Chapter 207: Chen Che Heads to the Huang Family Villa

Ma Zijun opened his eyes faintly, and what came into view was the complex expression on the face of Ma Ziai.

"Big brother, how are you feeling?"

Ma Ziai asked with concern.

Ma Zijun rubbed his throbbing forehead, shook his head, glanced at the drunken Ma Zichen and Ma Menghan, and asked, "Where is Chen Che?"

Ma Ziai paused for a moment and said, "Something happened at the Qibao Club. The Huang Family sealed off the Qibao Club and even killed people, telling Chen Che to go to the Huang Family Villa to apologize before ten o'clock tonight."

"What?!"

Ma Zijun was so shocked that he sat up with a start, glanced at the time, and saw it was already nine-thirty.

"Then where is Chen Che now?"

Ma Zijun asked hurriedly.

"He... went to the Huang Family Villa, all by himself."

Ma Ziai said.

Ma Zijun slapped his own forehead hard: "Drinking really ruins things!"

"I'm going home now, you help me look after the two of them!"

After leaving these words, Ma Zijun left in a hurry, while Ma Ziai recalled what Chen Che had said to her when he turned back halfway, and quietly kept watch over Ma Menghan and Ma Zichen.

In the Ma Family study, Ma Zijun finished explaining the situation. Ma Youxiang and Ma Yiren both fell into deep thought.

"Grandfather, it's my fault. I kept thinking about how to bring it up, but ended up dragging it out until now, and the Huang Family lost their patience, which is why they took action against the Qibao Club to force Chen Che to apologize."

Ma Zijun said, his face full of self-reproach and regret.

"Your maternal grandfather doesn't live at the Huang Family Villa; your uncle letting Chen Che go to the Huang Family Villa, having him go to apologize is a lie, and setting a trap for Chen Che to walk into is the truth."

Ma Youxiang rubbed the bridge of his nose, feeling very worried.

"Huang Shengqi is clearly trying to get Chen Che killed; I'm afraid Chen Che is in grave danger this time!"

Ma Yiren looked frustrated, "Chen Che is the same; with his brains, it's impossible he didn't know it was a trap, yet he actually went!"

"Chen Che never fights a battle he isn't prepared for; perhaps he has his own plans."

Ma Zijun said, lost in thought.

"The Huang Family is different from the Scorpion Society, and even more different from the Martial Arts Alliance. Not to mention whether he can beat the Huang Family's Grandmaster Martial Artist, even if he could win, could he still kill Huang Shengqi?

Huang Shengqi holds a post in the government; even if Chen Che doesn't kill him, if he so much as hurts him by a hair, once Huang Shengqi gets a handle on him, he will be wanted by the Justice Inspection Department, and he can forget about having any peace for the rest of his life!"

Ma Yiren said.

"Alright, you two stop talking."

Ma Youxiang felt a headache coming on. He pondered for a moment and dialed Huang Shili's phone: "Hello, in-law."

"Old Ma, I know what you want to say. But you'd better not say it. Before, you said you would bring him to apologize, and I gave you a deadline, but so many days have passed and there has been no movement; dragging it on like this is not a solution. Things must be resolved.

Since this matter was stirred up by the younger generation, let them resolve it themselves. Also, I advise you: don't be foolish. There is never a shortage of talent in this world, and talent has always served power. Your Ma Family doesn't necessarily need him, and Chen Che is nothing special."

After Huang Shili finished speaking, he didn't give Ma Youxiang a chance to reply and hung up directly.

"You heard it; we can't exert any influence on this matter."

Ma Youxiang sighed.

"Grandfather, are you really going to give up on Chen Che? You clearly said before that his potential was very great!"

Ma Zijun would not give up and argued based on reason.

"Chen Che indeed has great potential. That he could defeat Du Chuan while in Shanghai is enough to prove his strength.

To be honest, I don't think he will lose this struggle against your uncle, but at the same time, I don't think he can stir up much of a storm; after all, the situation in Jinling is different from Shanghai.

The most important problem is that his opponent is your uncle, your mother's family."

Ma Youxiang stared at Ma Zijun and said: "Huang Feng is crippled; your uncle and your maternal grandfather will certainly not let this rest. So for Chen Che, this is a dead end. The snowball of this struggle will only get bigger and bigger. Regardless of whether he can return from the Huang Family Villa safe and sound today, his ultimate result can only be death."

