The newcomer was Wang Xiaoming. He had noticed what was happening behind him while waiting for his wontons.
After thinking it over, he decided he could do the old man a favor, so he followed.
Now he stood in front of Ye Lingling, sizing up the men before him with considerable interest.
One of them even surpassed a certain theoretical grandmaster in both talent and age. What a cause for celebration!
"With strength like yours, couldn't you do anything else? Why be thugs?"
Hearing this, Zhang San disdainfully wiped the blade in his hand.
"Cultivating to Soul Elder is my talent. Being a thug is my attitude. What would a little brat like you know? If you know what's good for you, get lost! We know Brother Scar, and he likes men!"
Wang Xiaoming: "..."
He had originally intended to just drive them away, but now it seemed these guys really knew how to court death!
How was that any different from telling him to let Yu Xiaogang teach him?
Hearing this, Ye Lingling worriedly tugged at the hem of Wang Xiaoming's clothes from behind him, hoping he would leave quickly.
Wang Xiaoming looked at the arrogant men, and a smile suddenly appeared on his face.
Ye Lingling was too thin-skinned to call for help, but that didn't mean he couldn't.
He pulled Ye Lingling back a step, straight out of the alley, and shouted toward the street, "Where are the Heaven Dou Empire's patrol guards!?"
His voice rang out loud and clear, immediately alerting the guards patrolling nearby.
They quickly appeared, their armor clanking as they marched with heavy steps.
The man in the lead stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "Who called for the guards?"
Hearing the commotion, the men in the alley turned and ran.
That damned brat had actually called the guards. He had no martial virtue!
Wang Xiaoming took out his identity token and showed it to the lead guard. Pointing straight at the men in the alley, he said, "Someone is attempting to murder a viscount of the Heaven Dou Empire in broad daylight. Hurry up and seize them!"
Upon seeing the token, the squad leader promptly replied in a deep, respectful voice.
"Yes!"
Then they charged into the alley in pursuit of the thugs.
Wang Xiaoming lightly tossed the token in his hand, the corners of his mouth curling up smugly.
This was the convenience his status afforded him. He didn't even need to lift a finger to teach some blind fools a lesson.
But... it was hard to vent his anger without giving them a beating himself.
He looked up toward the sun, only withdrawing his gaze when the sound of beating wings came from the sky. Then he looked at Ye Lingling.
"Come on, have a meal with me. I saved your life, so a meal in return isn't too much to ask, is it?"
Ye Lingling nodded gently.
She couldn't quite figure this child out anymore... The way he had acted just now, he hadn't seemed weak at all. On the contrary, he had been quite formidable.
But he was out of money. Otherwise, why would he ask her to pay for his meal?
Sure enough... he was strong on the outside but hollow within.
Elsewhere, Zhang San and the other two fled in a sorry state and hid somewhere secluded, panting heavily.
"Damn it, they'd better not let me run into them again... Otherwise, I'll send them straight to Brother Scar!"
The other two nodded vigorously in agreement.
Setting the facts aside, weren't those two brats at fault too?!
Just then, a red shadow dived down from high in the sky, too fast to be seen.
In an instant, it passed through the alley where the three men were and vanished.
"Ah!!!"
Three screams mingled together and rang out from the distant alley, immediately drawing the guards' attention.
By the time the guards found the thugs, someone unknown had already beaten them up.
Most importantly, their right hands and dantians had all been crushed. They would never be able to summon their Martial Souls again.
But the guards didn't care about any of that. They seized the men and threw them in prison.
"So why were you following me? If I hadn't noticed in time, you probably wouldn't even have been able to keep your socks."
Wang Xiaoming blew on the wontons in his bowl and looked at Ye Lingling, who sat across from him, asking in some puzzlement.
She had barely given him the time of day in the shop, so why had she suddenly followed him?
Otherwise, she wouldn't have run into those men.
Hearing this, Ye Lingling's face suddenly turned red beneath her veil.
Weren't they after my Soul Tool? What does that have to do with my socks? Socks aren't worth anything, and they might even smell...
Then she silently took a money pouch out of her Soul Tool and set it on the table with a heavy thud.
Wang Xiaoming looked at the thing in her hand and found it somewhat familiar.
Wait, isn't that the money pouch I just spent?
That old man really trusts his granddaughter, doesn't he? He just handed her that much money?
"What do you mean by this?"
Ye Lingling pointed at the money pouch, then at Wang Xiaoming.
Seeing this, Wang Xiaoming pushed both the wontons in front of him and the money pouch over to her.
"If you want some, just say so. That's enough money to buy this whole shop. Take it back; you don't need that much."
Ye Lingling shook her head.
I took it out to give to you. How could I take it back?
Besides... she glanced disdainfully at the spoon in the bowl. The child had only just used it, and she certainly wasn't going to.
Wang Xiaoming understood that look.
He curled his lip, pulled the bowl of wontons back, and asked the owner for another bowl.
"If you can speak, then speak properly. I don't know sign language, and I can't figure out what you're thinking... because I can't be bothered to guess."
Why is this child so infuriating when he talks?
Ye Lingling took a deep breath and finally spoke her first words.
"The money. Take it back. I can't accept it."
"?"
Hearing that, Wang Xiaoming couldn't stop the corners of his mouth from twitching twice.
I thought you were going to use it to pay for the wontons.
Does the old hall master know how much of a spendthrift you are?
Still, the girl's voice was very pleasant, like a snow lotus on an icy mountain brushed by the wind, cool and clear with a touch of softness.
"What, after buying medicine from your family, is there a chance the bill gets waived if you take a fancy to the customer?"
Ye Lingling shook her head. "I didn't..."
"Forget it, none of that matters. Take the money back. This was a transaction. If you're doing this because I saved you, there's no need.
"Hmm, if you really want to repay me, let's be friends. In the future, just have your grandpa give me a twenty percent discount on medicine."
Wang Xiaoming spoke with a clear conscience, without the slightest guilt over taking advantage of a child.
A twenty percent discount on ten-thousand-year whale glue would save him far more than the amount in this pouch.
Just as he had expected, Ye Lingling readily nodded in agreement.
Then she softly said a few words.
"Ye Lingling..."
"What did you say?"