Staring at the man in front of him who was radiating danger, Tang Yifeng, on the other hand, was all smiles, even seeming to be in quite a good mood. Despite all the trouble Lu Chenghe had caused him during this time, it didn’t stop him from feeling pleased whenever he thought about how he was now on equal footing with Lu Chenghe.
He no longer remembered when exactly the Lu family had become a thorn in his side, but it seemed the feeling had quietly taken root from their very first encounter.
He was different from the Lu brothers. His circumstances were actually quite common in these elite circles. It was just that such disgraceful family affairs always had to be smoothed over for the sake of appearances. No matter how the public saw their families as wealthy and glamorous, those within the circle knew the truth—everyone was more or less the same. No one had the right to mock another. But the Lu family was different. They were complete outliers.
Just like something out of a clichéd melodrama, Tang Yifeng’s father had married into a high-ranking official’s family back in the day. It was precisely because of his wife’s influential background that the Tang family had grown and prospered over the years. The past two to three decades had been a period of rapid economic growth, and the Tang family, being in real estate, had ridden the wave smoothly all the way into the ranks of the top-tier elite in the country. But even after more than ten years of marriage, Tang’s father and his wife had no children. Medical technology wasn’t advanced back then, and treating infertility wasn’t easy.
Madam Tang loved her husband, but she couldn’t bear children. At that time, surrogacy was still underdeveloped. Many Chinese people didn’t even have the concept of it. In the end, Madam Tang personally found a woman for her husband, and that was how Tang Yifeng came to be. The child was kept, the mother dismissed, with a generous sum of money to send her away. Madam Tang raised Tang Yifeng as her own son, doting on him dearly. But unexpectedly, three years later, she became pregnant. Even though she gave birth to a daughter and still treated Tang Yifeng as her son, there was, inevitably, a difference between one’s own flesh and blood and someone else’s.
Tang Xin was the real princess born with a silver spoon in her mouth. At the time, Tang Yifeng was still very young, only four years old. When he found out he had a little sister, he was both happy and unhappy, even competing with her for attention. But it was the subtle neglect that hurt the most. Young children are particularly sensitive. As he gradually realized the difference in how his mother treated him and his sister, even Tang Yifeng himself didn’t know when it started—he no longer cried or made a fuss. He just stood silently in some deserted corner, watching the affectionate mother and daughter pair with silent envy and jealousy.
Madam Tang’s family had held official positions since the late Qing dynasty. Even through turbulent times, from wielding pens to wielding guns, certain old-fashioned household traditions had been preserved. When she married into the Tang family, she even brought along servant girls as part of her dowry, including a few older women who had helped raise her. The household staff were all long-time retainers of Madam Tang’s family—some of them still called her “Miss” to this day. It was clear that those servants only ever truly saw Tang Xin, the genuine daughter of noble blood, as the one they were close to.
Tang Yifeng couldn’t remember which talkative servant he had heard it from, that he wasn’t actually born of Madam Tang. His biological mother had merely been a tool for childbirth, discarded after being used. At the time, Tang Yifeng had even naively thought about going to find his real mother and leaving behind this cold, lifeless mansion.
He first met the Lu brothers when he was ten years old. By then, the years of differential treatment had already shaped his gloomy personality. Especially after learning he wasn’t Madam Tang’s biological child, he became even more self-conscious and withdrawn. At a party held by the Lu family, he didn’t dare to mingle and simply sat alone in a corner, eating quietly by himself. But there were always a few bratty children in these elite circles, and some of those close to the Tang family also knew he wasn’t favored. Perhaps influenced by their own parents, they looked down on Tang Yifeng and bullied him like they were teasing a stray kitten or puppy, for their own amusement.
Madam Tang’s attitude toward him doomed him to be unable to assert himself among his peers. Even when he was bullied, he swallowed his grievances in silence. And it was at that moment that the three Lu brothers stepped in and came to his aid. It didn’t take much—just one of them saying a single sentence, and the kids who had been crowding around him and picking on him immediately dispersed, still laughing but quickly moving to flatter the trio instead. Even at such a young age, they already knew how to speak flattering, fawning words. And those three brothers, surrounded by praise and admiration, looked like true princes.
Especially Lu Chenghe. He was still young, but when those cold and clear eyes looked over at him, Tang Yifeng felt as if he had been completely seen through. He could bear being bullied in silence, but that one fleeting glance shook him to the core. His face burned hotly with shame, and he didn’t even dare to lift his head to meet those eyes.
