Volume 4: Hidden Struggles, Chapter 61: Misty Like Water

Ignoring the fidgeting of Brother Ouyang and his sister, Ouyang Boshu and Chu Tianyu exchanged smiles—they had already made plans. Over the past few days, Chu Tianyu had compiled intelligence from both Ouyang Boshu and Old Chen, and after several detailed discussions with Ouyang Boshu, he had a pretty clear understanding of the situation.

Whether it was to recover lost property or to take revenge on Ouyang Boshu, the Europeans would not give up easily. Added to this was the Hexin Society, which acted as their liaison and support—this made them clear enemies. The Shi family of Hengyun Group had long coveted the Ouyang family’s wealth, especially since Ouli Jia Bao Group had grown rapidly with government support, causing deep concern among this established Hong Kong family.

At such a critical moment, they even organized some so-called “superstar banquet.” Based on current information, it’s likely the Shi family was the one lurking in the shadows, taking advantage of Ouyang Boshu’s crisis to strike while the iron was hot. As for whether there was any collusion between their overt and covert forces, there was no solid evidence yet.

One thing was clear: all these overt and covert factions were sharpening their knives, targeting Ouli Jia Bao Group as a huge target, hoping to seize control or eliminate rivals.

So, with Ouyang Boshu’s consent, Chu Tianyu decided to use the Shi family’s special banquet as an opportunity to enter the lion’s den. The elite members of Wutang, operating under the guise of Qingtang Security Company, would be responsible for protecting the Ouyang family. Most importantly, Chu Tianyu would accompany them to ensure close protection and avoid another lapse in vigilance like that night with Ouyang Ziyi.

With the situation becoming clearer, Chu Tianyu felt much more at ease. No matter how difficult and dangerous things might be, at least there was a clear direction—far better than the random guesses he and Old Chen had made earlier.

There was also good news for Chu Tianyu: Old Chen finally tracked down news of his second brother, who was said to be hiding in a boat shed belonging to the Shayu Gang. Upon receiving this news, Chu Tianyu, accompanied by Wutang brothers, sneaked in that very night. Finally, among over a hundred boats, he saw his second brother and his two companions.

Of course, Chu Tianyu did not reveal himself. Relying on his martial skills, he hovered beside the boat, leaving the Wutang disciples who guided him in awe—such a level of cultivation was already considered legendary in their eyes!

It had been many years since they last saw each other. Although his second brother’s appearance had changed greatly, Chu Tianyu recognized him at first glance—after all, they were blood-related brothers with deep bonds. Moreover, the determination that Chu Tianyu was familiar with from his second brother hadn’t changed at all. Thinking back to how his second brother had fought throughout the school for him, Chu Tianyu’s heart burned with passion, his eyes filling with tears. He longed to rush in right away and call out to his brother…

However, Chu Tianyu forced himself to hold back. First, his grandfather had instructed him to act secretly, ensuring his brother’s safety without interfering with his mission. Second, Chu Tianyu knew his brother too well—he had always been independent since childhood. Once he made up his mind about something, no one could make him change his mind, let alone interfere!

If he were to barge in recklessly, claiming to be there to protect him, not to mention Chu Tianyu himself, even his grandfather and his brother would likely get angry with him!

But anyway, it was good enough now. Chu Tianyu had seen his brother and confirmed that he was safe. Besides, he had overheard some of their conversations.

To be honest, this mission where his second brother and two other comrades pretended to be assassins really frustrated them. From their tone, it seemed they had thought this mission would be extremely dangerous, and they were full of ambition, hoping to prove themselves the strongest through it. But after arriving in Hong Kong, they were kept in a secret room. Apart from being given a few sniper rifles to get familiar with, all they were told was to wait.

A few days ago, they finally saw Du Zhan, the leader of the He Xin Hui, thinking they could carry out the assassination mission. Following their superiors’ orders, they were to “fake his death” and then find an opportunity to kill this so-called Blood Eagle Du Zhan, and then their mission would be complete. But things took an unexpected turn—they didn’t get the assassination task and instead were ordered to hide in a boat house belonging to another gang.

At first, Chu Tianfeng and the others thought their identities had been exposed and were ready to fight back. But after hiding there, they received no news at all, which led them to conclude that something must have changed, and all they could do was wait endlessly. Yet, given his brother’s personality, he still suggested that regardless of whether the “fake death” mission continued or not, he would find a way to deal with the leader of the He Xin Hui to relieve the frustration he had felt for so long.

The speaker meant no harm, but the listener took it personally. Chu Tianyu couldn’t help but smile bitterly and shake his head. He was helpless regarding his second brother’s decision. There was no other choice but to go to extra lengths to avoid further complications. It would be better to have the people from the martial arts hall eradicate this so-called He Xin Hui before his second brother and the others took action. After all, He Xin Hui wasn’t anything good—if they wanted to be part of the underworld, then so be it. The Xuanji Sect used to be a martial arts sect, so that wasn’t really a problem. But their collusion with external enemies was unforgivable; their hearts deserved to be condemned!

