Su Lin looked at Xia Bingyu with a deadpan, serious expression.
"Actually, it's nothing major. It's just that Sister Bingyu's company hit a bottleneck with its new product development and hasn't been able to launch anything successfully."
"On the other hand, the Wang Group's new products have become an overnight sensation, causing Sister Bingyu's market share to shrink day by day."
Lin Feixuan spoke up to explain the situation.
"So that's all it is. I remember you mentioning this to me before, Wifey."
"Wifey, wait here for a moment. Just leave this to me!"
Hearing Lin Feixuan finish, Su Lin patted his chest, turned around, and began rummaging through the living room.
"Hey, what on earth are you doing?"
Lin Feixuan asked, completely baffled.
"You'll see in a minute."
Su Lin tossed the reply over his shoulder.
Before long, Su Lin found some paper and a pen in the living room and started writing away.
Once he finished, Su Lin walked right up and placed the paper in front of Xia Bingyu: "Wifey, I remember you run a beauty company, right?"
"These right here are two beauty formulas I wrote down. If you manufacture these, they will absolutely crush whatever the Wang Group is selling!"
Lin Feixuan was instantly intrigued: "What kind of product could possibly be that amazing?"
"Don't listen to his nonsense. Beauty products aren't just some ordinary recipes—how could anyone just write them up like that?"
Xia Bingyu shook her head, clearly not believing a word of it.
"Sister Bingyu, I actually think Su Lin is pretty reliable. You won't know if you don't try, right?"
Lin Feixuan glanced at Su Lin and urged her.
Xia Bingyu looked slightly surprised; she hadn't expected Lin Feixuan to speak up for Su Lin.
"Alright then, I'll give it a try when I get the chance."
"I'm a bit tired, so I'll skip breakfast and head straight to my room to rest."
Xia Bingyu casually slipped the formula Su Lin had written into her bag and turned back toward her bedroom.
Seeing her leave, Su Lin prepared to head to his own room as well.
"Su Lin, do you have time tomorrow?"
Lin Feixuan suddenly blocked his path.
"What is it?"
Su Lin eyed Lin Feixuan with suspicion.
Whenever she asked a question like that, it practically guaranteed nothing good was coming.
"Well, seeing as you saved Yuqing today, she wants to treat you to dinner tomorrow to thank you."
Lin Feixuan explained, then added with a hint of displeasure: "Why are you looking at me like that? Do you really think I'd try something on you?"
"Who's to say? A guy as handsome as me—it's only natural for you to have wicked thoughts."
"After all, I might still remember the fact that you slept with me last time and didn't pay!"
Su Lin retorted, thoroughly annoyed!
"Cut the crap, are you going or not?!"
Lin Feixuan asked, fighting back her rising anger.
"Of course I'm going! Free food is free food!"
Su Lin agreed without hesitation.
"Good. Wait for me tomorrow morning, and I'll take you there!"
With that instruction, Lin Feixuan turned on her heel and left.
If she kept talking to Su Lin any longer, she was afraid she wouldn't be able to stop herself from hitting him!
The next morning, when Su Lin got up and came out to the living room, Xia Bingyu had already left for work.
After a quick breakfast, Su Lin waited around the living room for Lin Feixuan.
It wasn't until ten o'clock that Lin Feixuan finally sauntered out of her bedroom, stretching lazily.
"Didn't you say you were taking me out to eat? Why are you coming out so late?"
Su Lin couldn't help complaining as he looked at her.
"We're having lunch, why are you in such a rush?"
Lin Feixuan shot Su Lin an annoyed look.
After a brief wash-up, she finally led Su Lin out the door.
Twenty minutes later.
Lin Feixuan brought Su Lin to a restaurant called Jufu Restaurant.
Reaching the door of a private dining room, Lin Feixuan pushed it open and walked right in.
Su Lin followed her inside and discovered that sitting alongside Jiang Yuqing was a young man!
Seeing Su Lin enter, the young man hurried over and introduced himself enthusiastically: "You must be Mr. Su! My name is Jiang Yufeng, Yuqing's older brother, and also the president of the Jiang City University Martial Arts Club..."
"Goodbye!"
Hearing that Jiang Yufeng was the president of the Martial Arts Club, Su Lin cut him off mid-sentence and turned around to leave without the slightest hesitation!
Jiang Yufeng's smile froze on his face. Clearly, he hadn't expected Su Lin to walk out straight away.
"Su Lin, we agreed to come eat—why are you in such a rush to leave?"
Lin Feixuan stepped forward and blocked Su Lin's path.
"You said we were coming to eat, so why did you invite this Martial Arts Club president along? You're just trying to drag me into the club!"
Su Lin glared at Lin Feixuan in annoyance.
