C14 The Young Master of Du Family

"Damn it! How can so many of you fail to handle a mere Nie Feng? What good are you?" bellowed Wang Zhenhai in the Wang's Manor, his anger palpable.

"Master, Nie Feng is no ordinary man! Rumor has it he was once the captain of a secret military unit within the country. Not one of our men could withstand even a single move from him," Wang Qiang stammered, his voice quivering. It had been years since Wang Zhenhai had flown into such a rage, which spoke volumes about his current fury. Wang Qiang knew he had to tread carefully or risk losing his livelihood.

"Silence! A failure is a failure, no more excuses! What's the point of the Wang Family pouring so much money into you lot if this is the result? You might as well be dead!" In his fury, Wang Zhenhai shattered his jade teacup to pieces.

Wang Qiang, alarmed, immediately fell to his knees, shaking as he pleaded, "Master, I beg you, grant me one more chance. I swear Nie Feng will have nowhere to lay his head when I'm through with him!"

Wang Zhenhai inhaled deeply before asking, "And the young master? Is he alright?"

"The young master has multiple fractures and likely won't leave his bed for a month, but his life isn't in danger," Wang Qiang responded truthfully, not daring to conceal the truth.

"Fine. Considering you brought the young master back safely, I'll let this slide. But reinforce our security. Ensure the young master's safety at all costs. Should anything befall him, you're well aware of the consequences," Wang Zhenhai said sternly.

"Yes, Master. I would lay down my life to protect the young master," Wang Qiang assured him quickly, then hesitated before asking, "And what of Nie Feng?"

"For now, leave Nie Feng be. Let the upstart think he's won for a few days. Our priority is the young master's recovery. Assign someone to watch over Yanna, too; we can't have her stirring up trouble," instructed Wang Zhenhai.

"But if we leave Nie Feng alone, the other families will think we're scared of him and laugh at us. Perhaps we should invest heavily in a professional to eliminate him," suggested Wang Qiang.

"And if the assassin fails to kill Nie Feng? Do you want to further tarnish our reputation? You've said it yourself, Nie Feng is no ordinary target. If word gets out that we can't touch him, won't that be even more humiliating?" Wang Zhenhai countered, his brow furrowed in frustration.

"Master, is that really the end of it?" Wang Qiang asked, his voice tinged with reluctance.

"Hmph, you think we'd let it slide just like that? We'll give Nie Feng a few days to jump around and lower his guard. Then, we'll find a skilled hitman to take him out in a surprise attack. Handle it discreetly, and make sure no one else gets wind of it. I want Nie Feng to vanish without a trace, as a lesson to anyone who dares cross the Wang family," Wang Zhenhai instructed, his eyes narrowing into slits.

...

True to form, at quitting time, Zhang Menglin was waiting at the entrance of the complex for Nie Feng. She stood there in a pale blue dress, her long hair cascading over her shoulders, her face lightly made up and adorned with a smile.

"Big sister, haven't you had enough? Please, just let me be," Nie Feng pleaded with a grimace.

"Not a chance. Come on, you're going shopping with me," Zhang Menglin declared, ushering Nie Feng into the car and smoothly shutting the door behind him.

Just then, a sleek new Lamborghini spun to a stop in front of Zhang Menglin's car. A dashing, debonair man stepped out, holding a bouquet of flowers.

"Menglin, what a surprise to run into you here. It must be fate. These flowers are for you. How about joining me for dinner?" he asked with a beaming smile.

"Du Miao, I've made myself clear—I'm not interested in you. Stop this relentless pursuit. Take your flowers back. Besides, I've already made plans for this evening," Zhang Menglin replied, gesturing toward Nie Feng in the car.

Du Miao paused, peering into the car. Upon noticing Nie Feng's security guard uniform, a flicker of scorn crossed his face.

Du Miao? Nie Feng was taken aback. This was the heir to the Du family, one of the four major clans, second only to the Wangs in power. He hadn't realized that Du Miao was one of Menglin's suitors.

"Menglin, quit playing games. He's just a lowly guard. Does he have my looks? My wealth? I know you're just trying to provoke me. Let's go—I've already reserved our table," Du Miao implored, growing desperate.

Upon hearing that, Nie Feng's mood soured immediately. He could concede not being as wealthy, but to suggest he wasn't as handsome was just absurd.

"Who's causing trouble, Du Miao? You're the Du family's eldest son. Can't you show a little dignity? Why on earth would I want to upset you? What do you even have to do with me?" Zhang Menglin snapped back.

Du Miao's face shifted at her words. "Menglin, I was wrong. I misspoke. Please, just give me one chance. Have dinner with me!" he pleaded.

"Menglin? Since when are you allowed to call me that? I already said no. Now move, or if I damage your fancy car, don't expect a dime from me," Zhang Menglin retorted, her brow furrowed, not mincing her words.