So these past two days, in addition to dealing with the Ouyang family, Chu Tianyu also secretly discussed with Old Chen a plan to completely eliminate He Xin Hui, scheduling it for tonight.

……

At 6 p.m., in a high-end Japanese restaurant in the downtown area.

Five people sat in a private room, with Du Zhan, the Blood Eagle of He Xin Hui, sitting in the middle.

“Boss, today is the day when the Shi family holds a grand banquet, and I heard that that damn ice-cold beauty Xue Feifei is also there…” said a burly man sitting at the bottom.

“Damn it, A Tong, stop talking nonsense. Feifei is my idol. If you dare say anything rude again, don’t blame me for not showing you any mercy!” another man said.

Just as A Tong was about to retort, he suddenly saw the angry glares from everyone, including boss Du Zhan, so he quickly swallowed his words and started gobbling up the sashimi on the table.

“Boss, you’re right. After all, we have a partnership with Shi Yundong. Since we can get Miss Feifei here to hear her sing in person, we should at least invite you too, right?”

“Exactly!” the rest agreed.

“Shut the hell up! A Tong, go get me some wonton noodles. What the hell is this place serving? Calling it high-end cuisine? It’s half-cooked and totally disgusting!” Du Zhan grew annoyed by his subordinates’ noise and snapped.

A Tong, who had just said the wrong thing, was stuffing food into his mouth when the boss called him again. He stammered while swallowing, “B, boss, this is a high-end restaurant. W, what wonton noodles could there be here?”

Hearing this, Du Zhan immediately threw his chopsticks at A Tong and yelled furiously, “What the hell does ‘high-end’ mean to you? We’re out here making a living—we’re in the underworld. Do whatever we want. I don’t care what method you use, but you must get me a bowl of wonton noodles within ten minutes. Otherwise, bring me one of your hands on a plate. Go!!!”

With Du Zhan’s final fierce roar, A Tong didn’t hesitate—he rushed to open the door, called over his men, and headed straight for the kitchen behind. The other underlings in the room immediately realized their boss was furious; they all fell silent, lowering their heads for fear of attracting his attention and becoming the next victims. Du Zhan was indeed filled with pent-up anger and had nowhere to vent it. After a lifetime of struggle, he had finally gotten such a great opportunity—to establish ties with one of Hong Kong’s top families and gain support from European powers. This time, by dealing with Ouyang Boshu, he could not only make a fortune but also use external forces to eliminate some of his rivals in the underworld and build relationships with the Shi family from high society, paving the way for his own elevation in status. After all, who wouldn’t want to be a respected gentleman and attend Miss Feifei’s concert? But his current status, though feared by everyone, was at most that of a gang boss—unworthy of respect in polite society. What was the difference between him and those so-called gentlemen? It was just a matter of appearance! In secret, all were the same—thieves and prostitutes! Otherwise, there would be no need for him to pretend to be refined in front of his subordinates while hiding in this restaurant. Sigh, as the saying goes, life is unpredictable. He never expected Ouyang Boshu to have such a powerful ally. Others might not realize it, but as someone with cultivation skills, he knew full well how formidable this person was. Not to mention how that person had instantly defeated those mercenaries—just the fact that his subordinates reported seeing no one descend around the lighthouse suggested this person had already reached the level of flying through the air. Even his master’s master didn’t possess such abilities. Moreover, he had guessed earlier that this person was likely Ouyang’s young friend, so she couldn’t be very old. To possess such terrifying skills, she must be the daughter of some noble family or a hermit warrior. Such a person—or her backing—was definitely someone Du Zhan couldn’t afford to provoke. It was precisely because he understood the depth of this threat that he decisively abandoned all preparations, even at the risk of offending the Shi family and Mr.Mr. Weil from Europe, and forced himself to withdraw from the plan. That’s why he led his men here, eating dishes in frustration and no longer participating in the matter. … However, just as frustrated as Du Zhan was Shi Yundong, the head of the Shi family, who was smiling warmly and entertaining guests from all walks of life. Especially when he exchanged pleasantries with Ouyang Boshu, who arrived safely, he cursed Du Zhan’s ancestors repeatedly in his heart.

