Devil Mask Master

08. Beautiful Beetle and Corpse Flower

“What is that supposed to mean?” Yu Ling’s eyes blazed. He pointed at the scene with exasperation. “Look at her, your goddess, your beloved fat angel, cornered and bleeding before everyone’s eyes! And you sit there mumbling?”

“Shut up, Brother!” Yu Zhen snapped, turning sharp eyes on him. “You are no different from them!”

“You!” Yu Ling’s face twisted with disbelief. His younger brother, once obedient, was now baring fangs against him. “How dare you, Stinky Boy? I was reminding you, and yet you dare be rude to your handsome elder brother?”

“Insolent?” Yu Zhen’s voice rose, brimming with suppressed fury. “You mocked her as well, even if indirectly. Tell me, how are you any different from those jackals?”

Yu Ling smirked, swirling the wine in his cup. “Different? Of course I am. At least I know how to keep my mouth shut when needed. At least I refrain from openly ridiculing her like the rest.” He took another leisurely sip, letting the liquid slide down his throat as though nothing mattered.

Yu Zhen slammed his teacup onto the table, porcelain cracking under the force. “Nonsense!”

“You!” Yu Ling growled back, his pride wounded by his brother’s defiance.

The tension between the brothers swelled as the hall buzzed with cruel laughter. And amid it all, Shen Ji lay sprawled across the cold floor, soup and blood staining her garments, her body trembling from pain and shame, yet her heart still beating with the fragile hope that perhaps, just perhaps, someone might one day see her not as a spectacle, but as a person.

"Of course I’m different. I’m just saying that that’s your future wife." Yu Ling turned his face away with an indifferent expression.

"Brother, I have a responsibility toward that girl. I promised Uncle Ming that I would not let her be humiliated," Yu Zhen replied, rising calmly from his seat.

"Zhen’er!" Yu Ling could only gape at his younger brother’s back. He sighed, then muttered with a smirk, "That’s it. Hurry up and save that fatty."

Yu Zhen ignored his brother’s sarcastic remark. His long strides carried him steadily across the hall, heading toward Shen Ji. The girl was still on the ground, her scarf already damp with blood as she clumsily tried to wipe her nose. The banquet table behind her was in disarray; spilled soup and crushed fruits clung to the folds of her heavy dress.

"You are young ladies from a distinguished family," Yu Zhen’s voice suddenly rang out, deep and cold, slicing through the laughter of the crowd. "Yet your actions here are utterly disgraceful, setting a poor example for others."

The words were sharp, resonant, like ice striking metal. The entire hall fell silent, and dozens of eyes turned toward the young man who dared to interrupt the merriment.

"Y–Young Master Yu?" Shen Xu’s voice cracked as she stared at him with wide eyes.

Yu Zhen did not spare her a glance. His gaze rested firmly on Shen Ji. "Miss Shen, stand up." His tone softened slightly. He extended his hand toward her, fingers long and pale, steady as a pillar.

Shen Ji lifted her head, her heartbeat pounding wildly in her chest. The world around her blurred for a moment, leaving only that hand in her sight. Her lips trembled as she asked herself in silence, Is this… the man?

"Young Master Yu!" Shen Xu cried out, her face alight with desperate excitement. She half-ran, skirts fluttering, to stand between Yu Zhen and her sister. Her hands trembled, but she forced her voice to sound sharp. "Please, don’t touch her. She’s sick! Don’t you see? Look at her skin, it’s… disgusting!"

Gasps and whispers rippled through the audience. Shen Ji flinched at the words, her body stiffening as though pierced by invisible thorns.

Yu Zhen, however, remained unmoved. His expression was calm, unreadable, but his voice carried a weight that silenced even the boldest mockers. "Whether her skin is flawless or not is none of my concern. What matters is that no one deserves to be treated in this way. Ji’er, stand. Let me take you away from here."

Shen Xu froze, disbelief flashing in her eyes. He had ignored her completely, as though she did not exist. Why won’t he even look at me? she screamed silently.

"Young Master Yu… you came here just for her?" Shen Xu forced the words out, her voice trembling between hope and despair.

Yu Zhen finally looked at her—cold, distant, his gaze like the edge of a sword. "And according to you?"

Shen Xu’s lips parted. "Is… is it because she is your future wife?"

"Not because of that." His voice was flat, without warmth, yet resolute.

A flicker of joy sparked in Shen Xu’s chest. If it was not because of the engagement, then perhaps, just perhaps, there was still hope for her. She clenched her hands together tightly, whispering in her heart, So, he doesn’t truly care about her. That means… this could be my chance.

"So, what do you mean, then?" Guo Yan interjected, curiosity gleaming in her eyes as she sauntered closer, her hands planted firmly on her hips.

Yu Zhen turned slightly toward her, his sharp gaze making even Guo Yan take half a step back. "I cannot stand by and watch someone be abused in public, least of all by her own kin." His tone was steady, cold, but laced with something unshakable.

"It’s her own fault!" Shen Xu snapped, folding her arms across her chest in defiance. Her eyes blazed with anger as she glared at her sister. "From the start, I warned her not to come. But she’s stubborn, and look what happened. She deserves it!"

Shen Ji trembled, biting her lip until she tasted blood. The words echoed in her chest like a cruel verdict. Slowly, she lowered her head, refusing to meet Yu Zhen’s eyes.

In her heart, she already understood. He was not protecting her out of affection. He was simply honoring a promise he had once made to her father, Shen Ming. That was all.