C9 The Pill Was Not Bad the Pill Was Not Bad

At that moment, the bar owner was overcome with terror and threw caution to the wind.

"Sure... sure, that's fine."

Zhao Qingya's nerves, which had been wound tight, began to ease at the prospect of leaving, allowing her heart to finally relax.

It was only then that she noticed how closely she had been clinging to Zhang Cheng, her cheeks flushing with a sudden rush of embarrassment as she hastily pulled away.

Seemingly irked by something, she pinched Zhang Cheng's arm forcefully.

That'll teach you to take advantage of me!

She inwardly cried out.

Watching his sister-in-law step away, Zhang Cheng felt an odd sense of loss.

But what was done was done; what more could he say? Even if holding her felt right, he couldn't just force himself on her, could he? She'd probably bite his head off.

"Okay, we should get going."

Zhang Cheng suggested, reaching for his sister-in-law's hand.

"Get off me!"

Zhao Qingya snapped, yanking her hand back.

Zhang Cheng gave an embarrassed smile. He truly hadn't intended any impropriety.

They were about to leave when suddenly, nearly a hundred people swarmed into the bar. Dressed in black suits, their faces were stone-cold.

Their arrival seemed to chill the air in the bar considerably.

Zhang Cheng's expression darkened.

Meanwhile, the bar owner was all smiles.

"Kid, no matter how tough you think you are, you obviously don't know where you are. You dare to come here and make trouble? You really have a death wish!" he said, his face oozing with smug confidence as he sneered darkly.

"Little lady, I was willing to let you go if you paid up, but you had to try and be clever. You're quite the looker, so tonight, I might just have a little taste," he leered, his face twisting into a sleazy grin.

Zhao Qingya went deathly pale, and in her panic, she clung tightly to Zhang Cheng's arm.

A glint of icy resolve flickered in Zhang Cheng's eyes upon hearing the bar owner's words.

At that moment, a voice rang out from among the sea of black suits.

"Boss Qiu, spill the beans. You've called in a small army here. If you can't cough up the cash, don't blame me for dealing with you too."

The bar owner's face flickered with panic as he hastily said, "I'll pay, I'll pay! It was him, he's the one who trashed my place. I want you to take off one of his arms—how about a million? Will one million do?"

"No problem, no prob—"

The voice cut off sharply mid-sentence.

Wasn't that Zuo Kun, who had previously crossed paths with Zhang Cheng?

Zuo Kun's gaze fell upon Zhang Cheng's eyes and the minor injuries on his body, and a flicker of fear passed through his own eyes.

"Zhang... Mr. Zhang, are you alright?"

Zuo Kun hurried over, bowing deeply to Zhang Cheng and inquiring after his well-being with a respectful tone.

In that instant, the bar owner's eyes bulged in disbelief.

How could this be? Zuo Kun, the notorious leader of one of Leezhu's three major underworld forces, was bowing to this young man?

Who on earth was this kid? What was his identity?

The bar owner started to shake, a cold shiver running from his heels to the back of his skull.

Zuo Kun's underlings stared, dumbfounded. Their boss, Zuo Kun, was actually bowing to this youngster?

Of course, the only ones surprised were the errand runners. The senior members weren't fazed; they remembered the chaos Zhang Cheng had caused at the Great Flood Council's headquarters, and the miraculous reattachment of Zuo Kun's severed finger. They knew the details, even if they had been sprawled on the ground, unable to rise, they had caught snippets of the conversation.

A man with a knife scar from the Great Flood Council strode forward and delivered a kick to the bar owner's stomach.

"What do you think you're doing? You want us to go after... after Mr. Cheng?"

The bar owner, realizing his predicament, quickly protested his innocence.

The scarred man delivered another kick, this time to the bar owner's chest.

The bar owner was sent sprawling to the floor, crying out in agony.

Zuo Kun mopped the cold sweat from his brow. Even with Zhang Cheng merely looking at him, saying nothing, his heart was pounding with anxiety.

"Mr. Zhang, your call on how to handle this," Zuo Kun said, nodding towards the bar owner.

Zhang Cheng gave the pleading bar owner a dismissive glance and said coolly, "Just make sure no one gets killed. I doubt his business will survive much longer anyway."

"Got it," Zuo Kun replied promptly.

At his signal, his men swarmed in, wreaking havoc and smashing everything in sight.

Meanwhile, the bar owner, too overwhelmed to react, was caught in the midst of a beating.

Zhang Cheng allowed himself a satisfied smile.

He then cast a sycophantic glance at Zhao Qingya.

"This must be your girlfriend, right? She's quite beautiful."

Zhang Cheng gave him a sharp look.

"Cut it out, she's my sister-in-law."

Zuo Kun chuckled awkwardly and fell silent.

Zhao Qingya stood there, mouth agape and eyes wide, utterly bewildered by the chaos unfolding before her. She hadn't even registered the mistake that she was Zhang Cheng's girlfriend.

Zhang Cheng didn't want his sister-in-law to witness too much of the violence, knowing it was too gruesome.

"Let's go," he said, taking her hand and steering her away from the bar.

As they walked down the street, Zhao Qingya finally came to her senses.

"Do you know those guys who showed up? Have you been involved with them before?"

Zhang Cheng shook his head, smiling. "I've never been part of that crowd. The guy leading them, Zuo Kun, is... well, let's just say he's an acquaintance."

Zhang Cheng bent the truth slightly.

Zhao Qingya nodded, though her suspicions only deepened. Just an acquaintance? She had clearly seen Zuo Kun's anxiety, panic, and a hint of respect when dealing with Zhang Cheng.

It was hardly the dynamic of a simple friendship.

But what else could it be, aside from Zhang Cheng's explanation?

Zhao Qingya couldn't figure it out, her curiosity about Zhang Cheng growing. He seemed shrouded in mystery.

Had she not experienced today's events, she would never have imagined this man had such a side to him.

Eventually, they reached her sister-in-law's luxurious car.

Zhang Cheng couldn't help but reflect on the perks of wealth, understanding all too well why the bar owner had targeted Zhao Qingya.

The sleek white Maserati exuded an air of opulence.

Zhao Qingya, her hands still quivering slightly, opened the car door and slipped inside.

Zhang Cheng naturally assumed his place in the passenger seat.

Sinking into the plush seat, he was enveloped by a singular sensation of comfort.

Throughout the drive, his sister-in-law Qingya remained silent behind the wheel.

Zhang Cheng, too, kept his thoughts to himself.

Upon their arrival at the villa, Qingya promptly suggested he take a shower.

Baffled but feeling somewhat grimy, Zhang Cheng obliged.

After changing into pajamas, he was surprised to find Qingya had procured a small first-aid kit for bruises and sprains.

"Are you okay? How are your injuries?" she inquired, her large, expressive eyes wide and lips pursed in concern.

It seemed she intended to tend to his wounds herself.

Zhang Cheng graciously accepted her care.

The villa echoed with his cries of pain as Qingya applied the medicine. He couldn't help but regret it; his sister-in-law was utterly clueless about administering ointment.

Eventually, all of Zhang Cheng's abrasions were treated with Yunnan Baiyao.

Exhausted from her efforts, Qingya's cheeks flushed a rosy hue.

"I'm going to sleep now," she announced, dashing up to the second floor with remarkable speed.

Zhang Cheng couldn't shake the worry that she might tumble in her rush up the stairs.

All this fuss over some ointment, he mused with an internal eye roll.

And so, the night slipped away in quietude.