Chapter 35: Stepping Forward!

"Oh no!"

Wei Lin’s heart instantly leaped into his throat. How could someone who spends their time in these desolate, rugged mountains not carry hunting tools? He had hurried back precisely because he feared that a desperate, honest man might be pushed into doing something irrational. And, as luck would have it, his worst fears were realized.

Those two idiots, Zhang Xun and Qi Muyang, had truly let Yuan Xiaoe’s foul mouth provoke them into using their size to bully the man. And as if the physical assault weren't enough, those two loudmouths couldn't keep their traps shut, finally pushing the honest man over the edge.

"Wait! Uncle, don't be rash!" Wei Lin shouted.

Zhuang Qing’s expression shifted, and she immediately tightened her grip on her trekking pole, instinctively adopting a defensive stance. Standing beside Wei Lin, she cursed inwardly, looking at Zhang Xun, Qi Muyang, and Yuan Xiaoe as if they were rotting meat on the side of the road that not even a stray dog would touch.

"Ah! Ah!"

Seeing the man charge out with a knife and a terrifying, murderous glint in his eyes, Yuan Xiaoe let out a scream that sounded like a difficult birth; her face, previously somewhat charming, contorted in terror. Zhang Xun and Qi Muyang, who had been spewing insults just a moment ago, were stunned into absolute paralysis.

"Like to squawk, do you? Let’s see how you do it now!"

The short, thin man, brandishing the blade, swept his gaze over the group and charged straight at the three of them.

"Run, you idiots!" Wei Lin roared.

Only then did Zhang Xun and Qi Muyang snap out of their stupor. Forgetting entirely that they were supposed to protect Yuan Xiaoe, they turned and bolted without a sound. The two "hiking experts" finally showed their true potential, running as if they had wings on their feet.

But... the man who lived and worked in these mountains year-round was the true master of the terrain, and he was clearly faster than them. He didn't view the foul-mouthed Yuan Xiaoe as his primary target. He bypassed her instantly, his eyes, bloodshot from alcohol and suppressed rage, locked firmly on the backs of Zhang Xun and Qi Muyang.

"Wei Lin!" Zhuang Qing screamed.

The two fleeing curs, Zhang Xun and Qi Muyang, had bolted through the open space in front of her and Wei Lin, and the knife-wielding man was now charging directly toward them. She turned her head toward Wei Lin.

Wei Lin took a deep breath, his expression remarkably steady. He suddenly shoved her hard toward the woods behind them and took a step back himself, though he remained standing on the wild trail trodden by hikers and park staff. The man, blinded by rage and alcohol, reached them in an instant, coming face-to-face with Wei Lin.

*Thwack!*

Wei Lin’s trekking pole, whistling through the air, struck the man’s forearm with pinpoint precision. The man stumbled and fell face-first onto the ground. The hunting knife flew from his hand from the force of the blow. Wei Lin immediately leaped over him, snatched up the knife with lightning speed, and before the man could recover, roared, "Uncle, calm down! Think about your wife and kids at home!"

"Is it worth spending the rest of your life in prison over two foul-mouthed scumbags?!"

"Uncle! I apologize. I’ll pay for your medical expenses, please, don't be rash!"

"There’s really no need for this!"

With a trekking pole in one hand and the knife in the other, Wei Lin apologized repeatedly to the man, who was still on the ground.

"Old Liu, calm down, calm down!" Another man, who had also rushed out of the tents and spoken to Wei Lin earlier, arrived carrying a similar knife. He shouted, "Your son is starting university next year! Don't let a moment of injustice ruin your child's future!"

"I... I... I just can't take this anger!" The man on the ground scrambled up, glaring at Wei Lin with red eyes.

Every family has its own hardships. Recently, he hadn't been earning much at the construction site, and his wife complained constantly. With his son’s university tuition due next year, he had come to Nanshan hoping to find some rare game to sell at the market to supplement his income. Yuan Xiaoe’s verbal abuse—calling him a "filthy migrant worker" repeatedly—had struck a nerve. Driven by alcohol, he had acted irrationally, slapping her, only to be met with a brutal beating from Zhang Xun and Qi Muyang. Their relentless insults had caused him to lose his mind completely.

After falling, losing his knife to Wei Lin, and listening to Wei Lin’s persistent, calm reasoning, his rage began to subside.

"There’s still cell service here, Uncle. Please, don't do anything reckless! This is a civilized society; you won't be able to run!"

"Here!"

"Give me your payment QR code. I’ll scan you five thousand yuan right now as compensation!"

Wei Lin lowered his trekking pole but kept the knife in his other hand, fumbling for his phone with his free one.

