97

The young man who appeared before Long Zhan and his two companions looked like he was just in his early twenties. Clearly, life hadn't taught him its harsher lessons yet, and his expression practically screamed, "I'm afraid of no one."

Standing at barely 170 cm (with the help of height-enhancing shoes), he had a pale, typically Asian face, adorned with so-called "personalized" earrings. He was unmistakably an international student from an Asian country.

Perhaps it was because Long Zhan was seated, making him appear less imposing, or perhaps it was the young man's misplaced self-confidence. Back home, he was likely accustomed to being arrogant and domineering, as many international students from affluent or influential families tend to be. They assume the world will cater to them just as their parents always have, fostering a sense of entitlement.

Maybe it was also proof of that old saying:

**Envy twists one's appearance.**

This frail, effeminate young man, who looked like he couldn't even take on a homeless person, seemed to be heavily influenced by the effeminate culture of East Asian boy bands. Yet, because he lusted after Stella's beauty, he boldly decided to provoke Long Zhan.

"Wow, am I seeing things? An American sniper? I can't believe I'm meeting a soldier straight out of TV. Amazing."

His sarcastic tone was evident the moment he spoke. Though his face was plastered with a smile, the insincerity of it was nauseating.

Long Zhan remained seated, motionless, his gaze calm as he studied this short man.

To an elephant, the provocation of an ant is utterly insignificant. If something as trivial as this could break his composure, his decades of life would have been wasted.

Seeing Long Zhan unfazed, even with a trace of mockery in his eyes, the short man grew even angrier.

"Aren't you supposed to be in Afghanistan? Or maybe Iraq? I just saw the news about more soldiers dying. Here's hoping you're lucky enough to survive so I can see you at the next party."

His smile remained as he spoke, but his words were laced with malicious intent—cursing Long Zhan and his companions to their faces.

"You…"

Clay, who was already rather proud and impulsive, couldn't hold back when someone openly wished for his death. He was about to stand up when he felt the weight of Long Zhan's hand on his shoulder.

This was a party hosted by Stella, and she had likely put a lot of effort into it. If a fight broke out, the party would be ruined. Long Zhan didn't want to upset Stella, partly as a gesture of goodwill toward her.

"If you were smart, you'd leave now. I'm not hitting you because I consider you nothing more than a stray dog barking on the street. A reasonable person wouldn't stoop to fighting with a stray dog, but that doesn't mean my patience is limitless."

Long Zhan's tone was calm, but his words carried a heavy warning.

Anyone who had spent even a little time in the real world would know that calm individuals are the most dangerous—especially a calm, muscular man like Long Zhan.

Unfortunately, the effeminate short man in front of him had clearly grown up under the "ICU-style protection" of his parents.

Before coming abroad, any request he made was granted by his parents. No matter what trouble he caused, they would clean up after him. Now, as an international student in the U.S., he had carried over all his bad habits.

Long Zhan's willingness to step back out of consideration for Stella made the effeminate short man believe Long Zhan was afraid to hit him.

After being likened to a stray dog, he only became more arrogant.

"So what if you're big and strong? Do you really dare to hit me? This is the U.S., a highly law-abiding country. If you lay a hand on me, I'll call the police immediately. They'll be here in no time, and it won't be me in trouble."

The effeminate short man clearly had no understanding of politics or the military. His life revolved around makeup and appearances, making his words sound as childish as a grade schooler's.

Long Zhan, Clay, and Cooper all laughed at his ignorance.

It was hard to believe that in the 21st century, with global networks making information so accessible, someone could still be this clueless.

Long Zhan had no interest in engaging with such an immature, self-centered individual. Communicating with him was impossible, and every word spent on him felt like a waste.

However, the short man's current level of excitement made it clear that retreating wouldn't resolve the situation. Like an annoying fly buzzing incessantly around, he was thoroughly ruining the mood.

Just as Long Zhan was preparing to stretch his limbs and deal with this annoying fly, Stella returned, holding drinks and glasses.

Stella, a woman with exceptional emotional intelligence, instantly noticed the tension in the atmosphere. Recognizing the short man and knowing what kind of person he was, she stepped in to defuse the situation.

"This is Evan. He likes to joke around. Don't take him too seriously," she said, introducing the effeminate short man to Long Zhan and the others. Then she turned to Evan. "No one invited you here. I think you should head back to your spot and chat with your friends."

"No, I'm not leaving. You're overthinking things," Evan replied with his fake smile still plastered on his face. "I really want to get to know these three new friends. We're not going to fight at a party.

"We're civilized people. Only uncivilized beasts resolve conflicts with violence. Am I right, my friends?"

As he said this, Evan deliberately looked at Long Zhan, his expression smug, as if proud of his clever retort.

The implication was clear: if you hit me, you're admitting you're not a person but a beast. Civilized people solve problems with words.

"Hahaha…"

Long Zhan, who had been holding back his laughter earlier, finally couldn't contain it. He even chuckled out loud.

Afraid of being hit but still provoking others—what kind of bizarre existence was this?

Long Zhan felt that the phrase **"the world is full of wonders"** wasn't enough to describe this super weirdo, nor could it explain the strange logic behind his behavior.