The name "Third Young Master Lei" echoed through Beijing—not for virtue, but for infamy. Lei Zhengyang was a legend in all the wrong ways.
The police bursting into Room Eight spotted him instantly, and their hearts sank. The Yaochi Club was already beyond their pay grade, but orders from above forced their hand. Now, facing someone even thornier than Yaochi—Lei Zhengyang himself—they were stuck. A notorious playboy, he was deemed a Lei family failure, good only for chasing women. Yet the Leis' towering influence meant even a "stray dog" like him carried weight. Nobody crossed him lightly, lest they provoke the Lei juggernaut.
But this time, Zhengyang had tangled with the Lins.
In Room Four of the Heaven Tower, Xiao Dasheng waited. Tasked by his grandfather to cozy up to Zhengyang, he knew the man's habits too well. If Zhengyang surfaced anywhere, it'd be Yaochi. So, he'd camped out, ready to pounce.
He wasn't wrong. Zhengyang arrived, but before Xiao could greet him, he'd stormed into Room Six—Lin Zhouwei's turf. Xiao knew Lin's deal and hesitated, opting to observe. Then, things spiraled beyond imagination: Zhengyang beat Lin Zhouwei to a pulp.
Lin wasn't a saint. To Xiao, he was worse than Zhengyang—vicious, scheming, and cloaked in a gentleman's smile that fooled the naive. Zhengyang, for all his flaws, was upfront. He owned his actions, no pretense. That candor was why Xiao bet on the Leis over the Lins in Beijing's power games.
Xiao wasn't alone. Li Yuanfeng, another scion hunting for allies, sat with him. Both sought backers for their families, but where Xiao was a soldier with a touch of cunning, Li was a born schemer. In their circle, with Zhengyang as the nominal "lead," Li played the mastermind. Truth be told, neither truly saw Zhengyang as their boss—just a useful front.
"Yuanfeng, we still waiting?" Xiao fidgeted, recalling his grandfather's words: today's Lei Zhengyang wasn't the wastrel of old. The old booze-and-babes camaraderie wouldn't cut it anymore.
Li Yuanfeng, twenty-seven and poised, exuded calm control. Every word and move was measured, as if the world bent to his will. "Dasheng, you're not banking on 'brotherhood,' are you? If so, I won't stop you. I'm here to secure partners for my family. If he's not what I need, I'm not lifting a finger. Besides, I want to see the fireworks when the Leis and Lins collide."
Brotherhood? Pure nonsense. Their ties were built on profit—everyone but Zhengyang knew it.
Li wouldn't budge. The Leis were mighty, but the Lins weren't pushovers. Stepping in now was asking for trouble.
Xiao caught Li's drift. Neither family was one they could afford to cross, so staying invisible was safest. Yet a nagging voice in Xiao's gut screamed this was his shot—align with Zhengyang now, and he could forge a real bond, earning the Leis' favor. It was his grandfather's deepest wish.
Seeing Xiao waver, Li pressed, "Dasheng, plenty of folks are in here, watching the show. The Leis and Lins are giants; we're just kids. We can't do much. Take my advice—stay out, or you'll get crushed."
Li knew Xiao wasn't dumb, and their families had alliance plans, so he offered the warning. Yaochi was packed with onlookers, all hiding, eager for the spectacle.
Xiao gritted his teeth and made his call. He was going out.
"Yuanfeng, you're sharp, but Zhengyang's our 'friend,' at least in name. Even if we can't do much, we should stand by him clearly. And honestly, I despise Lin Zhouwei. Seeing him get wrecked? Damn satisfying."
"You're sure?" Li was stunned. He'd overestimated his read on Xiao, expecting caution, not this boldness. Diving into this mess was reckless.
Xiao didn't answer with words. He opened the door and strode out. As it shut, Li Yuanfeng sat alone in the empty room.
His cold eyes flickered, mind racing. This was a pivotal moment for him and the Li family, but the threads of the situation eluded him, forcing a choice before he was ready. Xiao's move would be noticed—staying neutral might preserve their shaky ties, but it could also let them crumble.
In Room Eight, the gun-toting police faltered, unsure. The trio—two women, one man—barely acknowledged their intrusion, giving zero face.
Leng Youran spoke first, her voice icy. "Some nerve, barging into my Yaochi. Shall I call Chief Song at the city bureau to report this?" Song, the police chief, was a Yaochi regular. The club's steep prices came with unmatched pleasures, drawing even top brass.
Normally, the lead officer would've apologized and backed off, but not today. This order came straight from the ministry—Chief Song himself couldn't override it. In the official world, rank crushed all. A woman's face, even Leng's, meant nothing when your career was on the line. Leng was a merchant with pull, but Zhengyang was a Lei. The Leis weren't just anybody.
The lead officer, choosing tact, explained, "Sorry, Boss Leng. Orders from above report a brawl at Yaochi with serious injuries. We have to act. We checked the scene—Mr. Lin Zhouwei, now awake, says Young Master Lei attacked him. Lei, would you come with us for a statement?"
His tone was as polite as it got. Facing Beijing's most unreasonable scion, he had no desire to provoke him. He wasn't stupid—this was a clash of titans, not something small fries like him could meddle in. But duty left no room to dodge.
Zhengyang glanced up, unimpressed. "I won't make it hard for you, but you're not worth my time. Get someone with real authority. I'm not here to waste my day."
Playing games with these cops? He had zero interest.
A rookie officer, fresh from the academy, bristled. Still naive about the "sacred" police badge bending to privilege, he opened his mouth, only for the captain to silence him. Zhengyang was right—the officer had done his job. Pushing further was asking for humiliation.
The police held the door while the captain reported up the chain. Zhengyang was beyond their reach—let someone bigger deal with him.
Just then, a figure swaggered through the doorway.
"Boss, it's really you! Thought you'd vanished for good. Back and stirring up a storm already, huh? Even the cops are here! Why didn't you tip off your brothers for a show this fun? We could've hyped you up!"
Ignoring the police's attempts to block him, Xiao Dasheng strolled in, his stern demeanor melting into warmth as he faced Zhengyang.