Chapter 30: Mi Taizi
Lin Feng ended up having this meal at Li Xi's house.
Breathing heavily on the large bed, Li Xi collapsed into Lin Feng's embrace, her face flush with shyness.
"You scoundrel, who said I'm your close confidante? … Stop talking nonsense…" Li Xi murmured, her slender fingers tracing circles on Lin Feng's chest.
Lin Feng planted a firm kiss on her smooth cheek and grinned mischievously. "How is it nonsense? A close confidante is actually a position… Let me demonstrate!"
Ignoring Li Xi's protest, Lin Feng once again pinned her down.
"Now, do you understand?"
For some reason, every time Lin Feng saw Li Xi, he was overcome with a primal desire. He wasn't generally lustful; even when he was around top-tier beauties like Nie Chuxia, he didn't feel the need to do anything to them.
But Li Xi, to Lin Feng, was like a seductive enchantress.
---
After spending two hours at Li Xi's house, Lin Feng finally left reluctantly, knowing he had to take Lin Xue to her university orientation the next day.
When Lin Feng returned home, Lin Xue was already asleep. In the house, Niu Meng, Flayer, Headless, and Ah Chou all looked a bit embarrassed upon seeing him enter.
"Why are you all just standing there? We've known each other for days. I don't act high and mighty, do I? Sit down."
Lin Feng was puzzled. Why were the ghosts so polite today?
Niu Meng was the first to speak, muttering, "Brother Feng, I owe you an apology…"
Lin Feng frowned in confusion.
Niu Meng explained, "We accidentally witnessed your battle with Sister Li earlier…"
Lin Feng covered his forehead. Seriously? You're honest, but couldn't you be a little more tactful? This is embarrassing!
Flayer chimed in with a sheepish grin, "Master, you're incredible! Even when I was alive, I wasn't as vigorous as you!"
Headless added, "Although I couldn't use my ghostly vision to see, I could feel the vibrations in the air. It was intense!"
Even Ah Chou, veiled and reserved, nodded in agreement.
What is this? Flattery?
Lin Feng trembled with frustration. "Niu Meng… I may have a temper, but my tolerance is high. As my brother, you should know some boundaries. When you brought Ah Chou back to your room, I voluntarily slept on the couch, didn't I?"
Niu Meng blushed and hastily defended himself, "Boss, Ah Chou and I are in a perfectly normal relationship. Don't accuse me of anything inappropriate!"
Flayer interrupted, "Master, don't blame Niu Meng. We stumbled upon it by accident. A ghost was hanging outside Sister Li's window. For your safety, we stayed to keep watch. We weren't spying, just making sure the ghost didn't sneak inside."
Flayer even cited a historical precedent, "Back in the day, when Cao Cao, the Ghost King of Mangshan, was alive, his ghost general Dian Wei would stand guard while Cao indulged with beauties. We're just following the example of the ancients!"
Follow your ancestors, my foot!
Lin Feng fumed, "Don't let this happen again. Tonight, keep an eye on Sister Li and Xiaoxue. If there are ghosts causing trouble nearby, catch them and beat them to a pulp."
He tossed Niu Meng a modified talisman. "Use this to bind them after the fight. I'll take care of the exorcism."
"Understood, Master. Oh, by the way, it's midnight. Can we have dinner now? Could we skip plain rice tonight and have something more substantial? I think I'm on the verge of a breakthrough," Flayer suggested, rubbing his hands eagerly.
When Flayer became Lin Feng's servant, he was level 14. Now, just a few days later, he had reached level 18—a remarkable growth rate. Lin Feng noticed a luxury meal coupon in his dimensional space, so with a wave of his hand, a feast of chicken, duck, fish, and wine appeared on the table. The ghosts' eyes lit up.
"Forget about what happened earlier and dig in!" Lin Feng commanded.
The next morning, Nanyang University opened its doors for new students. The city streets were a chaotic mess of traffic.
