Chapter Thirty: A Battle of Wills

Many of the male guests, seeing that Zhang Wei had managed to invite Murong Xuan to dance, were filled with both envy and delight. They felt their own qualities were no less than Zhang Wei’s; given the chance, surely they too could invite Murong Xuan for a dance. Yet the outcome once again defied their expectations.

After Zhang Wei, several other outstanding young men—Li Mengfei, Lin Hongwen, and two or three more—stepped forward in succession to invite Murong Xuan to dance. Without exception, she refused them all. For a moment, every man present fell back, a shared question lingering in their hearts: "What on earth is going on?"

It was only now that the guests began to understand: Zhang Wei’s success in inviting Murong Xuan was no accident, nor did it indicate that her standards were low. Rather, there seemed to be a prior understanding between them. This realization rekindled everyone’s curiosity about Zhang Wei’s true identity.

The men wanted to find Zhang Wei to see what kind of person he truly was, while the women sought him out purely out of curiosity. In any case, Zhang Wei once again became the focus of the entire gathering.

After searching around the hall, someone finally spotted Zhang Wei in an inconspicuous corner. He was deep in conversation with a waitress—tall, long-legged, and shapely—completely absorbed and unfazed by the attention of others.

Zhang Wei and Liu Li exchanged a few casual words, discovering not only that they were both from Jizhou, but also, by happy coincidence, that they lived in the same city. Naturally, their conversation grew more animated. Both had been away from home for a long time, and as they spoke of their hometown, a touch of longing crept into their voices.

If one were to ask who was most resentful of Zhang Wei at the banquet, the answer would certainly be Li Mengfei and Lin Hongwen. Both were exceedingly accomplished and held themselves in high regard, convinced that their own merits surpassed Zhang Wei's, and that Murong Xuan ought to have chosen them as her dance partner. The striking contrast between their expectations and reality was hard for them to swallow.

Lin Hongwen managed a bit better; after suffering two setbacks at Zhang Wei’s hands, he had developed some resilience. Li Mengfei, however, could not bear the humiliation. Yet he did not dare approach Murong Xuan for answers, and so fixed his sights on Zhang Wei instead.

Once Li Mengfei had located Zhang Wei, he put down his wine glass and strode over. Seeing Zhang Wei engaged in conversation with the long-legged beauty, his pallid face grew darker still. He thrust his right hand in front of Zhang Wei, snapping his fingers with thumb and middle finger, then shook his head and drawled, “Hey, kid, what’s your name?”

Such a provocative tone and expression would rile anyone, not to mention someone older by seven or eight years. Yet Zhang Wei, seasoned by years in the real estate business and accustomed to dealing with all sorts, did not lose his temper easily. He replied as calmly as possible, “Hello, my name is Zhang Wei.”

“I’m not fine!” Li Mengfei cocked his head, imitating the bad-boy mannerisms seen on television.

Li Mengfei’s deliberate antagonism immediately drew the attention of the other guests. Gossip about rivalry among young men was always fashionable in high society—the favorite pastime of socialites and ladies of status. All eyes now turned to Zhang Wei and Li Mengfei.

“Is there something you want from me?” Zhang Wei’s smile faded, his expression turning cold.

“My hands are itching. I want to teach you a lesson. How about that?” Li Mengfei was, after all, at that rebellious age, straddling adolescence and adulthood. Newly arrived in society, he half-understood its ways but fancied himself always in the right, eager to outdo others at every turn.

“Zhang Wei, now you’ll see how troublesome this kid can be,” Lin Hongwen thought with a look of schadenfreude.

Previously, Li Mengfei had been arrogant even with Lin Hongwen. The latter had chosen not to stoop to his level, wary of provoking a brash youngster who feared nothing. Li Mengfei, being so young, could afford to care little for others’ opinions; Lin, on the other hand, could not afford to ruin his reputation with a public quarrel.

To put it plainly, youthful indiscretions are understandable, even expected—they are the hallmarks of passionate youth. But when a grown man behaves in such a manner, he is immediately looked down upon, deemed uncultured, the target of whispered criticism.

“Sir, perhaps there’s some misunderstanding here!” Liu Li, seeing Li Mengfei’s aggressive stance, stepped in to mediate.

