CHAPTER 378: CHAPTER 0375: I AM THE BEAUTY EMBROIDERY BALL

"Huh!"

Lin Fan noticed a man with an exceptionally striking demeanor. It wasn’t the refined charm of some elegant young master, but rather a sharp and imposing aura, like a blade piercing straight into the heavens. No one dared approach him, as if his very presence made people uncomfortable.

It was like being grazed by invisible edges, cutting at them intermittently.

The man seemed to sense Lin Fan’s gaze. He turned to look at him, then provocatively pointed at Lin Fan, gestured toward the woman on the pavilion, and patted his own chest.

The meaning was clear.

This woman is mine. You, scram.

"What the hell!"

"He’s provoking me!"

Lin Fan had initially just come to look around and broaden his horizons. He never intended to become anyone’s live-in son-in-law.

But things were different now.

This guy actually dared to provoke him.

Unforgivable.

Lin Fan mimicked the man’s actions, pointing at the woman on the pavilion and patting his own chest. His meaning was equally clear: She’s mine. Go back to wherever you came from.

"This bastard..."

The man, named Xiang Fei, couldn’t tolerate it when he saw Lin Fan copying his exact moves. What an arrogant punk!

The two locked eyes.

An invisible current seemed to spark between them, crackling and colliding.

The surrounding crowd felt an overwhelming pressure.

They glanced around, thinking some extraordinary individuals must be present. Otherwise, where would such an oppressive aura come from?

Just then—

A message came from the pavilion.

"The ball-throwing husband selection officially begins," the Xiao family steward announced with a broad smile.

He glanced down at the participants and nodded to himself. A few of these young talents seemed promising; choosing one would undoubtedly be a good match. However, their family’s young lady...

Sigh!

Handing the embroidered ball to the young lady, the steward murmured softly, "Miss, just toss it casually in a moment."

As he watched the young lady’s plump hand take the ball, the steward couldn’t help but admire the wooden master’s miraculous craft. To think he could transform such a stout figure into this form!

Incredible.

Absolutely incredible.

"Mm."

A muffled sound came from behind the red veil. Although faint, the coarse tone was impossible to disguise.

Lin Fan originally had no intention of competing for the ball. But now, he had to get it.

Not because he wanted to live off a woman.

But for the sake of his pride.

"Ah! The ball is coming! Over here!"

At that moment—

The woman hurled the embroidered ball into the sky with such force that it soared exceptionally high.

Lin Fan glanced upward casually. But that single look sent a shiver down his spine. The angle of the veil had lifted slightly from the motion, and though he didn’t catch a clear view, he saw enough.

Disregarding the figure—

That face could rival Long Shangpo’s granddaughter’s appearance.

Perhaps the young lady, anticipating attention from men soon, beamed what she thought was a brilliant smile. But her uneven buck teeth, misaligned and jarring, had quite the frightful effect.

Lin Fan completely abandoned his earlier plan.

What’s the point of competing? Let it go. Marriage is a good thing for others. Even if he managed to catch the embroidered ball, he’d refuse. Better not ruin someone else’s happy union.

Thus—

He swore to the heavens: Whoever is still competing is a fool.

He was even preparing to make his escape.

The embroidered ball, an Immortal Treasure, spun in midair, seemingly ordinary at first glance. But then something seemed off—the ball appeared sentient, as if seeking its chosen one with great destiny.

Xiang Fei’s destiny was robust.

The ball seemed inclined to choose him.

But Lin Fan’s arrival introduced a new competitor, and the ball noticed an even more extraordinary aura of great fortune. Someone with such abundant fortune was destined for smooth cultivation and an unimaginable future.

Whoosh!

The embroidered ball set its sights on Lin Fan and rushed toward him.

Lin Fan had already calculated the trajectory. Based on its initial arc, there was no way it would land near him. But suddenly, he realized something was amiss. What the hell—was the ball alive?

Or was it attracted to Lin Fan’s good looks?

It wasn’t just a lucky ball—it must’ve been a looks-ball!

Lin Fan wanted to dodge, but then he remembered that guy from earlier. Oh, buddy—you said it was yours, right? Fine, I’ll deliver you the grand opportunity myself.

Behind the pavilion—

The wooden master spoke calmly. "Family Head Xiao, the embroidered ball has already chosen. Once the recipient accepts it, you appear, and everything proceeds smoothly. But let me remind you: under no circumstances should the recipient see your daughter’s face before the wedding ceremony."

"Once the ceremony is done, even if they regret it, there’s no going back. The heavens and the earth will have borne witness, and the bond cannot be undone."

This was exactly what the ancients referred to when they said: Weddings should not be taken lightly, for they carry karmic consequences.

"Understood, understood," Family Head Xiao agreed.

The wooden master’s mystical methods inspired trust beyond doubt.

Meanwhile—

The ball descended. Nearby participants reached out to grab it, but the ball emitted a mysterious aura, forming an intangible barrier. Those who considered themselves rightful contenders were quietly nudged aside, their impression being that the crowd was simply pushing and shuffling too much to secure it.

"Here, just for you."

Lin Fan leaped into the air and, with a mid-air kick, sent the ball flying toward Xiang Fei like it was a literal sports ball.

