381: Chapter 381 With me here, no one can bully you!

Ye Chen followed Manager Zhou to the end of the corridor and stopped in front of a carved wooden door.

A gold-plated plaque hung above the door.

Three large characters were written on it: Peony Hall.

Manager Zhou knocked gently on the door and said respectfully, "Distinguished guest, Mr. Ye has arrived."

"Come in."

A woman's voice came from inside, as lazy as a cat's.

Manager Zhou pushed the door open and stepped aside. "Mr. Ye, please."

Ye Chen stepped into the private booth.

The booth was large and exquisitely decorated.

In the center was a round table covered with a snow-white tablecloth, set with several delicate dishes that remained untouched.

By the window, a woman sat holding a glass of red wine, her gaze fixed on the night view outside.

She was about thirty years old, wearing a dark green cheongsam that accentuated her curves, with her long hair pinned up to reveal a slender neck.

Ye Chen glanced at her, walked over, and sat down opposite her.

Only then did the woman turn her head, her gaze landing on his face.

Their eyes met.

Ye Chen tilted his head and spoke first, "Do I know you?"

Hearing this, the woman spoke indifferently.

"You didn't a moment ago, but you do now."

"My name is Liu Ruyan."

Ye Chen paused for a moment, then it dawned on him.

"Oh..."

"Liu Rushi, Foreign Affairs Elder of Tianji Pavilion's sister?"

Liu Ruyan nodded slightly.

"It seems you already know."

"I didn't come here to negotiate with you, but to comm—"

Before she could finish...

Ye Chen cut in.

"Are you also here to be a punching bag?"

The smile on Liu Ruyan's face instantly froze.

Her eyes widened, her face filled with bewilderment. "You... what did you say?"

Ye Chen looked at her with an innocent expression.

"A punching bag—as in, a sparring partner."

"Your brother is currently on the field acting as a punching bag, being trained by my hundred and twenty students in turns."

"If you want to join in, I can arrange it."

"But you're a woman, and my students don't know their own strength; I'm afraid it might be inconvenient..."

Ye Chen paused, suddenly glancing at her chest.

"By the way, you probably have implants in there, right?"

"I suggest you have them taken out now, otherwise, something might go wrong during the beating."

"I have a painless removal package here. Would you like to take a look?"

Liu Ruyan's expression changed completely.

A surge of rage rushed from her lower abdomen all the way to her chest.

She, Liu Ruyan, the young mistress of the Zhong Family in Zhejiang Province, had been pampered since childhood and lived a life of luxury after marrying into the Zhong Family. When had she ever been humiliated to her face like this?

A punching bag?

Letting a group of young punks take turns hitting her?

And he saw through her implants at a glance...

Wait!

That wasn't the point—the point was that he actually had the goddamn nerve to recommend a package!

Is this how a human talks???

Liu Ruyan gritted her teeth, squeezing out a few words through the gaps: "Ye Chen, don't go too far!"

Ye Chen leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs with an innocent look.

"Too far?"

"I'm just telling the truth."

"Your brother really is acting as a punching bag. If you don't believe me, I can take you to see him right now."

"As for you, don't you have implants in your body?"

"If I'm not mistaken, they've been in for at least five years, right?"

"It's about time for a replacement!"

Liu Ruyan: "..."

The veins on her hand holding the wine glass bulged.

"A-Si!!!"

Flying into a humiliated rage, she slammed her wine glass onto the table and shouted sharply.

The moment her voice fell...

Swoosh!

A figure suddenly bolted out from the shadows in the corner of the booth!

It was a Middle-aged Man in his forties, dressed in black martial arts attire, with a cold face and eyes as sharp as knives.

His movement was like lightning, crossing several yards in the blink of an eye, striking a palm toward Ye Chen's face!

The wind from his palm whistled!

True Qi surged!

Heavenly Realm!

And it was the Mid-Heaven Realm!

Ye Chen's eyebrows quirked slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

“Oh?”

“You even have a Bodyguard?”

He remained seated, not even standing up, and simply swung a backhand slap out.

Slap!!!

The crisp sound of the slap exploded in the booth!

A-Si's face twisted as he was sent flying, crashing through the wall and rolling outside!

Ye Chen withdrew his hand, looked at Liu Ruyan, and smiled slightly.

"Have you calmed down yet?"

Liu Ruyan's face instantly turned deathly pale.

She stared at the hole in the wall, her mind a complete blank.

A-Si...

Was a personal guard specifically sent by the Zhong Family to protect her!

Mid-Heaven Realm!

In the Secular World, he should have been invincible!

But now...

He was sent flying by Ye Chen's backhand slap, crashing through a wall???

She suddenly snapped back to her senses, staring at Ye Chen with eyes full of terror.

The people from Tianji Pavilion hadn't told her at all that this guy was so strong...

But soon.

She understood Tianji Pavilion's intention.

That bastard organization wanted to drag her into the mess and get the Zhong Family involved!

Ye Chen looked at Liu Ruyan and said indifferently, "Miss Liu, can we talk properly now?"

Liu Ruyan took several deep breaths and gradually calmed down.

