Hedonist Prodigy

Chapter 75: I Will K!ll You

Almost overnight, Jiang Feng’s name became known to every man, woman, and child in the capital.

Although Jiang Feng had been somewhat famous before, his reputation was largely confined to certain small circles—nowhere near the level of Ye Qingxuan, renowned as the capital’s number one beauty.

In fact, while a large portion of the capital might have been completely unaware of Jiang Feng’s name, no one was unfamiliar with Ye Qingxuan’s.

Ye Qingxuan was the city’s flower, the pride of all its residents. Her every move captivated the hearts of countless young scions from prestigious families. Moreover, with Qin Junlin playing the role of the most prominent supporting character, Jiang Feng had no choice but to become famous.

As soon as the news spread, some were furious and wanted to teach Jiang Feng a lesson; others secretly grumbled that he had simply gotten lucky. Those aware of Jiang Feng’s past pursuits of Ye Qingxuan saw it as a case of sincerity finally breaking through hard resistance. But the majority, unaware of the details, simply crowned Jiang Feng “the man of the number one beauty.”

*****

The Ye Family residence was in an uproar after Old Master Qin’s birthday banquet. Ye Qingxuan’s uncles and aunts rushed back to capital from out of town. Under Old Master Ye’s supervision, an emergency family meeting was convened with grave seriousness.

Ye Qingxuan had not wanted to attend. She knew that the moment she had inadvertently called out Jiang Feng’s name at the banquet—even without saying another word—she had become the target of everyone’s scrutiny.

This family meeting was undoubtedly about her. The entire Ye family, from top to bottom, had been delighted by and actively promoted her match with Qin Junlin. Now, she had let them all down. Those relatives who had once doted on and cherished her were sure to subject her to intense questioning.

But she had no choice. Old Master Ye had given a strict order: she must be present. Her mother, Lu Xiuxiu, had even stationed herself in Ye Qingxuan’s room early in the morning, forbidding her from stepping foot outside.

Under these circumstances, Ye Qingxuan had no choice but to attend.

Ye Qingxuan and Lu Xiuxiu were the last to enter the living room. It was already packed. As she stepped inside, everyone’s eyes turned to her. Ye Qingxuan’s body trembled slightly, her scalp prickling with tension.

Old Master Ye glanced at her and snorted coldly. Ye Qingxuan advanced gracefully and said softly, “Grandfather.” She then greeted each of her uncles and aunts one by one before quietly standing to the side.

Unlike usual, where everyone would respond to her greetings with smiles and affectionate words, now all their faces were stern. Those with shorter tempers even snorted coldly when she addressed them.

After a moment of silence, Ye Qingxuan’s aunt, Ye Wan, spoke up: “Qingxuan, we rushed back to capital overnight after getting the news yesterday. What on earth happened? You need to explain this clearly and set our minds at ease.”

Ye Wan, in her early forties, was Old Master Ye’s youngest daughter. Before marrying, she had often looked after Ye Qingxuan, and the two had a very close relationship. Even after Ye Wan married and moved to another province, they never lost touch. Ye Wan always treated Ye Qingxuan like her own daughter.

Her words now carried a tone of reproach mixed with concern. Hearing her aunt’s question, Ye Qingxuan looked up and was about to speak when her uncle Ye Ling snapped with a dark expression, “What’s there to explain? Isn’t the situation perfectly clear already?”

Ye Ling, Ye Qingxuan’s second uncle, was the most accomplished and assertive among Old Master Ye’s children. His words were harsh and unyielding.

Ye Qingxuan sighed softly and swallowed her words.

Her third uncle, Ye Kong, who had been observing her, said gently, “Qingxuan, don’t be too nervous. You’re still young—it’s natural to make mistakes in a moment of impulse. Just tell us what exactly is going on between you and that Jiang Feng. Did you reject Qin Junlin because of him?”

Though his tone was soft, his words were anything but. He directly brought up Jiang Feng. As expected, some people’s expressions immediately changed—especially those of the younger Ye generation, who had always lived in Ye Qingxuan’s shadow. Some smirked disdainfully; more were secretly gloating.

