Chapter Four: A Lesson

Lin Yi entered the Timely Rain Bar, which hadn’t opened for business yet. Only a few waiters were busying themselves inside.

“Lin Yi, I heard from the manager that you got fired. Is it true?”

The question came from a young woman in a black-and-white uniform. Her name was Cai Qing, a university student herself, with gentle features and a temperament to match—she gave off the warm, caring vibe of an older sister.

“It’s true,” Lin Yi nodded. There was nothing to hide.

“Did you offend him?” Cai Qing pressed.

“No, I suppose he just doesn’t like the look of me.” Lin Yi told a small lie. Telling Cai Qing the truth wouldn’t help—she had no way of fixing things anyway.

“That Manager Sun is really something else. It’s bad enough he bullies us all the time, now he fires people on a whim,” Cai Qing said indignantly.

“It’s alright, I can find another job. Sister Cai, I’ll go see the manager about this month’s wages,” Lin Yi replied.

“Alright, go ahead,” Cai Qing nodded and returned to her work.

Lin Yi made his way to the manager’s office at the back and knocked on the door.

“Who is it?” A man’s voice sounded from within.

Without answering, Lin Yi pushed open the door to see a man in his thirties with a short crew cut, short and shifty-eyed.

This was Lin Yi’s manager, Sun Lei—his face matched his character.

When Sun Lei saw that it was Lin Yi, a flicker of doubt crossed his eyes, and he blurted out, “Why are you fine?”

Lin Yi fixed his gaze on Sun Lei and said with a half-smile, “Why shouldn’t I be?”

Sun Lei dropped his eyes, cursing Huang San inwardly for being unreliable. The man had promised to break one of Lin Yi’s legs, yet here Lin Yi stood, perfectly unharmed. Had Huang San taken the money and run?

The more Sun Lei thought about it, the more irritable he became, and the more displeased he felt at the sight of Lin Yi. “What are you doing here? I told you, our place is too small for someone as grand as you.”

“I’m here for my wages,” Lin Yi replied.

Annoyance flashed across Sun Lei’s face as he feigned ignorance. “What wages?”

“The half month’s pay I’m owed,” Lin Yi said.

“I distinctly remember giving it to you. Go on, get out of here and don’t make trouble,” Sun Lei said, trying to shoo Lin Yi out.

Lin Yi frowned. Usually, he let it slide when Sun Lei skimmed some of his pay, but this time, the man was outright withholding half a month’s salary. Combined with what had happened before, even Lin Yi’s mild temperament had its limits.

“Are you sure you’re not going to pay me?” Lin Yi stared into Sun Lei’s eyes, demanding.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Sun Lei denied flatly. There were no cameras here, after all. As long as he stuck to his story, there was nothing this poor student could do. Wang Hongquan had specifically tasked him with making life difficult for Lin Yi. He didn’t know what Lin Yi had done to offend the boss, but that wasn’t his concern—his job was to keep Wang Hongquan happy.

A poor student with no money and no connections—who better to pick on?

A cold chuckle escaped Lin Yi. People like this needed a lesson, or who knew how many others would suffer.

---

“What are you laughing at?” Sun Lei asked, unsettled by Lin Yi’s expression.

“You’ll know in a moment,” Lin Yi said, a glint of gold flashing in his eyes. “Slap yourself ten times.”

“Kid, are you kidding—” Sun Lei started, thinking it was a joke, but before he could finish, his hands moved against his will.

Smack! Smack!

Sun Lei alternated slaps across his own face, each one resounding with force.

“Stop! Stop it!” Sun Lei tried desperately to halt himself, but his body refused to obey.

After ten slaps, Sun Lei was dazed, his ratlike face now swollen like a pig’s head.

“Now can you pay me?” Lin Yi asked.

“Yes, yes,” Sun Lei nodded rapidly. He guessed Lin Yi must know some kind of hypnosis. He’d read articles before—some people skilled in hypnosis could control others with a snap of their fingers.

He never expected an ordinary university student like Lin Yi to have such skills. He could only silently mark down this humiliation for later.

Sun Lei pulled a wad of cash—at least four or five thousand—from the drawer, wincing as he handed it over. “Here you go.”

Lin Yi saw no need for courtesy with the likes of him. He slipped the money into his pocket and said, “Take this as a lesson. Remember it.”

