"Brother Yang..." In the hall, Xueyue suddenly ground out through clenched teeth.
Yang Kai's eye twitched violently. He sensed something was wrong but could only smile and cup his fists. "Third Young Master, it's been a while!"
"Thanks to you!" Xueyue replied icily.
For no apparent reason, after hearing their exchange, Shen Tu shuddered. Instinct told him that there was some kind of tremendous grudge between these two!
He glanced at Xueyue, then at Yang Kai, and cleared his throat, preparing to play peacemaker. But before a word could leave his lips, Xueyue shot him a frigid look. "Get out. I have something to discuss with Brother Yang here."
She bit down hard on the words "Brother Yang."
Shen Tu swallowed with an audible gulp. A fierce battle raged in his heart—one side told him to stand by loyalty, to help a brother in need; the other reminded him that staying alive was paramount, that as long as the mountains remained, there would always be firewood to burn.
He hesitated for only two breaths before straightening his face and speaking earnestly. "Well, in that case, your Second Brother will wait outside. You two... take your time, take your time!"
With that, his feet carried him swiftly toward the exit. As he retreated, he flashed wide-eyed signals to the stricken Aunt Chun and Li Nuo, who stood rooted in place.
The two women caught on, casting lingering glances at Yang Kai before following Shen Tu out.
*Thud...*
The main doors of the hall swung shut.
Shen Tu, Aunt Chun, and Li Nuo immediately stopped in their tracks, turning sideways and straining their ears to listen.
Inside, there was not the faintest sound—no fighting, no arguing. The silence was unnatural.
After a long while, Shen Tu could no longer contain himself. His face tight with worry, he said, "Third Brother wouldn't be so foolish as to try to fight Brother Yang, would he? Brother Yang is at the Void King Second Stage—if he injures Third Brother, how could I possibly face Father?"
"Second Young Master, where is your mind wandering?" Li Nuo glanced at him and smiled coyly. "I don't think they look like they're about to fight."
"Don't look like they're about to fight?" Shen Tu stared. "Did you not see how Third Brother looked just now—like he wanted to eat someone alive? His temper has always been awful. He only puts on that gentle, refined front in front of outsiders. Ever since we were children, I alone know what kind of devil lurks inside him. I think his grudge with Brother Yang runs deep..."
"Grudges and passions. Grudges and passions—maybe it's not a grudge, but rather..." For some reason, Li Nuo felt an inexplicable surge of excitement, and a faint blush crept across her cheeks.
"Not a grudge!" Shen Tu's brows knitted together, then suddenly cleared in understanding. "Then it's a passion! Good heavens, Third Brother is going to fight Brother Yang over a woman? Which woman is so fortunate as to catch the eye of both of them?"
Li Nuo reached up and pressed a hand to her forehead, murmuring, "It's not some woman. Didn't you notice the way Third Young Master looks at Lord Yang?"
"His look was vicious. What's wrong with that?" Shen Tu wore an expression of perfect innocence.
Li Nuo immediately covered her face with both hands, the very picture of someone unable to explain the obvious.
Shen Tu demanded, "If you have something to say, say it clearly!"
Beside them, Aunt Chun gave a light cough, her cheeks flushing slightly as she reminded him, "Second Young Master, think carefully. Third Young Master is such a remarkable young man—has he ever so much as shown the slightest interest in any woman all these years?"
"Well, no, he hasn't," Shen Tu considered. "I do have to admire Third Brother for that—his personal conduct is beyond reproach. But... what does that have to do with today's matter?"
"Then, Second Young Master, have you perhaps heard the other... rumor about Third Young Master?"
"His rumors are endless!" Shen Tu curled his lip. "With his status and talent, it would be strange if there weren't. Some say he's the reincarnation of a Martial God. Some say he's actually a woman. And the most absurd of all—some say he doesn't like women, he likes men! Hahaha... How could I possibly believe such nonsense? It's just common folk spreading baseless gossip."
Aunt Chun and Li Nuo both gazed at him in silence.
Shen Tu's laughter cut off abruptly. He seemed to have realized something. His face darkened, and he muttered, "Third Brother is well grown by now, and I've never seen him show interest in a single woman, nor grow close to any. The Elders of the Commerce Guild have introduced several young ladies from their own families—all of them exceptional beautoms of extraordinary talent—yet not one has won Third Brother's acknowledgment... And the way that kid just looked at Brother Yang..."
Aunt Chun and Li Nuo nodded in unison beside him, thinking: *You've finally figured it out.*
"It can't really be like this, can it?" Cold sweat broke out across Shen Tu's entire body.
"Let's hope not!" Aunt Chun's expression had turned grave as well.
If things were truly as they imagined, then how many young women across the entire Heng Luo Commerce Guild would be shattered with heartbreak, how many wives would be driven to despair... It would be an unimaginable catastrophe.
Inside the hall, Xueyue and Yang Kai stared at each other for a long time before she finally ground out through clenched teeth, "You bastard!"
As she spoke, she raised her fist and swung it at Yang Kai.
But when the fist actually landed on his body, it turned limp and devoid of all strength.
Yang Kai stood his ground, letting out a dry chuckle as he endured several blows from her delicate fist, his robes not even wrinkling.
Xueyue raised her head, glaring at him stubbornly, biting her lower lip.
Yang Kai reached out and pulled her into his arms.