Chapter 093: Wang Jianming’s Invitation

Luo Feng was stunned at once. He asked what I needed him to do. His face was full of confusion. Just a moment ago, I had still been talking with Wang Yazhuo, and in the next, I was asking Luo Feng for help.

Luo Feng did not refuse. My affairs usually mattered to him even more than his own; he was only bewildered. Frowning, he asked, “Didn’t you tell me not to go out for the time being?”

“You don’t need to go out,” I said.

The confusion on Luo Feng’s face deepened. “If I’m not going out, how am I supposed to help you?”

I smiled. “By phone.”

With that, I tossed him the phone. I was no longer wasting time. I told Luo Feng to have the brothers in the Harbor District begin monitoring media reports and public opinion in the local entertainment circle at once. Anything involving Z, I wanted to know about immediately.

Wang Yazhuo had already spread the rumor about Z keeping a Kuman Thong to several coastal cities, and before long the news had even reached the Harbor District. This time, the rumor was even more convincing, even more vicious than before, and the local media there had far greater freedom. It was certain to stir up another storm of public opinion around Z’s alleged Kuman Thong worship. The momentum would surely be stronger than any previous wave.

Luo Feng immediately made a call to the Harbor District as I instructed. After hanging up, Chen Fan finally asked what I was really trying to do. Wang Yazhuo was also staring at me. She had already asked once when she agreed to help me, but I had not told her then either. I told them to wait a little longer, and said that if nothing came of it, I might as well keep my mouth shut.

Wang Yazhuo scratched her head, looking somewhat frustrated. Luo Feng knew me well, so he did not ask further.

We chatted for a while longer when the doorbell rang again. This time, the one who came was a man I had seen before. I had seen him in the Wang family’s courtyard house. He had been the one who received us at first, though I had not paid him much attention. If Wang Yazhuo had not called his name, I might not have remembered him at all.

The man who had come was Sun Yuxiao.

It was obvious Sun Yuxiao had been in the underworld for many years. He carried himself with a certain aura, not the crude swagger of a street thug, but the bearing of a gang leader, much like Luo Feng. Sun Yuxiao greeted only Luo Feng as Brother Feng. He did not bother with anyone else, myself included.

When Wang Yazhuo saw Sun Yuxiao, she immediately asked what he was there for. Her tone toward him was very poor, and she snapped at him, asking whether he had been tailing her again. Sun Yuxiao shook his head and said he had been sent by Wang Jianming. Wang Yazhuo’s shoulders trembled, and with a complicated expression she said, “Grandfather has come back?”

Sun Yuxiao gave a definite answer. “Master Ming asked me to take you back. He heard that Miss has been running all over the place these past few days and is rather angry. Several servants have already been beaten bloody by Master Ming.”

Wang Yazhuo shot to her feet. “Did you people gossip in front of Grandfather?”

On the surface, Sun Yuxiao remained extremely respectful to Wang Yazhuo, but he did not shrink back because of her temper. Luo Feng watched the two of them as if it were some kind of spectacle. Quietly, he told me that Sun Yuxiao held great power in the Wang family, almost second only to Wang Jianming himself, which was why he could speak to Wang Yazhuo with such confidence.

But Luo Feng also found it strange. According to rumor, Sun Yuxiao was usually very good to this young lady of the Wang family, and people often said that he liked Wang Yazhuo. Yet today he was speaking to her in this manner, which meant Wang Jianming was probably truly furious, and not a little.

“Who doesn’t know that Wang Jianming dotes on Wang Yazhuo?” Luo Feng muttered. “He may be strict sometimes, but I’ve never heard of him losing his temper with her.”

Sun Yuxiao once again gave Wang Yazhuo a respectful nod. “Miss, please come back with me. Master Ming ordered that you be brought back within an hour, or all of us will be punished.”

The Wang family’s way of addressing one another had an old-world elegance to it; one could tell at a glance that they were a rather traditional family. Wang Yazhuo clenched her teeth. She seemed to have realized how serious the matter was, and so she did not refuse again. Turning back, she waved at us and said she would come find us again when she had the chance.

But before Wang Yazhuo could finish speaking, Sun Yuxiao spoke again. “Master Ming also instructed me to invite Brother Feng to sit in the courtyard for a while.”

