C25 Scared Bro

In under fifteen minutes, Qi Xiao had circled around from the back door and pulled up in front of the school. Typically, the vehicles these wealthy students flaunted were impressive—think BMWs, Porsches—real head-turners on a college campus.

But the moment Qi Xiao's ride rolled up, those so-called fancy cars paled in comparison.

"Holy smokes, check that out! What is that?"

"A Lexus!"

Eyes at the school gate were glued to the sight of such a high-end car, and the students buzzed with speculation about who could be inside. Some daring girls even let out whistles.

With a firm press of the brakes, Qi Xiao brought the Lexus to a halt at the school entrance, its engine growling like a wild stallion refusing to be tamed. He swung the door open and stepped out.

"Yun, hop in!"

Tang Yue and her crew were stunned. Qi Yun's brother didn't just have a car; he had a Lexus—a genuine luxury vehicle. Next to it, their BMWs and Porsches seemed like junk.

"No way, does Qi Yun's family own a Lexus?"

"Are you telling me she's poor? Have I got the wrong idea about what 'poor' means?"

Qi Yun, though slightly bewildered, dutifully climbed into the car. Qi Xiao slammed the door shut, and with a thunderous roar, the Lexus sped off like a mustang breaking free.

Left in the dust, Tang Yue and her friends swallowed their pride along with a mouthful of dust.

Tang Yue was irked, having failed to dent Qi Xiao's cool demeanor. She watched resentfully as he drove away.

"Ms. Yue, we better get going! Otherwise, we'll miss even the taste of his exhaust!"

Reluctantly, Tang Yue climbed back into her car, and they all set off for the KTV.

Part of the sprawling Tang Dynasty Entertainment Complex, the KTV was a venture of Tang Yue's father, Tang Junlong. It was a sizable, glittering establishment.

By the time Tang Yue's group pulled into the KTV, the gleaming Lexus was already parked. Qi Yun and Qi Xiao were casually chatting by the entrance.

Tang Yue plastered on a smile. She knew better than to mess with Qi Yun's brother out in the open, but here—this was her domain. Here, dragons must coil, and tigers must crouch.

"Wow, having a luxury car sure has its perks—you got here so much earlier! Let's head inside!"

Tang Yue ushered everyone into the KTV. As the owner, her word was law, and everyone followed her lead without question.

She had reserved the largest private room for the group, ensuring that the space didn't feel the least bit cramped, even with more than a dozen people.

Qi Xiao kept a watchful eye on Tang Yue throughout, silently observing her antics and staying alert for any signs of trouble.

Qi Yun, though reserved, was no fool. She sensed that Tang Yue intended to make the evening difficult for her. Despite not understanding why her brother was so adamant about attending, she resolved to go with the flow.

As the birthday girl, Tang Yue naturally took center stage, kicking off the singing. Her voice was surprisingly good, and despite her pettiness, she delivered a pleasing performance.

A few of Tang Yue's sycophantic admirers wasted no time in showering her with excessive praise, nearly elevating her to sainthood.

Tang Yue, ever so vain, basked in the adulation while feigning modesty.

The singing continued nonstop, creating a vibrant atmosphere, but two individuals stood out in stark contrast to the rest of the lively crowd.

Qi Xiao sat quietly in a corner, questioning his intuition. Was it possible he had been mistaken?

Qi Yun remained by his side, engrossed in her phone, as if she and her brother were invisible to Tang Yue and the others—a rather pitiful sight.

Eventually, Tang Yue made an over-the-top show of noticing Qi Yun, exclaiming, "Oh my, I was having so much fun I nearly forgot about you! Qi Yun, why are you just sitting there? Come join in!"

Qi Yun offered a polite smile and a shake of her head in response.

Shi Yuchen chimed in, pushing a microphone into her hands. "Let's hear it, Yun! We don't get together like this often. Don't be shy—sing something for us!"

With a hesitant look, Qi Yun couldn't resist the peer pressure and chose a song she knew well, "Encounter."

