Li Yundong spotted Zhao Yougen immediately, his eyebrows knitting together. He spoke with a sneer, “Mr. Zhao, what wind blew you in? Shouldn't you be entertaining clients with drinks?”
Zhao Yougen seemed entirely unaffected by Li Yundong’s mocking tone. He smirked with the air of a petty tyrant, pinched the behind of the sharp-featured beauty beside him, and grinned, “As a neighbor, of course I have to stop by and greet my little brother!”
Su Chan showed undisguised disgust upon seeing Zhao Yougen, but having dealt with the mortal world for some time, the young girl had grown a bit wiser. Especially near Li Yundong, she had learned not to rush into conversation, nor to cause trouble for him with her words or actions.
So, Su Chan tugged Li Yundong’s arm and whispered, “Yundong, this person is so annoying. Should I chase him away?”
Li Yundong squeezed her hand and gave her a look, murmuring back, “It’s fine, I’ll handle it. You stay quiet.”
Li Yundong turned his gaze back to Zhao Yougen and said heavily, “Neighbor? What neighbor?”
Zhao Yougen pointed toward a shop across the way and laughed heartily, “Little brother, didn't you notice? Your elder brother has opened a shop right across from you, setting up a direct confrontation business!”
Li Yundong finally noticed people bustling inside the opposite storefront, busy with renovations. At that moment, Ziyuan suddenly sent a sound transmission to Li Yundong, saying, “Li Yundong, I recognize these construction workers; they were all under Manager Han before!”
Li Yundong startled, then his anger flared. He glared at Zhao Yougen, his eyes blazing, “Did you poach the workers hired for our shop?”
Zhao Yougen’s heart leaped violently under Li Yundong’s intense stare, as if an invisible hand had squeezed his heart, flooding his face with crimson blood until it turned the color of liver.
He involuntarily took a step back, but quickly dug in his heels, tilted his chin up, and spoke in a smug, singsong voice, “Oh, little brother, little brother, the way you put things! Tsk, tsk, so unreasonable! These workers are also just trying to earn a living; naturally, they go where the salary is better! Besides, I merely offered them a higher wage; how was I to know they used to work for you?”
Seeing the blatant provocation in his tone, Li Yundong’s anger simmered. He arched an eyebrow and clenched his fists tightly. Ziyuan, sensing trouble, immediately transmitted, “Li Yundong, don't be rash! This is the mundane world; not everything can be solved with brute force! Can’t you see he’s acting so brazenly because he’s hoping you’ll strike him? He surely has a trap waiting for you to fall into. Don't be a fool and jump in headfirst—that’s just the valor of a common ruffian!”
Having cultivated for so long, Li Yundong had experienced countless trials and was long past being the impetuous, furious youth who drew his sword at the slightest provocation. Especially since inheriting the position of Sect Master of the Fox Zen Gate, Li Yundong’s growth had been astonishing. Hearing Ziyuan’s words, the rising fury in his chest instantly subsided. His expression smoothed over like a calm lake as he said, “Oh? Is that so? Then I must have wronged Mr. Zhao! However, I am curious, as a celebrated entrepreneur in Tiannan City, what kind of business is the one you’ve opened here? Is such a small venture worthy of Mr. Zhao’s personal attention?”
Manager Zhao, witnessing Li Yundong shift from anger to a smile, felt a sudden chill. He found it hard to believe that this young man, whom he remembered as arrogant and hot-headed, could swallow such an insult. He snorted inwardly, then forced a smile that didn't reach his eyes as he addressed Li Yundong again, “Not at all, not at all. I heard the little brother was planning to open a teahouse for fun, so I became curious and wanted to open one across the street to keep my little brother company.”
Li Yundong heard this and laughed mockingly, “Oh? Mr. Zhao is opening a teahouse too? Not just anyone can open a teahouse, Mr. Zhao. Do you even understand tea? Don’t go and run it into the ground!”
Zhao Yougen smiled proudly and replied, “Does not understanding tea mean I absolutely cannot open a teahouse? If I don’t understand it, I can hire those who do! I have more money than I know what to do with; if the venture fails, I’ll just close it and open something else! This amount of money, for your elder brother, tsk tsk, is merely a drop in the ocean, hardly worth mentioning! You, little brother, should be the one watching out; if your shop flops, cleaning up the mess won't be easy!”
Li Yundong sneered, “You seem to know me quite well, Mr. Zhao. So, I’m destined to be fighting you in this head-to-head duel?”
