As Li Yundong watched the dense mass of people surging toward him, he hesitated, contemplating whether he should first withdraw to let the dust settle. Yet, the thought of turning tail left a bitter taste in his mouth: for the leader of a sect in the cultivation world to be chased off by a group of ordinary mortals—where would he even begin to save face?

But if he didn't run, did that mean he had to beat all these people down? That would throw everything into chaos!

As Li Yundong was wrestling with indecision, he suddenly heard a familiar, resonant voice booming from within the crowd: "Where is she? Where is the person you're talking about?"

Li Yundong recognized the voice as sounding strikingly like Feng Na's. He paused, looking in the direction of the sound, and indeed saw a round-faced beauty leading the charge at the very front of the throng, clutching a microphone, her face a picture of righteous indignation. Trailing just behind her was a middle-aged man lugging a camera.

"Feng Na?" Li Yundong's eyes widened in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

Feng Na spotted Li Yundong at once and also stopped short. Her expression shifted to one of surprise mixed with delight. "Li Yundong, what are you doing here?"

After that first exclamation, Feng Na quickly regained her composure and said, "These people just said the son of Li Gang... that wouldn't be you, would it?"

Li Yundong let out a wry smile. "It seems the dragon king has raided his own temple!" He gestured toward Ruan Hongling beside him. "This one was causing trouble; you shouldn't get involved in this mess."

Ruan Hongling shot Li Yundong a sidelong glance. "Whose fault is it that you sent me to guard the shop!"

"Guard the shop?" Feng Na blinked, her head tilted. "What shop guarding?"

Li Yundong's gaze swept over the cameraman behind Feng Na. "This is complicated to explain in a moment. What's going on with you?"

Feng Na smiled at the cameraman behind her. "Mistake, Uncle Xin. This is my classmate, not some second-generation official." She then raised her voice to address the onlookers: "Everyone, you've got it wrong! This is my university classmate, still in his junior year at Tiannan University. He's not some privileged son! Everyone, it's a misunderstanding!"

A murmur swept through the crowd, punctuated by a few grumbles, before people slowly dispersed.

Feng Na walked up to the middle-aged cameraman. "Uncle Xin, may I have a quick word with my classmate? Perhaps you could head back first?"

The middle-aged man glanced at Li Yundong twice, then his eyes lingered strangely on the bevy of beautiful women behind him—Su Chan, Ziyuan, and the others. It was clear he pegged Li Yundong as a playboy. He leaned in and cautioned Feng Na quietly, "Nana, your father entrusted you to me. You can't mess around. Boys these days are too fickle; be careful."

Feng Na couldn't help but offer a wry smile. "Uncle Xin, you're overthinking things! I'd like to pursue him, but he barely pays me any attention!"

The middle-aged man relaxed. "That's good, that's very good!"

Feng Na stomped her foot in mock indignation. "Uncle Xin, what are you implying! You're cursing me!"

The man chuckled heartily, patted Feng Na's head, took one last deep look at Li Yundong, and turned to leave.

After the middle-aged man departed, Feng Na turned back, just as Li Yundong cleared his throat somewhat self-consciously. Su Chan, Ziyuan, Ruan Hongling, and the others were all looking at her with significant, silent expressions.

Feng Na's heart suddenly sank. Oh no, it seems they heard everything I just said! This is it—I’ve completely embarrassed myself today!

Feng Na's pretty face instantly flushed crimson, so deeply it looked as if it might bleed. She became flustered, utterly unsure of what to say.

Seeing her distress, Li Yundong quickly interjected, "Feng Na, have you become a reporter?"

As soon as Li Yundong spoke, the awkward tension dissipated considerably. Feng Na smoothed a strand of hair behind her ear, composed herself, and replied, "Yes. Since I’m in my senior year, I don't have many classes left, and the Student Union isn't busy either. So, I asked my dad to pull some strings, and they let me intern at Tiannan City Television. Didn't you once say I’d be good as a reporter?"

With that, Feng Na gave Li Yundong a playful smile. "Last time, were you just humoring me?"

Li Yundong laughed. "No, look how sharp your instincts are! The moment something happens here, you show up. You’re an incredibly dedicated reporter!"

Feng Na laughed back. "Oh, so you're indirectly calling me a nosy gossip?"

Li Yundong shot a look to Su Chan and the others, signaling them to enter the shop first. He then turned back to Feng Na, waved dismissively, and chuckled, "I wouldn't dare, Great Reporter! Say, you didn't just happen to be covering a story right around here, did you?"

