Chapter Nineteen: The Incident of the Assault

“Dad, Dad, are you all right?” Before Yan Xu and Yan Zhan reached the mouth of the alley, they heard a familiar voice calling out, mixed with chaotic arguing and the wailing of a little girl.

Their steps quickened involuntarily. As soon as they reached the entrance, they saw Ji Mao and Gui Dong’s family huddled together. Yan Wei was half-lying on the ground, propped up by Ji Mao, with Lin Yazhen on the other side wiping blood from Yan Wei’s arm. Tongtong stood nearby, crying loudly.

“Dad, what happened?” Yan Xu hurried over, panic gripping him. He’d only been away for a brief moment—how had things gone so wrong? He could clearly see swathes of skin scraped away from Yan Wei’s arm and leg, the exposed flesh stained red with blood.

“Yazhen, what happened?” Yan Zhan asked Lin Yazhen anxiously.

“We were just standing there talking, waiting for you two. Dad went off to hail a taxi. But when the driver heard we wanted to go across the harbor, he refused. While Dad was arguing with him, the driver suddenly floored the accelerator and scraped Dad as he sped off,” Lin Yazhen replied, wiping blood from Yan Wei’s wounds with a towel. “Quick, go get a car and take Dad to the hospital.”

“Ji Mao, which way did that car go?” Yan Xu’s anger flared at Lin Yazhen’s words. Everyone has their bottom line, and for Yan Xu, it was his family. Usually, he was easygoing—even insults or mockery rolled off his back. But when it came to his loved ones, he became another person. He once smashed a brick over a classmate’s head in school for cursing his mother.

“It’s right over there, hasn’t gotten away. Gui Dong stopped him.” Ji Mao handed the half-collapsed Yan Wei over to Yan Zhan and stood up.

Following Ji Mao’s gesture, Yan Xu spotted the taxi idling at the curb. Its door was open, and Gui Dong had already dragged the driver out.

“Damn it!” The moment Yan Xu saw the driver, he charged over without a word. His fist crashed directly into the driver’s face.

Yan Xu’s punch landed hard, distorting the man’s features. Although Gui Dong held him by the collar, the sheer force sent the driver stumbling backward and toppling to the ground. Blood instantly trickled from his nostrils and lips.

But even that blow didn’t quell the rage boiling inside Yan Xu. He surged forward again, kicking the driver before he could scramble up.

“All right, Jiu Ri, that’s enough!” Ji Mao and Gui Dong had thought Yan Xu just needed to vent a little, but seeing he had no intention of stopping, both men rushed to restrain him.

“Jiu Ri, don’t waste your time on people like this—we need to get Uncle Yan to the hospital,” Gui Dong urged, holding Yan Xu back as he still tried to lunge forward.

“Lucky for you!” Yan Xu spat at the driver sprawled on the ground, face smeared with blood. Most of it was from the punch, and though the wounds looked dramatic, they weren’t serious—Yan Xu had aimed his kicks at the meaty parts. Bruises at worst.

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As an entertainment reporter, Zheng Tianfen had made a decent name for himself. Over the years, he’d developed his own set of skills—his pen could turn black into white, make something out of nothing, and always came with photographic evidence. This earned him a reputation in the small circle, and several informants worked exclusively for him. Some minor celebrities even sought him out, trading gossip for money or personal favors.

He’d been staking out outside the Harbor City Hotel for three or four hours, tipped off by an informant. The rumor was that the second son of the city’s Zhou Group and the socialite An Li would be dining there together. The second son of the Zhou Group was married with a child, while An Li was currently rumored to be close with Xiao Kai from Wensa Jewelry—they’d reportedly met each other’s families and were soon to be engaged.

Zheng Tianfen knew well that the Zhou heir and An Li were Yale classmates and longtime friends. But if he could snap a few intimate photos—even staged ones—it could make great headlines. Their friendship was common knowledge in high society, but not among the average Hong Kong citizen, who relished gossip about the wealthy.

With his experience, Zheng Tianfen easily found a hiding spot: out of sight of the hotel’s security cameras, concealed from passersby, and with a clear vantage point to observe his targets.

It was already ten p.m. Diners began to trickle out of the hotel, and the street was quiet. His targets had yet to appear. Zheng Tianfen knew he’d probably been misinformed—wasted efforts were common in his line of work.

Just as he prepared to leave, a commotion from the hotel’s direction caught his attention.

A traffic accident? He saw someone collapsed on the ground and a taxi trying to drive off, now blocked. Zheng Tianfen immediately raised his camera. Through the lens, he caught sight of a young man that made him pause.

As a reporter focused on the entertainment world, he was especially attuned to sudden sensations and up-and-coming faces. Although the young man before him had rarely been interviewed or photographed, Zheng Tianfen had seen him in last year’s sleeper hit, The Rainy Night Butcher. The man was both director and star, and the person blocking the taxi had played the fat policeman in the film.

This unexpected discovery thrilled him. His vigil hadn’t been for nothing. His finger snapped the shutter rapidly, capturing the moment Yan Xu’s fist struck the taxi driver’s face. Zheng Tianfen could already envision the generous bonus this scoop would bring him this month…

ps: Just started a new job and am quite busy, so I can only update two chapters a day. Only about twenty more readers to reach three hundred—once it hits three hundred, I’ll add an extra chapter at seven or eight in the evening. Thank you all for your support!