Ye Qingxuan still didn’t know what to say. She glanced at Lu Xiuxiu, who was frantic with anxiety. “Qingxuan, don’t just look at me—say something!”

“I have nothing to say,” Ye Qingxuan finally murmured.

“Nothing to say? So it’s true about you and that Jiang Feng?” Ye Ling demanded sharply.

“Yes, Qingxuan, you can’t do this. Everyone had such high hopes for you. How could you do something like this? Do you have any idea how disappointed I am?” Ye Kong said, his voice filled with frustration.

“Qingxuan, do you have some difficulty you can’t talk about? Please, speak up!” Ye Wan urged, growing anxious.

“I’m sorry. I was wrong,” Ye Qingxuan sighed, her beautiful eyes welling with tears.

She understood perfectly that the Ye family had always wanted to maintain a deep collaboration with the Qin family, and that her marriage alliance with Qin Junlin was the primary means to secure it.

But she never imagined that in the face of利益 (interests), family bonds could be so fragile and thin. No one cared about her feelings—not even whether she would be happy. All they needed was for her to serve as a bridge to solidify ties with the Qin family. Beyond that, no one was concerned.

Her parents were like this; everyone else was too. Under these circumstances, what more could she say?

“Wrong? You think saying ‘I was wrong’ solves the problem?” Ye Ling sneered, criticizing her without mercy.

“Ye Ling, Qingxuan is still a child,” Lu Xiuxiu interjected, unable to bear it any longer.

“A child? That’s easily said. But who will bear the losses she has brought upon the Ye family this time? You? Or her?” Ye Ling retorted, his face dark.

“I—”

“Mother, don’t say anymore,” Ye Qingxuan interrupted. She then said, slowly but firmly, “Grandfather, Second Uncle, Third Uncle, Aunt… What I did this time was indeed wrong. Whatever punishment you decide, I will accept it all.”

With these words, Ye Qingxuan turned around, forcing back her tears, and hurriedly left the living room, running outside.

“Stop right there!”

“Running away after making a mistake—what kind of behavior is this!”

“…”

Old Master Ye, who had remained silent throughout, watched Ye Qingxuan leave. His cheek twitched slightly, and he finally let out a soft sigh. From beginning to end, he had not uttered a single word during this family meeting.

*****

Red walls, black tiles, a grand gate, and a deep courtyard.

This was not the Forbidden City, but a large courtyard residence near it.

The exterior of the courtyard residence was simple and unadorned, but inside, it was a different world—rockeries, flowing water, lush greenery, and extreme luxury.

This was Qin Junlin’s residence in capital. He did not favor luxurious villas, high-rises, ostentation, or frivolous pleasures. At seventeen, he had used the first money he ever earned to buy this courtyard residence and had lived here alone ever since.

Over the years, courtyard residence had become highly sought after, and the surrounding land was worth a fortune. This nearly 2,000-square-meter compound was practically priceless.

Everyone thought that with Qin Junlin’s business acumen, he would sell the courtyard residence during the final boom of the real estate market. But Qin Junlin never made a move to sell.

In his view, achieving greatness—whether as a king or a statesman—required not only shrewd tactics and sharp insight but also a heart capable of enduring loneliness.

“Since ancient times, all sages have been solitary.” This saying had always been Qin Junlin’s motto. He was a man who was generous and amiable to others but severely demanding and almost harsh toward himself.

Old Master Qin had once evaluated him: “He maintains composure in the face of major events.” It wasn’t the highest praise, but for Qin Junlin, it was the best compliment he could receive.

Yet now, Qin Junlin found that his restless heart simply could not calm down.

In a dimly lit private room, all lights were off except for the glow from a large LCD screen. A tall, slender man punched and kicked, launching fierce attacks again and again. In sync with his movements, the two fighting characters on the screen collided repeatedly.

