Chapter 132: As Long As I Am Alive

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The Superstar Falls in Love with Me

Hua Qiming was a fifty-year-old gentleman. I had met him before, of course; I had worked for one of his subsidiaries for four years.

Strictly speaking, Hua Qiming did not resemble a businessman so much as a scholar. His eyes, seen through the lenses of his spectacles, were filled with wisdom. As I looked at this legendary tycoon of the business world, my heart remained perfectly calm. Whatever had to be faced would have to be faced. No matter what attitude he took toward me, my determination to be with Hua Jingjing would never waver. I believed Jingjing was the same. She would never bow to the pressure of her family!

Hua Qiming stared at me sternly for a long time. At last, he let out a faint sigh and said, “Well? How much money do you want to leave my daughter?”

I smiled faintly. I had known this old man would eventually resort to the same old trick. Still, he was certainly direct.

I smiled and said, “I’m sorry, but Jingjing isn’t for sale.”

My answer was exactly what the old man had expected, so he did not become angry. He took a slender cigar from his pocket, stripped away the wrapper, and placed it between his lips. The impeccably dressed middle-aged man standing behind him immediately struck a lighter with a click and lit it for him.

Hua Qiming took a puff, then fixed me with his sharp, piercing gaze.

“According to what I know, Jingjing is my daughter. What right do you have to say whether she is for sale or not?”

This shrewd old man had probably already learned everything. Otherwise, he would not have summoned me for this confrontation. Besides, there was no need for me to conceal anything any longer. I answered confidently, “I have every right. Jingjing is my woman!”

The old man finally frowned. He sighed and said nothing for a long while.

After smoking half the cigar, Hua Qiming no longer wanted it. He handed it to the middle-aged man behind him and had him put it out. Perhaps he had grown tired of arguing with me. He made a direct offer.

“Ten million. Take the money and leave!”

I nearly burst out laughing. This old man really thought highly of me. He had opened with an astronomical sum. Did he think he could frighten me into submission?

I had intended to mock him a little more, but then I remembered that he was Jingjing’s father. If Jingjing and I married, I would inevitably have to deal with him. I might even have to call him Father someday. Elders deserved respect, and whatever else could be said, a father always acted for the good of his daughter.

So I said, “Mr. Hua, I won’t take a single cent from you. Even if Jingjing and I live together, I will never ask you for money. You can rest assured of that.”

Hua Qiming remained unmoved.

“You will never become my son-in-law. You can rest assured of that as well. Twenty million. That is my final offer.”

I sighed and looked at him with pity. Did this old man still not understand? He could spend as much money as he liked, but there was no way he could separate Jingjing and me. I felt that further words would serve no purpose, so I fell silent.

Hua Qiming waited a while. When he saw that I showed no reaction, his anger began to surface.

“Young man! Don’t be so insatiably greedy! I could have given you not a single penny. For my daughter’s sake, I have already taken a huge step back. You should know when you are satisfied!”

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I was becoming angry as well. What made this old man think money could buy me off? Did having money make him so extraordinary? I had once held this elder, who had created one business miracle after another, in considerable admiration. But now I was deeply disappointed. Was this really Hua Jingjing’s father? How could he fail to consider his own daughter’s happiness? Did his eyes see nothing but money?

I could not conceal the disappointment in my gaze. With a sigh, I said, “Mr. Hua, it seems there is no point in continuing this conversation. Please think more about your daughter’s happiness. I’ll take my leave.”

I rose from my chair and, out of courtesy, bowed to him before turning to leave.

“Wait!”

Hua Qiming’s furious shout came from behind me.

I turned around and looked at him calmly, waiting to hear what else he had to say. The old man was clearly enraged. He drew in a deep breath before forcing down his temper. He stared at me coldly and spat out several words through clenched teeth.

“You’re asking for it! My final offer: forty million! If you still don’t know when to be satisfied, don’t blame me for treating you without mercy!”

I had always been willing to respond to reason, but never to force. If the old man had spoken to me calmly and respectfully, I would have treated him with the same respect. But if he chose to threaten and insult me, then I could no longer be polite to him.

I laughed loudly.

“Mr. Hua certainly thinks highly of me. The price keeps doubling every time. Are you hoping to bury me beneath a mountain of money? Now I finally understand why you have been so successful in business. Your methods are truly extraordinary. But haven’t you made a mistake? We are not negotiating a business deal. We are discussing how to make your daughter happy! As her father, don’t you feel ashamed?”

Hua Qiming flew into a rage and slammed his palm onto the table.

“Impertinent!”

The force of the blow sent every teacup on the table tumbling over. I gave a cold laugh and ignored him completely, turning to leave the teahouse.

I had barely taken one step down the stairs when two burly men blocked my path.

Behind me, Old Hua was still seething with anger.

“Throw him into the Jade Belt River and let him come to his senses! I refuse to believe I can’t deal with you!”

The two men immediately moved. They stepped forward and reached for my neck. I knew nothing about fighting, but how could I allow myself to be bullied in a situation like this?

I raised my foot and kicked at the man who was reaching for me. Unfortunately, the difference in strength between us was enormous. With one sweep of his hand, he deflected my kick. The other man then charged forward with a savage grin and punched me squarely in the stomach.

I took the blow head-on. Pain exploded through me, and I instantly doubled over. My insides churned as though a river and sea were raging within me, while beads of sweat the size of beans rolled down my forehead.

