Lina and Qingcang stepped out of their hotel room into the brightly lit hallway, the door clicking shut behind them. She turned to face the grand space and looked around, taking in the beauty of the surroundings. Being in a hotel, it did not matter that he wore exotic clothing as many of the guests there were dressed in non-western attire from all over the world. However, she knew that would not be the case once they stepped out into the city.

'I need to get him some new clothes so he can blend in better,' Lina thought, eyeing her guest for tonight. 'I have a few trendy, black outfits in mind that I think he'll like. I bought them for Yichen's birthday this year, but I never got to give them to him because he got married. Besides, I think it will suit Qingcang more than him,' she thought, her heart dropped as she remembered that Yichen's birthday was the day before his wedding, and remembered the picture she had seen earlier that evening.

Lina's lips twisted into a scowl as she whispered painfully, "That jerk." Her eyes narrowed, and her brows furrowed, conveying her pain.

Qingcang's attention was caught as he turned his head towards her, noticing her sudden change in expression. "Who are you talking about?" he inquired, his voice filled with curiosity and a sense that something was bothering her.

Lina shook her head dismissively, attempting to brush off the subject. "Just... someone unimportant," she replied, her voice tight with suppressed emotion. "At least, not anymore," she said, her eyes flickered nervously as she became aware of Qingcang's scrutinizing gaze.

The silence between them grew, and Qingcang's eyes narrowed as he was lost in his thoughts. He grunted, not wanting to pry into Lina's personal life. 'Why should I care about her personal affairs? I have more important things to focus on,' he thought, his eyes narrowing as he spaced out longer.

Speaking of...

Suddenly, a male voice, all too familiar, echoed down the hotel hallway, interrupting the quiet atmosphere. Lina froze as the male voice sent shivers down her spine, her heart racing as she recognized the voice all too well. She felt as if she could not escape the impending trauma.

"Honey, I have a surprise for you tonight," a female voice chimed in as she emerged from the left side of the hallway.

Lina's heart sank, and her anxiety spiked. Qingcang noticed her distress and immediately realized that she felt threatened. He felt every aspect of her feelings as his own, and his eyes hardened in response.

"Y-Yichen..." Lina stammered as she came face to face with the man who had shattered her heart and soul. Her voice trembled as she spoke, and her heart felt as if it was being crushed. 'It's their wedding night...' she thought with a stuffy heart, feeling sorrow and bitterness.

The air grew tense as the four stood in the hallway, silent and awkward. Lina felt a surge of emotions overwhelming her, and she struggled to maintain her composure. Qingcang stood by her side, and his presence gave her a sense of protection and comfort.

Qingcang gazed at Lina and felt a heavy weight settle in his chest as he felt her emotions. He immediately knew that she was distressed by the sight of the young man and woman standing before them. He watched as Lina's gaze shifted from the couple to the floor, and he could sense her discomfort growing. She fiddled with her hands, a sign that she was becoming increasingly nervous. 'Who are they? What did they do to cause such fear from a daring girl like her?' he wondered.

As Qingcang looked closer at the couple, he noticed that the man was dressed in a sharp black suit, with his black hair slicked back that went a little past his ear and a hint of a smile on his lips. The woman by his side was wearing a gorgeous white dress, her hair in an elegant updo. It was clear to him that they were dressed for a special occasion.

Of all the hotels in the country, Yichen and his wife, Jianmin, had to choose the one closest to Lina's home. They would not have come across her if her house was not located in a famous tourist city, especially in such an embarrassing scenario as they stood before her with another man outside a hotel room door.

Meanwhile, Lina was feeling more and more ashamed by the second. She had never imagined being caught in such an embarrassing situation, especially on the wedding night of the man she had a crush on. It was a scandal even though she was innocent, and she was sure her reputation would be stained. As she watched Yichen and his new wife make their way to their hotel room for their wedding night, she felt like crawling into a hole and disappearing forever. They were even dressed in their wedding attire, and Yichen looked very handsome tonight.

'He's going to think the worst of me,' she thought.

Yichen, on the other hand, was feeling a mix of emotions. Seeing Lina in such a compromising situation was shocking, to say the least. He could not believe that she would be caught in such a scandal, especially with another man. Looking closer at the young man standing beside her, he could not help but feel suspicious. There was something about him that made Yichen's skin crawl. 'Lina isn't the type to go to a hotel with a man. Did he force her?' he thought to himself. His intense gaze was fixed on the man with the long, dark-brown hair, Dongfang Qingcang. It was as if fate had brought them together at this very moment. Suddenly, Yichen felt an overwhelming urge to protect Lina from this man. He could not explain it, but he just knew that there was something dangerous about Qingcang. The feeling was mutual, as Qingcang sensed Yichen's hatred towards him.

