"Who's this punk? When did five-star hotels start allowing beggars in?" The young man sneered at Xiang Ri with undisguised disdain, having already dismissed him as a pauper the moment he saw him arrive by taxi. He decided to use him as a target for ridicule, hoping to humiliate a certain woman who had previously embarrassed him and caused him considerable losses. However, his eyes couldn't help but brighten when he noticed Chu Chu and Shi Qing seated next to Xiang Ri.
Xiang Ri's attire admittedly stood out—everyone else was dressed in formal wear, while he had on casual pants and a loose T-shirt. Generally, such outfits weren't permitted here, but seeing that he was with Su Yu, the doorman hadn't raised any objections. Besides, anyone dining here knew he was a guest of the "Business Goddess"—who would risk offending her?
Everyone knew this young man, Yi Tianxing, who had come from the capital, supposedly with considerable power. His father and grandfather were both high-ranking officials. Shortly after arriving, he had set his sights on the Business Goddess, but despite repeated pursuits, she had shown no interest. Frustrated, he had resorted to leveraging his wealth and connections, attempting to take over her company to force her submission. However, she somehow raised billions to snatch back her business, even making him suffer a discreet but painful setback.
"Mr. Yi, you are not welcome here," Su Yu said icily.
"No problem—as long as these lovely ladies don't mind." Yi Tianxing gave Chu Chu and Shi Qing a leering look, suddenly releasing the woman by his side and reaching toward Shi Qing, who was quietly eating.
Xiang Ri didn't intervene; he knew that, with his disciple's skill, this second-generation playboy—already weakened by a life of indulgence—wouldn't even touch her. In fact, he was in for a rude awakening.
Indeed, Shi Qing swiftly grabbed his hand, twisting it with a deft pull. A sharp crack rang out as the bone snapped.
"Ah!" Yi Tianxing cried out in agony, clutching his wrist and retreating.
The others clearly heard the chilling sound of breaking bone, stunned that the seemingly gentle girl could act with such ruthlessness, snapping someone's wrist without hesitation.
"You wretch! How dare you do this to me? I'll make you pay dearly!" Yi Tianxing's face twisted in rage.
Xiang Ri, who had been wondering about the barely-concealed satisfaction on the softly made-up woman's face, turned back at these words, restraining his disciple, who was ready to strike again. He stared coldly at the playboy, "Take back what you just said, leave one hand behind, and crawl out of here."
"Haha, are you insane, talking to me like that?" The young man's face lit up as he saw more than ten of his bodyguards filing in from the entrance.
"Heh… There's nothing I don't dare say. Kid, today's your unlucky day—you crossed paths with me." A trace of malice glinted in Xiang Ri's eyes.
"I think I should be the one saying that, shouldn't I? Hand over those two beauties, and I might just let you off today…" Yi Tianxing sneered openly, oblivious to how inappropriate his words were in such a public place—a sign of his habitual arrogance.
"Bang!" Xiang Ri, never one for excessive talk, delivered a straight punch, sending the playboy flying several meters, ignoring the approaching swarm of bodyguards as if they were invisible.
The crowd, in a mix of awe and schadenfreude, watched with satisfaction; clearly, this second-generation heir was universally disliked. And who could blame them? This spoiled scion, emboldened by his family background, had offended practically everyone he met, speaking rudely and acting tyrannically. But while some were savoring the moment, others, thinking more deeply, began to worry for the man who had dared lay a hand on him, knowing the playboy's influential background could prove dangerous.
Su Yu looked at Xiang Ri with concern, but upon meeting his confident gaze, her fear melted away—she trusted he could handle any situation. To her, he was a synonym for omnipotence.
Fang Yingying cast Xiang Ri a disdainful glance, inwardly scoffing at the two men as nothing more than brawling dogs. She gave her boss, who was staring at Xiang Ri with starry-eyed admiration, a gentle tug, hoping to prevent her from falling too deeply. Unfortunately, her boss only threw her a reproachful look, gazing at Xiang Ri with undivided adoration.
Chu Chu, the most unconcerned, clung to Xiang Ri's arm, enjoying the spectacle. Shi Qing, meanwhile, wore a stern expression, returning to her icy demeanor from their first encounter.
Yi Tianxing, now supported by his bodyguards, spat out a mouthful of blood, teeth mixed in, "You bastard! I won't let this go—you're all trapped here!"
"Haha, hearing that, I can't help but laugh." A rough voice boomed from the corner, resonating through the hotel lobby.
"Who!" Yi Tianxing demanded, glaring at the source of the voice.
"Me." A man built like a human tank stepped forward, his formidable muscles striking fear into all who saw him.
Everyone immediately stepped back at the sight of this man, even the usually unflinching secretary revealing a hint of fear. No one in the city was unfamiliar with him—He Huan, the owner of Prosperity Security, a thirteen-time national bodybuilding champion and a madman who once single-handedly took down over two hundred armed thugs.
He Huan approached Xiang Ri, his tone mocking, "Well, turtle, how did you end up getting bitten by a dog?"
"Nothing I can do, gorilla. Dogs these days bite anyone they see," Xiang Ri replied with a laugh, surprised to encounter this barely-human-looking friend here.
Hearing the exchange, the onlookers shivered. A turtle and a gorilla? Was this an animal gathering?
