## An Invitation to a Hongmen Banquet
The setting sun smeared its last rays across the old residential building, coating the mottled walls with a false golden sheen. Su Qing and I were nestled on the old creaky sofa in our Rented Apartment, sharing a bowl of instant noodles we'd just made. The steam rose, carrying the cheap aroma, but it was the most reassuring moment I'd felt in days.
"Eat slowly, don't choke." Su Qing picked up a piece of sausage with her chopsticks, carefully placing it in my bowl, while she only sipped the broth. Her large eyes curved into crescents, making my heart feel warm.
I was about to say something cheeky when a harsh car horn blared from downstairs, the sound urgent and long, like a death knell, brutally tearing apart the cozy atmosphere. Immediately after, came the rough shouts of several men.
"Lin Fan! Get your ass down here!"
My heart sank, and my hand gripping the chopsticks tightened. What was coming, had finally come. Wang Hao's revenge had arrived faster than I expected.
Su Qing heard it too. The smile on her face instantly froze as she looked at me with worry. "Is it Wang Hao's men?"
"Who else would be so polite?" I gave a self-deprecating smile, put down the bowl, and stood up. "Stay inside. Don't come down. I'll go check."
"I'm going with you!" Su Qing stood up without a second thought, blocking my path, her small frame bursting with astonishing stubbornness.
"Listen, Su Qing, this has nothing to do with you." I tried to pull her behind me, but she stood firm like a rooted tree.
"Lin Fan, we're in this together." She looked up, her eyes clear and determined. "He's coming for you, which means he's coming for us. I will never let you face this alone."
In that moment, my nose tingled. This was my Su Qing. When I had nothing, when I was abandoned by the world, she still chose to stand by my side, to face the storm with me.
I took a deep breath and nodded. "Alright, let's go down together."
Two men were already standing in the hallway, blocking the staircase on the left and right. The leader had a buzz cut, a tattoo of a ferocious, baring-fangs Scorpion on his neck, and a faint scar on his left cheek. He wore a tight black T-shirt that strained against his muscles, as if they were about to burst. When he saw me, his mouth twisted into a contemptuous sneer, his gaze scraping over me like a knife.
"Well, you're Lin Fan, right? Taking your sweet time, making our Young Master Wang wait." He sized me up, his gaze finally landing on Su Qing, turning malicious. "Well, well, if it isn't Miss Su Qing. You live up to your reputation. Our Young Master Wang said he's only inviting Lin Fan. A woman shouldn't tag along and cause trouble."
"Wherever he goes, I go." Su Qing met his gaze without fear, her tone calm but carrying an undeniable strength.
The tattooed man was taken aback, seemingly surprised that this delicate-looking girl could be so tough. The smile vanished from his face, replaced by a gloomy look. "Kid, your girlfriend doesn't know the rules. You'd better teach her. A Hongmen Banquet from our Young Master Wang isn't something just anyone can sit at."
"Hongmen Banquet?" I laughed, the suppressed anger in me beginning to rise. "Wang Hao's quite the cultured one, using that allusion. Fine, since it's a Hongmen Banquet, I have to go even more. But my girlfriend is my life. If she's not there, the meal won't have any flavor."
I deliberately stressed the word "life," while my mind raced. Was Wang Hao trying to call me out to publicly humiliate me, or did he want to get physical directly? Either way, I couldn't avoid this confrontation today. I didn't even dare to think, "I'm not going," afraid that this damn Curse of Misfortune would pull some stunt and make it impossible for me to refuse.
The tattooed man stared at me for a few seconds, as if assessing my courage. Finally, he sneered and waved his hand. "Fine, you've got guts. Hope you can keep that mouthy attitude later. Get in the car. Young Master Wang is waiting for you at 'Cloud Top'."
'Cloud Top,' the city's most exclusive revolving restaurant, and Wang Hao's favorite place to show off his status. He chose this place to use his money and power to crush me underfoot.
Holding Su Qing's hand, my palms were already sweating, but I kept a nonchalant smile on my face. We followed them downstairs. A black Mercedes-Benz van was parked at the entrance of the building. The window rolled down, revealing two more expressionless men inside.
Su Qing's hand gripped mine tighter. She whispered, just loud enough for me to hear, "Don't be afraid, I'm here."
I turned to look at my reflection in her clear eyes. The flicker of fear that had just risen in my heart was instantly replaced by a surge of hot anger. I patted the back of her hand and said in a low voice, "Don't worry, I'm not going to my death."
