Chapter 33: Unnoticed and Silent

Hong Qifu stood up and looked at Long Yuezhi, who was still wearing a faint smile. His heart sank halfway.

But being a seasoned man with thick skin and a quick mind, he reacted swiftly.

“You two are…?”

As soon as he said this, Huang Degang and Wu Dazhuang froze.

“Brother-in-law! It’s me, Degang! Did they beat me up so badly you don’t recognize me anymore?!”

Brother-in-law?

Oh? So there was such a connection?

No wonder their accents were so similar!

“Who’s your brother-in-law?! Stop randomly claiming family ties!”

Huang Degang was dumbfounded. He looked at Wu Dazhuang and then back at Hong Qifu, completely unable to process the situation. “Hong Qifu! Who did you just call my brother-in-law?! Do you know what happened? I got bullied! It was them! Him! He beat me up! Look at my face, my legs! I’m limping!”

Huang Degang pointed at Yu Er, then at Long Yuezhi.

Hong Qifu wiped the sweat off his forehead. “…”

“They told me that as long as you came, they’d compensate me for my medical bills, apologize, and even kneel down to call us grandfathers!”

Hong Qifu: “…”
I should call you grandfather? Just shut up already!

Long Yuezhi looked at Hong Qifu. “So, Mr. Hong, I did promise that. But… you really don’t know them?”

Hong Qifu didn’t answer.

He didn’t dare to.

“If you really don’t know them, then forget it. I was even planning to personally apologize to you, Mr. Hong. Even if it was just a misunderstanding…”

Hong Qifu was drenched in cold sweat.

Seeing Hong Qifu stay silent, Huang Degang started panicking. “Hey, Hong! Say something! I run errands for you every day! Managing the karaoke bar, handling all sorts of shady business for you! Now you’re acting like you don’t even know me?!”

“Shut up!” Hong Qifu cut him off sharply and turned to Long Yuezhi, praying he hadn’t heard that part.

“Fourth Master Long, I failed to discipline my people properly. I sincerely apologize! These two are indeed distant relatives of mine. I simply didn’t recognize them at first.”

As soon as Hong Qifu said this, Huang Degang and Wu Dazhuang were completely dumbfounded.

Wait—why was Boss Hong apologizing to this guy? And why did he initially act like he didn’t know them?

“But… why are you apologizing to him?”

Huang Degang didn’t understand. He held onto the wall and took a few steps closer. He hadn’t expected Hong Qifu to suddenly turn around and shove him.

“Sit down! No, kneel down! Apologize!”

“What?! Why should I kneel? He should be the one kneeling to us and calling us grandfathers! He said it himself!”

Hong Qifu’s shirt was soaked with sweat.

He frantically signaled with his eyes, but Huang Degang remained oblivious.

Meanwhile, Wu Dazhuang, who had been relying on Huang Degang, had finally gone silent.

Something… didn’t feel right.

Hong Qifu suddenly slapped Huang Degang across the face.

His already bruised and swollen face gained a fresh injury.

“Ow! Why did you hit me?! I’m going to tell my cousin!”

Hong Qifu had had enough. “Go ahead! See if I don’t divorce her!”

The moment those words left his mouth, Huang Degang froze.

His brother-in-law loved his cousin. And yet, at this moment…

Long Yuezhi, having watched enough of the show, finally spoke. “Oh, come on, Mr. Hong, why such a temper? Let’s talk things through peacefully. Harmony brings wealth, doesn’t it?”

Hong Qifu quickly bowed in apology, forcing out a smile. “Fourth Master, I sincerely apologize! I failed to control my people, and I have greatly offended you today! I will take these two fools away immediately and teach them a proper lesson. They won’t cause you any trouble again!”

“No rush, Mr. Hong. Let my men tell you exactly what happened first.”

With that, Yu Er began recounting everything that had happened the previous night.

When he finished, Hong Qifu’s face turned green.

He started addressing Long Yuezhi as “Fourth Master” in every sentence, bowing and apologizing repeatedly.

