What I Care About

Xiang Feihu had never intended to make a move right away.

That would have been too crude, too obvious—beneath the rules of nobility.

Though he had spent several years in the military, he had grown up in the Li Family and picked up a few things through constant exposure. He was no master schemer, but he knew a few little tricks.

Young men Ronan's age cared most about saving face.

If he simply took Su Xiao away without giving Ronan a chance to speak, the other man would surely fly into a rage and recklessly challenge him.

And then, when that happened, he would have a perfectly legitimate reason to act.

A cold smile flickered across Xiang Feihu's lips.

Su Xiao suddenly startled!

She instantly saw through the retired officer's intentions and decisively said, "I'll go with you. Ronan, let him go. Mr. Xiang is my bodyguard."

Xiang Feihu frowned.

Su Xiao had reacted even faster than he had expected. No wonder she was the woman Li Nanbei had taken a liking to.

Once she said that, as long as Ronan let go, he would have no way to make a move.

Yet her anxious reaction only made him want to teach Ronan a lesson even more.

All he could do was pray that the boy was even more reckless than he had imagined.

Sure enough, Ronan did not let go.

Still gripping Xiang Feihu's right hand, he turned sideways to look at Su Xiao. "Don't you find this annoying?"

The crowd was stunned by those words!

That sentence had completely ignored Xiang Feihu!

It was exactly the same as what Xiang Feihu had done before.

To nobles who cared deeply about their dignity, this was called a slap in the face.

Xiang Feihu froze for a moment, then gave a sinister smile.

By the bar, no one had expected things to develop this far.

They had originally thought Xiang Feihu would merely humiliate Ronan, and that Ronan would leave in disgrace.

They had not expected Ronan to openly clash with Xiang Feihu.

Things seemed to have become very serious!

"Xiang Feihu hits hard! Last time, several playboys who tried to harass Su Xiao got beaten black and blue by him. One of them is still bedridden!"

"He relies on the Li Family's influence and never shows mercy. I heard he has powerful connections in the military too."

"Isn't this going a little too far?"

Several girls chattered anxiously. Wang Xiaoman was so nervous that she kept clutching the hem of her skirt.

Wei Wei frowned.

She had wanted Ronan to make a fool of himself and learn a proper lesson.

But if someone from the Li Family attacked Ronan in front of everyone like this, then the Li Family would undoubtedly be provoking Yi Lin Manor!

Everyone knew that the Tri-Alliance Group, controlled by Earl Will, was the largest conglomerate in Blue Sea Province. It monopolized the Primal Stone mining rights on the six resource-richest planets near the Emerald Star Region, and its annual Primal Stone output accounted for nearly two-thirds of the entire Emerald Star Region!

The remaining third was divided between the Red Hat Snake Family and other smaller companies.

In recent years, with the replacement of the Governor of Blue Sea Province, changes in military and political laws, and the impending expiration of the Primal Stone monopoly contract Earl Will had signed with the Empire thirty years ago, the Emerald Star Region had been in a state of turmoil.

Anyone with eyes could see that the Li Family intended to seize this opportunity to topple the Tri-Alliance Group, a great tree that was showing signs of terminal decline, and become the new ruler of the Emerald Star Region. Though the two sides still maintained an appearance of friendly cooperation, they had already clashed several times in secret, with victories and losses on both sides.

But Earl Will had no sons, and Yi Lin Manor's lack of an heir remained a fatal weakness.

Even worse, the Li Family had Li Nanbei.

A mecha combat genius who had become a Level 7 Mecha Pilot at nineteen—within the Emerald Star Region, that was practically a legend!

Although Wei Wei was also exceptionally talented in management, she was still young, and she was a girl. She simply could not rival Li Nanbei's brilliance.

And Ronan's appearance now seemed like a desperate and foolish move by Earl Will.

Yet it was also the only solution. After all, the Brinton Family had no descendants among its close bloodline.

Wei Wei wanted to teach Ronan a lesson, but if Xiang Feihu beat him so badly that he lost all face in a setting like this, the Tri-Alliance Group's stock price would probably plunge several points tomorrow!

Because Ronan was now one of Yi Lin Manor's people.

Realizing this, Wei Wei suddenly panicked!

"No! Xiang Feihu doesn't know Ronan's background. He might strike without restraint. Though the Li Family would definitely offer compensation on the surface afterward, they could claim ignorance, and Ronan was the one who started it... We're finished!"

If Ronan was slapped in the face, the ones whose faces would swell more painfully would actually be Earl Will and Yi Lin Manor!

And her, Wei Wei.

"I'm going to stop them!"

Christine suddenly realized this too and hurried over.

They were young, after all, and had not thought things through. At first, they had only wanted to watch the show, never expecting Su Xiao's involvement to turn a prank into yet another clash between Yi Lin Manor and the Li Family!

Of course, Xiang Feihu knew nothing about it. Su Xiao did know Ronan, but she had not given it much thought either.

All she wanted now was to keep any more innocent people from being hurt because of her.

So she shook her head and quickly said, "Don't be ridiculous. Mr. Xiang is a retired special forces soldier from the Second Star Region. Let go now, and he won't hold it against you."

She was already doing everything she could to help Ronan.

Xiang Feihu's gaze was ice-cold.

He was truly angry now.

Su Xiao had pleaded for Ronan again and again. Could it be that this pretty boy was really her new lover?