Zhao Yougen, with an arm around each woman beside him, laughed wildly, “Little brother, you exaggerate. I’m just playing around; I never intended to challenge you to a duel! However, as they say, in gambling there are no fathers or sons, and in business, no brothers. I call you brother now, but once the shop opens, I won't hold back! That said, I am a magnanimous person. If one day, little brother, you find yourself with nowhere to turn and no food to eat, you can always come work for me. I, Zhao Yougen, will certainly give you a bowl of rice!”
Hearing this, Li Yundong threw his head back and laughed loudly. His laughter was resonant and sharp, carrying an inherent arrogance and anger of someone standing proudly on a cliff’s edge—like a fierce tiger roaring in the mountains, or a mighty lion bellowing across the plains.
Li Yundong’s True Essence was vast and potent. Since the shop door was closed, it formed a confined space. Li Yundong’s burst of laughter echoed violently within, causing Zhao Yougen’s eardrums sharp pain, his head buzzing. The two women of loose morals with him clutched their ears in distress.
Su Chan and Ziyuan were cultivators; they remained unaffected by Li Yundong’s laughter, watching Zhao Yougen and his companions with looks of scorn.
One of the sharp-featured women beside Zhao Yougen couldn't stand it and shrieked, “Stop laughing! Our eardrums are going to burst!”
But her voice was instantly drowned out by Li Yundong’s booming sound, like a small skiff being swiftly overwhelmed and submerged by monstrous waves.
Manager Zhao struggled to maintain his composure for a moment, but finally, unable to bear it, he clamped both hands over his ears, his face contorted in pain, his body swaying precariously.
Suddenly, the shop door was yanked open, and four or five people in police uniforms rushed in, loudly demanding, “What’s going on here?”
With the door open, Li Yundong immediately ceased laughing and looked coldly at the entering officers.
The leading officer, with an obsequious smile plastered on his face, addressed Zhao Yougen, “Manager Zhao, what’s wrong? Did these people offend you? Should I arrest them for you?”
Li Yundong scoffed inwardly. He glanced at Ziyuan, thinking: Ziyuan was right after all; Zhao Yougen indeed had a trap set for him.
Su Chan spoke up loudly, “Hey, you people are being unreasonable! Can’t you see how far my Yundong is from your Manager Zhao? Don't just spout nonsense and twist the facts!”
The leading officer turned to sneer and reprimand her, but his eyes fell upon Su Chan. Instantly, his eyes bulged, his jaw nearly dropped, and he stared speechlessly, captivated.
Seeing the officers stunned into silence by the sight of Su Chan and Ziyuan, Zhao Yougen inwardly sneered and gritted his teeth, “I’m fine! You all get out first!”
The officers seemed to snap out of a trance, meekly retreating, glancing back three times as they left. Outside, they still lingered, staring intently at Su Chan through the transparent glass shop window.
Zhao Yougen cast a venomous look at Li Yundong and said, “Little brother, I hope you can laugh like that in the future too!” With that, he grabbed the two beauties beside him, who hadn't fully recovered, preparing to leave.
Seeing him about to go, a defiant breath escaped Li Yundong’s nostrils. He coldly snorted, “Mr. Zhao, don't rush off. I still have a few words to say!”
Zhao Yougen turned back, his voice cold, “What words?”
Li Yundong snorted coldly and replied, “Since Mr. Zhao is so magnanimous, I naturally cannot be narrow-minded. If the day comes when Mr. Zhao is truly desperate, feel free to come and be a retainer under my roof. While I don’t claim to be Lord Mengchang, I’m certainly no Fan Ju who holds a grudge over every slight. I have the ability to support a few tricksters and petty fellows.”
Zhao Yougen’s face instantly flushed crimson. He huffed, “Young man, don't speak so boldly. Be careful, or I’ll make sure your shop folds within three months!”
Li Yundong was furious, but a faint, cold smile remained fixed on his face. He said, “When you get old, you should retire peacefully; don't go around causing trouble. I promise you, within three months, I will uproot you completely! Make you worse off than a stray dog by the roadside!”
“You! Fine, you’ve got guts!” Zhao Yougen roared in anger, stamping his foot with clenched teeth. Ignoring the two women beside him, he spun around and bolted out of the shop.
The two heavily made-up, attractive women exchanged an awkward glance, then furtively glanced at Li Yundong. They had witnessed Li Yundong being provoked and humiliated repeatedly by Zhao Yougen. Although he had shown anger, he managed to strictly control his emotions. Not only did he control them, but his sharp verbal retorts had utterly infuriated and embarrassed Zhao Yougen. Setting aside everything else, this level of self-control and composure far surpassed everyone else their age they had ever seen, perhaps even surpassing some superficially successful men.
Especially Li Yundong, standing there with the imposing presence of a stable mountain, radiating an innate authority that others could not approach. Su Chan and Ziyuan stood on either side of him, like the moon attended by stars.
