27: You'd Better Watch Your Mouth

"You!" Qiao Lan was so furious she was about to explode.

Just then, a flash of blue streaked through the air.

A sleek, blue Bugatti Veyron roared to a stop in front of the villa.

With its elegant yet aggressive angles, a visually striking body, and an eye-catching polished finish, the arrival of this top-tier luxury car instantly turned heads.

A young man, dressed in a trendy, Japanese/Korean street-style outfit, stepped out. He wore sunglasses and ear studs. His whole demeanor perfectly embodied the quintessential rich kid, a quintessential young lord (an arrogant, privileged son of a wealthy family).

"Mom, I'm back!" he yelled.

"Xiao Xing, you're back! Were you tired?"

The cold scowl on Qiao Lan's face vanished, replaced by a doting smile as she hurried over to greet the young man.

The young man's name was Qiao Xing, and he was Qiao Lan's son. He wasn't the son of Su Muqing's adoptive father, of course.

Qiao Lan already had a son from before her marriage to Su Muqing's adoptive father, and he shared her family name.

So, Qiao Xing was Su Muqing's step-brother, even though they had no blood relation.

"Damn it, dance practice has me completely exhausted. Next time they have those events, I'm just not going," Qiao Xing said lazily, sinking into a lounge chair.

His eyes flickered over Shen Yifei and Su Muqing, and a look of interest crossed his face.

"Sister, you're here too? You must be tired of standing. Why don't you come sit down for a while?" Qiao Xing's gaze lingered on Su Muqing's body.

Truth be told, Su Muqing was one of the most stunning women Qiao Xing had ever seen, far more beautiful than any of the campus queens back at his university. He was even considering trying to court his so-called sister, but it seemed Qiao Lan disliked her intensely.

Su Muqing raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow and said coolly, "No thanks. We've finished our business."

"Business? What business could you and Mom possibly have? Is it that engagement to the young master of the Luo family again? Ah, Sister, you're so pretty, it would be a shame for you to get married off," Qiao Xing chuckled, crossing his legs and letting his eyes wander over Su Muqing's chest and legs again.

Feeling Qiao Xing's invasive stare, a flash of anger stirred in Su Muqing's heart.

Qiao Lan patted Qiao Xing's shoulder affectionately. "Xiao Xing, what does it matter to you? It's a blessing for Su Muqing to be able to marry the Luo family's young master."

"Alright, alright. I just think it's a shame to marry off such a beautiful sister," Qiao Xing laughed.

Su Muqing remained silent, her eyes cold as she watched the mother and son.

Shen Yifei's face was expressionless. It was clear this pair of a mother and son were two of a kind.

"Hey, who are you? I've never seen you around before," Qiao Xing asked, his eyes falling on Shen Yifei with a curious look.

Before Shen Yifei could answer, Su Muqing said coldly, "He's my bodyguard."

Qiao Xing clicked his tongue. "Tsk tsk, a bodyguard? What's your name?"

"Shen Yifei," he answered flatly.

"An easy name to remember. I'll just call you 'Wanderer.' Hahaha, Wanderer, what kind of kung fu (Chinese martial arts) do you know as a bodyguard? Why don't you show me a few moves?" Qiao Xing teased, his face a mask of mockery.

"Xiao Xing, don't bother with these lowly commoners," Qiao Lan said, patting her son's shoulder and giving Shen Yifei a contemptuous look.

"It's fine, Mom. I just want to see what this Wanderer can do." Qiao Xing chuckled, then turned to Shen Yifei. "Wanderer, let me tell you, I've studied boxing at school. My skills are probably just as good as yours!"

Shen Yifei laughed softly. "Well, if you're so keen to see my kung fu, why don't we have a little sparring match?"

Qiao Xing immediately held up his fists, bouncing on his toes in a boxing stance. "Come on, come on, Wanderer! I don't see anything special about your build. And I won't hold back. Don't blame me if I knock you down."

"Alright, Xing-boy, bring it on," Shen Yifei said, stepping forward with a grin.

"You son of a bitch, who are you calling 'Xing-boy'? Take this!"

Qiao Xing's face twisted in annoyance. He hopped forward like a monkey, throwing a punch at Shen Yifei.

The punch was so light and weak it wouldn't have hurt a fly.

Shen Yifei, unwilling to waste any more time on this idiot (a derogatory term for an arrogant, stupid young person), simply kicked out, catching Qiao Xing squarely in the abdomen.

"Thump!"

With a dull thud like a soccer ball being kicked, Qiao Xing's body flew through the air, crashing heavily to the ground.

"Ah! Ouch! My stomach!"

A pig-like shriek followed. Qiao Xing spit up a mouthful of sour liquid, his face contorted in pain as he rolled on the ground, clutching his abdomen.

"You, you f*cking dare to hit me!" he yelled, twisting on the ground.

Having been spoiled since childhood, Qiao Xing had a low tolerance for pain or disrespect. He couldn't believe a mere bodyguard would dare to lay a hand on him.

Qiao Lan was absolutely furious. She pointed at Shen Yifei and shrieked, "You dare to hit my son!"

Su Muqing was speechless, her head starting to ache. Couldn't Shen Yifei just stay out of trouble?

"I had no choice," Shen Yifei said, shrugging helplessly. "Your son was just asking for it."

Qiao Lan was on the verge of a full-blown rampage. "You're just a lowly secretary, and not only did you provoke me, but you dared to hit my son! You have a death wish! Bodyguards! Get over here! Kill this beast (a term of extreme insult)!"

Unfortunately for Qiao Lan, she had fired several bodyguards just yesterday, and there was no one around to protect her. Those bodyguards had also grown tired of her arrogant, bossy attitude.

Shen Yifei's face darkened, a sneer on his lips as he walked toward Qiao Lan.

"What do you think you're doing! I..."

Before Qiao Lan could finish, Shen Yifei kicked the beach table, shattering it right in the middle. Wood chips flew everywhere, the wood splintering into a thousand pieces.

A cup of coffee on the table flew up and spilled all over Qiao Lan, drenching her and leaving her looking utterly pathetic.

"Ms. He, I suggest you watch your mouth," Shen Yifei said with a cold sneer.

"You beast (a term of extreme insult), I'll kill you!" Qiao Lan managed to get up, her face twisted with rage as she shrieked at Shen Yifei.

Without a moment's hesitation, Shen Yifei kicked a corner of the beach chair on the lawn.

"Thump!"

With a solid thud, the chair leg struck Qiao Lan directly in the abdomen. She let out a scream of agony, her face contorted in pain as she fell to the ground, unable to get back up.