Chapter 87: The Scoundrel and the "Bad Woman"
"If you're tired, just rest for a while," Xiao Yan said, patting the delicate shoulders of the beauty beside him.
Yafei responded softly with an "Mm" and didn't say anything further. In that quiet moment, their relationship seemed to deepen significantly.
Over the next few days, Xiao Yan didn't make any unreasonable demands on Yafei. He knew that a shrewd woman like her wouldn't fully trust grand promises without seeing tangible results.
So, he gave her three days to prepare. After that, their group began their journey toward the imperial capital.
A Crybaby and a Sweet Tooth
On the back of a massive gryphon, a specially constructed enclosure shielded them from the raging winds outside. Considering that both Yafei and Hun Xin were essentially ordinary people, Xiao Yan had opted against flying them there directly with his Dou Qi wings. Instead, he rented the gryphon for the trip.
As soon as they took off, Hun Xin began bawling her eyes out.
"Boohoo! Daddy, Mommy, I miss you so much!"
Tears and snot streamed down her face, and some even got on Yafei's luxurious cheongsam.
Seeing this pitiful display, Xiao Yan frowned.
"There, there, don't cry, sweetie," Yafei said, flustered as she tried to comfort the child.
"Hmph." Xiao Yan sneered and pulled a lollipop from his storage ring, popping it into his mouth.
The sight of the lollipop made Hun Xin's sobs falter. Her tears slowed, and her wide, tearful eyes followed the candy as though it were the most precious thing in the world.
"You're pathetic," Xiao Yan muttered, tossing her a lollipop.
The moment Hun Xin caught it, her crying stopped entirely. As she tore off the wrapper, it was as if her sadness evaporated. With the candy in her mouth, she looked up at Xiao Yan, her face lit with a sweet smile.
"Thank you, Master!"
"Don't even mention me as your master with behavior like that. It's embarrassing," Xiao Yan said disdainfully, sucking on his own candy.
"Hehe." Hun Xin didn't take his words seriously and happily enjoyed her lollipop.
"This little one…" Yafei sighed and then turned to Xiao Yan. "I think she's a lot like you."
"How so?" Xiao Yan asked, lounging with a devil may care attitude.
"Thick skinned," Yafei replied with a soft laugh.
Smack! Xiao Yan slapped her rear playfully.
"How dare you mock your man?"
Yafei, unaccustomed to such boldness, blushed a deep red. Despite her years of experience dealing with cunning businessmen and shady characters, she found herself utterly flustered by Xiao Yan's antics.
Bad Woman, Shameless Man
"Xiao Yan, do you think I'm a bad woman?" Yafei asked, her head resting lightly on his shoulder.
"Why do you say that?" Xiao Yan asked, glancing at her elegant, alluring features.
"I… I gave up my principles to accept your conditions. I abandoned a woman's sense of integrity for my goals. Isn't that what makes a bad woman?" Yafei's voice carried a faint trace of bitterness.
"Well, yeah, it's pretty bad," Xiao Yan nodded honestly.
Yafei chuckled mirthlessly, her smile tinged with sadness.
Seeing her expression, Xiao Yan suddenly reached for her delicate hand and said softly, "Why care about the opinions of others? Honestly, I admire women like you."
"You're quite good at comforting people," Yafei replied with a faint smile.
"I'm not comforting you I'm being honest," Xiao Yan said seriously, looking deep into her captivating eyes. "I respect anyone who has the courage to pursue their dreams and fight for what they want."
Yafei's heart trembled slightly. She had spent years navigating the murky waters of family politics and business, enduring countless slights and betrayals. Xiao Yan's words struck a chord within her.
"If I were in your shoes, I'd make the same choice," Xiao Yan continued. "Maybe I'd even have less restraint than you."
To Xiao Yan, the concept of a "moral baseline" was flexible. In his previous life, he had spent over twenty years living by society's rules, yet he remained trapped in poverty and mediocrity.
Everything changed the day he decided to let go of his fear of judgment. That decision, though controversial, marked the beginning of his transformation.
Lessons from the Past
"I once told myself," Xiao Yan recalled, "that if someone could make me a millionaire, I'd eat dirt if that's what it took."
From that day on, he stopped caring about societal norms and chased what he wanted with unrelenting determination. He seized opportunities without hesitation and ruthlessly pursued his goals.
"Of course, I swallowed plenty of bitterness along the way," Xiao Yan admitted with a wry smile.
His experiences gave him a unique perspective. He didn't look down on anyone whether it was a streetwalker, a delinquent, or a high ranking official.
To him, all humans were equal in the face of mortality. No matter how powerful or insignificant a person seemed, they were ultimately bound to return to dust.
"Yafei," Xiao Yan said, his voice soft yet firm. "Life is short. Why waste it worrying about what others think? You're about to achieve your dreams let them say what they want."
"So what if you're a 'bad woman'? I'm just a scoundrel anyway. And I happen to like bad women."
For a moment, Yafei stared at Xiao Yan, her heart pounding as her gaze locked with his.
His young face was undeniably handsome, with a mischievous charm that carried a trace of danger. But what captivated her most were his deep, black eyes. They seemed to see through everything piercing yet reassuring.
"Maybe he's right," Yafei thought to herself. "Why care about the opinions of people who don't matter?"
She smiled faintly and murmured, "So… can you take your hands off me now?"
"Nope. Feels nice."
"There's a child here," Yafei reminded him, her cheeks flushing again.
"Don't mind the opinion of mere mortals," Xiao Yan said with a grin.
Meanwhile, Hun Xin sat quietly, savoring her lollipop. She had no idea her shameless master had just labeled her as one of those "mere mortals."
Arrival at the Imperial Capital
After three days of continuous flight, the massive gryphon finally approached a sprawling, vibrant city.
Far larger and more prosperous than Wu Tan City, the sight of Jia Ma Holy City the imperial capital of Jia Ma Empire came into view.
Standing atop the gryphon's head, Xiao Yan gazed at the city below with a faint smirk.
"Finally," he murmured. "Nalan Yanran, Yun Lan Sect, Mittel Family… are you ready for me?"
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