Chapter 33: Are You Ever Going to Quit?

Xu Shuangyi still did not publicly reject the conditions Xu Mu had set. Although she was extremely annoyed, she had to admit that his method was highly effective. Given her status, not a single person present was qualified to share a table with her. Yet, it was precisely this gimmick that Li Mu used to keep everyone’s appetite whetted. Even those who had no hope of dining with her were likely to stay until the end, just to see who would ultimately win the favor.

Xu Mu, you are truly clever; you impress me more and more. But you are also becoming increasingly punchable. Next time I feed you a fist, I will make sure you get your fill! That way, before you decide to scheme against me again, you will have to weigh whether your bones are hard enough!

Driven by the discounts and Xu Mu’s consumerist brainwashing, business in the shop surged instantly. Among them, several nouveau riche with more money than they knew what to do with began buying the most expensive items just for a chance to dine with Xu Shuangyi.

Just then, a youth of about fifteen or sixteen, dressed with exaggerated opulence and flanked by servants clearing the way, walked in. The boy walked with his hands behind his back and a swaggering gait, but his steps were unsteady and his eye sockets were dark—a clear sign of someone who, despite his youth, was already hollowed out by indulgence in wine and women.

"What kind of event is this? Why are there so many people? Go and find out for this prince."

A servant bowed and immediately made inquiries. He returned to the youth’s side and carefully explained the event hosted by Jinhua Pavilion.

"Xu Shuangyi? Is that the Xu Shuangyi from the capital?"

"Yes, Your Highness. She is right there on the second floor, if you look."

The youth looked toward the second floor, and the moment his gaze fell upon Xu Shuangyi’s face, he was instantly mesmerized.

"Damn it, what a beautiful sister! Tell her to come down; this prince wishes to speak with her."

A servant immediately went up to the second floor and bowed to Xu Shuangyi. "Miss Xu, my master, the Prince, invites you down for a conversation."

A prince? Xu Shuangyi looked down to the first floor at the youth dressed in gaudy attire, his face etched with signs of excess. In the entire Liangzhou Province, there were only two princes. One was far away at the northwestern frontier, guarding against the nomadic tribes alongside his father. The other was Liu Ji, the heir to the Prince of Liang. This was a true scion of the imperial bloodline, a status far above both Xu Shuangyi and Xu Mu. The Prince of Liang had fathered him in his old age and, being his only son, pampered him boundlessly.

Liu Ji was the foremost playboy of Liangzhou Province, and even among the wastrels of the entire Great Xia Dynasty, he ranked near the top. Xu Shuangyi and Xu Mu descended the stairs one after another and bowed to Liu Ji.

"Greetings, Your Highness."

Liu Ji did not even glance at Xu Mu, instead admiring Xu Shuangyi’s features in detail. "Xu Shuangyi, truly living up to your reputation. Peerlessly beautiful, enough to topple cities. Beautiful, I love it!"

Liu Ji stood with his body tilted, his gaze scanning Xu Shuangyi up and down without the slightest restraint. In this posture, he was definitely even more punchable than Xu Mu.

"Well, this prince doesn't want to spend money, but I do want to dine with Miss Xu. I wonder if you would do me the honor?" Liu Ji asked with an evil smirk.

If it were any other playboy, Xu Shuangyi would have slapped him across the face. But this heir to the Prince of Liang had too much clout; she dared not lay a hand on him.

"I am sorry, but once you enter the doors of Jinhua Pavilion, you must follow the rules. There is no 'having your cake and eating it too,'" Xu Mu said.

Hearing this, Liu Ji looked instantly displeased. "What kind of thing are you to speak to this prince? Slap his mouth."

A servant tried to step forward, but Xu Shuangyi moved first, blocking the way in front of Xu Mu. "Your Highness, I will certainly pay a visit to your estate another day. But today, it is truly inconvenient, so I ask for your indulgence." As she spoke, she forced a smile.

Liu Ji raised a hand to his chest, his expression exaggerated, as if he were being melted by Xu Shuangyi. "Oh, my heart is melting. Miss Xu’s voice is truly like music from the heavens—pleasant, I love it!"

Having said that, Liu Ji ignored Xu Mu, stepped forward, and reached out to pinch Xu Shuangyi’s cheek. "Come, let this prince—ah, ah, ah—!!!"

Suddenly, Liu Ji’s voice shot up several octaves, a miserable shriek. It turned out that Xu Mu had seized Liu Ji’s finger and was bending it backward. At that moment, the servants beside Liu Ji did not move. They had never expected that Xu Mu, knowing full well who Liu Ji was, would actually dare to lay a hand on him.

Xu Shuangyi was also stunned. She had felt confident in handling Liu Ji; even if her status was inferior, she had the martial arts to back her up. As long as she refused to go with him, there was nothing he could do. Yet, Xu Mu actually dared to break Liu Ji’s finger in public? Was he not being far too reckless?

After a long moment, one of the servants reacted. He drew his blade in a flash, the steel glinting like lightning as it slashed toward Xu Mu’s right hand. Had Xu Mu not retracted his hand quickly enough, it would have been severed.

"Ah, ah, ah, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts..." Liu Ji clutched his rapidly swelling finger, hopping backward while crying out in agony.

By now, Xu Shuangyi could no longer worry about anything else. She instantly drew the soft sword from her waist, shielding Xu Mu. "Do you not know the principle that one must consider the master before beating a dog?" Xu Shuangyi said coldly.

The lead servant clutched his blade but dared not advance. Xu Shuangyi’s aura was too imposing. Among them, he was the strongest, but he was only at the Spirit Refining Realm and was no match for her. Furthermore, Xu Shuangyi’s background was somewhat special; even if he could defeat her, he had to consider the consequences of striking her.

The servant looked at Liu Ji behind him, then turned his head to snarl at Xu Shuangyi, "Your dog has bitten my master."

Xu Shuangyi’s face remained cold and aloof, with no intention of pushing Xu Mu forward. As long as she was here, the servants of the Prince of Liang’s estate would not dare to touch him. That remark about "considering the master before beating a dog" had secretly given her a sense of satisfaction.

"If the dog is disobedient, I will naturally discipline him. This is a matter between masters; it is not your place to intervene," Xu Shuangyi said coldly.

Xu Mu couldn't help it anymore. It would have been fine if Xu Shuangyi hadn't scolded him, and he would have let her handle the situation. But she was clearly using this as an opportunity for revenge. A hand reached out from behind Xu Shuangyi’s head, grabbed her face, and pushed her to the side.

"Damn it, once is enough. Are you never going to stop?" Xu Mu pointed at the servant and said coldly, "Dog, get lost. Matters between masters will be settled by the masters."

Then, Xu Mu turned to point at the heir to the Prince of Liang, who was still hopping about in the back. "You brat, have you finished jumping? Come up here and speak!"

Xu Mu suddenly erupted with an overbearing aura that stunned the servants. This guy had actually pushed Xu Shuangyi aside so rudely, yet Xu Shuangyi, though clearly angered, had only reacted with a flash of temper and hadn't said a word.

"What are you doing?" Liu Ji clutched his finger and stepped forward, glaring at Xu Mu. "This is not the place for you to run wild, or I will have you thrown out!"

As soon as these words were uttered, the entire room was shocked.