The Arrogant Little Consort: Your Highness, Come Catch a Bug

Chapter 29: The Scoundrel’s Provocation An elderly man with a full head of white hair stroked his beard and looked at Hua Lingqin with disapproval. While having courage was a good thing, risking one’s life due to impulsiveness was certainly not a wise move. “Not necessarily. In the capital, anyone who dares to openly defy the Long family is either a fool or someone of high standing. This young lady doesn’t look like a fool, so that leaves only the second possibility.” A young man chimed in, observing Hua Lingqin’s appearance, demeanor, and attire—she was clearly not someone to be trifled with. “But I haven’t heard of any prominent family in the capital having a young lady like this,” another person countered. “Who knows? Judging by her attire and bearing, she certainly doesn’t seem like a nobody. It’s just that I’ve never heard of such a young lady emerging in the capital before.” “This continent is full of hidden talents. Perhaps she’s the last disciple of some reclusive master, or a descendant of such a figure. Either way, she’s not someone to mess with.” Long Yu’s eyes were fixed intently on Hua Lingqin, bloodshot and wild, his sanity on the verge of collapse: “Damn woman, you dare lay a hand on me? I’ll chop off your fingers one by one. And that finger with the ring—I’ll cut it off and feed it to the dogs. Then I’ll slash that seductive face of yours and toss you into the beggars’ heap. I’ll see if His Highness the Ninth Prince even glances at you then.” As she gazed at the white jade ring on Hua Lingqin’s slender, pale finger, the last shred of Long Yu’s sanity was finally devoured. Hua Lingqin was utterly speechless. It seemed she was dealing with yet another brainless fan of Jun Yihan—that devilish man who not only flirted with her but also caused her a heap of trouble. A malicious smile curled at the corners of her lips, and a hint of sadistic pleasure suddenly welled up within Hua Lingqin: “Is that so? Then you might be disappointed. Ah Han said he loves only me in this lifetime. Even if I die, he’ll follow me in death.” She gently twirled the white jade ring on her finger. The smile on her lips was gentle to the extreme, yet it set Long Yu’s jealousy ablaze. “You… you slut! I’ll kill you!” Long Yu had completely lost her mind. Wielding her long whip with fierce momentum, she launched strike after strike, each aimed directly at Hua Lingqin’s vital points. “What’s the matter? Are you just lashing out in shame? Don’t get so worked up. If Ah Han marries me, I can give you the position of a concubine.” While dodging Long Yu’s attacks, she began to taunt her. Ever since meeting Jun Yihan, Hua Lingqin had been acting rather out of character. She didn’t recall ever having unlocked such a talent for verbal sparring before. Watching Long Yu’s furious expression, Hua Lingqin suddenly understood why Jun Yihan enjoyed seeing her so angry—it turned out to be incredibly satisfying. “You vile woman, today I’ll make you wish you were dead!” Long Yu swung her whip faster and faster, creating a nearly impenetrable barrage. Hua Lingqin flicked her right hand, and a parasitic insect burrowed into Long Yu’s body while she wasn’t looking. Seeing that the insect had burrowed into Long Yu’s body, Hua Lingqin smiled faintly and no longer bothered to dodge Long Yu’s attacks. As Long Yu attacked Hua Lingqin, she discovered that every time she was about to strike, her hand would involuntarily cause the whip to veer off course by an inch. “Damn you, you vile woman! What kind of sorcery are you using? I’ll kill you today!” Long Yu’s fingernails had dug into her flesh, and blood was oozing out drop by drop, yet she felt not a shred of pain. Hua Lingqin couldn’t help but marvel at the sight—it seemed she really was on the verge of losing her mind. Hua Lingqin darted right in front of her and delivered another vicious slap to the other side of her already half-swollen cheek. “Miss Long, calling me a ‘whore’ at every turn—your manners have truly gone to the dogs. No, how dare I slander dogs like that? With manners like Miss Long’s, even dogs wouldn’t touch them,” Hua Lingqin said lazily. Her exquisite features, untouched by a speck of dust, stood in stark contrast to Long Yu’s disheveled, frenzied appearance. She then noticed the other side of Long Yu’s face swelling up rapidly: “Oh my, that looks much better. Look, both sides are finally symmetrical. No need to thank me—I’ll just consider it a good deed for the day.” The people around them finally couldn’t help but burst into laughter. Long Yu’s hair was a tangled mess, making her look like a madwoman. The whip in her hand had long since been tossed aside; now, empty-handed, she screamed and lunged at Hua Lingqin, her hands reaching out to grab Hua Lingqin’s cheeks. All traces of her earlier arrogance were gone, as was the usual composure of a Long family heiress; she looked every bit the shrew. Seeing Long Yu charging at her, Hua Lingqin sidestepped, and Long Yu lunged into thin air, stumbling forward. Hua Lingqin immediately delivered a hard kick to Long Yu’s backside, sending her flying through the air with a shriek. She then crashed heavily to the ground. Overcome by shame and humiliation, Long Yu fainted from the shock. The onlookers hurriedly dispersed, afraid of getting caught in the crossfire. Seeing Hua Lingqin’s composed demeanor, many of them offered kind advice before leaving. “Miss, you’d better leave quickly. The Long family isn’t one to be trifled with.” “Miss, since you’ve injured Long Yu, you’d better be careful.” Seeing Hua Lingqin’s nonchalant demeanor, many shook their heads and walked away. Hua Lingqin cast a glance at Long Yu, who lay sprawled on the ground like a dead dog, then turned and walked toward the city gates. Once she passed through the city gates, she headed straight for the Yun Sect. Upon arriving at the Yun Sect, Hua Lingqin rubbed her empty stomach. She hadn’t eaten a thing since last night and was already famished. She didn’t return to her quarters but strode straight toward the dining hall. There weren’t many people left in the dining hall, which spared her the trouble of waiting in line. She walked straight to the counter where her favorite dishes were served: “One serving, please.” “Hehe, there’s only one left. Please wait a moment.” “Hold on. This young master will take that last portion.” A figure shoved Hua Lingqin aside. Hua Lingqin didn’t make a fuss. Having just joined Yun Sect, she’d already offended the Sixth Young Miss; it wasn’t wise to make too many enemies. Hua Lingqin walked straight to another window. There were still a few people in line there, so she joined the back of the queue. The man saw this and, assuming she didn’t dare confront him, grew even more smug. He snatched the meal Hua Lingqin had been about to buy and flung it to the ground. “This young master wouldn’t deign to touch food meant for such lowly scum.” Hua Lingqin’s eyes darkened, but she let it go. Seeing this, Yun Feng grew even more arrogant. When it was Hua Lingqin’s turn to buy food, Yun Feng gave a faint smile: “Today, this young master is buying up all the remaining food. Everyone can eat for free—except you. Get out of the cafeteria; don’t pollute this young master’s eyes.” He pointed directly at Hua Lingqin, a sinister smirk curling his lips. “What exactly do you want!” Hua Lingqin struggled to suppress her rage. She began to wonder if she’d forgotten to check the almanac before leaving the house today—how else could such a demon and a pair of scumbags all show up at once?