Her voice was naturally clear, her pitch accurate, and her musicality shone through. Her rendition was so captivating that it nearly left her classmates speechless.

A few of Tang Yue's sycophants had been dead set on bad-mouthing Qi Yun, but in the moment, they were speechless, their faces beet red with embarrassment.

It sounded so good, yet to criticize it seemed utterly disingenuous, didn't it?

Tang Yue was seething with anger when she realized that none of her promised supporters had stepped up to put Qi Yun down. Still, she managed to force a round of applause and said:

"Yun sings beautifully!"

Encouraged by Tang Yue's compliment, her lackeys joined in the praise.

"Wow, Qi Yun, how come I've never heard you sing this well before?"

"Exactly, it's as delightful as the original track!"

"Nonsense, it's way better than the original!"

Listening to her cronies mindlessly gush over Qi Yun, Tang Yue's strained smile twisted into a scowl.

She was about to cut them off when the door swung open.

"Who was the singer of that last song? Our boss would like to meet her. If it's not too much trouble, we'd be honored to share a drink with her!"

The newcomer was also in a suit, but in stark contrast to Qi Xiao, his was a garish mix of red and green, complete with a gold chain around his neck, a buzz cut, and sunglasses perched on his nose.

Qi Xiao observed that Tang Yue didn't seem the least bit surprised by this man's arrival; in fact, there was a hint of smug satisfaction on her face.

Tang Yue quickly gestured toward Qi Yun and said:

"That's her, Qi Yun. Yun, go on and see, someone's inviting you for a drink!"

Qi Yun, of course, was reluctant, but the students in the private room were all egging her on, practically shoving her into the adjacent room.

Qi Xiao followed closely, watchful for any trouble that might befall Qi Yun.

In the center of the next room sat a portly middle-aged man whose demeanor bore no trace of benevolence.

A frightening scar slashed across his face, from the back of his head, past his eye, down to his chin.

"Is this the young lady?"

The man with the scarred face, cigar clamped between his teeth, gestured toward Qi Yun with his chin. It appeared to be a question for his underling, but Qi Xiao saw clearly that his gaze was fixed on Tang Yue, who subtly nodded in confirmation.

He seemed to have caught on to Tang Yue and the others' intentions.

"Hello there, young lady. What's your name?"

The man with the scarred face flashed a menacing grin, his mouth adorned with two shiny gold teeth.

"Qi Yun."

Initially terrified, Qi Yun found courage with Qi Xiao by her side, responding with a calm assertiveness.

"Just call me Mr. Scar!"

"Mr. Scar?"

A buzz of excitement spread through the students at his casual introduction. A few boys started murmuring to each other.

"Wow, so this is the infamous Mr. Scar? The mob boss of Red Light Street? He rules the entire underworld of the district!"

Mr. Scar overheard the students' hushed conversations but seemed unfazed. He turned and gave a lackey a sharp kick.

"What are you, an idiot? Can't you see she needs a seat?"

The lackey scrambled to fetch a chair for Qi Yun.

Reluctant but aware of the many eyes on her and Mr. Scar's notorious reputation, Qi Yun took a seat, her nerves apparent.

Mr. Scar, seeing Qi Yun seated, grinned, revealing his garish gold teeth. He was holding a flute of champagne, which he offered to Qi Yun.

"Come on, little sis, your singing is delightful. Join me for a drink!"

Qi Yun, however, didn't drink alcohol; she had never touched it in her life, especially not in such a setting.

She smiled apologetically and gestured with her hand.

"I'm terribly sorry, but I don't drink."

The glass in Mr. Scar's grip crashed to the floor as his forced smile vanished, and he returned to his seat in silence.

A henchman at his side swiftly grabbed a wine bottle, breaking it in half with a snap, and menacingly pointed the jagged edge at Qi Yun, bellowing,

"Disrespecting Mr. Scar? If you don't drink this glass now, no one leaves!"