TRWSB – Chapter 35 Taking Advantage

At the Evil Doctor’s Residence:

“Young Master Zhuang Hao, you arrived rather quickly,” Qi Shaorong drawled lazily.

“Evil Doctor, if you’re free now, could you accompany me to the palace?” Zhuang Hao asked.

Without hesitation, Qi Shaorong nodded. “Of course.”

Looking at Qi Shaorong, Zhuang Hao remarked, “You seem to be in a good mood.”

“Not bad. I’ve made quite a bit recently. But Young Master Zhuang should be feeling even better, no?” Qi Shaorong replied.

“Oh? Why do you say that?”

With a playful smile, Qi Shaorong teased, “I heard that both Qi Yao from the Qi family and Yi Xun from the Yi family went to your father to propose marriage. Whether it’s Qi Shaoru or Yi Chuxue, both are considered beauties. You’re quite lucky!”

Zhuang Hao frowned. “I don’t see it that way.”

Qi Shaorong nodded. “True enough. While Qi Shaoru and Yi Chuxue are attractive, they’re far from stunning. Compared to you, Young Master Zhuang, they’re lacking. If you married either one of them, it might just be you who’s getting taken advantage of.”

Zhuang Hao fell silent.

Qi Shaorong reached out and gave Zhuang Hao’s face a little pinch, a mischievous smile on his face. “Young Master Zhuang, you’re quite the handsome one.”

Zhuang Hao stared directly at Qi Shaorong, and Qi felt a bit sheepish. Here he was, “fifty years old,” teasing a young man—it didn’t seem very appropriate.

As he let go, a trace of regret flashed through Zhuang Hao’s eyes, causing Qi Shaorong’s scalp to tingle.

Clearing his throat, Qi Shaorong assumed a dignified expression. “Shall we go? Weren’t we going to see that little tiger?”

Zhuang Hao took a deep breath. “Let’s go.”

As Qi Shaorong followed Zhuang Hao out, they encountered two familiar faces at the entrance: Qi Shaoru and Yi Chuxue.

“Brother Hao!” they both called out upon seeing him.

Qi Shaorong folded his arms, thinking, They’re completely ignoring me even though I’m standing right here.

The two young women gazed at Zhuang Hao with wounded expressions. Zhuang Hao frowned and replied in a formal tone, “Ladies, I need to take the Evil Doctor to the palace to treat the Azure-Winged Tiger King. If there’s anything you wish to discuss, let’s do so another day. We’ll take our leave now.”

Qi Shaoru and Yi Chuxue looked like they wanted to say something, but Zhuang Hao led Qi Shaorong away without paying them any heed.

Watching Zhuang Hao, Qi Shaorong shook his head. “You really have no compassion for delicate beauties, do you?”

Zhuang Hao turned to Qi Shaorong and said seriously, “Since I don’t like them, why give them false hope? If I raise their expectations now, they’ll only be more disappointed later.”

Qi Shaorong nodded. “That’s true. In that sense, Young Master Zhuang, you’re a rather kind person.”

Zhuang Hao glanced at him and, without confirming or denying, said, “Let’s go.”

As they entered the palace, Qi Shaorong couldn’t help but marvel. Despite his wealthy background in his previous life, where his family’s mansion was worth millions, it was nothing compared to the grandeur of the palace.

They crossed a lake and entered a forest, with Qi Shaorong inhaling deeply. The palace grounds were vast, with a lake at the center and a pavilion on an island.

With the protection of several palace guards, they crossed over to the pavilion.

As soon as they set foot on the island, a fierce tiger roar sounded, and a massive tiger, nearly eight meters long, lunged towards them, emanating an overwhelming killing intent.

Zhuang Hao quickly stepped in front of Qi Shaorong, his eyes flashing blue as he unleashed his spiritual power. The agitated tiger seemed to calm down, slowly settling onto the ground. It let out a grumpy roar in Zhuang Hao’s direction.

An unpleasant odor wafted over to Qi Shaorong, almost making him gag. This darn tiger must never brush its teeth. That breath is unbearable, he thought.

At that moment, a handsome young man hurried over, his face etched with worry. “Zhuang Hao, you’re here!”

A middle-aged man accompanying him led the tiger away.

“Tianying, what’s going on? The Azure-Winged Tiger King seems agitated,” Zhuang Hao asked with a frown.

Hearing Zhuang Hao’s familiar address, Qi Shaorong’s interest piqued. Tang Tianying, the fourth prince of the royal family, was third among the Seven Dashing Youths of the capital. A rare talent—though, looks-wise…he was only so-so.

Although he didn’t want to admit it, Qi Shaorong silently acknowledged Zhuang Hao’s exceptional beauty.

Tang Tianying furrowed his brow. “The little tiger hasn’t shown any improvement, and the Tiger King, being so attached to its child, seems to be on the verge of losing control.”

“I see,” Zhuang Hao sighed.

“It’s a good thing you came, Zhuang Hao; you’re the only one who could calm the Tiger King. Otherwise, there could have been a serious incident,” Tang Tianying said with relief.

“It was nothing,” Zhuang Hao replied nonchalantly.

Tang Tianying looked at Zhuang Hao with a touch of envy and chuckled wryly. “It may be nothing to you, but it’s not so easy for the rest of us.”

Turning to Qi Shaorong, he asked, “Are you the Evil Doctor?”

Qi Shaorong nodded. “Indeed.”

“It’s an honor,” Tang Tianying said respectfully.

Qi Shaorong returned the greeting. “The honor is mine. I’ve long heard of the fourth prince’s reputation, and you truly are a paragon among men.”

But Zhuang Hao interrupted their pleasantries. “Let’s go check on the little tiger.”