Chapter 3 Overbearing

"Little Ai, I apologize for disturbing again today..." As Du Fei was lost in thought, a cheerful laughter echoed from outside the door, followed by the sound of deep footsteps approaching. Upon hearing the voice, Little Ai's face turned pale, her expression resembling that of a frightened bunny. Seeing this, Du Fei couldn't help but frown slightly, asking, "What's the matter?" Little Ai gave a bitter smile, saying, "It's Young Master Qing, Young Master. You've been unconscious for a few days, so you don't know. This Young Master Qing has been visiting daily. It's been quite distressing for me." Hearing this, Du Fei couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. To be honest, although Little Ai was young, her delicate features, snow-white skin, and pretty face always possessed a stunning aura. Back in that small town, numerous people coveted her. However, thanks to the protection of the Du Family and Little Ai's own capabilities, no one dared to pester her. Unexpectedly, after just a few days in the Du Family, someone was already smitten with her. "You little enchantress!" Du Fei playfully tweaked Little Ai's nose. However, he was well aware that such matters weren't her fault, so he didn't elaborate further. At this moment, the wooden door creaked open. Following that, a youth dressed in white leisurely walked in. The young man looked to be in his late teens, with a somewhat sickly pale complexion, yet his features were quite handsome. However, the moment he entered and saw Du Fei's playful gesture, his smiling face turned grave. A trace of anger flashed across his face, but it quickly faded, returning to its previous demeanor. If not for Du Fei's keen observation, the momentary anger would've gone unnoticed. "This guy might be more than meets the eye!" Du Fei slightly furrowed his brows, sighing inwardly. Having lived two lifetimes, he had gained some worldly wisdom and naturally understood the origin of Du Qing's anger. What's more troubling was the current awkward status of both him and Little Ai with the Du Family, especially with this Du Qing... "Young Master Qing." Upon seeing Du Qing enter, Little Ai quickly stood up and gave a slight bow. "Ah, Little Ai, haven't I said it many times before? There's no need for such formalities between us. Just call me Brother Qing!" Du Qing laughed, waving his hand. After a moment, he deliberately shifted his gaze to Du Fei and said with a smile, "It's Cousin Du Fei, right? I didn't expect your health to recover so quickly these past few days. I've been genuinely concerned about you!" Concerned my foot. He sneered inwardly, but on the outside, Du Fei maintained a faint smile, responding with a slight bow, "Thank you for your concern, Cousin. I apologize, but I'm still not well enough to get up and greet you properly." "No need for such courtesies! We're like brothers. There's no need for formalities," Du Qing chuckled, turning to Little Ai, "Little Ai, Grandfather and the others are also concerned about Cousin's health. Since he's awake, why don't you go and inform them?" Hearing this, Little Ai hesitated, glancing at Du Fei. Only after seeing Du Fei nod slightly did she acknowledge and slowly step out. Once Little Ai left, Du Qing strolled around the room and eventually took a seat. He tapped his index finger on the table and said with a light smile, "Cousin Du Fei, there's a favor I'd like to ask of you..." "I'm humbled," Du Fei replied with a calm smile, "I'm new here, and given my current condition, I doubt I could be of any assistance to you." "Hehe, you're too modest, Cousin Du Fei," Du Qing casually picked up a teacup from the table, took a sip, and after a slight pause, said, "If I remember correctly, in the Fourth Uncle's family, which is your household, you're the only son, right?" At these words, a hint of coldness flashed in Du Fei's eyes. He was quite irritated by Du Qing's deliberate remarks. However, he was well aware that despite Du Qing's seemingly amiable demeanor, such a character couldn't possibly be as simple as he appeared. If he showed any disrespect now, the consequences might be severe! If only he was skilled in martial arts! Why would he need to be so cautious then? Often, when you're living under someone's roof, you have no choice but to submit to them. Taking a deep breath, Du Fei concealed his anger well, merely sighing lightly, "You're right, Du Qing. I am indeed the only son in my family." "So it is," Du Qing clapped his hands lightly with a relieved expression, "In that case, Miss Ai is Cousin Du Fei's maidservant, right? Haha, given that, I'll be direct! From the moment I saw Miss Ai, I was smitten. Though her status prevents me from taking her as my wife, I can still make her my concubine. So, if Cousin Du Fei agrees, I'm willing to trade ten beautiful maidservants, four guards, and a hundred taels of gold in exchange for Miss Ai. How about it?" Having said that, Du Qing appeared utterly confident. Given his status, he believed no one would refuse such an offer, not just within the Du Family, but even throughout Buyue City. Upon hearing this, Du Fei's eyes twitched slightly. Though he had anticipated