"General Bai!"

Just after Baiyi knocked out the white-haired girl, a soldier in black-and-white heavy armor rushed over from the square near the stage.

"Hmm."

Watching the soldier approach, Baiyi simply nodded.

Acknowledging the message, he scooped up the unconscious girl with one arm and headed toward Xiao Ling’s position.

"General, our Fourth Squad received reports from the crowd about what happened here—"

"Get to the point."

Baiyi waved his hand, cutting the soldier off before he could finish.

"Yes... The crowd’s been evacuated. Our squad surrounded the square. But several black-clad figures broke through and escaped."

"Tch. They got away..."

Hearing this, Baiyi’s brow furrowed slightly. He glanced disapprovingly at the unconscious girl he carried.

"Troublesome brats. Ruined a perfectly good day..."

Complaining wouldn’t fix anything. His priority now was taking the frail Xiao Ling back to the Imperial Palace for treatment.

After assigning guards to calm the restless crowd, Baiyi carried the girl over to the two sitting quietly nearby.

"Young master, are you alright—"

"Of course. These trash couldn’t scratch me."

Though Baiyi said that, Xiao Ling still wasn’t reassured.

She scanned him with worried eyes, checking carefully.

Only when she saw no tears or scratches on his clothes did she finally sigh in relief.

"Dad... Dad! Dad... Dad!"

Lian Ye, the silly girl clutching a doll, saw Baiyi had finished the villains. She ran over excitedly, tugging at his pants with her small, fair hand.

...

Watching this bouncing, mischievous girl, then glancing at the quiet Xiao Ling, irritation built in Baiyi’s chest.

*This idiot. Someone helps you, gets beaten and exhausted—yet you play happily, clueless!*

*Tonight, I’ll scold you properly. Then you’ll apologize to Xiao Ling and me.*

"Ugh!"

Sensing Baiyi’s unfriendly gaze, Lian Ye stiffened. Her smile froze.

*He hates me.*

"Ugh... ugh..."

*Dad... doesn’t like me anymore.*

Sobs choked her. Tears welled up, glistening in her eyes. Her porcelain-like face flushed red from rubbing.

"Dad..."

"Sob..."

"Hey? What’s wrong, idiot?"

Seeing Lian Ye burst into tears, Baiyi panicked. He never knew how to handle crying girls—or kids. Especially both at once.

He stood frozen, lost.

"Sob... Dad..."

"I’ll... be good..."

"Don’t... hate... me..."

"Hate?"

*Hate? I just want you to apologize properly. Not force anything bad.*

*Did I look too scary just now?*