She knew...

With things as they were today, brute force wouldn't work.

She gritted her teeth and said in a heavy voice, "Ye Chen, what exactly will it take for you to release my brother?"

Ye Chen tilted his head with an innocent look.

"Release your brother?"

"Miss Liu, the way you put it makes it sound like I'm intentionally detaining your brother."

"I am the Chief Instructor of the Hidden Dragon Pavilion in the Dragon Group, conducting an investigation into organizations suspected of crimes according to the law."

"As an external affairs elder of Tianji Pavilion, I have reason to suspect your brother's involvement, so he is temporarily detained to cooperate with the investigation."

"Once the investigation is over, he will naturally be released."

Upon hearing this, Liu Ruyan's expression became even uglier.

Once the investigation is over?

With the kind of dirty business Tianji Pavilion was involved in, if they really investigated, they wouldn't finish in eight or ten years!

Would her brother ever get out?

She took a deep breath and said with gritted teeth.

"Ye Chen, do you know who I am?"

"I am the young mistress of the Zhong Family in Zhejiang Province!"

"My husband is Zhong Li!"

"If you don't release him, the one you offend won't just be the Zhong Family of Zhejiang!"

She stared intently at Ye Chen, her gaze carrying threats and warnings, "There is also..."

However.

Before she could finish.

Ye Chen cut in again.

"And the Zhong Family of the Kunlun Ruins?"

Liu Ruyan froze, staring at him with wide eyes.

This guy knew?

And he still dared to act like this?

Was he unafraid, or was it intentional???

Ye Chen stretched and continued.

"The Zhong Family of the Kunlun Ruins, I know of them."

"The Zhong Family of Zhejiang, I know of them too."

"But so what?"

"I've even trampled an elder of the Chen family to death; what's one more Zhong Family?"

Liu Ruyan's face darkened, and a flash of shock appeared in her beautiful eyes: "You... you are the Ye Chen who has been causing such a stir in the capital recently?"

Although she was in Zhejiang Province, how could she not have heard the news from the capital?

She just never expected that the legendary ruthless man would be so young!

And...

That he would be the very guy who had detained her brother!

Hearing this, a look of surprise appeared on Ye Chen's face.

"Ah?"

"You came here without even investigating me?"

His tone carried a hint of surprise and confusion, as if saying...

You didn't even figure out who I was before running here to demand I release someone?

Liu Ruyan's expression became even worse.

She indeed hadn't investigated.

The people from Tianji Pavilion had rushed over to report that her brother had been detained as a punching bag. She exploded upon hearing it and charged to Shanghai without a second thought.

She thought that by bringing up the Zhong Family's name, the other party would be scared witless and obediently release him.

But she never imagined the opponent would be that Ye Chen!

That madman who didn't even care about the Chen family!

That monster who trampled even a Heavenly Realm Peak expert to death!

Liu Ruyan stood there, feeling completely unwell.

She stared at Ye Chen, her mind racing with various thoughts.

Those bastards at Tianji Pavilion were pushing her into a fire pit!

Asking her to deal with Ye Chen?

Wasn't that seeking death?

But she was already here, and she'd already spoken her piece. If she backed down now, where would she, Liu Ruyan, put her face?

Where would the Zhong Family's face go?

She took a deep breath, just about to steel herself and speak again...

Suddenly.

Bang!

The door to the booth was pushed open.

Several figures filed in.

The leader was a young man in his early thirties.

He wore a black suit, with a handsome face and an extraordinary aura.

He was the young master of the Zhong Family in Zhejiang and Liu Ruyan's husband—

Zhong Li.

Behind him followed four elders dressed in black martial arts attire.

Each had a deep aura and sharp eyes, clearly expert guards of the Zhong Family.

When Liu Ruyan saw the newcomer, she was first stunned, and then a look of wild joy erupted on her face.

"Brother Li!"

She stood up hurriedly, lifting her skirt and jogging to Zhong Li's side.

Then.

She grabbed his arm, tears streaming down her face.

"Brother Li! You've finally come!"

"This bastard bullied me!"

She pointed at Ye Chen, crying pitifully, looking as aggrieved as a kitten whose tail had been stepped on.

Zhong Li narrowed his eyes, his gaze landing on Ye Chen.

He sized him up.

Then.

He gently patted the back of Liu Ruyan's hand, his tone gentle.

"Ruyan, don't cry."

"With me here, no one can bully you."

Liu Ruyan nodded, sobbing as she leaned on Zhong Li's shoulder, though the tears wouldn't stop.

Half of it was an act.

The other half was genuine grievance.

In all her life, when had she ever been talked down to like that?

Having comforted his wife, Zhong Li looked up and stared directly at Ye Chen.

The gentleness from before was gone from his eyes, replaced by nothing but coldness.

"You are Ye Chen?"

Ye Chen picked up his teacup and took a light sip.

"That's me."

"Are you her man?"

Zhong Li narrowed his eyes. "Correct."

"Then I suggest you..."

Ye Chen shrugged. "Be careful when you eat in the future; don't end up biting into some silicone."