Chapter 151: The Helplessness of a Big Star

The luxury motorcade drove slowly down the avenue, drawing the gazes of pedestrians on the sidewalks, who pointed and whispered with envy, jealousy, and hatred.

Nearly all the wealthy elites of the city were gathered right here. If one were to round them all up, execute them by firing squad first, and then conduct an investigation, you could guarantee there would be no miscarriages of justice—not a single one of them had clean hands. In this day and age, perhaps the only people making an honest living were the young women at the bathhouses; though their bodies were unchaste, they charged fair, fixed prices with no deception of young or old.

As for the rest of the business world, small vendors short-changed customers on weight, small restaurants used inferior ingredients to pass off as high-grade ones, and as for the large corporations, it went without saying that their hearts were pitch black.

The flock of tycoons arrived at the city’s largest private club. Coincidentally, the owner of this club was also among the guests attending today's banquet, and Young Master Feng choosing this venue added considerable prestige to the owner.

Naturally, the owner wouldn't utter such tacky words as "on the house" or "complimentary"—that would be like delivering a slap to the fat man's face. Would the esteemed Third Young Master of the Tan family care about such a pittance? Yet the owner was not stingy either, bringing out his treasured vintage cigars and fine wines, some of which even these nouveau riche plutons had never laid eyes on.

The entire club was opened up, allowing everyone to choose whatever they pleased: bathhouses, swimming pools, KTVs, bars, fitness centers, and beauty salons. They were free to do as they pleased.

Most of the guests dispersed in a swarm to enjoy the complimentary VIP hospitality, largely because they couldn't strike up a conversation with the Tan brothers anyway. Only a small fraction remained behind.

"Come on, brother, let the two of us belt out 'The Heroes' Song' first to set the mood for our brotherly bond."

Inside the luxurious private suite, seven or eight people sat together. These were the true heavyweights—only they were qualified to rub shoulders with the Tan brothers. As for their female companions, they were merely there as window dressing, serving tea, pouring drinks, and applauding.

The suite featured a small stage with two standing microphones, a massive screen, and smart song selection to give customers an authentic pop-star experience. The tables were laden with red and white wine and various fruit platters, presenting an air of extreme luxury.

The fat man stood on the stage, calling out to Young Master Feng and inviting him to duet on "The Heroes' Song."

Liu Jingye felt quite honored to be among this group, with Tang Shiya seated beside him. At this moment, a cold smile played at the corners of his mouth as he thought to himself: *Can 'The Heroes' Song' really be used to symbolize brotherly bonds? Those one hundred and eight outlaws weren't necessarily all heroes, and there wasn't much brotherly love among them either; it was mostly about betraying one's brothers in exchange for personal gain.*

The two brothers, hailing from a prominent family, must have known this full well, yet they still passionately belted the song out together. The two fellows had decent voices and good pitch, actually managing to capture a certain flavor of it.

"Come, come, come, Old Wang, Old Zhang, let's all sing together next. Let's do 'Always Friends,'" the fat man enthusiastically called out. "Making new acquaintances, not forgetting old friends; after all, a true friend is hard to find even across a thousand miles!"

One had to admit that the fat man possessed a certain level of social acumen. Aside from the ladies, he hadn't left a single person in the room out, inviting them one by one to duet with him, and picking songs appropriate for the occasion. Though he was a newcomer, he deliberately lowered his posture, showing enthusiasm and initiative, which instantly shortened the distance between them.

"Hey, virtuous brother, don't just sit there. Come sing a song with your older brother." He wouldn't miss a single soul, and of course, Liu Jingye was no exception. The fat man hailed him, "What song should the two of us sing?"

Liu Jingye smiled as he stood up and said, "Why don't the two of us sing 'Soulmate Lovers'?"

Upon hearing this, everyone present burst into roaring laughter. That was a quintessential couples' song, and for two grown men—one tall and sturdy, the other fat and bloated—to sing about being soulmate lovers would ooze an excessive amount of homoerotic tension.

The fat man glared at him and muttered, "You're a mischievous one... How about the two of us sing 'Mutual Longing Amid Wind and Rain'?"

That one was even more cloying, practically worse than "Soulmate Lovers." A chill ran through the crowd, and Liu Jingye waved his hand, saying, "I'll pass. I don't know any of these..."

He suddenly pointed toward Gao Jing in the corner and said, "Why don't you just ask her to sing instead? She's been sitting over there for ages. She's a woman after all, so don't leave her out in the cold."

Upon hearing this, Gao Jing immediately turned her head, glaring daggers at him. The fat man looked somewhat awkward, scratched his head, and said, "Forget it then. I guess I'll just sing a solo for everyone..."

*Well, it seems this fat man and Gao Jing really do have a purely professional relationship of bodyguard and employer; aside from protecting his safety, they have nothing to do with each other,* Liu Jingye guessed internally.

The fat man transformed into a karaoke king, belting out song after song without showing any fatigue. His voice was good, and the atmosphere was extremely lively. Naturally, he didn't neglect anyone, frequently pulling everyone in to sing along.

Gradually, after several bottles of wine had been consumed, the enthusiasm of the ladies was also stirred up, and the session turned into a massive group chorus.

Young Master Feng also seemed to be having a great time, singing loudly and drinking deeply with the rest of them. However, Liu Jingye noticed a subtle detail: whenever Young Master Feng walked out, the fat man tagged along behind him. Even trips to the restroom were no exception; wherever Young Master Feng went, the fat man followed, practically inseparable.

*This is the ultimate method for avoiding assassination,* Liu Jingye thought to himself. *This fat man is cunning; this clearly means if he dies, he's making sure they die together.*

"Brother Liu, I've noticed you drinking here for ages without singing a single song. You should get up there and sing one too so everyone can share in the joy."

