"Why are you messing with him?" Zhang Daqing asked, tilting his head, fingers thoughtfully pinching his chin.
Li Zhaoquan scratched his head, looking embarrassed. "There are so many girls here, I just wanted to show off a little…"
Zhang Daqing sighed, his voice sharp with irritation. "You're an idiot. Aren't you worried about causing trouble? If something goes wrong, Meng Boshan, the 'Little Dragon King,' will show up at your dojo tomorrow looking for blood."
Li Zhaoquan smirked, confidence oozing from his grin. "Relax, I wasn't planning to hurt him—just a bit of fun. Besides, I've got an excuse ready if it gets ugly."
Zhang Daqing's eyes narrowed as he shook his head. "Don't drag me into this mess. Whatever happens, it's on you."
---
Nearby, a group of wealthy onlookers watched with wide-eyed anticipation, but the scene had deflated too quickly for them to comprehend.
"Wait, it's over already?" one of them asked, disappointed.
"They were about to start tearing each other apart, but then they suddenly shook hands?"
Ye Chenglin, the host of the banquet, turned to Pei Tiancheng with a puzzled expression. "Mr. Pei, what was that? What just happened?"
Pei Tiancheng took his time before answering, savoring a sip of his wine. "That's what martial artists call 'shaking hands.' It's a subtle way of testing each other's strength without a full-blown brawl."
The crowd, unfamiliar with martial traditions, stared in confusion.
"They've already measured each other?" Ye Chenglin asked, still trying to process it. "Master Pei, who came out on top?"
One of the women, eyes locked on Xue Jing, chimed in, "Obviously, the handsome guy won."
Another girl nodded eagerly. "Yeah, that big guy fled. Clearly, he lost."
Not everyone was convinced. A young man with slicked-back hair spat in irritation. "You're all just thirsty for the pretty boy. This is about fighting, not looks. Master Pei, who do you think won?"
Pei Tiancheng glanced at Xue Jing, his voice calm but laced with certainty. "That young man is stronger."
The girls giggled, pleased to have their opinions validated.
Another man, emboldened by curiosity, asked, "Master Pei, how do you stack up against him? Could you take him?"
Pei Tiancheng smiled, but there was a dangerous glint behind it. "It's hard to say. I'm older now after all."
The message was clear. He could likely crush Xue Jing, but politeness kept him from outright boasting. The group's admiration grew in silence.
---
Pei Youguang, lingering on the edges of the crowd, hesitated before speaking. "Actually… I know him."
All eyes snapped toward him.
Ye Chenglin raised an eyebrow. "You know him?"
Pei Youguang nodded, still nursing a sore nose from a previous encounter with Xue Jing. "Yeah, he's my senior from school."
A girl in a revealing off-shoulder dress perked up, her eyes gleaming. "Second Master Pei, could you introduce us?"
Pei Youguang's heart hammered in his chest. This was the first time anyone had paid attention to him in this crowd. "Uh… yeah, sure…"
But before he could finish, Pei Tiancheng's voice cut through the conversation like a blade. "Youguang."
Pei Youguang froze, excitement draining from his face. "Yes, brother," he muttered, head hanging low.
Pei Tiancheng kept his tone calm but authoritative. "I'd like to meet him too."
Pei Youguang's throat tightened. He nodded, silently berating himself for getting carried away.
---
Meanwhile, Xue Jing had moved on, his encounter with Li Zhaoquan already forgotten. He stood at the buffet table, casually examining the spread as he picked up a plate.
"Brother Jing! Brother Jing!" A familiar voice called out.
Xue Jing turned to see Pei Youguang approaching in a crisp black suit. His eyes barely registered surprise. "Youguang? What are you doing here?"
Pei Youguang chuckled nervously, adjusting his collar. "I'm here for the banquet. Didn't expect to see you! Especially that squabble you had with the big guy, you're impressive as always." He gave Xue Jing a clumsy thumbs-up.
Xue Jing picked up a fried meatball, biting into it as if he hadn't a care in the world. "Oh? So you figured out what happened?"
Pei Youguang scratched the back of his head, laughing sheepishly. "Well, not really. My brother told me you won."
They exchanged pleasantries until Pei Youguang hesitated, struggling to get his next words out. "Brother Jing, my elder brother… he wants to meet you."
Xue Jing, still focused on his plate, barely reacted.
Pei Youguang swallowed hard, the urgency rising in his voice. "He admires you. Thinks you're talented. There are some really important people here—big names from the inner circle. They want to meet you too."
Xue Jing's movements slowed. He set down his plate and wiped his hands before placing a firm hand on Pei Youguang's shoulder. His smile was there, but it was cold, distant.
"Youguang, let me clear something up."
Pei Youguang blinked, confused.
"If they want to meet me, fine. But they need to come to me themselves."
Xue Jing's grip tightened, just enough to make his point clear. His voice was steady, yet laced with a chilling edge. "If you want something, you take it. You don't wait for someone to hand it to you."
He released Pei Youguang's shoulder, his tone softening but still firm. "They want to meet me. I'm not the one chasing after them. Don't get that twisted."
With that, Xue Jing turned and walked away, leaving Pei Youguang standing there, heart racing and mind spinning.
He had misstepped badly.