Jun Yelan arrived at the Holy Maiden's Hall, directly grabbing the neck of a maidservant who was about to report, throwing her aside, and walking in with a chilling aura.
The Holy Maiden was removing her makeup. The thought of her medicine being stolen made her clench the hairpin in her hand in anger. She heard the commotion outside and turned her head, only to see an arrow flying towards her.
Her shoulder bled, with an arrow embedded in it. She immediately roared, "Jun Yelan, what madness are you exhibiting here!"
Jun Yelan shot another arrow, embedding it in her other shoulder. "You injured her today!"
The Holy Maiden then realized that Jun Yelan was here to avenge that little maidservant. She sneered, "Jun Yelan, I've injured far fewer people than you have."
"You care so much about this maidservant, could it be you like her! But someone like you isn't fit to like anyone. For raising you, I'll give you a piece of advice: don't fall for anyone in this city."
She was a failed example.
Jun Yelan didn't know what his feelings were for Lan Yan, he just wanted to see her smile, not weak. "My affairs are none of your business. You've been controlling my medicine all these years, and I haven't touched you because you raised me."
"But if you touch her again, I will no longer remember this kindness."
"Kindness?" The Holy Maiden sneered again, "I raised you to cultivate you for revenge against the Old City Lord. There are no such words between us. I've suddenly realized you truly care about that maidservant. Your future days will be even more miserable."
Those who understand emotions are more pitiable than those who don't.
Jun Yelan was too lazy to bicker with the Holy Maiden, leaving a final threat, "If you lay a hand on her again, I will destroy this place." He directly destroyed the Holy Maiden's Hall gate with a palm strike and left coldly.
The Holy Maiden behind him bit her lip and roared, "Jun Yelan, you reprobate!" However, seeing Jun Yelan like this, she became even more interested in that maidservant and decided to use her to destroy Jun Yelan.
Jun Yelan returned to the hall and continued to sit by Lan Yan's bedside, his mind replaying the Holy Maiden's words. He looked melancholic, his thoughts in turmoil.
At this moment, a softness came from his palm. He turned his head to look at the white tiger beside him and said, "I'm fine." This white tiger had been raised by him since he was small and was probably the one who had stayed with him the longest.
The white tiger was always kept behind Jun Yelan's room, where there was a small chamber. He usually didn't go out, only coming out at night. Seeing that Jun Yelan was different from usual, it rubbed its head against Jun Yelan's palm, its expression appearing somewhat sad.
Jun Yelan stroked the white tiger's head and muttered to himself, "The Holy Maiden said I'm different towards Lan Yan. Do you think she's different!"
The white tiger glanced at Lan Yan on the bed and nodded, as she looked different from itself.
"You think so too." Jun Yelan's gaze remained fixed on Lan Yan. He always felt it was strange. Why did Lan Yan have such a significant impact on him, when she was someone who had appeared so suddenly.
He didn't understand, but didn't want to dwell on it. This was fine. He leaned by the bed and slowly fell asleep.
The white tiger didn't understand either. It lay on the ground, yawned, and slept with its paws as a pillow.
The next day, when Lan Yan woke up, she saw a white tiger's head by her bed. She suddenly sprang up and hid in Jun Yelan's arms.
"Where did this come from?" She nervously grabbed the clothes on Jun Yelan's chest, burying her head against his chest, afraid to lift it.
Jun Yelan naturally woke up. He looked at Lan Yan in his arms, then at the white tiger beside him. "Go down."
The white tiger immediately retracted its head with a look of grievance, lying pathetically on the ground, no longer its master's new favorite.
"It's gone," Jun Yelan said, placing his hand on Lan Yan's back with a soothing gesture.
Only then did Lan Yan peek her head out of Jun Yelan's arms and look at the white tiger on the ground. She inexplicably found it rather cute. Seeing that the white tiger wasn't growling, she reached out and petted its head. It was so soft!
She remembered the cat she used to keep and reached out to pet the white tiger's belly. However, the white tiger suddenly got up and ran backwards.
"..."
A faint chuckle came from behind her. She turned her head and saw a hint of a smile on Jun Yelan's lips.
Jun Yelan, caught by Lan Yan's gaze, withdrew his smile. It was the first time he had seen the white tiger react like this. "From now on, you don't have to be responsible for the maids' affairs. Just stay in the hall."
Lan Yan realized she had been "promoted" again. That was great, she could be leisurely and carefree from now on, though she suspected she wouldn't stay idle. "City Lord, thank you so much. I'll take my leave then."
She decided to take a stroll around the city and fully enjoy her first day off. After all, Jun Yelan had successfully gotten through last night, and she could rest for a while.
Jun Yelan watched Lan Yan leave, a slight curve of his lips. Then he suppressed his smile and continued to handle city affairs.
As for Lan Yan, fearing that someone might cause trouble, she deliberately brought the white tiger along for a bit of "borrowed power."
She saw the maids who had bullied her before and was about to use the white tiger against them, but the maids ran away first. "...Is it necessary to be this scared!"
The maids, seeing that she wasn't pursuing them, breathed a sigh of relief. "Good thing we avoided her, otherwise we would be doomed." They walked ahead and saw Luqi. Thinking of Luqi's relationship with Lan Yan, they quietly walked away.
Luqi paid them no mind. Seeing Lan Yan playing with the white tiger, she figured everything was fine.
Lan Yan looked up and saw Luqi, calling out, "Quick, come here! I was bored. Those maids, I don't know why, suddenly stopped paying attention to me. I just went out for a bit, and nothing seems to have changed."
Luqi: They were afraid of the City Lord. "Lan Yan, you need to be careful of the Holy Maiden." Given the Holy Maiden's temperament, she wouldn't let Lan Yan, who had disrupted her plans, off the hook.
Lan Yan nodded, "This Holy Maiden is indeed a trouble. Luqi, can you teach me some moves? Otherwise, I have no way to protect myself." She didn't want to fail her mission and die.
"Okay, that's fine too." Luqi wasn't skilled in martial arts, but self-protection was not a problem. She swung her arms, demonstrating two moves, and looked at Lan Yan, "Do you get it?"
Lan Yan understood it mentally, but her hands and feet might not cooperate. She stood up, mimicking Luqi's earlier movements, but either hit herself or the nearby pillar.
Luqi sighed, she truly had no talent for martial arts.
The white tiger beside them yawned and lay down to sleep again.
Only Lan Yan remained, still practicing her palm strikes alone.
Jun Yelan, inside the hall, finished handling the city affairs and glanced at the darkening sky. Lan Yan hadn't returned yet. He wanted to ask Luqi, but found that Luqi was also gone.
So he walked out of the hall and went to the garden, where he saw Lan Yan diligently twisting her limbs. He walked over in confusion, grabbed her arms from behind, and swung them to the side, saying, "This way, you'll have more power."
Lan Yan felt the breath coming from her ear, and her ear tips instantly turned red.