If that was true, Xiang Feihu would find it utterly humiliating! He had failed to properly complete the task his brother had entrusted to him!

His expression darkened.

Yet Ronan continued to ignore him.

He merely smiled. "It's not that serious, Miss Su Xiao."

"Actually, I just wanted to ask—don't you find it annoying?"

Su Xiao froze for a moment, then gave a bitter smile.

"Would anyone care about how I feel?"

No one cared.

Not even the father who claimed to dote on her would care.

All he cared about was how much profit the marriage alliance with the Li Family could bring Deep Blue Heavy Industries; whether the stock price would rise, whether the planned acquisition could proceed as scheduled, whether the shareholders would be satisfied, whether the long-term loans could be smoothly rolled over...

So to Su Xiao, Ronan's question was exceedingly childish.

Of course, only a child raised in the countryside would ask something like that.

Su Xiao silently shook her head.

But at that moment, she heard an unbelievable answer.

"I care."

Ronan said it.

At that instant, not only did Xiang Feihu's expression change, the entire hall erupted!

Holy crap!

What did that mean?

This kid had just arrived at Yi Lin Manor, and he was already planning to steal Li Nanbei's woman?

Could this country bumpkin really be Earl Will's illegitimate son, or some secret weapon Yi Lin Manor had prepared?

Tonight was destined to be a spectacle!

The crowd pressed in even closer.

"What did you say?" Su Xiao could hardly believe it.

Ronan calmly repeated himself. "I care."

"I'm very dissatisfied with your answer. How could no one care about your feelings?"

"I don't know you very well, and I don't understand all the undercurrents between great families like yours, but at the very least, I care."

"This Bedrock Cake—you may not know this, but someone wanted to make a fool of me with it. If I asked many of the people here, they would probably brush it off with a joke or laugh it away instead of seriously telling me how to eat it. That's the difference between you and them. So I think you're a good person."

"And I owe you a favor. The cake was really delicious."

Ronan did not speak quickly. He sounded as though he were simply stating something obvious. "After Mr. Xiang showed up, you looked very unhappy. So even if he is your bodyguard, I would still advise you to replace him."

The crowd fell silent, then laughed awkwardly.

This kid was really too naive. Could Xiang Feihu simply be replaced? He was a pawn representing the Li Family!

Su Xiao lowered her head in disappointment, seemingly lost in thought.

But Ronan was not finished. For the first time, he looked at Xiang Feihu and said seriously, "Mr. Xiang, your presence is making Miss Su Xiao feel annoyed, so I think it would be better if you left."

The hall fell into dead silence once more.

Everyone stared at the scene in stunned disbelief.

This kid was trying to defy the heavens!

He completely refused to play by the rules!

Ask Xiang Feihu to leave?

Who did he think he was? Could he make that happen?

Everyone's emotions had reached the breaking point.

They eagerly awaited what would happen next—whether Ronan would be brutally beaten by Xiang Feihu, or the former would catch everyone off guard and shine brilliantly, either outcome would be a delight to watch.

Yet the scene they wanted to see did not unfold.

Because a girl in a red dress arrived gracefully.

Everyone raised their glasses in greeting.

Only then did some who had become too engrossed remember that this was the seventeenth birthday of the new Governor of Blue Sea Province's daughter.

Christine said gently, "Gentlemen, the banquet is about to begin. Is it really appropriate to leave a lady with broken shoes standing barefoot on the cold floor like this?"

Xiang Feihu frowned. He had just been about to make a move when Christine unexpectedly appeared at this critical moment.

Ronan's words had already been enough for him to act.

But he still had to give the Blue Sea Governor's daughter some face.

He dipped his head slightly. "Miss Christine, you are even more beautiful than last year. Happy birthday. I shall escort Miss Su to change her shoes at once."

Ronan also released his hand and offered a birthday greeting.

Christine let out a sigh of relief, while Wei Wei in the distance wore a complicated expression.

Just as everyone thought the conflict had come to an end, Ronan suddenly said something startling. "Forgive my bluntness, but in such a private setting, isn't it against the rules for a bodyguard to enter the hall and party venue?"

"I see that many of the gentlemen and ladies present have left their personal bodyguards outside the venue."

"Mr. Xiang is merely an attendant, yet he has entered the nobles' social gathering without permission. It seems he has no regard for Miss Christine at all."

The instant those words were spoken, the fury in Xiang Feihu's eyes nearly burst forth!

The entire crowd immediately caught the scent of gunpowder!

Christine's brows knit slightly.

Ronan's words left no room for compromise, putting her in a difficult position.

Because those were indeed the rules. Everyone else's bodyguards had been left outside. Security at the venue was naturally the responsibility of the Governor's Mansion.

But the Li Family was ultimately an exception. This was a potential privilege granted to a super family on the verge of rising to prominence, and no one would point it out.

Yet once it was pointed out, unexpected things would happen.

Like now.

Xiang Feihu stared at Ronan coldly.

"Xiang is indeed just a bodyguard, but what is your status, sir?"

Ronan smiled faintly. "My name is Ronan. I come from Yi Lin Manor."

Thanks to reader Rainy Night Journey for the 10,000-point reward! From Headshot to Dark Night and now Star River, thank you to my longtime readers who have supported me all this time! I'm truly touched! It's thanks to all of you that Coconut can keep writing!