Old memories of being a freelance mercenary were nostalgic tales now. Feng Yi chose to tell some lively and intriguing stories filled with excitement; stories like a heroic moment where he saved a damsel who happened to be a married woman, or a gunfight that almost led to a friendly-fire. These were the kind of thrilling events he would share.

As time passed, the bar quieted down completely. His friends were all listening with an unprecedented level of attention. It felt as though they were immersed in the stories themselves. Xia Xinru, in particular, seemed to become so involved that she clutched the corner of Feng Yi's clothing. Even after the stories were over, many still found it hard to pull away from their deeply engaged thoughts.

"Becoming a freelance mercenary at just 11 years old and going through so many tests, elder, no, instructor, you're really amazing," Miss Xia exclaimed sincerely. Her fingers tightly clenched in front of her chest and a softness filled her respecting gaze.

Feng Yi was somewhat shocked by the girl's coy smile! The usually quiet girl turned out to be such a stunning beauty upon closer observation. Perhaps she did not have Zi Mou's radiant aura, but just her looks alone were no less charming. Her magical cure-all smile would send any man's heart fluttering! If Angelina's smile could be described as coquettish, then Xia Xinru was the complete opposite. Her gentle humor was on a goddess level, her laughter had an endearing maturity, like a refreshing breeze.

Actually, this was always Xia Xinru's nature. Though she was often seen as a 'soft girl', she was able to handle any situation calmly with anyone other than Feng Yi. She had commonalities with Sheng Qiangwei, which caused her to become the object of envy among other girls.

However, there was a difference between them. Sheng Qiangwei would often react coldly in tricky situations while Xia Xinru would handle things tactfully in a considerate way. Despite being physically frail— which was quite common with intelligent girls— she excelled in all kinds of fields likes music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, especially in piano and solving puzzles.

In the midst of this exclamation, she suddenly bowed her head as if she had thought of something. Being a smart girl, she was very clear that she might never muster the courage to face this dazzling figure again after this night. Gathering her courage, she softly bit her lip and asked, "Oh, by the way, instructor, do you have a girlfriend? And what… what kind of girl do you like?"

"Well, I don't have one. Regarding matters of love, it doesn't really matter what type of girl she is. As long as I find her pleasing to my eyes, that's enough I guess," Feng Yi revealed his carefree attitude.

He always maintained his easygoing demeanor, like the wind— elusive and fleeting— making it impossible for anyone to catch up to him.

"So, if you find someone pleasing, I... I..." Xia Xinru lowered her head as she gathered her courage and murmured in a soft voice.

"You what?" Feng Yi furrowed his eyebrows and shrugged, "Oh yeah, take this as a reward for knocking down my military knife."

As he said that, a dazzling chain of Space Crystals appeared in his hand. Before the survival test, Feng Yi had declared that anyone who could disarm him would be rewarded, but he never actually expected anyone to succeed. This unexpected event left him at a loss for words, but he had always been a man of his word, so how could he forfeit his promise?

The reason for his late arrival tonight became clear. He went to buy the Space Crystals to stir up the competitive spirit among the warriors. Money was never an issue for the renowned Revenge Shadow Rider.

"This... How can I accept this..." Xia Xinru wanted to accept it since this gift held a special significance, but it was too expensive for her to accept. Even though she was born into a wealthy family and didn't care about money, she was still reluctant to accept such a luxurious gift.

"Just take it. Are you questioning my capabilities?"

"Even if you say so, instructor..."

"Hehe, don't tell me I have to put it on you myself."

Upon hearing this, Xia Xinru fell silent, and with burning cheeks, she stopped rejecting his offer.

Feng Yi wasn't stupid, he had already noticed Xia Xinru's acts. He extended the necklace towards her but hesitated in mid-air. He felt slightly embarrassed and absentmindedly flicked her forehead saying, "There's a flaw." It seemed like an attempt to ease his embarrassment, but it only made things more awkward.

"Meanie."

"Cough, when I see such a huge flaw, I couldn't help but..."

Seeing Feng Yi feign a cough, Xia Xinru burst into laughter. For the first time, she noticed that the instructor was not invincible. Even though he had shown it well, he couldn't deceive the clever Miss Xia, whose eyes gleamed more brightly now when she looked at Feng Yi. If before, Feng Yi felt like an unpredictable gust of wind always just out of reach, he now felt real and touchable— so real that she felt the distance between them was not as far as she thought.

"Hey, what are you two doing? Boss, I heard that Xia Xinru is a good singer. Why doesn't she go sing a song for us brothers."

"What?"

"Hehe, before that, let's finish this drink." Elvis gave Feng Yi a knowing smile, and before he could lift his wine, people around had already started cheering...

In fact, everyone had been secretly observing the two of them all along. Although Xia Xinru was usually a bit clumsy, when paired with the instructor, she was the perfect match.

——

It was a hazy night outside the Shadow District with falling snow that made the Aier Bar, surrounded by accumulated snow, look like a fairy-tale house. Any second now, you would expect Santa Claus to jump out of the chimney, hop on his reindeer carriage, and fly up into the sky. Multicolored lights added a magical touch to the ambiance of the exterior of the Aier Bar.

Outdoors, countless taxi drivers sighed, thinking how wonderful the lives of the young were. They would have had such merry times in their younger days with friends eating and drinking. Now, running their taxi had become a significant part of their livelihood.

The dozens of taxis had been reserved by Feng Yi in advance. Soon after, the few remaining drunken students staggered out of Aier's bar, while most of them who were too inebriated were reluctant to leave. After all, there was a day off tomorrow, and they felt it would be a waste not to drink a lot tonight. With this mentality, the group inside was enjoying themselves to the fullest.

No matter what others thought, Feng Yi's plan at this moment was to clear out as far as possible. If he didn't act fast, who knows what kind of mess those rascals would create? He thought Xia Xinru would be acting like her usually soft sister self, but was surprised when she displayed a darker side, continuously pouring drinks for him. She didn't utter a single word throughout, just a coy smile on her face. But Feng Yi could plainly see the hidden triumph in her tranquil expression.

"Boss, let us have a few more drinks. Why so early?" A bunch of them yelled from outside the bar.

After hearing them, Feng Yi tripped and quickly jumped into a car, "Driver, let's go."

"So tired." The seasoned taxi driver could read Feng Yi's condition and knew he had been drinking too much. He stepped on the gas without a second word and provided a quick escape before the others could say goodbye.

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