The tattooed man pulled open the car door and gestured for us to get in, his face full of undisguised arrogance and impatience. Night had completely enveloped the city. On the distant mountaintop, the restaurant named 'Cloud Top' was like a lighthouse suspended in the darkness, emitting a cold and dangerous light. I knew a real storm was about to begin there.
## Arrival at Cloud Top
The Mercedes glided to a stop before a magnificent building like a tamed beast. I looked up. The four gilded characters of "Cloud Top" gleamed blindingly in the night, as if mocking me, the uninvited guest. The entire building was encased in a glass curtain wall. The restaurant on the top floor was brightly lit, like an isolated island floating in the city's night sky, exuding an aura of money and power.
"Let's go." Su Qing tightened her grip on my hand. Her palm was a little cool, but her gaze was exceptionally firm. I took a deep breath and pushed the car door open. Under my feet was the polished, mirror-like marble floor, reflecting my faded T-shirt and jeans, creating a ridiculous and sharp contrast with the well-dressed men and women around me.
A waiter in a crisp suit and white gloves hurried over, bowing slightly. A professional smile was on his face, but the disdain in his eyes was hard to hide. "Mr. Lin Fan, Miss Su Qing, Young Master Wang is already waiting for you." He made a "please" gesture, an attitude less like a guide and more like an escort.
Walking through the revolving door, the noisy world was instantly shut out. Soft lighting, melodious piano music, and the air was filled with a mix of food aromas and expensive perfume. Every corner exuded refinement and expense, and also a coldness that kept people at a distance. I felt like a toad that had stumbled into a lake of swans, every step feeling like I was walking on pins and needles under the gazes of others.
Su Qing seemed to sense my unease. She moved closer and whispered, "Don't be afraid, I'm here. He's just a paper tiger."
My heart warmed, and my tense nerves relaxed a little. That's right, what did I have to be afraid of? I wasn't the same unlucky pushover I used to be. I straightened my back and followed the waiter through the crowd, heading for the window-side table.
Wang Hao was sitting there.
With his back to the entire restaurant's bustle, he occupied the best seat alone. Outside the window, the city's myriad lights shone like a galaxy, and he was like a king surveying his kingdom. He wore a tailored Italian handmade suit, slowly swirling a tall glass of red liquid, perfect teardrops of wine clinging to the glass wall.
Hearing our footsteps, he didn't turn around immediately. Instead, he drained the glass in one go, then slowly turned. His face held a playful smile, a smile devoid of any warmth, containing only the taunting amusement of a cat toying with a mouse.
"Well, if it isn't our great designer, Lin Fan. I thought you wouldn't have the face to show up." Wang Hao's voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly, causing several nearby tables to turn and look.
I twitched my lips and retorted, "When Young Master Wang personally sends an invitation, how could I dare not come? I'm just curious, what are you treating me to tonight? A Hongmen Banquet, or a last meal?"
"Hahaha, interesting." Wang Hao laughed exaggeratedly, as if he'd just heard the world's funniest joke. His gaze swept over me like he was examining a worthless piece of merchandise, finally landing on Su Qing. "Xiao Qing, look at the man you chose. Even at a time like this, his mouth is still so stubborn. What kind of future can you have with him?"
Su Qing met his gaze coldly, saying word by word, "Wang Hao, my future has nothing to do with you. Please show some respect."
"Respect?" Wang Hao's smile turned colder. "I've been very respectful to a stray dog. Lin Fan, I heard you've been blacklisted by the industry. Can you even afford the rent now? It's fine. As long as you kneel, kowtow to me three times, and break up with Xiao Qing, I'll give you a hundred thousand. Enough for you to live on for a while."
His words were like a poisoned dagger, stabbing me right where it hurt most. I could feel Su Qing's hand trembling slightly. She was about to speak, but I gently squeezed her hand, signaling her not to.
I looked at Wang Hao and smiled myself. "Young Master Wang, you think too highly of me. A hundred thousand? Are you trying to get rid of a beggar? But, I am quite curious. It must cost a lot to fix that new Sports Car of yours, right?"
The smile on Wang Hao's face instantly froze.
He stared at me dead in the eye, and in his once-arrogant eyes, something was rapidly changing. Anger, humiliation, confusion... finally, these emotions settled, turning into a deep, bottomless coldness. He stopped smiling, just looking me up and down with an appraising, viper-like gaze, as if trying to see right through me.
The air around us seemed to drop in temperature, and the piano music became distant.
