172: What if she's a little chef?

Red Three Thousand: "..."

He felt so much pressure!

Because he knew clearly that Li Meier indeed had such a plan, and she was only a tiny bit away from succeeding.

In the end, it was ruined by Ye Chen!

Not long ago, he had run out of the Hidden Sect specifically for this matter... well.

Chu Awesome was actually just the Young Mistress's backup, a sucker to take over, and even more so, a stepping stone to strengthen the Hidden Sect.

But he never expected that one day someone would bring it up.

And even force him to say it out loud.

How could the pressure not be immense???

Seeing this, Chu Awesome roared, "Damn it, speak! Are you a mute?"

Red Three Thousand felt even more awkward, but in the end, he braced himself and nodded.

"What Mr. Ye said is correct."

"The Young Mistress's plan was indeed like that."

Chu Awesome felt as if he had been struck by lightning; his entire world crumbled!

His face turned deathly pale as he glared intensely at Red Three Thousand. "You... what did you say?!"

Red Three Thousand braced himself and repeated it in a dry, raspy voice.

Buzz—

Chu Awesome's head buzzed, as if something had exploded inside.

Anger!

Humiliation!

Disbelief!

He had always thought... though Li Meier kept him at arm's length, she at least conducted herself with dignity and that he held some place in her heart.

He had even fantasized... that once he earned more merit for his family and raised his status, he could marry her with grand ceremony.

And the result?

Behind his back, she had already found a 'Cauldron,' plotting to practice Dual Cultivation with someone else. What did she take him, Chu Awesome, for?!

A sugar daddy?

A backup?

Or... a complete and utter fool?!

"Li! Mei! Er!!!"

Chu Awesome squeezed the name through his teeth, his eyes instantly bloodshot and his fists clenching until they cracked.

He felt like a joke!

A colossal joke!

A heart full of sincerity, all fucking fed to the dogs!

Just then, a hand lightly patted his shoulder.

Chu Awesome whipped his head around and met Ye Chen's calm face.

"Brother, stay strong."

"Look on the bright side, what if she's still a little virgin?"

Chu Awesome: "???"

Wait... is this bastard here to mock him?!

“Pfft—hahahaha!”

At a nearby table, a woman wearing hot pants and a camisole burst out laughing.

"Hahaha... don't make your big sister laugh!"

After saying that, she quickly buried her head in her arms, but suppressed laughter still leaked out intermittently.

Chu Awesome's face instantly turned green.

Humiliation!

Naked humiliation!

First, he was exposed in public as a simp and a backup, and now he was being laughed at by a random passerby!

When had Young Master Chu ever suffered such indignity?!

"You... you guys..."

He trembled with rage, pointing at Ye Chen and then at the woman who was still snickering, but he couldn't say a single word.

Ye Chen had already withdrawn his hand and turned around, gesturing to Liu Qingluo.

"Let's go, let's not delay our business."

Liu Qingluo nodded and followed Ye Chen's lead.

Red Three Thousand felt as if he had been granted a general amnesty. He quickly bowed his head and jogged after them, fearing he would be caught in the crossfire of Chu Awesome's wrath if he were a step too slow.

The three of them walked straight out of the food stalls towards the pier, quickly disappearing into the night.

Only Chu Awesome and his group were left behind, standing there like several stiff statues, left in the wind that smelled of seafood... in a mess.

An utter mess.

Chu Awesome stared in the direction Ye Chen had vanished, his chest heaving violently, his eyes churning with humiliation!

At that moment, a lackey cautiously approached and whispered, "Young... Young Master... are we still chasing them?"

Chu Awesome snapped back to his senses, slapped the lackey on the back of the head, and cursed.

"Chase your mother!"

"Didn't you see what happened to Chu Long?"

"Am I supposed to use my head to chase him?"

The lackey clutched his head, grimacing in pain, and didn't dare speak again.

Chu Awesome panted heavily, the wicked fire in his heart rising even higher.

He couldn't win in a fight.

He couldn't win in an argument.

His dignity was completely gone.

In his entire life, he had never been this frustrated!

Most importantly... Ye Chen's words just now were like poisonous thorns, stabbing into the deepest part of his heart.

Li Meier... that woman he had been infatuated with for years, whom he thought was pure and different... was she really that kind of person?

Chu Awesome clenched his fists so hard his nails dug into his flesh.

He suddenly felt like a complete clown.

"Damn it!!!"

He cursed under his breath.

In the food stalls, the diners had long since looked away, pretending to continue eating, but the occasional glances they cast were still filled with unconcealable oddity and pity... Chu Awesome couldn't take it anymore; he couldn't stay a second longer.

