12: Oh, I'm So Scared!

Back home, they didn't exchange another word, each retreating to their own space to bathe and sleep.

Waking up the next day, Shen Yifei exhaled a light breath, stretching his limbs.

Su Muqing happened to descend the stairs, clad in a crisp OL uniform (professional business attire), which elegantly highlighted her captivating figure. Her eyes were a touch red, clearly indicating a restless night.

Shen Yifei, emerging from his own bedroom, greeted Su Muqing, "It's still early, you could have slept in a bit."

"Mind your own business, and get out of my way," Su Muqing huffed, sidestepping him as she entered the bathroom.

She still felt somewhat uncomfortable with a man staying in her home.

Shen Yifei, seeing no point in pressing the issue, simply let it go. After they had both washed up, they headed to their respective companies.

Huahai City First People's Hospital.

Inside a private ward.

Zhang Wenzhi lay sprawled on his hospital bed, his face dark with fury.

Yesterday, Shen Yifei had plied him with so much alcohol that he was utterly disoriented. After being rushed to the hospital, he was diagnosed with severe alcohol poisoning, and his brain had almost sustained permanent damage.

To this day, Zhang Wenzhi was still dizzy and nauseous, unable to get out of bed.

"Shen Yifei, you son of a bitch!" Zhang Wenzhi roared, his face contorted in a ferocious snarl.

He had originally intended to thoroughly humiliate Shen Yifei in front of Su Muqing, yet he was the one who ended up a complete laughingstock.

Zhang Wenzhi was on the verge of madness; he had never been so thoroughly disgraced. His hatred for Shen Yifei had escalated to the point where he yearned to stab that kept man (a derogatory term for a gigolo or a 'toy boy') to death!

"Boss, you called for me?" The ward door swung open, and a man in a suit quickly approached, speaking to Zhang Wenzhi with utmost deference.

"Have you found out everything about that boy, Shen Yifei?" Zhang Wenzhi demanded impatiently.

"Yes, we have. That young man is the newly hired Public Relations Manager for Lingya International Fashion Company; he only just got the job yesterday," the man in the suit reported immediately.

"Public Relations Manager?" Zhang Wenzhi initially froze, then his face twisted into a brutal snarl. "Damn that cheap woman Su Muqing! She pretended to be so pure and innocent with me, yet she's secretly keeping a toy boy! Get this Shen Yifei brat here now! I'm going to teach him a lesson he'll never forget!"

"Understood, Boss."

Arriving downstairs at the Lingya International Building, it was only seven in the morning. Su Muqing was accustomed to coming to the company this early.

"Good morning, President Su!" As she stepped through the main entrance, two security guards were the first to greet her.

Su Muqing acknowledged them with a nod.

"Good morning, President Su!"

As she walked through the lobby, a stream of employees greeted Su Muqing, their expressions respectful and somewhat reserved.

Even the impeccably dressed female managers, usually so self-assured and authoritative, found themselves involuntarily bowing their heads and offering deferential nods, their faces reflecting a respectful solemnity, whenever they encountered Su Muqing.

As President, Su Muqing's aura was truly remarkable. In the minds of Lingya Group employees, she was nothing short of a goddess – her strong demeanor, decisive actions, and astute business acumen made her an object of both admiration and profound respect.

Su Muqing took the elevator to the top floor and, as usual, stepped into the President's office.

Roughly ten minutes later, Shen Yifei arrived at the company by taxi. Now that he was officially starting work, Shen Yifei found himself eagerly anticipating his first paycheck; at this rate, he'd soon run out of money for even taxi fares.

Just as he stepped out of the taxi and began walking towards the company building, a large van screeched to a halt by the roadside.

A flicker of cold light glinted in Shen Yifei's eyes. Possessing the sharp intuition (keen perception) of a top assassin, he distinctly sensed a wave of hostility – he was being targeted.

Indeed, the van's door slid open, and five muscle-bound thugs (burly, strong men often involved in criminal activities), clad in black tank tops, immediately spilled out.

