Bao Baoli did not like Liu Xing, and even detested the man from the bottom of her heart. It wasn't because the man was unattractive, or came from a poor background, but purely because he was despicable.
No, his entire family were despicable characters.
Liu Xing's father had made his fortune in his early years by controlling children to act as pickpockets, specifically targeting tourists' bags at train stations and other crowded places, extorting various sums of money before gradually prospering.
However, after becoming prosperous, the Liu Xing family did not mend their ways. Instead, they escalated their misdeeds, step by step becoming the most powerful force in the underground world of Ruili.
It could be said that their entire family had committed every kind of evil.
Yet, it was precisely these people who held immense power. For the Bao family, who were currently confronting the Zhou family of Ruili and were gradually faltering, Liu Xing's family possessed considerable influence.
According to the wishes of the Bao family patriarch, if the two families were to intermarry, the Zhou family of Ruili would not dare to continue targeting the Bao family. In fact, the Bao family could even gain an advantage over the Zhou family.
For the sake of her family, Bao Baoli should have sacrificed herself.
But when she met Li Yang again, the heartfelt attraction she felt could not be concealed.
She just hadn't expected Liu Xing to follow her to Jiangcheng, and even show up at the Jewelry and Jade Fair.
Staring at Li Yang and Bao Baoli's intimate interaction, Liu Xing's entire face turned dark. He had many women around him; some were acquired with money, while others were obtained through coercion by his underlings. He could sleep with a different one every day for years to come.
His interest in Bao Baoli was far more about playing with her than genuine affection.
But he could not accept that the woman he desired was intimately involved with another man, even if she hadn't married him yet, and they hadn't even confirmed their engagement. That was unacceptable!
"Don't ask me why I'm here. Answer me immediately, who is this brat!" Liu Xing said sinisterly.
Bao Baoli's expression was somewhat flustered, but she eventually gritted her teeth and said, "If I recall correctly, our engagement has not been confirmed. Therefore, we are not in a significant relationship, and I don't need to explain to you who I am with."
"What did you say?" Liu Xing's face turned cold, his eyes fixed on her as he said, "Say that again."
"I'll say it ten more times, and it will be the same. We have no relationship now, so what right do you have to interfere with my private life?" Bao Baoli's tone became increasingly resolute.
After all, she could already foresee that regardless of whether she was devoted to Liu Xing or not, marrying such a person and entering such a scummy family would inevitably lead to a dark and hopeless future for her.
Since that was the case, why not be with the man she liked before she belonged to anyone?
"Hmph, hmph, good, good, Bao Baoli, you are quite something. Wait until I deal with this brat, and then you'll see," Liu Xing sneered, clenching his fist and walking towards Li Yang. "Brat, you dare to touch my woman? You're tired of living."
"If I heard correctly, Miss Bao has no relationship with you, so she is not your woman."
Li Yang said calmly, "If she is anyone's woman, then I think she should be mine, Li Yang's."
"You're looking for death!" Liu Xing roared, and threw a punch towards Li Yang's head!
Everyone immediately saw a metallic glint. Clearly, when Liu Xing clenched his fist, he had slipped a metal knuckle duster onto his finger unnoticed.
If this punch hit someone's head, it would at least cause bleeding.
As the fist was about to strike, Li Yang remained calm, as if he hadn't sensed any danger.
He stood there motionless, with one arm still around Bao Baoli, and simply extended his other hand, easily catching Liu Xing's fist!
With a slight exertion, *crack!*
Liu Xing immediately cried out in pain, kneeling on the ground. "Ah, you brat..."
*Clang!*
Before he could finish speaking, he saw that the metal knuckle duster on his hand had been crushed into seven or eight pieces by Li Yang with a single squeeze, falling to the ground with a crisp sound.
This scene astonished everyone. "My heavens! What kind of strength is that!"
"It's fake, right? Didn't Mr. Huang just say that this young man was acting!"
"Yes, yes, this must be a prop. No wonder it was crushed so easily. You scared me to death!"
"Haha, you guys are too funny. If it were a real metal knuckle duster, you couldn't even chop it with a knife, let alone crush it with your bare hands. It's obvious."
"You, you!" Liu Xing couldn't help but tremble, his heart turning cold.
His metal knuckle duster was the real deal!
Just last night, he had put on this knuckle duster and severely abused a woman who hadn't obeyed him.
How could it be fake?
Li Yang stared at him and said, "You might not have heard me clearly just now. I'll say it again. Miss Bao is my woman, and from now on, she will be whoever she wants to be with."
"If you continue to pester her, I won't be crushing your knuckle duster, but your head. Do you understand?"
"Are you threatening me?" Liu Xing's face turned a little pale.
Li Yang replied, "You can consider it a threat. It's better than you thinking I'm joking."
"You, you brat, you've got guts. We'll see." Liu Xing gritted his teeth.
Li Yang directly kicked him in the face. "You don't need to walk. You can roll out of here."
"Ah!" Liu Xing cried out in pain and immediately started rolling towards the door.
Li Yang turned to look at Bao Baoli. Seeing her staring intently at him, he asked, "Are you alright?"
"Thank you, Li Yang," Bao Baoli said gratefully.
Li Yang said, "You said just now that we are friends."
"Just friends?"
"What else do you want us to be?" Li Yang asked.
Bao Baoli smiled shyly and didn't answer. Instead, she said, "It's getting late, let's go to the hotel."
"Aren't we going to eat?"
"We can eat at the hotel too," Bao Baoli said, blushing.
Li Yang's heart skipped a beat. He could almost confirm that something would happen between them at the hotel.
"Wait for me, I need to inform someone first."
"Don't," Bao Baoli pulled his arm and walked towards the exit. She didn't know if she would have the courage to be so proactive if she waited any longer.
Li Yang was pulled away by her, and could only text Shui Xiang that he had something to attend to and would leave first, and find her later.
"Is this hotel okay?" Bao Baoli asked somewhat shyly, standing outside the entrance of Jiangcheng International Hotel.