Chapter 85

"Brother Chen, what's wrong?" Seeing the strange expression on Situ Chen's face in the rearview mirror, Fei Si asked with some concern.

Situ Chen replied somewhat blankly, "Ruoshui called and said someone named Ye Fan saved her. He's a friend she met in the game."

"Eh..."

Fei Si, hearing Situ Chen's explanation, was so shocked that his hands slipped, almost driving the car into the guardrails on either side of the highway.

Seeing this, Situ Chen smiled bitterly and shook his head, trying to clear his mind. But the more he thought about it, the more absurd it seemed. He couldn't help but confirm, "Ruoshui, are you sure the person who saved you is someone you met in the game?"

"Yes, I met Brother Ye Fan at Lingyin Temple before," Situ Ruoshui explained. "At that time, he was with the top student of this year's freshmen at Donghai University, Su Liuli. Later, those ruthless demons kidnapped me and took me to a club called West Lake. Then, Brother Ye Fan appeared and took care of all those demons."

Hearing the entire story from Situ Ruoshui, Situ Chen's expression became even stranger, as if he still couldn't believe that a martial arts expert at least at the peak of the Later Heaven stage would play online games!

"Ruoshui, is he with you now?" Feeling strange, Situ Chen thought for a moment and said, "I want to talk to him."

"No, he's not."

"Why?"

"Brother Ye Fan... he's taking a shower." Situ Ruoshui glanced at the bathroom, where she could vaguely see Ye Fan's blurry figure, and her face turned red with embarrassment.

"What... what?" Situ Chen was shocked again. "You mean he's taking a shower right now?!"

"Yes, his body was covered in the blood of those demons, so he needs to wash it off." Situ Ruoshui, remembering Ye Fan's instructions, added, "He said he would take me to meet you after he finishes his shower."

"..."

Situ Chen felt like he was about to break down. He couldn't imagine how strong one's mental fortitude had to be to dare to take a shower in Nan Qinghong's place after killing him and his experts.

"Ruoshui, keep your phone on," Situ Chen thought for a moment and said, "After he finishes his shower, have him call me back."

"Okay."

Situ Ruoshui responded, and at that moment, she suddenly noticed the bathroom door opening. Ye Fan, wrapped only in a towel, walked out, his muscular body clearly visible to Situ Ruoshui.

Huh?!

Seeing this, Situ Ruoshui was stunned.

Ye Fan, seeing her reaction, knew he had surprised her but was helpless—his clothes were covered in blood, so he could only wrap himself in a towel to leave the bathroom.

"Did you call your dad?"

Feeling helpless, Ye Fan changed the subject and scanned the room, trying to find some clothes.

"Uh-huh."

Hearing this, Situ Ruoshui snapped out of her daze, her heart racing wildly. She lowered her head, her face red, and softly responded.

Ye Fan didn't say anything more and quickly walked to the wardrobe on one side of the room.

"Brother... Brother Ye Fan, my dad said to call him back after you finish your shower." At the same time, Situ Ruoshui, remembering Situ Chen's instructions, mustered the courage to look up and said to Ye Fan's back.

"Got it, I'll look for some clothes first." Ye Fan responded casually, opened the wardrobe, and was surprised to see two sets of disposable pajamas, one for men and one for women.

Seeing this, Ye Fan breathed a sigh of relief, took out the men's pajamas, and said, "I'll change first, then call your dad back."

Because of her nervousness and shyness, Situ Ruoshui didn't dare to look at Ye Fan directly. She lowered her head, crossed her hands, and nodded with a red face.

What a pure girl.

Seeing this, Ye Fan couldn't help but sigh inwardly and walked back into the bathroom.

"Call your dad, I'll talk to him."

Half a minute later, Ye Fan, dressed in pajamas, walked out of the bathroom. Seeing that Situ Ruoshui was still looking down and fidgeting with the hem of her clothes, he couldn't help but smile.

"Uh."

Hearing this, Situ Ruoshui quickly dialed her father's number and handed the phone to Ye Fan, never daring to look him in the eye, as if she had something to hide.

"Hello, are you Mr. Ye Fan?" When the call connected, Situ Chen's voice came through the receiver, very polite.

"Yes, Mr. Situ," Ye Fan replied.