Nanyang University was located in the Yangliu District of University Town, some distance from the Longhuai District.
Lin Xue sat anxiously in the taxi, watching the endless line of cars. "Brother! I told you we should've left earlier. It's almost noon, and I'm going to be late for registration!"
Lin Feng cursed under his breath. The traffic was unusually bad today. They had left at 10 a.m. and taken a cab to the second ring road, only to find it jammed as well.
"What are you late for? No university penalizes students for late registration. Stop fussing. Once we're off the second ring road, we'll take a motorcycle taxi."
Lin Xue muttered, "You're just like Dad—always blaming others instead of admitting fault."
The siblings finally got off the second ring road and hailed a motorcycle taxi.
The ride to the university gate took less than 20 minutes but cost Lin Feng 50 yuan. Furious at being ripped off, he bit his tongue, letting it slide for his sister's big day.
Nanyang University was a prestigious institution in Nanyang City, known for its long history and distinguished alumni. Today, the campus was bustling with talent. The grand, historic gate bore a name inscribed by a famous writer. Ivy climbed the columns, and inside the gate stood a stone engraved with the school motto: *Prudence in Action, Reflection in Thought.*
The campus featured gardens, fountains, and a Soviet-style teaching building from the 1970s. Lin Feng was captivated by the serene environment.
Students buzzed around the campus. As soon as they entered, a cheerful female student approached them. "Excuse me, are you here to register?"
"Yes, this is my sister. She's a new computer science student," Lin Feng replied.
The girl smiled warmly. "Your sister is so pretty! I'm a senior from the Biology Department and a volunteer today. Let me guide you!"
Lin Xue beamed at the compliment and quickly bonded with her guide.
Walking behind them, Lin Feng watched the students bustling about and felt a twinge of emotion. This was his first time on a university campus, fulfilling a long-held dream, even if indirectly.
The Computer Science Department wasn't large enough to be an independent school. Compared to the Biology, Chemistry, and Art Schools nearby, it seemed rather humble, with a modest registration area.
A crooked banner hung above the registration desk, where a counselor sat among a row of bespectacled male students—no girls in sight. The group of nerds ogled passing female students with obvious interest.
When Lin Xue approached, Lin Feng could clearly see those nerdy guys' eyes light up with greed. A thought struck him: *My sister can be so naïve. She got tricked by a loser back in the day; there's no way I'll let these nerds take advantage of her now.*
Lin Feng casually draped an arm around his sister's shoulders, laughing and chatting with her while she filled out the forms. He could clearly see the glimmer of hope in the nerds' eyes fade into despair.
"Bro! Why are you clinging to me? It's so hot!" Lin Xue complained after registering. "I'm going to pick up my bedding; you go pay the tuition."
Lin Feng chuckled. "Got it. See you on the lawn in a bit!"
The tuition payment counter wasn't far from the computer science registration point. Nearby was the registration spot for the art department. Lin Feng noticed a teenager with a flamboyant, J-rock gangster hairstyle arguing with an advisor at the art department's booth.
"That haircut is an eyesore, even in the art department! Go get it shaved!" the advisor scolded.
"There's no school rule about hairstyles! Who are you to tell me what to do?" the flamboyantly dressed teenager retorted. He was wearing a Japanese-style school uniform, polished leather shoes, and a shirt with the words *"Crown Prince"* printed across the chest. He carried a leather bag and shouted aggressively.
Lin Feng observed him and couldn't help but blurt out, "Whoa, is this *Hanamichi Sakuragi*?"
Hearing this, the teenager turned angrily. "Who called me Hanamichi Sakuragi? Come out here! This is *Genji Takiya*, you moron!"
*Genji Takiya?* Lin Feng had no idea who that was. To him, Hanamichi Sakuragi was the icon. Not appreciating his idol being dismissed, Lin Feng stepped forward. "Yeah, I said it. So what?"
The teen walked up to Lin Feng, practically nose-to-nose. "So what? You looking for a fight?"
