Chapter 104: Chapter 102: Nothing but Foolishness

Pfft...

Ye Chen immediately spat out a mouthful of tea, collapsing onto the ground with his limbs twitching twice. He felt a surge of despair. Good grief, was there really such a thing as a complete idiot in this world? This fat man—he had already spelled it out so clearly. Words failed him; he was truly speechless.

"Fatty Liu, are you stupid or what?" Ye Chen jumped up, slamming the table in anger. "Starting tomorrow, spend some money to get a few pretty girls from Jianghuai University to work as waitresses here. Try to rotate them every month. The customers at the Liu family barbecue stand are starting to suffer from aesthetic fatigue, so if you bring in some fresh, beautiful faces, I guarantee your business will be booming!"

"Wow, damn, brother, why didn't I think of that?" Fatty Liu’s eyes rolled around incessantly. Not only could he make money, he could also enjoy the company of beautiful women. At the thought, he nearly drooled. Ye Chen held out a hand, rubbing his thumb and index finger together. When Fatty Liu saw this, he immediately tilted his head to stare at the ceiling, pretending he hadn't seen a thing. Ye Chen let out a cold snort. "Fatty, I just gave you such a brilliant idea. You’d better pay up that two-thousand-yuan consulting fee quickly, or I’ll find a way to make sure your place is shut down within a month!"

Hearing this, Fatty Liu had no choice but to pay with a bitter expression. Once finished, he bowed and scraped as he saw Ye Chen out. Clutching the two thousand yuan, Ye Chen walked toward Liu Momo, who was waiting on the opposite side. She had been watching the barbecue stand anxiously, and when she saw Ye Chen emerge, she rushed over. "Brother Chen, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. The fatty even gave me two thousand yuan for tea money!" Ye Chen grinned, then stuffed the cash into her hands. "Just take this as the money for the meals I always eat here!"

"Ah?! I can't do that!" Just as Liu Momo was about to refuse, Ye Chen interjected, "Momo, if you don't take it, that means you don't welcome Brother Chen to eat here anymore."

"I... alright, I'll take it!" Liu Momo nodded. She didn't want Brother Chen to stop coming. Besides, since the money came from that fat man, there was no reason not to accept it. With the two thousand yuan settled, Ye Chen felt at ease and returned to the barbecue stand to continue eating.

The "urban management" thugs who had left the threats didn't show up again. By eleven in the evening, Mother Liu began to pack up, with Liu Momo helping. Li Wen and Qianqian had returned to campus half an hour earlier. Liu Momo leaned in close to Ye Chen’s ear and whispered, "Brother Chen, will you take me shopping tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow? Tomorrow is Sunday... No problem. Is Momo looking to buy some clothes?" Ye Chen asked with a smile.

"No, you'll know when we go tomorrow!" Liu Momo blushed, and seeing her reaction, Ye Chen’s imagination began to run wild.

As Mother Liu pushed the tricycle, Liu Momo waved at Ye Chen. "Goodnight, Brother Chen!"

"Goodnight!" Ye Chen waved back. This girl, as cute as an elf, always made one feel a protective urge to cherish her. The night breeze blew through her long hair, adding a touch of allure to her natural purity. For a moment, Ye Chen was transfixed.

Afterward, Liu Momo hopped onto the tricycle and headed back toward Jianghuai University.

***

Ye Chen returned to Xinhai Apartments alone. As he reached the entrance, his keen senses picked up several moving shadows. The figures suddenly vanished, and Ye Chen immediately gave chase. At the corner of the residential complex, where there were no streetlights, it was a blind spot. Just as Ye Chen rounded the corner, he found three burly men in black standing there. He was startled. Damn, had these guys set a trap?

Ye Chen stepped back a few paces. The leader of the men in black asked coldly, "You must be Mr. Ye, right?"

"That’s right. Who are you people?" Ye Chen frowned. It seemed they had come with ill intent; a fierce battle might be in store for tonight.

"Our Boss Yan would like to see you," the leader said with a faint smile. "Please, Mr. Ye, come with us."

"Just like that? Wouldn't that mean you don't hold me in any regard?" Ye Chen sneered.

"Heh heh, we know Mr. Ye is a man of great skill, but aren't you worried about that pretty girl from earlier..." The leader immediately struck at Ye Chen's weak point. Ye Chen’s eyes widened, a cold glint flashing through them. "If you dare lay a finger on her, I will make sure your Yan Gang is wiped off the face of the earth!"

