Suisen

"Let me help you." Shiyu started helping Xiao Xing with the work.

At last, after half an hour—an hour, really—all the goods had been packed.

Xiao Xing was exhausted and panting, while Shiyu remained composed.

"All done! That'll be..."

"Oh!? Sorry, I didn't bring any money today! Maybe next time!" the rich young man said with a sly grin, turning to leave.

"Hey, are you messing with us?" Shiyu's expression darkened. He placed one hand on the rich young man's shoulder.

"Oh? You're a ninja? Big deal. What, you want to hit me? This is Konoha. You won't get away with beating me."

"Help! They're forcing me to buy things!" The rich young man seemed to have deliberately set them up. Several bodyguards at the entrance swarmed into the general store.

"What's going on? What's going on?! Why is it so noisy?!"

"Manager..." Before Xiao Xing could explain, the bearded manager immediately recognized the rich young man.

"Wow! Young Master Nakajima! It's you! What's got you so angry?" The bearded manager's face instantly turned obsequious. It was clear he was a very smooth operator.

Young Master Nakajima sneered. "Your employee tried to force me to buy something, and she's even teamed up with an outsider to beat me up. Look, his hand is on my shoulder. That's proof!"

"He's not an outsider! He's my brother! You're making things up! What did I ever do to you?!" Xiao Xing immediately retorted.

"You didn't do anything to me. It's just that Suisen wasn't the one on duty today," said the rich young man, who was called Nakajima.

"Suisen... You mean Miss Amamiya Suisen? Well, she has the day off today," the manager explained hesitantly.

"I don't care. I want to see Suisen today!" Nakamura said forcefully.

"But Suisen isn't here!" The manager was sweating profusely as he hurriedly explained again.

"Then fire this brat right here! I'll pay Miss Suisen's wages from now on! I'll also be a regular customer! Otherwise, you can forget about keeping this shop open!" Nakajima said arrogantly. "And you! Get your filthy hand off me."

"Xiao Xing! Tell him to let go!" the manager said, giving her a meaningful look.

"Fire her!" Nakajima sneered.

The manager hesitated, but finally made up his mind. "Xiao Xing, you're fired. Hurry up and leave with your friend!"

"Manager, you can't do this! I—"

Shiyu waved a hand to stop Xiao Xing from speaking.

"Xiao Xing, don't say anything."

"I see what's going on. You haven't done anything wrong. This guy's pursuing a girl named Suisen, but she probably can't stand someone like him. So he's taking out all his pent-up frustration on you. People like him have nothing going for them except their father's money. I can't even be bothered to waste words on someone like that."

"You! You bastard!" Young Master Nakajima flew into a rage. "Do you know who you're talking to?"

He gave a look to the two bodyguards beside him, and they immediately moved to attack Shiyu.

"You want to fight?" That was just what Shiyu wanted. Without a word, he swung his fist and struck one of the bodyguards in the stomach.

"Ugh!" The bodyguard was knocked to the ground with one punch, coughing up spit.

"Yah!" The other bodyguard charged straight at Shiyu.

But a bodyguard like that was no threat to Shiyu. He dodged with ease, then lifted his foot and tripped the man, knocking him unconscious.

"Ah! How is this possible?!"

"How can a little brat take down my men..."

"Could it... Could you be a ninja?!"

Only then did the rich young man called Nakajima notice the Forehead Protector on Shiyu's head. Realizing he'd picked a fight with someone far beyond him, he nearly wet himself in fright.

"Get lost. Don't let me see you again!" Shiyu unleashed his killing intent. The rich young man called Nakajima's legs immediately turned weak, and he hobbled out with his bodyguards.

"Brother Shiyu! You're amazing!" Xiao Xing said excitedly.

"It's nothing. I'm the one who's sorry—I got you fired," Shiyu said apologetically.

"It's fine. The manager was just trying to protect me." Xiao Xing gathered her things, intending to leave quietly.

The manager said nothing, too awkward to know what to say.

"Xiao Xing, you don't have to leave. I haven't even had a chance to thank you properly!" A lovely young woman's voice suddenly came from the room behind them.

Then a graceful girl, as ethereal as an immortal, stepped out of the room.

She turned to Shiyu and said, "Thank you! You're Xiao Xing's brother, right? I'm grateful you helped me just now. I don't think that guy will bother me anymore."

"Xiao Xing can't leave." The girl turned to the manager. "If Xiao Xing leaves, I'm quitting too! Hmph!"

The manager quickly put on a smile. "Of course we wouldn't let Miss Xiao Xing leave! That was just a delaying tactic. We had no idea her brother was such a powerful ninja. He took care of those foolish bodyguards in no time!"

Then the manager turned to Xiao Xing and said, "Miss Xiao Xing, please don't leave! I'll double your pay!"

After that, the manager turned to the ethereal girl and said respectfully, "Does this arrangement meet with your approval, Young Lady?"

"Mm. Hmph," the girl replied with a hint of haughtiness.

"Young Lady?" Shiyu was a little confused.

"Yeah! Brother Shiyu, Sister Suisen is the heiress behind this shop. That Young Master Nakajima was harassing Miss Suisen because he wanted her to agree to an engagement, so he could gradually take over her family's assets."

"Sister Suisen's father had her start out as a shop assistant so she could experience the hardships of working a low-level job. That's why she's here."

"Sister Suisen's been complaining about it for days, but today was the first time I'd seen that nasty guy, Nakajima, so I didn't recognize him right away. That's why the manager played along with me, right, Manager?" Xiao Xing asked, looking at him.

"Uh, yes! Miss Xiao Xing is right. Nothing to see here—I'll just head to the storeroom. You can talk." The manager beat a hasty retreat.

Suisen smiled at Shiyu, then held out her hand. "I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Amamiya Suisen, but just call me Suisen. That way, we won't feel like strangers. I owe you one for today. Don't worry—Xiao Xing is your little sister, and she's my little sister too. I won't let anyone bully her again!"