The day before Guo Jie's death in captivity.

  Shi Qingfeng left his private club, humble and flattering in front of people, but clever and calculating behind the scenes. He didn't use the garage's beloved Cherokee, but instead got into a taxi and drove around Nanjing City for a while before telling the driver to take him to a remote location. If the driver hadn't thought that the passenger, dressed in bright clothes, didn't look like a penniless bandit, he wouldn't have dared to follow the instructions of this passenger who seemed to have a few screws loose.

  At around 8:30, I got off the bus and paid the fare, then walked for half an hour while continuously smoking. I arrived at my destination right on time at 9 o'clock. A young man was already squatting by the roadside railing, gazing out at the Nanjing night scene. As I walked over, I felt a bit uneasy because it's said that Qiao Liu was killed right here after being hacked down by Chen Fusheng with over a dozen knife wounds, and then shot to death. The tragic story of that night has been passed down and exaggerated, and Wei Jia Chen Fusheng's reputation has become almost as great as Guo Xiaotian's. After all, Guo Xiaotian only killed one person, Qiao Baizhi, in a single night, which doesn't sound nearly as thrilling to outsiders as taking on over ten people at once.

  At this moment, the culprit who was demonized and deified at the same time was squatting beside ****, slowly smoking a cigarette, exhaling misty clouds, and with the east wind of that one battle, he seemed somewhat mysterious and unfathomable in ****'s eyes.

  In addition to this young man having once shocked him in the Red Corridor of Shi Qingfeng, he was even more nervous and apprehensive. If it weren't for Chen Yuanshu's repeated persuasions over the phone, he wouldn't have dared to come see this young man at the center of the whirlpool. Before everything settled down, he hastily joined the ranks, which didn't conform to his usual code of conduct. Standing beside Chen Er Gou, a middle-aged man with less ambition than in his youth, let out a soft sigh and said: "The times can create heroes but also kill them. Chen Fusheng, I advise you to temporarily leave Nanjing. If you can endure the humiliation and swallow your pride, I believe there will come a day when you'll make a name for yourself."

  In fact, in his heart, he didn't want to support or assist Chen Ergou, but nor did he hope for Chen Ergou to end like this. After all, he could see that Chen Ergou had a good impression of the Shi Qingfeng Club, where he started his life. This relationship was not crucial to the overall situation, but he felt it would be a pity if it were to end. Moreover, this young man had some of the style of Wei Duan Gong, and yet before he could even take office, he was stabbed in the back by someone who had crossed the river and destroyed the bridge. It was somewhat pitiful, like the death of a rabbit or a fox. Everyone was just a lackey of the Wei family, and people like him mostly had a deep sense of sorrow and regret.

  "Brother Wang, those old-timers under Wei Laoye who are even more powerful than Guo Jue, such as Hu Siyi from the Hongya Jade Board Club, Xu Dian from the Gudang Entertainment City, and Song Dynasty from Shi Qingfeng, have been giving me a hard time lately. I know it's all thanks to your efforts that they haven't been causing me trouble. If someone cheats me out of one point, I'll cheat them out of three points; if someone shows me respect for one point, I'll naturally show them respect for three points. Brother Wang, I appreciate your kindness and remember it in my heart. That's why I didn't look for anyone else, only you. First, because of the weight of your words, and second, because of our friendship."

  Chen Ergou now speaks to people with an air of sincerity, measured and moderate. His words may not be pleasant to hear, but he always grasps a suitable degree. If he advances one step further, it would be flattery; if he retreats one step back, it would be too pale and empty, devoid of substance. He discarded his cigarette butt, squatted on the railing, and looked up at the silent **** with an expression that was both rational and emotional: "Wang Ge, I didn't come to you today to ask you to choose between Guo Jue and me, nor is it to ask you to betray Wei's family and abandon Fang Niang. That's unrealistic, and I don't have the capital to make you do so. My only request is that when Wang Ge thinks it's time to speak up for me, he'll stand out, take the lead, and as for what to say and when to say it, I believe Wang Ge will know at that time."

  Is it just that simple?

  Is it worth having Miss Chen owe someone a favor?

  He was a staunch skeptic, so he remained silent and still did not respond, refusing to make any promises.

  Chen Ergou remained calm and composed, turning his head to avoid eye contact with Wei Gonggong, as if not wanting to make the old man feel pressured. He looked back at Wang Ge and said, "Wang Ge, Wei Gonggong is not one to easily trust others, especially those who use their brains to get ahead. Whether he's right or wrong, I don't dare say for sure. But there's one thing I'm certain of: if I were in Wei Gonggong's shoes, or even Fang Niang's, Shi Qingfeng would be yours, and wouldn't be handed over to Guo Qianru or Song Dai to manage."

  My eyelid twitched.

  Speculation and adventure can bring huge profits, but may also lead to irreparable losses, this is a double-edged sword.

  Heaven and man are at war, hesitating and undecided.

  Chen Ergou's mouth curled up into a cold and gloomy arc, similar to Chen Qingzhi's, but his tone remained warm. "Wang Ge, you don't need to rush into making any promises or commitments to me. There's no connection between us, not even a thread of a melon vine. Tonight is just about old friends catching up and talking heart-to-heart. After some time has passed, the truth will come out, and then Wang Ge can decide where to place his chips."

  When he left, Zhang Er and the monk were confused. He couldn't understand why this calm and composed young man dared to look far ahead and plan for the future. Was he arrogant? No, he didn't seem like that kind of person. He was good at reading people, and Chen Fusen, who seemed to have a deep connection with Chen Yuanshu, didn't appear to be someone who looked down on others.

