C21 Play with Me!

As the silhouette approached the entrance, the billiard room's attendants promptly and respectfully made their way over.

"Good to see you, Zifan!" the six attendants greeted in unison, bowing on either side of the door.

The group consisted of three men and three women, all strikingly presentable and wearing the uniform of Mirrora Manor. The men looked dapper, while the women were graceful and charming.

When Zhou Wen and his party had arrived, the attendants had simply followed protocol, assigning them a table without any fanfare. Now, however, they were making quite a display.

Amidst the attendants' reverent tones, a figure emerged flanked by two formidable-looking men.

Zhou Wen's gaze sharpened at the sight of the newcomer. It was none other than Zhang Zifan, whom they had encountered earlier at the entrance of Mirrora Manor.

With a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth, Zhang Zifan strolled in, his eyes fixed on Zhou Wen and his companions.

The two men behind him sported black vests, their tattooed arms exposed, paired with black trousers. Despite it being spring, with a lingering chill in the air, they seemed unaffected by the cool temperatures. Zhou Wen and his friends were still comfortably clad in light jackets, but these two appeared impervious to the cold.

"Zhou Wen, long time no see!" Zhang Zifan greeted with a sardonic smile as he approached.

His companions' piercing eyes swept across the group, causing Zhou Yu to shyly move closer to Lee Yiran.

"Zifan, how's it going? Not a bad setup here, huh?" chimed in another familiar voice. A young man with a buzz cut entered, followed by a bevy of flamboyantly dressed women.

The six attendants bowed again, saying, "Good morning, Young Master!"

Zhou Wen's heart sank. "Why is it Chen Yu?"

The buzz-cut man was, in fact, Chen Yu from senior year, Class 6.

Wasn't Mirrora Manor closed to the public today? Zhou Wen wondered, feeling uneasy.

Zhang Zifan was here because his father was inside conducting business. Could it be...

Suddenly, it dawned on Zhou Wen that Chen Yu's father, Chen Yao, was the owner of Lumina Real Estate Innovations. It seemed highly probable that Chen Yao was also present.

"In just a few short years, he's amassed a considerable fortune, and not all of it through the cleanest means."

Zhou Wen reflected on the words Wu Ren had shared with him at the dinner table. Today, Mirrora Manor was closed to the public, which likely meant that Chen Yao and his associates were up to something secretive.

However, this thought was fleeting, and Zhou Wen quickly dismissed it from his mind.

After all, he was merely a high school student with limited influence.

If Chen Yao and his group were indeed scheming, it was up to Wu Ren and the others to handle it, and Lin Jing was present as well.

"This place isn't too shabby, but the real interest lies in the people here!" Zhang Zifan's eyes lasciviously roamed over Han Xiao and Lin Jing.

The women trailing Chen Yu flocked to Zhang Zifan, their dresses plunging at the neckline and hemmed just enough to cover their buttocks, giving off a chill.

Their glares toward Han Xiao and Lin Jing were far from welcoming.

In contrast, Han Xiao and Lin Jing's makeup was tastefully applied, enhancing rather than overwhelming their features.

Their poise and elegance outshone the other women, making the difference in class apparent, and it was clear why Zhang Zifan was drawn to them.

Upon laying eyes on Han Xiao and Lin Jing, Zhang Zifan's interest in the women by his side waned.

Chen Yu approached and noticed Zhou Wen and his companions.

Zhang Zifan had already briefed Chen Yu about the incident at the manor's entrance, so seeing Zhou Wen and his group didn't surprise him in the slightest.

He sneered, "Zhou Wen, you're here too. Aren't you one of Elder Xu's people? Why didn't he send you away?"

"Elder Xu?" Han Xiao and Lin Jing looked puzzled.

Zhou Wen responded coolly, "Elder Xu's affairs are hardly your concern."

"It's true, it's not our place to worry," Chen Yu said with a smile, choosing not to continue the conversation.

Despite his curiosity about Zhou Wen's sudden affiliation with Elder Xu, Chen Yu had no desire to probe further.

Having been bested by Zhou Wen twice before, Chen Yu was not about to make a move without absolute certainty.

Besides, his father had invited several esteemed guests to a gathering at Mirrora Manor today, and he had no intention of stirring up trouble.

Once today's business was concluded, Chen Yao was poised to rise as the preeminent leader in Anewood's business community.

Chen Yao's wealth and status were poised to climb another rung on the ladder, enabling him to expand his business across the entire province of Vrorora.

Anewood, after all, was merely a prefecture-level city. Chen Yao's next move was to extend his business into Idorora, the provincial capital of Vrorora, and from there, throughout the province.

As Chen Yao's business empire encompassed all of Vrorora, Chen Yu's standing would inevitably improve.

"Even though I'm not making a direct move, I can certainly make use of Zhang Zifan, that guy who's always thinking about women," Chen Yu thought with a smirk as he glanced at Zhang Zifan.

Zhang Peng, Zhang Zifan's father, was the owner of Soaring Heights Hospitality and had established Soaring Heights Hotel. He was also involved in today's banquet.

It was inconceivable that there were no tensions between Chen Yao and Zhang Peng, yet due to mutual interests, they maintained a facade of cooperation.

"If Zhou Wen is indeed Elder Xu's associate, it would be the perfect opportunity to stir up trouble between Elder Xu and Zhang Peng," Chen Yu mused, already formulating a strategy.

In recent times, working alongside Chen Yao had been an educational experience for Chen Yu.

With this in mind, Chen Yu adopted a friendly smile and said, "You might not be aware, but my father is one of the shareholders of Mirrora Manor, making me somewhat of a host here."