such a proposal from Du Qing, hearing it stated so bluntly still ignited anger within him. Nevertheless, Du Fei wasn't a naive child. He took a deep breath, suppressing his rage for the moment, and replied with a smile, "Cousin Du Qing, you are too kind... If you present such a generous offer for Little Ai, I might have considered it. After all, with your generous gesture, it's clear you genuinely care for her. A gentleman should always accept a good deal..." "However, even though Little Ai is my maidservant, she was someone my father found from an unknown place years ago. He once mentioned that Little Ai has her own free will and can leave the Du Family whenever she wants. Moreover, having grown up with her, I've long stopped seeing her as a mere servant... especially since she risked so much to save me when my entire Du Family faced catastrophe. Both emotionally and logically, I can't agree to your request without consulting her first..." "Therefore, I hope you understand, Cousin. I'm afraid I can't fulfill your request..." At the end, Du Fei let out a slight sigh, his face showing a hint of regret. Du Qing's face, which had been adorned with a smile, gradually turned cold upon hearing Du Fei's words. He slowly put down his teacup, his gaze coldly fixed on Du Fei for a moment, and then he chuckled, "So, Cousin, what you're saying is, you're refusing to give me, Du Qing, any face?" "Not at all!" Du Fei shook his head slightly, "I've explained the situation in detail to you, Cousin. I hope you understand..." Du Qing sneered coldly, stating, "Regardless of how elegantly one speaks of a maidservant, she is but a mere appendage to her master. Surely you understand this, Cousin Du Fei. If you give the word, what courage would she have to object? Let me enlighten you... In this world, if you desire power, wealth, or women, you must have the corresponding strength. In the past, when your fourth uncle was alive, you had thier support. Now, you're nothing but a cripple. Though you have the blood of the Du Family, you've lost all your status long ago! Keeping a beauty like Little Ai by your side, aren't you just courting death? I'm discussing this for your own good... If you weren't loosely considered one of the Du Family... Humph!" "Whether or not I keep Little Ai by my side, I have my own judgment on that matter, and there's no need for you to instruct me," Du Fei replied with a cold smirk, having realized the superficiality of their cousinly relationship. "So, I'll pretend I never heard any of this." "You... You're impressive! Very impressive!" Du Qing stared at Du Fei for a moment before bursting into laughter, "Du Fei, do you still see yourself as that young master from before? This isn't your remote little town, this is Buyue City's Du Family! I believe it won't be long before you'll bring Little Ai to me willingly! By that time, whether I accept her or not will be an entirely different matter." Having said that, Du Qing slowly stood up, and with a forceful slap on the table, he turned and left with a derisive chuckle. "Body forging, the seventh stage?" Looking at the deep handprint left on the table, Du Fei couldn't help but slightly frown. In the path of martial cultivation, body-forging is fundamental. Only through successful body-forging, purifying the body of impurities, and continuously strengthening oneself, will one reach a certain level where Qi will form within. And only after one possesses Qi can they officially embark on martial cultivation. Like martial cultivation, body-forging also has nine stages. The first three stages do not bring significant changes to the body. The fourth, fifth, and sixth stages gradually strengthen a person's body from the outside in. Only at the seventh stage does a mysterious internal force form in the human body. This internal force, after continuous strengthening, will precipitate in the body's dantian, forming Qi. This mysterious internal force has a common name: true breath. Du Qing's palm strike just now had clearly demonstrated that he had cultivated true breath and possessed at least the strength of the seventh stage of body-forging. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to leave a palm imprint on the table without destroying it. In comparison to Du Qing's seventh stage of body-forging, Du Fei, who hadn't even surpassed the threshold of the first stage, was obviously a complete waste. Within a family, when comparing a genius at the seventh stage of body-forging to someone of an awkward status who was useless, it was quite evident who would be more valued and who possessed more strength. "It seems I was too impulsive... If it wasn't for the fact that the patriarch hadn't met me yet, Du Qing wouldn't have dared to act this rashly. Otherwise, I fear..." Du Fei sighed, shaking his head slightly. If that so-called system still couldn't allow him to start cultivating, then life in the future would indeed become challenging. But if he couldn't even endure the current hardships, how could he ever seek revenge for his family's deep-seated grievances? Du Fei clenched his fist tightly, smashing it onto the bed. The intense hatred in his eyes was undisguised!