At that moment, someone suggested that Liu Jingye go up and sing. Not only them, but even Tang Shiya wanted to hear him showcase his vocal talents.

Pushed onto the stage against his will, Liu Jingye awkwardly said, "I basically don't know any of these songs. The only things I know how to sing are military songs."

"We've got military songs too." Immediately, a beautiful woman eagerly stepped forward to queue up a track for him—a genuine military march.

The majestic and stirring melody rang out, and Liu Jingye's spirit instantly surged. Looking at the familiar lyrics on the television screen, his blood boiled with passion. He picked up the microphone and began to sing along with the rhythm: "Forward, forward, forward! Our ranks march like the sun..."

Calling it singing was a stretch; Liu Jingye was essentially roaring at the top of his lungs. In an instant, it felt as if he had been transported back to his early days in the army, singing rousing anthems alongside his comrades with boundless valor.

The others wore wry smiles, save for Gao Jing, who sat like a shadow in the corner. Her eyes suddenly lit up, burning with intensity as she watched him and listened intently to the heroic song.

The melody was already grand and imposing, and coupled with Liu Jingye's rugged, unpolished vocal style, the resolute and valiant aura of a soldier naturally burst forth. It carried an unstoppable, indomitable momentum—the overwhelming might of a formidable military force.

The crowd suddenly realized that the usually silent Gao Jing had actually started singing along with Liu Jingye. Although she lacked his raw, booming voice, her singing style was cut from the exact same cloth, possessing that same iron-and-blood soldierly vigor, as if a steadfast military soul were burning within her.

"Oh, what's with the change in style? Come, come, come, I'll join you guys too. Let's do 'The Eighth Route Army Pulls the Bolt.'" At that moment, the fat man and Young Master Feng walked in. Seeing the atmosphere was so lively, they chimed in, demanding to join the action.

Liu Jingye smiled slightly, handed his microphone over, and stepped down from the stage. As he did, he noticed that Young Master Feng had taken the seat he had just vacated, leaning in to whisper something to Tang Shiya.

Tang Shiya's expression was grim; she looked angry, yet tinged with helplessness and resentment.

Liu Jingye walked over. Young Master Feng stood up, nodded at Liu Jingye without a word, and the two brushed past each other.

"What? Is Young Master Feng going to ask you to duet on 'Happy Breakup'?" Liu Jingye asked with a smile.

Tang Shiya silently raised her head to glance at him, then lowered it again, her expression growing increasingly bitter.

During the last banquet, she had attended as Young Master Feng's companion; for this banquet, she was attending as Liu Jingye's companion. This was not only the destiny of female entertainers, but also the destiny of most women today—until you get married, you never know whose bedside you will wake up in for the rest of your life.

"Hey, what's going on? Why are you crying?" Liu Jingye asked, suddenly startled.

Tang Shiya kept her head bowed, her long hair concealing her face, but it couldn't hide her falling tears. Her body trembled slightly like a leaf drifting in the wind, forced to submit and let others toy with her at will.

"What on earth is going on? What did Tan Yifeng say to you?" Liu Jingye asked in a deep voice.

"It's nothing... it's nothing!" Tang Shiya wiped away her tears, offering a desolate smile as she said, "It's just that leader named Wu Jie whom we saw at the banquet earlier. He's in the private suite next door right now, and he wants to get acquainted, make a friend, and invite me over for a chat!"

"Damn it, he's here too?" Liu Jingye appeared somewhat surprised, but quickly grew resigned. "Leaders have to put up a facade of avoiding suspicion and can't frequent clubs openly, but with so many clubs in the city, aren't they all essentially built for leaders anyway? Especially Wu Jie—his current status is very unique. His former post in the provincial government is in a state of semi-suspension, while his new appointment in this city hasn't been fully finalized yet, making him somewhat of a legal non-entity. That's why he doesn't have that many scruples.

"To boldly demand that a popular actress accompany him—it seems this isn't his first time doing something like this.

"And then there's the other unusual detail: Tan Yifeng. Everyone at the banquet earlier saw that Tang Shiya was my companion, yet he still came over to summon Tang Shiya to entertain a corrupt official. He clearly didn't put me in his eyes at all. Is this a test for me?"

"I'm not going!" Liu Jingye furrowed his brows, a cold sneer playing on his lips as he resolutely declared, "You are my companion tonight; there is no reason for you to go entertain a corrupt official. If he dares to force you, I'll call the imperial inspection team's hotline directly and report him for illicitly frequenting private clubs and engaging in mass debauchery."

Tang Shiya froze, staring in astonishment at the furious Liu Jingye. She desperately wanted to ask him: *Are you protecting me?* But the words wouldn't come out. She knew her own situation too well—the other side was simply too powerful, and she could not afford to implicate Liu Jingye.

As for Liu Jingye, his anger was entirely genuine. *What kind of nonsense is this? Leaving aside the fact that Tang Shiya is my date, even if I were just paying a hostess to sit with me in a KTV, no one else would dare snatch her away before the time was up. This concerns a man's dignity, and there can be no compromise.*

Tang Shiya reached out to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear, broke into a brilliant smile, and said, "Forget it, don't make a big deal out of it. It's just going over to have a glass of wine and chat."

"That's still a no!" Liu Jingye declared forcefully. "You are my companion tonight. As long as I don't agree, nobody is making you leave!"

Tang Shiya let out a sudden chuckle. "What, are you keeping me?"

Liu Jingye smiled faintly, smoothly pulling out his wallet as he said, "Name your price."

Without standing on ceremony, Tang Shiya replied bluntly, "Eight million!"