"Wei Lin! Let me do it!"

"Uncle, give me your QR code!"

Seeing the two men’s eyes light up at the mention of five thousand yuan, Zhuang Qing rushed out from the bushes, phone in hand, and opened her WeChat. As she approached, Wei Lin discreetly raised his trekking pole again.

"Fi-five thousand? That’s almost enough for Xiaobing’s tuition..." The man, who had been so menacing just moments ago, suddenly felt embarrassed. He lowered his head and pulled his phone from his work pants, hesitating. "That’s too much. I didn't get hurt that badly, I don't need that much."

"It's fine, Uncle. We are at fault for you getting injured; it’s the least we can do." Zhuang Qing smiled, urging him gently.

The man fidgeted but finally opened his payment code—he truly needed the money. Zhuang Qing was much more decisive than him; she promptly scanned the code, entered five thousand yuan, and laughed, "There, it’s done. Check your account, Uncle."

Seeing the money, the man completely shed his menacing aura. He rubbed his hands together, saying, "Oh, I’m so embarrassed!"

"Wei Lin! Wei Lin!"

From the path behind them, Zhao Yuanqing came sprinting over, shouting, "Damn it! Why did knives get pulled out? Wei Lin! Are you alright?"

He had always trusted Wei Lin’s ability to handle situations and hadn't thought the small conflict at the suspension bridge would lead to anything serious. But when the fleeing Zhang Xun and Qi Muyang mentioned someone had a knife, he had panicked. A knife was far more lethal than a trekking pole; he was genuinely worried about Wei Lin.

"It’s fine, it’s over now."

Seeing him panting as he arrived, Wei Lin grinned brightly. Fearing Zhao Yuanqing would stir up more trouble, he quickly said, "It’s all the fault of those two idiots, Zhang Xun and Qi Muyang. It’s over now, let’s just head back the way we came."

Zhao Yuanqing looked at the now-calm men and at Yuan Xiaoe, who was sitting on the ground doing nothing but crying, and realized there was no further danger. He finally let out a sigh of relief.

"Let’s go!"

Wei Lin pushed Zhao Yuanqing and grabbed Zhuang Qing, and the three of them set off on the return path.

"Ah! Wait for me! Wait for me!"

Yuan Xiaoe finally realized what was happening, scrambled to her feet, and hurried to catch up.

Wei Lin glanced back and noticed the two men walking toward their tents with joyous expressions. He looked down at the knife he was still holding, hesitated for a moment, and decided not to return it.

"What exactly happened?" Zhao Yuanqing asked on the way.

Wei Lin gave a brief description, which made Zhao Yuanqing curse loudly, wishing he could beat up those two dogs, Zhang Xun and Qi Muyang.

"Huh?"

As Wei Lin closed his eyes to rest, he keenly sensed a change in his "Affection Points." During the hike, his affection score had risen from 64.5 to 67.5, and now, it had suddenly ticked up by another 0.5, reaching 68/100.

The new half-point of favor had naturally come from Zhuang Qing. Walking beside the spirited, beautiful woman, Wei Lin couldn't help but steal a glance at her, only to notice she was looking right back at him. Her gaze seemed different than before, filled with clear appreciation.

"Zhuang Qing..." Wei Lin couldn't help but smile bitterly.

She was the apple of Saint Zhuang's eye, and Qi Feng was the undisputed leader of the Linjiang hat industry. Zhuang Qing didn't know his true identity yet, but he knew exactly who she was. If he got involved with her, how would others view him? A bootlicker for Qi Feng? Someone trying to marry into the Zhuang family? If Saint Zhuang found out he was flirting with his daughter, would he crush his company, Xinlin, into the dust?

"What a mess."

Wei Lin, who had been longing for a faster breakthrough in his affection points, now hesitated because of Zhuang Qing’s background. Despite seeing the signal of her growing favor, he didn't dare make a reckless move.

"Eh..."

Wei Lin’s face suddenly stiffened as he monitored the change in his points.

The affection score had changed again, jumping from 68 to 70—now 70/100.

The person who had contributed the 2 points was not Lin Nanxi, not Gao Xue, and not Zhuang Qing.

It was Yuan Xiaoe, who was trailing behind!

"Are you out of your mind? Why are you contributing points for no reason? Is your affection that cheap?"

For the first time, Wei Lin felt a psychological burden due to an increase in affection points. Watching Yuan Xiaoe run toward him, her pace quickening, he felt a massive headache coming on.

"Wei Lin!"

"Wait for me, Wei Lin!"

Yuan Xiaoe called out his name repeatedly as she ran.