures rushed forward. Ouyang Ziyi, who finally reacted, couldn’t help but cry out, “Who are you? How dare you break into a private residence?”