Chapter 355: Not a Little Girl

“Oh? Seems like you’ve heard my name before.” Lin Xiao raised an eyebrow, a hint of intrigue flickering in his eyes.

Qiao Fei forced himself to suppress the terror gripping his heart. His gaze swept over Lin Xiao repeatedly, and finally, the image before him overlapped with the infamous figure in his mind.

His legs went weak.

With a heavy thud, he collapsed to the ground, as if every ounce of strength had been drained from his body.

Fear.

Despair.

It surged through him like an unrelenting tide.

Even Lin Xiao himself was unaware of the sheer magnitude of his infamy in the underworld of Jinghai City.

Especially after what had transpired in Zhenjiang District a few days prior, where he had humiliated the Mad Fang Gang in front of the entire Jiangnan Province underworld, crushed dozens of their elite members single-handedly, and walked away unscathed. The entire criminal world was shaken to its core.

Since then, the name Lin Xiao had spread like wildfire across the Jiangnan underworld.

Qiao Fei had, of course, heard of him.

But never in his worst nightmares did he think that his luck would be so wretched—that he would end up provoking this man on his own.

The Mad Fang Gang was one of the major forces in Jiangnan’s underworld. Compared to them, he was nothing more than a petty thug.

If he had to sum up his feelings in seven words, they would be: Heart ashen with despair, regret beyond tears.

“L-Lin… Mr. Lin… I… I accept your conditions…” Qiao Fei stammered out with great difficulty, his voice hoarse and dry. “When I return, I will immediately dissolve… disband… my group and… turn myself in to the police.”

The moment he uttered the final word, it was as if he had aged decades in an instant. His face turned ashen, and his eyes were devoid of light.

He didn’t dare doubt Lin Xiao’s words.

A man who could publicly defy the Mad Fang Gang—what did a small-time gang leader like him amount to in comparison?

Power and freedom were valuable, yes.

But compared to life itself?

They meant nothing.

“I’ll be watching you,” Lin Xiao said flatly. “If I don’t see news of your surrender tomorrow, I will personally come find you. And I won’t be as polite as I am now.”

With that, Lin Xiao turned and left without sparing Qiao Fei another glance.

Only after Lin Xiao had disappeared into the distance did Qiao Fei muster the strength to crawl to his feet.

Dragging his exhausted body forward, he suddenly let out a heart-wrenching roar:

“Why the hell did I even come here?!”

Regret consumed him. If he had never come looking for Lin Xiao, he would still be living the high life as a gang leader. How had things turned so wretched?

***

Back at the entrance of the Mountain Lodge, the scene of the earlier battle remained.

The gangsters whom Lin Xiao had beaten down were helping each other up.

Upon seeing him return, their faces instantly twisted in terror. Like mice encountering a cat, none dared to meet his gaze.

“Uncle Wang, are you alright?” Lin Xiao ignored them and turned to the bruised and battered Wang Tianping.

“Mr. Lin, I’m fine,” Wang Tianping said with deep gratitude, his eyes filled with reverence. “If it weren’t for you today, I don’t even want to imagine what could have happened. Truly… thank you.”

“This whole thing started because of me. Naturally, I should be the one to end it,” Lin Xiao said with a slight smile. “Since you’re unharmed, I’ll head back to rest. See you.”

“O-Okay.”

Lin Xiao returned to the room.

Ning Xi was still sound asleep. She was completely unaware of what had just transpired outside.

She turned over in her sleep, the blanket slipping down to reveal her smooth, snow-white stomach. Her long, delicate legs were curled up, her elegant curves accentuated in an undeniably captivating way.

Lin Xiao quietly picked up the blanket and gently covered her again. Then, he sat cross-legged on the floor, closed his eyes, and entered a meditative state.

***

The Next Morning.

“Big Brother, Big Sister, don’t forget about me!” Wang Xue clung onto Ning Xi’s soft hand, her large eyes brimming with tears.

Ning Xi smiled and ruffled her hair. “How could I ever forget you? Make sure to visit me in Jinghai City, okay?”

Wang Xue nodded vigorously.

“Ning Xi, we should go. The bus is leaving soon,” Lin Xiao reminded softly.

Ning Xi gave Wang Xue’s cheek a gentle pinch before reluctantly letting go. Taking Lin Xiao’s arm, she boarded the waiting bus.

With a loud rumble, the bus set off toward Jinghai’s city center.

Back in Jinghai, Ning Xi, though reluctant, had to part ways with Lin Xiao.

Her brief moment of peace had come to an end. It was time to return to her busy life.

Lin Xiao watched her enter the Brilliant Tower before driving his Cayenne back to Maple Leaf Street.

When he opened the front door, the sight that greeted him left him momentarily stunned.

In the living room, Yuan Yu and Huang Caixing stood side by side, wearing white T-shirts and shorts, sweating profusely as they performed deep squats.

Both girls had strikingly attractive figures, though Huang Caixing was noticeably more well-endowed than Yuan Yu. With each rise and squat, their well-developed curves trembled slightly with movement.

The moment they saw Lin Xiao step inside, their eyes instantly lit up.

Huang Caixing was the faster of the two. Before Lin Xiao could even react, she had already leaped up and thrown herself into his arms, tightly hugging his waist.

“Brother Lin, what took you so long to come back?” she whined.

Yuan Yu also wanted to hug him, but was a step too slow. Instead, she settled for wrapping her arms around his arm. “Brother Lin, welcome home.”

“What were you two just doing?” Lin Xiao asked, patting both girls on the head.

“Exercise, of course. Didn’t you tell us to train more?” Huang Caixing answered quickly. “Plus, the school’s sports meet is coming up, and we signed up for a few events. We’re working hard to prepare.”

Yuan Yu added softly, “I signed up for jump rope, and Caixing signed up for the 800-meter race. We wanted to tell you last night, but you weren’t home.”

“I see,” Lin Xiao nodded.

Huang Caixing suddenly stepped back, exchanging a glance with Yuan Yu.

Then, the two of them took two steps back, staring at Lin Xiao with an uncharacteristically serious expression, scrutinizing him from head to toe.

Lin Xiao raised an eyebrow. “What’s with you two?”

Huang Caixing cleared her throat, crossed her arms, and questioned him sternly, “Big Brother Lin, be honest. Where were you last night?”

Lin Xiao didn’t even hesitate. “Didn’t I text you? I went to a resort with a friend.”

Huang Caixing’s bright eyes flickered mischievously. She wasn’t satisfied with that answer. Pouting, she pressed on, “What kind of friend? A guy or a girl? Why did you stay out all night? And why is this outfit something we’ve never seen before?”

She fired off her questions like an interrogator grilling a suspect.

While she spoke, Yuan Yu stood quietly beside her, gazing at Lin Xiao with soft, water-like eyes, patiently waiting for his response.

Lin Xiao couldn’t help but chuckle. “Are you two interrogating me?”

Looking at their serious expressions, he felt both amused and exasperated. Suppressing the urge to roll his eyes, he said, “You two little girls, do I need to report my whereabouts to you now?”

“Who are you calling little girls?!” Huang Caixing stomped her foot. “I’m not little at all, okay?!”