Luo Feng was stunned at first, but he quickly recovered. He asked Sun Yuxiao why Wang Jianming wanted to see him. Sun Yuxiao remained courteous in his reply to Luo Feng, saying he did not know either, that he was only passing along a message. Luo Feng pointed to his chest and said he had injuries and it was inconvenient for him to go out.

The police were already watching Luo Feng. If Luo Feng met with Wang Jianming at a time like this, the police would only become more suspicious. Wang Jianming operated in secrecy, but that did not mean the police were completely unaware; they simply lacked evidence. In that respect, Luo Feng was in a somewhat similar position.

Sun Yuxiao shook his head. “Brother Feng, this is Master Ming’s order. You know his temper. I hope you won’t make things difficult for me.”

Luo Feng was starting to lose patience. “Damn it, by the sound of that, am I just supposed to go with you to the Wang family today no matter what?”

Sun Yuxiao’s words had already put Luo Feng on guard. Yet Sun Yuxiao’s expression did not change at all. Wang Yazhuo also asked, “Why is Grandfather asking for Luo Feng?”

Sun Yuxiao still shook his head. “Miss, I really don’t know.”

When Luo Feng refused, Sun Yuxiao actually remained standing there and would not leave. Luo Feng’s expression darkened, and his men were already itching to move, but Sun Yuxiao still stood motionless. I smiled faintly and said, “You’ve got a lot of nerve. Coming alone and still determined to take Luo Feng with you—what exactly are you so confident about?”

At last, Sun Yuxiao looked at me directly. His expression did not change. “We are all people from the same world. I am simply following Master Ming’s order and inviting Brother Feng to the courtyard for dinner. You wouldn’t lay hands on me, would you? None of us are street thugs. If word gets out, it won’t sound good.”

Luo Feng was thoroughly enraged. He grabbed an ashtray and hurled it at Sun Yuxiao’s head, but Sun Yuxiao had good reflexes and dodged it. Luo Feng sprang to his feet. “How the hell is that an invitation? Is that how you invite someone?”

“Brother Feng,” Sun Yuxiao said, “when I left, Master Ming had already told the kitchen to prepare the food. Master Ming is not in a very good mood today. If I can’t bring you back, I’m afraid I’ll be punished.”

Luo Feng was about to say more, but I stopped him. At a time like this, Luo Feng absolutely could not leave, let alone meet someone like Wang Jianming. But the legendary Wang Jianming did seem somewhat odd today, and it was impossible to tell whether he was planning something against Luo Feng.

I thought it over and told Luo Feng I would go in his place.

Luo Feng was stunned, then lowered his voice and said he was afraid I might be in danger.

I quietly told Luo Feng that I wanted to see what Wang Jianming was really up to. Besides, if no one went back with Sun Yuxiao today, he might really refuse to leave. I told Luo Feng not to worry about me, and that even if Wang Jianming meant to target us, he would not dare to make an open move.

After thinking for a moment, Luo Feng agreed.

At first, Sun Yuxiao was somewhat troubled, but when he saw the hour was almost up and Luo Feng still had no intention of going with him, he could only agree reluctantly. Sun Yuxiao and Wang Yazhuo went out first. Luo Feng deliberately kept me behind and repeatedly warned me to be careful, even slipping a gun into my hand when no one was looking.

I told him not to worry. After handing the little one over to Luo Feng, I got into Sun Yuxiao’s car.

Wang Yazhuo and I sat in the back seat. She kept her head lowered and did not look to be in a very good mood. Sun Yuxiao, meanwhile, kept glancing at me through the rearview mirror. As we neared the Wang family’s courtyard house, he asked me what relationship I had with Luo Feng. I answered with only two words: brothers.

He had already heard me call Luo Feng by his name before, so he did not press further.

After the car stopped, Sun Yuxiao led me into the Wang family’s courtyard house. On my second visit, I could still smell the wooden fragrance of the beams and pillars. Once inside the main hall, I saw an elderly man with graying hair seated in the place of honor. It was obvious that he was Wang Jianming. He was holding a tobacco pipe, and when I stepped inside, he was still lowering his head, smoking.

The instant he lifted his head, my eyes narrowed slightly.

I had seen this man before.