Volume 4: Hidden Struggles, Chapter 121: Who Should One Not Provoke?

It had always been Chu Tianyu’s wish to meet Bai Lei’s father and have a deep conversation with him.
“Hehe, so you’re the Chu Tianyu whom Bai Lei talks about nonstop in my ears. As expected, you’re quite handsome—handsome young man indeed. Tsk tsk, if not for Bai Lei insisting that you’re just classmates from Spring Festival, given his enthusiasm for you and the closeness of your hand-holding, I might have thought you two were ‘comrades’! Oh hehe…” Bai Han said jokingly, sizing up Chu Tianyu from head to toe.
Hearing this, Chu Tianyu was utterly speechless!
This was only because Chu Tianyu had been fully prepared after hearing Bai Lei say his father was rather “low-key” before he could barely hold his composure.
Still, Bai Lei’s mother, Lei Xinxian, apologized to Chu Tianyu awkwardly, glared fiercely at Bai Han, then said leisurely, “You old rascal! What business do you have with these kids’ affairs? Why meddle? Even if Tianyu and Leilei really have some kind of ambiguous relationship, what’s the big deal? It’s this modern era—why are you still so conservative? Right, son?”
Now even Bai Lei could barely hold on. He quickly pulled away from Chu Tianyu’s still-clasped hand, blushed, laughed awkwardly, said he needed to go help Ouyang Ziyi with guests, and left in a hurry. Chu Tianyu didn’t say a word either and hurried after him…
“Wife, are you sure there’s really nothing between them? I only have one son—Bai family’s lineage can’t be cut off!” Bai Han said worriedly, watching his son and Chu Tianyu’s retreating figures.
“Enough. The younger ones have left. Let’s stop joking. You’re already so old yet still so playful…”
“Aren’t you the same? If not for your last remark, they wouldn’t have run away!” Bai Han retorted.
“If they hadn’t run away, where would we get the space to enjoy this grand banquet? We’re always busy—this is a rare chance to relax!” Lei Xinxian rolled her eyes.
“Huh, you’re right. Haha…” Bai Han suddenly realized.
…
Seeing Chu Tianyu looking embarrassed and Bai Lei looking flushed as they both ran back, Ouyang Ziyi curiously asked, “What happened to you two?”
At those words, Chu Tianyu and Bai Lei quickly stepped back a few steps, almost in unison saying, “Never use ‘you two’—I’m me, and he’s him!” They also pointed at each other as if to draw a line between them…

Under the hosting of his elder brother Chu Tiancheng, the luxurious dinner finally began. “Distinguished elders, guests, gentlemen, and ladies, before we officially start the dinner, let me first invite a rising star in the music industry to sing a beautiful song as a welcome gift for us today!”
Chu Tiancheng changed his tone. This time, his voice was filled with excitement as he said, “She is Miss Xue Ning’er, the sister of the superstar singer Miss Xue Feifei, who also possesses a heavenly voice. This is her first performance, and she has specially come to support our Chu family’s banquet. Let’s give her a warm round of applause! Welcome, Miss Xue Ning’er, to the stage!”
At these words, Chu Tianyu and Ouyang Ziyi were stunned on the spot!
A delicate figure gradually emerged from the stage lights and mist, dressed in a silver feathered evening gown that highlighted her snow-white skin. Her long, smooth hair cascaded over her shoulders, adding to her graceful demeanor. Her slender legs, covered by stockings, appeared to form beautiful curves all the way to her heels—a harmony so exquisite that it seemed only nature itself could create such perfection…
The spotlight shone down on her, illuminating her face. Everyone in the audience, men and women alike, was stunned. It was none other than her breathtakingly beautiful face with its perfect contours, combined with the stage effects, which created a stunning impact on everyone present!
Indeed, Miss Xue Ning’er bore some resemblance to Xue Feifei, even her clothing and stage appearance were identical to Xue Feifei’s last performance in Hong Kong. But what puzzled Chu Tianyu was that Xue Feifei had never mentioned having a sister! Could it be that her father…
Chu Tianyu didn’t dare think further. Whatever the relationship between Xue Feifei and his father, she was still an elder, and it would be disrespectful to question their decisions.
Just then, Chu Tianyu suddenly felt a pain in the soft flesh of his waist. His internal energy was about to react, but he managed to control it. Needless to say, the precise and timely pinch must have come from Miss Ouyang right beside him.
Chu Tianyu glanced at Ouyang Ziyi. She was looking at the stage, appearing calm, as if she hadn’t been the one pinching his hand.
“I’m innocent! I have no idea about this. As you know, I’ve tried to contact Feifei since I got back, but I couldn’t reach her. How could I know she suddenly had a sister?” Chu Tianyu protested.