"Zhou Wen and Hui Yuming, you're both my classmates. I'm delighted you could join us." At that moment, Chen Yu's expression turned stern as he addressed the waitstaff, "What's going on here? These are all my friends. Why haven't you served the drinks yet?"

"Young Master, right away!" A waiter promptly retrieved a bottle of wine and several glasses from the rack, arranging them on a tray to serve.

The billiards room was expansive, complete with a lounge area furnished with sofas and coffee tables.

Chen Yu invited Zhou Wen and the others to take a seat. Though unsure of Chen Yu's intentions, Zhou Wen was unfazed and, along with Hui Yuming, took their seats with ease.

The waiter poured wine for everyone, a glass apiece.

At the sight of the bottle on the table, Han Xiao and Lin Jing exchanged knowing glances, their brows furrowing slightly. Zhou Wen was unfamiliar with the brand, but they recognized it.

The bottle bore the XO emblem, a sign of imported Remy Martin cognac, a luxury that would set one back several thousand yuan.

Zhou Wen's classmate made quite the entrance, uncorking a bottle of wine worth thousands. He clearly came from a significant background.

"Come, welcome to Mirrora Manor. Let's have a drink to start!" Chen Yu raised his glass with a laugh.

Chen Yu expected everyone to join in the toast, but to his surprise, Zhou Wen and the others remained still.

Lee Yiran and Zhou Yu were seated together. They had heard of Chen Yu but weren't well-acquainted with him. They were no strangers to socializing, but they seldom mingled with a playboy like Chen Yu.

Hui Yuming was naturally outspoken and tended to follow Zhou Wen's lead.

Han Xiao and Lin Jing were even less familiar with Chen Yu. All eyes turned to Zhou Wen.

Without realizing it, Zhou Wen had become the focal point of the group.

Zhou Wen gave Chen Yu a measured look, smiled slightly, and lifted his glass, "Let's just drink, no need for formal toasts."

Following Zhou Wen's cue, the rest picked up their glasses.

Chen Yu's flash of irritation was quickly masked by a smile as he finished his drink.

Setting down his glass, he addressed the group, "I'm aware of the incident with Zifan and would like to offer an apology on his behalf."

"Why not settle the matter here and now, and let bygones be bygones?" Chen Yu suggested, casting a sidelong glance at Zhang Zifan.

Knowing Zhang Zifan as he did, Chen Yu was certain he wouldn't agree.

With a crash, Zhang Zifan slammed his glass onto the floor, bellowing, "Settle our grudges? You must be joking!"

"Zifan, if you won't consider my feelings, at least consider Elder Xu's. Zhou Wen is his friend!" Chen Yu interjected earnestly.

Zhang Zifan's rage only intensified at these words.

He exploded, "Zhou Wen, don't think for a second that I'm scared of you just because you're friends with Elder Xu!"

Despite his outburst, Zhang Zifan's gaze lingered on Han Xiao and Lin Jing. He had been captivated by the two beauties since his arrival and had no intention of showing weakness in front of them.

Zhang Zifan failed to recognize Han Xiao and Lin Jing. Although Han Xiao was a familiar face online and worked as a TV reporter, Zhang Zifan paid no mind to such details. To him, Han Xiao was simply another beautiful woman.

Lin Jing was just a low-ranking police officer, and she didn't know him.

Moreover, this time he had specifically brought two of his father's tough enforcers. These men had been loyally serving his father for years, executing tasks with both precision and ruthlessness. Even Tang Qing, Elder Xu's right-hand man, would have a challenge on his hands with them.

Chen Yu couldn't help but feel a surge of glee seeing Zhang Zifan so easily provoked.

Zhang Zifan had a weakness for women and would jump at the chance to lure any beauty into his bed.

The presence of four stunning women by Zhou Wen's side, each with her own unique charm, had sparked Zhang Zifan's envy, making him all the more susceptible to anger.

Chen Yu smirked inwardly, yet he stepped in front of Zhang Zifan, attempting to defuse the situation, "Zifan, let's keep our cool. With all these lovely ladies watching, we should maintain our composure."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Zifan smoothed his hair back and fixed Zhou Wen with a haughty gaze.

Behind him stood two formidable men, arms folded across their chests, eyes gleaming with menace.

"Chen Yu, it's not that I'm looking for trouble," Zhang Zifan boasted, "but Zhou Wen embarrassed me in front of everyone at the entrance to Mirrora Manor. If he doesn't give me a satisfactory explanation, it just won't sit right, will it?"

"Exactly, exactly! Zifan's got a point. What's your take, Zhou Wen?" Chen Yu asked with a sycophantic grin, internally cursing.

Zhang Zifan, who had dropped out after junior high and was largely neglected by Zhang Peng, certainly didn't have the complexity of thought that Chen Yu possessed.

In the meantime, Zhou Wen rose from the sofa, smiling, "What kind of explanation are you looking for?"

Zhang Zifan's eyes roved over Han Xiao and her companion, declaring arrogantly, "Since you're one of Elder Xu's, you must have picked up a few of his moves. How about you test your skills against my two guys here?"

"Don't rush to agree, I have a condition," Zhang Zifan said, smugly. He added, "If you lose, you'll let me have some fun with the two ladies beside you. Don't worry, Zifan will make sure you're compensated."

His lecherous gaze lingered on Han Xiao and her friend, as if he were itching to strip them bare right then and there.

Before Zhou Wen could utter a word, Lin Jing, who had been seated on the sofa, abruptly rose to her feet.

Like a swift shadow, Lin Jing moved too quickly for anyone to discern her actions before she landed a kick squarely in Zhang Zifan's stomach.

Zhang Zifan ended up sitting on the floor with a thud.

"I've never had anyone dare speak to me like that before!" Lin Jing said icily, her gaze sweeping over the onlookers.