Feng Na stood with her hands clasped behind her back, smiling as she regarded her junior. Although she was a year older than Li Yundong, in his presence, she always felt like she had to look up to him—both physically and in every other way.

This young man was too mysterious, too elusive. Even when she tried hard to track his whereabouts, she couldn't pin down even the slightest trace.

Feng Na studied Li Yundong for a moment before smiling. "Not at all. It wouldn't be that convenient. Someone called the TV station to report an incident, and my mentor brought me along. The station isn't far, so we got here quickly. But I never expected to run into you."

Li Yundong looked curious. "Who called, and when was this?"

Feng Na thought for a moment. "About fifteen minutes ago."

Li Yundong frowned inwardly. Fifteen minutes ago? That was right when I first arrived! Who made the call?

As suspicion brewed, his gaze swept across the street and landed on Zhao Yougen, who was standing inside the shop opposite, staring at him like a hungry wolf eyeing its prey. When Zhao Yougen saw Li Yundong looking over, he immediately turned and retreated into his shop.

Li Yundong sneered internally: Nine times out of ten, this guy is stirring up trouble again!

Feng Na didn't notice Li Yundong's cold smile. She peered curiously at the shop beside him, noting the glimpses of Su Chan, Ziyuan, and the others bustling inside through the gaps in the plastic sheeting. She asked inquisitively, "Oh yes, when you mentioned guarding a shop just now, did you mean this one? Li Yundong, don't tell me you opened this place!"

Li Yundong withdrew his gaze from Zhao Yougen and chuckled. "I opened it with some friends."

Feng Na was both surprised and delighted, landing a playful punch on Li Yundong's shoulder. "That's great! So that's why I haven't seen you around these past few days! After you explained the relationship between scholars and ** that time at school, you vanished again. Turns out you were setting up shop with a bunch of beauties!"

Feng Na's excitement made her voice slightly too loud, causing passersby to eye Li Yundong strangely, as if he were the proprietor of a shady establishment.

Li Yundong smiled wryly. "Chairman, could you please keep your voice down? Can you stop being so excitable?"

Feng Na realized her tone was inappropriate. She covered her mouth and laughed, then continued, "No way! You're the one who didn't tell me such important news! You wouldn't even answer my calls—that's just too much!"

Li Yundong slapped his forehead. "Oh, I almost forgot I even owned a mobile phone! I haven't used it in ages."

Feng Na was utterly speechless. She clasped her hands together in mock respect. "I'm impressed, you really are something!"

Li Yundong grinned. "We must advocate for green living, low-carbon travel!"

Feng Na rolled her eyes at him. "If you're so dedicated, don't take a car anywhere at all—that’s true low-carbon!"

Li Yundong thought: Of course, I travel mostly by flying. Driving is the absolute last resort. If I’m not low-carbon, who is?

But he couldn't say that to Feng Na. So, Li Yundong smiled and changed the subject. "By the way, when this shop is ready, why don't you come by for a visit?"

Feng Na huffed. "Did I need to ask? You’re really not a true friend. You wouldn't even tell me about something like this. Last time I even told you that if you opened a company, I'd come work for you. You agreed readily enough, but what happened?"

Li Yundong knew he was in the wrong, so he didn't argue, just offered a nervous laugh. "I was afraid the shop would lose money, so I didn't dare tell you! What if I roped you in and the shop folded? That would have hurt you, wouldn't it?"

Feng Na pouted, dismissive of his reasoning. "What era is this? Do you still think like that? I have hands and feet; even if this place really went belly-up, would I starve? I can't stand that kind of chauvinistic thinking! By the way, what kind of shop is this? This is a pedestrian street with huge foot traffic; it shouldn't lose money."

Li Yundong smiled. "It's a teahouse."

"A teahouse?" Feng Na's eyes went wide. "How did you decide on opening a teahouse?"

Li Yundong spread his hands, offering a bitter smile. "It's a long story. Just know that it’s a place for drinking tea. Come by when you have time in the future."

Feng Na clicked her tongue in wonder, sizing up the shop currently under renovation, then looked around at the surroundings. She nodded. "The location is quite good. I just wonder what the interior design will look like and what its target market is."

Li Yundong smiled. "The initial positioning is mid-to-high end, mainly targeting affluent customers."

Feng Na laughed and scolded him playfully. "You, Li Yundong! You haven't even become a millionaire, and you're already abandoning the masses of poor folks like us! What are we supposed to do if we want to come for tea later?"

Li Yundong laughed heartily. "Look what you're saying! If you come for tea, of course, I'll give you a discount." As he spoke, Li Yundong winked conspiratorially at Feng Na. "We're friends, after all!"