Only when the word “KO” flashed on the screen did Qin Junlin finally let out a soft exhale. He picked up a glass of red wine nearby and took a sip, his face contorted with ferocity even as he drank. His sweat-drenched face was full of menace.

Just then…thump… thump… thump…—a series of footsteps sounded. Soon, the door of the private room creaked open as a hand pushed it ajar, letting a sliver of light slant in.

The hand pushed harder, swinging the door fully open and allowing sunlight to flood in. The visitor then lazily raised his head, a proud look on his face, glanced at the panting Qin Junlin, and curled his lips into a mocking smile.

“I knew I’d find you here,” the visitor said with a light laugh.

“I’ve said before—it’s best not to disturb me when I have nothing to do. Have you forgotten?” Qin Junlin said coldly.

“Of course I haven’t. However, I happen to have a bit of business,” the visitor replied, still smiling. He strolled into the room, switched on the light, completely ignoring Qin Junlin’s grim expression, poured himself a glass of wine, took a sip, and then spat it out with a “pfft”. Shaking his head slightly, he said, “Sour. Could it be that Young Master Qin’s bad mood has even numbed his taste buds? That’s not a good sign.”

“Qin Daolin, I’ll say it again: my patience is limited. If you have something to say, say it quickly. If not, get out!” Qin Junlin pointed toward the door.

“I haven’t done anything to wrong you. Directing all this anger at me is truly baffling,” Qin Daolin tsked, then said, “If I recall correctly, I mentioned I happen to have some business.”

“Your business is your business. I don’t want to hear any of your nonsense right now,” Qin Junlin said icily.

Qin Daolin laughed again. “Qin Junlin, is it really worth getting like this over a woman? You’re really no fun at all. Oh, wait—you were never any fun to begin with. Look at me, rambling again.”

Qin Junlin breathed heavily but said nothing.

Qin Daolin smiled self-deprecatingly and continued, “Don’t give me that attitude. Playing these simulated fighting games all day—isn’t that enough to vent your anger? If it really isn’t, picking a fight with someone might be a good alternative. Of course, I’m just making a suggestion. Someone like you would never actually pick a fight—that would be utterly ridiculous.”

The moment he finished speaking, “thump!”—Qin Junlin punched him in the face. “Congratulations. You’ve successfully provoked me. Is that enough now?” Qin Junlin said coldly.

Qin Daolin’s cheek dented slightly from the punch, and a trickle of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth. He gently wiped the blood away with a finger. Instead of getting angry, he burst into laughter. “Good, good! Just like that! Again! Hit me here, here!”

Qin Junlin looked at him with extreme indifference, as if he were an idiot, and ignored his crazed behavior. Turning around, he resumed his fighting game. Only this could make him feel his blood burning; he loved this feeling.

Snubbed, Qin Daolin didn’t leave. He watched with interest for a while before saying, “No wonder Jiang Feng said you like to put on airs. It seems his insight is razor-sharp. Do you think he’d laugh himself awake if he saw you like this?”

He didn’t need Qin Junlin to respond and continued, “Of course, you’re definitely thinking, ‘In matters of this world, whoever laughs last laughs best.’ But even a brief laugh is better than not laughing at all. And besides, a woman like Ye Qingxuan—not only are you smitten, even I find her incredibly alluring. If that green hat gets slapped on you, and what if she even ends up pregnant? Tsk, tsk… I can hardly imagine the scene…”

Laughing loudly, he strolled out.

The door closed, and the room plunged into sudden darkness. The abrupt change made Qin Junlin pause momentarily. He let out a roar of fury, slammed his gloves against the wall, and shouted, “Jiang Feng, I will kill you!”

Outside the door, Qin Daolin heard Qin Junlin’s out-of-control roar and smiled faintly. He elegantly took a handkerchief from his pocket, wiped the blood from his hand, looked up at the bright, sunny sky, and murmured to himself, “Qin Junlin, since you want Jiang Feng’s life, I’ll gladly help you out. Don’t bother thanking me. To be honest, I’ve been waiting over a dozen years for this day. I’ve long grown impatient.”