APR 27

The two randomly chose a tea restaurant for a meal. Zhong Su only ordered a plate of egg fried rice and put down his spoon after eating most of it. The fried rice was bland and tasteless, and he had little appetite anyway.

Across from him, Xiao Lao Dao was eating heartily, devouring several bowls of rice with a plate of barbecued pork and another of greens.

When it was time to pay, Xiao Lao Dao pressed down on Zhong Su’s hand as he reached for his wallet, insisting on covering the bill. “It’s my fault for not explaining the filming details clearly earlier, which led to this misunderstanding. Let this meal be my apology—don’t argue with me.”

Seeing Xiao Lao Dao’s face flushed with embarrassment, Zhong Su didn’t insist and withdrew his hand. “Suit yourself. It makes no difference anyway.”

“Heh, that’s the friendliest answer you’ve given in days. Before this, you were always so grim and bitter.”

Xiao Lao Dao paid cheerfully and, still in high spirits, drove them to “THE ONE.”

“THE ONE” was an upscale club, its facade lavishly decorated in gold and splendor. Two burly security guards stood on either side of the entrance, looking quite intimidating.

In Zhong Su’s memory, Bai Ruolin, as a pretty but wild model, had desperately tried to break into the entertainment industry. She often accompanied various investors and wealthy businessmen to such pleasure-seeking venues, laughing, playing, and drinking with them.

The original host used to argue with her about it, but each time, she would retort, “If I don’t entertain those old men, how else am I supposed to become a star? Are you going to make me one?” This always shut him up.

Because of this, the original host often felt indebted to Bai Ruolin, unconsciously feeling inferior in her presence and always yielding to her.

But this time, Zhong Su had no intention of indulging Bai Ruolin again. Regardless of anything else, he was determined to make that woman pay back the usurious loan with interest.

Noticing Xiao Lao Dao nervously swallowing, Zhong Su said, “If you’re too scared to go in, wait here. I’ll go in alone.”

“W-who’s scared? I’m going in right now.” Steeling himself, Xiao Lao Dao walked ahead, pretending to be calm as he waited for the doorman to open the door and passed through the glass entrance under the scrutinizing gaze of the security guards.

The interior of the club was elegantly decorated. Though it lacked the overt exposure and vulgarity of ordinary nightclubs, the thick scent of perfume and the warm, humid air still silently exuded an atmosphere of luxury and languor.

Xiao Lao Dao, who usually acted tough as a small-time thug but was inwardly timid, could put on a brave face in ordinary bars. But in a place like this, he deflated like a balloon, unable to muster any bravado.

He instinctively slowed his pace, sticking close to Zhong Su’s side while peering around anxiously and muttering, “Zhong Su, let’s talk nicely later. We shouldn’t cause a scene with Bai Ruolin here.”

“I’ve heard the owner of this place has deep connections,” Xiao Lao Dao scratched his cheek and stammered, “If we make trouble and disrupt their business, that would be really unethical, don’t you think?”

He was trying to dress up his desire to retreat as reasonableness.

“Don’t worry, I know my limits.” Zhong Su paid no mind, casually surveying the dance floor at the center of the hall and the large, shimmering water feature. The decor of such places hadn’t changed much from what was popular seven years ago—it was all the same glitzy, neon-lit style.

In the past, many bosses had invited him and Chen Huan to such venues to curry favor. Having seen plenty, even the most lavish decor no longer felt novel.

“Zhong Su!” Xiao Lao Dao suddenly tugged his sleeve, pointing in a certain direction. “Look, isn’t that woman in the pink dress Bai Ruolin?”

Zhong Su followed his gaze and saw Bai Ruolin wearing a provocative short dress. Her delicate, oval face appeared rosy and enchanting under the lights, her nose bridge surgically enhanced, and her figure exquisitely proportioned.

She clung coyly to the burly, bald man beside her, whining sweetly, “Brother Funeral Panther, I suffered so much humiliation just to lure that spineless Zhong Su here. You promised to buy me that bag tomorrow—you must keep your word!”

Sang Biao pinched her pretty cheek and grinned broadly. “I’ll buy it! Whatever my woman wants, she gets!”

“Oh no, it’s Sang Biao and his gang,” Xiao Lao Dao paled upon seeing Bai Ruolin with him, immediately grabbing Zhong Su. “Don’t go over! That damn bitch colluded with Sang Biao to set us up!”

“If we don’t go, we won’t get the money back.” Zhong Su showed no fear. Though outnumbered, the opponents were surrounded by liquor bottles on the table, already heavily intoxicated and posing little threat.

He brushed off Xiao Lao Dao’s hand and strode toward Sang Biao’s table, his posture straight as a tempered spear, utterly dismissive of the scene before him.

Da K, his face still bruised, emerged from the shadows of the booth with several lackeys, instantly surrounding Zhong Su and Xiao Lao Dao.

“Damn, go to hell!” Xiao Lao Dao yelped in terror, shrinking behind Zhong Su. Despite his size, he trembled like a frightened quail.

Da K sneered, “You two little shits! I told you last time—what goes around comes around. Weren’t you arrogant when you beat me up? Now that we’ve crossed paths again, let’s see how cocky you can be!”

He waved his men forward and barked, “Surround them! Today, we’ll crack their heads and spill their blood!”

