Hedonist Prodigy

Chapter 57: The Li Family’s Wrath

Jiang Feng carefully carried Ji Yan out of the underground parking lot, avoiding surveillance cameras before slipping into a dimly lit alley. Only after confirming that his actions wouldn’t be discovered anytime soon did he let out a slight sigh of relief.  

Now, he finally had a moment to look at Ji Yan. Her cheeks were flushed, her breath reeked of alcohol—just how much had she drunk to end up in such a state? Staring at her, Jiang Feng felt a twinge of helplessness.  

Ji Yan was completely wasted, unconscious and oblivious to her surroundings. He couldn’t just leave her on the street, but he also had no idea where she lived. With no other options, Jiang Feng found a cheap motel and rented a room for her to sleep it off.  

After staying briefly, Jiang Feng prepared to leave. Truthfully, he didn’t have much fondness for Ji Yan. As a teacher, she wasn’t lacking in responsibility, but she was painfully naive—otherwise, she wouldn’t have been so thoroughly deceived by her boyfriend or so quick to believe others’ claims that he was harassing Liu Hong. If she had bothered to investigate the situation with Liu Hong even slightly, she wouldn’t have misunderstood him.  

Of course, Jiang Feng didn’t particularly care about any of that. He never wanted to attend classes in the first place and only showed up because Ji Yan had pestered him relentlessly. Being misunderstood gave him a perfect excuse to skip. Still, despite her foolishness, her intentions weren’t malicious, so he couldn’t bring himself to blame her.  

Tonight, he had simply saved her on a whim. Even if it hadn’t been Ji Yan, he wouldn’t have stood by and let any woman be violated by Li Yuanjue right in front of him.  

Moreover, judging by Li Yuanjue’s words, Ji Yan might have been dragged into this mess because of him. There was no way he could have abandoned her.  

Li Yuanjue’s encounter with him was nothing short of disastrous luck. Jiang Feng had shattered all five of his limbs—partly because his actions tonight crossed a line, and partly as retribution for the Li family’s previous retaliation at the police station. This time, not even divine intervention could save Li Yuanjue.  

Just as Jiang Feng turned to leave, a faint whimper came from the bed. Thinking Ji Yan had woken up, he darted to the door in an instant.  

Glancing back, he saw she was still unconscious, murmuring weakly, “Water… water…”  

Spotting bottled water in the room, Jiang Feng twisted open a cap, lifted Ji Yan, and cradled her against him. Her body was limp, her movements restless as she unconsciously nuzzled against him, soft moans escaping her lips.  

The scent of alcohol mixed with her fragrance filled his senses. With a quiet sigh, Jiang Feng mused how rigid and uptight Ji Yan usually seemed—who would’ve guessed she had this side to her?  

After helping her drink a few sips, he laid her back down and reached for the blanket. 

Suddenly, Ji Yan twisted violently. 

Alarmed, Jiang Feng thought she might be sick—but before he could react, she grabbed his arm and vomited all over him.  

Stunned, Jiang Feng could only stare. Was this woman out of her mind?  

After throwing up, Ji Yan seemed slightly more lucid. Her eyelids fluttered open just a slit, her gaze hazy as it brushed over him before she collapsed back into sleep.  

*****  

Ji Yan didn’t wake until 11 AM the next morning. Fishing her phone from her bag, she gasped at the time—I’m late!—and scrambled out of bed, rushing to wash up.  

But after searching fruitlessly for the bathroom, she finally realized something was off. This wasn’t her room. It looked like one of those cheap love motels near campus, the kind that charged fifty bucks a night.  

The room held nothing but a bed, the air thick with the lingering stench of vomit. The smell was so foul Ji Yan gagged, quickly yanking the window open to let in fresh air.  

She had no memory of how she’d gotten here. The last thing she recalled was meeting Chang Shan for dinner, arguing over something trivial, then drinking too much and blacking out. Everything after that was a blank.  

Even if she’d been drunk, shouldn’t Chang Shan have taken her home? Or at least booked her a decent hotel room? Why dump her in a place like this?  

Sitting on the bed, Ji Yan clutched her head in frustration—both at Chang Shan for abandoning her and at herself for letting her guard down. How could I have drunk so much?  

Thankfully, aside from the usual hangover symptoms, her body felt normal. At least nothing worse had happened last night. That realization brought a sliver of relief.  

