To see someone you dislike and beat them up—for the spoiled young masters Tao Haitong and Tao Qian, this was as simple as drinking a glass of water, a completely routine affair.

As for whether it violated the law, that was a concern only for those without money or influence, wasn't it?

For a second-generation rich kid like Tao Haitong, wealth was merely a numerical symbol. As long as he wasn't messing around with airplanes, any number of luxury cars could be his for the collecting. He didn't even have to initiate attempts to bribe a law enforcer or corrupt an official; naturally, those with wavering loyalties would flock to him.

This is what being rich and powerful means.

So, in Tao Haitong’s view, this time was merely about "teaching a lesson" to some brat who didn't know his place. If he ended up injured, he was lucky; if he ended up crippled, it was his own rotten luck; and if he died, it would only cost a few hundred thousand, less than the fee for one round of golf at his club. He could save that small amount just by ordering a few fewer bottles of foreign liquor when picking up girls.

But what he didn't know was that this time, he was about to run into a real wall. His family was wealthy, that was true; they had influence in the capital, also true; and he was capable in his dealings, also true. But his mistake lay with the lackeys around him, like Wang Daming, an absolute idiot who couldn't even figure out who his opponent was. Wang Daming manufactured a false impression for him, mistaking Feng Jing for Ma Liang, and Wang Zhuo for Wang Shuo!

If Wang Zhuo's name were mentioned, Tao Haitong, despite his profligacy, would at least have some familiarity with it. While he only operated within Beijing’s elite circles, he wasn't so out of touch as to have never heard the famous name of Wang Zhuo from Jiangzhou. If he had heard Wang Zhuo’s name, he should have felt a familiar ring to it, prompting him to think, and ultimately make the right connection.

In fact, the mere fact that Wang Zhuo and Ning Yao were seen together should have provided him with a signal strong enough. Although the entertainment industry is vast, the upper echelon is quite small. The fact that the capital for Ning Yao’s film Struggle came from the rising power in Jiangzhou, Shengshi Dynasty, was known among industry insiders. Connecting that to Wang Zhuo of Jiangzhou shouldn't have required a high IQ.

If he had known the other man was the formidable Wang Zhuo of Jiangzhou, he would have certainly restrained his tongue during the verbal spat. And even if he held a grudge, he wouldn't have been so brazen as to corner someone at the first-floor elevator entrance in public. Wang Zhuo was notoriously violent and skilled in a fight, and news of him beating up Ma Qiang once and Yang Feng once had already spread in the capital. If the second or third young masters of the Tao family truly wanted to use violence against Wang Zhuo, they would have at least chosen a less public location and prepared more backup.

But right now, in their eyes, this was just about dealing with some nobody trailing a celebrity. Afterward, they would decide whether to toss over some medical expenses or offer a meaningless apology to the star, and call it a day.

It was like the aunt of another newly crowned movie queen being forcibly evicted, leading the aunt to commit suicide in despair, while the actress could only weep on Weibo to her relatives, claiming, "I don't know anybody." Celebrities—they live on fame, appearing imposing and glorious on the surface, but they are actually very easy to bully.

...

Ning Yao thought Wang Zhuo must be drunk.

Because he had just uttered something as ridiculous as, "Do you believe I’ll strip naked right now?" What else could explain that, if not drunkenness?

What made it worse was that Wang Zhuo said this right in front of Ruan Mingqing. The great actress’s cheeks burned, making her wish she could burrow into a crack in the floor. Her image had been completely ruined by this kid; she had no face left!

Yet, she dared not lash out at Wang Zhuo, because she genuinely didn't dare test how far this drunk man might go. What if she provoked him, and he actually stripped naked intending to do something more? She couldn't fight off this brute!

This was also because her contact with Wang Zhuo hadn't been long. Although the two of them understood each other thoroughly in private matters, the time they spent together in daily life was surprisingly little. To be honest, Ruan Mingqing knew more about many aspects of Wang Zhuo than she did.

Ruan Mingqing's thoughts at this moment were quite interesting. Unaware of Ning Yao’s worries, seeing that a single crude sentence from Wang Zhuo had subdued the great actress completely, she was filled with admiration for him. This went beyond the scope of a lover; he was practically "toying with Ning Yao in the palm of his hand." If he took this great beauty to bed, wouldn't she be putty in his hands?

Normally, Ning Yao wouldn't have such exaggerated thoughts, but her desire was reserved solely for Wang Zhuo. Once she was with him, she unconsciously gravitated toward vulgar thoughts. This was understandable; she was currently at an age where desire peaked. Isn't that why they say mature women in their thirties are like wolves and in their forties like tigers, but there's no similar metaphor for the greedy immersion of a young woman?

The three of them tidied up their belongings and left the private room.

Wang Zhuo hummed an off-key tune, swaying his body rhythmically, hands thrust into his pockets, swaggering like an idle youth. In reality, he was secretly regulating his body's responses, preparing for the battle to come.

