Chapter 2: Am I still hiding behind a woman?

“A-ah, it’s you, Xue’er,” Ryan said awkwardly, trying not to sound like he’d just seen an angel.

Li Xue walked closer, looking him up and down with quiet concern. “Are you okay now? In the morning… you were…”

Only then did Ryan remember. Earlier that day—before he crossed over—the Li Clan had held its annual test for the younger generation. Every year, everyone improved. Everyone except the original host. He couldn’t cultivate, so he remained stuck at the bottom, mocked by nearly everyone his age.

Li Xue, however, had never looked down on him.

She lifted a small porcelain bottle in her hand. “I brought you some healing medicine, but… You seem fine now.”

Ryan’s chest warmed. She had come to check on him. She cared.

And today, unlike every year before… he finally had the strength to change everything.

*

Ryan thought back to the morning, and a bitter feeling rose in his chest. For more than ten years, he had been mocked, pushed around, and called useless. Every insult, every stare had piled up inside him.

Today, before he crossed, he finally snapped. When a few arrogant Li Clan youths blocked his path and poked at him with their usual taunts, he didn’t back down. He fought back.

But the host’s body had been weak, without a trace of strength. The result was obvious—he was beaten into the dirt. That beating, combined with the humiliation, drove him to jump off the cliff… and that was how he had ended up here.

Now, as he stood in front of Li Xue, he felt none of that old helplessness. Instead, warmth filled his chest. Maybe it was the memories of this body, maybe it was her beauty, or maybe the confidence that came with gaining the system.

Whatever the reason, a fierce possessiveness appeared in his heart. He wanted to protect her. Hold her close. Keep her safe.

Before he could say anything more, the door suddenly burst open with a loud crack.

Wood splinters scattered across the floor as four young men strode inside, their expressions dark and hostile. The leader—Li Yujing—looked at Ryan like he was trash on the street.

“Well, well, Li Wei,” he sneered. “Weren’t you beaten enough this morning? You even dare to let Xue’er bring medicine to you? Know your place. She’s not someone garbage like you can get close to.”

The tone he used wasn’t just mocking—it was poisonous. As if Li Wei wasn’t the patriarch’s son at all, but some stray mutt.

Li Xue’s brows furrowed as she stepped in front of Ryan. “Li Yujing, what do you think you’re doing? I came here on my own. Stop twisting things.”

Li Yujing was the grandson of the seventh elder, Li Meiran’s right-hand lackey. The three boys behind him carried the same arrogance. It was common knowledge that they all followed Li Meiran around like dogs.

And this morning, it had been these same people who beat Li Wei into the ground.

Despite being the patriarch’s son, Li Wei had been a joke in their eyes. Weak, talentless, unworthy. They never hid their contempt.

Li Yujing put on a righteous expression. “Don’t worry, Xue’er. We’ll take care of this. A trash like Li Wei shouldn’t bother you. Go home—we’ll handle him.”

“No!” Li Xue snapped. “I won’t let you hurt Wei-Ge again!”

She knew exactly what they wanted. If she left, they would swarm him like wolves.

Li Yujing narrowed his eyes. “Xue’er, he’s a talentless waste. He must’ve learned some trick, some black magic, to trick you. He’s bewitching you! Stay away from him.”

“I don’t believe that,” Li Xue said firmly. “Wei-Ge would never lie to me.”

Her stubbornness only irritated them more.

Li Yujing turned to Ryan with a mocking grin. “Are you going to hide behind a woman all day? Come out and fight. Or are you only brave when she’s here?”

Before Li Xue could retort, Ryan gently stopped her with a hand on her arm. He stepped forward, eyes cold.

“Who did you just call trash?” he asked quietly.

The boys froze. Something in Ryan’s tone didn’t sound like the weakling they bullied every day.

Ryan understood perfectly what was happening. They weren’t here out of “justice.” They were here because of one person—Li Meiran.

Li Meiran had coveted Li Xue for a long time, but she never paid him attention. She treated him coldly but treated Li Wei gently. Even a small glance from her during the morning test had been enough to make Li Meiran burn with jealousy.

That was why Li Wei got targeted. That was why he was beaten.

Now that Ryan had a system backing him, he wasn’t about to endure this any longer.

Li Yujing snorted. “Oh? The Li Clan’s coward grew a spine? Come on then. Stop hiding behind a girl. Fight me!”

“Brother Wei, you can’t beat them—” Li Xue began, worried.

But the moment she reached for him, Ryan gently moved her hand away and pulled her behind him.

She blinked in surprise. For the first time, she saw his back clearly—firm, steady, unyielding. A man’s back. His presence felt different, stronger, like he had finally found his dignity.

She stopped speaking.

A warmth bloomed in her chest.

He can protect me…

The thought came to her naturally.

“Xue’er,” Ryan said softly but firmly, “stand behind me and don’t move.”

“Mm…” she whispered, cheeks red as she obeyed without hesitation.

A soft chime rang in Ryan’s mind.

Ding! Favorability +10.

Li Xue’s favorability is now 70. She has silently pledged her heart to you.

Ryan almost choked. S-She what?!

He glanced at her. Sure enough, Li Xue’s face was red as an apple, eyes lowered shyly. His heart skipped.

If 70 points meant she had secretly pledged her heart…

What would 100 mean?

The system was too amazing!

His blood surged with excitement.

Time to perform.

Time to raise that favorability even higher.

Time to teach these idiots a lesson.

Li Yujing’s face twisted when he saw Ryan and Li Xue standing close together. Jealousy lit up in his eyes like fire. To him, Li Xue belonged to the Seventh Young Master alone, and Li Wei—this “trash”—had no right to breathe the same air as her.

“You dare charm Miss Li Xue? Brothers, break his legs!”

At his shout, the three youths behind him stepped forward aggressively, cracking their knuckles, trying to look intimidating.

Ryan simply let out a slow breath. His expression didn’t change. In fact, he looked almost bored.

“This is my first proper battle since waking up,” he said, voice calm. “You should feel honored.”

He stepped forward once.

And then—

“Kill.”

His fist moved before the three could even raise their arms. A blur of motion, a loud crack, and three bodies flew out of the room like rag dolls thrown by a giant. They slammed onto the ground outside, convulsed once, and went still.

Not even a scream.

Ryan lowered his hand, slightly surprised at how easy it felt.

Ding! 100 experience gained.

Ding! 100 experience gained.

Ding! 100 experience gained.

The chimes echoed sweetly in his mind, and he couldn’t help grinning.

Even humans will give experience?

This system really was too generous.

Shock froze Li Yujing where he stood. He stared at the three fallen bodies, then at Ryan, unable to believe what he had seen.

“Impossible… they were all two-star warriors! How did you—You couldn’t even fight back this morning!”

His voice cracked at the end.

But Ryan wasn’t the same person anymore. And he certainly wasn’t planning to let any of them walk away.

His eyes turned sharp. “Li Yujing, your turn. Come get your experience value.”

He stepped forward again.

“Basic boxing.”

“Y-you dare?!” Li Yujing shouted, but the fear in his voice betrayed him.

Before he could lift his arms— Ryan’s fist slammed into his stomach with a dull, heavy thud.

“Gah—!”

The six-star warrior flew out of the room like the others, landing in the courtyard with a violent crash. He lay trembling, coughing blood, unable to move.

He wasn’t dead, but he wasn’t far from it. Ryan had held back on purpose.

Ryan grabbed Li Xue’s soft, warm hand and walked out of the room casually. When he reached Li Yujing’s body, he placed his foot on the man’s chest and pressed down. Hard.

“Now tell me,” Ryan said, voice low, “am I still hiding behind a woman?”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep