"Gentlemen, after following me for so long, I presume you're not merely seeking to treat me to a lavish meal?" After finishing dinner, Xiang Ri had intended to step outside for some fresh air but encountered several youths who clearly reeked of trouble. He kindly led them down a winding path to a secluded alley.
"Little brother, your surname is Xiang?" The leader of the group sported stubble on his lips, exuding an air of arrogance.
"Indeed. Is there someone who has taken issue with me?" Xiang Ri inquired nonchalantly. Though he had never been in such a situation, his past as a leader had acquainted him with these scenarios.
"Sounds like you're also in the game, brother?" The arrogant youth raised an eyebrow.
"I dabbled for a few years, but I've since turned over a new leaf," Xiang Ri replied with an indifferent tone.
"Brother Hou, this kid's just putting on airs! Look how young he is—claiming he's been around for years. He's just blowing smoke!" a chubby man beside him exclaimed loudly.
"Hou Zi, is it?" Xiang Ri remarked, fixing his gaze on the arrogant youth. He certainly wouldn't address him as "Brother Hou" like his minion did, and he pointed at the chubby man, "Is this your little brother?"
Upon hearing Xiang Ri's audacious tone, the chubby man and his companions erupted into a frenzy, brandishing knives and steel rods.
"Shut up, all of you!" Hou Zi roared. Despite the seemingly frail appearance of Xiang Ri, he showed no signs of fear, indicating he might be a tough nut to crack. They would need to handle him with care to avoid capsizing their own boat. "Yes, he is my little brother. Is there a problem?"
"You're bringing out these ill-mannered brats?" Xiang Ri scoffed, "What kind of big brother are you? When the boss speaks, the minions should keep their mouths shut!"
"While I am their leader, I am also their brother. Among brothers, there aren't so many rules; we share both blessings and burdens!" Hou Zi seized the moment to win their loyalty.
"Boss!"
"Brother Hou!" The minions feigned admiration.
"Fools!" A chill ran down Xiang Ri's spine. He recalled how he had once acted similarly, but did it yield any results? In the end, it only led to betrayal.
"Who the hell are you cursing? Brother Hou, I've been itching to teach this kid a lesson in manners!" The chubby man brandished his machete menacingly.
"Hold on!" Hou Zi interjected, turning to Xiang Ri. "Brother, you've been around, so I won't make it difficult for you. If you agree to leave Miss Chu alone, we'll pretend nothing happened just now, and we'll leave without a word."
"Miss Chu?" Instantly, Xiang Ri thought of that spoiled brat whose antics had spoiled his appetite. How swift they were! It had only been midday when the incident occurred, and now they had come knocking.
"The daughter of Chairman Chu A of the True Dragon Group. You must know her, right? I mean, brother, your tastes seem a bit extravagant—there are countless women out there, yet you fixate on a wealthy heiress. Tsk tsk, you should realize that this tempting morsel has many others eyeing her. If you lack power and influence, it's best to abandon such fantasies. How about it? Do me a favor and back off?" Hou Zi rubbed his stubbly chin, trying to sound persuasive.
"Why should I do you a favor?" Xiang Ri scrutinized him, sensing no need for courtesy towards the henchmen of a privileged youth.
Hou Zi's gaze turned slightly grim. "Brother, let me be frank. The other party has instructed us to intimidate you. If we can avoid violence, all the better, but if persuasion fails, we may resort to some measures. I hope you won't make it difficult for me."
"Oh? Who would be so petty as to send you as a messenger?" Xiang Ri immediately dismissed the earlier speculation. This was certainly not the type of underhanded tactic one would expect from a privileged scion who had suffered at his hands. There was no way he would use such gentle methods against him.
"Let's not pretend we don't know. Even if I did, I wouldn't tell you. Brother, make your decision: nod or shake your head, just a word!" Hou Zi said impatiently.
"You all should leave!" Xiang Ri sighed, realizing these small-time delinquents weren't sent by the privileged youth, but rather echoed the presence of another group he couldn't bring himself to confront.
"Are you agreeing?" Hou Zi misunderstood his meaning.
"I mean for you to leave! Completely vanish from my sight! To put it plainly, just get lost!" Xiang Ri explained without an ounce of mercy.
"Damn!" Even a mud man has some blood in him, let alone these hot-blooded young thugs! Realizing they had been played, Hou Zi impulsively charged forward, and the other delinquents followed suit, raising their knives and steel rods.
