Chapter 124: Who Is More Ruthless!

Xiao Ziyin had already prepared her most charming smile and her opening lines, waiting only for Wei Feng to walk over and greet her. As a young socialite, she knew that women like her were always welcomed by men of his stature for affairs that transcended mere friendship.

Wei Feng did indeed walk over, but he looked right past her as if she were invisible.

Xie Minghu, filled with astonishment, hurried over and scrutinized Hua Ming carefully before asking, "Brother Feng, is this your friend?"

"That’s right," Wei Feng said with a grin. "He’s my childhood friend. We grew up getting into all sorts of mischief together."

To have shared in such antics meant they were true friends. In fact, Wei Feng’s bond with this guy might even be deeper and stronger than his connection with Ji William. Who exactly was this person? He had never seen someone like him in Mingzhu before.

"So, a friend, then," Xie Minghu said with a chuckle. "What should I call you, brother?"

"Here, let me introduce you. This is Qian—" Wei Feng, aware of what had transpired earlier, eagerly tried to act as a bridge between them.

"Wei Feng, don't bother," Hua Ming interrupted, cutting him off. "No need for introductions. I wouldn't remember it anyway, even if you did."

"..."

Xie Minghu felt as if he had been slapped hard across the face; his cheeks burned with stinging pain. When he had said those exact words to others earlier, he felt it was only natural—a statement of fact that required no concealment and carried no fear of offense. But when someone turned those same words back on him, he found the humiliation unbearable. People like them always had thinner skin than the average person and an excessively intense sense of pride.

Wei Feng caught the cold sneer on Hua Ming’s face and then glanced at Xie Minghu’s liver-colored expression of shame and anger. He immediately understood what had happened. He waved his hand at Xie Minghu and said, "You guys go ahead and drink. I need to have a word with my brother."

Even though Xie Minghu wished he could tear Hua Ming to pieces, he couldn't show it now. He forced a smile and said, "Understood. You two brothers catch up. We’ll come over to toast you in a bit."

With that, he took his group of friends and retreated. Xiao Ziyin and Zhang Nan had wanted to use the moment to strike up a conversation with Wei Feng, but seeing that the timing was poor, they tactfully followed along.

Wei Feng squeezed in between Hua Ming and Tang Chong, grabbed an opened bottle of beer from the coffee table, took a swig, and asked with a laugh, "So, what’s the deal? Did those blind idiots offend our Young Master Qian?"

"What do you think?" Hua Ming chuckled, grabbing his own beer bottle to clink against Wei Feng’s. "That line I just used on him? It’s exactly what they said to me when they walked in. I was just returning the favor."

Wei Feng burst into laughter. "So that’s how it is. Why are you so low-key, Young Master Qian? This circle is like this: if you have one part strength, you have to show ten; if you have ten, you have to show a hundred. Otherwise, people looking down their noses at you is the most normal thing in the world. You’re not cut from the same cloth as them, so why would they bother with you?"

"That’s exactly why I was waiting for you, Young Master Wei, to come and save the day," Hua Ming retorted with a mocking grin.

"How is that fair? They provoked you, so why hate on me too?" Wei Feng laughed innocently. "Who told you not to flash your Qian family credentials to intimidate them?"

"Others might not know, but don't you? What kind of 'Qian family member' do you think I really am?" Hua Ming stared at Wei Feng.

Wei Feng sighed. "Look, your uncle is actually pretty good to you..."

"Forget it. Let’s not talk about that. Drink." Hua Ming initiated another toast, downing the entire bottle in one go.

Wei Feng finished his bottle as well, then grabbed an unopened one, used the edge of the stone table to pop the cap off with a loud *pop*, and sent the cap flying. He turned to Tang Chong and said, "We met through a fight, but that’s the best way to start a friendship. Come on, let’s have one."

Tang Chong raised his bottle, and they both drained them.

Wei Feng wiped his mouth and smiled. "Refreshing. No wonder you’re Qian Ming’s brother. Honestly, you’re the toughest expert I’ve ever encountered. I’ve fought all through the Mingzhu Military District, and I never expected to be blocked by a student from South University. I know that if we had kept fighting that night, I definitely would have been the one on the floor. Who taught you that kung fu?"

"Big Beard," Tang Chong said with a smile. "He’s a prison guard."

"A true master. I must visit him if I get the chance," Wei Feng said with a look of longing. "What’s going on with you and You Mu? How did things get so tense?"

"You saw everything that happened between us," Tang Chong said. "That night was the first time we met. He saw me with Su Shan and told me to get lost. I refused, so he sent you over to break my leg."

Wei Feng looked a bit awkward and explained, "Qian Ming knows about my relationship with You Mu. My father wouldn't be where he is today without the You family’s help. Now that You Mu is studying at South University, we have to look out for him. Otherwise, my father wouldn't know how to answer to the You family."

