Chapter 8: Don't Stop Me from Showing Off

Roast Duck shot a glance at Lu Ye, who was being shielded by Su Qianqian, and sneered, "Lu, if you're a real man, don't let this woman stand up for you. If you've got guts, stay right here!"

Lu Ye was grumbling to himself—did you think I wanted to hide behind a woman? It's just that I'm too handsome, and my wife insists on protecting me—what am I supposed to do?

Su Qianqian tried to persuade him, "He's just trying to provoke you. Ignore him and go! If you wait any longer, it'll be too late!"

"It's already too late."

A deep baritone voice drifted in from outside, followed by a rush of hurried footsteps.

More than a dozen burly men crowded in. Lu Ye's home was small to begin with, and now it was packed so tightly there wasn't even a place to stand.

Roast Duck looked toward the leader of the newcomers, his eyes lighting up. "Boss Long! You got here so quickly?"

Xu Sanlong was a typical balding, greasy middle-aged man, carrying himself with the swagger of a crime boss. He said, "I just happened to be passing by."

His gaze swept the room and finally settled on Su Qianqian. With a lascivious grin, he said, "They say President Su of Yiren Group is the most beautiful woman in Pearl City. Seeing you now, the rumors fall short of reality."

Su Qianqian felt deeply uncomfortable under Xu Sanlong's unrestrainedly greedy eyes, a strange fear rising in her heart. Xu Sanlong was indeed renowned—but never for anything good.

In her panic, Lu Ye wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her behind him and soothing her in a low voice, "Don't be afraid. Let me handle what comes next."

But Su Qianqian, like a wildcat with its fur standing on end, snapped back, "Nonsense! Why would I fear him? Xu Sanlong, your men were beaten on my orders. If you want revenge, come at me!"

Lu Ye nearly choked on his own breath. Damn this woman—she never lets up!

Damn it, can you stop always stepping in and showing off for me? I'm a retired war god, for heaven's sake! What’s the point of always hiding behind you?

Xu Sanlong's face remained calm, though his eyes flashed with delight. "Good, fiery enough—I like it!"

"President Su, let’s not beat around the bush. As long as you agree to be my lover, we can let today's matter slide."

Su Qianqian was shaking with rage. This lecherous man had to be at least fifty or sixty—maybe even older than her father, Su Shiming—yet he could brazenly say such a thing?

"And if I refuse?" Su Qianqian ground out through clenched teeth.

Xu Sanlong's false smile vanished. He pointed at Lu Ye and threatened, "Then I'll break this brat's legs first, and then drag you off to be my lover. The outcome is the same for me!"

His men began to crack their knuckles, their malicious gazes fixed on Lu Ye and Su Qianqian. At a word from Xu Sanlong, they would pounce without hesitation!

Despairing, Su Qianqian glared back at Lu Ye.

This is all your fault! I told you to run, but you insisted on playing the hero!

Now look—both of us are doomed!

Lu Ye flexed his wrists, warming up, ready to end this farce with a dazzling display.

But before he could make a move, another group appeared at the door...

"Sanlong, whose legs are you planning to break? And who are you going to drag off as your lover?"

The house was already bursting at the seams, so this third wave of people stood out in the corridor.

Neighbors, hearing the commotion, poked their heads out curiously, then quickly ducked back inside, double-locking their doors.

A middle-aged man in a tunic suit strode in, his gaze fixed on the seemingly all-powerful Xu Sanlong.

This man was none other than Lin Zhongze, who had come by appointment to see Lu Ye for follow-up detoxification.

The crowd inside shrank back, making way for him. Even though they were packed chest to back, no one dared show the slightest disrespect.

Even Xu Sanlong lost his composure at the sight of him, hurriedly saying, "Boss Lin, what brings you here?"

Xu Sanlong was the boss of thugs like Roast Duck, nothing more than a bigger fish among street toughs. Lin Zhongze, however, controlled the lifeblood of Pearl City's entertainment industry—a true power broker. Even Xu Sanlong depended on Lin Zhongze's protection to survive. The difference in their status was immeasurable.