Now, no one dared underestimate the frail young man who had arrived in a taxi. To have close connections with such a notorious pair as the Madman and the Brute was a feat in itself, and it was clear from their camaraderie that they shared a profound bond—something few in the city could claim.
Moreover, with the Business Goddess personally welcoming him, his true identity must be astonishingly impressive. Some quick-witted onlookers even connected the dots to her mysterious influx of funds, elevating Xiang Ri's stature in their minds to an unfathomable level. To outsiders, he now seemed even more enigmatic.
"Then teach it a lesson, so it won't go around snapping at people!" said He Huan with a mischievous glint in his eye. "So, Turtle, all these girls yours? Seems you've got some serious luck in love!"
Seeing Miss Chu's expression darken, Xiang Ri quickly disclaimed any such notion, but it was too late—his arm bore new bruises from her pinches. Shiqing and Su Yu blushed, while Fang Yingying scoffed, clearly displeased with He Huan's wild assumptions.
"And who are you to meddle in my affairs?" Even with a dozen bodyguards flanking him, Yi Tianxing's gaze betrayed a flicker of fear, as if facing He Huan's formidable physique chipped away at his confidence.
"I'm the master of this dog. What, thinking of biting your master?" He Huan taunted, flexing his formidable biceps and triceps.
Yi Tianxing, humiliated and seething, lost the last shred of restraint and bellowed to his guards, "Are you all dead? Get him!"
But the bodyguards hesitated, visibly trembling at the sight of the human tank before them. In the security industry, rumors of this man's strength were legendary. If this was truly the infamous figure from their stories, then going against him would be like a lowly soldier challenging the king of mercenaries—a death wish.
"So, you're going to finish me, huh?" He Huan laughed, lifting the playboy by the collar as easily as if he were a rag doll.
"What are you doing? My grandfather is…" The man choked mid-sentence as He Huan tightened his grip around his neck, leaving him gasping and flailing in terror.
"Stop!" A squad of police officers burst through the entrance, guns pointed at the formidable muscle-bound man in the act.
He Huan, not one to overstep his bounds, released his grip and turned to the officer with a grin. "Captain Xu, out early on duty today?"
"Mr. He, I see." Wiping the sweat from his brow, Captain Xu motioned for his officers to lower their guns. The call had been urgent—a high-ranking individual was in distress, hence the rushed response. But he quickly realized the man in question was a figure of power himself, the type best avoided if at all possible.
"Mr. Yi, are you alright?" Captain Xu hurried over to the young man.
"Captain Xu, perfect timing! Arrest them all!" Yi Tianxing shouted.
"Mr. Yi, perhaps this is just a misunderstanding?" Xu found himself caught between two forces, and none of the accused parties seemed easy to handle, save for the slender youth. Judging by appearances alone, he doubted that this frail-looking man could have inflicted the injuries on Yi Tianxing, but procedure still had to be followed.
"A misunderstanding? Arrest that one!" Yi Tianxing spat, eyes blazing as he pointed at Xiang Ri. "He's the one who hit me!"
Xu's eyes lit up at the realization. Yi had indeed chosen the path of least resistance, targeting the weakest-seeming party. He felt a wave of relief, though he doubted that this fragile youth could be responsible for such violence, but he had to put on a show of duty. "You there, cuff him."
"Who dares!" Chu stepped forward, her voice a defiant command.
"Please don't interfere with official business, Miss," Captain Xu replied, not recognizing her, though he knew Su Yu by reputation and assumed this newcomer to be a friend of the Business Goddess.
"Xu, aren't you even going to listen to our side?" Su Yu interjected.
"Miss Su, any assault requires police intervention. The details can be sorted out at the station," Xu replied, his words hollow but bolstered by Su Yu's subtle admission that Xiang Ri had indeed acted.
A grim smile spread over He Huan's face. "Xu, if I recall, you're not always so…"
"Enough, Gorilla. No need to say more. It's just the police station; it's not like I haven't been there before," Xiang Ri said, gently moving aside Chu, who still stood protectively before him, and casting a meaningful look at Xu.
Seeing the unshakable confidence in Xiang Ri's gaze, He Huan stayed silent, knowing his friend could handle himself.
"Take him away," Xu commanded, feeling emboldened as a few officers pounced on Xiang Ri, cuffing him.
He shot a reassuring look to the women, particularly Miss Chu and Miss Su, who seemed torn between concern and protest. And with that, Xiang Ri was escorted from the hotel by the officers.
"Where exactly are you taking me?" Xiang Ri asked, noting with dread that the route veered toward the Eastern District Police Station. Logic dictated that he should be headed to Central, as the incident had taken place in the city center. The Eastern District was Iron Lady's territory—someone he'd rather avoid, especially after offending her the previous evening. This was practically delivering himself to the lion's den.
"You'll see when we get there," Captain Xu replied absently.
The officer pondered the situation on the way, realizing something was off. Why would the Business Goddess plead on behalf of this youth, and why did the muscle-bound man seem to support him as well? Xu decided the young man must hold considerable influence, enough to deserve a more tactful approach. His best option seemed to be dropping him off at the nearest precinct, passing the issue on to others. If any fallout occurred, it wouldn't be his problem.