"Mr. Su, this has nothing to do with my sister or Ms. Lin. I heard you were coming and insisted on tagging along."
"If I've ruined your appetite, please accept my apologies."
Jiang Yufeng walked over looking apologetic.
"In that case, are you leaving or am I?"
Su Lin asked bluntly.
"This..."
Jiang Yufeng was instantly too awkward for words; he honestly hadn't anticipated Su Lin holding such deep hostility toward him.
"Su Lin! What kind of attitude is that? President Jiang came all this way out of admiration for you, and you're chasing him away? Isn't that a bit impolite?!"
Lin Feixuan was displeased with Su Lin's attitude.
"Fine. I'll let him stay and eat, but not a single word about getting me to join the Martial Arts Club!"
Su Lin thought it over and laid down a condition.
"Alright, deal."
Jiang Yufeng forced a bitter smile and agreed.
To be fair, he *did* have that intention coming into today.
Yet Su Lin's condition completely blocked off every avenue he had planned to bring up.
Still, Jiang Yufeng knew you couldn't force these things; he would just have to figure out another way later.
Seeing Jiang Yufeng agree, Su Lin dropped the subject of leaving and sat down alongside Lin Feixuan.
"Mr. Su, thank you so much for yesterday. If you hadn't saved me, I honestly don't know what would have happened!"
"I can't drink alcohol, so I'll substitute tea for wine and toast you. I hope you don't mind!"
Jiang Yuqing picked up a cup of tea, tilted her head back, and downed it in one go.
"No need to be so formal. Besides, we're about the same age, so you don't need to call me Mr. Su—it sounds way too awkward. If you don't mind, just call me Big Brother Su."
Su Lin smiled warmly at Jiang Yuqing.
"Okay, Big Brother Su!"
Jiang Yuqing obediently complied.
With that, the group started their meal.
During lunch, Jiang Yufeng tried to break into the conversation several times, but ultimately bit his tongue, terrified of leaving a bad impression on Su Lin.
The meal was fast approaching its end, and just as Jiang Yufeng had mustered up the courage to cozy up to Su Lin, his phone suddenly rang.
At the sound, everyone's gazes instinctively shifted toward him.
Jiang Yufeng offered an apologetic smile, pulled out his phone, and answered the call right at the table.
But the moment he heard what was being said on the other end, Jiang Yufeng roared out in fury: "What did you say?!"
"Those guys from the Karate Club went to the Martial Arts Club to stir up trouble again, and they brought two experts with them? They injured all the club members?!"
"Fine, I know! I'm heading back to the Martial Arts Club right now!"
Hanging up the phone and completely forgetting about cozying up to Su Lin, Jiang Yufeng stood up and said, "Apologies, everyone, something's come up at the Martial Arts Club and I need to handle it. I have to step out first!"
"Brother, is it that bunch of Dongying bastards making trouble again? I'm coming with you!"
Jiang Yuqing jumped to her feet as well!
"Alright, fine."
Jiang Yufeng nodded.
No matter what, Jiang Yuqing was also a member of the Martial Arts Club; it was only right that she face this alongside them!
"Feixuan, you guys go ahead and finish eating. I'm going to go help my brother deal with the Martial Arts Club, and I'll get in touch with you once it's sorted!"
After bidding farewell to Lin Feixuan, Jiang Yuqing hurried away.
Lin Feixuan watched the two of them leave, then couldn't help turning to Su Lin, who remained completely indifferent: "Hey! Aren't you going to go help out?"
"The Martial Arts Club has nothing to do with me. Why would I go help?"
Su Lin wore a look of utter detachment.
"Su Lin, you heard them—the ones causing trouble are that group of Dongying thugs from last time. You're the one who offended them in the first place, so this mess is basically on you!"
Lin Feixuan argued righteously!
"You're the one who made me act as your human shield and started all of this in the first place. So it's your fault."
Su Lin retorted without missing a beat.
"I..."
Lin Feixuan was instantly lost for words.
But a moment later, as if struck by a sudden thought, she let out a soft huff, abruptly stood up, and said: "Fine, do whatever you want then. I'm going over there anyway!"
"Because no matter what, I am a citizen of Longxia, and I will never stand by and watch Longxia's own people get bullied like this by these little Japs!"
"And I certainly won't stand by and watch Longxia's martial arts be belittled and humiliated by Dongying people just to become their laughingstock!"
Su Lin couldn't help letting out a sigh. Although he knew Xia Bingyu was using reverse psychology on him, he had to admit—it worked like a charm!
"Alright, fine. You said all that just to goad me into it. I'll go with you, happy now?!"
Su Lin shook his head helplessly.
"I knew you'd come around. Let's go!"