That was their first and only interaction. After that, they never crossed paths again. But that brief moment of eye contact was etched into Tang Yifeng’s memory to this day. Even now, just thinking back on it, that sense of being worlds apart—like mud and clouds—still filled him with humiliation.
Which is why, now, sitting across from Lu Chenghe, Tang Yifeng felt especially pleased. He stared directly at him, eyes unblinking, a bright smile spreading across his face as he said, “Long time no see, Second Young Master Lu.”
The film city redevelopment project was like a massive cake. The entertainment industry was already a gold mine, and if Qingniao City were to have a film city ranked among the best in the nation—even globally—the economic benefits it would bring couldn’t be measured in just numbers. For a project of this scale, of course, the Lu family wouldn’t—and couldn’t—monopolize it. The participants were all major, well-known domestic enterprises. This cake had already been sliced up. If someone still wanted a piece now, wouldn’t that be the same as snatching food out of others’ mouths?
If the Tang family were still under the leadership of the old patriarch, they might have had a share in this project. Unfortunately, the newly appointed Tang Yifeng had a poor reputation. His methods were too ruthless and vicious. No one wanted to get entangled in profit dealings with someone like that. So, even though Tang Yifeng had come knocking several times, Lu Chenghe had simply instructed his people to turn him away—he hadn’t even seen him once.
Tang Yifeng leaned back slightly in his chair, gazing at the handsome man before him with a smile. “Second Young Master Lu must be busy with important matters and probably doesn’t remember me anymore. But I’ve always been grateful for your help back then. I just never imagined that the child who was being bullied and surrounded would one day be lucky enough to sit here and negotiate with you.”
Lu Chenghe, who had been expressionless the whole time, curved his lips into a faint, cold smile at those words. “President Tang thinks I let you in today… to negotiate with you?”
Qi Wei, who was standing beside Lu Chenghe, instinctively felt a chill run down his spine. He had followed his boss for years and knew all too well that when the boss was angry, he usually showed no expression. Even when he was truly furious, at most, he would just furrow his brow slightly. But now, he had actually let out a cold laugh—this was bad. The sky was about to freeze over, and the Tang family was about to fall.
Still smiling, Tang Yifeng raised an eyebrow. “Then… are you here to hold me accountable? Very well. I sincerely apologize for my impulsive decision earlier. As a token of my apology, this small gift is for your beloved—just a little something to calm the nerves.”
On the table was a parcel of land in the eastern part of the city, which the Tang Corporation had bought at auction three months ago for over two billion. The land itself wasn’t large, but its future value was immense. That area of East City happened to border both the film city and the main urban district. If a hotel were to be built there, once the film city was complete, one could easily imagine how profitable it would be.
Unfortunately, Lu Chenghe didn’t even spare it a glance. His cold gaze locked onto Tang Yifeng as he said icily, “The film city will never involve the Tang family.”
Tang Yifeng had thought that Lu Chenghe’s willingness to meet with him today meant there had been a change in the situation. In truth, it wasn’t as though he absolutely had to get a piece of this project—there were plenty of other ways for the Tang family to make money. But as the saying goes: a Buddha fights for a stick of incense, a man fights for a breath of pride. He could let go, but that didn’t mean others could treat him as if he didn’t matter. He had already lowered himself considerably. What he was willing to invest compared to what he expected in return was completely disproportionate. All he wanted was a form of acknowledgment.
Hearing Lu Chenghe’s outright and unyielding rejection, Tang Yifeng’s smile faded slightly. “The terms I offered, I believe Second Young Master Lu has no reason to refuse them. If it’s still about what happened before, I’m willing to personally apologize to your lover. I’ve come here with full sincerity, and I truly hope you’ll consider it seriously.”
Lu Chenghe replied coldly, “Family members are off-limits. That’s the rule.”
Tang Yifeng looked at Lu Chenghe for a moment, then smiled. “So Second Young Master Lu agreed to see me today just to say that one sentence?”
Lu Chenghe actually chuckled at that, and the sound made Tang Yifeng’s chest tighten with a sense of danger. Then Lu Chenghe said, “I came here today only to tell you in person: the show between the Lu family and the Tang family has only just begun.”
Zuo Ning still had no idea that his man had already declared war on someone—or that an unlucky soul, simply for choosing the wrong target, was about to be permanently erased from the circle of the wealthy. But the Lu family had always been fiercely protective of their own and only responded to softness, never to force. Even if it hadn’t been him this time, anyone in the Lu family would’ve made sure that man surnamed Tang met a terrible end.
