Chapter 105: It’s Done

“Ah, it hurts, my leg seems to be broken!”

“Ouch, my stomach. My stomach, my intestines aren’t ruptured, are they?”

“I need to go to the hospital, hurry, take me to the hospital.”

Those who had been kicked by Lin Xiao lay sprawled on the ground, unable to get up. Their faces contorted in pain as they groaned and wailed like the wounded on a battlefield.

Their reaction sent a ripple of panic through the rest of the group. The others, who had been charging forward a moment ago, skidded to a halt, staring in confusion. Unsure what had just happened, they hesitated, cowered back, and didn’t dare take another step forward.

Even Lin Xiao looked slightly puzzled.

That kick—he hadn’t even used real force. It had been nothing more than a casual sweep, enough to knock them off balance, maybe leave a bruise at worst. Yet here they were, crying as if they’d been run over by a truck.

‘Are they trying to frame me?’ Lin Xiao couldn’t help but wonder.

But no—he was wrong.

These weren’t hardened street punks or battle-hardened killers. They were pampered rich kids, Le Fangyun’s so-called followers—heirs of wealth, not warriors. Accustomed to luxury, not pain, even a stubbed toe was enough to send them into hysterics.

How ruthless could you expect such a group of privileged children to be? They might have no problem dishing out violence, but receiving it was another matter. Even a minor injury felt like a catastrophe.

If they had anticipated Lin Xiao’s retaliation, they would have let Le Fangyun’s bodyguards lead the charge. But their eagerness to prove themselves to young master Le, and viewing Lin Xiao as an opportunity to do so, had overridden their caution.

At that moment, Li Yunxi’s friends and bodyguards finally snapped into action. They rushed forward, forming a protective wall around her and Lin Xiao, shielding them from Le Fangyun’s stunned entourage. Their expressions were grim, and their rebukes sharp, barking at the shaken group that had dared charge in.

Lin Xiao, seeing the situation had settled, calmly let go of Li Yunxi’s waist and took a half-step back. He had done what needed to be done. The immediate danger had passed.

Li Yunxi’s expression, however, was… complicated.

She had never been held like that before. The moment Lin Xiao’s arm wrapped around her, there was a strange current that had run through her body—an electric sensation that lingered. Even now, her skin still tingled faintly where he had touched her.

When he released her, she felt an unexpected flicker of reluctance—a fleeting sense of loss that she quickly pushed aside.

Now wasn’t the time for such thoughts.

Composing herself, she stepped forward, her face cold as ice, voice sharp with authority. “Le Fangyun,” she said, her eyes locked on him, “you’ve crossed a line. You’ve broken the rules of our circle.”

Le Fangyun got up, spat, and turned to leave without a word. But as he stepped forward, the crowd didn’t move. The same people who once rushed to flatter him now stood in his way.

“What are you trying to do?” Le Fangyun bellowed.

“Le Fangyun, don’t think you can disregard our circle’s rules. Need a reminder?” one of the rich second-generation youths retorted.

Le Fangyun understood what the youth meant, but still hoped to escape accountability. Seeing the assembled rich kids glaring at him with cold, serious faces, he knew escape was unlikely, and his face turned grim.

Le Fangyun’s followers, mere small fry in the wealthy circle, exchanged worried glances. They were unfamiliar with the top-tier rules, but the stern expressions around them prompted them to discreetly back away, distancing themselves from Le Fangyun.

As the outspoken second-generation rich youth had said, Le Fangyun had indeed violated the rules of their circle.

Every group had its norms, and though these might not be formal regulations, they were unwritten laws, understood by all, and not to be breached.

In the elite circle of second-generation rich in Jinghai City, there existed a rule: if you say something, you must follow through. A bet made must be honored.

There were instances when rich kids violated this unwritten rule within the circle, but inevitably, under the immense pressure of the entire group, they were forced to comply. As a prominent figure in the circle, Le Fangyun never thought that one day this rule would be applied to him.

“Le Fangyun, I advise you to obey the rules, or else…” warned a rich second-generation member who had never liked Le Fangyun, his face twisted into a smirk.

Not all rich second-generation kids feared Le Fangyun, and not all of them were inclined to give him face. Although Le Fangyun wielded significant influence within the rich second-generation circle, his rapid rise had garnered a number of enemies who viewed him unfavorably.

Le Fangyun’s fists clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his flesh, teeth grinding in anger that made his entire body tremble.

“Le Fangyun, rules mustn’t be broken. You should understand that,” someone else chimed in, fanning the flames.

“Exactly, without rules, there’s chaos, and no one can be exempted.”

“Le Fangyun, just admit defeat.”

Li Yunxi, arms folded, watched the scene with a cold, satisfied smile.

Le Fangyun inhaled deeply, seemingly calming down at the peak of his rage, if one could overlook the unmasked bitterness in his eyes.

“Fine, I accept defeat,” Le Fangyun said flatly. “I’m a fool. I’m a fool. I’m a fool.”

He forced each word out through clenched teeth, every repetition heavier than the last.

“Haha! He actually said it! I need a picture of this!”

“Picture? I’m filming the whole thing. Let’s see how Le Fangyun shows his face in our circle after this.”

The second-generation heirs who had long disliked him burst into laughter, their jeers sharp and unfiltered.

Le Fangyun didn’t respond. He ignored them all. Head down, he pushed through the crowd like a wounded wolf, climbed into his Lamborghini, and vanished in a roar of engine and dust.

“Why didn’t he do this earlier? He had to make such a fuss,” Li Yunxi said, her eyes twinkling with amusement. Then she turned and said, “Hey, Lin Xiao, we had a bet, and you won. I promised you something, so tell me what you want.”

But to her surprise, she found no one behind her. Lin Xiao had somehow slipped away without her noticing.

Li Yunxi’s eyes widened, and she turned to Chen Xue, standing nearby, and demanded, “Where’s Lin Xiao?”

Chen Xue, without Lin Xiao’s ability to vanish and aware of Li Yunxi’s standing, felt a great deal of pressure from her question. He quickly offered a smile and replied, “Miss Li, Brother Lin just left.”

“He left? Why didn’t you tell me when he was leaving?” Li Yunxi snapped, her anger evident.

Her excitement at finding out that Lin Xiao had left quickly dissipated, replaced by annoyance.

Chen Xue looked helplessly at her and explained, “Miss Li, I don’t know when Brother Lin left. By the time I noticed, he was already gone.”

Li Yunxi was frustrated and felt a sting of betrayal, fuming at Lin Xiao’s actions. For the first time, she had taken an interest in a man, only to have him leave without a word. In a sprawling city like Jinghai, with a population in the millions, finding Lin Xiao again without any contact information would be an immense challenge.

Chen Xue caught Li Yunxi’s eye and cautiously offered, “Miss Li, if you’re looking for Brother Lin, I could help you.”

Li Yunxi’s eyes sparkled, and she asked with an eagerness she didn’t even recognize in herself, “Really? Tell me right away. If you truly find him, I’ll reward you handsomely.”

Chen Xue’s eyes flashed with delight as he hurriedly began to tell her what he knew, “Miss Li…”