040. Devotion

Lin Shan glanced at him and pulled Luo Bing behind him. Not wanting to waste any words on the man, he scanned his surroundings and spotted a stone not far away, likely a fragment chipped off a concrete curb. Lin Shan walked over quickly, picked it up, returned to stand in front of Luo Bing, and looked the burly man in the eye. "I don't want to talk to you. If you want to spend the night in the emergency room, then keep blocking my way."

With that, Lin Shan squeezed the stone with force, turning it into powder.

It was not mere gravel, but a piece of concrete from the curb that had somehow been broken off. The burly man, who had been acting so aggressively, flinched, his upper body shrinking back in a strangely adorable contrast. He was drunk, not stupid; the scene before him made it clear that this was not a man to be trifled with.

The bald man sheepishly stepped aside and said nothing more. The onlookers looked at Lin Shan with awe.

"That must be what they call 'Iron Palm' in the TV dramas."
"No wonder he's with such a beauty; turns out he's a real master."

After moving aside, the burly man even gave a formal cupped-fist salute. "Brother, I am a disciple of the Yinghao Martial Arts School. I failed to recognize a true expert. Please forgive me."

Yinghao Martial Arts School? Lin Shan looked at him, realizing the man was indeed a member of the martial arts community. He waved a hand and said, "It's fine." With that, he took Luo Bing and walked away.

As they stepped out of the crowd, Lin Shan noticed the phone in Luo Bing’s denim shorts pocket was lighting up repeatedly. "Your phone is ringing," he told her.

Luo Bing, who had been bleary-eyed from drink, suddenly became agitated. She shook off Lin Shan’s hand and shouted, "Who asked for your opinion?"

After drinking, the girl seemed to have shed all her pretenses; her usual air of a sophisticated young lady was completely gone. Pouting and looking aggrieved, she pulled her phone from her pocket and answered the call. Although she didn't put it on speaker, Lin Shan’s heightened senses allowed him to hear the conversation clearly.

"Where have you gone? Why aren't you back yet?"

The voice belonged to a middle-aged man. Lin Shan remembered hearing it when he had trailed Luo Bing and Sheng Teng; he knew that the only reason Sheng Teng hadn't succeeded in his schemes yet was because of Luo Bing’s strictly overbearing father.

Hearing her father's interrogation, Luo Bing’s emotions suddenly collapsed. She screamed into the phone, "Do you even know how old I am? I have my own life, I can make my own choices, and I don't want to be controlled by you anymore!"

She hung up, and feeling that wasn't enough, she hurled the phone to the ground. After smashing it, she slumped to the ground in total dejection.

Lin Shan sighed and sat down across from her. Luo Bing looked up and asked suddenly, "Is that Zhang Wan better than me?"

Lin Shan shook his head. "In terms of figure, appearance, family background, or personality, she doesn't compare to you at all. The only thing is that her hair might be longer, but her insight is incredibly shallow."

Luo Bing gave a bitter smile and sighed. "If that's the case, why did he go looking for her?"

"People who cheat don't do it because their partners aren't good enough," Lin Shan explained. "Think about those female celebrities—they are so beautiful, yet their husbands still cheat or visit prostitutes. It’s impossible to explain. Don't doubt yourself. You are actually very excellent; you and Sheng Teng just weren't meant for each other."

Some truths are simple, but those involved are often blinded by their circumstances. Without someone to pull them out, they only sink deeper into the abyss. Luo Bing felt enlightened by Lin Shan’s words, and her dejected expression softened.

A night breeze blew by, and Luo Bing shuddered. Seeing this, Lin Shan took off his shirt and draped it over her.

"Thank you, Senior..." Luo Bing managed a faint smile.

"It's nothing. Let me take you home," Lin Shan said. If he hadn't shown up, in her state, she likely would have been dragged off by that bald man—a guy who clearly didn't know how to treat a lady with care.

However, Luo Bing shook her head. "Senior, I don't want to go back. It's cold out here. Can I go to your place instead?"

Lin Shan had no ulterior motives; he simply felt that after such a big fight with her father, she probably couldn't bring herself to face him yet. He figured he would take her home, let her cool off, and offer some advice.

He nodded. "Alright. Let's go to my place. I'll make you a hot cup of tea, and you can sit for a while."

He led Luo Bing to his car. Once inside, she stared blankly out the window. "Senior, can you tell me about you and Zhang Wan?"

This had once been a painful, unspeakable scar for Lin Shan, but now that his life was back on track, he could face it calmly. As he drove, he recounted his past with Zhang Wan.

When he finished, Luo Bing remarked, "Someone like you, who works so hard for life, is truly worth respecting. That fool of a woman had no idea what she was missing."

Lin Shan chuckled. At the time, he had tried his best to shield her from the storms and pressures of life. He had a clear conscience. After his father, Lin Jiabao, fell ill, the Lin family had been under immense pressure, yet Zhang Wan’s life had remained unchanged—sleeping until noon, followed by afternoon tea, manicures, and binge-watching dramas.

"Regardless, I have no regrets."

They arrived at his destination, and Lin Shan brought Luo Bing inside. His parents used to live there, but Zhang Wan had always resented them, eventually forcing them to rent another place. Now, the apartment was Lin Shan’s alone. It wasn't large—ninety square meters—but it was kept in meticulous order. Once inside, Lin Shan went to boil water, telling Luo Bing to settle into the guest room.

Before long, he heard Luo Bing calling out.

"Senior, could you come in for a moment?"

"Coming."

Lin Shan grabbed a fresh towel and opened the door. The moment he stepped inside, a wave of fragrance hit him, and a hot body threw itself into his arms.

Lin Shan’s heart began to pound violently. Through the physical contact, he realized that Luo Bing was completely naked. His brain felt like it had short-circuited; his entire body grew hot. As he looked down, he met her dazed, alluring eyes.

"Senior," she whispered softly. "Let's do it."