Lin Zhongze said coldly, "You still haven't answered me: whose legs are you planning to break? Who are you going to drag away as your lover?"

Xu Sanlong wasn't stupid; he knew Lin Zhongze hadn't come to back him up. That meant only one thing...

He must think Su Qianqian had called in Lin Zhongze as reinforcements, here to settle the score!

As for Lu Ye, Xu Sanlong couldn't believe that kid could summon such a big shot.

Now caught in a bind, Xu Sanlong and Roast Duck hung their heads, feigning silence.

At this moment, Lu Ping jumped out, pointing at Lu Ye and Su Qianqian. "Boss Lin, it was their people who hurt Roast Duck first. Boss Long brought his men to get revenge!"

Lu Ping had no idea who Lin Zhongze really was, nor why he was here. He only knew that even Xu Sanlong had to tread carefully around him—surely he was the real boss of bosses!

He figured, if Xu Sanlong could intimidate Su Qianqian, now that the boss's boss himself had arrived, Lu Ye was dead meat.

Little did he know, Xu Sanlong and Roast Duck wished they could skin Lu Ping alive at that moment.

What a fool! Can't you see what's going on here? You're selling us out!

Lin Zhongze narrowed his eyes and spoke softly, "Sanlong, you’re quite something. Planning to break my brother’s legs and drag his wife off to be your lover?"

"You think Lin Zhongze is someone to mess with?"

A gasp swept through the room, followed by dead silence.

What had Lin Zhongze just said?

He said Lu Ye was his brother?

All eyes turned to Xu Sanlong.

"Boss Lin, this is all a misunderstanding. I didn't know Brother Lu was one of us!" Xu Sanlong was terrified. When the Zhang family hired him to deal with Lu Ye, they'd said he was just a lowly security guard with no background...

Bullshit!

Someone Lin Zhongze calls brother—a nobody? A security guard with no connections?

Even Xu Sanlong himself was nothing but a groveling dog before Lin Zhongze!

Smack!

Without warning, Lin Zhongze slapped him across the face.

"Who do you think you are? Are you even worthy to call my brother your brother?"

The slap sent Xu Sanlong reeling, tumbling twice before landing at Lu Ye's feet.

He scrambled to his knees, clutching Lu Ye's leg and begging for mercy. "Brother Lu... Lord Lu! I was blind, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!"

Lu Ye kicked him away in disgust. "You smashed up my home, spewed insults at my wife, and now you think a simple apology will make it right?"

Xu Sanlong pleaded obsequiously, "Lord Lu, whatever compensation you want, I'll pay it—just please, speak on my behalf to Boss Lin, ask him to give me another chance."

Lu Ye replied, "You'll compensate at ten times the value of the damages. Total: one million. And you’ll kneel and apologize to my wife!"

Xu Sanlong and Roast Duck exchanged glances, stunned for a few seconds.

Most of the furniture was old and worth at most a few thousand, yet Lu Ye was demanding a king’s ransom.

But with Lin Zhongze backing him, what choice did they have?

Xu Sanlong immediately pulled out his phone to transfer the funds...

"Alipay: one million yuan received!"

Su Qianqian was dumbfounded. In just a few words, Lu Ye had pocketed a million for nothing?

"Mrs. Lu, I’m sorry. Please forgive my offense."

"Let me kowtow to you in apology!"

Thud, thud, thud!

Xu Sanlong and Roast Duck both knelt, knocking their heads three times in front of Su Qianqian, then looked up pitifully. "Lord Lu, is this enough?"

Lu Ye shook his head and sighed. "I might have let you off, but you destroyed the medicinal herbs I needed for Brother Lin’s treatment."

He pointed to the shattered jars and bottles strewn across the floor. "Brother Lin, I’m truly sorry. It seems I can’t give you the follow-up detox today."

"What?" Lin Zhongze's eyes blazed with murderous fury, as if he might skin Xu Sanlong and Roast Duck alive.

Xu Sanlong shuddered and roared at Roast Duck, "Why the hell did you destroy Boss Lin’s medicine?"

Roast Duck stammered, "Before we left, you told me yourself—if we didn’t find the man, smash everything..."

"Damn it!"