Once the day’s shoot was confirmed to be done, Zuo Ning, tugging at the layers of traditional costume he was wearing, headed off to remove his makeup. Yang Shun jogged over and helped him carry the heavy garments toward the dressing room while saying, “Lu Nianqi said he’s looking for you. Do you want to see him? If yes, I’ll bring him to the dressing room.”
Zuo Ning paused and glanced at Yang Shun, seeming a little conflicted, but then nodded.
When he saw Lu Nianqi—someone he hadn’t run into for quite a while—Zuo Ning felt a bit off. After all, besides Lu Chenghe, this was the only person who knew his true identity. As he started removing his headpiece, Zuo Ning casually said, “What do you want? If you’re just here to nag about random things again, you can turn around and leave now.”
Lu Nianqi walked over and sat on the couch, watching him remove his makeup. He gave a slight smile and said, “Suddenly realizing there’s a non-human being by my side, do you think everyone can be as calm as my second brother? I’m not even allowed a little emotional outburst?”
Zuo Ning shot him a look. “So what are you here for today? I’ll warn you now, I’ve got a bad temper. I’m not going to forgive you that easily.”
Lu Nianqi simply said, “Two things.”
Zuo Ning: “Forget it if it’s about borrowing money.”
Lu Nianqi nearly burst out laughing but held it in with a light cough. “About what happened with Xing Ze before, what was that all about?”
Zuo Ning thought he was just here to gossip. “It’s just what you saw. Who knows whom he offended. He did so many terrible things. My manager said what got dug up was only part of it, there’s still a bunch more with no solid evidence.”
Hearing this, Lu Nianqi furrowed his brows slightly and looked at Zuo Ning with a strange expression for a moment. When Zuo Ning glanced back at him, he quickly hid his reaction and asked, “You’re really okay? Second Brother is okay with you working again?”
“What’s there to worry about? That killer is already dead. It’s not like I’m so unlucky I’ll run into a second Xing Ze. What, you want to lock me in the house forever just to prevent something from happening?”
Lu Nianqi didn’t say more about that. Instead, he said, “The other thing is—I’m in a relationship. With a guy.”
Zuo Ning’s eyes widened instantly as he turned to look at him. After a moment of shock, he couldn’t help but say, “So there is a gay gene in the Lu family? If I’d known all of you were already bent, I wouldn’t have bothered trying so hard to turn Lu Chenghe. I should’ve just stripped and jumped him.”
The last part was muttered under Zuo Ning’s breath, so Lu Nianqi didn’t catch it. “What did you say?”
Zuo Ning grinned. “I said, I wish you a long and happy life together.”
Lu Nianqi stood up. “I just came to check on you and to apologize. Sorry about what I said last time, it was really out of line. When it comes to love, outsiders really have no right to interfere. If you’re not mad anymore, can we still be friends?”
Zuo Ning snorted and turned back to the mirror to continue removing his makeup. “I already told you, I’ve got a big temper.”
Lu Nianqi chuckled. “As long as you’re okay. No matter where you go, just be careful—especially for the time being.”
Zuo Ning felt like there was something behind those words. “What’s going on lately? The Xing Ze thing is already over.”
Lu Nianqi paused, then said, “He had a lot of brain-dead fans. Just stay alert. I’m heading out.”
Zuo Ning didn’t bother to get up and see him out; he simply waved his paw. Although he wasn’t as angry as before, it wasn’t like he could just beam with a smile and agree to make up the moment the other came to apologize—that’d be way too spineless.
Seeing several bodyguards still stationed at the door, Lu Nianqi didn’t linger and left soon after. He had originally come to ask whether the Lu family had offended someone. Not long ago, he himself had almost been hit by a car. Fortunately, it had happened in a busy commercial area, and someone had pulled him out of the way just in time. That driver, probably not daring to act too blatantly, had fled the scene immediately.
He could feel that the driver had been targeting him. At first, he thought he had somehow offended someone. But a few days later, the news about Xing Ze came out. That’s when he realized the target probably wasn’t that dead celebrity, but Lu Ning.
However, it was clear that Second Brother hadn’t told Lu Ning the truth. He’d only increased security around him.
Still unable to figure out the whole situation, Lu Nianqi sighed. The moment he exited the set, he saw a car waiting for him at the entrance. Smiling, he walked toward it.
Author’s Note:
Lu Nianqi’s storyline takes place within the entertainment industry. But since many readers aren’t that interested in the showbiz angle, you can ignore these parts if you’re just following the main plot. After the main story concludes, there will be extras focused on the entertainment circle, and you can choose whether or not to read them then.