A look of joy flashed across Lin Feixuan's face as she grabbed Su Lin and pulled him straight out of the restaurant.
By the time they got outside, Jiang Yuqing and Jiang Yufeng were already long gone, leaving Lin Feixuan with no choice but to drive Su Lin toward the Martial Arts Club as fast as she could.
Meanwhile.
Inside the first-floor training hall of the Jiang City University Martial Arts Club.
Virtually all the club members lay strewn across the floor, groaning in agony.
All their limbs had been broken, and several were drenched in blood, clearly having been subjected to brutal torture.
Inoue Yamato sat in a wheelchair, spat contemptuously, and sneered: "A bunch of trash! Chink pigs! Daring to go against us Dongying people—this is what you get!"
"You little Japs, don't get cocky! Once our president gets here, he won't let you off!"
Even heavily injured, the Martial Arts Club members refused to yield as they gritted their teeth and shouted back!
"Hmph! Stubborn to the bitter end!"
Inoue Yamato let out a cold, icy sneer: "If your president is really so amazing, why hasn't he shown his face? Could it be he turned out to be a coward hiding in his shell?"
"Though I suppose that's to be expected. After all, you Longxia people are nothing but cowards; why else would you be called the sick men of Asia? Hahaha!"
Pushed to the absolute limit by those words, the Martial Arts Club members ignited with fiery rage, their eyes turning bloodshot as they roared:
"Just you wait, Jap! When our president gets back, he's going to beat you until you're begging for your daddy!"
"Damn Dongying, you're nothing compared to Longxia!"
"Longxia people aren't the sick men of Asia—you Dongying scum are nothing more than our defeated foes!"
Seeing that these club members still dared to mouth off to him in this state, Inoue Yamato laughed out of sheer fury: "Very well! Since you've got so much faith in your president, I'll give you a chance!"
"If your president manages to get here within ten minutes, I'll spare you all."
"If he doesn't show up, I'll kill one of you every ten minutes until every last one of you is dead!"
With that, Inoue Yamato pulled out his phone and started a countdown!
Ten minutes passed in a flash.
"Time's up. Your president still hasn't shown up—looks like he's firmly committed to playing the coward."
"In that case, I have no choice but to start with you lot. Let's kill this one first!"
Inoue Yamato casually pointed at a Martial Arts Club member.
Swish!
Standing right behind Inoue Yamato, the two men in black fixed cold, merciless gazes on that member the moment they received their orders!
Though fear pierced through him under that stare, the club member showed not the slightest intention of begging for mercy. He shouted loudly, "If you've got the guts, kill me! In twenty years, I'll still be a hero!"
"Well then, I'll just have to grant your wish."
The man in black standing to Inoue Yamato's left uttered a raspy voice, drew a kunai from his belt, and slowly approached the kneeling student.
Just as he raised his weapon to strike, a furious roar suddenly echoed through the room: "Stop right there!!"
At the sound of that voice, relief washed over the faces of the injured club members as they whipped their heads toward the entrance: "President!"
"You Dongying bastards are completely lawless! Did you really think our Martial Arts Club was yours to bully?"
Jiang Yufeng strode in with Jiang Yuqing, taking in the horrific state of his subordinates before casting an icy glare at Inoue Yamato.
"So you're the president of the Martial Arts Club. I thought you were going to hide in your shell forever!"
Inoue Yamato sneered mockingly.
"Cut the crap! You people owe the Martial Arts Club an explanation for what happened today, or this isn't over!"
Jiang Yufeng was completely enraged by Inoue Yamato!
"A pathetic, lowly Longxia dog asking me for an explanation? I'm afraid you don't have the strength for it!"
Inoue Yamato let out a contemptuous laugh and signaled his two subordinates with a glance!
In an instant, both men in black charged toward Jiang Yufeng simultaneously, moving in to box him in!
Not daring to let his guard down, Jiang Yufeng threw out both palms at once, trying to force them back!
Seeing this, the two men in black let out a pair of scornful huffs and struck out with their own palms!
Bang!
Four palms collided, and Jiang Yufeng couldn't even hold his ground for a single exchange before coughing up a mouthful of blood and flying backward through the air.
Of course, this wasn't because he was weak; it was simply because the two men in black were monstrously strong.
They weren't even on the same level!
There was zero comparison!
"Brother!"
Seeing Jiang Yufeng get injured, Jiang Yuqing rushed over to check on him in a panic!
The color drained entirely from the faces of the remaining club members. They hadn't imagined that even their president, Jiang Yufeng, couldn't withstand a single blow from these Dongying thugs!
Inoue Yamato grew even more arrogant at the sight. He wheeled himself right up to Jiang Yufeng: "Now do you realize how terrifying we Dongying people are? I'll ask you just once—do you submit or not?"
