Chapter Forty-Eight: An Unexpected Encounter

Bo Yuxin, famed for rescuing beauties and admired for her sharp tongue in debates, now found herself the subject of endless gossip and adulation. Even stepping outside required her to wait for the cover of night, for her reputation had grown to the level of a celebrity—like those Earthly stars who, upon appearing in public, are instantly besieged by fervent admirers.

But these were not fans seeking autographs; nearly all were secret admirers of Xiner, harboring deep resentment towards Chen Bo. After all, who wouldn’t be furious at the man who had stolen their dream girl? Chen Bo had no way to defend himself. He couldn’t begin to fathom why Xiner’s suitors were so frenzied. If he ever discovered that people had made him a meme alongside Xiner, he’d have half a mind to tie up the perpetrator and teach him a lesson a hundred times over.

Now, only late at night did he dare venture out. Tianyang Academy had no curfew, but the streets were quiet, with only a sprinkling of passersby. Chen Bo was simply out to buy some food.

Living each day on edge had left him weary. With less than ten days before the new term began, another headache awaited him—Yu Shifei, a far bigger problem than Guo Liu ever was.

“Right now, I feel just like a superstar. That’s right, I’m basically living the life of a celebrity,” Chen Bo muttered incessantly to his live stream.

“Host, it’s been a month and you still haven’t told us what exactly happened with my two goddesses?”

“I’ve noticed you ask that every single day—persistent, aren’t you? I’ve already given up on those two goddesses. With the host’s luck, there’s no chance for the rest of us.”

“Suddenly, I realize there are so many handsome men on the Wild Continent! Especially here at Tianyang Academy—either dashing young teens or strikingly handsome men in their twenties. Host, set me up—I want to go on a date.”

“Don’t mind the one above, host. I only want Lord Bai Ge. No one else will do.”

“Stupid tramp! Bai Ge is mine. Get lost!”

“You can have Bai Ge, I only want Dugu Yixiao. He’s so handsome, so cool. My body may no longer be pure, and my heart has been wounded, but I’ll do everything to cherish him.”

“Emergency! Emergency! The live stream has been taken over by fangirls—hopeless romantics, the lot of them! This is terrifying—I’m out of here.”

“Get lost, you stinky men!”

These comments were pointless and a bad influence on the younger viewers, so he simply ignored them.

Tonight, Yu Xiner was troubled. Rumors about her and that notorious wolf had spread inexplicably, making her afraid to go out. Whenever she did, a swarm of girlfriends would immediately surround her, their faces alight with gossip. The very thought gave her a headache.

No matter whose fault it was, it all came back to that despicable villain! The memory of the day Chen Bo spied on her made Xiner’s usually icy, elegant face flush with embarrassment. She could not forget it, and even as a calm, reserved woman, the recollection made her want to explode and slice Chen Bo into eighteen pieces.

But now she faced a dilemma—she had recently learned that Chen Bo was actually the younger brother of her closest friend! That made matters ever more awkward.

Kill him? That seemed excessive.

Spare him? That seemed even less acceptable.

Not even Xiner’s clever mind could find a solution. As for her mentor, Yu Shifei, she was even more clueless, being single-minded to a fault. Discovering an enemy was her friend’s family member easily made the top ten tragic events of the continent.

So, under the cover of night, Xiner finally dared to take a walk.

The lanterns cast a gentle glow along the street, their dim light flickering beneath the eaves. The street vendors’ cries had faded, and only a few people lingered. Couples out for secret rendezvous now outnumbered the rest; still, many solitary souls wandered to Tianyang Academy’s most notorious corners to stave off boredom—though precisely what went on there was best left unsaid.

As Xiner walked, a woman with a face contorted by anger approached her. She looked to be in her thirties, perhaps nearing forty, but the Wild Continent’s beauty regimens had served her well—her skin bore no wrinkles.

At the sight of this woman, Xiner’s face went pale, and she instinctively wanted to turn and leave. But the woman had already called out to her, her voice sharp with fury: “You ungrateful girl! To marry the Guo family’s eldest son is your good fortune. Yet you’ve been cavorting with another man behind our backs!”

“You may look the part, but in secret you’ve brought shame upon the family—just like those shameless women of ill repute, a sly vixen through and through!”

Clearly, this woman knew Xiner well—she was most likely a relative, and Xiner was obviously afraid of her. Otherwise, with her usual temperament, she’d have kicked the woman long ago.

Biting her lip, Xiner said, “I’m grown now! I can decide my own marriage! Guo Liu is nothing but a spoiled scoundrel—I would rather die than marry him!”

“Oh, so your wings have hardened now, have they? A daughter must obey her parents’ commands. Last time, your father already agreed to the Guo family’s proposal, but you threw all the betrothal gifts back! Now the relationship between our family and the City Lord’s residence is more strained than ever. All our businesses are being suppressed. If this continues, we’ll be left begging in the streets!”

“You have only one choice—marry Guo Liu. There is no other way!” the woman sneered.

Am I worth less to Father than his business? Xiner’s chest tightened with sorrow.

The woman scoffed, “If it weren’t for that wretched fox of a mentor always opposing me, would you still be living so comfortably? Well, now that seductress isn’t here. This time, you’re coming with me no matter what!”

This was a secluded area, rarely frequented by others; only here did the woman dare to insult Yu Shifei so openly. In a crowded place, she’d never have the nerve. Despite her scornful expression, she feared no one more than that infamous she-devil of Tianyang Province.

With that, the woman seized Xiner’s hand, intent on dragging her away before anything else could happen.

But fate has a way of intervening. At that moment, a young man’s voice sounded nearby: “Well, well, looks like I’ve stumbled onto something I shouldn’t have seen.”

“Who’s there?!” The woman nearly jumped in fright, turning toward the voice. A boy with a vegetable basket was strolling over, utterly at ease.

It was Chen Bo!

In truth, he’d only happened to pass by—he wasn’t lost, nor had he come here by accident. As he neared, he’d heard the unmistakable sounds of a heated argument, one voice shriller than the rest, like a raspy drake.

Few things entertained Chen Bo more than a good catfight, so he’d ambled over, curiosity piqued, and interrupted them with a mischievous remark.