"Thank you, Mr. Ye Fan." Situ Chen quickly thanked him, his tone exceptionally sincere.

"I'm with your daughter at the West Lake Club by the West Lake. Come over," Ye Fan said.

"Eh... Okay!" Surprised by Ye Fan's request, Situ Chen agreed without hesitation but was a bit worried. "Mr. Ye Fan, should we meet somewhere else?"

"Are you worried I'm one of Nan Qinghong's people, luring you here?" Ye Fan asked. "Or are you worried that Nan Qinghong's people will come after us?"

"Both," Situ Chen hesitated for a moment before answering honestly.

"If you doubt my identity, you can call your subordinate Liu Tianjun. He once tried to use me against Qiao Bazhi. As for the latter, even if Nan Qinghong sends experts at the Early Heaven stage, I can easily take your daughter and leave." Without waiting for Situ Chen to respond, Ye Fan hung up the phone.

Could... could he be an expert at the Early Heaven stage?!

Hearing the "beep" from the receiver, Situ Chen's shock lingered for a long time.

"Brother Ye Fan, what is the Early Heaven stage?"

Situ Ruoshui, intrigued by the conversation, was no longer shy or nervous. Seeing Ye Fan hang up the phone, she blinked her big eyes and asked curiously, "Is it a level in martial arts, like the hero levels in games?"

"Um, something like that," Ye Fan replied, a bit speechless at how quickly Situ Ruoshui's mind jumped, but he still gave an answer.

"Uh, I used to read web novels, and in them, cultivators are divided into Later Heaven and Early Heaven stages. The Early Heaven stage is very powerful," Situ Ruoshui said with admiration. "According to the books, someone who reaches the Early Heaven stage at your young age is a genius that only appears once in ten thousand years."

"..."

Ye Fan touched his nose, not knowing how to respond.

"Brother Ye Fan, did you refuse to join our Barbie team because you were worried that playing games would affect your cultivation?" Situ Ruoshui continued to ask.

Ye Fan nodded, "Something like that."

"Actually, it's not a big deal. Playing games doesn't take much time. For example, I study and play games at the same time," Situ Ruoshui said seriously. "You can also practice martial arts and play games at the same time."

"Um... I was just suggesting."

Seeing Ye Fan not responding, Situ Ruoshui smiled cutely and then changed the topic, "By the way, Brother Ye Fan, do you not go to school besides practicing martial arts?"

"No."

"That's so strange. Do you stay in the deep mountains and practice for years like in the novels?"

Situ Ruoshui blinked her charming big eyes and thought for a moment, then said, "In that case, practicing martial arts must be much harder than going to school. I definitely can't do it, and playing games already takes up all my free time."

"Brother Ye Fan, what do you usually do besides practicing martial arts and playing games?" Situ Ruoshui asked again.

"Ruoshui, do you like chatting a lot?" Ye Fan asked with a bitter smile.

Situ Ruoshui was taken aback, "Not really, I chat more online, but rarely in real life."

"Why?"

"Because no one chats with me in real life."

Situ Ruoshui answered instinctively, but accidentally touched on a sensitive topic. Her expression darkened, and she explained weakly, "Dad is worried about my safety and requires me to go home on time after school. I can't go out to play with classmates, so I have to keep refusing their invitations. Over time, my classmates think I'm putting on airs and have distanced themselves from me."

"I'm not putting on airs. I really want to chat with them, play with them, and be friends with them..." By the end, Situ Ruoshui looked at Ye Fan with a委屈 (grievance) in her eyes.

Hearing Situ Ruoshui's inner thoughts and looking at her innocent, aggrieved face, Ye Fan felt a chord in his heart being touched, resonating with her. He smiled bitterly, "You're better off than me. At least you can make friends and chat online."

"Brother Ye Fan, do you not have friends in real life?" Situ Ruoshui felt curious.

Ye Fan nodded, then thought of Su Yuxin and others and shook his head, "Not before, but now I do."

"Um..."

Hearing this, a hint of envy appeared in Situ Ruoshui's eyes, and she couldn't help but ask, "Brother Ye Fan, can we be friends?"

As she spoke, Situ Ruoshui's innocent, adorable face was filled with anticipation, hoping Ye Fan would agree.

She and Ye Fan were both very lonely.

Page break for AD

Page break for AD end