C204 The Rebel

Anger churned within me, yet there was no outlet for it. She was Miss Ma, the second daughter of the Ma family, and it was evident that some arrangement had been made with Qian Guang. No guesses were needed to understand that much. Meanwhile, Chen Xi had become the final obstacle for Seventh Master, their common adversary. Yet Ma Qing had sold the jade material to Chen Xi.

What did this signify? She wanted to ignite a storm, to pit Chen Xi against Qian Guang. I couldn't discern whether this was Seventh Master's decision or a reflection of her own will.

This made things extraordinarily tricky.

Qian Guang was visibly furious, his breathing labored. Perhaps Ma Qing was the only person he wished to strike but couldn't.

I said, "Miss Ma, spare us the sanctimonious pretense. That piece of jade was mine. Your internal disputes are none of my concern, but the one truly at a loss here is me. So, return the jade to me..."

Ma Qing turned back, glaring at me, and without warning, slapped me across the face. It was incomprehensible—her third time striking me. Third! Blood stained my lips as I licked the corner of my mouth, staring at her in stunned disbelief. Even Qian Guang was taken aback; he hadn’t anticipated her audacity to lay hands on me.

"Shameless as I may be, it's not your place to say so," she spat venomously. "Know your place and remember who you're speaking to. Don't mistake your lack of shame for a ladder to climb higher. At first, I ignored you because you were just a fly, an annoyance to be swatted away. But I see now that you're a loathsome maggot, clinging to anything beneficial and refusing to let go. I told you before—I want no part in my father’s underworld disputes. But look at the chaos you’ve caused since arriving: Zhu the pig, Liu Qiang, and now Skinny Monkey. You've turned what was once a placid lake into a turbid mess," Ma Qing said, her voice quivering with rage.

I licked my lips, staring at her. She was domineering, truly. Her eyes burned with the same fiery determination as a man’s. Then, she turned to Qian Guang, saying, "If a fight is inevitable, then so be it. I will no longer remain a bystander."

"Zhao Fei, leave us," Qian Guang commanded.

I seethed at his dismissal. Why was I the one to leave? But when he pointed to the door, I had no choice but to comply. Damn it. In front of this woman, I really had no standing. I left the room reluctantly and stood outside. Though I couldn’t hear their conversation, I knew one thing for sure—Ma Qing’s decision to join the fray had rattled Qian Guang. He feared her entry would disrupt his carefully laid plans.

I sat at the bar, downing a bottle of beer as I waited sullenly. What were they discussing? I had no clue. All I knew was that, in their eyes, I was nothing more than a subordinate. Being looked down on like this was infuriating. I was no longer the naive rookie who had just arrived in Ruili with no idea how things worked. I wouldn’t accept this so easily.

After half an hour, they finally emerged. Both wore grim expressions but weren’t arguing anymore. It was clear that one of them had compromised.

I walked over. Qian Guang said, "This matter ends here."

"Ends here?" I asked indignantly. "Brother Guang, what about my eighty million? My entire fortune! Am I just supposed to swallow this loss?"

Qian Guang's expression darkened. "Isn’t this your own fault? You brought this on yourself with your dealings with women. Deal with it."

His words chilled me. I blinked, stunned at the outcome. I glanced at Ma Qing; she looked at me as though she were the victor. Without another word, I turned and walked away.

Qian Guang chased after me, grabbing my arm. "Don’t act like a child. Be patient, understand? Don’t make things difficult for me."

I stared at him, unconvinced. "Brother Guang, I asked you before—if Miss Ma ever stood in the way of our interests, what would you do? Do you remember what you said?"

He frowned. "I remember. But now is not the time. Money can be earned again. But if we lose trust, we can’t get it back. If she truly aligns with Chen Xi, do you think we’ll still have a chance to recover? A man who aims for greatness doesn’t let minor grievances ruin the bigger picture. Once we deal with Chen Xi, I promise—you can handle her however you see fit."

Frustration welled up inside me. I knew this matter was beyond saving. "Brother Guang, this isn’t my fault. She schemed against me; it’s all her doing. I won’t accept this."

He grabbed my shoulder firmly, his gaze sharp as a blade. "Am I not your leader?"

