Chapter 2: Brother Long

Ye Feng didn’t know much about Brother Long, who often came to support him. He only learned from others that his name was Long Tian, a powerful gang leader in the area, seemingly backed by some even more influential forces. The way they met was also somewhat dramatic.

It was the second week since Ye Feng started singing at the Emperor Bar. Brother Long had heard that a new singer had arrived, so he decided to check out what kind of talent this newcomer was, given that it was the most popular bar in his territory.

As he entered the bar with his men, Ye Feng could sense that once he arrived, the crowd, which had been indulging in recklessness, began to calm down. Their gazes toward him were filled with awe, admiration, fanaticism, and hatred… Undoubtedly, this was a man who exuded pressure.

Curious, Ye Feng glanced over, only to encounter a sharp, knife-like stare that made him shiver. Yet he refused to back down and stared back. The man merely smirked slightly before turning his attention to Liu Hai, the bar owner standing not far from Ye Feng, and walking over to him.

“Is this brat the new singer?” Brother Long asked, shaking his head with a laugh as he approached President Liu. “Liu, you should know that hiring child labor is illegal…”

“Brother Long, he’s a top student from XX University, majoring in economics. He’s just started his first year. I’ve checked— he’s an orphan, paying for his tuition with student loans. Besides, he has a good voice and is good-looking, so I…” President Liu quickly tried to appease him, though he wasn’t sure what Brother Long really meant.

“He’s an orphan?” Brother Long frowned slightly, murmuring to himself. After a while, he raised his head. “He does seem pretty handsome. And he sings well?”

“Well… I’d rather not judge. You should listen for yourself, Brother Long,” the fat man said mysteriously with a smile.

Ye Feng also felt that this tall man who had just entered the bar must be someone of importance. He rarely saw the bar owner, Liu Hai, chatting with men—usually, Liu Hai only interacted with girls. As far as Ye Feng knew, the bar made two million in revenue per month easily, and Liu Hai could earn nearly twenty million a year. He was well-connected in both the underworld and legitimate circles, so he wouldn’t need to bother with such a seemingly young man. But now, looking at Liu Hai’s expression, he was clearly flattering him excessively.

Though puzzled, Ye Feng focused his mind and stepped onto the bar stage.

Bruno Mars’ challenging song “Nothin’ on You” was performed with great rhythm. After the song ended, to Ye Feng’s surprise, the man who had just performed was the first to applaud. The man, who had been leaning against the double sofa, stood up and applauded firmly and loudly—a clear sign of appreciation. As his applause started, the others finally reacted, bursting into enthusiastic applause and deafening screams. Since that day, for half a year, almost every time Ye Feng came to sing on Fridays, this awe-inspiring man named Long Ge would be there to support him. He always took the seat closest to Ye Feng and listened quietly to every song he sang. Over those six months, Long Ge gradually transformed from a mere listener into one of Ye Feng’s few friends. Ye Feng never asked about Long Ge’s background, despite it being shrouded in numerous rumors. He wasn’t entirely uninterested in such gossip, but he felt there was no need to ask. As a result, his already limited knowledge of Long Ge became even more limited. “Why do you help me?” Ye Feng finally couldn’t hold back and asked this question that had puzzled him for a long time during one conversation. Long Ge raised his eyebrows, took a casual sip of beer, and said, “I like you. Is that wrong? Why does it have to have a reason?” “You don’t need to overthink it. With your small frame, do you really think I could have any ulterior motives?” Long Ge patted Ye Feng’s shoulder and turned to leave… Those words made Ye Feng ponder for a long time. From that day on, he never asked similar questions again. Whenever Long Ge called to invite him for drinks, he no longer refused. After Emperor Bar introduced a karaoke system, Ye Feng’s least desired presence was Long Ge’s, because every time, he would spend a fortune. Since it was the only way Long Ge could support him, Ye Feng had no choice but to accept. Yet deep down, he knew he would definitely repay this man every penny plus interest someday. Only debts of gratitude cannot be repaid… After changing clothes and calming his emotions, Ye Feng took a deep breath and stepped out of the dressing room. At this time, the bar’s performances had just begun. Ye Feng sat at the bar, casually watching the shows on stage, lost in thought.

“What’s wrong today? You seem a bit down. Did some girl dump you?” Long Ge walked over with a sly smile and sat next to Ye Feng.
“Nothing, I just thought about some things while changing clothes…” Ye Feng shook his head.
“Are you thinking about a woman? Want your brother to take you there…” Before Long Ge could finish speaking, a commotion suddenly arose among the crowd.
Ye Feng and Long Ge both followed the crowd’s gaze. It was a woman—her delicate and beautiful features perfectly matched, with long chestnut hair tied up in an ancient noblewoman’s style. She wore a fiery red V-neck dress that revealed half of her chest, and her long legs could be faintly seen through the gaps on either side of the dress.
Her appearance seemed to cause the entire bar to pause for a moment.
When someone tried to approach her, they found that there was a man following her. The man appeared to be in his thirties, not very tall—about 1.75 meters—roughly the same height as the woman in high heels. But his fierce gaze made many who wanted to approach her back down.
Some still tried to approach, but the man stopped them and they left in a hurry.
“Coming to a place like this with a weapon on you—this woman doesn’t seem like an honest person,” Long Ge said, shaking his head after observing the man’s right-hand movement earlier.
“You mean those people left in a hurry after approaching her because he had a weapon hidden under his clothes?” Ye Feng was puzzled by this question until Long Ge explained it, and then he realized.
“Ignore them. That man is probably just a bodyguard, showing off his weapon to keep people away. Judging by their low-key behavior, they don’t want any trouble either. Just act like you don’t know anything, and don’t stare at him while we sing,” Long Ge said in a low voice.
“Oh,” Ye Feng nodded.
At that moment, the woman scanned the crowd and her gaze fell on Ye Feng and Long Ge. Then she walked in their direction.
“Do you know her?” Ye Feng asked Long Ge in surprise.
“Not at all. Maybe she’s interested in you…” Long Ge smirked.
“If she’s interested in someone, it must be you. She seems to be around your age!” Ye Feng pursed his lips.
“We’ll find out when she gets here,” Long Ge said nonchalantly, taking a sip of his half-empty cocktail. He then looked up and sized up the beautifully shaped but overly dressed woman without any pretense.
Ye Feng, meanwhile, felt uneasy.

“Two handsome guys, I was wondering if you could buy me a drink?” The woman stepped forward toward them, completely ignoring Long Ge’s lecherous gaze, and made an invitation with great skill.
“Sure, how would you like to drink it, beauty?” Long Ge still had a lustful expression, reaching out to touch the woman’s hand. Ye Feng inwardly despised him fiercely.
“What do you want?” At that moment, the bodyguard behind the woman stepped in front of her, glaring fiercely at the reckless Long Ge.
“Ah Mu,” the woman frowned slightly and glanced at the man who blocked her path.
The man hesitated for a moment before finally stepping aside, still staring coldly at Long Ge.
“I’m not sure who this is…” Long Ge suddenly turned his attention to the man.
“His name is Ah Mu. He’s my bodyguard. Sorry for the inconvenience.” The woman’s smile carried a hint of eerie charm.
“Oh, I see. May I ask your name, beautiful lady?” Long Ge still held control of the conversation.
“My name is Zhenzhu. You can also call me Zhuzhu…” The woman smiled warmly as she extended her right hand, a sharp glint in her eyes.
Long Ge, who had already reached out, froze mid-air upon hearing the woman’s name…