"I understand," Tang Chong nodded. In this world, everyone has things they are forced to do. Even those who have climbed to the very pinnacle of the power pyramid—are they truly able to act without fear or consequence?

"Since there’s wine, let’s drink heartily," Wei Feng raised his bottle to Tang Chong again.

"When the mood strikes, let’s have a good fight again," Tang Chong clinked his glass once more.

"Cheers."

After finishing their drinks, the two looked at each other and laughed, sharing the sentiment of heroes appreciating one another.

"What should we do?" Zhang Nan whispered, looking at the lively scene across the room. "It looks like Wei Feng is really close with them."

"I’m not sure about the others, but that kid named Qian must have a significant background. Otherwise, Wei Feng wouldn't have any reason to be that polite to him. Why didn't Ji William make things clear? Did he intentionally want us to hit a wall?" Xie Minghu said, his face dark.

"Maybe William didn't know the kid’s background either. If he did, why would he have said those things to us?" a bespectacled man with a buzz cut analyzed calmly. "I think we should find a way to smooth things over. We can ignore that kid for now, but we have to give Wei Feng some face. If we don't, he’ll say we don't know how to handle ourselves, and it will be awkward to see him in the future."

"That’s true," Xie Minghu nodded. "Ziyin, why don't you go over and have a few drinks with them to bridge the gap?"

"Why me?" Xiao Ziyin said, displeased.

"Because you’re a woman, and a beautiful one at that," Xie Minghu said with a smile. "Beauties always have an advantage over men. Go on. If you handle it well, you might even earn some points with Brother Feng."

Xiao Ziyin hesitated for a few seconds before saying, "I can’t guarantee it will work."

"Ziyin, we believe in you," Xie Minghu encouraged.

Xiao Ziyin looked down at her outfit, and seeing the expanse of snow-white skin revealed by the neckline of her small evening gown, her confidence surged. She usually only drank red wine, but seeing Wei Feng and the other students drinking beer, she put down her wine glass, grabbed a bottle of beer, and walked over.

With her ample curves and striking beauty, her high heels clicking on the thick carpet made her feel as if she were walking on air. She stood before Wei Feng and Hua Ming, smiling like a flower, her voice sweet and sultry. "Brother Feng, I haven't seen you in a long time. May I have a drink with you?"

Wei Feng, seemingly bold but actually quite shrewd, raised his beer glass to clink with hers and took a sip.

Xiao Ziyin took a large gulp of beer, and miraculously, a rosy flush appeared on her cheeks. She raised her bottle to Hua Ming and said, "Brother Qian, it’s our first time meeting. May I have a drink with you?"

Hua Ming didn't respond; he wouldn't even look at her.

Xiao Ziyin felt a surge of resentment, but she knew she was there to smooth things over, and she had indeed offended him quite severely at the start. She tapped Luo Huan, who was sitting next to Hua Ming, on the shoulder and said with a smile, "Little sister, could you switch seats? I’d like to sing a song with Brother Qian."

Luo Huan looked up at her and prepared to get up. She came from a working-class background—her father was a factory worker, and her mother ran a small rice noodle shop. She truly didn't have the courage to stand up to people who previously had only appeared in novels or on television.

Just as she began to rise, Hua Ming grabbed her.

"Luo Huan, let’s sing a song," Hua Ming said with a smile. "Do you know how to sing 'Big Brother'?"

Luo Huan glanced anxiously at Xiao Ziyin and shook her head. "No, I don't know how to sing Cantonese songs."

"Then let’s sing 'A Bunch of Waves'. Didn't you pick that song earlier?"

"Okay," Luo Huan agreed.

Only then did Hua Ming look up at Xiao Ziyin, who was still standing there holding her bottle. "Hey, you—you cut my song earlier. Go and request 'A Bunch of Waves' for me now."

The smile on Xiao Ziyin’s face froze instantly, but she quickly agreed, saying, "Fine. Please wait a moment."

She walked over to the karaoke console to select the old song, then turned and walked quickly toward the door of the private room without looking back. She needed to find a place where no one could see her to vent, or she would surely break down.

As she pulled the door open, she collided with Ji William, who was just about to enter.

Ji William was holding a bouquet of flowers—small, delicate baby's breath that looked like snowflakes scattered on green leaves. Fearing that Xiao Ziyin would crush the fragile life, he placed his other hand on her shoulder and frowned, asking, "Ziyin, where are you going? Why are you in such a rush?"

Xiao Ziyin wanted to explain, but the words wouldn't come. Her eyes turned red, and tears began to fall.

This was a man-eating world; there was no tolerance, only the question of who was more ruthless!