"You the brat named Shen Yifei?" The bald tough guy (the leader of the thugs), pointing at Shen Yifei, demanded, his face a mask of menace.

"That's him, Brother Meng!" A muscular man standing nearby chimed in, stepping forward.

Shen Yifei replied nonchalantly, "Yes, I am Shen Yifei. What business do you have with me?"

Brother Meng, the bald man, stepped closer, a sneering grin spreading across his face as he addressed Shen Yifei. "Brat, come with us quietly."

Shen Yifei found himself mildly amused, replying calmly, "And what if I don't go with you?"

"Brat, if you don't want a beating, I suggest you come along willingly!" Brother Meng roared, his patience clearly wearing thin.

Shen Yifei sneered, "Is that so? Haha. Actually, I'm the type who prefers to reason things out, if possible. I'd rather not resort to violence."

"That's just because your fists aren't hard enough."

Shen Yifei flashed a wide grin. "Wrong. Because when I truly unleash my fists, even I get scared... I become uncontrollable."

At his words, the burly men exchanged confused glances, momentarily stunned.

Those who operate in the underworld (criminal circles) are generally thick-headed brutes. While they're adept at brawling and violence, their grasp of language and intellectual understanding often lags a step behind others.

It took Brother Meng and his cohorts a good while of serious contemplation to finally grasp the meaning behind Shen Yifei's words.

So, in other words, this punk thought his fists were tough enough to scare even himself?

Once the realization dawned on him, Brother Meng couldn't help but inwardly marvel, "These educated types really know how to talk tough (boast or show off) in a sophisticated way!"

It was a truly profound way to intimidate someone!

Brother Meng hastily committed this particular style of boasting to memory, thinking he might just try it out himself someday.

"Oh, you're quite the talker, aren't you, brat? But that doesn't work on me!" Brother Meng chuckled, then turned to his henchmen. "Give this punk a good beating first, then drag him away!"

The burly thugs encircled him, their faces twisted into menacing, sardonic grins.

"Kneel down, punk, or I'll cripple you!" one of the muscle-bound men snarled, his voice laced with menace.

"You're going to cripple me? Oh, I'm so scared!"

Shen Yifei's words feigned terror, but his face was etched with pure mockery.

"You're looking for death, you bastard!" The muscle-bound man exploded in a fit of rage, lashing out with a brutal open-handed slap aimed directly at Shen Yifei's face.

With a cold scoff, Shen Yifei effortlessly caught the man's incoming fist, then with a simple twist and pull.

"CRACK!"

A sickening crunch echoed as the man's arm was instantly torn from its socket by Shen Yifei, eliciting a ghastly, wailing scream of agony.

"Get him!" Another muscle-bound man launched a flying kick, aiming fiercely at Shen Yifei's waist.

Shen Yifei didn't even bother to dodge.

"THUD!"

The thug who had delivered the kick gasped sharply, the immense pain shooting through his leg nearly brought him to his knees.

He felt as though Shen Yifei's waist was as hard as solid rock!

"Damn it, is this guy even human?" the thug muttered, utterly dumbfounded.

Shen Yifei advanced slowly, then delivered a straight, brutal punch that landed squarely on the man's nose.

"CRACK!" A sickening pop accompanied the blow, and the man's nose immediately gushed blood before he crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

"Useless fools, get him! Now!" Brother Meng roared, frustration evident in his voice as he watched his men fail.

Alas, in less than half a minute, Shen Yifei had effortlessly dispatched all five burly men. He casually dusted off his hands and began strolling towards Brother Meng.

Brother Meng's scalp prickled with dread. This kid's fighting prowess was far too exceptional, wasn't it?

Brother Meng barely had time to register his shock before Shen Yifei was standing directly in front of him.

"Go to hell!"

A flicker of savage resolve suddenly hardened in Brother Meng's eyes, and he brought his fist down like an iron hammer, aiming a brutal blow directly at Shen Yifei's head.