349: Situ Jun appeared

"Wifely virtues?"

Steward Wang sneered, his tone full of mockery and disdain.

As his voice fell, faint ripples of white spiritual energy emanated from his body; he was clearly a Cultivator at the Third level of Qi Refining.

In this Wang Mansion dominated by Mortals, the Third level of Qi Refining was considered high-level, so it was no wonder he was usually so arrogant and domineering.

His eyes were hideous as he pressed closer step by step, his tone vicious:

"In this mansion, I am the law! If I say you follow wifely virtues, then you do; if I say you don't, then you don't! Even if you truly did, if I want to hit you, I will! What can you do about it?"

As he spoke, he prepared to raise his hand again, clearly intending to use his drunkenness to vent all his resentment and irritation on Wan Xiangyu.

Situ Jun, hiding behind a vermilion pillar, could no longer suppress the rage in his heart.

He had originally intended to leave quietly after learning her name, owing each other nothing from then on.

But seeing Wan Xiangyu being bullied like this—her face, which had been breathtakingly beautiful and flushed just moments ago, now bore a hideous handprint, with a trace of blood at the corner of her mouth—that stubborn and enduring look caused anger and guilt to intertwine within him, nearly burning him to ashes.

She was originally an elegant, ethereal woman who sought no conflict with the world, yet she was trapped in this loveless mansion, suffering cold treatment and disdain.

She had already suffered such grievances to save him just now, and now she had to endure this senseless beating and humiliation; how could he stand by and do nothing?

A cold light flashed in Situ Jun's eyes as the spiritual energy within him quietly circulated. A wisp of extremely pure spiritual energy condensed at his fingertip—colorless and formless, yet carrying unquestionable power.

The moment Steward Wang raised his hand again, that wisp of spiritual energy shot out as fast as lightning and without a sound.

The spiritual energy cut through the air so fast it made almost no sound, landing precisely on Steward Wang's Sleep Point.

This was an attack with carefully controlled force, intended only to induce sleep without taking a life, resolving the situation for Wan Xiangyu without causing too much of a stir.

Steward Wang's movements suddenly froze, the ferocity and drunkenness on his face instantly solidifying as if a pause button had been pressed.

A second later, his eyes closed, and his body fell straight backward.

"Thud!"

With a dull thud, Steward Wang's obese body slammed onto the bluestone floor, kicking up a cloud of dust.

A moment later, thunderous snoring rang out, deafening and breaking the dead silence of the room.

Wan Xiangyu clutched her cheek, staring blankly at Steward Wang snoring loudly on the floor, momentarily forgetting to react.

The pain on her cheek was vivid, and the metallic taste of blood still spread in her mouth, but the grievances and sadness in her heart mostly dissipated the moment Steward Wang fell.

She hesitated for a moment before cautiously stepping forward.

She extended a finger and lightly poked Steward Wang's arm; seeing no reaction, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Her tense body instantly slumped. Leaning against the dressing table, she slowly slid down to sit on the floor, and tears finally burst from her eyes.

The tears fell like broken strings of pearls down her cheeks, mixing with the blood at the corner of her mouth, making her look all the more disheveled and pitiful.

She suppressed her sobs, her shoulders trembling slightly like a weak willow swaying in the wind, a sight that would make anyone's heart ache.

Situ Jun felt even more guilty seeing her like this.

With a movement of his body, he appeared before her silently, like a gentle breeze.

Sensing someone approaching, Wan Xiangyu jerked her head up, her eyes full of vigilance and panic, like a startled fawn.

When she saw it was Situ Jun, the panic in her eyes intensified. She instinctively tried to back away, but since she was sitting on the floor, she could only shrink her body in vain. The flush on her cheeks and the handprint were intertwined, making them particularly striking.

"It's you..."

Her voice was hoarse, with a hint of a sob and an irrepressible mix of bashfulness and wariness:

"Why haven't you left yet?"

Situ Jun was dressed in a moon-white brocade robe with hidden patterns, his dark hair tied up. His face was handsome and elegant, with sword-like eyebrows, starry eyes, and a high bridge to his nose.

But at this moment, his deep eyes were filled with an unshakeable solemnity and heartache.

He walked toward Wan Xiangyu step by step, his gaze falling on her swollen cheek as guilt surged within him like a tide.

"It's me,"

Situ Jun said softly.

Wan Xiangyu stood up. She never expected Situ Jun to still be in the mansion, let alone witness everything that had just happened.

The red marks on her neck had not yet faded, and her cheek was still swollen from the slap. Before him now, she felt as though all her dishevelment and humiliation were laid bare. Her face instantly burned hot, and she instinctively turned away, trying to avoid his gaze.

Situ Jun looked at her reddened cheek; that clear handprint was like a thorn in his heart, and his feeling of guilt grew even stronger.

He nodded slightly, his voice low and apologetic:

"My apologies, Madam. I did not intend to spy, but... I was worried about you."

He paused, his gaze falling on the sleeping Steward Wang on the floor, his eyes turning a few degrees colder:

"This man was being violent toward you; I truly could not just stand by and watch."

He didn't say that he had lingered because he had forgotten to ask her name and felt a strange reluctance to leave. Nor did he say he felt pained by her plight; he only mentioned his concern and the reason for his intervention.

Hearing this, Wan Xiangyu's heart skipped a beat, as if something had gently bumped against it—heavy yet fluttering.

Worried about her?

In this world, was there actually someone who would worry about an abandoned woman like her?

Seeing the undisguised heartache and guilt in Situ Jun's eyes, the pain on her cheek seemed to lessen slightly, and ripples once again appeared in the stagnant corner of her heart.

Yet these ripples were mixed with shyness, unease, vigilance, and a flutter of emotion she couldn't even name.

"Thank you for your intervention, Your Excellency."

She lowered her head, avoiding his gaze, her voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz:

"This is the Wang Mansion. If you are discovered here, it will... it will cause unnecessary trouble. Please... please leave as soon as possible."

It wasn't that she wasn't grateful for his rescue, but she had long been used to keeping to herself and didn't want to get involved with anyone, especially after the accident just now.

She only wanted to forget everything as quickly as possible and return to her previous life, even if that life was lonely and hopeless.

Situ Jun naturally understood her concerns, but looking at the marks on her face and the despair in her eyes, he simply couldn't turn and leave like that.

He took a step forward, wanting to get closer to her, but seeing her instinctively shrink back, he stopped, afraid of scaring her further.

He said softly:

"You needn't worry, Madam. This man won't wake up until dawn at the earliest; he won't discover my presence."

Wan Xiangyu gave a soft "mm" in response, still not looking up.

She could feel Situ Jun's gaze on her—a gaze that held no frivolity, only concern and guilt. This allowed her taut heartstrings to relax slightly, but it was followed by an even deeper sense of embarrassment and helplessness.

She instinctively raised her hand, wanting to hide the handprint on her cheek, but Situ Jun gently caught her wrist.

His fingertips were slightly cool, his grip very light, carrying a hint of cautious tenderness.

Wan Xiangyu's body suddenly stiffened as if burned. She wanted to pull her hand back, but Situ Jun gently held it in place.