Chapter Twelve Prelude

  I hope that those who are walking on their own path in life, whether they are confused or not, have found direction, haven't found direction yet, and are still searching for it, whether they are friends by our side or have already drifted away, for the sake of your dreams, for the sake of your life, don't stop taking strides forward. When we're young, as long as we can think about it, we should go do it. We can regret, but not be disappointed. Don't let us grow old without having proud memories to tell our children and grandchildren. Don't be a frog in warm water, dying of mediocrity. And don't use your own incompetence as an excuse for yourself. As long as you fill yourself up every day, it's possible that you'll reach the step you want to take. You can achieve earth-shattering success or fall without worrying about anything, but just don't be mediocre. Read more books, experience more things, meet a few more people... That's my hope for everyone. Don't stop taking strides forward! (First time writing so much)

  Li Sansheng firmly believes that life is all about who you meet and what happens to you. He deeply believes that the most important person in his life is the old man who taught him how to survive, without whom he wouldn't be where he is today.

  Li Sansheng also believes that the most important stage of his life is the three years of high school at Qinling College, where he met a large group of so-called "official second-generation" and "rich second-generation" who had more ambition and confidence than himself, and even if they wanted to be mediocre, it would be difficult for them to be mediocre.

  Otherwise, the two dragons would not have been able to reach today's level with a bit of skill from a poor brain and recklessness without background or strength. Lao Meng would not have been valued by the old man who is the treasure of Renmin University, one of China's best financial and economic schools, just because of his so-called talent. Although they don't say it in their hearts, they know that without Li Sansheng, there would be no them.

  Li Sansheng is not without ambition, he just doesn't think that his current self has the ability to climb up recklessly, unless some people force him to do something that cannot be violated, at which point Li Sansheng can burst out with abilities that ordinary people cannot imagine, and most of the time he is like a harmless lion.

  So when Li San Sheng saw Chen Dengke and his two friends, Sun Zhijian and Wang Xiangqiang, in front of the National Assembly Building No. 1, he was still as calm and composed as Mount Tai, despite being ridiculed and belittled. Li San Sheng understood that it wasn't that these so-called rich second-generation kids didn't know how to endure humiliation, but rather they knew all too well how to endure humiliation - only when it was worth their while would they do so. And towards Li San Sheng, a man who had just crawled out of a small town and city, they didn't think he was worth the effort. Li San Sheng understood that some people's lifetime achievements were not even worth mentioning in the eyes of these people, because from birth, they were already destined for greatness - it was that simple.

  Guohui No. 1 is so popular in Xi'an, of course, it has its own skills, but these are not what Li San Sheng can know. Li San Sheng saw Chen Dengke and a few others who seemed to be frequent visitors here, already chatting with the manager of Guohui No. 1 Hall, with a hypocritical and perfunctory expression on their faces as if they were used to it.

  The night had just fallen, and the National Congress No. 1 was already performing its own madness at this time. The black night always has infinite charm for people, and the National Congress No. 1 is also showing off its temptation to let the repressed people in the city release themselves freely.

  Under Chen Dengke's lead, a few people came to the seat in the corner of the hall. However, how to sit made Li Sansheng hesitant. If he sat close to Lin Xueer again at this time, Chen Dengke would surely tease him to death. To avoid being teased to death, Li Sansheng wisely chose to sit on the other side of Lin Xueer. The seat next to Lin Xueer was naturally left for Chen Dengke. Lin Xueer seemed to have nothing to say about this arrangement, after all, she couldn't push Li Sansheng into a desperate situation again.

  Before the wine was even served, Chen Dengke and Sun Zhijian had already taken the lead in attacking Li Sansheng. Chen Dengke ordered a few bottles of Martell XO, which was already a good wine at Guohui No. 1. As he sipped his drink, Chen Dengke said with a sarcastic tone, "Ignorant fool, don't mind me calling you that, do you?"

  "Don't mind" Li San Sheng a big brother how dare I mind, you old man just move your hands and I'll be dead, I still want to learn well.

  "Yuzhi, what's your relationship with Xue'er?" Chen Dengke had been wanting to ask this question for a long time, but he didn't know how to bring it up when they first met. Now that they had drunk quite a bit of wine, he no longer cared about being polite.

  "I think my relationship with Li Yu Zhi is none of your business" Lin Xue Er's straightforward and hurtful words struck a blow, Lin Xue Er naturally didn't dare to give Chen Deng Ke even a glimmer of hope, this kind of person will take advantage of any opportunity you give them.

  Li Sansheng smiled as he watched the two people going back and forth, too lazy to get entangled in such a messy love triangle. He began to casually take stock of the layout of the National Assembly Hall No. 1 and the guests who would be attending tonight.