They had truly provoked someone they shouldn’t have.

Huang Degang suddenly remembered a phone call A-Lan had received earlier.

Apparently, Hong Qifu had an important guest to entertain over the next few days. He had even put all his business dealings on hold to focus on this collaboration.

They had assumed this VIP was in Beizhen, so since they had some free time, he and Wu Dazhuang had come to Nanzhen to fool around.

Little did they know, on their very first day in Nanzhen, they had already gotten into deep trouble.

Huang Degang was Hong Qifu’s brother-in-law, but very few people knew that.

Most of the time, he only handled trivial matters. Initially, all he had wanted was a cushy position where he could eat and drink for free…

Anyone involved in the Hong family’s business knew just how murky the waters were. The more he learned, the more he realized that Hong Qifu wasn’t clean—he was even blatantly committing crimes under scrutiny.

But since Hong Qifu’s dealings were all about making money, and he had received his fair share of it, he had never interfered…

However, last night, he had invoked Hong Qifu’s name quite a few times. In fact…

He noticed that Hong Qifu’s hands were trembling slightly.

Long Yue Zhi smiled handsomely. “Mr. Hong, we haven’t finished our discussion yet. Besides, do you really think I, Long Yue Zhi, am such a petty person?”

Huang De Gang completely collapsed inside.

Just now, he had been wondering if this man was from the Long family.

Long Yue Zhi!

It was actually Long Yue Zhi!

He had heard his cousin mention before that her husband was preparing to do business with the Long family.

This time, they were truly doomed.

Wu Da Zhuang, though afraid, was still confused. He nudged Huang De Gang quietly. “Brother Huang, who is Long Yue Zhi?”

Huang De Gang was already filled with regret. “Who? Someone neither you, nor I, nor anyone else can afford to offend. We’re done for. I can’t protect you anymore—pray for yourself!”

Wu Da Zhuang felt his heart drop at those words.

Seeing that no one was guarding the door, he immediately tried to make a run for it. But his injured leg wasn’t cooperating, and just as he reached the doorway, he realized that the hallway was lined with men in black, all grinning at him.

“What’s the rush? We haven’t finished talking yet. Why are you trying to leave so soon?”

Yu Er slung an arm around his shoulder and yanked him back by the waistband of his pants.

Aside from Wu Da Zhuang’s pleas for mercy, the room fell into an eerie silence.

Hong Qifu knew that Long Yue Zhi never collaborated with people who had dirty hands.

But he had been too greedy—those businesses were just too profitable!

He had thought that as long as he kept everything well hidden, the Long family wouldn’t find out.

Long Yue Zhi took another sip of tea. “Mr. Hong, are you going to explain things yourself, or do you want me to help you?”

Hong Qifu stared at the second cup of tea in his hands, his fingers trembling slightly. “S-Say what?”

“Ah, so you need me to help you say it?”

“…F-Fourth Master, I really don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Long Yue Zhi crossed his legs and lounged back in his chair. After exchanging a confirming glance with Chen Zhi at the door, he called out, “Yu Er.”

“Understood, Fourth Master!”

Five seconds later, Liang Chen, Xiao Jie, and Chen Gang entered the suite together.

The moment Hong Qifu saw Xiao Jie, he felt his heart sink completely.

He had suspected that something was off with what happened at the casino before, but now it was clear—it had all been orchestrated by the Long family!

To be fair, Long Yue Zhi was still a man of class.

He had even taught his subordinates to be exceptionally polite.

Liang Chen and Xiao Jie both greeted Hong Qifu one after another. “Boss Hong! We’ve heard so much about you!”

Hong Qifu didn’t dare respond. “You flatter me too much.”

His life was in their hands now.

But if he was going to die, he at least wanted to die knowing the full truth.

He recognized Xiao Jie, but who was Liang Chen?

At first, Liang Chen was wearing sunglasses. The moment Hong Qifu looked his way, Liang Chen removed them.

Hong Qifu didn’t recognize him, but Huang De Gang, standing behind him, did.

“It—It’s you!”