He slowly leaned forward, lowering his voice, which now held a chilling, inquisitive tone.
"Lin Fan, recently... has your luck been especially good?"
## The Temptation of Money
Wang Hao's eyes, like they were dipped in poison, were fixed on me. The light from the luxurious crystal chandelier in the private room cast shadows on his face, making him look somewhat twisted. He leaned forward, the scent of his expensive cologne mixed with a hint of danger, washing over me.
"Lin Fan, recently... has your luck been especially good?"
My heart skipped a beat, but I struggled to maintain a calm expression. This guy's intuition was as sharp as a wolf's. It seemed my sentence had indeed hit a sore spot. I glanced at Su Qing beside me. Under the table, her small hand secretly held mine, her palm transmitting a warm and firm strength. With her here, I was afraid of nothing.
I deliberately put on a baffled expression and spread my hands. "Good luck? Young Master Wang, are you kidding? If my luck was good, would I be sitting here watching your performance? My pathetic savings can't even afford a bottle of mineral water in this restaurant." I gave a self-deprecating smile, "Maybe I'm just so used to being unlucky that occasionally running into something normal seems like incredibly good luck to a prodigy like you."
Wang Hao stared at me intently, as if trying to find the slightest flaw on my face. After a few seconds, he suddenly leaned back into his chair. The sinister inquisitiveness on his face vanished, replaced by a condescending, clown-watching smile.
"Well said." He clapped twice slowly, the sound especially jarring in the empty private room. "It seems you're not just unlucky, but also have guts. I admire people with guts."
As he spoke, he pulled a black leather checkbook and an expensive-looking Montblanc pen from the inner pocket of his tailored suit. He flicked open the checkbook with a "pop," a gesture as suave as a movie protagonist's.
"But, Lin Fan, guts are worthless in the face of reality." As he spoke, he wrote something on the check with flourishing script. The nib of the pen scratched across the paper, each soft sound tapping on my nerves.
When he finished, he tore the thin slip of paper from the checkbook, holding it between two fingers as if it were a piece of trash, and gently pushed it in front of me.
"Ten million." A condescending curve appeared on Wang Hao's lips. "Leave Su Qing and disappear from this city. With this money, you can buy a big house in any second-tier city, open a small shop, and live out the rest of your life comfortably. It's a much better deal than struggling here and continuing to be unlucky."
My gaze fell on the check. A long string of zeros gleamed golden under the crystal light, as if possessing a hypnotic power. Ten million. To me, who was worrying about next month's rent just a month ago, this was an astronomical sum, a fortune I could never achieve in a lifetime.
Su Qing's hand gripped tighter. I could feel her body stiffen slightly. She didn't speak, just looked at me with her clear eyes, her gaze filled with unwavering trust.
I looked at the check and suddenly couldn't help but laugh. It started as a low chuckle, then grew louder and louder until I was gasping for air.
"Wang Hao, do you think everyone can be measured by money, just like you?" I picked up the check, weighed it in my hand, and then, right in front of him, gently placed it back on the table and pushed it away.
"Ten million?" I shook my head, my smile laced with undisguised mockery. "You underestimate Su Qing, and you underestimate me. More importantly, you overestimate yourself."
I paused, leaned forward, mimicking his earlier posture, and said word by word in a low voice, "That curse you mentioned, I have no idea what it is. But even if it's real, you think you can make me 'admit' it with money? Young Master Wang, has your brain been fried by the exhaust fumes from your broken-down car?"
As soon as I finished speaking, the smile on Wang Hao's face froze.
It was a strange change, like a piece of fine porcelain suddenly cracking for no reason. The smug curve of his lips stiffened, the contempt and condescension in his eyes quickly receded, replaced by a cold and ferocious look of someone who had been offended and provoked.
His face darkened, and the temperature in the private room seemed to drop a few degrees. He didn't touch the check again, just glared at me with bloodshot eyes, as if he wanted to devour me whole.
"Lin Fan," he squeezed my name through gritted teeth, his voice as low as a beast's roar, "You're very good. You're really very good."
He slowly sat up straight, adjusted his expensive collar, a movement elegant yet chilling.
"I gave you a chance, and you didn't take it." He looked at me, the amusement in his eyes gone, replaced by pure, unadulterated malice. "I originally wanted to let you leave with some dignity and a pocketful of cash. Now it seems you're determined to choose the other path."
He stood up, looking down at me with a ferocious smile.