  Li Sansheng had heard that the National Congress No. 1 and the Tian Shang Ren Jian Sunshine National Congress in Xi'an were engaged in a fierce struggle, with both sides having strong backgrounds and capabilities. It was not something that ordinary people could participate in. Now it seems that the forces behind the National Congress No. 1 have severely suppressed the Sunshine National Congress. During this year's nationwide anti-pornography and anti-illegal activities campaign, someone used their power to launch a surprise attack on the Sunshine National Congress. That night, all police forces from the Xi'an Municipal Public Security Bureau were mobilized, with the target being the Sunshine National Congress. All participating police officers had their mobile phones and other communication tools confiscated, and the task was suddenly assigned.

  The process was simple, but the result was shocking. On the night of the incident, eight buses were used to take away the hostesses who had been brought in by bus. After the incident was exposed by someone with a conscience, there was a huge public outcry. Initially, some people wanted to cover up the incident, but at this point, they could only abandon it. As a result, the Sunshine Parliament became a scapegoat. When the government's high-level officials found out about it, they were furious and ordered the Sunshine Parliament to be closed for rectification for half a year. From then on, the feud between the Sunshine Parliament and the National Assembly, which had already been formed, grew even bigger.

  The Sun Country was overshadowed by the No. 1 Congress, and it's definitely going to be returned, but this matter is not over yet. Li San Sheng knew all this because Er Long also played his own role in this matter, although not big or small, but always on stage playing a play.

  "Oh, I and Lin Xue'er, we're just classmates" Li San Sheng didn't hesitate to sell out Lin Xue'er. You and I are not related, you insist on dragging me over, what can I do? You two immortals fighting, don't drag a ordinary person like me into it."

  "So that's how it is, Old Li. Don't take to heart what I just said. Let me be clear, I like Xue Er, but she has misunderstandings about me. When I saw you standing next to her, I naturally felt a bit hostile and didn't watch my words. Don't take it to heart." Chen Dengke's ability to change his expression was truly eye-opening for Li San Sheng. Just now, he was still ruthlessly suppressing his sworn brother, but as soon as he found out that Li San Sheng had nothing to do with him, he immediately began to call him brother.

  "No way, I'm just a small fry," Li Sansheng said with a shake of his head, speaking in a very casual tone after having a few drinks. However, in his heart, he thought: "Go to hell! If I hadn't retreated early on, you would have definitely investigated me after tonight and found out that I'm just a nobody from Linshi without any background or power. You would have toyed with me until I'm dead. Don't think that just because you call me 'brother' in front of Li Dage, I'll believe your words like a three-year-old child. When it comes to playing dirty tricks, you're still wet behind the ears. Believing you is no different from believing a ghost. If there's a direct conflict of interest, you might even stab your own buddies in the back without hesitation."

  Lin Xue'er gazed at Li San-sheng with a resentful expression, her eyes seeming to say that Li San-sheng was spineless. Just now she had sympathized with Chen Deng-ke's humiliation of him, but unexpectedly, after just one drink, he had unhesitatingly betrayed her. It seemed she had misjudged him. Lin Xue'er even viciously kicked Li San-sheng under the table.

  Chen Dengke, Sun Zhijian and Wang Xiangqiang were all students of Xi'an Jiaotong University. As for how they got mixed up in this, it's not worth mentioning. The girls brought by Sun Zhijian and Wang Xiangqiang were two pretty college students from the Xi'an Music Academy, who were just playing around with them. It was a fair trade between their physical capital and someone else's money that could be thrown at them. No one thought about being together for long, everyone understood it was just a one-time deal, similar to a one-night stand, but lasting a bit longer.

  The stage of National Congress No. 1 is always full of beauties and good programs, otherwise it wouldn't be able to attract so many repeat customers, let alone remain strong after the decline of Sunshine National Congress. The DJ spinning discs looks like he has some skills, at least he should have won a few awards or something.

  The dynamic music box on the stage, with a beautiful woman who sets off the passion of the audience, slowly pushes the atmosphere of Guohui No. 1 forward. The men below, who have had too much to drink, are like beasts in heat, shouting loudly, as if afraid that others will not know they have money and power.

  Learning that Li San Sheng was just Lin Xue Er's classmate, Chen Deng Ke, who had no more reservations, really started drinking with Li San Sheng. As for whether they had ulterior motives, only they knew in their hearts.

  Lin Xue'er was too lazy to talk to Chen Dengke, and also too lazy to bother with Li Sansheng who was trying to sell himself. She dragged two girls from the music academy along to pass the time, just chatting about women's stuff.

  "From now on, if anyone gets close to Xue Er in your school, you'll have a relationship with me." Chen Deng Ke finally revealed his thoughts at this time, which was to let Li San Sheng act as his mole. However, he didn't know that this mole might have already gotten the benefits before him. Chen Deng Ke whispered to Li San Sheng while pulling him along.