For a moment, the two worldly women dared not leave, standing rooted, unsure whether to stay or go.
Seeing their embarrassed and awkward state, Li Yundong, though despising their self-degrading behavior, still pitied their current plight. He barked, “What are you still standing here for? Waiting for me to treat you to a meal?”
The two women acted as if suddenly granted amnesty and fled the shop. Once outside, they looked left and right, but Zhao Yougen was nowhere in sight. The sharp-featured woman immediately burst out cursing, “That son of a bitch, is he even a man? A total piece of trash, abandoning us two weak women! Damn it, Zhao, you bastard, may you be born without an anus! Heaven will deal with you sooner or later!”
The round-faced woman was gentler in temperament. She sighed helplessly, “Forget it, it’s not the first day you’ve known his personality. Aren't we just trying to make a living?”
The sharp-featured woman spat viciously onto the ground, “What garbage! He has no ability himself, so he takes it out on us!”
The round-faced woman sighed, supporting the sharp-featured beauty as they slowly walked down the pedestrian street. As she walked, she murmured mournfully, “Who told us we are women of the pleasure quarters? Who takes women of the pleasure quarters seriously? Sigh, actually, we chose this path ourselves. Back when I was in college, my boyfriend treated me well, but he was just too poor. I dumped him because I thought he lacked the ability to support me, and that’s how I ended up down this road. I used to think latching onto a rich man was imposing and prestigious. Heh, now I see those rich men don’t see us as people at all; we’re just playthings. Like today—tossed aside, abandoned at a moment's notice!”
The sharp-featured woman’s beautiful eyes flashed with malice and hatred. She gritted her teeth and said, “Hmph, if that Zhao ever falls into my hands, then…”
The round-faced woman was startled by the viciousness in her companion’s eyes and quickly tried to persuade her, “Don’t be foolish. What can we weak women do against him? Just let him fight that young man surnamed Li! I think that handsome guy surnamed Li has an extraordinary aura; Manager Zhao might not beat him!”
The sharp-featured woman laughed coldly, “Nonsense! Zhao only preys on the weak and fears the strong. He isn’t even worth one of that handsome man’s hairs. Hmph. If that handsome man wanted me, I’d pack my dowry and follow him without a second thought!”
The round-faced woman chuckled sarcastically, “Stop joking. Didn’t you see those two absolute stunners beside him were still virgins? He has those two top-tier women right there and won’t touch them, yet he’d want leftovers and damaged goods like us?”
The sharp-featured woman was first furious, glaring fiercely at her companion, but soon deflated like a leaky balloon. She sighed softly and said, “Ah, if I could just spend one night with that handsome man, I’d gladly trade ten years of my life for it.”
As her words faded, Zhao Yougen suddenly materialized beside her like a ghost, saying coldly, “What did you just say?”
Although the sharp-featured and round-faced women had cursed Zhao Yougen privately and gnashed their teeth in hatred, they had spent a considerable time by his side. Under his long-established intimidation, seeing him suddenly appear terrified them into silence.
The sharp-featured woman noticed the sinister, resentful glare in Zhao Yougen’s eyes and instinctively raised a hand to shield her face, shouting, “Don’t hit my face, don’t hit my face!”
Zhao Yougen punched her down to the ground, roaring, “You cheap slut, isn't your face the only valuable thing you have? If I don’t hit your face, where should I hit? Damn it, let go! I’ll beat you to death! If I disfigure you, I’ll compensate you!”
The sharp-featured woman curled into a ball, desperately protecting her face with both hands, enduring Zhao Yougen’s kicks and punches.
The round-faced woman cried out loudly, begging, “Manager Zhao, stop hitting her! You’ll kill someone!”
Bystanders who couldn't bear to watch shouted, “Hey, why are you hitting a woman!”
Zhao Yougen whipped his head around, his eyes bloodshot, and roared, “It’s none of your business who I beat! I’m hitting my own woman!”
Seeing his aggressive demeanor and terrifying expression, the onlookers were momentarily cowed into silence, none daring to intervene further.
The round-faced woman, realizing pleas were useless, suddenly threw herself over the sharp-featured woman, crying out, “Manager Zhao, hit me instead if you must, just stop hitting her! She’s going to die!”
Zhao Yougen was enraged. He kicked the round-faced woman squarely in the face, sending blood spurting, and screamed, “You two shameless bitches, get lost! I never want to see either of you again!”
With a final snort, he turned and strode away angrily.
After a long while, the two women, collapsed on the cold ground, slowly managed to scramble up. Supporting each other, they limped away under the stares of the surrounding crowd, leaving behind only a pool of blood and a swath of indifferent gazes.
========================================= Returning to Shenzhen today, an early update~ D