Chapter 29: Shui Bing’er and Her Mother

“Mom, I’m scared.”

Wang Dong and Xue Qinghe’s expressions both froze at the words, and the air around them instantly grew cold.

At the hotel lobby entrance, a man who looked both jealous and sleazy, accompanied by a group of henchmen, had surrounded a mother and daughter. The little girl, about seven or eight years old, hid timidly behind a woman in blue, too afraid to speak.

Seeing this, the other hotel guests quickly scattered, unwilling to get involved.

Wang Dong and Xue Qinghe’s cold faces drew many gazes, including from the man who had been shouting earlier.

He glanced up at Xue Qinghe, momentarily intimidated by the noble aura surrounding him, and dared not move. One of the henchmen whispered in his ear, “Sir, this kid is so young, he shouldn’t be feared.”

The man sneered. Since Xue Qinghe’s arrival had already dampened his momentum, he had been displeased, and this remark from his subordinate hit just the right spot.

Xue Qinghe heard the words clearly and immediately stepped forward, holding Wang Dong in his arms as he stood before the mother and daughter, lowering his gaze to look down at the sleazy man.

Out of the corner of his eye, Wang Dong noticed Xue Qinghe’s other hand, the one not holding him, slightly rise.

People like this deserved to be taught a lesson.

The man’s eyes widened, his face full of disbelief. “Brat, judging by you, you must be some noble scion too. I suggest you stop meddling. The people behind me are not to be trifled with.”

At his words, Xue Qinghe’s raised hand withdrew, and he turned to Wang Dong, asking, “You haven’t eaten all day. Are you hungry?”

Wang Dong sensed the situation was more complicated and looked at the mother and daughter behind them. “Let’s handle the matter at hand first.”

“Oh? A little kid so arrogant.” The man didn’t bother with more words and confidently shouted, “Get them all!”

Wang Dong jumped down from Xue Qinghe’s arms, crossed his hands, and said coldly, “A bunch of trash.”

Just as he was about to step forward, a trembling voice shouted from behind, “Stop!”

Wang Dong furrowed his brows. The opposing group halted; although irritated by Wang Dong’s words, they held back from rash actions, which made Wang Dong raise his estimate of them slightly.

They still had a bit of sense, but not much.

A woman in blue stepped forward, holding the little girl’s hand, and bowed slightly to Wang Dong and Xue Qinghe. “I am Shui Qingyuan, and this is my daughter, Shui Bing’er. Thank you both for your help.”

Shui Bing’er?

Wang Dong thought for a moment. The name was familiar — the Ice Phoenix?

His tone rose in surprise.

He couldn’t help but voice his thoughts aloud. Nearby, Xue Qinghe, who had just received secret information via Qingluan’s telepathic message, watched Wang Dong’s changing expression with curiosity—how did he know?

Shui Qingyuan was surprised that the others had heard of her daughter’s martial soul but quickly recovered. “That is indeed my daughter’s martial soul.”

Wang Dong realized he had revealed his feelings. He hadn’t expected that the renowned Ice Phoenix of Shrek Academy had once been in such dire straits as a child. A deep sense of melancholy welled up within him.

“So, you two know each other, yet you’re pretending here?” The sleazy, arrogant voice interrupted the moment once more.

“Ma San, you’re nothing but a dog under that man’s command, barking nonstop. What skill is that?” Shui Qingyuan lifted her sleeves and stood before Wang Dong and Xue Qinghe.

The man called Ma San pressed his tongue against his cheek and sneered, “Shui Qingyuan, even if I’m a dog, I’m a dog serving a noble. You’re just a powerless nobody who thinks having a daughter with a top-tier Beast Martial Soul means you can rise overnight. Have you thought about whether a small school like Tianshui Academy can protect you?”

Shui Qingyuan still stood her ground, but from Wang Dong’s perspective, he could see her hand trembling uncontrollably behind her back.

Thinking his words had struck a chord, Ma San continued, “It’s been hard for you raising your daughter alone all these years. You might as well submit to the noble, so your daughter can live a few good days, huh?”

He glanced at Wang Dong and Xue Qinghe before adding, “Besides, you’re kind-hearted. You wouldn’t want to drag innocent people down, would you?”

Each word was a calculated blow, aiming to shatter Shui Qingyuan’s psychological defenses.

Wang Dong had never seen someone justify the abduction of a woman’s daughter in such a self-righteous way. He cast a glance at Xue Qinghe.

In the light, he was the crown prince of the Tiandou Empire; in the shadows, he held significant status in the Martial Soul Hall. There was a Martial Soul branch in Lianjiang City. Ma San’s backers were either the Tiandou royal family or high-ranking Martial Soul Hall officials—both closely connected to Xue Qinghe.

Xue Qinghe understood Wang Dong’s thoughts and scratched his nose sheepishly.

After scratching, he regretted it, realizing the young boy had somehow unsettled his own emotions, which annoyed him a little.

Shui Bing’er felt her mother’s grip tighten suddenly, then loosen in an instant. A strong thought blossomed in her heart as she whispered, “Mom…”

Shui Qingyuan knelt down and gently traced the little girl’s eyebrows. “Be good, Bing’er. Uncle Tian will come to take you away once he gets the news. You’ve grown up now, so you must take good care of yourself.”

“Mom…” Bing’er’s unease deepened.

“Bing’er, Mommy has her own matters to attend to and can’t always be by your side. You must eat on time and grow strong…” Her voice trembled terribly as she spoke, but she persevered. “You must be happy, joyful, and live a good life.”

Those nine words were a mother’s entire love and emotion poured out.

Suddenly, scattered applause broke the silence. Ma San’s face twisted into a mocking grin, and his voice dripped with scorn. “What a touching mother-daughter act. Too bad the noble ordered it—big and small, no one gets away.”

“Beast!” Shui Qingyuan could no longer hold back. Her anguished roar pushed her to the brink of collapse.

Wang Dong, stunned by the filthiness of Ma San and his men, lost all patience. Spinning swiftly, in the blink of an eye, he kicked Ma San hard against the wall behind him. Standing firm, he left only two words: “Trash.” Not sparing him another glance.

The entire hall fell silent. Everyone had assumed that Xue Qinghe was the powerful one, but it was the child who struck first.

Ma San completely lost control and shouted, “Ah—someone! Quickly! Capture that brat and present him to the noble!”

Xue Qinghe’s eyes darkened.

…

End of chapter.