  "This is definitely no problem" Li San Sheng said with a heroic tone, as if saying to Chen Ge "you can rest assured that I will report every move of Lin Xue Er to you, even if she just says a word to someone with a surname, I'll tell you. But in his heart, he was secretly laughing, thinking that as long as he didn't take advantage of her himself, it would be enough, and still keeping an eye on her for him.

  Li Sansheng had a general idea of Chen Dengke and his gang's family background from chatting with several people. Although it can't compare to the background of Wang Ziyu and others in the Beijing-Tianjin-Tangshan and Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Shanghai circles, it is already quite good in the northwest. Uncles and aunts have their own connections in the provincial committee, provincial government, and municipal governments at all levels, while their fathers are engaged in stable and profitable businesses relying on family forces.

  Otherwise, it's not possible to blend in well at Guohui No. 1, and can't even drink this XO, although it can't compare to Lafite which is always a few years old, but here it's still passable.

  "Old Li, if there's anything that can't be settled in the future, just tell us brothers." Sun Zhijian's face was a bit flushed from drinking, and his hands were also getting restless on the girl beside him, muttering nonsense.

  Li Sansheng also just had to treat it as drunken talk, the brotherly relationship established at this wine table was definitely not comparable to that of brothers who had gone through life and death together, relationships without going through thick and thin were too unreliable, and the possibility of being stabbed in the back was too great.

  "I'm going to the restroom" Wang Xiangqiang rarely spoke, mostly just flirting with his girlfriend. Li Sansheng could tell that Wang Xiangqiang seemed to look down on Sun Zhijian and Chen Dengke, which made Li Sansheng very curious. Wang Xiangqiang was also the only one who didn't bully Li Sansheng.

  It seems like an interesting thing.

  Lin Xue'er seems to have become a wallflower tonight, not participating in the brotherly love between Li Sansheng and Chen Dengke, probably because she's already lost hope in Li Sansheng. Li Sansheng also can't be bothered to say anything, it's as if after tonight, the two of them won't have any intersection again.

  Just then, before Li Sansheng could think of anything else, he heard the burly men at the next table, whom he had carefully sized up when they first arrived, loudly cursing "Are you looking to die?"

  Li Sansheng had already carefully observed the people at several tables around him when he sat down. The only ones who caught Li Sansheng's interest were the five or six burly men at the next table. Li Sansheng was almost certain that these men must have fought in battles and shed blood, but whether they had shed others' blood or their own, he didn't know. There was an aura of murder around them, a real and tangible one that wasn't just some fantastical concept from books. If you've seen people who have killed before, you can sense it.

  Li Sansheng looked up and saw that it was Wang Xiangqiang, who had just gotten up to go to the bathroom, stepping on one of the big men's feet, which is why he scolded him.

  Li Sansheng thought to himself that things were going to be bad, because at this time Chen Dengke and the others had already drunk a lot, and after being scolded by the big man, they would naturally not give up, but Li Sansheng was clear that those few big men were not clean either, and they would definitely make trouble.

  "It's just a foot, what's the big deal?!" Wang Xiangqiang frowned and didn't speak, but Chen Dengke was the first to retort, scolding back without hesitation.

  Chen Dengke cursed and the six big men opposite him stood up in unison, their eyes fiercely staring at Li Sansheng and his companions like a pack of wolves finding their prey.

  "Lao Liu, we're going to have some fun tonight," said the big guy in the middle, looking at the one who had his foot stepped on with a playful gaze.

  "Kowtow to me three times, then let those three decent-looking women behind you accompany me for the night. I'll spare your life, otherwise, don't think about leaving Guohui No. 1 tonight!" The man shouted viciously after stomping his foot.

  Li Sansheng's head hurt, he originally wanted to stay out of it but it seemed that was impossible. Li Sansheng could only curse in his mouth, "How come every time I meet you, I always have trouble?" The other person had already said they were talking about the three girls behind them, which also included Lin Xue'er. But Lin Xue'er was someone Li Sansheng had to take care of tonight, so this pulled Li Sansheng in as well. Otherwise, Li Sansheng would not have anything to do with Chen Dengke's penniless second-generation rich kids.

  You have a background and a backer, when something happens, you can pull out the people behind to play fiercely. What's the fun in joining the excitement for me, an old man with no roots and no foundation?

  "How dare you! What are you? You make me kowtow to your father!" Sun Zhijian cursed loudly, fueled by the wine.

  The other party actually smiled instead of getting angry after hearing it, Li San Sheng had already noticed that the man in the middle seemed to be the leader of several big men, and he had an idea in his mind.

  "In a moment I'll tell you what to do, and you just do it" Li Sansheng said to Lin Xue'er, who had already lost some of her beauty but was not yet completely disheveled.

  "Hmm" Lin Xue'er could only pin all her hopes on Li San Sheng at this moment, otherwise she would definitely be ravished by the several big men in a short while. Although afterwards the Lin family would angrily uproot those people, it would already be too late.