Chapter Seventy-Eight: Brother Cat

Ye Wentian thought for a moment before replying, “Because those who offend the majesty of China will be punished, no matter how far they run. And because you yourself are a child of China, you also bear this responsibility!”

Long Fei nodded in agreement; it was a good reason. In fact, the thought of heading to Japan to wreak havoc thrilled him—he’d dreamed of doing something like this.

“Is the headquarters of the Black Dragon Society really that hard to find?” Long Fei grinned wickedly, a glint of anticipation in his eyes.

Ye Wentian’s heart skipped a beat. “The Black Dragon Society’s base isn’t hard to find, but I know their true backing comes from the Iga and Koga ninja clans. So your main task this time is to deal with those two organizations.”

Long Fei was surprised as well—Ye Wentian clearly knew a great deal, and his subordinates must be highly efficient. Long Fei had heard of the Iga and Koga before; they were the two most famous ninja schools in Japan, each with a history stretching back centuries, perhaps even a thousand years. For one man to take them on alone would not be easy.

Seeing Long Fei frown, Ye Wentian smiled. “Don’t worry, I’m not asking you to wipe out both schools. Even as powerful as you are, that’s probably impossible. I just want you to teach them a lesson. Besides, Gouzi and Iron Ox will be coming to Tianhai soon—they can go to Japan with you!”

So this was all about making a show of strength. Long Fei relaxed at last, but when he heard that Iron Ox and Gouzi would be coming to Tianhai, he immediately asked, “What did you say? Iron Ox and Gouzi are coming here?”

Ye Wentian smiled. “Of course. From now on, they’ll be by your side. I hope you won’t disappoint us.”

Long Fei stared at Ye Wentian with a strange expression, feeling somewhat shaken. He realized he had underestimated this man—Ye Wentian seemed to know far more than he did himself.

“You don’t have to look at me like that,” Ye Wentian said calmly. “What I know goes far beyond this. Let me give you another hint. Sending you to Japan isn’t just about revenge. I’ve already had news of the disc leaked, and before long, experts from all over the world—including America—will head to Japan to search for it. We need to make a show as well. Once this matter is settled, you’ll need to make a trip to Yan Capital.”

“To Yan Capital?” Long Fei was taken aback. “What for?”

“Don’t you want to know the secret of the Azure Dragon Ring? When you return, I’ll tell you, little by little. The trip to Yan Capital is absolutely necessary, but the time isn’t right. The waters there are deep—if you go too soon, you might get dragged in and never escape. Trust me, everything I do is for your own good,” Ye Wentian said with a wry smile.

Long Fei was silent for a moment. “Why are you helping me?”

“Because I owe a debt of gratitude—a debt so great it’s beyond repaying. I once swore that as long as he needed me, I would never hesitate to help, even if it cost me my life. That person asked me to help you, so I will.” Ye Wentian’s voice softened as he fell into reminiscence.

Long Fei didn’t probe further, but his respect for Ye Wentian grew.

A man who knows the meaning of gratitude could not be a bad man.

“Oh, right. If I go to Japan, what about Ye Qian’s safety?” Long Fei stared intently at Ye Wentian, not blinking once.

Ye Wentian didn’t seem to notice his gaze. “Isn’t Phoenix still here?”

Long Fei’s eyes suddenly turned sharp, his presence dark and threatening. “You seem to know quite a lot. What else do you know?”

Startled by Long Fei’s aura, Ye Wentian quickly collected himself and smiled faintly. “I also know there’s a beautiful woman in India with a special status who is close to you. And the girl from the Yang family is deeply in love with you. But don’t worry. I do know a lot about you, but not as much as you imagine. Besides, I never talk about your affairs with anyone but you, and as I said, everything I do is to help you. You understand that, don’t you?”

Long Fei stared at him for a long time before finally calming down. “You’re clever. But I hope you don’t forget what you said today. If you fail, I’ll make you pay. I believe someone like you is smart enough to understand.”