Sun Lei’s face darkened with humiliation. To be lectured by a poor student—he, the dignified manager of a bar! But thinking of Lin Yi’s hypnotic abilities, he couldn’t help feeling a little unnerved.

With his wages in hand, Lin Yi didn’t linger. Soon after he left, Sun Lei’s phone rang. When he saw the caller ID, his anger flared. “Huang San, what happened? Didn’t you say you’d break Lin Yi’s leg?”

“Cough, a woman showed up and rescued the kid. She was a real beauty, but she didn’t pull her punches,” Huang San replied, sounding frustrated. He’d never before encountered a woman who could fight like that—she’d floored him and his men in just a few moves. His chest still ached.

“Hah! Huang San, you can’t even handle a woman? What’s next, dying in bed?” Sun Lei mocked.

“Watch your mouth, Sun. If you keep running it, I’ll string you up myself,” Huang San threatened.

Sun Lei’s face paled, and he muttered under his breath, “Fine, I’ll let it go for now.”

He knew better than to cross Huang San, who had connections in the underworld. If Huang San wanted to make trouble for him, it would be all too easy.

After ending the call, Sun Lei dialed Wang Hongquan to report everything that had happened.

---

Meanwhile, Lin Yi left the manager’s office and ran into Cai Qing.

“Lin Yi, did Manager Sun give you a hard time?” she asked. Everyone in the bar knew Sun Lei was obsessed with money. He also had connections with local toughs, so few dared to cross him.

“No,” Lin Yi smiled.

“That’s good. Sigh, with you gone, we hardly have any waiters left,” Cai Qing sighed.

Lin Yi understood perfectly. With Sun Lei around, it was rare for any waiter to last a full year here. The bar’s owner was a single woman who rarely interfered, leaving Sun Lei free to throw his weight around as he pleased.

But to be fair, with Sun Lei in charge, the Timely Rain Bar had never had any serious trouble.

“Sister Cai, I’ll be off now—I’ve got something to do,” Lin Yi said.

“You heartless boy, you won’t even spare your big sister another look,” Cai Qing teased.

Lin Yi knew she was joking and replied with a laugh, “Sister Cai, if you ever run into trouble, you can always come to me.”

Perhaps it was because she too was a university student, but Cai Qing had always looked after him. Lin Yi wasn’t one to forget kindness. He’d help a friend if he could.

“Alright, I’ll remember you said that,” Cai Qing smiled, though she didn’t take it too seriously. If real trouble came, there wasn’t much Lin Yi could do. Still, his words warmed her heart—pity the boy remained oblivious.

Cai Qing pointed to a booth. “By the way, there’s a beautiful woman over there who seems to be waiting for you.”

Lin Yi glanced over to see Wang Ke sitting there, sipping a glass of juice.

“I’ll go over,” Lin Yi said, and walked toward her.

Wang Ke’s eyes flashed with hostility as she saw him approach. “Hey, what did you mean earlier when you said I couldn’t beat you?”

She’d been training since she was seven. Though her progress was slow, her foundation was solid. Besides, it was already harder for women to cultivate than men, and her strong-willed nature made Lin Yi’s provocation even more galling. She wasn’t about to let it slide.

“It’s exactly what it sounds like. You’re just in time—take me to see your grandfather,” Lin Yi replied.

“Not until I land a punch on you!” Wang Ke retorted, immediately raising her leg to kick at Lin Yi’s chest.

Wang Ke’s legs were long, like a model’s.

Lin Yi chuckled, his body swaying gently to dodge her attack.

He had no intention of fighting with a young woman. Though Wang Ke’s speed didn’t seem exceptional, she simply couldn’t catch him.

“Damn it, this guy’s as slippery as an eel,” Wang Ke cursed. An outsider would have seen only a playful chase, but anyone with skill would recognize Lin Yi’s impressive evasive technique. She hated to admit it, but his escaping skills were formidable.

Wang Ke guessed Lin Yi was well-versed in body movement techniques, though perhaps lacking in actual combat skills—after all, no one is perfect, and cultivation is never accomplished overnight.

After leaving the bar, Wang Ke saw Lin Yi already sitting in her car.

“Hey! Who said you could get in my car?” Wang Ke snapped, her pretty face darkening with annoyance.

She’d just gotten this car; even her best friends hadn’t had a chance to ride in it yet. Now, this stranger sat there like he owned it.