"When you walk out that door today, you'd better pray your 'good luck' stays with you. Because... my favorite thing to do is shatter other people's luck."
With that, he didn't look at me again, turned, and strode out of the private room. The heavy wooden door slammed shut behind him with a dull thud, like a heavy hammer striking my heart.
Only Su Qing and I were left in the private room. The air was terrifyingly quiet. The ten-million-dollar check lay silently in the center of the table like a bad omen. I looked at the closed door, knowing clearly that Wang Hao's threat was not an empty one. The real trouble was only just beginning.
## The Crow's Mouth Shows Its Power
Wang Hao's handsome face, once enough to anger gods and men, was twisted into a purplish-red. He glared at me, the resentment in his eyes almost tangible. He violently flicked his sleeve, crumpling the ten-million-dollar check into a ball and throwing it fiercely onto the floor like a piece of trash.
"Good, very good." Wang Hao squeezed the words out through gritted teeth, his voice hoarse like sandpaper. "Lin Fan, you just wait. My favorite thing to do is shatter other people's luck. I'll show you what true despair is!"
With that, he turned and strode out of the private room without looking back, his back filled with unwillingness and a murderous rage.
The private room fell silent in an instant, with only the crystal chandelier still tirelessly casting its light. I breathed a sigh of relief, feeling my back was soaked. Just now, I was purely putting on a brave face. Confronting a madman, even if you win, feels like taking a walk from the gates of hell.
"Lin Fan, are you okay?" Su Qing's voice trembled slightly. Her small hand gripped mine tightly, her palm cold.
I shook my head and instead patted the back of her hand, forcing a relaxed smile. "What could be wrong with me? Just a Rich Second Generation whose brain has been fried by money. Don't worry, if the sky falls, I'll hold it up."
That's what I said, but in reality, I had no confidence at all. Wang Hao's last threat wasn't just empty words. He was the type who meant what he said. The revenge that followed would likely be ten thousand times more vicious than the previous "Curse of Misfortune."
Su Qing looked at me, her clear eyes full of worry, but she still nodded firmly. "I believe in you."
Just then, the door to the private room was pushed open again with a loud "bang."
Su Qing and I were both startled. We looked back and saw that Wang Hao had returned. He stood at the door, his chest heaving violently, clearly furious. His gaze bypassed me, landing squarely on Su Qing.
"Su Qing, come with me." Wang Hao's tone was no longer arrogant, but carried an undeniable command. "Stop staying with this good-for-nothing. He will ruin you!"
"Get lost!" Su Qing fearlessly met his gaze, stepping half a step in front of me like a mother hen protecting her chicks. "It's none of your business!"
"I'm making it my business!" Wang Hao's face grew even uglier. He advanced step by step, pointing at my nose and saying to Su Qing, "Look at him. What does he have? Besides this hard mouth, what else does he have? He doesn't even have a decent job! He can't even take you out for a proper meal without relying on a discount! And I? I can give you everything you want! If you stay with him, you'll just be unlucky with him, get stepped on with him!"
His words were like daggers, stabbing me right in the heart. Though I knew he was deliberately sowing discord, every word was a true reflection of my current predicament. I clenched my fists, my nails digging deep into my flesh.
"Wang Hao, that's enough!" I growled, pulling Su Qing behind me.
"Enough? Lin Fan, you think you've won because you rejected me today?" Wang Hao sneered, his laughter full of pity. "I'm telling you, the game has just begun. I'll make you watch with your own eyes how pathetic your so-called guts are in the face of reality! I'll make everyone around you leave you, one by one!"
He grew more and more agitated, almost spraying spit in my face. I saw his hand trembling slightly with anger, and a thought suddenly flashed through my mind.
A crazy, yet incredibly tempting thought.
I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down. The anger on my face slowly faded, replaced by an almost eerie calm. I even smiled at Wang Hao.
"Young Master Wang, why get so angry?" My voice wasn't loud, but it clearly filled the entire private room. "Look at you, your face is red, and your hand is shaking. How inelegant."
Wang Hao was taken aback by my sudden change. He subconsciously glanced at his own hand, then yelled even more furiously, "Do I need you to teach me how to act?"
"No, no, I'm not teaching you." I slowly wagged my finger, a playful look in my eyes. "I just think that someone from a prestigious family, with a higher education, whose every move should be a gentleman's model, how could you make such an inelegant move?"
My gaze swept over the table to the bowl of steaming matsutake chicken soup that had just been served. A rich aroma wafted through the air, with a few red goji berries floating on the surface, looking very appetizing.
