Chapter 278

The girls were so frightened they turned pale, and the boys' legs trembled, not daring to breathe.

Someone among them mustered courage, secretly pulled out a phone to call the police, but was held down by a companion.

"Don't meddle..."

"After all, this has nothing to do with us, and that guy named Wang Kai is clearly not someone to provoke—if he dares to cause trouble in such a big hotel, it shows he isn't afraid of the police."

"Exactly, better not to invite trouble—Wang Kai isn't after us, so don't bring bad luck on yourself."

Under the companions' persuasion, the person who had wanted to call the police gave up the idea.

Zhang Haoyang struggled to get up, but in his flustered panic he stepped on broken plate fragments, and before he could straighten he fell flat on his face.

"Hahaha!" Wang Kai embraced Si Ya and laughed loudly.

Si Ya's expression was very complicated.

After all, her wavering choices were solely to maximize her own benefit; she never wanted things to turn out like this.

What's more, Zhang Haoyang was her boyfriend during college; although she mainly wanted his money, she did have some feelings for him.

Seeing him, who once was a big shot on campus, now being bullied like this, Si Ya felt a bit sad.

"Why aren't you laughing? Is that brat not funny like a dog?" Wang Kai looked down at Si Ya, viciously pinching her waist, "Laugh for me!"

Si Ya could only force an awkward smile, trying to please Wang Kai.

Wang Kai strutted arrogantly and ordered Zhang Haoyang: "Kid, crawl over here, kowtow three times, and say 'Grandpa, I was wrong,' and I'll let you go today."

Zhang Haoyang, a second-generation rich kid, had always been arrogant and domineering, only ever bullying others—when had he ever suffered such humiliation?

Even if his family had declined and fallen from its former status, he remained an elite among ordinary people.

How could he obey Wang Kai's unreasonable demand? Gritting his teeth through the pain, he shouted: "You bastard! What do you think you are? When I was living large, you didn't even know how to beg on that street!"

"Damn!" Wang Kai exploded, "Fine, you've got guts!"

"Break this kid's legs for me!"

At his command, the two lackeys moved in again.

Zhang Haoyang went all out, using everything he had to grapple with Wang Kai's two lackeys.

Previously, thanks to his wealthy background, he had even hired a private trainer at great expense to teach him fitness and boxing; normally he could take on two or three adult men without losing ground.

Now, fighting desperately, he even managed at one point to beat those two lackeys of Wang Kai so badly they fled, clutching their heads.

"Hey? This kid's got some skill." Wang Kai pinched Si Ya's slender waist, leaned to her ear, and asked, "Come on, did you used to have a thing with him?"

Si Ya winced from the pinch, her forehead beading with cold sweat, forcing a smile through gritted teeth: "Disgusting… I would never have slept with him; he just used to chase after me, and I… didn't agree."

Si Ya's guilty glance was clearly seen by Wang Kai.

Wang Kai gave a cold chuckle and didn't press further.

Bang!

With the sound of a bottle shattering, one of Wang Kai's lackeys was hit on the head by Zhang Haoyang with a bottle.

The lackey clutched his bleeding head, staggered backward a few steps, almost falling.

Seeing that, the other lackey dared not rush at Zhang Haoyang alone.

"Come on! Come!" Zhang Haoyang's face twisted ferociously, veins bulging on his neck, gripping a broken bottle and pointing at the two lackeys: "I'm playing for keeps today—if you want to die, keep coming at me!"

"Damn it." Wang Kai cursed, snatched up a nearby chair, and charged straight at Zhang Haoyang.

Clang!

Zhang Haoyang didn't react in time and was smashed squarely by the chair.

The chair splintered, and he collapsed to the floor, head bleeding profusely.

Wang Kai planted a foot on his face, grinding the sole back and forth, saying: "You're really something! I've been mixing in the underworld for nearly thirty years—I've never counted how many hardheads like you I've beaten. Come on, try shouting again?"

Zhang Haoyang tried to struggle, but Wang Kai's two lackeys lunged and pinned his arms and legs down.

He exhausted his strength and could no longer move.

Wang Kai picked up a dining knife from the floor, leaned over, and pressed the blade to Zhang Haoyang's face: "You kid actually have a nice face—delicate skin, a proper pretty boy. Tell me, should I slash your face to ribbons or cut your tendons? You choose."

The Western-style dining knife isn't very sharp, but it's still enough to disfigure or sever tendons.

In fact, because it's not sharp enough, it becomes a blunt blade that tears flesh, making it even more painful and horrible.