Feng Na finally nodded, satisfied. "Fine, now that you've said that, I feel much better. But the organization will be scrutinizing you closely from now on! Now that I know about your shop, even if you run away, the temple will still be here! Cheng Cheng has been asking about you these last few days, too. Hmph, I’ll bring her along sometime to shake down you nouveau riche!"

Li Yundong chuckled. "That's great, I welcome it. Oh, when we have our grand opening in a while, you all can come. That way, I won't have to send you an invitation."

Feng Na gave a playful smile. "No way! That shows a lack of sincerity! You must write a physical invitation, or we won't come!"

Li Yundong offered a pained smile. "Don't tease me. My handwriting isn't fit to be shown to anyone!"

Feng Na patted Li Yundong’s shoulder, chiding him. "You are truly not a good friend! It's settled then: you send the invitation, and I'll use your invitation to promote it all over campus. Otherwise, without proof, people won't believe me!"

A spark ignited in Li Yundong's mind, and he replied happily, "That’s a great idea! We can promote it within the school—that's a whole potential customer base we can mobilize!"

Feng Na burst into laughter. "How about that, Li Yundong? Your shop hasn't even opened, and I’ve already scouted a customer base for you. Are you impressed yet?"

Li Yundong bowed with feigned reverence. "Impressed, most impressed! Chairman, you truly are a business prodigy. If you decide to enter the commercial world, Bill Gates will have to resort to selling sweet potatoes!"

With that, both of them erupted into simultaneous laughter.

Feng Na covered her mouth, giggling. "Stop it! I'm not that amazing. It's because you're so popular at school; otherwise, no matter how much I nagged, no one would show up. Be prepared on your opening day—I plan to mobilize the entire student body!"

Li Yundong startled, quickly saying, "Hey, are you joking? There are several thousand students in the whole school! If you bring them all here, the street will be gridlocked, and how will I even open for business? Just bring fifty—no, twenty handsome young men and beautiful women to fill the space so it doesn't look deserted on opening day; that would be too awkward."

Li Yundong had no doubt about Feng Na's persuasive abilities; she could certainly rally every student on campus. He had witnessed her powers of persuasion repeatedly. If they all really showed up, his shop would likely go bankrupt and close on the very first day!

It was no joke—how could he possibly cater to thousands of people?

Feng Na giggled, laughing until she leaned forward and back. It was as if she had found leverage, and she laughed triumphantly. "It's settled then! If you don't send the invitation, I'll bring the entire school population and eat you out of house and home!"

Li Yundong could only shake his head with a helpless smile, unable to utter a word.

Feng Na glanced at the time and waved her hand at Li Yundong. "Alright, I have to go now. I'll come visit you again next time!" As she spoke, she made a gesture like holding a phone to her ear. "Hey, find your phone when you get back! We’ll keep in touch by phone. You are absolutely forbidden from ignoring my calls, or else—harrumph!"

Feng Na made a mock-threatening face at Li Yundong before turning and leaving with a laugh. Her face was full of triumph. Li Yundong, Li Yundong, let's see how you dodge me this time! Hmph, I've got you hooked!

Li Yundong shook his head with a wry smile and pushed open the door to enter the shop.

As he stepped inside, Su Chan eagerly approached him. "Yundong, what did you talk to Feng Na about for so long? Why was she laughing?"

Li Yundong smiled. "Oh, she was threatening to mobilize the entire student body to cheer me on during the opening."

Su Chan’s face lit up instantly, and she clapped her hands. "Wonderful! That will be so lively!"

Li Yundong glared at her. "Nonsense! Thousands of people—is that cheering? That's sabotage!"

Ruan Hongling burst out laughing. "Li Yundong, Li Yundong! You're always so high-profile and ostentatious; does it kill you to be a little low-key? Now look at the mess you're in for opening day!"

Ziyuan also smiled faintly. "It won't be that bad. She's probably just joking. We can just invite a few acquaintances to fill in so it doesn't look empty, which is bad luck."

Li Yundong turned to Su Chan and Ruan Hongling. "See? That's sensible advice. Look at you two—you just want to stir up trouble! Get back to work!"

Su Chan and Ruan Hongling both stuck their tongues out at Li Yundong before turning and trotting up the stairs.

Li Yundong rolled up his sleeves and called out loudly to the little foxes watching him expectantly, "Little ones, let's get to work!" The little foxes responded with crisp affirmation and plunged enthusiastically into their tasks.

And as Li Yundong led the members of Fox Charm Sect in their busy preparations, an unexpected guest suddenly arrived at Zhao Yougen's shop. D