  So is he confident? Doesn't seem like it. As soon as he thinks about Fang Jie, Xia He and Qian Zixiang joining forces and sitting at the same table, he gets goosebumps. None of them are easy to deal with. Fang Jie has Guo Qianru to be her knife, Xia He is a typical sly person who can come up with despicable means, and Old Man Qian is even more difficult to handle. Really can't figure out what chips he's using to gamble on this once-in-a-lifetime losing bet.

  As the time passed, Chen Ergou did not get up, smoking eight cigarettes intermittently. An hour later, at 10:30, Zhou Jingru arrived behind him as scheduled. She was still the beautiful woman who made many men drool, but the man squatting beside her was no longer the Chen Ergou who had been nervous when he got into a good car.

  "What do you need me to do?" Zhou Jingyun asked straightforwardly, it was hard to imagine that the most direct and to-the-point person wasn't Chen Ergou's famous elder sister in Nanjing, nor was it one of the well-known big shots in the Nanjing circle, but rather her, who was soft and weak, yet charming.

  Chen Ergou smiled and said: "Aren't you afraid I have some ulterior motives?"

  Zhou Jingyun took the cigarette that Chen Ergou was about to light, and accepted the lighter that Chen Ergou handed over to her. With a soft click, the faint flame of the lighter illuminated a breathtakingly beautiful face that had been exceptionally well-preserved by time. Supporting the hand that held the cigarette, she said: "If you're still the kind of man who wants to strip me naked now, you'll end up dying at the hands of Guo Jiaxiu or Qian Zixiang."

  "So you want me dead or alive?" Chen Ergou asked.

  "You're dead, the remnants of the Qiao family, Xiahe from Pudong, and a bunch of people who want to take advantage of the situation and kick me while I'm down. How am I supposed to cope as a helpless woman? Should I go out with a knife and die together with them? Or should I use my body to please those beasts?" Zhou Jingyun said coldly.

  "So you're saying we're already on the same rope as ants?" Chen Ergou seemed very satisfied with Zhou Jingzhen's answer, and narrowed his eyes contentedly.

  "What do you think?" Zhou Xingzhen sighed.

  "Don't worry, I accepted all your conditions that night without missing a single one. Are you happy or regretful, Aunt Zhou?" Chen Ergou said with a smile.

  Zhou Jingfan didn't get angry, surprisingly calm and composed, said: "This time you can make it through, climb to the top, really able to call the shots in Nanjing, I have no choice but to agree."

  "What are you waiting for?" Chen Ergou rubbed his face, jumped down from the railing and stretched.

  "Good." Zhou Jingru also started to look forward, whether it was looking forward to the despicable commoner Chen Ergou fleeing in disarray with his tail between his legs out of Nanjing, or looking forward to the Northeastern youth scaring everyone away and then crawling up into a woman's heart like a needle at the bottom of the sea, unknown to outsiders.

  At 11:10, they went their separate ways.

  Less than 24 hours later, on the second night at more than 7 o'clock, Guo Zhuangyu died under Chen Ergou's knife, unclear and extremely sudden.

  At that time, Xia He, the head of Pudong, was in a Masland villa, messing with two famous Yangzhou thin horses from Nanjing Fengyue Circle. One of the thin horses was said to have just turned 18 years old. The girl met all the standards of high-quality goods, but it's questionable whether she had reached 16 years old or not. Xia He wanted her precisely because of that innocence.

  Another was a woman in her 30s, mature and charming, the type that Xia He loved. Coincidentally, she looked similar to Zhou Jingru from the side, which would greatly boost Xia He's confidence in bed. The two women were very enthusiastic about Xia He, not only because he was generous but also because of his excellent physical appearance. Compared to their previous clients who were either obese and foul-mouthed or old and frail, this man was a world apart. So they thought it was a wonderful night that could earn them enough money to buy a new LV handbag, what's not to be happy about?

  A phone call interrupted Xia He's indulgence, originally not wanting to bother with it, but the other party was insistent, picked up the mobile phone on the bedside table, and surprisingly it was Zhou Jingfan's number.

  "Xia He tried to keep his tone steady and asked: 'Jing Zhen, what brings you here?'"

  "I'm at the entrance of Zhonghai Xina Li community, I have something to find you about, where are you? If not, never mind."

  Xia He was startled and said: "I'm in Marsland, I'll be right there, wait for me."

  Xia He slammed his phone to the ground and slapped a small Yangzhou horse's white buttocks, saying: "It's only a matter of time before it becomes my plaything under my crotch, what nobility."

  The root of the trouble in Xiahe's pants was not large, but it was very strong in its ability to sustain a long battle. He had once set a record of six times in one night and was very satisfied with it. At least every time he spent money, he didn't lose out, and he could play enough to make up for it. Tonight, he planned to take good care of the mature Yangzhou thin horse, because in his mind, Zhou Jingyun's beautiful face always floated, not only for Xiahe, but also for most men in Nanjing who knew Zhou Jingyun.

  The door opened softly 43 minutes later.

  Two characters appeared, causing Xia He's legs to instantly weaken.

  Chen Er Gou, Chen Qing Zhi.

  The former was playing with a dagger in his hand, with a smile on his face that was both sinister and cold. The latter had an elegant and refined demeanor that seemed to pierce through the bone, her eyes seeming to gaze at a dead person. (To find out what happens next, please log in... More chapters available, support the author, support the official version!)