After confirming with a sweeping glance that no one had followed her, Bai Xifeng slipped into a secluded alleyway where the shadows were thick enough to hide her form. She reached out to Baishe mentally, requesting that the spirit teleport her directly back into the privacy of her own courtyard.
The moment her feet touched the stone floor of the courtyard, her ears picked up a commotion. She immediately turned toward the source of the noise to investigate. Standing there was a young boy, barely more than a child, flanked by a group of rowdy servants.
Bai Xifeng did not need an introduction to know who he was. The insufferable arrogance radiating from his face, combined with the lingering fragments of the original Bai Xifeng's memories, gave him away instantly.
The servants were clearly intent on harassing Xiao Li, who was standing her ground in front of the door, desperately trying to bar their entry into Bai Xifeng's private quarters. One particularly repulsive servant wore a jagged grin as he reached out and firmly gripped Xiao Li's wrist, pinning her in place.
While he held her, the other servants began to push past, their eyes gleaming with malice as they prepared to barge into Bai Xifeng's room. Their young master wanted to "mess" with the disgraced young miss, and they were more than happy to oblige.
In their twisted minds, they saw this as a golden opportunity to toy with her. Even if she was a "trash" who couldn't cultivate, they couldn't deny that she was a beauty with a fine figure. The thought of having such a high-born lady under their thumb, or their boots, filled them with a dark, predatory excitement.
Unbeknownst to them, Bai Xifeng had already moved with lightning speed to change out of her disguise inside. Just as the lead servants reached the threshold, she did not just open the door. She delivered a powerful kick that sent it flying outward. The heavy wood slammed into the servants standing directly behind it, sending them tumbling backwards in a heap of tangled limbs.
"What in the hell do you think you are doing?" Bai Xifeng shouted, her voice cutting through the air like a whip.
The courtyard went silent as every head turned toward her. The young boy at the centre of the group simply snorted in derision.
"So, you were hiding inside after all. Why don't you crawl over here and greet me properly?" The boy looked at Bai Xifeng with a gaze full of condescension.
He stood there expectantly, waiting for the usual grovelling. In his experience, this "trash" sister of his always obeyed his every whim. To him, that was the only appropriate attitude for someone so useless she could not even sense spiritual energy.
"What the fuck? Who the hell do you think you are?" Bai Xifeng snapped, her eyes narrowing.
Her gaze shifted to the servant who was still clutching Xiao Li's hand.
"How much longer do you intend to hold onto my maid? Release her this instant. Tsk, look at you. How dare you even think about harassing someone under my protection? With a nose that big and eyes that crooked, you don't need a maid. You need plastic surgery." Bai Xifeng insulted the look.
The servants and the young boy were utterly dumbfounded. They had never heard the refined, timid young miss speak with such biting vulgarity.
"You... You... How dare you speak to me in such a manner?" The boy stammered, pointing a trembling finger at Bai Xifeng.
This boy was Bai Shaoqing, the son of Bai Guowei and the younger brother of the infamous Bai Chunhua. He was a spoiled brat who had been fed a diet of entitlement since birth.
"What? You waltz into my home, bringing your pack of dogs to harass me and my maid, and you expect me to speak nicely to you?" Bai Xifeng replied, crossing her arms over her chest and scoffing.
Bai Shaoqing opened his mouth to retort, but Bai Xifeng did not give him a single second to breathe.
"Why don't you take your servants and go find your own sisters to play with? Go and fuck them. I am sure you all get along famously." Bai Xifeng said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"What!!! How dare you say something so scandalous?" Bai Shaoqing shouted angrily.
Her aggressive, unladylike demeanour visibly shook Bai Shaoqing.
"You really are your mother's son, aren't you?" Bai Xifeng clicked her tongue in disappointment.
It was clear that even at four years old, the boy had inherited every foul trait his parents possessed. She truly felt a flicker of pity for the state of their parenting.
Bai Shaoqing stared at her in utter disbelief. The old Bai Xifeng would have been busy flattering him, offering him snacks or toys just to stay in his good graces. This woman was a stranger.
"Get out of my courtyard. Get lost before I lose my patience." Bai Xifeng commanded.
"You... You are crazy..." Bai Shaoqing muttered, lost for words.
"Why are you still standing there? Do you need a physical invitation?" Bai Xifeng asked.
Before anyone could react, Bai Xifeng blurred across the distance to Xiao Li. She delivered a swift, brutal kick to the servant holding the servant's arm, sending him flying several meters back. She hit the ground hard, coughing up a spray of blood as the air was knocked out of him.
"I told you repeatedly to let her go. Since you chose not to listen, you can enjoy the consequences." Bai Xifeng scoffed, grabbing Xiao Li and pulling the girl protectively behind her back.
Xiao Li looked up at Bai Xifeng's back, her heart swelling with emotion. In that moment, she made a silent, solemn vow that her loyalty to this young miss would be absolute and eternal.
"I'm telling Mother about this!" Bai Shaoqing shrieked, realising he was completely outmatched.
He knew he could not win a physical fight, but he was certain his mother would swoop in and punish this "trash" until she could not stand.
"Yeah, go ahead and run to her. You are nothing but a little coward with a small dick anyway." Bai Xifeng called out after him.
"How... how can a girl talk so vulgarly?" Bai Shaoqing cried out, his face flushing bright red with shame.
"Just get lost! I am starving, and I am losing my temper. Do I actually need to kill someone today to get some peace?" Bai Xifeng threatened, her eyes flashing with a dangerous light.
At the mention of the word "kill," Bai Shaoqing did not wait around. He bolted out of the courtyard as fast as his small legs could carry him. The servants, seeing their master retreat and their comrade bleeding on the floor, did not dare stay. They scrambled to their feet and chased after the boy.
"Are you alright?" Bai Xifeng asked, turning to Xiao Li with a much softer expression.
"Hmm... I am fine. They did not manage to do anything to me yet." Xiao Li said, though she was still a bit shaky.
"Listen, if you ever find yourself in that kind of situation again, where some scum wants to harass you, I want you to do this one thing." Bai Xifeng said seriously.
"What is it, Young Miss?" Xiao Li asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Kick them in the crotch. Right between the legs. That part of the male body is their ultimate weak point. One solid hit there, and they'll feel a sharp, paralysing pain through their entire body. Do you understand?" Bai Xifeng coached her.
"Then... it would be much easier to finish them off and kill them while they're down. I see! Thank you, Young Miss. I have learned a truly valuable lesson today." Xiao Li nodded several times, looking very determined.
Bai Xifeng blinked, momentarily stunned. She had forgotten for a second that in this world, "finishing the job" was the standard operating procedure.
"Anyway, Xiao Li, I bought us some lunch. Let's eat now, while it's still hot. If we don't eat now, we might not get the chance later." Bai Xifeng said, beginning to unpack the delicious-smelling roasted ducks.
"What do you mean by that, Young Miss?" Xiao Li asked, confused.
"That little brat Shaoqing is going straight to his mother. And that witch will definitely come here to disturb our peace. At worst, the 'old witch' might decide to join the party as well. We need our energy for the headache that's coming." Bai Xifeng explained with a weary sigh.
"Oh..." Xiao Li nodded, picking up her chopsticks. She understood perfectly.
***This novel is a contracted work with w e b n o v e l. c o m. If you do not read this novel on w e b n o v e l. c o m, that means it has been stolen. Thank you, from your shameless author, ZerahNeko***