C7 Showing off

"How many times are you going to send me after that car ahead? Are you even capable of handling this? If you don't give me a satisfactory explanation today, this isn't over between us."

Gold Chain had noticed Ye Feng consistently blaming the car in front, suspecting Ye Feng lacked the means to pay up.

"I've told you, I'm not at fault here. If you hadn't been eating, I wouldn't have hit the car in front. You should be compensating me for my car and the one ahead."

Ye Feng's statement came across as provocative, and Gold Chain thought Ye Feng was simply shirking responsibility. He also realized that the car in front was out of his league, which only fueled his anger.

"Isn't that a bit irresponsible of you? It was your abrupt stop that caused the collision, and now you expect me to pay for the car in front too?"

"We're just stating the facts. If your brakes were responsive enough, you wouldn't have hit me, and I wouldn't have collided with the car ahead due to inertia. This whole mess is down to your lack of driving skills—I suggest you think twice before continuing this way."

Gold Chain grew even more furious at Ye Feng's retort. He had always considered himself quite unreasonable, but Ye Feng seemed to outdo him in audacity.

"You've got some nerve. Are you not afraid I'll take you down?"

"If you were going to hit me, you would've done it by now. The only reason you're holding back is fear of my connections. Plus, you're probably no match for me."

"That's absurd!"

Right then, Susan tugged gently at Ye Feng's sleeve, signaling that someone from the Ye family, likely his elder sister, had arrived.

With this knowledge, Ye Feng's confidence soared. Why fear anything when his elder sister had his back?

Besides, after taking that body-enhancing drug, he was likely more than a match for Gold Chain.

"This is your final warning. Are you going to leave, or not? If you stay, the consequences will be more than you can handle."

"Quite the big talker, aren't you? Before you threaten me with consequences, better make sure your car is worth enough to cover mine."

Ye Feng cast another glance at Gold Chain, noting that the car ahead didn't look like one to be trifled with. He wasn't clear on the specifics of the Ye family's influence; after all, he hadn't yet made it back home.

This situation underscored a harsh reality for him: without power or status, one is utterly helpless.

He was leveraging the Ye family's clout this time around. Without their backing, he wouldn't have the confidence to confront Gold Chain so boldly.

Moreover, Gold Chain had only mustered the courage to speak up after seeing the sorry state of Ye Feng's car. Had it been in better condition, he surely wouldn't have dared.

It seemed as though the car in front was the root cause of the current predicament, yet Gold Chain didn't dare to challenge the driver of that vehicle.

"You see this beat-up car you're driving? I bet you don't have the money to cover the damages. How about I just call the cops and we'll see who they side with—you or me?"

"…"

While I was in conversation with Ye Feng, the sound of footsteps echoed from the entrance of the underground garage.

Descending was a man who had the air of a general manager. Ye Feng didn't recognize him, but Susan's face brightened instantly.

"Director Qi! Over here!" Susan called out, opening the car door and stepping out to approach Director Qi.

Ye Feng wasn't familiar with this individual, but he was aware that he must be an envoy from his eldest sister, someone capable of resolving the issue at hand.

"Sir, I'm not aware of any bad blood between you and Director Ye, but if there's an issue, please discuss it with me. Let's not waste Director Ye's valuable time."

The man Susan addressed as Director Qi spoke with an air of formality, and Gold Chain could immediately tell that this was not a man to be taken lightly.

Gold Chain recognized that Director Qi was way out of his league. The man's attire alone spoke of wealth and power. To cross someone of his stature would surely spell disaster. With a nod and a bow, he was on the verge of turning tail and fleeing.

"It was just a minor scrape. If there's nothing else, I'll be on my way. And... I'll take care of the damages to Director Ye's car."

"No need for compensation from you. However, I suggest you show a bit more respect when encountering someone like me in the future. You never know who might be beyond your means to offend."

"Yes, yes, I've got it. You can count on me to be careful."

"Okay, off you go."

No sooner had Ye Feng uttered those words than he regretted them. The car ahead still hadn't discharged its occupants, nor had it left. He was unsure of the intentions of the person inside the vehicle.

Regret was futile, though. Gold Chain spun on his heels and bolted as if pursued by phantoms.

Ye Feng was once again struck by the stark realization of the importance of wealth and influence.

"Hey, that guy got away. Are you sure you can handle whoever's in that car up front?"

"Don't worry, Director Ye. I'm equipped to handle most situations, so there's no need for concern."

Ye Feng nodded, though he wasn't entirely convinced this was a 'most situations' kind of moment. He was at a loss for what to do, and his yearning for power deepened.

After a short wait, someone finally emerged from the car ahead. Ye Feng could have left, but his two ancient vehicles were in a sorry state.

They'd been hit and had completely died on him; now, they wouldn't start at all.

Susan had planned to apply for a new car for him tomorrow, but that was no longer an option. Thus, Director Qi had gone to find a replacement vehicle.

The individual from the car ahead waited for Director Qi to depart before alighting. Observing the scene, Ye Feng deduced that this person was likely someone even Director Qi wouldn't want to cross.

It was also possible that the person in the car had deemed it unwise to confront Director Qi directly.

A woman stepped out, but from the look of the driver's seat, it was probably a man of status, though his attire was indiscernible.

From the woman's dress and the car's value, Ye Feng surmised that the man behind the wheel must be wealthy and influential, possibly someone who had dealings with the Ye family. Otherwise, he would have exited the vehicle while Director Qi was present.

Ye Feng had thought to ask Susan if she recognized the person, but one glance at her told him she didn't know the woman. It appeared that they weren't there for Ye Feng.

Only when the woman spoke did Ye Feng understand that, although the person hadn't stepped out of the car, today's incident wasn't spontaneous—it was indeed aimed at him.