Chapter 59: Beating You Is Not Against the Law

The Riverside Teahouse, blending the vulgar and the refined, hung a grand sign reading "Immortal by the River." It also literally resided by the river. In Jiangzhou, teahouses were plentiful—if not a hundred, then at least ninety worthy establishments. The Riverside Teahouse wasn't the best, nor was it at the bottom; its environment was excellent, and many patrons graced it with their presence.

But today, the Riverside Teahouse had closed its doors early, shutting down at five in the afternoon under the pretense of a thorough cleaning. Customers uttered no complaints.

Wang Hu had lingered inside for quite some time, though few knew this teahouse belonged to him.

He had acquired it with funds siphoned from the company. At that time, Wang Hu intended to withdraw from his schemes, knowing that if he continued, the company would not tolerate him. But once the teahouse opened, gifts and expenses piled up, demanding money. Wang Hu retraced his old path to amass wealth, unable to stop himself.

Business at the teahouse was brisk, but the profits seemed trivial to Wang Hu, nothing compared to the illicit gains he made through the company.

Insatiable greed inevitably leads to ruin, yet Wang Hu could not turn back.

With a business to his name, people gathered around him; otherwise, even with more money, he could never attract top-notch experts.

Recently, five carefully cultivated specialists had been eliminated, leaving Wang Hu stripped of his greatest advantage.

Thus, to deal with Yang Changfeng—or to make him his new enforcer—became Wang Hu's urgent priority.

But was Yang really so easy to handle?

Even though the arrangements were thorough, Wang Hu couldn't shake his unease. Perhaps it was time to reveal his trump card, but not yet; first, he needed to secure Yang Changfeng.

Night had not yet fallen when Yang Changfeng emerged from the study. Starting tomorrow, he would settle into the office. An excitement mingled with uncertainty welled up within him.

A man seasoned by countless battlefields found himself apprehensive about the ordinary white-collar environment.

Or perhaps, it was a kind of resistance.

Chen Aijia had just come downstairs; she instructed Yang Changfeng to drive, while Anya would drive with her back home. Anya's belongings would remain in the rental for now; there were a few days left on the lease—no need to rush.

"Be careful. Once outside, check the car thoroughly. Don't let anything go wrong over something trivial." Sensing that the decisive moment was imminent, Chen Aijia grew even more grave, not lighter.

Even though Yang Changfeng had kept Wang Hu at bay, Wang Hu's aggression had only intensified.

Taking out the five henchmen offered some relief, but not complete reassurance. Wang Hu still had other cards to play, like his network of connections.

For now, the most crucial thing was that Yang Changfeng remained unharmed. With his formidable presence, Wang Hu could not unite his subordinates into a cohesive force, unable to pit the entire security department against the company. In effect, Yang Changfeng acted as a barrier, preventing the security department from causing immense harm to the company. Chen Aijia understood his importance deeply.

That afternoon, Deputy General Manager Su visited her, candidly insisting that Yang Changfeng must prioritize his safety.

Su made it clear: "Yang Changfeng is the wrench controlling the situation. With him, few dare to openly side with Wang Hu. Those with ulterior motives in the company won't blatantly collude with him. This is the fiercest clash with the interest group that believes in the power of fists, and it's also our greatest achievement so far."

Chen Aijia realized Su wanted to use Yang Changfeng as a weapon.

Letting Yang Changfeng intimidate Wang Hu would force Wang Hu to devote more resources to countering him, while the company could stand by and reap the benefits.

But was Yang so easy to use?

She did not oppose the idea, but neither did she accept it.

She told Su not to exploit Yang Changfeng; he would respond to Wang Hu proactively and energetically. If they tried to use him, he might simply walk away.

Chen Aijia understood him well enough.

He was mysterious, and proud.

Tell him, "It's because you have value," and he would slap you for it.

Why even try to use him? He was already at odds with Wang Hu, and he knew exactly what needed to be done.

"Stick to the main road, don't stop, and head straight home," Yang Changfeng, in turn, reminded the two women to be careful.

Wang Hu would not dare make a move in the artificial island villa district; that would mean opposing all of Jiangzhou's wealthy. With Wang Hu's strength, even two or three top tycoons working against him would leave him unable to survive a single day.

There were two places to be wary of: one was the road—Yang Changfeng's presence carried deterrent power, but tonight he would attend a banquet, giving Wang Hu an opportunity.

The other was the office. If not for worrying that reactions from the senior management would make things difficult for Chen Aijia, Yang Changfeng would have moved into the office next to hers.

Don't assume Wang Hu lacks the nerve to act within the company. The surveillance equipment was all under the security department's control; to tamper with it would be all too easy.

Yang Changfeng wanted to assemble his own team, and it was a wise move. Alone, he couldn't handle everything, nor was there any need.

Chen Aijia's thinking aligned with Yang Changfeng's; his proposal to recruit a reliable batch of security staff was exactly what she had been considering, and she supported his plan.

But would it be in time?

On the drive home, Chen Aijia was consumed with thoughts, a pressing sense of urgency propelling her.

Yang Changfeng waited idly at the gate for a few minutes before an unfamiliar man came over and knocked on his window.

"Brother Hu sent me to pick you up." The fellow was brash, apparently still doubting the rumors that Yang Changfeng had dispatched five ace enforcers.

So he added, "Behave yourself. If you try anything, I'll kill you."

Yang Changfeng smiled. This one would have to be dealt with today.

A taxi led the way; Yang Changfeng followed in his Audi, winding through seven or eight streets until they arrived at the Riverside Teahouse.

Yang Changfeng stopped the car and called out, "Hey, kid."

The man had just stepped out of the taxi.

He turned and glared at Yang Changfeng, his face fierce, and tossed a hundred yuan at the driver.

The driver protested, "We agreed on a hundred and fifty. How can you go back on your word?"

Yang Changfeng said with a smile, "If I were you, I'd leave right now. Losing your life over fifty yuan isn't worth it."

The driver glanced at Yang Changfeng, then at the other man, saw the knife handle protruding from his waistband, and quickly floored the accelerator, speeding off dozens of meters.

In his rearview mirror, the driver saw the man who broke his promise get punched to the ground by the Audi driver, then dragged by his legs toward the Riverside Teahouse.

Serves him right!

That's what you get for lacking integrity—got what you deserved!

The driver spat out of the window, his heart still racing, and hurried away from this place that looked sure to erupt into a fight.