Chapter 127: Deeply Hurt

Without a word, Yang Fan walked over and swept Li Qiuya up into his arms.

Cuddled against him like a bird, Li Qiuya felt her cheeks grow hot. This was her first time being held so intimately by a man. She stole a glance at Yang Fan, only to find his eyes calm and detached. A flicker of disappointment stirred within her.

Carrying her out of the restaurant, Yang Fan walked for over two hundred meters toward the main road. Pressing her face against his chest, Li Qiuya listened to his steady heartbeat, a sense of happiness welling up inside her. A sweet, involuntary smile graced her lips.

After hailing a taxi, Yang Fan climbed in with Li Qiuya still in his arms and told the driver to go. Feigning weakness, Li Qiuya clung to him, wanting to stay in his embrace. She was intoxicated by the feeling. An ordinary person might have found carrying an adult exhausting, but Yang Fan was a cultivator; he felt no fatigue at all.

Back at the Huiyuan residential complex, Yang Fan carried Li Qiuya into her apartment.

"I'm so hungry," she pouted, giving him a pitiful look.

"Wait here. I'll get you some medicine," Yang Fan said, casting her an exasperated glance before turning to leave. As he walked away, the corners of Li Qiuya's mouth curled up in a soft smile.

Returning to his own home, Yang Fan gathered some herbs and began to refine medicine. Although he possessed elixirs capable of healing her condition instantly, they were far too precious to waste; they were crafted from expensive ingredients and meant to be sold for profit. Li Qiuya was merely weak, so a standard concoction would suffice.

Less than an hour later, the medicine was ready. He brought it to her.

"What took so long? I'm starving," she complained, pouting.

Yang Fan ignored her, handing over the medicine. "Drink this. You’ll recover."

"Will I really be better after this?" she asked, skeptical.

"Stop with the nonsense. Drink it or don't," Yang Fan retorted with a shrug.

"I’m the patient here. Can’t you be a little gentler?" she muttered. She swallowed the medicine and immediately felt a warm current coursing through her body, bringing a profound sense of relief. Within three minutes, she had fully recovered and was soon jumping around the room.

"This is incredible! What kind of medicine is this?" she asked in amazement. She knew he ran a pharmacy, but she had no idea his remedies were so miraculous.

"Don't ask what it is," Yang Fan said flatly. "You should rest now." With that, he turned to leave.

"Hey, wait!" Li Qiuya called out.

"Yes?" Yang Fan turned back.

She looked hesitant, struggling to find the words, her heart fluttering with a mix of nerves and apprehension. Watching her dither, Yang Fan grew impatient. "Say what you have to say, or be done with it."

Li Qiuya was rendered speechless by his bluntness. Seeing she wasn't going to speak, Yang Fan turned and walked out the door.

"I like you."

Just as Yang Fan stepped out of her apartment, she finally blurted it out. He froze. He had never expected a confession from her.

Li Qiuya stood awkwardly, stealing a glance at him. She had summoned all her courage for this moment, and the thought of being rejected filled her with dread.

"We aren't right for each other," Yang Fan replied after a long silence. He closed the door and returned to his own home.

He felt no such affection for her, nor did he want to. He did not wish to form any attachments here; his only goal was to cultivate diligently, return to the Divine Realm, and avenge his junior sister. In his heart, she was irreplaceable, an indelible presence.

Li Qiuya stood stunned, a sense of abandonment washing over her. She was a celebrated actress, yet her confession had been met with a cold rejection. A wave of unprecedented frustration hit her. Was she not beautiful enough? Did she hold no attraction for him at all? She felt a sting in her eyes, fighting back tears. It was the first time she had ever confessed to a man, and the sting of rejection was profound.

That jerk! How could he reject a beauty like her? She was furious. "Yang Fan, you bastard! You heartless bastard!" she cursed, throwing herself onto the sofa and pummeling a throw pillow as if it were him. She simply couldn't let it go. If the world knew that the famous Li Qiuya had been rejected, it would be a scandal, a truth beyond belief. "You jerk! You’re destined to be a lonely dog for the rest of your life!" she ranted, continuing to vent her frustration on the pillow.

Back in his own home, Yang Fan could hear her shouting, but it caused no ripple in his composure.

Li Qiuya didn't sleep well that night. She felt as though she had been dumped, and the pain was raw. The next morning, she sought him out again.

"Do I really have no attraction for you?" she asked, staring directly at him.

"I don't want to drag you into my world," Yang Fan said with a serious expression. "I have many enemies. Anyone involved with me will inevitably face danger. It’s better if we don't have a deeper connection—let's just be ordinary friends. Besides, I truly don't have those kinds of feelings for you."

Hearing his words, Li Qiuya felt a sharp pang of pain, but she persisted. "Is that your honest truth?"

"It is," he replied firmly.

Without another word, she turned back to her apartment and shut the door.

Yang Fan left the apartment. He had business to attend to today. Huang Ma had arranged a meeting with the Black Water Society at an abandoned factory in Yuancheng. Yang Fan intended to finish them off once and for all. He called Wang Gang, and the two headed toward their destination.

"Huang Ma, don't let your men go inside. Just guard the perimeter," Yang Fan said over the phone. "Leave the Black Water Society to me. Just make sure no one escapes."

"Understood," Huang Ma replied without hesitation. He knew of Yang Fan's power. If his men didn't have to go in, that was even better—it saved him trouble. Since Yang Fan was confident enough to face the Black Water Society alone, Huang Ma had no reason to doubt him. In his eyes, Yang Fan was an omnipotent being.