81:At Most, a Couple of Months in the Hospital

The blond young man erupted in a furious rage, never before having encountered such an arrogant kid.

Ye Xingkong couldn't help but smile; this man was truly interesting. Her gaze remained fixed on Shen Yifei, trying to discern something about him.

Shen Yifei, however, remained impassive, a hint of lazy indifference gracing his features.

This sudden impression made Ye Xingkong feel that the man before her was profoundly mysterious, possessing an inexplicable, unique charm that drew her in.

Ye Xingkong found it almost laughable; the sheer number of wealthy, attractive, and successful men (elite bachelors often sought after for their looks and fortune) who pursued her at school could fill an entire building, yet she had never felt this kind of emotion towards any of them. Moreover, she and Shen Yifei were complete strangers.

"Handsome... what's your name?" After a moment of hesitation, Ye Xingkong couldn't resist asking, lightly tapping Shen Yifei's shoulder.

Shen Yifei paused, surprised that this perpetually cool and beautiful young woman would actually address him. He casually replied, "Shen Yifei."

"Mmm." Ye Xingkong nodded silently, not pressing for more.

After another stop, Ye Xingkong disembarked. Before leaving, she glanced back at Shen Yifei, a premonition stirring within her that their paths would cross again.

One more stop brought them to the bustling Commercial Pedestrian Street. Shen Yifei and the two women stepped off the bus. The blond young man, hands still in his pockets, followed suit, his face clouded with malice as he fixed a menacing glare on Shen Yifei, a cold sneer twisting his lips.

Su Muqing and Liu Xiaoxiao naturally noticed the blond youth behind them. They exchanged uneasy glances, their pretty faces clouding with concern.

From the start, this man had been spouting arrogant remarks, and now that he had followed them off the bus, it was clear he wasn't someone to be trifled with. They suspected he was looking for trouble with Shen Yifei.

Su Muqing and Liu Xiaoxiao felt a pang of worry, though not for Shen Yifei's safety. Instead, they worried that Shen Yifei was about to beat someone up again...

Shen Yifei glanced back at the blond youth, a faint scoff escaping him.

Incensed and humiliated, the blond youth lunged forward, blocking Shen Yifei's path.

"Think being in the military makes you tough, huh? Heh. Let me tell you, punk, don't you dare act big in front of *this* master! Or I'll flatten you in a minute!" the blond youth ranted, his face contorted with malevolent arrogance.

"One chance. Get lost," Shen Yifei stated, his voice devoid of emotion.

The blond youth exploded in fury, roaring, "Oh, so you *really* think this master won't lay a hand on you, huh?"

With that, he drew a gleaming dagger from his waist.

A cold sneer formed in Shen Yifei's heart. Trash, truly, remained trash. This guy was clearly nothing more than a common street thug.

Onlookers, seeing the situation escalate, scrambled to distance themselves from the area.

Noticing the knife, Su Muqing and Liu Xiaoxiao's expressions shifted, a hint of nervousness entering their faces.

The blond youth leered at Su Muqing beside Shen Yifei. "Tsk, tsk," he clicked his tongue. "Your friend is truly beautiful. She's not your girlfriend, is she?"

"What do you want?" Su Muqing asked, her voice icy.

"What do I want? Hahaha! Hand over all your money, and you two beauties stay right here!" the blond youth chuckled lewdly.

Shen Yifei let out a dry chuckle. "You've got some nerve. Looks like you need a lesson."

"Shen Yifei, don't be rash!" Liu Xiaoxiao grabbed his arm, her brow furrowed.

"It's fine. Just teaching a scumbag a lesson," Shen Yifei shrugged.

The blond youth froze for a moment. In all his years of mugging, it was the first time he'd encountered someone so utterly unconcerned while facing a blade.

"Damn it, hurry up! Hand over the money! Do you believe I'll gut you, you useless soldier?!" The blond youth thrust the dagger forward.

"No," Shen Yifei replied, his eyes narrowing dangerously, his expression darkening.

"You're asking for death!" the blond youth roared violently, lunging forward to stab Shen Yifei.

Shen Yifei never reasoned with thugs. He simply launched a direct punch.

