Shang Yue Shan and Meng Xiuxiang were locked in an intense battle inside the surveillance room at Walnut Lane Bar.
The speed at which this incident escalated far surpassed Lin Yi's expectations. While the public side of the Illustrious Gate situation was suppressed, rumors about Master Lin from Seacrest's true strength and real identity were swirling everywhere in the shadows.
For the past few days, Lin Yi had intended to stay put in his hotel, just waiting.
He was waiting for Shang Yue Shan to make the first move and come find him. Lin Yi wasn't in any rush to seek him out. Now that Shang Yue Shan had messed with Old Man Liu's ID, he was laying his cards on the table. If they didn't show up, when the contest results were announced, Lin Yi would make sure to settle the score thoroughly.
The next morning.
Six thirty.
Lin Yi had just finished his shower when he heard a knock at the door.
He opened the door, expecting Zheng Qiuchan to be outside, but saw no one at first glance. Only when Lin Yi lowered his gaze did he spot Jill Jing, who was a head shorter, hugging a bottle of cola. Her little face was tightly tense, and those bright, clear eyes staring up at Lin Yi looked a bit aggrieved.
"What are you doing here?"
The math modeling contest lasted three days straight, and after such high-intensity problem solving, someone with Jill Jing's small build really should've been catching up on sleep today.
But to his surprise, this little one showed up at the hotel to knock on his door so early in the morning.
"Not happy."
Jill Jing spoke up—just those two words—her head tilted up, staring stubbornly at Lin Yi.
She really was pretty short.
Lin Yi glanced down at her, then at the big bottle of cola in her arms, wondering if drinking so much soda was the reason Jill Jing wasn't growing—and if it was messing with her spirit spring cultivation too.
Random thoughts like that flashed through Lin Yi's head, and seeing those little angry eyes of Jill Jing's just made him want to laugh.
"Who pissed you off?"
Lin Yi was just playing dumb—he knew yesterday after the contest, this little one probably wanted to stick around with him, but because of the dinner with Lynn Chen and the Illustrious Gate mess, he sent her off with Gavin Duan to wander around instead.
Looking at her now, it was obvious she was still hung up about yesterday.
"Play with me."
Jill Jing tilted her head, speaking with a bit of stubbornness in her tone.
"Breakfast first."
Lin Yi thought about it—there were really only two things to do here in Beijing.
First, deal with Mason Shang.
Second, have a fight with that swordsman in green.
But as for finding that swordsman, he had no real leads yet—and didn't even know if the guy was still in Beijing.
Lin Yi knew Zheng Qiuchan probably had a way to contact him, but he also knew that from any angle, Zheng Qiuchan would never help him track down the guy for a fight.
He took Jill Jing out, headed to the hotel's upstairs buffet, and after breakfast, Lin Yi looked at Jill Jing across the table—she was staring right back at him.
Their relationship, up to now, was a little weird.
Jill Jing had the spirit spring Lin Yi needed, and Gavin Duan owed his life to Lin Yi—not only that, Lin Yi had basically given Gavin a new start, made him stronger, so he could protect Jill Jing better.
Technically, Lin Yi had done Jill Jing a favor and had plans for her, but right now this little one seemed pretty much glued to him—she didn't even worry about him wanting her spirit spring.
"Full yet?"
Looking at the plate Jill Jing had cleared and the half-empty bottle of cola, Lin Yi asked while thinking about what to do today.
Jill Jing nodded, didn't say anything, just opened her mouth and gave a little burp to show her stomach was full.
After breakfast, Lin Yi took Jill Jing out—even though he had no idea what to do with her, he was free anyway, so they wandered around, did a bit of shopping.
Jill Jing tugged at Lin Yi's sleeve, easily drawing attention from people nearby.
But with Gavin Duan—who stood a towering six-foot-three and looked like a walking iron tower—trailing behind Lin Yi and Jill Jing, anyone thinking of chatting them up instantly lost their nerve.
They wandered around for a while.
From the moment the name 'Master Lin from Seacrest' made waves in Beijing, Lin Yi hadn't really felt much emotionally.
On the crowded city streets, Lin Yi looked up at the not-so-clear sky. In a city with such deep history, who knew how many stories were hidden beneath the surface.
"Is the Lin family—the one that hurt my mom for so many years—still here in Beijing?"
Lin Yi muttered to himself. He'd already guessed why Zheng Jiayun didn't want him coming to Beijing, but she'd never said it out loud.
Since Zheng Jiayun wouldn't say, Lin Yi just pretended not to know—no need to make her worry.
Besides, all these years, Lin Yi's memories of his father were always a blank.
If he ever really ran into him—whether it was resentment or hatred, Lin Yi couldn't say, and honestly hadn't thought much about it.
But if Zheng Jiayun had suffered so much all these years, then someday, he'd make sure the Lin family paid for it.
Whether it meant wiping them out, splitting the clan with a single sword, or something else, Lin Yi hadn't really decided yet.
Now that he was back in Beijing, Zheng Qiuchan was worried he'd run into the Lin family, but Lin Yi knew and just carried on as usual—not flashy, not trying to avoid it either.
Walking down a busy shopping street, Jill Jing tugged Lin Yi's sleeve and pointed at a shop selling candied hawthorn, gazing at it with big hopeful eyes.
"I want some."
She was definitely craving some.
As Lin Yi took her to buy a stick of candied hawthorn, across the street at a Michelin restaurant by the window, a handsome, slightly aloof-looking teen lowered his gaze, fixing it on Gavin Duan—who stood six-foot-three.
Opposite him sat another boy, same age, with a rebellious look in his eyes—but right now, the kid who might act cocky elsewhere was sitting there, a bit nervous.
He noticed the aloof teen's gaze, saw Gavin Duan's iron-tower build, and couldn't help but ask, "Prince Lin, are you interested in that guy?"
"Looks like he's got a solid build—should be able to take one of your punches, right?"
He asked cautiously, his tone anxious—he couldn't help but feel a weird respect for this seemingly calm teen.
"Yeah."
The teen called Prince Lin nodded, took a sip of coffee, glanced at Jill Jing with her happy, candy-filled face, then finally looked at a boy whose features weren't much like his, but whose cold aura matched his own perfectly.
"Want me to go invite him over for you? The little girl too?"