His piercing stare left me no choice but to relent. I knew my eighty million was gone for good. Pushing him away, I muttered, "I understand."

I got into the car, tears welling up in my eyes—not from sadness, but from sheer indignation. When you have no control or power, you’re forced to bow your head, even when you’re not at fault.

Back at the bar on Border Trade Street, I got out of the car to find the entrance in disarray. Frustrated, I kicked over some items at the door. The younger men around froze in fear, stepping aside. Wang Gui approached me cautiously. "Brother Fei, what happened?"

I said nothing, grabbing a bottle and drinking. Anger simmered within me. I had thought I could handle this situation, that Qian Guang would unequivocally back me. But I was wrong. For the sake of his power, his plans, and avoiding open conflict with Ma Qing, he had chosen to let it slide.

Everyone stood silently as I drank, lost in my thoughts. Zhao Kui came over, saying, "Brother Fei, if you want to go solo, we’ll follow you. To hell with relying on others."

"Yeah, Brother Fei, we’re with you!"

Their spontaneous support was touching, but I knew better. "Good brothers, now’s not the time. We’ll take it slow."

Zhao Kui looked frustrated, chugging down a bottle of beer. I felt suffocated. I’d finally learned a bitter truth: overestimating yourself is dangerous. In the end, you have to swallow your grievances and move forward.

I checked my account—seven million left. Clenching my fists, I reminded myself: I’ve started from nothing before. This time, I can bounce back.

"Let’s go," I said, standing up. "Let’s have some fun."

The night was alive in Ruili, fireworks painting the sky. Each burst signaled someone’s gambling triumph. This was why Ruili never slept.

We ended up at Jie Gao Jade City. As we wandered, Wang Gui muttered, "Brother Fei, we shouldn’t gamble with others anymore. Joint ventures are a waste of time."

I chuckled. If only it were that simple—I didn’t have the money to gamble solo. Suddenly, Zhao Kui grabbed my arm. "Look, it’s Chen Xi, that bastard."

I spotted Chen Xi stepping out of a car, his men carrying a box. I approached him, and he greeted me with a sly grin. "Brother Zhao, fancy meeting you here. Out for some fun?"

I smirked, eyeing the box. "Raw jade? From Ma Qing, I presume?"

Chen Xi smirked, unbuttoning his jacket with deliberate arrogance. "Bought fair and square, Zhao Fei. Cash for goods."

His smugness was infuriating. That material was mine—stolen by Ma Qing. "How much did you pay?" I asked.

"Forty million," he said nonchalantly. "Zhao Fei, never underestimate a woman. This is your lesson. Next time, you’ll know better. Oh, and if you want revenge on Ma Qing, come to me. I’ll help you take down Qian Guang. Those two are as thick as thieves. But first, you’ll need to join me."

Wang Gui snapped, "You’re clearly trying to make Brother Fei betray us!"

Chen Xi’s face darkened. "Your men are quite insolent, Zhao Fei."

I chuckled, glancing at my men. "What’s this? No respect for Chen Xi?"

Zhao Kui retorted coldly, "Respect for him? Why? He’s nothing but a petty scoundrel."

Chen Xi’s men bristled, ready to act, but he held them back. "Your subordinates are... entertaining," he said before walking into a jade shop. I knew he was about to sell the stolen material.

Zhao Kui whispered, "Brother Fei, let’s take it back."

"Don’t escalate things. This material can’t see the light of day anyway. Eighty million—an expensive lesson. Let it go," I said, trying to mask my frustration.

Unconvinced, Wang Gui pulled out a knife and slashed Chen Xi’s car, leaving a long scratch across its gleaming surface. A Rolls-Royce Phantom. Serves him right.

Though juvenile, it felt oddly satisfying. We left the scene, heading to a jade shop instead. This was our small, defiant revenge. For now, the balance of power remained unshaken. Breaking the stalemate recklessly would only spell disaster for us. Patience was the only option.

A/N

Heyy, you reading, thanks for reading this far please don't stop, support me in any way that youcan. Your reviews, your comments, your criticism, all of it, l would appreciate them. l love you.

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