That was not the end of it. The man who had deflected my kick stepped forward and launched a flying kick straight into my waist. I was sent sprawling through the air, crashing into a chair with a loud crack before tumbling miserably across the floor.

Hua Qiming did not spare me another glance. He strode downstairs.

The middle-aged man followed him for a few steps, then stopped at the head of the stairs. Frowning, he said to the two men, “Don’t kill the boy. He needs to be left with enough breath to throw into the Jade Belt River.”

“Yes, Mr. Hu!” the two men answered.

Mr. Hu glanced at me once more, apparently pitying the terrible fate that awaited me. He let out a faint sigh, then went downstairs.

I struggled to my feet, enduring the agony inside me. My teeth were clenched, and my eyes were bloodshot. Only one thought remained in my mind.

Damn it! I’ll fight you all to the bitter end!

I seized the chair I had overturned and, without saying a word, charged viciously at one of the men. Raising the wooden chair in both hands, I swung it toward his head and face.

A look of excitement flashed through his eyes. He assumed a stance, exhaled sharply, and struck his palm against the chair as it came crashing down.

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With a sharp crack, the rigid wooden chair was split apart by a single blow. My hands suddenly felt empty, and I knew at once that things had gone terribly wrong. Sure enough, the man struck again, chopping his palm down onto my shoulder.

My left shoulder went numb. One of my arms seemed to no longer belong to me.

The other man was not idle either. He came around and swept his foot into the back of my knees. I lost my balance, fell backward, and slammed heavily onto the floor.

The two men laughed savagely as they began to pummel and kick me without mercy.

At last, they grew tired and stopped. One of them gave me another vicious kick in the buttocks and cursed, “Damn it! This brat has some backbone. He didn’t make a sound the whole time. What a bore!”

I lay sprawled on the floor, blood pouring from my mouth. Every bone in my body felt as though it had been shattered, and the pain pierced straight to the heart. I nearly ground my teeth to pieces. A tremendous sense of humiliation gnawed at my heart like a poisonous snake.

I had endured the beating without uttering a groan, but I was close to madness.

Never in my life had I hated anyone as much as I hated Hua Qiming.

There was only one conviction left in my mind:

As long as I did not die—so long as I did not die—I would repay tenfold the humiliation I had suffered today.

Just wait, Hua Qiming!

Footsteps sounded on the stairs once more.

Mr. Hu had returned. He glanced at me, lying helplessly on the floor, and said coldly, “That’s enough. Put him in the car. Throw him into the river and let him sober up.”

One of the men answered, grabbed me by the collar, and dragged me downstairs like a dead pig. A long trail of blood was left behind me.

We had just emerged from the teahouse operated by the Hua family when one of the men opened the trunk of an Audi A6 and prepared to lift me inside.

At that moment, a Mercedes came speeding over and screeched to a halt beside the Audi. Four men in black suits stepped out. When the leader, a middle-aged man, saw my battered condition, he paused in surprise, then immediately waved his hand.

“Move in and take him!”

The other three men in black said nothing. They instantly surrounded the two attackers.

The man holding me shouted, “Who are you? How dare you meddle in our business! Ow!”

He had let his guard down and was struck squarely in the chest by one of the men in black. The pain made him release me, and I fell to the ground once more. I could not help spitting out another mouthful of blood. My consciousness had already begun to blur.

But I recognized the men who had come from the Mercedes. They were Xu Shu’s bodyguards. Their leader was the head of her security detail, Wang Bingzhang.

The other attacker had already engaged the men in black. But one pair of fists could hardly stand against four. Before long, Xu Shu’s bodyguards had beaten him to the ground.

Wang Bingzhang came over and helped me up.

“Hey, Mr. Tang, are you all right?”

I gave him a bitter smile but could not answer.

At that moment, Mr. Hu emerged from the teahouse. Frowning, he shouted, “What do you think you’re doing?”

One of the men in black charged forward and threw a punch. Mr. Hu caught his arm, borrowing the force of the attack and redirecting it, sending the man in black sprawling to the ground.

Then I saw another man in black cry out and fly over the roof of the Audi, landing on the other side.

Mr. Hu saw Wang Bingzhang trying to help me up. He rushed forward and thrust out a palm, intending to knock Wang Bingzhang down.

But Wang Bingzhang was not so easily dealt with. Supporting me with one hand, he lowered one shoulder and deflected the force of the push. With his other hand, his fingers curved like hooks as he viciously reached for Mr. Hu’s elbow joint.

Mr. Hu gave a startled exclamation. He raised his arm, and with his left hand delivered a seemingly effortless palm strike from beneath his right arm.

As his inner force surged, Wang Bingzhang’s clothes were blown straight backward. Even I, standing to the side, felt my breathing grow labored and extremely uncomfortable.

Realizing that Mr. Hu possessed formidable skill, Wang Bingzhang no longer dared to be careless. He released me and gathered the strength of his entire body to meet the palm head-on.

As I collapsed to the ground, I heard the hissing sound of air currents colliding. Then I was slammed onto the floor once, and again.

I coughed painfully and spat out another mouthful of blood. The world spun around me, and golden stars swam before my eyes. I struggled to get up, but my hands and feet refused to obey me.

I vomited another mouthful of blood. Darkness descended before my eyes, and I knew nothing more.