Ma Youxiang's words were pearls of wisdom; Ma Zijun felt a chill and then a fever, and the guilt toward Chen Che and the reluctance to part with his relatives plunged him into great torment.

"If you had to choose between Chen Che and your relatives, what would you choose?"

Ma Youxiang delivered a final, devastating blow.

Ma Zijun stared blankly at Ma Youxiang, his heart feeling as if it had fallen into an ice cellar.

Ma Yiren saw the change in Ma Zijun's expression, patted his shoulder, and said: "Chen Che saved my life and has a debt of gratitude to me. I also know you have a good relationship with him and feel guilty about dragging him into our family's affairs.

But that is your uncle after all, your cousin. Most importantly, that is the Huang Family. Whether from an emotional or an interest-based perspective, we cannot choose Chen Che and abandon the Huang Family."

Ma Zijun clenched his fists tightly and asked unwillingly: "What if Chen Che displays the ability to surpass the Huang Family, to surpass any family power?"

Ma Youxiang and Ma Yiren looked at each other and sighed helplessly.

"A person's ability is limited when they are alone. Without a backer of power behind him, and refusing to submit to the constraints of power, the only path awaiting him is destruction."

Ma Youxiang said.

Ma Yiren comforted him: "Alright, I know you can't make up your mind; after all, Chen Che can be considered to have done our family a favor. Since your maternal grandfather isn't participating, it's inconvenient for your grandfather to show his face. We father and son will go to the Huang Family Villa now to protect Chen Che one last time. Whether it succeeds or not depends on Heaven's will; we will have done all that is humanly possible."

Ma Zijun's whole body was tense. He took a deep breath and said: "Alright."

Inside Gu Zongzhao's small courtyard.

In the courtyard paved with bluestone, there was a simple and elegant stone table.

Gu Zongzhao, Jiang Lan, and Jiang Kui sat around the stone table, eating dinner in a leisurely manner.

"And then that kid went alone?"

At the dinner table, after hearing Jiang Lan's account, Gu Zongzhao asked with a surprised expression.

Jiang Lan gave a hum and said: "He even made a bet with me, looking completely confident. I think he must have had a plan for a long time."

"What kind of plan could he have? Even if he had a plan, what could he do in such a short time?"

Jiang Kui clearly did not think highly of Chen Che and said indignantly: "And he actually dared to make a bet with my sister! If he wins, he gets the Scorpion Society. He's certainly got a big mouth!"

"I think your mouth is pretty big too; eat your dinner!" Jiang Lan gave him a disdainful eye-roll.

Gu Zongzhao smiled gently and said, "His tone was indeed a bit arrogant, but he also has real ability. During the previous Gambling Battle, who could have imagined that he would not only win the Gambling Battle but also swindle the Scorpion Society?"

"I have to admit that!"

Jiang Kui took a sip of his drink, swallowed the food in his mouth, and said, "To be honest, his move was very clever; it involved the Justice Inspection Bureau, making it impossible for even you, Gu Lao, to intervene."

"But this time it is different. The Huang Family already intended to scheme against him, and he actually went there himself; it is simply seeking death!"

"The old master of the Huang Family is a figure in the court and the public, and Huang Shengqi also holds an official post. Chen Che is just someone drifting in the pugilistic world; although he has some talent in Martial Dao, for a martial artist to fight against power, it can no longer be described as overestimating one's capabilities—it is simply stupid!"

Gu Zongzhao listened to Jiang Kui's incessant chatter with a very kind smile.

"You think you're so smart, just hurry up and eat your meal!"

Jiang Lan was torn between laughter and tears, adding a chopstick of food to his bowl to make him shut up.

"Xiao Kui's words are not without reason; this time, Chen Che might really be in trouble."

Gu Zongzhao looked at Jiang Lan and said.

"But I don't think so."

Jiang Lan said, "One can tell from the Gambling Battle that he is not an arrogant or reckless person, and he even made a bet with me with full confidence. I feel that this time, he might bring surprise and shock once again."

"It seems you really think highly of him."

Gu Zongzhao gazed at Jiang Lan, his eyes deep and meaningful.

Jiang Lan laughed in spite of herself: "Godfather, you have misunderstood. I just think it is truly rare for someone of his age to be so capable, and I am indeed curious about him. Besides, I am also paying extra attention to him for my own purposes; other than that, I have no other intentions."

Gu Zongzhao nodded and looked at the brilliant stars in the sky: "Then let us wait and see if Chen Che, this rising star, can illuminate the night sky of Jinling tonight!"

………