Chapter Sixty-Two: A Single Finger Moved, Calamity Befalls the Entire Family

“You know fear, which means there’s hope for you yet.” Hong Chen could tell that Lin Yufei’s terror was genuine; she wasn’t faking it. This was good—a sense of reverence meant she hadn’t lost all self-awareness.

Lin Yufei, hearing Hong Chen’s assessment, for once didn’t talk back. She nodded repeatedly, her eyes urging him on.

“Listen, little miss, let’s make a deal. I was the one who did the hitting. I’ll bear whatever consequences come; don't drag my family into this, all right?” Hong Chen no longer paid her any mind and turned to Shen Ruoshuang with a helpless smile.

Shen Ruoshuang’s face was cold, chin lifted like an unattainable princess. A low and disdainful snort escaped her nostrils. Beside her, a girl with a braided pigtail sneered, “Who do you think you are, trying to bargain with Sister Shuang? Got a big head or something?”

Another girl said sharply, “Enough nonsense. If Sister Shuang tells you to kneel, it’s your good fortune. Get on your knees now!”

At that moment, Tao Rui had already dialed a number. She spat venomously into her phone, “Ma Feng, you have three minutes to bring your whole dorm down to Y Building. Lin Yufei’s hooked up with some random guy again—not only did they hit me, but she even dared ignore Sister Shuang’s orders!”

Lin Yufei, hearing Tao Rui’s words and seeing Hong Chen still standing motionless, was on the verge of breaking down. She screamed hysterically, “Hong Chen, will you only be satisfied after you’ve ruined my entire family?”

Xu Le couldn’t stand it anymore. He frowned at Lin Yufei. “Quiet. Hong Chen doesn’t need your direction.”

Lin Yufei shot back with a glare, “Who asked you, you fat idiot? Mind your own business!”

Xu Le’s tone was grave. “Lin Meimei once insulted me, and her advertising company lost contracts worth hundreds of thousands, then was blacklisted by Hongcheng Group. If you dare speak to me that way again, that 3.88-million debt is your problem to solve.”

Hong Chen added mildly, “This is my boss—Xu Le, Director of Investment at Hongcheng Group.”

Lin Yufei was stunned. She knew full well about Lin Meimei’s company being blacklisted; her second uncle and third aunt had made a scene at her house over it. And she hadn’t forgotten the time Hong Chen whipped out a VIP card loaded with five million at the hotel. All these things traced back to Hong Chen’s boss—the same “fat idiot” she’d just insulted.

“I’m sorry, Director Xu. My mouth ran away with me. I apologize.” Lin Yufei’s attitude flipped instantly, her opportunistic nature laid bare.

“Yufei, I’ve already mentioned your debt to Director Xu, and he wants to help you. Go find somewhere to sit and talk it over. I’ll handle what’s happening here,” Hong Chen said, trying to shoo the two away. But Lin Yufei hesitated, then whispered, “Sister Shuang’s boyfriend is the top of the three young masters at our school—the Jiang family heir. He’s the one whose family detained ours and Aunt’s in the hospital that night.”

Hong Chen’s interest was piqued. “What’s his name? Was he the one in the near-fatal car accident that night?”

Lin Yufei shook her head. “That was the Jiang family head’s only son. Jiang Jiwen should be his cousin.”

Hong Chen showed no emotion, just gave a casual “oh,” and waved them off. “Go on, Director Xu’s time is precious; he doesn’t have time to waste here.”

Lin Yufei wanted to say more, but one look at Hong Chen’s stern face and she swallowed her words. As she was about to go, Tao Rui’s voice cut through, vicious as a snake: “Lin Yufei, if you dare leave, I promise you won’t last another day at Qing City University.”

“A mere department director at a small company isn’t even worthy to carry Sister Shuang’s shoes,” one of the girls sneered, clearly having overheard bits of Hong Chen’s conversation.

“Move!” Hong Chen snapped, glaring at Lin Yufei as she started dawdling again. He signaled Xu Le, who set off at once. Lin Yufei bit her lip, summoned the courage of a doomed hero, and followed.

Shen Ruoshuang’s gaze turned icy. In her eyes, Lin Yufei’s choice proved she held less weight than the so-called fat director. With her pride, how could she tolerate that? Shen Ruoshuang pointed at Lin Yufei’s retreating back, about to order her brought back, when Hong Chen’s indifferent voice rang out first: “The wounds on Lin Yufei’s face are her doing. Are you sure you want to shield her?”