Zhang Haoyang's eyes showed fear; just moments ago he'd acted on hot blood without thinking, but now, at their mercy, seeing the murderous gleam in Wang Kai's eyes, he realized they could really do this.

"Kai… Kai-bro… we can talk this out," Zhang Haoyang stammered, pleading, "I acted rashly, it's all my fault… I… I apologize to Kai-bro, please don't treat me like an enemy."

Wang Kai laughed, tapping Zhang Haoyang's forehead with the knife: "Yo! You folded fast—I really thought you were a tough guy!"

Zhang Haoyang swallowed, forced a fawning, cringing smile: "I'm just… just a yapping dog, not a tough guy, Kai-bro… Kai-grandpa! Spare me, please! I… I won't provoke you again!"

Wang Kai narrowed his eyes, lifted his foot from Zhang Haoyang's face, and said: "Your attitude's not bad, but you beat up my lackeys and even smashed one's head with a bottle—look at him, such a handsome young guy, you left him bloody-headed; how are we going to settle this?"

Zhang Haoyang knelt on the spot and hurriedly said: "I'm willing to pay—medical fees, compensation for mental distress, whatever… Kai-bro, name your amount, I won't haggle."

Wang Kai's face darkened: "Don't talk money to me—I'm not short of cash!"

Zhang Haoyang shrank his neck in fear, trembling: "Then… then Kai-bro, tell me what to do—as long as you don't cripple me, I'll accept anything."

Wang Kai thought for half a second, then gave a sinister smile, grabbed a bottle from the nearby table, poured all its contents over Zhang Haoyang's head, and handed the empty bottle to his lackey beside him.

Even without a word, the lackey understood, took the bottle and hurried to the restroom inside the private room.

Soon after, amid the doubtful, tense gazes of the others, the lackey emerged from the restroom, one hand pulling up his pants zipper, the other shaking the bottle: "Kai-bro, I've been feeling heated lately—my urine's strong-smelling and kinda yellow, perfect for making this kid rinse his mouth."

The private room erupted in an uproar; Zhang Haoyang's classmates all wore twisted expressions.

Even Xiao Qidi and Ning Jingli, huddled in the farthest corner against the wall, couldn't help but frown.

One could tell without thinking what would happen next.

Wang Kai's behavior really fit the style of many societal lowlifes—truly despicable and disgusting.

Seeing Wang Kai's lackey squatting beside Zhang Haoyang with a half-bottle of urine, Ting Ting and Xiao Yan felt somewhat unwilling to watch.

Ting Ting spoke up: "That guy Zhang Haoyang… back in college he was unpleasant and often bullied others, but… no matter how you say it, it hasn't gone this far—I can't stand it anymore; we should call the police."

Xiao Yan pressed down on her hand as she was about to pull out her phone, "Don't, the hotel will handle calling the police—don't get involved. As for Zhang Haoyang being insulted today… sigh, we can't do anything about it, just consider it his own fault, and besides, it's better than having his face stabbed or his tendons sliced."

"Brother Kai! Don't! Don't!" Zhang Haoyang let out a terrified scream.

The lackey had already thrust the wine bottle to his lips, and the hot, foul-smelling vapor spewing from the mouth of the bottle rushed into his nose, stinging his eyes so badly he could barely keep them open.

"What? I'm offering you a drink, and you won't give me face?" Wang Kai lowered his glare and snapped, "Looks like you still want me to slash your face or cut your tendons."

Zhang Haoyang's mind went blank, his face ashen as paper; in the critical moment, he shot a pleading glance at Si Ya.

Si Ya, however, crossed her arms, turned her face away, and didn't even glance at him.

"Damn! Still sneaking peeks at my girl?" Wang Kai kicked Zhang Haoyang in the waist and ordered the lackey, "Pour it down him!"

"Sure thing, big brother!"

The two lackeys divided the task and worked together.

One grabbed Zhang Haoyang's chin and pried his mouth open.

The other shoved the wine bottle in and began pouring straight down.

Zhang Haoyang was forced to swallow half a bottle of urine, his eyes bulging almost out of their sockets, his face shifting from deathly pale to a swollen, liver-like hue.

"Gah!" Someone nearby couldn't hold back and began to retch.

Although this scene wasn't as dangerous as a brawl, it truly tormented the spirit.

Retches rose all around.

Zhang Haoyang's legs went rigid, as if he'd been injected with a bellyful of poison.

Then came a soft "pfft".

From his nostrils and mouth sprayed the substance that had just been poured down.

Then he collapsed on the floor, convulsing violently as he vomited, bringing up everything he'd eaten.

In the spacious private room, a particularly foul odor slowly began to drift.