Whoosh!

The ball resisted leaving Lin Fan, but it was nonetheless hurled toward Xiang Fei.

Xiang Fei froze in place—not out of excitement from the incoming ball, but because he had accidentally glimpsed the true face beneath the veil earlier. The shock left him trembling, unable to believe his eyes.

How could such an exquisite figure possess such a terrifying visage?

Suddenly—

A sense of danger gripped him.

He turned slightly, his pupils shrinking as if witnessing an unfathomable horror from the Abyss.

Immediately after—

He snapped back to his senses.

He even wanted to curse aloud.

You bastard, trying to screw me over!

Despite his frustrations, he knew hesitation would spell disaster.

Bang!

He kicked the embroidered ball back toward Lin Fan.

"Hell no! Take it back—this is your destiny!"

Xiang Fei felt like slapping himself for being curious in the first place. He had thought she might be a stunning beauty and considered marrying a young wife. But instead, he encountered this... monstrous horror.

If given the choice—

He would rather face off against a terrifyingly powerful foe than deal with this.

"What’s your deal? Didn’t you just say something earlier? Now you’ve gone back on your word!"

Lin Fan yelled angrily, unwilling to let this matter slide.

With a furious kick, he sent the ball flying again.

The sentient embroidered ball, now treated like an unwanted child constantly being booted around, seemed pitiful, even roaring with frustration.

Damn you all! So damn ruthless!

If you accept me, I’ll not only bring you a wife but also let you live comfortably off her fortunes. Such a perfect deal, and you’re completely squandering it. May heaven strike you down!

The chaotic scene grew increasingly offbeat.

The surrounding would-be Xiao family sons-in-law were utterly baffled.

What on earth were these two doing?

This was an embroidered ball!

Whoever grabbed it would become the Xiao family’s son-in-law. And these two were kicking it around like a toy? How about sparing a thought for the rest of us?

Even the Xiao family members on the pavilion took notice of the bizarre situation below.

The ball was being volleyed back and forth by two young men. It was disastrous, yet no one dared to intervene. Hastily, they retreated to report the unfolding chaos.

"Keep kicking that back, and you’ll regret it," Xiang Fei shouted, clearly panicked. Despite his strength, how was Lin Fan able to match him blow for blow?

"Regret? Bring it on. How about we settle this outside the city? Do you dare?"

"Why wouldn’t I? Let’s do it. What’s there to fear?" Xiang Fei shot back.

At this moment—

The ball came hurtling their way again.

Lin Fan aimed carefully and kicked with precision. The ball curved through the air, as though returning to its original owner.

Then—

The two men charged off into the distance, heading toward the outskirts of town.

But the embroidered ball seemed to have locked onto them, chasing after them as if to say, None of you bastards are escaping from me!

"Wow! The ball’s come alive!"

"This doesn’t count! It’s rigged!"

The other participants protested loudly. Damn it! This wasn’t about choosing someone to catch the ball—the ball was clearly making its own choice!

Family Head Xiao and the wooden master appeared.

"What’s going on?" Family Head Xiao demanded.

He had been waiting in the back to welcome the chosen husband, but instead, everything was now in disarray.

"Family Head, the ball was being volleyed back and forth by two men. Neither of them wanted it and they ran off in that direction—seems like they’ve left the city," reported the steward.

"Good heavens, what a mess!" Family Head Xiao clutched his head in exasperation.

This perfectly straightforward husband selection had somehow devolved into utter chaos.

The wooden master’s eyes gleamed, hinting at amusement.

"Family Head Xiao, don’t be concerned. My ball doesn’t give up so easily. I’ll go retrieve them."

With that farewell, the wooden master transformed into a streak of light and sped off after them.

In the wilderness—

"Phew! That was terrifying. What the hell just happened?" Xiang Fei muttered, still shaken. He’d almost been caught in a trap. Who could’ve guessed that someone would cover their terrifying face with a veil? That was just outright deceptive!

Then, noticing his companion nearby, he spoke up.

"You’re one ruthless bastard, huh? Kicking the ball harder than anyone else. You did that on purpose, didn’t you?"

Xiang Fei scrutinized Lin Fan. Sure, he initially wanted to compete, but after seeing the woman’s face, he had no such intention anymore.

You can have her.

"On purpose? Didn’t you seem pretty eager to become the Xiao family’s son-in-law? I was just trying to help you out. So why didn’t you accept it?" Lin Fan teased.

"Accept my ass! Did you even see her face? That’s not just bad—it’s a body trap! If you like her so much, you take her!" Xiang Fei snapped.

Lin Fan laughed. "How shallow. Really, so shallow. What does it matter when the lights go out? Feels good, doesn’t it? Honestly, you’re not much of a looker yourself. If someone’s interested in you, you should count your blessings instead of being so picky. When you regret it, don’t come crying to me."

"Why are you so arrogant? Who the hell are you, anyway? What backing do you have to act so high and mighty?" Xiang Fei eyed Lin Fan warily, unfamiliar with his background.

Lin Fan chuckled. Despite the situation earlier, he too had been thoroughly spooked. That ball was like a ghost, relentlessly drawn to him.

Just then—

A voice rang out.

"The two of you went a little too far just now, don’t you think?"