He pointed at Tao Rui, locking eyes with Shen Ruoshuang. She didn’t back down, answering haughtily, “What are you implying? Trying to settle scores for your woman? Let me be clear—Tao Rui is under my protection. If you so much as touch a hair on her head, I’ll make your family wish they were dead!”

She paused, then added, “And you’d better get on your knees and beg for forgiveness now. Once my people arrive, your chance will be gone.”

When gangsters made threats, it was usually about breaking an arm. This woman, though, threatened families with a wave of a finger. Hong Chen was speechless; her princess syndrome was truly ingrained. With such a domineering older sister, no wonder Tao Rui acted the way she did.

Hong Chen certainly wasn’t about to kneel. Instead of wasting more words, he pulled out his phone and made a call. It was picked up almost immediately, a lazy voice answering, “Brother Hong, you finally remembered to call me?”

It was Jiang Tao, the Jiang family’s eldest son—the one Hong Chen had pulled back from the brink of death in the operating room that night.

“Do you know Jiang Jiwen?” Hong Chen asked.

“My cousin. Why?”

“His girlfriend’s right in front of me, demanding I kneel and beg for forgiveness. She said if I lay a finger on her people, she’ll make my family suffer. Are you going to do something about this?”

“Damn, really? Wait there. I’ll have Jiwen explain himself to you personally. By the way, what’s her name? My cousin’s a bit of a flirt.”

“They call her Sister Shuang—”

“It’s Ma Feng. Get him!”

Before Hong Chen could finish the call, Tao Rui’s reinforcements appeared—four tall, burly men, clearly athletes, surrounding Hong Chen with hostile intent.

Hong Chen shook his head silently, cut off the call, and warned, “Calm down. I advise against laying a hand on me. You’ll regret it.”

His warning fell on deaf ears. The four guys attacked in turn. Forced to respond, Hong Chen moved with unremarkable speed and force, but each of his four simple punches sent an attacker sprawling to the ground, howling in pain.

Seeing this, Tao Rui’s face turned ghostly pale; she was clearly rattled. The other two girls grew anxious, looking anxiously at Shen Ruoshuang. Shen Ruoshuang managed to keep her composure, though her brows furrowed deeply. She was just about to speak when her phone rang. She glanced at the caller ID, her colored contact lenses narrowing—it was her boyfriend.

Instinctively, she looked at Hong Chen. She had overheard his earlier conversation, catching Jiang Jiwen’s name, but now was not the time to question it. She answered the call.

“Shen Ruoshuang, you think you’re more powerful than me now? Where are you?”

His voice was furious, making Shen Ruoshuang’s heart pound. She answered cautiously, “Jiwen, I didn’t do anything…”

“Cut the crap. Where are you?”

“Outside Y Building.”

“Stay right there. Don’t move. I’ll be there in five minutes!”

After the call abruptly ended, Shen Ruoshuang stared at her phone in a daze. A sudden realization dawned on her. She looked at Hong Chen, her eyes filled with dread.

“Who did you just call?” she asked.

Hong Chen smiled matter-of-factly and lit a cigarette. He’d already heard—five minutes.

In reality, it took only three. As the four battered athletes staggered to their feet, another group of four rushed over. Their leader stood about six feet tall, medium-length hair, handsome and radiant, with an artistic flair—a true campus heartthrob. What he did next, however, completely shattered his prince-like image.

He strode straight up to Shen Ruoshuang, raised his hand, and slapped her hard across the face. “Threatening to destroy someone’s family over a finger? Shen Ruoshuang, you’re so high and mighty now you’ve forgotten your own name!”

Shen Ruoshuang clutched her stinging cheek, her eyes wide with terror, all trace of her princess arrogance vanished.

“You must be Young Master Hong, my brother’s friend. He told me to make sure you’re satisfied today. Just say the word—whatever you want, I’ll do it. You’re in charge,” Jiang Jiwen said, turning to Hong Chen with a respectful, apologetic smile.

Hong Chen hadn’t expected Jiang Tao to be so efficient. Jiang Jiwen’s arrival had given him plenty of face, making it unnecessary to press the matter further. He responded with a smile and a nod, then glanced at Shen Ruoshuang, whose heart leaped into her throat.