Chapter 343: A Title
Hearing Ah Zan’s words, Ye Lu immediately objected, waving his hand to stop him. At the same time, the first match of the finals had already begun.
Unlike the previous rounds, the finals were one-on-one duels, and the ten contestants were paired through a drawing of lots.
The first match concluded with Ma Bo advancing. The second match stretched until the end of the noon hour, with Zhang Xuan securing his place in the next round.
To speed up the matches, meals were delivered directly to the competition venue by the grand dining hall. After the first two matches, the contestants were given half an hour to eat and rest. Each participant received their food from a designated team to ensure safety before consumption.
As for the spectators, most just snacked on dry rations or quickly stepped out for a meal before rushing back—they couldn’t bear to miss a second of the competition.
Given the grand scale of the event, it was impossible for someone like Chi Jinchen to eat from a meal box in front of tens of thousands of people.
Since he was an invited guest, Yu Luo had no choice but to invite him and Ye Lu to the restaurant for lunch.
This was the first time the three of them dined together. The moment they sat down, Ye Lu ordered wine, only for Yu Luo to immediately stop him.
“We have barely enough time to eat before heading back to the competition. Not even half an hour—why are you drinking? You can survive one meal without it.”
“I just thought that since it’s my first time dining with Chi Jinchen, it would be nice to celebrate.” Ye Lu defended, but quickly backed down. “Since Xiao Luo disapproves, then we won’t drink.”
Heh.
Yu Luo saw right through him.
Ye Lu’s suggestion to drink wasn’t innocent—he clearly wanted to drag Chi Jinchen into something.
Chi Jinchen, on the other hand, simply smiled, silently watching as Yu Luo scolded Ye Lu for trying to involve him. That was more than enough entertainment for him.
It seemed that the reports from his subordinates were accurate—this so-called “prince” from Dongfeng had stayed in Luo City solely for Yu Luo.
Since Yu Luo had already made her decision, Ye Lu had to reluctantly drop the matter.
However, he saw this as a perfect opportunity and made plans with Chi Jinchen to drink together later that night—drinking until they dropped.
“Since Young Master Ye has extended such a generous invitation, how could I possibly refuse?” Chi Jinchen agreed with a polite smile.
So long as he wasn’t interfering with the tournament, Yu Luo didn’t care what they did.
After lunch, the three returned to the competition venue.
Just as they settled into their seats, the group from Feng City strolled in, chatting and laughing as they made their way inside.
At first, it seemed they were just returning to their original seats, but instead, Third Master of Feng City led his men directly toward them once again.
Yu Luo, still wearing her veil, naturally knew that Feng City’s people hadn’t come just for fun.
Judging by their posture and behavior, it was clear that they were here with ulterior motives.
“Ah, if it isn’t Young Master Ye!”
“Earlier, I only saw Chi Jinchen, but I didn’t expect Luo City’s charm to be so great—it even managed to attract Young Master Ye!”
Ye Lu, who hadn’t noticed them before, was caught off guard by their sudden arrival.
He instinctively glanced at Yu Luo, then quickly stood up with a smile, cupping his fists in greeting.
“Haha, Third Master must be joking. But isn’t it the same for you? Even Feng City couldn’t resist the allure of Luo City.”
“Hahaha! Indeed.”
“It’s a shame we haven’t met the ruler of Fallen City today.”
“To build such a magnificent city in the wilderness is truly admirable.”
Third Master laughed heartily, his gaze subtly drifting toward Yu Luo before shifting to Chi Jinchen, his smile growing even more intriguing.
“And this young lady is…?”
“She accompanied me here.”
Chi Jinchen replied without hesitation.
Seated in her chair, Yu Luo’s lips twitched beneath her veil, struggling to contain her surprise.
She understood that Chi Jinchen was trying to protect her identity, likely to prevent the Feng City people from investigating her.
But… that excuse caught her completely off guard!
As expected, even Ye Lu’s smile faltered for a moment before he quickly recovered, maintaining his usual charming demeanor.
However, behind his back, his hands had already clenched into fists.
Seriously?!
Chi Jinchen had only been in Luo City for a few days!
How did he suddenly have the audacity to claim such a close relationship with Yu Luo?!
Even if someone had to act as her escort, that role should’ve been his—Ye Lu’s!
Chi Jinchen was too cunning.
The more Ye Lu looked at him, the more he disliked him.
Sure, Chi Jinchen had a handsome face, but what a waste—he was a complete fraud!
“Oh, I see.”
“Hahaha! I won’t intrude, then. We shall meet again. Farewell!”
Third Master laughed knowingly, throwing a meaningful glance at Chi Jinchen and Yu Luo before leading his men away.
The moment they were gone, Ye Lu turned to Chi Jinchen with a smirk, his tone oozing sarcasm.
“Chi Jinchen, you really know how to seize an opportunity, don’t you?”
“If this were anywhere else, you would’ve completely ruined Xiao Luo’s reputation!”
Chi Jinchen didn’t even bat an eye.
His folding fan swayed leisurely in his hand, exuding an aura of complete indifference.
The fan was made of sandalwood, and with every flick of his wrist, a light, calming fragrance lingered in the air.
Yu Luo, still annoyed, felt the need to create some distance between them.
She subtly shifted her body to the side.
The last thing she needed was her subordinates gossiping about her again.
Lately, several of them had already started teasing her—suggesting that since Luo City was growing, her parents should find her a suitable husband among its people.
That ridiculous talk had been irritating enough.
Now, Chi Jinchen had just made things worse!
“Xiao Luo,” Chi Jinchen suddenly said, his voice smooth and composed.
“I said that to keep your identity safe. Surely, you understand that Feng City isn’t to be taken lightly?”
Yu Luo: …
“Hold on, hold on!”
Before Yu Luo could even respond, Ye Lu jumped in, looking utterly exasperated.
Both Yu Luo and Chi Jinchen turned to him, watching as he struggled to contain himself.
Then—
“Chi Jinchen, you’ve only known Xiao Luo for a few days!”
“Do you really think it’s appropriate to call her that?!”
Yu Luo: …
“And what exactly does Young Master Ye mean?”
“You call her Xiao Luo too, don’t you?”
“Besides, Xiao Luo doesn’t seem to mind.”
Yu Luo took a deep breath, swallowing her frustration.
Would she really argue over a name?
Not likely.
“Alright, enough.”
“Feng City’s people are still here.”