“Xiao Qing, help me hold my phone,” he said upon reaching the elevator lobby. While waiting for the elevator, he pulled out two identical phones and handed them to Ruan Mingqing. He smiled, “I drank a bit too much, and there’s important stuff on these phones. I should leave them with you for a while, just in case someone snatches them.”

Ruan Mingqing smiled, taking the two phones that looked exactly alike, and examined them curiously. As she slipped them into her handbag, she asked, “Why are they the same? Won't you mix them up sometimes?”

Wang Zhuo chuckled triumphantly and shook his head. If anyone else used two identical phones, they would surely get confused, but with the aid of his clairvoyance, he could easily distinguish them just by looking at the specially pasted colored paper strips inside the casings.

The real reason he gave the phones to Ruan Mingqing wasn't to prevent theft, but to keep them safe from being damaged if a fight broke out. These two phones were custom-made for him; the information stored on them, if leaked, could cause a sensation across multiple sectors.

Putting aside other matters, just looking at Ning Yao’s strange expression when glancing at the phones offered a hint of the gravity involved!

The elevator arrived, and two girls were already coming down from upstairs. Another young man followed Wang Zhuo and the others into the car, looking at his phone, seemingly chatting on QQ. He walked past Wang Zhuo's group and headed to the back corner of the elevator.

The elevator door closed, and just as it started moving, Wang Zhuo suddenly smiled and said, “Interesting. They even set up a lookout here.”

Before the others in the elevator could process his words, he suddenly spun around and threw a punch, striking the young man squarely in the stomach!

The force of Wang Zhuo’s punch was more than enough for a lightweight boxing championship match. After being hit, the young man doubled over, clutching his abdomen, groaning repeatedly. His knees buckled, and his body uncontrollably sank to his knees.

Crash. The women, startled, scrambled backward, their bodies and handbags slamming against the stainless steel wall of the elevator with a loud clang.

Coincidentally, the elevator reached the second floor just then. The bell chimed, and just as people outside, chatting and laughing, were about to step in, Wang Zhuo grabbed the young man by the hair and violently flung him out.

This scene instantly terrified the men and women waiting outside, causing them to recoil and scream. Wang Zhuo flashed them an innocent-looking smile, showing off his pearly white teeth. “We’re handling some business here. You all should take the next elevator.”

The word dajia (handling business/fighting) was unfamiliar to many, but seeing the wretched figure curled up and twitching on the floor, and then looking at the handsome man in the elevator smiling in a way that unsettled them, the people waiting immediately spread out. No one intended to take this elevator anymore!

The two girls who had been descending from the fourth floor fled the elevator in a panic; one almost got caught in the closing doors, letting out a sharp scream.

Once the doors shut, Wang Zhuo didn't give Ning Yao or Ruan Mingqing a chance to ask questions. He stated directly, “That kid was reporting back to Tao Haitong. Neither of you should leave the elevator. You must listen to me!”

“Wang Zhuo—” Ruan Mingqing started to interject, but Wang Zhuo stopped her with a raised hand.

It only took a few seconds for the elevator to descend one floor. It was now reaching the first floor, opening slowly. Wang Zhuo glanced back at the two women, then stepped out.

The moment his body cleared the elevator threshold, Wang Daming, who had been waiting to the side, stepped forward. The subordinate Wang Zhuo had just floored was the one left upstairs to signal them. Once this elevator reached the first floor, no matter who was inside, Wang Zhuo would definitely be there!

Seeing Wang Zhuo emerge first, Wang Daming’s face twisted into a sinister grin. He spread both arms and lunged toward Wang Zhuo’s neck. The two bodyguards waiting on the other side of the elevator entrance also advanced simultaneously. This maneuver wasn't new to them; restrain the target, drag him into the nearby restroom, and the job was done!

In less time than it takes to say, as Wang Zhuo stepped out, Wang Daming closed the distance in two steps, and the two bodyguards on the other side pounced. But just as Tao Haitong and Tao Qian, standing a few feet away with mocking smiles, thought they had succeeded, Wang Zhuo suddenly twisted his body, lashed out a hand, and delivered a fierce slap right across Wang Daming’s face. Simultaneously, his right leg shot up, like an antelope hanging from a horn, its sole connecting perfectly with one bodyguard’s chin!

Wang Daming felt his left ear ringing violently, stars bursting behind his eyes from the slap. The bodyguard who took the kick staggered backward, the intense pain momentarily paralyzing his ability to think. He flew backward.

The remaining bodyguard paused in shock for a fraction of a second. Wang Zhuo had already retracted his striking posture, a look of contempt curling his lip. Treating him as if he were thin air, Wang Zhuo strode toward Tao Haitong and Tao Qian.

Seeing the extraordinary combat prowess suddenly displayed by their opponent, the Tao brothers were startled. Tao Haitong quickly called out, “Da Long, he—”

Da Long was the thick-necked, stocky enforcer Wang Zhuo had noted earlier. This man stood beside the Tao brothers, clearly a follower with little presence, but when Wang Zhuo strode forward and Tao Haitong gestured urgently, his body suddenly radiated fierce fighting spirit. He took two steps forward, blocking Wang Zhuo’s path!