Zhong Su glanced at the purple bruises on Da K’s face and chuckled lightly. “Working hard, aren’t you? Still showing up disfigured to prove yourself. Your boss Sang Biao ought to award you a ‘Best Employee’ prize.”

“Wait, no,” he deliberately paused, “if someone as useless as you gets reused, your boss must be pretty incompetent too.”

The taunt enraged the already furious Da K but made Sang Biao, seated at the table, snort his drink across the table, slapping the surface as he laughed hysterically.

“I thought some blind fool who should die whole family dared to wreck my place, but you little kid actually have some guts!” Sang Biao laughed until tears streamed down his face, wiping them away with his thumb.

His cheeks puffed up in a grin, malice overflowing from his expression. “And a romantic too! Come running as soon as your ex calls, and you don’t even flee when you see me. Think I’m dead or something?”

Zhong Su glanced at Bai Ruolin and shrugged nonchalantly. “I wrecked your bar because Bai Ruolin instigated it. She said she was disgusted by you—”

“Zhang Mazi, if I had the guts to challenge you, she would leave you and come back to me. If you want to settle scores, you shouldn’t come after me.”

Bai Ruolin’s face instantly turned pale as a frightened rabbit. She clung to Sang Biao’s arm, forcing a coquettish smile as she fawned, “Brother Biao, don’t listen to his nonsense! He’s the one who’s been pestering me. I only said those things because I was so annoyed. Who knew this lunatic would take it seriously and go cause trouble at your place?”

Her beautiful eyes glared venomously at Zhong Su as she spat, “I have absolutely nothing to do with you anymore. Even if you try to drive a wedge between us with these words, it’s useless.”

“You come running whenever I casually call you—why don’t you look at yourself in the mirror? With your shabby, stingy, and pathetic self, how could I ever be interested in you?”

Her shouting attracted the attention of people around them, everyone curiously eyeing the commotion in the booth.

Sang Biao wrapped his arm around Bai Ruolin, pulling her against his chest, then pinched her thigh hard with his large hand. “Shut up, woman. Did I say you could speak?”

Bai Ruolin’s face twisted in pain, but sensing the anger beside her, she didn’t dare put on airs anymore and huddled against him, aggrieved.

Sang Biao’s large gold chain swung conspicuously around his neck. With a sweep of his hand, he slammed a knife onto the table, spraying saliva as he roared, “Jianghu matters follow jianghu rules. Today, each of you leaves behind a finger, and we’ll consider this settled. You choose—who goes first?”

The cold gleam along the blade’s edge made the threat unmistakable.

Zhong Su glanced at the tightly encircling thugs and knew there was no peaceful way out today.

He raised a hand to massage the back of his neck, his joints cracking with a “click,” and sighed. “With so many people, it seems there’s no talking our way out. Since you insist on a fight, I really don’t have any better options.”

Zhong Su’s eyes suddenly sharpened. Before anyone could react, he grabbed the edge of the heavy glass table and flipped it over violently. The entire table overturned, crashing to the ground with shattering glass and exploding bottles, effectively blocking Sang Biao and his lackeys from exiting the booth.

The loud crash served as a charge signal. Da K, who had been closely watching Zhong Su, lunged forward first, fingers spread like an eagle’s talons grabbing for his collar. “Trying to run?!”

The moment his collar was grabbed, Zhong Su leaned back with the momentum, pulling Da K stumbling forward. The punch Da K threw barely grazed past Zhong Su’s ear, hitting empty air.

“Last time wasn’t enough for you? This time, I’ll give you your fill.” Zhong Su grabbed an ice bucket and upended it over Da K’s head. Ice cubes and cold water drenched him completely. Da K shivered violently from the cold, accidentally biting his tongue in reflex.

At that moment, Zhong Su was like a snow wolf that had barged into human society—his back slightly arched, the lines of his shoulders and back taut under the dim lighting, flowing with grace. Even outnumbered, he didn’t falter in the slightest.

The untamable wildness radiating from him was both dangerous and breathtaking, so sharp it made onlookers hold their breath. Yet no one could bear to blink, their gazes mesmerized, glued to his soaring eyebrows and his bright hazel eyes that burned like starlight.

Meanwhile, Xiao Lao Dao was backed into a corner by his pursuers, his back pressed against the wall, legs so weak he could barely stand. Clutching his head, his voice trembled with tears, “Stop fighting, stop fighting! I surrender, I give up!”

“Pah, coward!” One man spat, grabbing a decorative vase nearby and swinging it in a wide arc to smash it over his head.

At the critical moment, a powerfully built hand emerged from somewhere, clamping down on the man’s wrist like an iron vise.

The newcomer roared authoritatively: “Everyone, fucking stop right there!”

The next second, security guards from the club poured in through every entrance. They were clearly trained professionals, all tall and burly, directly grabbing each brawling thug and tossing them to the ground like trash.

The burly leader raised his hand, his finger cutting through the smoke as he pointed straight at Zhong Su in the center of the booth, ordering his subordinates: “Restrain that kid who’s making the most trouble. Anyone who dares cause a scene here won’t be let off!”

Zhong Su turned at the sound, and when he clearly saw the man giving the orders, he couldn’t help but freeze momentarily: “Da Xiong?”