Chapter 3 First Encounter with the Second

In the taxi, the girl was on the phone.

"Master, I've got the stuff."

"You brat, why did you act on your own without waiting for your uncle? What if you'd encountered danger? You're going to be the death of me!"

Listening to her master's concerned scolding, An Yiqing's clear eyes curved into a smile like a crescent moon. "Master, you can relax. Aren't you aware of my strength?"

"Er..." There was a noticeable choke on the other end of the line. "Hmph, ungrateful girl. Xuandu City is a mix of fish and dragons, with the Five Great Families' powers intricately intertwined. Isn't this old man still worried about you?! A young lady like you should be looking for a boyfriend, not fighting and killing all the time—what kind of behavior is that!"

An Yiqing was left speechless; she was only nineteen. Why was her master always in such a hurry to marry her off?

"Um... Master, I can smell the fruit wine you've been sneaking."

"Who, who said that? Ah! The porridge I was cooking is burnt, gotta go, hanging up!"

An Yiqing looked at the hung-up call and laughed helplessly; her master must have been drinking on the sly again.

The taxi driver sneakily glanced at the girl sitting in the backseat. 'Master'? This kind of address was really rare these days. But it didn't sound out of place when this girl said it. She was so stunningly beautiful that she emanated an aura of indifference to worldly matters, warm and gentle as if not of this world.

As if sensing the unfamiliar gaze, An Yiqing lifted her eyes, causing the driver to be captivated by her clear, flowing eyes. The driver, who was almost thirty, blushed instantly and quickly averted his gaze to focus on driving.

Seemingly accustomed to such amazed stares, An Yiqing was just a bit helpless. At that moment, her phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Qingqing, where are you? You didn't forget my birthday party, did you?" Gu Tingting knew her best friend's naïve yet sly nature well and feared being stood up.

"Cough, Tingting, I'm in a taxi. If there's no traffic, I'll be there in forty minutes."

"Then be careful. Ruan Xue and I have already arrived at Prosperous Haoting. We'll wait for you, muah~"

An Yiqing smiled and hung up the phone. Today was her roommate and best friend Gu Tingting's eighteenth birthday, and they had planned a party at Prosperous Haoting for the evening. Miss Gu had declared that friends had to show up.

An Yiqing considered very few people her friends. Roommates Ruan Xue and Gu Tingting were among them. She was an orphan; according to her master, he found her in the backwoods of Wuling Village, Qingning City, when she was a baby less than four months old, in a forest during snow. She was heartlessly abandoned there.

In ancient terms, An Yiqing's master, Ye Chenghong, would be considered a hermit of the highest order. But in her eyes, her master was just an old mischief-maker eager to marry her off. The Sect Leader of Medicine Sect, Ye Chenghong, had no children and only one disciple, An Yiqing, whom he treated as his own, cherishing her dearly.

The Medicine Sect, known for its medical arts and ancient martial arts, held a unique status in the world. Ye Chenghong, the 123rd Sect Leader of the Medicine Sect, had grown indifferent to worldly affairs because of some romantic ventures when he was young and chose to live in seclusion in Wuling Village. When he first picked up An Yiqing, it was her pure gaze and pitiable background that compelled him to adopt her. What he hadn't expected was that as An Yiqing grew older, her talent in medical arts began to manifest. After discovering that at the age of three, she could flawlessly recall over a hundred types of herbs he had taught her, he started to chuckle, feeling blessed by the heavens to have such a genius disciple.

Two things An Yiqing loved most in life were medical arts and food. For this, Ye Chenghong lamented, beat his chest, and stamped his feet—his disciple was so bright and steadfast. Even someone as cunning as he couldn't handle this sly little fox! As her medical skill grew stronger, even he, her master, sometimes had to admit defeat! Too much talk equals tears!

——Foodie Divider Line——

Prosperous Haoting, located in the highly valuable Xishan District, was a top-tier clubhouse sought after by the rich and affluent of Xuandu City. Everyone considered getting into Prosperous Haoting a symbol of status. You couldn't enter without significant wealth, and even with money, without influence, you might not find a foothold here.

"Miss, please show your invitation," a server politely stopped a woman with delicately applied makeup at the door.

Zhang Lin was a third-tier little star in the entertainment circle, always presenting herself as a pure and innocent figure to the public. After much effort and pulling various connections, she finally got involved with the famous Diamond Single King of Xuandu City. Today, she was here to accompany her sugar daddy to a friend's birthday party.

"Make way! Do you know who I am?" Zhang Lin's brow furrowed slightly, showing some displeasure.

"I'm sorry, miss, but please show your invitation," the server insisted.

"Get lost! Let me tell you! I am the companion of Bai Yiming, the Young Master of the Bai Family, one of the Xuandu Five Great Families! This Prosperous Haoting belongs to his brother, Third Young Master Guh! How dare you stop me?!" Zhang Lin crossed her arms, looking down on the server.

The server's expression remained unchanged as he spoke with respect, "I'm sorry, miss, but according to the club's rules, everyone needs to show an invitation."

"What are you good for! You—"

"Excuse me, sorry to interrupt."

Before Zhang Lin could finish, a gentle and pleasant voice cut in. A delicate white hand handed over a black invitation to the server.

After checking the invitation, the server bowed respectfully, "I hope you have a pleasant evening. Miss, please come in."

Just as An Yiqing was about to step in, an arrogant and sharp female voice rang in her ear.

"Wait a minute!"

"Hmm? What is it?" An Yiqing's clear liquid eyes shifted.

Seeing the girl with stunning features before her, a hint of jealousy and displeasure flashed in Zhang Lin's eyes. She raised her chin high, glanced at An Yiqing's simple and plain dress with disdain, and said with a condescending tone, "Give me your invitation. I'll give you five thousand yuan."

An Yiqing was somewhat surprised by the offer, taking a good look at Zhang Lin before thinking to herself, does this woman have a screw loose?

"This isn't the place for you. Give me the invitation, take the five thousand yuan, and get out of here quickly!" Zhang Lin's impatience grew due to An Yiqing's silence.

An Yiqing no longer paid her any attention and turned to enter the club. Hmm, this woman's mind is not right.

"Hey! Stop right there!" The girl's disregard drove Zhang Lin to the edge of fury, and she reached out to grab her arm.

An Yiqing sidestepped nimbly, "smack," gently pushing away Zhang Lin's arm. She frowned in displeasure, what is this woman's problem?!

"You dare hit me?!" Zhang Lin's voice pitched high as she raised her hand to strike, "You—"

"What's going on here?"

A seductively charming voice sounded from behind Zhang Lin.