He stared in the direction Ye Chen had disappeared, gritted his teeth, and growled at his dazed lackeys, "Go! We're getting on the boat too!"

"Ah?"

One lackey didn't react in time. "Young Master, we... we're following them to the Hidden Sect?"

The muscles on Chu Awesome's face twitched, his voice squeezed through his teeth.

"That's right!"

"I'm going to personally ask that woman, Li Meier!"

"To see if my sincerity was really fucking fed to the dogs!"

With that said.

He ignored his subordinates and strode directly towards the harbor where the speedboats were moored.

The lackeys looked at each other.

Holy cow!

Our Young Master Chu's self-esteem is truly wounded this time... but thinking about it, it makes sense.

Young Master Chu had even given up his habit of playing with women for that woman.

He had even... simped for five whole years, only for it to end up like this. It really was hard to take!

They shuddered and quickly jogged to catch up... At the harbor, a small ferry was quietly moored at the pier.

Ye Chen's group of three had already boarded and were sitting in a corner at the back of the cabin.

A short while later.

Chu Awesome and his lackeys also boarded the ferry.

As soon as he entered the cabin, his gaze swept over Ye Chen's group in the corner, his expression turning gloomy.

He didn't say hello.

He found a seat for himself in the cabin and sat down with his back to Ye Chen.

His lackeys followed suit, sitting near Chu Awesome with their necks shrunk, not daring to breathe loudly.

The boat owner was a dark-skinned middle-aged man who knew that neither group was easy to serve.

One was a profligate young master.

The other was an Elder of the Hidden Sect.

He secretly groaned in his heart, but didn't dare show it on his face. He just urged his men to speed up the preparations, hoping this trip wouldn't run into any trouble.

Soon.

The ferry set sail... After a good while.

Chu Awesome finally couldn't hold it in. He turned his head and shouted towards Ye Chen in the corner.

"Hey kid, what's your name?"

Ye Chen was resting with his eyes closed. Hearing the voice, he didn't even lift his eyelids, simply spitting out two words.

"Ye Chen."

"Ye Chen?"

Chu Awesome was stunned, his brow furrowing into a knot. "That name... why does it sound a bit familiar?"

Back in Yanjing, the Huang Family had called, vaguely mentioning that someone was going to cause trouble for the Hidden Sect.

And then.

There was no 'then'.

The name wasn't even mentioned on the phone, so he naturally couldn't make the connection.

Plus, he was worried about Li Meier, so he had run out on an impulse... But just then!

A relatively sharp-witted lackey shrunk his neck and cautiously leaned into his ear.

"Young Master Chu, I think I've heard this name before."

Chu Awesome was already irritable. He glared at him sideways. "Damn it, if you know, then spit it out. Are you holding it in to hatch an egg?"

The lackey was so scared he shuddered and quickly spilled everything.

"Yes!"

"He seems to be the Ye Chen who was specially recruited by the Dragon Group in the recent rumors!"

"Old Man Xuanyuan of the Dragon Group personally gave the nod to recruit him as an exception..."

"It's said he's highly valued!"

"So he's the one specially recruited by the Dragon Group?" Chu Awesome's eyes widened instantly.

He never expected... that this kid, who had flicked Chu Long away with one palm and had a deadly sharp tongue, actually had a connection with Xuanyuan Huo?

Damn it!

Speaking of the Dragon Group, that was a place Young Master Chu dreamed of squeezing into!

Unfortunately, his talent and physical constitution were really not up to par. When the old man of his family went to beg Xuanyuan Huo years ago, he was rebuffed by that stubborn old man with the phrase 'rules are rules,' showing no face at all.

Because of this, he had been secretly mocked by people in his circle quite a bit.

Chu Awesome's eyes flickered. The wicked fire in his heart caused by Li Meier was somehow suppressed by another, stronger impulse.

He stood up with a 'thud,' walked a few steps to Ye Chen, and stared down at him.

"Are you... very close to the Dragon Group's leader?"

Ye Chen opened his eyes, glanced at him, and shook his head. "Not close."

"Bullshit!"

Chu Awesome didn't believe him at all. "That old man is famously impartial, valuing rules more than life. If you weren't close, would he make an exception to specially recruit you? Who are you trying to fool!"

Ye Chen didn't say anything, just looked at him with a smile.

Is this guy an idiot?

They were like enemies just a moment ago, and now he's acting all familiar?

Chu Awesome was infuriated by that half-smile.

That look again!

He gave a heavy snort, turned around abruptly, walked back to his seat, sat down with a thud, and crossed his arms in a huff.

Damn it!

He had originally wanted to see if he could find a breakthrough through this kid, to take a detour and use the back door with that old man... but this guy was even harder to deal with than the old man!