"CRACK!"

A heavy, muffled crack reverberated. Before the blond youth's dagger could even reach him, Shen Yifei's fist landed squarely on his chest.

Even with Shen Yifei holding back his strength, the power behind that single punch was astonishing. The blond youth was sent flying eight or nine meters, crashing heavily against a utility pole.

The blond youth spat blood, his face turning a purplish-red. He lay in a pool of blood, his body convulsing, an expression of utter terror etched upon his features.

That wasn't a mere punch! The blond youth felt as if he'd been kicked by an African elephant!

Blood ceaselessly seeped from the corners of the blond youth's mouth, and he quickly lost consciousness.

"Shen Yifei, you... couldn't you have gone a little easier?!" Su Muqing's pretty face paled as she cried out.

Shen Yifei scratched his head. "I *was* holding back a lot!"

Liu Xiaoxiao's delicate frame trembled even more. Pointing at the collapsed blond youth, she stammered in alarm, "Shen... Shen Yifei! You didn't kill him, did you?"

"My blows aren't *that* heavy. He won't die. At most, he'll be laid up in the hospital for a couple of months," Shen Yifei said languidly.

Liu Xiaoxiao rolled her eyes at Shen Yifei, speechless. The guy had beaten someone so severely, yet his expression was one of complete innocence.

Still, that blond man had been truly annoying. Both Su Muqing and Liu Xiaoxiao secretly felt a sense of relief, even if Shen Yifei's actions were a bit extreme.

"Alright, let's go. Don't mind him," Shen Yifei urged.

Su Muqing and Liu Xiaoxiao exchanged another glance, then opted to quickly follow Shen Yifei away from the scene.

They began their shopping spree.

Shen Yifei had always found shopping somewhat enjoyable, but he quickly realized he was gravely mistaken. Accompanying these two beauties on a shopping trip felt like a surefire way to be worked to death.

The two women wandered from store to store, while Shen Yifei became their impromptu porter. In no time, his hands were piled high with bags of all sizes, until he finally resorted to stuffing them all into a travel bag and slinging it over his shoulder.

But that wasn't the main point. The real issue was the terrifying enthusiasm of the two women. They moved from one shop to the next, their slender legs carrying them at a speed even men who frequented basketball courts might struggle to match.

If Shen Yifei were choosing clothes for himself, he'd visit at most one or two stores. But these two beauties insisted on entering nearly every shop, seemingly finding joy in the act of trying on clothes. They would repeatedly pull him over, asking if outfits looked good, leaving Shen Yifei only able to nod his head limply, his ears practically calloused from the endless stream of questions.

The sole perk of accompanying beautiful women on a shopping trip, Shen Yifei grudgingly admitted, was watching them try on clothes, to which he offered continuous praise, complimenting their beauty, a sight he could never tire of.

As they passed a lingerie store with a rather bold design, Liu Xiaoxiao asked Su Muqing, "Xiao Xue (Su Muqing's nickname), should we go in and have a look at this place?"

Su Muqing subtly glanced at Shen Yifei, a hint of embarrassment crossing her face. "Let's skip it," she said. "Isn't there a man following us?"

"The way you put that, it's as if I'm some kind of villain," Shen Yifei said with a shrug.

"I know you're not a bad guy, but whether you're a good guy? That's debatable," Liu Xiaoxiao retorted, pursing her lips. A sudden thought struck her, a mischievous idea forming in her mind.

Shen Yifei always pretended to be so proper, like a block of wood when it came to women. This was the perfect chance to test if he was just putting on an act.

"Ahem, Shen Yifei," Liu Xiaoxiao began, her lips curving into a mischievous smile as she shot him a knowing look. "Xiao Xue and I are going in to try on some lingerie. Would you... like to watch?"

"You mischievous girl! What nonsense are you spouting?!" Su Muqing's beautiful face flushed slightly, and she tapped Liu Xiaoxiao's forehead in exasperated embarrassment.

"Ow!" Liu Xiaoxiao cried, cradling her head. She then playfully huffed, "Xiao Xue, lingerie is still clothing, isn't it? Besides, it's the modern age! Don't be so old-fashioned!"