Nie Beini frowned and couldn't help but raise her elbow and bump Qin Xiao lightly.
"Hey, what exactly are you up to? Forfeit?"
Her voice was very low, filled with obvious confusion and a hint of disbelief and astonishment.
"Are we just going to watch Ye Chen act so arrogantly and let him win this round?"
Qin Xiao turned his head to the side, his face still showing that unfathomable calm and composure, as if the earth-shattering decision to abstain had nothing to do with him.
He had his own plans. The so-called son-in-law selection event of the Liu family was far more complicated than the fighting and killing on the surface.
Ye Chen is merely a pawn pushed to the forefront, used to test and wear down the enemy. The real undercurrents are probably yet to emerge.
Going head-on with Ye Chen now, fighting to the death, and wasting your trump cards and energy is definitely not a wise move.
Faced with Nie Beini's probing questions, Qin Xiao simply curled his lips into a self-deprecating smile.
"Look at my frail physique, I'm just a weak scholar, I can't even kill a chicken, how could I withstand the punches and kicks of someone like Ye Chen who's a trained fighter?"
Nie Beini pursed her lips, glanced at him sideways, her eyes filled with obvious mockery and undisguised deep suspicion.
She didn't believe Qin Xiao's explanation at all. This guy was a deep thinker, and his feigning weakness was probably just another scheme.
"I think you were 'sparring' with that Miss Gu and that Miss Su too late last night, which is why you're exhausted today, right?"
These words, spoken in a voice neither loud nor soft, were like a poisoned needle, piercing precisely into the ears of Ye Chen, who was not far away, basking in the glory of victory and enjoying the gaze of the crowd.
"What did you say?!"
Ye Chen was already seething with anger because he had been thoroughly outshone by Qin Xiao in the literary competition. When he heard Nie Beini's words, which clearly implied that he and Qin Xiao were vying for Qin Xiao's affections, it was as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over a pot of boiling oil. He exploded instantly, his anger soaring to the top of his head, and his face turned ashen.
He suddenly turned around, his eyes like poisoned blades, fiercely locking onto Qin Xiao. The suppressed true energy within his body could no longer be controlled, and it surged and roared instantly.
"court death!"
A furious roar filled with boundless killing intent exploded forth. Ye Chen's figure shot out like an arrow, accompanied by a sharp gust of wind that seemed to tear through the air. His right fist was clenched tightly, and his knuckles cracked. A fierce and unparalleled iron fist, without any fancy moves, carried the momentum to destroy everything and slammed straight toward Qin Xiao's face!
This punch came fast and fierce, with astonishing speed and terrifying power, making no attempt to conceal its chilling killing intent.
The surrounding guests were completely unprepared for this sudden turn of events, and caught off guard, they let out a series of suppressed gasps.
Qin Ruoyan was so frightened that her face turned pale instantly. Almost instinctively, she gripped Qin Xiao's arm tightly with both hands, her knuckles turning white from the force.
However, just as that fist, containing terrifying power enough to shatter stone tablets, was about to smash into Qin Xiao's nose, it was a critical moment.
"Bang!"
A dull, resounding crash, like a giant hammer striking a cowhide drum, suddenly exploded in everyone's ears.
A towering figure, as imposing as a mountain, seemed to appear out of thin air, standing firmly in front of Qin Xiao like an indestructible iron tower.
A large, powerful hand, as thick as a fan, with its five fingers spread like iron clamps, firmly grasped Ye Chen's rapidly swinging wrist with an irresistible force, causing his violent, unstoppable punch to freeze in mid-air, unable to advance even an inch further.
"What game called 'Chatterbox' became popular?"
A loud, almost deafening voice rang out, carrying a thick, almost unmistakable, hearty Northeastern accent, instantly easing the tense atmosphere in the room.
"Young people shouldn't be so hot-tempered, you know? It's bad for your health."
Everyone then looked closely and saw that the person who had intervened was about thirty years old, at least 1.85 meters tall, and had a muscular build that resembled a brown bear walking upright. He was wearing a simple yet clean and neat jacket, with strong and distinct facial features and a kind and cheerful smile on his face.
He released Ye Chen's wrist, which was still trembling slightly and had clearly been squeezed quite hard. He turned around, patted Qin Xiao's shoulder lightly with his large, fan-like hand, and grinned, revealing a set of neat white teeth.
"Hey bro, are you alright? You looked pretty bad just now."
Looking at the burly man who had suddenly appeared to help him out, and hearing that unusually familiar, captivating accent, Qin Xiao felt a long-lost sense of warmth, as if he had returned to a specific time and space.
He responded with a genuine smile.
"It's nothing, thank you for your timely help, brother. Judging from your accent, you must be from the Northern Cold Region, right?"
The burly man was clearly taken aback upon hearing this, and subconsciously raised his hand to scratch his almost buzz cut, his face showing a hint of undisguised surprise.
"Wow! You have sharp ears! How did you know? I don't think I have an accent!"
He then burst into laughter, his loud and hearty laughter filled with the boldness and untamed spirit of a northern man, and he extended his right hand, which was covered in thick calluses but was exceptionally broad and warm.
"My name is Ling Changning, from Beihan Group. If you don't mind, you can just call me Brother Ning!"
Qin Xiao also reached out without hesitation and shook hands firmly with his large, rough hand that contained explosive power, feeling the warmth and strength from the other's palm.
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