Lin Feng wasn't one to back down. He'd taken on tougher guys before. Without hesitation, he grabbed the teen by his hair, making him yelp, and dragged him toward the art department registration booth.
"Apologies, everyone. This is my nephew. He's a bit, uh, slow. He'll get his hair fixed after registering!" Lin Feng said with an apologetic grin.
The teenager, now in pain, was in disbelief at this stranger's boldness. "Do you even know who my dad is?!" he shouted.
Lin Feng slapped the back of his head and snapped, "Your dad? Mi Shihong, right? So what? Before he died, he begged me to take care of you. Otherwise, do you think I'd bother?"
*Before he died?*
The teachers at the booth suddenly understood the teenager's rebellious style. Learning that his father had passed, they couldn't help but feel some sympathy.
The teen stared at Lin Feng in shock and lowered his voice. "You're Uncle Lin Feng?"
*Uncle? Are you kidding me?!*
Lin Feng was taken aback. "You know me?"
The teen nodded. "My dad appeared in my dream after he died. He said you're amazing! I didn't expect you to be so young."
*Oh, come on, Old Mi. Using dreams to build my rep? Seriously?*
Being called *Uncle Lin* by a boy as old as his sister felt strange. Lin Feng was only 22, after all.
After recognizing Lin Feng, the teenager calmed down considerably. Lin Feng wasn't sure what Mi Shihong had told him, but the boy was now nothing but respectful.
After finishing registration and paying the tuition, the two squatted by the lawn for a smoke. The teen, seeing Lin Feng pull out a pack of Zhonghua cigarettes, quickly offered, "Uncle Lin, have one of mine!"
Lin Feng looked at the pack the teen offered—1916s! He wasted no time pocketing the pack and handed the teenager a Zhonghua cigarette instead.
"Uncle Lin... that pack was for making a good impression today!" The teen looked pained. *Why is this young uncle such a mooch?*
Lin Feng took a deep drag of the 1916 and sighed in contentment. "What kind of impression are you trying to make? This Zhonghua is good enough for that!"
The teenager sulked but didn't dare argue.
Noticing the boy was alone, Lin Feng asked, "Where's your family? Didn't anyone come with you?"
The teen shrugged. "Grandpa and Grandma aren't in good health, so they can't travel far. Mom's long gone, and after my dad's accident, my stepmom ran off with his money. So it's just me now."
Hearing this, Lin Feng's heart softened. Despite his flashy style and arrogant demeanor, this kid had guts. He didn't harbor bitterness despite everything he'd been through.
Mi Shihong's death, as far as Lin Feng was concerned, was self-inflicted. But it was hard not to pity his son.
Lin Feng asked, "Your dad was the boss of the cemetery gang. Didn't his men deal with your stepmom's lover?"
The teen spat. "She ran off with Dad's second-in-command. They sold everything Dad built—barbecue shops, slaughterhouses, all of it. Luckily, there was one house under my name. Otherwise, I wouldn't even have had the money to register."
"You sold the house? Where are you living now?"
"I'm staying with my grandparents in the countryside for now. But now that school's started, I'll be living on campus."
Life had clearly taught this boy some hard lessons, and Lin Feng could see he had matured since their last brief encounter.
Lin Feng sighed. Though he didn't want to get too involved in this mess, he couldn't completely turn his back on Mi Shihong's son. Since the boy was at the same school as Lin Xue, Lin Feng figured he'd keep an eye on him when he could.
"By the way, Uncle Lin, what are you doing at the school?" the teenager asked, stubbing out his cigarette. He didn't think Lin Feng was here just for him.
At that moment, Lin Xue came running toward them. The boy noticed her immediately—a beautiful young woman with striking features. Realization dawned on him.
"Oh, Uncle Lin! So you're here for her, huh? Say no more; I'll help you hit on her!"
"Wait!" Lin Feng tried to stop him, but it was too late.