I leaned half a step forward, lowered my voice, and said to him in a tone as if sharing a secret, "Someone as elegant as you would never spill soup on yourself while eating, right?"
I said this sentence extremely slowly, enunciating every word clearly. My eyes were fixed on him, full of "trust" and "admiration."
Wang Hao froze. He probably never expected that, in such a tense atmosphere, I would say something so nonsensical. The anger on his face solidified, replaced by a sense of absurd bewilderment.
He opened his mouth, seemingly wanting to mock me.
However, just as he was about to speak, something strange happened.
His right hand, which was already trembling slightly from anger, suddenly convulsed as if it had lost control! His whole body jolted as if electrocuted.
"Smack!"
A crisp, dull thud.
The three of us, including a waiter who poked his head in after hearing the sound, all stared dumbfounded at the scene before us.
The bowl of scalding matsutake chicken soup, broth and all, flew up from the table in a perfect parabola and then, without missing a beat, landed squarely on Wang Hao's priceless white Armani suit!
The milky-white broth trickled down his lapel. A few slippery mushrooms stuck to his chest, dotted with a few goji berries, looking... like a postmodern abstract masterpiece.
Time seemed to stand still in that moment.
In the entire private room, there was a deathly silence.
Wang Hao remained in the pose of pointing at me, petrified. His eyes were wide like bells, his mouth open enough to fit an egg, his face filled with disbelief and confusion.
He looked down at the mess on his suit, then back up at me, his eyes full of fear and bewilderment.
He seemed unable to comprehend how he, just standing there, could have spilled a bowl of soup. And in such an unbelievable, such... inelegant way.
I suppressed my laughter, putting on a "Oh my god, how could this happen" expression of surprise, covering my mouth and saying, "Oh my, Young Master Wang, are you alright? How could you be so careless? Look at your suit..."
Su Qing was stunned for a few seconds, but she quickly caught on. She looked at the disheveled Wang Hao, then at me, and a light of sudden understanding flashed in her bright eyes, the corners of her mouth uncontrollably turning up.
Wang Hao's face instantly turned from purplish-red to iron-gray, then from iron-gray to deathly pale. He wanted to explode, to curse, but as soon as he opened his mouth, the rich aroma of chicken soup wafted up from his collar, making him nauseous.
He couldn't say a single word.
Because he couldn't find any reason to get angry. He couldn't very well say that Lin Fan had cursed him with a sentence, could he? If he said that, people would just think he was a madman.
Amidst the shocked gazes of everyone, Wang Hao, the once-insufferable Rich Second Generation, now looked like a drenched chicken doused in hot soup—miserable, humiliated, but helpless. He shot me a venomous glare, his eyes incredibly complex, as if he were looking at a devil.
Then, without another word, he spun around and practically fled the private room.
Only after his figure completely disappeared did suppressed laughter erupt in the private room. The waiter who had peeked in couldn't hold it in any longer and let out a "pfft," then quickly covered his mouth, his face turning red.
I watched the direction Wang Hao had left and let out a long sigh.
An unprecedented sense of exhilaration surged from the bottom of my heart.
So, this was the power of the Crow's Mouth.
So, speaking in reverse was such a satisfying thing to do.
I turned around and met Su Qing's bright, smiling, and adoring eyes. We looked at each other and smiled, understanding passing between us unsaid.
I knew that from this moment on, the rules of the game had completely changed.
## The Facade Crumbles
The air in the private room seemed to have frozen, with only the rich aroma of chicken soup and the breeze Wang Hao kicked up as he fled. I looked at Su Qing, and she was looking at me. In her bright eyes, first came shock, then disbelief, and finally, a "pfft" of laughter. Her laugh was like pressing a switch, and I started laughing too, laughing so hard I was bent over, laughing until tears came out.
"Oh my god, Lin Fan," Su Qing said, laughing and hitting my arm, "you... you just now... were amazing! That bowl of soup, it was divine intervention!"
I gasped for air, the long-suppressed frustration in my heart finally swept away, replaced by an unprecedented sense of relief. So, speaking in reverse was such a satisfying thing to do. I felt like I'd just had a major breakthrough, and the whole world became clear and bright.
"Of course," I puffed out my chest, putting on a mysterious air, "look who you're talking to. I've said it before, how could someone as ordinary as me possibly have bad luck?"
Su Qing rolled her eyes at me, but the smile and admiration in her eyes were undeniable. She leaned closer to me and whispered in a tone of discovering a new continent, "So, that curse you mentioned... can actually be controlled? As long as you speak in reverse?"