"Ha! What big talk!" another man in black laughed.

"You can try me," Ye Chen said coldly.

"Mr. Ye, we don't wish to be your enemies. Our boss has simply heard of your prowess and would like to have a chat," the leader said respectfully. First polite, then forceful—or perhaps the other way around. He had many tricks up his sleeve; this man was both courageous and cunning. Furthermore, bringing only three men showed he had already gauged Ye Chen’s temperament. Ye Chen nodded. "Fine. If you want to chat, so be it. Lead the way."

The three men escorted Ye Chen to a black Mercedes, its license plate consisting entirely of zeros—evidently, this was the personal transport of Yan Bu'er. From the men’s attitude to the use of Yan Bu'er’s private vehicle, Ye Chen had already grasped the situation.

The car sped along, ignoring red lights and traffic laws alike. It was a reckless, charging ride. They arrived at the Yan Gang headquarters, located inside a high-rise building. The top floor was still lit, featuring a panoramic glass view.

When Ye Chen reached the top, he realized Yan Bu'er was alone. Seeing him for the first time, Ye Chen found him difficult to read. He wore a black Zhongshan suit, looked to be in his forties, had a buzz cut, and possessed an incredibly sharp gaze. Based on his appearance alone, one would never guess he was the leader of the Yan Dragon Gang, the largest criminal organization in Jianghuai City.

"Mr. Ye, you've arrived," Yan Bu'er said, rising to greet him.

"Boss Yan, let's skip the pleasantries. I’m not a fan of beating around the bush," Ye Chen said with a faint smile.

***

"Heh heh, Mr. Ye is certainly a man of his word," Yan Bu'er chuckled. He waved at his subordinates, who nodded in response. Yan Bu'er turned to Ye Chen. "Mr. Ye, would you be interested in taking a tour of my headquarters?"

"And what if I said no?" Ye Chen narrowed his eyes.

"I think you would be very interested," Yan Bu'er said, his sharp eyes fixed on Ye Chen, while his men stood by with their hands on their pistols. Ye Chen let out a soft snort. "In that case, I suppose a look wouldn't hurt. The Yan Gang headquarters is quite mysterious to the outside world, after all."

"Ha ha, let's go!" Yan Bu'er laughed.

They entered a private elevator. It moved quickly, descending from the twentieth floor to the basement in mere seconds. The true headquarters of the Yan Gang was located beneath the building. The elevator stopped at the first basement level, and Yan Bu'er gestured, "After you..."

Ye Chen stepped out without hesitation. No sooner had he left the elevator than he heard the shrill screams of women. He paused, walking forward quickly. Before him was a scene of debauchery. At the end of a red carpet lay a massive room filled with various tools of depravity. Over a dozen stunningly beautiful women, all completely naked, were kneeling by the bedside. In front of them, a middle-aged woman was training them. If any failed to obey, she would strike them with a high-voltage stun baton.

Some women, unable to keep up or unwilling to learn, were already foaming at the mouth from the shocks. Ye Chen was deeply shaken by the sight.

"Mr. Ye, would you like to enjoy the pleasures here?" Yan Bu'er asked, watching him with a smile.

"Not interested," Ye Chen replied through gritted teeth.

"Heh heh, we only live for two things in this world, don't we? Money and women." Yan Bu'er leisurely took off his clothes and lay down on a chaise lounge nearby. Several delicate-looking women immediately surrounded him, their tongues flickering across his body. Two began to service his chest, one focused below, while two others held his feet in their mouths...

Yan Bu'er closed his eyes, savoring the moment without a care for Ye Chen’s presence. He continued, "No matter how much power one has, it’s all just a tool to make money and enjoy women. Mr. Ye, in this world, indulgence is the only true philosophy. A human life doesn't even last ten decades, and the time one can enjoy women is so short. Heh heh..."

"Boss Yan, do you not know that there is such a thing as conscience and morality in this world?" Ye Chen sneered. "If a person loses their conscience and breaks the bottom line of morality, they are no longer human. Even if the law cannot punish you, I believe that heaven will not let you continue your trail of evil!"

"Ha ha, Mr. Ye, it seems we have some disagreements on these matters," Yan Bu'er said, rolling over. He grabbed one of the women, pushed her down onto the chaise lounge, and mounted her. He thrust his short, small member into her. The woman began to moan; one had to admit, these trained women were indeed different—their sounds were enough to make one’s bones go soft.