Xiang Ri had anticipated they wouldn't simply back down and was prepared. He sidestepped the blow from Hou Zi's knife aimed at his shoulder, grasped the blade, yanked it away, and kicked him back. Turning swiftly, he struck out with the knife, startling the chubby man behind him, who instinctively raised his own blade to block. With a resounding clang, the chubby man realized his weapon had been reduced to nothing but a hilt.
Xiang Ri, in a moment of resolve, decided to go all in, severing the thugs' weapons in two before knocking them all to the ground with ease, though he restrained his strength.
Glancing at the groaning thugs lying on the ground, Xiang Ri discarded his knife and turned to leave.
"Brother Hou, are you alright?" The chubby man struggled to his feet, watching the maniac walk away.
"I'm fine, just a bit of a stomach ache," Hou Zi replied with a bitter smile, realizing his earlier words had turned into a prophecy—he had indeed sunk his ship in a ditch.
"What about the job we took on?" the chubby man asked.
"Don't mention it! Damn it! Didn't the client say he was just some weak student? All we had to do was scare him a little. But look at this! Is this something a human could do?" Hou Zi gestured at the broken knives and rods on the ground, seething with rage toward the client. The fact that the same materials were used, yet their weapons were cut in half, proved this guy was an insanely strong freak. Cutting through a sword might be acceptable, but to also slice through steel rods? That was beyond the realm of human comprehension.
"What about the deposit?"
"Refund it immediately! I'm not risking my life for a little money!"
"What should we say? If we admit failure, it could damage our reputation."
"Just say it's someone I know, and it wasn't appropriate to make a move! As for the rest... just let it go."
Xiang Ri returned to Chu Damei's apartment. It was nearing 10 PM, which wasn't considered late in the city. Many night owls were only just waking up.
"Why are you back so late? What mischief have you been up to?" Chu Chu asked, still half-lying on the sofa, engrossed in her melodramatic soap opera.
"Since you won't let me take advantage of you, I had to find someone else to fool around with," Xiang Ri replied, slipping on his slippers and sitting by her legs.
"Hey, there's plenty of space over there. Why are you sitting so close? Did you really go find some bad woman?" Chu Chu glared at him, clearly displeased.
"You actually believe that? If I were to look for anyone, it'd only be you," Xiang Ri leaned back against the sofa, inevitably pressing down on her legs.
"You're crushing me, you idiot! Get off me! You stink of sweat and alcohol," Chu Chu sighed, her face softening as she realized how close he was, but she still pouted in mock anger.
"Could you not use the word 'crush'? People might get the wrong idea. And please, stop being so ambiguous with your words next time, will you?" Xiang Ri ignored her, shifting his position to make himself more comfortable.
"Go to hell! Get in the shower! Wash off that stench before you come near me again!" Chu Chu grabbed a pillow and threw it at his head.
"As you command, my dear wife!" Xiang Ri laughed. He really did feel a bit tired; after dealing with that gang of troublemakers and then going crazy at the bar for hours, who wouldn't feel drained?
"Go now!"
Lying in the bathtub, Xiang Ri let out a contented sigh, thoroughly enjoying the relaxation. This was what life was all about!
After soaking in the hot water for a while, he grew bored and called out toward the living room, "Hey, sweetheart, I didn't close the bathroom door!"
"I'm watching TV, I don't have time for you!" Chu Chu's voice pierced the air with remarkable clarity.
"What's so great about TV? Come take a look at this hunk! Your dream man is in here, completely naked! Don't you have any sense of aesthetic appreciation?" Xiang Ri teased with exaggerated flair.
Suddenly, the sound from the TV blared loudly. Xiang Ri was speechless. This girl was really something—wasn't she afraid of deafening herself with the volume that high?
With his amusement gone, Xiang Ri focused on scrubbing himself clean. While doing so, he noticed a single black hair stuck on the white bathroom wall, standing out like a sore thumb. Reaching out, he grabbed it. At first, he thought it was his own, but upon closer inspection, he realized the stark difference—this one was longer, thicker, coarser, and much darker.
It must be hers! The thought struck him like lightning, prompting him to examine it more closely and guess from which part of her body it had come.
Chu Chu's hair was straight. This one was short and curly—ruled out! Leg hair? Impossible. Her legs were smooth as jade, not a hair in sight. Armpit hair? He vaguely recalled sneaking a peek before—nope, that area was barren too.
Could it be... His excitement surged, and he felt his body react, prompting him to curse under his breath, "I'm not even excited, so why are you getting all worked up? Don't worry, you'll get your turn one day. Just behave for now and gather your strength—my future happiness rests on you!"
As for the hair... I'll keep it as a memento! Who knows, it might come in handy one day!