Brother Erkun was genuinely terrified now.
If he had still harbored thoughts of revenge against Liu Yutong and her group earlier, he didn’t dare entertain even a shred of that idea anymore.
These people were truly capable of killing!
Just the memory of what happened in the kitchen made his legs go weak.
Liu Yutong had initially planned to deal with him as well, but then reconsidered—keeping him around might still be useful.
"First, settle today’s bill," she said.
"I’m a reasonable person. I don’t cheat people—clear pricing, pay what you owe."
"Zhao Tianyi, calculate the total for him."
"Yes, Young Miss!"
Zhao Tianyi smoothly grabbed a calculator from the front desk, his fingers flying over the buttons. Soon, the sound of "add, add, add" echoed through the hall, each beep striking Brother Erkun’s nerves like a hammer.
This scene was all too familiar to him.
Last time, some unlucky fool named Deng Zheyan had footed the bill for him. But this time, there was no one to take the fall—after all, he was the one who had invited everyone.
Finally, the calculator spat out a cold, mechanical number:
"Equals, four hundred eighty-two thousand three hundred thirty..."
The voice abruptly cut off.
"Let’s round it up—call it five hundred thousand," Zhao Tianyi said, glancing at Erkun. "My math isn’t wrong, is it?"
Brother Erkun hurriedly nodded. "No, no, it’s correct… But I really don’t have that kind of money..."
"No money? Then figure out a way to get it. Whoever sent you, go ask them. If one can’t cover it, get two to chip in."
"Of course, if you can’t pay, then I’m afraid I’ll have to send you straight to jail."
Zhao Tianyi casually pulled out a lawyer’s license from his pocket, waving it in front of Erkun’s face. "See? Legitimate."
Brother Erkun: "..."
Since when were lawyers this ruthless?
"Then… if I really can’t pay, how long would I have to stay in jail?" Brother Erkun asked cautiously.
"I know this one!" Ma Da suddenly chimed in. "Minimum three years, maximum the death penalty! My bro Zhao’s law professor was the infamous ‘Outlaw Zhang San’—a real beast. Even a judge daring to interrupt him would get two years!"
Zhao Tianyi: "..."
Brother Erkun: "..."
Brother Erkun, a dropout with only a middle school education, had no clue about legal intricacies. Hearing Ma Da’s words, cold sweat drenched his back.
These people were terrifying. Were their connections really that powerful?
Fail to pay for a meal, and you could get the death penalty?
"Make the call! Now!" Ma Da snapped impatiently. "What, you wanna take a trip to the kitchen too?"
Brother Erkun didn’t dare delay any longer. He fumbled for his phone, fingers trembling as he dialed.
"Crazy Dog Brother, it’s done. Get over here—we’re at Yu Yue Fang."
After notifying Crazy Dog Brother, his mind raced, and he thought of Deng Zheyan.
After all, good brothers should share hardships. Hadn’t Deng Zheyan been ranting about revenge against Liu Yutong while in the hospital?
Plus, the guy’s family was loaded.
With that in mind, he immediately dialed Deng Zheyan’s number.
"Bro, I got your revenge. Yeah, yeah, she’s under control—at Yu Yue Fang."
On the other end, Deng Zheyan practically leaped out of bed, his voice trembling with excitement. "Really? You’re sure?"
From the moment he first laid eyes on Liu Yutong, he hadn’t forgotten her.
A petty man by nature, he’d been scheming ways to get back at her—and maybe even take over her restaurant.
Who would’ve thought Brother Erkun would actually pull it off so soon?
Still, he was cautious by nature. Something felt off.
Brother Erkun didn’t seem like the type who could handle Liu Yutong.
He’d seen her in action—she was likely a genuine mafia princess. Why else would those gangsters call her "Young Miss"?
Could a small-time thug like Erkun really subdue her?
Soon, Brother Erkun sent over a few MMS photos, erasing all his doubts.
The photos showed a pile of arms, each bearing a striking tattoo—the character "Loyalty."
Deng Zheyan, currently attending university in Bright Pearl City, was no stranger to local gang rumors.
Among them, the notorious Loyalty Union Society was particularly infamous.
It all made sense now. No wonder Erkun had managed to deal with that wretched woman—he’d hooked up with the Loyalty Union.
Then everything was fine!
Deng Zheyan jumped out of bed, not even bothering with a jacket, and bolted for the door.
The cast on his right arm had only recently been removed, and his movements were still stiff, but he couldn’t care less.
His mother called after him, "Be careful with your arm! Don’t hurt it again and end up back in the hospital!"
"Don’t worry, Mom. There’s no way I’m going back to the hospital," he replied confidently before rushing out.
Meanwhile, Crazy Dog Brother burst into laughter after receiving Erkun’s call.
"Finally got that woman in my hands!" he crowed to his lackeys. "This time, I’ll make sure she pays for cracking my skull at the KTV!"
His eyes glinted with malice, fists clenched so tightly his knuckles popped. He could already picture Liu Yutong kneeling before him.
......
Back at Yu Yue Fang’s main hall, Liu Yutong had someone serve her half a bowl of rice.
Under the watchful eyes of over a hundred people, she leisurely ate from the lamb hotpot.
The only sound in the hall was the bubbling broth—an oppressive silence thick with the aroma of meat.
Everyone was waiting for the big fish to take the bait.
"Yun Cheng, I can’t finish this. Sit down and eat with me," Liu Yutong said softly, glancing at the man standing beside her.
Yun Cheng nodded and took a seat without hesitation.
Ma Da, unable to resist, fetched two more bowls of rice.
He handed one to Yun Cheng, then clutched the other, staring longingly at Liu Yutong.
Amused, she said, "If you’re hungry, sit down too."
"Got it!" Ma Da plopped down immediately, shoveling a piece of lamb into his mouth. "So good!" he mumbled through a full mouth.
The Loyalty Union youths and Brother Erkun, still kneeling on the floor, watched in disbelief.
Was… was the meat really that delicious?
What Liu Yutong said next sent chills down their spines.
"Tell the kitchen to prepare the rest of the meat and distribute it as midnight snacks."
"Yes, Young Miss!" A lackey hurried off to relay the order.
Soon, the rhythmic thud-thud-thud of chopping echoed from the kitchen again—each strike hammering into Erkun’s heart.
Their faces turned ghostly pale, stomachs churning with nausea.
The boss was a demon, and her underlings were no better!
Just as Liu Yutong and the others were enjoying their meal, the front door swung open.
A man in his thirties walked in.
"Hello, is the restaurant still open? I'd like to..."
His words trailed off as he froze in shock at the scene before him.
Whoosh!
A hundred young men with the unmistakable look of gangsters turned their heads in unison, their piercing gazes locking onto him like knives.
At the center of the hall sat three figures who exuded the aura of underworld bosses, casually eating as if they owned the place.
The entire setting could have been ripped straight from a mafia movie.
The man swallowed hard, beads of cold sweat forming on his forehead.
Wrong place?
Is this… even a restaurant?
Why are there so many gangsters here?!
He was about to mutter an apology and back away when—before he could speak—the door slammed shut behind him with a heavy thud.
"Bring him here," Ma Da set down his bowl and ordered coldly.
Several underlings immediately stepped forward, gripping the man’s arms and dragging him toward Liu Yutong and the others.
