Chapter Eight: Never Before Have I Encountered Such a Request

Young Master Xie dismissed Ye Feng’s warning as mere wind blowing past his ears. He even continued to act out, clawing and gesticulating with renewed provocation.

"Hitting someone!?"

"I dare you to try touching a single hair on my head!"

"Once you’re out of the Ye family, you’re worth less than nothing! And you want to hit me?"

"Come on—hit me if you dare!"

As he spoke, Young Master Xie thrust his face forward, convinced that Ye Feng was only posturing and wouldn't actually have the guts to strike him.

Ye Feng had never encountered such a request before. He felt obliged to grant it.

—Slap!!!

With a single strike, Ye Feng sent Young Master Xie flying.

Clang!

With another loud crash, Young Master Xie collided with a dining table behind him, showering himself in leftover food and scraps.

Suddenly, the room fell into a dead silence, save for the wails of the battered young man. Everyone stared at Ye Feng in disbelief; they had not expected him to actually dare to attack.

"Ye Feng!?" Su Shan was also startled by his actions, her expression shifting drastically.

This was a disaster—he was in real trouble now!

Su Shan knew all too well about Young Master Xie’s background. While he was just a manager at a large company, his father was the Chief Clerk at the magistrate’s office and, quite inconveniently, her own father’s direct superior. Striking Young Master Xie would surely lead to legal consequences. Furthermore, Ye Feng had just been released from prison today; if he were hauled back in, his sentence would certainly be compounded.

"Ye Feng... you must run..." Su Shan was at a loss, her first instinct being to help him escape and lay low.

"Why should I run?" Ye Feng chuckled, completely unbothered. "He was the one who offered his face for me to hit."

"Oh, for heaven's sake, this is no time to be stubborn!" Su Shan was frantic.

"Don't worry, it's fine." Ye Feng comforted her while urging the waiter to bring their food quickly.

The surrounding guests, witnessing Ye Feng’s unfazed composure after committing assault, couldn't help but marvel at his audacity.

"As expected of someone who’s served time in prison; he clearly doesn't care about anything anymore!"

"Hmph, fresh out of jail today and already causing trouble? He’ll likely be heading back behind bars for a while."

"I heard that Young Master Xie’s father is an official at the magistrate’s office. Without the Ye family backing him, this guy will be locked up for at least a year or two!"

Crash! Another sound of shattering plates echoed.

Young Master Xie scrambled to his feet, clutching his swollen cheek, trembling with a mix of shock and rage. He had never been hit this hard in his entire life.

"Damn you! You bastard! You actually dared to hit me!?"

Young Master Xie glared at Ye Feng, his eyes practically spitting fire. To be struck down in front of everyone by someone who was essentially a social outcast was an unbearable humiliation.

"Where are the waiters? Where is security!?"

"Grab this punk who hit me!"

He shouted several times, but the waiters and security guards in the restaurant merely stood their ground, hesitant to act.

"What? Why are you all just standing there? Get him!"

"My father is the Chief Clerk of the magistrate’s office! If you don't help me capture him, I’ll have you all prosecuted later!"

Under the pressure of Young Master Xie’s threats and coercion, the staff and guards began to close in.

"You brat, you’re finished!" Young Master Xie hissed through gritted teeth. "Once you're dragged into the magistrate’s jail, I’ll make sure you wish you were dead!"

Amidst the commotion, Ye Feng remained as calm as ever, appearing as immovable as a mountain before a landslide.

"Mr. Ye, my apologies. Since you assaulted someone on our premises, we have a responsibility to intervene. Please cooperate with us." The waiter attempted to mediate the situation.

"Stop wasting your breath on him!" Young Master Xie urged. "Just grab him!"

At this point, even the surrounding guests began to chime in.

"We can act as witnesses for Young Master Xie!"

"That’s right, I saw Ye Feng strike first!"

Everyone was eager to curry favor with the official's son.

"I’d like to see who dares to lay a hand on Mr. Ye!"

Just then, a sharp, feminine voice rang out from the second floor. Accompanied by the rhythmic click of high heels, a beautiful woman in an elegant, luxurious dress descended the staircase.

"Miss Zhao!?"

"That is Zhao Wanting, the granddaughter most doted upon by the Zhao family patriarch. She’s the Vice President of the Zhao Group!"

"I heard the Zhao patriarch is celebrating his eightieth birthday upstairs tonight!"

Zhao Wanting’s appearance immediately quelled the chaotic scene. Not only did the guests fall into a respectful silence, but even Young Master Xie himself was stunned.

"Vice President Zhao?"

She was his ultimate superior. Young Master Xie would never have dreamed that the young lady of the Zhao family would speak up for an outcast like Ye Feng.

Zhao Wanting walked down the stairs, stood before Ye Feng’s table, and announced, "Ye Feng is my guest of honor tonight. Let’s see who dares to touch him!"

With that single sentence, the waiters and security guards scattered instantly. The other onlookers quickly buried their faces in their meals, not daring to utter another word.

"Young Master Xie?" Finally, Zhao Wanting’s gaze fell upon him. Though she didn't know the nature of their grudge, Ye Feng was her guest, and she intended to protect him.

"N-nothing..." Young Master Xie offered a sheepish smile. "Just a small misunderstanding. It’s fine now, I’ll be leaving..."

He didn't dare to cross the Zhao family and chose to accept defeat, skulking away in disgrace. However, once he stepped out of the building, his expression darkened.

Could he really let a public slap go unavenged? Of course not!

Young Master Xie couldn't swallow this humiliation. While he didn't dare offend Zhao Wanting or confront the Zhao family on the spot, finding another opportunity to nab Ye Feng would be easy.

Standing outside the building, he pulled out his phone and dialed his father.

"Dad! Send some officers over to help me immediately—I’ve been attacked!"