I winked at her, which was as good as a confirmation.
Just as we were basking in the joy of surviving disaster and the intimacy of sharing a secret, the door to the private room was kicked open from the outside with a loud "bang."
The heavy solid wood door slammed against the wall with a huge crash, startling both Su Qing and me. Standing at the door was Wang Hao, who had returned.
He was completely stripped of his earlier elegance and composure. The oil-stained white suit clung wrinkled to his body, his hair was messy, his once-immaculate hairstyle now like a chicken's nest. His eyes were red, as if about to bleed, his chest heaving violently. He glared at us, his gaze no longer one of condescending contempt, but of poisoned resentment and madness. He was like a cornered beast, ready to pounce and tear us to pieces at any moment.
"Laugh? Why aren't you laughing?" Wang Hao's voice was as hoarse as sandpaper. "You think it's funny, don't you?"
I subconsciously pulled Su Qing further behind me and took a step forward. Although I was a bit spooked, the thought of my new "power" gave me plenty of confidence. I met his gaze and said lazily, "Young Master Wang, back so soon? Did you think the soup here was especially good and wanted another bowl?"
My words were undoubtedly adding fuel to the fire. Wang Hao's face instantly turned purplish-red. He pointed at me, his fingers trembling with effort. "Lin Fan! You good-for-nothing! You think you can win with these cheap tricks?"
"Cheap tricks?" I said, feigning surprise. "How can this be a cheap trick? This is... uh, an accident. Yes, an accident. For someone as noble as you, Young Master Wang, isn't it normal to encounter a small accident every now and then?"
"You!" Wang Hao was so angry he couldn't speak. His gaze bypassed me, pinning itself on Su Qing behind me. "Su Qing, do you see? This is the man you chose! A despicable villain who only uses low-down tactics! If you stay with him, you'll spend your whole life in the mire! Come with me. I guarantee, I can give you everything you want!"
Su Qing peeked out from behind me. There was no fear on her face, only a hint of pity and disgust. She looked at Wang Hao coldly and said, word by word, "Wang Hao, you're pathetic. You still don't understand. It's not your money I hate, it's you. What's the difference between you and the 'low-down tactics' you speak of? Now, please get out."
"Get out?" Wang Hao acted as if he'd heard the world's biggest joke, suddenly laughing maniacally, his laughter sharp and piercing. "Fine, fine, fine! Su Qing, Lin Fan, you two are just great!"
His laughter stopped abruptly, his expression instantly turning ferocious. He had completely torn off his mask, revealing the ugliest core within.
"You think this is over? You think splashing a bowl of soup on me will make me back down?" He took a step closer, his voice dropping to a low, venomous whisper. "I'm telling you, the game is just beginning! Lin Fan, you think you're so capable? You think you can create accidents? We'll see if your 'accidents' are better, or if my methods are!"
"I'll show you what true despair is. I'll make you lose your job, lose your friends, lose everything you rely on to survive in this city! I'll make you live in fear every day, afraid of being hit by a car when you walk, afraid of choking when you drink water! Not only will I destroy you, but I'll also destroy the person you care about most!"
His gaze swept over Su Qing like a venomous snake, the blatant threat making all the blood rush to my head.
"You dare!" I roared.
"What wouldn't I dare?" Wang Hao smiled twistedly. "You just wait! I have a thousand ways to make your lives a living hell! You just enjoy this final moment of peace!"
With that, he viciously kicked over a nearby chair. The loud bang echoed in the private room. He didn't look at us again, just turned and left, his back full of ill omens.
"Bang!"
The door was slammed shut by him, making the whole room seem to shake.
Wang Hao's last sentence was like a cold needle, piercing my heart. The earlier excitement and pride vanished in an instant, replaced by a heavy pressure. I knew Wang Hao was a man of his word. Having suffered unprecedented humiliation today, his revenge would surely be crazy and without consequence.
I turned around to see that Su Qing's face was also a little pale, but she gripped my hand tightly, her gaze exceptionally firm.
"Lin Fan, don't be afraid," she said. "Whatever he does, we'll face it together."
I looked at her, and a warmth surged through my heart. That's right, what did I have to be afraid of? Before, I was just a helpless unlucky soul. But things were different now. The rules of the game had completely changed.
I took a deep breath, gripping Su Qing's hand tightly, my gaze fixed on the closed door.
Come on, Wang Hao. I'm waiting for you.