In fact, Ouyang Ziyi also knew that Chu Tianyu was telling the truth. He had originally wanted to call Xue Feifei and listen to her sing a few songs in person, but he couldn’t get in touch with her at all.
The lights in the hall dimmed, and Xue Ning’er’s melodious singing instantly filled every corner of the hall. Chu Tianyu and Ouyang Ziyi exchanged surprised glances. Her singing was indeed as pleasant as heavenly music, with its fluctuations echoing for days.
However, compared to Xue Feifei’s singing, hers fell far short, especially for Chu Tianyu, who knew well Xue Feifei’s musical talent and skill from their time together. Her talent was truly extraordinary, especially after she absorbed the essence of the Green Dragon, taking it to its peak. Even Chu Tianyu himself was involuntarily drawn to her, influenced by her voice, feeling the might of the Ink Dragon!
Yet, given Xue Ning’er’s singing level and the intoxicated expressions of the audience, it was clear she was of exceptional skill. This made Chu Tianyu certain that she must be from the Tianyin Sect. As for whether she was related to Xue Feifei, that was uncertain.
After the initial awe and visual impact, upon closer inspection, there were many differences between her and Xue Feifei. It was only because of their similar outfits and stage effects that they seemed somewhat alike.
Once the song ended, the hall fell silent. After several dozen seconds, thunderous applause erupted. Cheers like “Sing another one!” and “Sure, go ahead!” rang out one after another…
Xue Ning’er gracefully bowed, held the microphone, and her soft voice filled the air, bringing silence back to the hall once again.
“Thank you all for the applause. Next, I’ll sing ‘Love by the Water,’ but this song is dedicated to…” She paused before continuing, “Dedicated to Master Chu Tianyu, who is here today!”
The lighting technician promptly shone a strong light directly on Chu Tianyu.
Clearly, Xue Ning’er’s words immediately put Chu Tianyu at the center of attention. He tried to seek support and comfort from Ouyang Ziyi and Bai Lei beside him, but they had already disappeared. Chu Tianyu cursed inwardly, “What ungrateful guys!”