"Never!"
Jiang Yufeng gritted his teeth, showing not the slightest hint of surrender.
"Heh, you've got some backbone, alright. Let's just see how long you can keep that up."
A cruel smile curved across Inoue Yamato's lips as he cast a glance at his two henchmen: "Grab that woman!"
Swish! Swish!
Moving like phantoms, the two men appeared beside Jiang Yuqing instantly, subduing her before she could even react.
"What do you think you're doing? Let my sister go right now!"
Jiang Yufeng's eyes instantly flooded with a web of blood vessels.
"Longxia pig, I'll give you one last chance. Just kowtow three times, call me 'Grandpa', and admit that the Martial Arts Club is a pile of trash, and I'll let you all go."
"Otherwise, I'm going to strip your sister's clothes off right here, and every single member of our Karate Club is going to take turns tasting what she has to offer."
"Tsk tsk, I bet that scene's going to feel amazing. I wonder if you'd like to watch?"
Inoue Yamato licked his lips, his expression twisting into something deeply depraved!
"You dare! Even as a ghost, I, Jiang Yufeng, will never let you off!"
Jiang Yufeng let out a roar like a wounded beast!
"Still running your mouth? To use you Longxia people's own phrase, you really are stubborn to the bitter end!"
"Since that's how it is, I'm adding another condition: hand over that punk who crippled me last time!"
"If you can't do that, I'll post videos of your sister beneath us Dongying men all over the internet so everyone can see her acting like a bitch in heat!"
Inoue Yamato's expression grew increasingly unhinged!
"Brother, don't you dare agree to him! We Longxia people would rather die than ever bow down to Dongying scum!"
Unable to bear the coercion any longer, Jiang Yuqing prepared to bite her tongue and end her own life right then and there!
But before she could even move, the Dongying expert standing beside her smashed a fist straight into her stomach, sending her collapsing to the floor.
"Trying to commit suicide? How naive."
"In front of us Dongying people, without my permission, you don't even have the right to die!"
Inoue Yamato let out a dismissive huff.
Then, he turned back to Jiang Yufeng: "Well? Have you made up your mind?"
Jiang Yufeng's fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white.
Kowtow and call a Dongying man Grandpa?
Even if they killed him, it would never happen!
"Heh, looks like you've chosen to abandon your sister. In that case, don't blame us for being impolite."
With that, Inoue Yamato signaled the two Dongying experts once more.
The pair exchanged grins of vile amusement, simultaneously reaching out to grab Jiang Yuqing.
"Stop right there!"
At that critical juncture, an angry roar rang out.
Lin Feixuan stormed into the room looking furious.
Trailing right behind her was Su Lin, who still looked as lazy and unbothered as ever.
But the moment Su Lin stepped inside the Martial Arts Club and laid eyes on the horrific state of the injured members, his laid-back demeanor vanished instantly, replaced by a gaze of bone-chilling frost!
"Punk, you're finally here. I've been waiting for you!"
The moment Inoue Yamato spotted Su Lin, an expression of ecstatic triumph broke across his face.
He looked like a hunter who had staked out his blind for hours, finally seeing his prey step into the trap!
Inoue Yamato had caused such a massive scene at the Martial Arts Club today for one primary purpose: to draw Su Lin out into the open so he could exact revenge for the humiliation he suffered last time!
"Looks like the lesson I taught you last time wasn't enough. You actually dared to come here and stir up trouble again!"
Su Lin stared coldly at Inoue Yamato!
"Longxia pig, you crippled me in front of all those people last time. Today, I'm going to make you pay it back a hundredfold and turn you into my personal dog!"
Inoue Yamato's expression twisted with ferocious malice!
"Trash like you Dongying scum have the nerve to talk big? Today, I'm going to beat every last one of you into dead dogs!"
Su Lin took a step forward, a violent, surging aura erupting from his frame!
"You're courting death! Kill him!"
Inoue Yamato barked a cold order at the two Dongying experts.
Swish! Swish!
In a flash, both men moved, drawing gleaming, razor-sharp kunai as they prepared to deliver a fatal strike at a moment's notice!
"Just a couple of mere Genin daring to move against me? Today, I'll let you know that ninjas are utterly pathetic in the face of Longxia's martial arts!"
Su Lin saw right through their background at a glance. Instead of dodging, he charged straight toward them head-on!
Watching this unfold, every single member of the Martial Arts Club felt their hearts leap into their throats.
They had all experienced firsthand just how terrifyingly strong these two experts were, and none of them knew if Su Lin could withstand it!
Under everyone's watchful eyes, Su Lin closed the distance to the two Genin in the blink of an eye!
Whoosh! Whoosh!