“This is none of your business. Stay out of it!” Li Mengfei jabbed his finger toward Liu Li’s cheek.

“Young man, if you have something to say, say it properly. Don’t point at people.” Zhang Wei gently pulled Liu Li aside, his expression grim.

Zhang Wei knew well that Li Mengfei was here to cause trouble, most likely because of Murong Xuan’s dance with him. As the saying goes, the one who ties the bell must untie it. Zhang Wei glanced around the banquet hall in search of Murong Xuan, but she was nowhere to be found.

“If you want to play the hero, you’d better have what it takes. Dare to fight me?” Li Mengfei taunted.

Hong Kong’s gangster movies had once swept through the city, influencing many young men. Li Mengfei’s words and gestures were clearly modeled after those cinematic scenes.

Seeing that Zhang Wei did not respond, Li Mengfei grew bolder, sneering, “What, afraid to fight me? Scared, are you?”

“I suppose I am afraid to fight you,” Zhang Wei replied lightly.

Li Mengfei twisted his mouth and muttered “trash” in English, flipping Zhang Wei the middle finger.

“I’m just afraid I’ll make you cry, and you’ll go running to your teacher to complain,” Zhang Wei retorted, brushing aside Li Mengfei’s hand with a cold laugh.

“Rubbish! What are you talking about?” Li Mengfei was, in fact, a senior high school student, and nothing irked him more than being reminded of it. Yet Zhang Wei had struck right at his sore spot.

“Talking nonsense?” Zhang Wei scoffed. “Judging by your age, you’re still in high school, aren’t you? How are your grades?”

“Zhang Wei, enough with the nonsense. If you’ve got guts, face me in a fair fight.” At the mention of school and grades, Li Mengfei’s bravado waned; he seemed, in that moment, nothing more than a child.

“If you want a fight, that can be arranged. But only after you’re no longer protected by the ‘Juvenile Protection Law.’ I’ll gladly grant your wish then.”

“Hahaha, the Juvenile Protection Law! All that bravado, and in the end, just a brat. You’re killing me,” Liu Li burst out laughing.

The surrounding guests, who had been watching intently, now laughed as well. Zhang Wei’s composed handling of the situation earned him newfound respect. Many there knew Li Mengfei—an unrestrained, self-styled little despot, feared by none, who had embarrassed many before. Zhang Wei’s remark had completely deflated Li Mengfei’s swagger, leaving his face tinged with embarrassment. At his age, he craved recognition and respect more than anything, and hated being treated as a mere child. Yet Zhang Wei had attacked him precisely on this point.

“What’s the thing you’re most afraid of people finding out?” Zhang Wei fixed his gaze on Li Mengfei, suddenly asking.

“I—Li Mengfei—fear nothing and no one! There’s nothing I wouldn’t dare reveal!” Li Mengfei thumped his chest with his right fist, as if to restore his confidence.

To others, his confidence seemed flawless, but it could not escape Zhang Wei’s mind-reading abilities. Zhang Wei’s gaze locked onto Li Mengfei’s eyes, his pupils narrowing, a flash of light passing through them. Suddenly, a line of golden text appeared before Zhang Wei’s eyes: “What I fear most is people finding out that I wet the bed at age ten! I don’t even dare talk in my sleep for fear of revealing it!”

Everyone has their own weaknesses—some worn on the surface, others buried deep within. The deeper the secret, the more terrifying it is to have it exposed. Zhang Wei’s mind-reading skill allowed him to do just that.

“Murong told me you’re her cousin, right?” Zhang Wei asked.

“Don’t pretend you’re close with my cousin. There are plenty who know I’m related to her!” Li Mengfei snorted.

“Is that so?” Zhang Wei leaned in and whispered in Li Mengfei’s ear, “But how many know you were still wetting the bed at age ten?”

“You’re lying! I wasn’t—” At Zhang Wei’s words, Li Mengfei reacted as if his tail had been stepped on, jumping up in alarm and staring at Zhang Wei in panic.

Li Mengfei’s outburst startled everyone nearby. None knew what Zhang Wei had said to provoke such a reaction, and they began murmuring among themselves.

“What do you mean, you weren’t? Speak up—let everyone hear it!” Zhang Wei spread his hands toward the crowd with a cold smile.