Ye Wentian found it hard to breathe, but he forced himself to remain calm. “I understand.”

That entire afternoon, Ye Qian did everything she could to stick close to Long Fei, her affection making even Qi Yufei and his wife frown. Especially Ye Wentian—on his way to the office he glared fiercely at Ye Qian, but she didn’t care in the slightest. Long Fei, on the other hand, found the exchange rather amusing.

Knowing that Iron Ox and Gouzi would soon arrive, Long Fei was in high spirits, so he didn’t refuse Ye Qian’s minor requests.

That night, Ye Wentian came home and the four of them had dinner together. Long Fei noticed that Ye Wentian and Qi Yufei still slept separately. This made Long Fei secretly happy—he couldn’t bear the thought of a woman as exquisite as Qi Yufei being touched by any man, for he believed there wasn’t a man in the world truly worthy of her, except perhaps himself. Aside from the age gap, he shamelessly felt he was a good match for her.

The next morning, unexpectedly, Liu Ruoyi called, inviting Long Fei to go shopping with her. He was both excited and surprised.

But Ye Qian, who had been lurking nearby, heard the conversation clearly. So when Long Fei was about to leave, she insisted on coming along. Truth be told, Long Fei didn’t want to bring her, but under her relentless coaxing and threats, he couldn’t refuse. He didn’t want his secrets exposed, after all. Still, before they left, Long Fei struck a gentleman’s agreement with her: when they met Liu Ruoyi, she was not allowed to make trouble or reveal their relationship, lest it ruin his plans to pursue Liu Ruoyi.

Ye Qian agreed on the surface, but secretly she was delighted. She was no gentleman, and neither was Long Fei, so this so-called gentleman’s agreement was meaningless—she never intended to keep it. What she cared about was how to sabotage Long Fei’s plans; she absolutely couldn’t let him and Liu Ruoyi get together. She’d forgotten, for the moment, that it was Liu Ruoyi who had taken the initiative to invite Long Fei.

The Ferrari was too flashy, so Long Fei decided to take Qi Yufei’s BMW. Even that car was quite impressive and hardly discreet. Before leaving, he dressed himself up until even he thought he looked irresistible.

Ye Qian was quiet on the way, clearly in a bad mood. Long Fei knew why, but felt no guilt—the rule that she couldn’t interfere in his private life had been made clear before he agreed to be her boyfriend. He considered himself quite the gentleman for laying down the law up front.

When it comes to matters of the heart, one should never deceive. Even if you’re going to cheat, you should be honest about being married, to avoid raising false hopes and unnecessary trouble.

Liu Ruoyi had been waiting at the school gate for some time. Today she wore a pink short-sleeved T-shirt, with a beautiful bow in the middle that accentuated her ample figure. Below, she wore dark blue jeans, cinched at the waist to emphasize her perfect shape—especially her alluring curves. Her little white shoes were the finishing touch, with a few unpainted toenails peeking out, tempting one to steal a kiss.

It was the weekend, and many students were coming and going at the school gate. Long Fei’s tardiness made Liu Ruoyi a striking figure, a unique and beautiful sight.

A tree standing tall in the forest will catch the wind, and a beauty among the crowd will always attract pursuit.

These words couldn’t be truer. Had Long Fei known that his extra minutes spent preening at home nearly caused Liu Ruoyi to be harassed by a few thugs, he would have bitterly regretted it.

But what he never expected, ultimately happened.

“Cat, look at that babe—she’s a knockout!” Not far from the entrance to Jiaoda University, a group of young men loitered by the roadside. One, sporting a spiky haircut, nudged a bald companion excitedly, pointing at Liu Ruoyi standing at the school gate.

The bald man was nicknamed Cat not because of his looks, but for his nocturnal habits—out at night, stealing, gambling, drinking, and whoring. His irregular hours earned him the nickname Night Owl, which was shortened to Cat.