After “passively” accepting the gaze and admiration of everyone present and enduring the constant chatter, Chu Tianyu, feeling extremely awkward as if stung by thorns, forced himself to smile as he listened to the song “Love in Water” performed especially for him by Xue Ning’er on stage… When everyone’s attention was once again drawn to the beautiful melody, Chu Tianyu finally found an opportunity to quietly withdraw, disappearing around the corner of the hall. As soon as he stopped, he saw Ouyang Ziyi and Bai Lei at the farthest table, each holding a banana and eating happily. They even waved at him, signaling that it was quiet over there and the food was delicious! Once again, thunderous applause erupted in the hall—apparently, the song dedicated to someone had finally ended. And naturally, this marked the official start of the banquet… For Chu Tianyu, his task was almost complete; he didn’t need to worry about anything else, as his elder brother would take care of it. Only at the end, when the banquet concluded, would it be his turn to step in and see to the farewell. Before Chu Tianyu could even take a few bites, Ouyang Ziyi eagerly pulled him along to go backstage to meet Miss Xue Ning’er and ask about the situation. It’s said that a woman’s curiosity can kill a cat! But Chu Tianyu also had a strong desire to meet this Xue Ning’er, so he followed Ouyang Ziyi to go backstage. Halfway there, they suddenly saw Xue Ning’er walking off the stage, waving at the audience below. Her gentle and affectionate demeanor was accompanied by a pure, serene aura, making everyone around her feel as if bathed in a gentle breeze… Chu Tianyu and Ouyang Ziyi exchanged glances, both feeling that her reason for coming off stage was to find “someone”! “Maybe we should go back to that corner and eat some bananas first…” Chu Tianyu said softly, still remembering the awkward moment earlier. “Okay!” Given the situation, Ouyang Ziyi decided not to kill the cat for now! Under the guidance of their elder brother Chu Tiancheng, the atmosphere of the banquet quickly reached a climax—the clinking of glasses and laughter filled the air, creating a warm and harmonious scene. But just then, a discordant noise suddenly arose! Even the soothing music in the banquet hall couldn’t drown out the sharp slap sound, followed by harsh curses like “Baka~~”, “Shit~~”, and “Damn it~~”. Upon hearing this, Bai Lei and Ouyang Ziyi immediately became alert. Both of them were the kind who thrived on chaos, so without hesitation, they grabbed one of Chu Tianyu’s hands and rushed in the direction of the noise.

A large circle naturally formed in the crowd. Inside it, several foreigners were drinking so much that their faces turned red, shouting angrily and even threatening to attack anyone who got too close. The person across from them was none other than Miss Xue Ning’er, who was performing on stage. Standing between them was Chu Tiancheng, his expression icy as he glared at the drunkards, speaking in a firm yet calm tone, “I guess you’re drunk. I don’t know who brought you here, but I can tell you clearly—this place doesn’t welcome you! Security, send them away!” As he spoke, a dozen private bodyguards hired by Chu Tiancheng for the party immediately appeared around them, surrounding the troublemakers. It seemed they were ready to strike at the slightest move from those men. But those men actually dared to act—before the bodyguards could intervene, they swayed and attacked, knocking down those burly bodyguards in no time. Then, the leader among them snapped his fingers dismissively, gave a thumbs-up, and suddenly made a downward gesture with his hand, looking extremely arrogant. The people around were filled with outrage and wanted to join in the fight. When Chu Tianyu and the others pushed their way in, they saw exactly this scene. Bai Lei immediately recognized the man making the gestures as the Japanese man he and Lan Yue had met at the teahouse—Fujihara. Without hesitation, he delivered a “Dragon’s Tail Kick” at Fujihara, which was actually just a weak side kick. Fujihara seemed to recognize Bai Lei as well; he sneered and calmly threw a punch back at Bai Lei’s kick. With a scream of pain, Bai Lei’s kick not only deflected Fujihara’s punch but also struck his face with full force, sending him flying with blood streaming from his face… This move caught the rest of the men by surprise, and they grew wary. Chu Tianyu could tell right away that those men weren’t drunk at all—they were there to cause trouble on purpose! Sure enough, someone stepped forward from the crowd, pretending to be surprised, “Oh my, what’s going on? Why are you all so drunk? Come on, go back to your tables!”

Upon looking, Chu Tianyu saw that it was Zhou Chongyun’s father, Zhou Kunwei! This once again confirmed his guess—that they had deliberately come to stir up trouble! Chu Tianyu quickly scanned the situation on the scene: Xue Ning’er had a furious expression, while among the foreigners across from her, one who appeared particularly despicable had five fingerprints on his face. Putting it all together, he roughly understood what had happened.

Whether Xue Ning’er was Xue Feifei’s sister or not, her identity as a disciple of the Tianyin Sect was undeniable. By extension, wasn’t this tantamount to harassing someone from one’s own family?

“Why target anyone else but…?”

Without thinking any further, Chu Tianyu’s energy surged violently, his blood boiling with anger. If he had shown off his upper body at that moment, he would have seen that ink dragon reappearing, ready to take flight, while the illusory Ink Flame had also taken shape, waiting at any moment for Chu Tianyu’s call!