Chapter 528: Chapter 528: The Gray Mouse
The man watched Xu Ke continuously approach him, with six strong men lying neatly behind Xu Ke, not one of them getting up to block his way. This was a situation that had never happened before.
"What are you still lying on the ground for? Is there super glue on the floor that keeps you down? Hurry up and get him off me!" the man shouted loudly, pointing at the six men on the ground.
A voice as sharp as a woman’s came out of the man’s throat, making Xu Ke’s foot, which was about to take another step forward, freeze in place.
Xu Ke dug at his ears, which were aching from the unexpected noise, and said, "Stop shouting. Even if you scream your throat hoarse, they still won’t be able to stand up. For the next couple of days, they’ll only be able to maintain their current state. It’s unlikely they’ll be able to save you."
"What did you do to them?" As soon as Xu Ke spoke, the man’s eyes turned fearful as he looked at Xu Ke.
"What could I have done to them? Didn’t you just see what I did?" Xu Ke’s lips curved slightly into a smile that should have been as pure as spring snow; yet, the man found it terrifying, especially as Xu Ke took a half-step closer, increasing his fear significantly.
"Don’t come near me!" The man screamed again, pointing at Xu Ke’s lifted foot.
"Why do you sound like a woman, even louder? It’s making my ears hurt," Ariel said, looking at the man with disdain, and buried her head in Xu Ke’s chest seeking comfort under the man’s gaze.
Xu Ke gently rubbed Ariel’s ear with concern, asking softly, "Does it still hurt?"
Ariel’s ears turned a rosy hue, whether from Xu Ke’s rubbing or because she was shy, like a high-quality blood jade, red and translucent.
The man had no interest in appreciating Ariel at this moment; his entire attention was focused on Xu Ke. Although what he did just now was a bit embarrassing, as long as he could stay unharmed, what did it matter if he lost face? He didn’t care anymore!
The man took advantage of the moment Xu Ke was comforting Ariel to try to sneak away, but sharp-eyed Ariel spotted him instantly, "Why do you keep trying to run outside? We’re not going to eat you. What are you afraid of? Besides, weren’t you quite arrogant just now? You wanted to buy me with money and ordered your men to beat me. So why are you running now? Why not keep being arrogant?" Ariel raised an eyebrow, her eyes carrying a provocative look as she questioned.
"Running? Which eye of yours saw me running? I just didn’t like where I was standing and wanted to change my spot, that’s all," the man said, his face flushed as he puffed out his chest, trying to muster some courage.
"Oh~ that’s how it is, huh?" Ariel drew out her words, looking at the man with a playful gaze, and her teasing was obvious to anyone listening.
Xu Ke had no intention to stop Ariel; instead, he playfully toyed with Ariel’s earlobe as if he’d found an amusing toy.
"What kind of expression is that? Don’t think you’re all that just because you’re good at fighting. In Yunzhou, anyone who dares to mess with me is doomed." The man shouted, his bluster hiding his cowardice.
"But I’m in a good mood today, so I’ll let you off for now. If I run into you again some other day, you’ll pay. So, remember to steer clear of me when you see me in the future, got it?" The man said to Xu Ke, lacking confidence in his voice.
He was wary of Xu Ke’s ability to incapacitate people, so he didn’t care about being laughed at. After finishing his threats, he turned and left, completely forgetting about the six men on the ground.
To him, these six men couldn’t even beat one person; they were like useless fools, unworthy of his attention and not worth keeping in mind.
Ariel stared blankly at the man, who made empty threats and left in disgrace, not knowing what to say. Since arriving in China, she had never seen someone so cowardly; even high school girls she met were braver. Yet this guy boasted of being the infamous bully of Yunzhou—it was laughable.
"Are we just letting him go? I haven’t had the chance to enjoy slapping that jerk," Ariel said to Xu Ke, pouting coquettishly as she watched the man’s disappearing silhouette.
"Don’t worry, we’ll have another chance to meet him. Then you can slap him all you want, okay?" Xu Ke said, rubbing Ariel’s earlobe.
"Since baby says we’ll meet him again, I’ll believe in you. Just don’t let him escape like he did today," Ariel replied, removing Xu Ke’s hand from her ear.
"Don’t worry; we definitely won’t let him go so easily next time." Xu Ke narrowed his eyes slightly, rubbing his fingers together as if reminiscing about something while he gently fondled Ariel’s earlobe.
"But the way he ran just now was really like a big rat, scurrying away, hehe." Thinking of this, Ariel felt a lot of her earlier annoyance melt away. She contentedly squinted her eyes, although it didn’t completely disappear; she still made a note to herself to teach him a lesson the next time they meet.
"He did look a bit like that." Xu Ke agreed with Ariel.
"He ran off so fast he didn’t even bother about his own men. What do we do with these six guys?" Ariel asked, glancing at the six men lying on the ground.
"Let them lie there. It’s their own path they chose, so they must keep walking it even if it’s lying down," Xu Ke said, showing no sympathy for them.
If it weren’t he and Ariel being bullied today, but someone who couldn’t defend themselves, the outcome would have been obvious. When they attacked, they held nothing back. Why should Xu Ke have to care for these six men now?
Whether they keep lying there or some kind soul takes them to the hospital is their fate and has nothing to do with him.
After saying this, Xu Ke pushed his luggage and left with Ariel.
Ariel was extremely pleased with Xu Ke’s decision. She still remembered their ruthless faces when they attacked her. Never underestimate a woman’s ability to hold a grudge, no matter how pretty she is—it doesn’t help.
Ariel cast a fleeting glance at the six men behind her, then proudly held onto Xu Ke’s arm and left, head held high.