WHISPERS OF LOVE: Embracing Eternity

CHAPTER 3

Chapter 3:

Shared Interests.

Initially, the two individuals wanted to retaliate and were waving their fists at Ye Fan.

However, Ye Fan paid no attention to the situation and boldly took a step forward. With swift agility, he evaded the two punches coming his way. In a swift fluid motion, he retaliated by swiftly kicking the backsides of the two troublemakers.

The two thugs were oblivious to the fact that their target had vanished. Instead, they crashed to the ground in agony, wailing in pain.

Determined to continue his attack, the blonde-haired individual rose to his feet, launching a wild and frenzied kick towards Ye Fan. However, Ye Fan skillfully defended himself by intercepting the kick with his arm. The force of the blow was so intense that it felt as if his arm had been shattered.

"My leg!" the blonde-haired individual shrieked, collapsing to the ground. He clutched his calf in agony, nearly on the verge of tears.

Meanwhile, Ye Fan swiftly subdued another gangster who was attempting to rise. He leaned down, retrieved a lighter from the pocket of the subdued gangster, and lit his cigarette.

Taking a drag from his cigarette, Ye Fan cast a cold and disdainful glance at the trio of trembling individuals.

"Obtaining a lighter shouldn't be such a hassle. If you had simply taken it out earlier, things would have been much simpler."

"Dear sir, we are simply following orders and doing our job. Please release us, my leg is on the verge of breaking..." The blond individual chuckled, although his smile appeared more unpleasant than a sob.

Ye Fan had no interest in wasting any more time with them. "Do not let me encounter you all again."

The blond individual and his companions acted as if they had just been granted clemency and promptly limped away.

Once the three of them had departed, Ye Fan joyfully tucked the lighter into his pocket and turned his attention back to the Splendid Apartment building. He furrowed his brow.

Although he had managed to chase away these three criminals, it was only a matter of time before 9th Wang would send more individuals to confront Feng Yue Ying. It was clear that he couldn't remain there and stand guard indefinitely...

After some deliberation, Ye Fan retrieved his phone and placed a call...

"Sister Ning, I'll be joining you for dinner tonight. No need to prepare anything extravagant, a simple meal will suffice. I'll ride my bike over, so there's no need to pick me up."

After ending the call, Ye Fan mounted his bicycle and took a puff of his cigarette. He hummed a tune as he pedaled his way toward Green Hill Lake, a residential area located in the northern part of Hua Hai City.

Violet Leaves Teahouse was nestled within Green Hill Lake, an upscale neighborhood known for its picturesque lake, lush greenery, and serene atmosphere.

The pedestrian street in Hunan was lined with high-end shops, predominantly luxury brands and Western restaurants.

However, amidst the lavishness, there was one antique store that stood out. Embodying traditional Chinese architecture, it was none other than the Violet Leaves Teahouse. The clientele who frequented this establishment were affluent, as evidenced by the fleet of luxury cars parked at its entrance. Porsches, Land Rovers, and even a few McLaren and Lamborghini supercars made it clear that the patrons here held a prestigious status.

With a creaking sound, Ye Fan arrived at the teahouse's entrance, parking his bicycle.

As soon as he dismounted his bike, a charming gentleman in his mid-twenties swiftly approached.

He sported a traditional green Asian attire and a pair of carefully crafted fabric shoes.

"Fan-ge, you've arrived. Allow me to take care of your bicycle; Missy is waiting inside," The young man greeted with a warm smile, taking the bicycle from Ye Fan's grasp.

"Xiao Zhao, I've reminded you countless times that there's no need for you to come and meet me," Ye Fan wiped the perspiration from his brow.

"Fan-ge, it's a rare occasion for you to be here.

I wouldn't bother to fetch you if you came every day," Xiao Zhao responded with a hopeful look on his face.

Ye Fan let out a sigh and adjusted his collar. "These past few days have been scorching hot, and I've been swamped with air-conditioner and refrigerator repair jobs. On top of that, I have to tutor my students, so I don't have much free time to come by."

"Yes, I understand that you're busy, Fan-ge," Xiao Zhao acknowledged as he placed Ye Fan's old and grimy bicycle next to a sleek Lamborghini sports car by the entrance.

Ye Fan found himself torn between laughter and tears. "Xiao Zhao, why did you put my dilapidated bicycle here? Wouldn't it hurt the business?"

"Don't worry about it. I noticed that your bicycle chain needs some oil, so I'll have someone take care of it and maintain it properly," Xiao Zhao assured him, displaying his attentiveness.

Ye Fan couldn't do anything about Xiao Zhao's actions and was about to make his way into the Violet Leaves teahouse. However, when he glanced down at his dirty shirt and pants, he felt that it wasn't quite appropriate. As a result, he turned around and decided to enter through the backdoor instead.