For half an hour, Ji Yan racked her brain, trying to piece together the missing memories. But no matter how hard she tried, nothing surfaced—just a vague, gnawing unease that left her hands trembling. In the end, she left the motel in silence and hailed a taxi to school.  

*****  

Meanwhile, Li Yuanjue and Chang Shan were discovered in the presidential suite of a five-star hotel by a housekeeper. When knocking yielded no response, she used her key card to enter—only to find two bloodied, unconscious men in the bedroom.  

At first, the staff assumed they’d partied too hard. But the sight of their injuries sent them into a panic. Management was alerted, the police were called, and Li Yuanjue was rushed to the hospital.  

By 9 AM, the Li family had been notified. They immediately transferred Li Yuanjue to a private clinic. The examination results were grim:  

His limbs had been shattered. His groin had been crushed. Even if he survived, he’d be bedridden for life—and worse, rendered completely infertile.  

The entire Li family erupted in fury.  

Audacious! Utterly audacious!  

Whoever did this hadn’t just broken Li Yuanjue’s limbs—they’d severed his bloodline. What kind of deep-seated grudge could drive someone to such extremes?  

An emergency family meeting was convened. 

Old Master Li, already frail, was too distraught to attend after learning his grandson had been maimed again. 

The gathering was chaired by Li Bo, father of Li Yuanjue and Li Yuanbai.  

“What are your thoughts on Yuanjue’s situation?” Li Bo, the family’s acting head, sat at the center of the table, his voice icy as he surveyed the room.  

When the news first broke, Li Bo had been livid. He couldn’t believe Li Yuanjue—freshly healed from his last injuries—had been crippled even more brutally this time. The diagnosis was unacceptable.  

The assailant hadn’t just condemned Li Yuanjue to a lifeless existence—they’d destroyed his manhood. This wasn’t just an attack; it was a declaration of war. Though Li Yuanjue was far from his favorite son (not even worth a fraction of Li Yuanbai, in his eyes), he was still blood. This insult demanded vengeance.  

After a heavy silence, Li Xiang, Li Yuanjue’s second uncle, spoke. “Given the brutality, this wasn’t just about Yuanjue. Someone is targeting our family.”  

Li Xiang’s face darkened further, his eyes burning with rage.  

Li Jing, the third uncle, frowned. “But if someone wanted to strike at the Li family, why start with Yuanjue? He’s never been involved in family affairs. He’s practically an outsider.”  

Li Xiang stroked his chin. “Perhaps it’s a warning—using Yuanjue to intimidate us.”  

“If that’s true, then we’re in serious trouble,” Li Jing murmured.  

To him and Li Xiang, Li Yuanjue’s fate wasn’t particularly tragic. The boy had been nothing but a troublemaker, a burden to the family. What concerned them was the attacker’s motive. If this was indeed a prelude to a larger assault, none of them were safe.  

“We can’t jump to conclusions yet,” Li Bo said coldly. “But we will investigate. Tear this city apart if you have to. Find the culprit. I want them destroyed.”  

The room nodded in agreement. If this was truly an orchestrated strike against the Li family, it demanded their full attention—no one could afford to stand aside.  

Li Yuanbai, who had remained silent until now, spoke up. “The investigation is urgent, but so is Yuanjue’s treatment. Without immediate action, he’ll be permanently disabled.”  

Li Bo sighed. “Have you contacted that miracle doctor from Qihuang Sect? Mr. Shen?”  

Li Yuanbai shook his head. “He left the capital days ago. I’ve tried calling repeatedly, but his line’s dead. And given Yuanjue’s condition… the treatment cost will be astronomical.”  

Last time, Mr. Shen had charged 100 million yuan to heal Li Yuanjue’s legs. While the Li family could afford it, the blatant extortion had left a sour taste. This time, with injuries far more severe, the price would be staggering.  

Li Bo’s eyes gleamed. “Don’t worry about the fee. I’ll handle it. Just get hold of Shen. Whatever number he quotes, agree—but delay payment until after treatment.”  

Li Yuanbai understood. Treat first, negotiate later. The Li family wasn’t some helpless victim. If Qihuang Sect thought they could extort them, they had another thing coming.  

Li Xiang interjected, “Brother, while Yuanjue’s condition is critical, we must also consider the bigger picture. Should we… invite that elder as a precaution?”  

At the mention of that elder, Li Bo’s expression flickered. After a pause, he said, “Let’s not overreact prematurely. If this is an attack on our family, we’ll summon him then.”  

Li Xiang and Li Jing exchanged glances before nodding.