Chapter 52: Wait, has it never tasted anything good before?

The person on the other end of the phone was one of the contacts from the dark web, and also a long-time partner of Song Yalan. The so-called dark web was an underground organization for assassins. Many international killers who operated in the shadows would take jobs there. The higher the price, the higher the killer's ranking. The ten million Song Yalan offered could only hire someone ranked around the top fifty. But in his opinion, that was more than enough to kill Chu Fei. After all, the dark web was vast, and its experts were countless; ordinary martial artists couldn't even make it into the top fifty.

"Alright, I'll have him contact you as soon as possible," the contact said before hanging up.

Song Yalan put away her phone, a trace of reluctance flashing in her beautiful eyes, but it was quickly buried under murderous intent. "You little bastard, you're asking for death yourself, you can't blame me!"

At the auction, Lin Tianhao had already taken the stage as host, delivering many pleasantries. Yet the woman who glared fiercely at Chu Fei hadn't listened to a word. The man beside her noticed and asked, "Linglong, what's wrong?"

Yes, sitting not far from Chu Fei was Shen Linglong, who had just signed a contract with Secretary Jin. Tonight, she was accompanying Meng Xinghe. In a few days, it would be her grandmother's seventy-fifth birthday. The two of them hoped to pick out a gift for the elder at the auction. Unexpectedly, she ran into Chu Fei, the harbinger of misfortune!

Ye Chen had called earlier to ask about Chu Fei's whereabouts. She thought Ye Chen had already sent Tan Yingyao to kill him. But the kid was still alive—was it because Ye Chen hadn't acted yet, or...?

Lost in thought, Shen Linglong was brought back to reality when Meng Xinghe asked again. "I saw someone I can't stand," she said, pointing at Chu Fei. "Xinghe, he's the one I always complain to you about!"

Shen Linglong had cursed Chu Fei to Meng Xinghe more than once, so he knew about their little vendetta. "So that's Chu Fei? Come on, I'll help you vent your anger!" Meng Xinghe, never one to think twice, immediately pulled Shen Linglong toward Chu Fei. Who dares bully my woman? Does he think the young master of the Meng family is a pushover?

"Hey, you bastard, do you have a death wish...?" Meng Xinghe strode up behind Chu Fei, reaching for the back of his head to humiliate him. But before he could act, Chu Fei swiftly grabbed his wrist and pinned him to the ground, leaving Meng Xinghe unable to move.

"Damn it, you dare treat me like this? Are you looking for trouble?" Meng Xinghe cursed furiously, brimming with menace.

For such a clown without pedigree, Chu Fei saw no reason to be polite; he intended to break the man's arm.

But Shen Linglong cried out, "That's the young master of the Meng family! Chu Fei, you mongrel, let him go!"

The young master of the Meng family—wasn't that his third senior sister's younger brother? For Meng Ziyi's sake, Chu Fei released Meng Xinghe.

Shen Linglong hurried over to support Meng Xinghe, full of concern. "Xinghe, are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Meng Xinghe glared at Chu Fei. "You know I'm the Meng family's young master, so you're scared now, aren't you? I order you to apologize to me and my woman right now, or you'll regret it!"

Chu Fei frowned, looking at Shen Linglong. "She's your woman?"

"What, you have a problem with that?"

"No, but has it ever tasted anything good?" Chu Fei directed this to Zhou Mi. Zhou Mi couldn't help but laugh aloud; the remark wasn't especially hurtful, but the insult was cutting—especially the way he used 'it.'

It took Shen Linglong a moment to realize, then she cursed Chu Fei, "You bastard! Xinghe is here and you still dare insult me, you..."

Smack!

"What about you?" Chu Fei slapped her. "All you do is call him 'Xinghe' every day—are you planning to lay eggs? Shake your brain until it's even before you talk to me!"

With Shen Linglong, Chu Fei never bothered to be polite; after all, he was used to hitting her. Shen Linglong covered her face, the slap yet another in a long series from Chu Fei. It was one thing before, but now, with Meng Xinghe present, he still dared lay hands on her!

"Are you even a man, bullying a woman like this?" Meng Xinghe shielded Shen Linglong behind him, shouting angrily at Chu Fei.

"So what if she's a woman? Are you looking down on women?" Chu Fei replied seriously, "I don't discriminate when I bully people. In your eyes, only men can be bullied and women are off limits? Do you have any sense of gender equality?"

Meng Xinghe was speechless. What now? He actually made sense! How was he supposed to argue with that? Asking for advice, urgently!

"You—you're courting death!" Meng Xinghe finally managed this after struggling for ages. But his aura was completely diminished.

"Is there anything more interesting than courting death?" Chu Fei narrowed his eyes. "You refuse to take a hint—you're hopeless!"

Zhou Mi's instincts kicked in and she chimed in, "Hopeless? Then let them kneel and take a beating!"

"Teacher Zhou, I was strongly against you leaving the literary world!" Chu Fei added, "Everyone you scolded deserved it!"

"You—" Meng Xinghe gritted his teeth, veins bulging at his temples, furious beyond measure. Yet at this moment, he could neither win a fight nor a verbal exchange.

All he could do was let this pair of equally mad lovers scold him until he was utterly humiliated.

Just then, Lin Tianhao noticed the conflict and picked up the microphone. "Young Master Meng, the auction is about to begin, please return to your seat!"

After all, this was someone else's territory. Meng Xinghe couldn't make too much of a scene. He shot a cold glare at Chu Fei and Zhou Mi, then dragged the purposely battered Shen Linglong back to their seats.

Shen Linglong was frustrated. So from start to finish, she just went over to get slapped? And how did Zhou Mi, that big star, end up with Chu Fei? Could it be that this guy was cheating on Shen Miaoyu?

Back at their seats, Meng Xinghe consoled her, "Don't worry, Linglong. I'll show him up with my strength at the auction!"

"I believe in you, Xinghe!" Shen Linglong nodded, determined to prove the vast difference between Chu Fei and Xinghe at the auction.

On Chu Fei's side, Zhou Mi was curious, "Is he the foolish little brother of our third senior sister?"

"Should be. Didn't he recognize you?" Chu Fei asked.

Logically, the fourth senior sister had left the mountain before him, and given her relationship with the third, she should have met Meng Xinghe long ago.

"Third never introduced us, so it's normal he doesn't know me."

"That's good—less contact with idiots means less risk of lowering your IQ," Chu Fei said.

As they chatted, the landscape painting by Tang Hu that Chu Fei had earlier introduced was brought onto the stage. The hostess described its provenance, setting the starting price at one million.

Shen Linglong's eyes lit up at the sight of the painting. Her grandmother loved calligraphy and paintings; if she could win this piece, it would surely please her.

"Xinghe, I want this painting as a gift for grandma!"

Hearing this, Meng Xinghe, full of confidence, raised his hand. "One and a half million!"

He stood up and threatened the audience, "This painting belongs to me. Anyone who dares compete is opposing the Meng family!"

With that declaration, the potential bidders all hesitated; after all, who would risk offending the Meng family of the Imperial Capital over a painting?

Seeing this, Chu Fei leaned toward Zhou Mi and lowered his voice. "Fourth senior sister, I have an idea that might upset everyone..."

Zhou Mi's interest was piqued. "Tell me more."