Qingcang's gaze was fixed on Yichen, who seemed to have a vague aura about him. Despite his calm demeanor, Qingcang also had a bad feeling about Yichen and could not take his eyes off him. The two engaged in a harsh staring contest, each trying to discern the other's intentions. Qingcang was curious about Yichen's identity, and he noticed that Lina, who did not show actual fear to anyone, was now trembling in Yichen's presence and could barely breathe since she saw him.

'He doesn't seem to have any significant power,' Qingcang thought, trying to gauge Yichen's strength.

Meanwhile, Jianmin, a spiteful woman, was busy digging up dirt on Lina. "Oh, it's Lina? With her new boyfriend? Or is he just a one-night stand?" Jianmin rudely spoke as she retrieved her phone from her magenta-colored purse. "Your viewers might want to see this upcoming scandal," she added with a devilish smirk, casting a condescending gaze at Lina.

Qingcang, who had already been murderously irritated by Jianmin's presence, struggled to keep himself from killing her and Yichen, who he considered both a threat to Lina. He looked at them with hostility, but he had promised Lina not to harm anyone tonight.

"What's your problem? Stop, Jianmin," Yichen implored his wife, but she ignored him.

"No..." Lina said as her eyes filled with terror at Jianmin's words.

Qingcang noticed Lina's fear in her voice and knew he had to act quickly. With lightning speed, he snatched Jianmin's phone and crushed it into dust, leaving no remnants behind. Jianmin was left in shock, staring at the shattered remains of her phone.

Lina was shocked as she was secretly a little impressed by Qingcang's boldness, feeling a sense of gratitude toward him. 'He...he saved my dignity,' she thought, admiring his strength and appreciating his protection. Lina felt no remorse for Jianmin's loss, primarily because Jianmin had intended to use the device to ruin her reputation.

"Yichen! Tell her!" Jianmin screeched at her newlywed husband. "Well? What are you waiting for? Are you just going to stand there and do nothing?"

Lina caught Qingcang's gaze and saw a look of murder in his eyes. She felt that he was about to cause her trouble, and a sense of unease washed over her. "Please..." she whispered, imploringly gazing into his eyes. "Don't kill them..."

Qingcang hesitated for a moment but then remembered his promise to Lina. He quickly caught Yichen's fist, aimed at his face, and firmly squeezed Yichen's hand, intimidating him immensely. Yichen cried out in pain as Qingcang warned him, his voice laced with a dangerous edge, "Remember to keep your dog on a leash. If I ever see you or your hideous mutt here again, I will kill you both. Do you understand?"

The insult cut deep, and Yichen felt his face redden with anger and humiliation. "You!" Yichen spat, struggling to free his hand from Qingcang's grip.

But Qingcang was unfazed, his grip unrelenting. "I suggest you leave now before I change my mind," he said coldly, his eyes never leaving Yichen's face.

Yichen winced in pain from the force of Qingcang's grip and felt his gut telling him that he had to leave fast.

"D-dog? Hideous mutt?" Jianmin snarled, her anger boiling over as she raised her hand to strike Lina, her eyes blazing with fury.

But Qingcang was quick to act, catching Jianmin's hand in mid-air. Despite the strong urge to break his promise to Lina, who had begged him not to kill them, Qingcang looked at Jianmin with piercing and deadly eyes, his voice low and menacing. "Don't you ever touch her," he warned, his grip on her wrist tight enough to make Jianmin wince.

The sight of Qingcang's fierce eyes was enough to scare Jianmin, who widened her eyes in response, yanked her hand away, and fled the scene, leaving her husband behind. Yichen felt a surge of anger and frustration, knowing that his wife had abandoned him in his time of need. He winced in pain again, his hand throbbing from Qingcang's strong grip, and his gut told him that Jianmin no longer wanted to stay in the hotel for the night.

Qingcang's malicious gaze turned towards Yichen, causing a wave of worry to wash over Lina. She feared for Yichen's safety, knowing Qingcang could do anything. Without a second thought, she reached out and grabbed Qingcang's hand, hoping to diffuse the situation. The sudden action caught the Moon Supreme off guard, but she held firm as she pulled him and walked away with him, hand in hand.

Yichen could not help but observe the way Lina's fingers intertwined with the stranger's. The sight elicited a range of emotions within him; he was not sure if it was jealousy, anger, or fear that he was feeling. 'I can't shake the feeling that this guy can't be trusted. Lina is too pure for him,' Yichen thought as he watched the two of them walking away, their backs turned towards him.

Please tell me what you think in a comment and give this story a like! It would mean a lot and encourage me to write more. I plan to turn this into a very long story because I need Dongfang Qingcang in my life, lol. I am determined to keep his soul alive with whatever means I have.