Zhang Haoyang vomited until he saw stars, yet he still begged Wang Kai for mercy, "Bro… big bro… I… I already drank… drank it down, I only threw up because I couldn't hold it in… this isn't my fault… bro, can you let me go?"

Wang Kai wore a grim smile, "I did give you a chance, but you're useless—did you drink this yourself?"

Zhang Haoyang stared blankly, "Bro… you… what do you mean?"

A harsh glint flashed in Wang Kai's eyes, "If it wasn't you who volunteered, it doesn't count as a sincere apology, so I'm still going to cripple you—choose quick, your face or your tendons!"

At that moment, Zhang Haoyang felt his world collapse.

Besides being forced to swallow a bellyful of foul urine, now he's to be crippled?!

Wang Kai held a dinner knife, its tip pressed against Zhang Haoyang's face, "If you don't choose, I'll have to slash your face first, then sever your tendons."

"Bro! Don't!" Zhang Haoyang cried in terror, "This is a law‑abiding society… you… you shouldn't act on impulse! There's no point in doing something illegal, right?"

Wang Kai's gaze darkened, "You're fucking threatening me?"

"No no no! Little brother… little brother doesn't dare!"

"Hah! I'm telling you, this is nothing to me—I'm going to cripple you anyway, otherwise the brothers on the street will think that even aiming at my woman is no big deal, and where would I put my face then?"

"Bro! Brother Kai! Don't!"

Zhang Haoyang sank into utter despair, his pleas for mercy sounding as raw as if he'd been stabbed.

Wang Kai's eyes grew fiercer, "I'll count to three—if you don't pick, I'll act! One! Two!"

The tension in the private room reached its breaking point.

All the former classmates present now kept as far away as they could.

Zhang Haoyang's bloodless lips trembled as he was about to voice his choice.

"Three!" Wang Kai cut off the count decisively.

Zhang Haoyang blurted anxiously, "Bro! I've chosen—do my face! Do my face!"

"Kid, you're too late!" Wang Kai snarled with a vicious grin, "I'm going to ruin both your face and your hands!"

As he spoke, Wang Kai gripped the dinner knife and was about to slash Zhang Haoyang's face.

"Stop!" Ning Jinli's voice suddenly rang out.

But Wang Kai heard without seeing.

The next second, as the dinner knife was about to tear Zhang Haoyang's facial skin—

Xiao Qidi swiftly flicked a chopstick from the nearby table.

Clang!

The chopstick struck the dead center of the knife, knocking it from Wang Kai's hand.

Xiao Qidi's move left Ning Jinli's two friends and the three male classmates beside her stunned as wooden chickens.

Actually, Ning Jinli hadn't wanted to get involved in the first place; otherwise she would have stepped in before Zhang Haoyang was forced to drink urine.

But as the situation escalated to the point where Zhang Haoyang was about to be crippled, she couldn't just stand by.

After all, even though Zhang Haoyang is a worthless piece of work, letting him suffer some humiliation is one thing, but making him a cripple changes the nature of it.

Wang Kai froze for two seconds, glanced at his left hand, then at the dinner knife knocked to the floor, and finally looked toward the direction the sound had come from, his expression shifting, "Damn… you've got some skill—you can even use chopsticks as hidden weapons?"

Ning Jinli stepped forward, "Brother Kai, we're all adults—we should know our limits. You've been wandering society for years; you ought to understand what it means to show mercy where it's due. Zhang Haoyang hasn't done anything unforgivable to you, what do you say?"

Wang Kai slowly rose, narrowing his eyes that flashed with vicious light, "What are you to dare lecture me? I haven't even settled accounts with your man, and you dare show up?"

Xiao Qidi spoke softly, "How about we settle our score first? Tell me, how do you want to settle it?"

Having witnessed the young man's extraordinary ability twice, Wang Kai felt a twinge of wariness, but for someone who mixes in society, backing out just because of caution would be utterly embarrassing.

Moreover, Wang Kai has his own backer—a quite reliable, strong‑armed big backer—otherwise he couldn't just bring thugs into a high‑end hotel to cause trouble.

Wang Kai pondered briefly, his gaze drifting back and forth over Ning Jinli.

Hmm…

This girl's aura is truly pure and lively—tall, well‑built, and gorgeous—she completely outshines Si Ya's flirtatious trash by eighteen blocks.

I didn't examine it closely just now, but now that I take a look, it feels as if something is scratching at my heart.

"Since you said we should first settle our scores..." Wang Kai's face showed a malicious cold smile, "Then let's do this—we'll change to a private room to 'have a good chat'; dare to come with me?"