Nie Feng had previously heard from the little monkey that Zhang Menglin was notoriously temperamental and icy to everyone. He hadn't believed it until now. Yet, she always seemed so agreeable with him. Could it be that she had actually fallen for him?

With this thought, Nie Feng allowed a smug smile to cross his face, caressing his own chiseled cheek.

At last, Du Miao lost his composure, furiously tossing the flowers to the ground and pointing at Nie Feng. "You there, come down! I challenge you to a duel!"

Du Miao couldn't fathom what was so special about this security guard. Why would Zhang Menglin prefer him over giving Du Miao a chance? He felt an immense blow to his pride.

Keep in mind, he was the Du family's prized young master, with countless women vying for his attention. None of them caught his eye, except for Zhang Menglin. Unlike the typical playboy, Du Miao was still a virgin at twenty—a rarity among his wealthy peers.

Nie Feng chuckled to himself. The young master of the Du family was quite the character. A duel? What century was he living in?

"Du Miao, enough with the drama. Move aside. I don't have time for your nonsense," Zhang Menglin said, clearly annoyed.

"You're the coward, the scaredy-cat. If you're brave enough, come down here and let's settle this like men!" Du Miao bellowed, ignoring Zhang Menglin and continuing to challenge Nie Feng.

"Come on up if you're brave enough," Nie Feng said with a slight smile, beckoning Du Miao.

"You think I'm scared?" retorted Du Miao, reaching for the car door. But he paused a second later, casting a guilty glance at Zhang Menglin before withdrawing his hand and declaring, "Better you come down instead."

Impatient, Zhang Menglin floored the accelerator, and her Porsche shot forward, sideswiping the Lamborghini and careening out of the neighborhood.

Du Miao was left in shock, not just because Zhang Menglin had damaged the Lamborghini's tail but also because the car had nearly hit him. Clearly, Zhang Menglin hadn't spared a thought for his wellbeing!

Nie Feng was equally stunned. That was a Lamborghini, after all—likely to cost a small fortune to fix! "Hey, Miss, do you have any idea how much that car costs? You really had the nerve to hit it?" Nie Feng exclaimed in disbelief.

"What do I care about the cost? If you like it, I can give you one too," Zhang Menglin offered with a smile.

"Uhh... no thanks. I don't take rewards I haven't earned," Nie Feng responded, waving off the idea.

Zhang Menglin parked her car by a Western restaurant and pulled Nie Feng out. Only then did he notice the Porsche's significant damage.

Noticing Nie Feng's distressed look, Zhang Menglin chuckled, "Come on, it's not like you're paying for the repairs. Why the long face?"

"You wealthy folks really have no clue about the common people's struggles," Nie Feng remarked, shaking his head.

As they entered the restaurant, the patrons stared at Nie Feng, puzzled by his security guard attire. The waitstaff were taken aback too. But when they caught sight of Zhang Menglin next to Nie Feng, their eyes bulged—many of the men shooting envious glares his way, as if lamenting that the 'good cabbage' had been snagged by a 'pig.'

Unfazed and smiling, Nie Feng confidently took a seat on the sofa and casually crossed his legs.

The waiter presented them with menus, but Nie Feng barely glanced at them before setting them aside. He ordered, "One Wellington steak, salt-baked snails, South African lobster, cream of mushroom soup, mango pudding, and a bottle of '82 Lafite, please."

"Uh... You're really not one to let me save money, are you?" Zhang Menglin remarked as she placed her order and handed the menu back to the waiter. "I had no idea you had such an appetite."

"Well, why not? Someone else is picking up the tab," Nie Feng replied, his smile laden with implication.

Zhang Menglin gave Nie Feng a playful eye roll and a pout, but she wasn't genuinely bothered. The expense was hardly a concern for her.

Shortly after, Du Miao arrived in a flurry, stopping in front of Zhang Menglin. "Linlin, I was wrong earlier. Please, don't be mad at me."

"Du Miao? What brings you here?" Zhang Menglin asked, her brow furrowed in surprise.

"Hey, Young Master Du, perfect timing! We've just finished ordering and haven't started eating yet. Join us!" Nie Feng invited warmly, grinning from ear to ear.

Zhang Menglin shot Nie Feng a puzzled look. What was he thinking, inviting Du Miao to join them?

Du Miao's face lit up at Nie Feng's invitation. He gave Nie Feng a grateful glance and quickly took a seat next to him. "Great, let's eat together. And don't worry, this meal's on me."

"Fantastic! Waiter, we'll have another round of everything we just ordered, including that bottle of Lafite," Nie Feng called out to the waiter.

"Sir, about the price..." The waiter began, hesitating. The cost of two bottles of '82 Lafite wasn't exactly pocket change.

"What's the problem? Don't you recognize Young Master Du? Just bring it out quickly and cut the chatter!" Nie Feng snapped, clearly annoyed.

Du Miao also shot the waiter a stern look. This was his chance to impress, and after all, what was the price of a bottle of wine in such a moment? "Exactly, follow my friend's instructions and make it snappy!"