If it weren’t for his sudden withdrawal, the currently smiling brightly yet utterly detestable Ouyang Boshu would have long been lying dead on the ground after being shot by snipers and attacked. Without this local tyrant, no ambush or assassination—no matter how strong Europe might be—could succeed. Otherwise, the next stock market trading day would have been their long-planned opportunity to use Ouyang Boshu’s death to buy up everything at once. Now, everything was ruined. Damn Du Zhan—luckily, he had prepared a backup plan; otherwise, such a great opportunity would have been wasted. Damn it, the underworld is really unreliable! While cursing in his heart, he still greeted Ouyang Boshu with enthusiasm: “Hehe, dear Ouyang brother, you’re so lucky! Both your sons are outstanding young men, unlike my two worthless sons—one is unhealthy, and the other spends his time hanging out with celebrities and shady friends. Sigh, I really don’t know what to do with them! By the way, dear brother, this young man beside you seems unfamiliar. I wonder…” “Dad, he’s Chu, Ouyang’s girlfriend’s boyfriend. I met him at the café when I asked Ouyang out last time,” Shi Wei, who had just been criticized by his father, quickly introduced him to avoid embarrassment. Shi Yundong sized up Chu Tianyu carefully and said, “Oh, not bad, not bad…” Everyone was confused as to whether he meant Chu Tianyu was a good person or if he had other intentions. It was Ouyang Boshu who saved the situation by saying with a smile, “Brother Shi, what have you been up to lately? I heard you won the bid for the redevelopment site in Yuen Long. Congratulations!” “Oh, it’s just trivial stuff, nothing worth mentioning! By the way, I’ve come up with a plan for a satellite city. Are you interested in studying it?” “Sure…” With that, the two walked inside hand in hand. Once they left, the younger ones became more active. Although the Ouyang siblings had no good feelings toward Shi Wei—whom their father described as worthless but who was actually very cunning—they put aside their prejudices for Miss Feifei’s sake and asked Shi Wei about the arrangements for the concert, as well as news about Miss Feifei, hoping he could arrange a chance for them to meet her.

To their disappointment, Shi Wei also replied helplessly that although they had paid the highest price to invite Miss Feifei to the banquet, she was just another guest like the others. Her singing was impromptu, not specially arranged by the Shi family, so the Shi family had no control over her schedule.
While they were talking, Chu Tianyu gave several subtle gestures, and soon a few guests and a waiter slowly approached Ouyang Boshu and Shi Yundong who were chatting inside. Clearly, they were from the Xuanji Sect, there to protect Ouyang Boshu’s safety.
On the way, personnel from the National Security Department were in charge of security, and once inside the banquet hall, it was the Xuanji Sect members arranged by Chu Tianyu who took over. After all, the key part of the plan to lure the target out was to ensure Ouyang Boshu’s safety at all costs.
…
With the host’s speech, the banquet officially began.
Shi Yundong stepped onto the stage without hesitation to deliver a speech, welcoming the guests, reviewing the Shi family’s achievements over the past year, and outlining goals for the coming year, among other annual meeting topics.
The guests were quite interested, though their real goal wasn’t to listen to these dull speeches—they were hoping the host would announce something about Miss Feifei or introduce her as a guest.
But to everyone’s disappointment, after Shi Yundong finished his speech, there were more routine events such as inviting the Chief Executive to speak and awarding prizes for donations. It wasn’t until everyone’s patience was at its limit that Shi Yundong slowly stepped back onto the stage and raised his hands to silence the crowd.
Instantly, the venue fell quiet as everyone held their breath, waiting for Shi Yundong’s speech…
“Ladies and gentlemen, for today’s anniversary gathering of our Shi family group, we have specially invited a mysterious guest to join us, and she will also perform her latest song, ‘Love by the Water.’ I believe everyone can guess who she is. She is…” He paused.
With such teasing, many of the guests below felt the urge to hit him.
Shi Yundong knew it was time to stop teasing, or someone might really get angry.
“She is the legendary superstar of the music industry, known as the pure and graceful Miss Xue Feifei. Now, let’s give a warm welcome to Miss Feifei!” Shi Yundong declared loudly.

At that moment, the crowd erupted into excitement, with bursts of enthusiastic applause. Even Ouyang siblings appeared utterly fanatical. Chu Tianyu was puzzled—what kind of singer could have such charm to provoke such a huge reaction? And to cause such frenzy at what could be considered a gathering of Hong Kong’s elite and super-rich was simply unbelievable.

As the lights dimmed and the stage lights came on, a graceful silhouette appeared in the center of the stage. She was dressed in a silver feathered evening gown, her figure as smooth as flowing water. Her long, shiny black hair cascaded down, revealing her delicate shoulders, slender waist, and graceful legs, along with flesh-colored stockings and light blue high heels, all creating a perfectly beautiful curve…

At the same time, heart-touching notes began to play, gradually forming a stream-like melody that flowed throughout the hall.

The audience below was completely enthralled—men, women, young and old, regardless of status—were all captivated. Some sang along softly, others murmured, as if calling out her name…

Her melodious voice, as gentle as flowing water, even touched Chu Tianyu. The heavenly sound echoed in his heart like a dream. No wonder so many people were obsessed and crazy—her singing reached straight into people’s hearts, resonating within their blood…

Suddenly, with a key change in the song, the rhythm shifted, and Miss Feifei on stage finally turned around and slowly raised her face, singing along with the high notes of the music.

Chu Tianyu finally saw her full face and was shocked—he suddenly remembered who she was!