Upon seeing this, Xiao Zhao promptly stopped him and said, "Brother Zhao, please refrain from using the backdoor. If Missy finds out, I'll have to answer for it."

"It wouldn't be pleasant for your customers to witness this unpleasant odor," Ye Fan explained, wrinkling his nose.

Xiao Zhao responded with a serious tone, "Brother Fan, Missy is not that type of person. She wouldn't mind. Besides, how can those customers compare to you?"

Declining the grand hospitality was not an easy task, so Ye Fan had no choice but to enter through the main entrance. Luckily, he encountered a few customers on his way and made his way to the innermost part - a private room overlooking a serene lake.

Xiao Zhao escorted him to the door but dared not enter, quickly retreating instead.

Pushing open the intricately carved wooden door, Ye Fan stepped inside.

As soon as the door swung open, three blades whizzed toward Ye Fan's heart, abdomen, and thigh with astonishing speed!

"Damn!"

Surprised, Ye Fan exclaimed, but he reacted swiftly, sidestepping to the right as the blades narrowly missed his face.

"Tuk tuk tuk!"

Three slender blades adorned with violet tassels, measuring three inches in length and as delicate as leaves, pierced the wooden door behind Ye Fan!

Initially, he dismissed it as nothing, but within moments, three flashes of violet light streaked towards Ye Fan's chest.

Speechless, Ye Fan extended his left hand and effortlessly intercepted the three flying blades with his four fingers.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Ye Fan glanced into the private room. A captivating and elegant figure stood behind the coffee table.

"Sister Ning, is it really necessary to do this - to pierce my heart?" Ye Fan chuckled bitterly.

"Hmph, I simply wanted to test if you still have a heart - it has been a while since you last visited me."

The woman, with a tender complaint, was dressed in a traditional white cheongsam adorned with red flowers, accentuating her statuesque and alluring figure. She possessed a radiant oval face, rosy complexion, symmetrical eyebrows, and a delicate, high nose bridge.

Ye Fan let out a sigh and delicately removed the flying blades from the door, one by one. "It hasn't been that long, I just paid a visit last month..."

"Do you have the audacity to say that?" The woman glared at Ye Fan and said playfully, "There are countless sons from wealthy and renowned families who would love to see me, Ning Zi Mo, every day - so many that they could circle Green Hill Lake multiple times. But you, you little troublemaker, can't even manage to come by once a month."

Ye Fan smiled, "Sister Ning, they say 'absence makes the heart grow fonder' - if we were to see each other every day, it wouldn't be as enjoyable. Isn't it better if I see you only occasionally? It would feel like a heavenly being had graced us with their presence."

Ning Zi Mo narrowed her beautiful eyes and let out a small sneer, "A heavenly being, you say? Am I truly that attractive?"

"Absolutely! You know how sincere I am," Ye Fan put on a serious expression, but deep down, he couldn't help but think about Su Qing Xue, whom he had encountered earlier this afternoon.

If the topic was about being more like fairies, it seemed that Su Qing Xue excelled in that area, while Ning Zi Mo had a more captivating aura.

Ning Zi Mo felt pleased by the compliment, her lips forming a smile as beautiful as a blooming rose - it was truly breathtaking.

"Never mind, I forgive you," Ning Zi Mo walked over to a crimson wooden dining table and called out, "I'm hungry, hurry and come eat. I've prepared all your favorite dishes."

Ye Fan had already caught a whiff of the enticing aroma and his stomach began to rumble. He approached the table, took a seat, and felt somewhat helpless upon seeing the array of dishes before him.

"How are these my favorites? Even if I loved them, I couldn't afford them... Australian abalone, deer antler stew, papaya snow clam, wagyu beef... my nose might start bleeding after this meal."

Ning Zi Mo served Ye Fan a bowl of fragrant Thai white rice and handed it to him with a charming smile, "This is my way of showing kindness, so don't let it go to waste."

Ye Fan accepted the bowl of rice without much thought.

He was incredibly famished. He devoured two bowls of rice and polished off a significant portion of the dishes spread across the table.

"Sister Ning, why aren't you eating?" Ye Fan noticed that Ning Zi Mo had been sitting there, propping her head up with her hand, and watching him with a smile.

Ning Zi Mo responded, "I've already eaten. Plus, I've been on a diet lately, so I eat less."

"Why are you even on a diet? You're already so slim," Ye Fan said, his mouth full of food.

"Dieting is a lifelong pursuit for women, men wouldn't understand," Ning Zi Mo seemed to remember something and inquired, "Oh right, do you prefer women who are slender or slightly curvier?"

Ye Fan pondered for a moment and grinned, "I like those who appear lean but have a bit of flesh to them."

"You shameless brat! I'll teach you a lesson!" Ning Zi Mo suddenly pulled out a throwing blade and swung it at Ye Fan across the one-meter-wide table.