Chapter 73: Sky Blue Bar

Sky Blue Bar was a large establishment at the heart of Tuen Mun District. Though not the biggest in the area, its business was always booming, drawing crowds of young men and women seeking merriment and escape.

Before long, Chen Erpao parked his car by the entrance and strode inside. Instantly, he was engulfed in a cacophony of noise and dazzling lights. On the dance floor, young people swayed with abandon, while atop a central column, several stunningly attractive women in bikinis performed seductive dances.

"Erpao, over here."

Following the voice, Chen Erpao spotted Chen Liu sitting alone at the bar. Her cheeks were flushed, and from the look of her, she had already had more than her share of drinks.

He sat down beside her, ordered a cocktail, and said lightly, "What's the matter? Drinking this much? If you get drunk and someone carts you off to some remote mountain village as a child bride, you wouldn't even know."

"It's your fault for not keeping me company these past few days! You haven't been around the campus either," Chen Liu replied, her face rosy and her gaze slightly unfocused—any later, and she might have truly passed out right there.

"I've had things to deal with lately, so I haven't been able to find you," Chen Erpao replied. "But I'm here now, aren't I? See, I come whenever you call."

Chen Liu managed a faint smile, then, swaying, leaned over and lay against his shoulder, her full and firm chest pressing tightly against him.

"I officially broke up with Li Ziyang today, you know. I did it for you. I'm so happy, because I got to know you, and now I get to lie in your arms."

Chen Erpao only smiled mildly, not the least surprised. If he had been nothing more than a regular, unremarkable security guard, Chen Liu likely wouldn't have spared him a glance. Everything was unfolding exactly as he had anticipated. At this moment, Li Ziyang was probably drowning in his own regret.

"Is that so? But I have a girlfriend, and I love her very much," he replied, gently stroking her silky hair, the fragrance drifting to his nose, his lips touched by a faint smile.

Chen Liu didn't respond immediately. Suddenly, she straightened and fixed him with a confident gaze. "I believe in my own charm. I can do anything for you—whatever you want, I'm willing."

Her cheeks, already flushed, reddened further with her bold declaration. Her eyes locked on his, brazenly seductive.

But tonight, Chen Erpao kept his composure. He grinned brightly. "You're drunk. Let me take you home."

"I'm not drunk," Chen Liu protested, waving her hand in displeasure and promptly ordering another drink, which she gulped down.

Just then, a group of four or five young men in their twenties approached. The leader, a tall, lanky man with a nose ring, eyed Chen Liu's lovely face and exposed, snowy thighs. Lust flickered in his eyes.

He drew closer and brazenly spoke, "Hey, pretty girl, what's going on? Fighting with your boyfriend? Want me to teach him a lesson for you? If you become my girlfriend, no one will dare upset you again. Any trouble, just come to me."

Chen Liu lifted her tipsy head and gave the nose-ringed man a disdainful glance. "You? Look at you—just another two-bit thug. What could you possibly offer me? Absolutely nothing. If I needed something from you, could you serve it up for dinner?"

Even Chen Erpao couldn't help but laugh at her drunken words. One look at the nose-ringed man's face showed just how mortified he was.

"You filthy—looking for trouble, are you?" the man snarled, raising his hand to slap Chen Liu.

Seeing the hand swing toward her, Chen Liu, sobered by fear, immediately regretted her words.

"Of all things, you pick on women," Chen Erpao remarked coldly. The hand, now only centimeters from Chen Liu's face, froze in midair, unable to move further.

The nose-ringed man glared at Chen Erpao, his tone full of threat. "Kid, you looking to die? You dare lecture me? Tired of living, are you?"

Chen Erpao yawned lazily, utterly unconcerned. "You? Get lost," he scoffed, then with a sudden movement, flung the man heavily to the floor.

"To hell with you!" The man, humiliated and furious, sprang up, cursing and grabbing a chair.

"I don't have a sister," Chen Erpao replied blandly. With a sharp upward kick, the chair flew from the man's hands. Before he could react, another kick landed squarely on his face, leaving a glaring footprint.

It took the nose-ringed man a long while, with help from his friends, to struggle upright. Each of them snatched up a bottle, smashed it to shards, and charged forward, brandishing the jagged glass.

"Stop!" A deep voice rang out. A man of middle age, followed by nearly ten underlings, strode toward them.

The nose-ringed man, moments ago full of bravado, instantly became docile and respectful at the sight of the newcomer. As the man drew near, he called out, "Brother Snake."

Chen Erpao studied the man addressed as Brother Snake. He seemed familiar. Suddenly, he recalled a recent, unusual gathering held by the Heaven Alliance—this man had pledged loyalty to them. This street, it seemed, was his turf, and the bar was under his protection.

"Are you all blind? You don't recognize the great Erpao, leader of the Lingnan Yi Clan?" Brother Snake seemed to be scolding his men, but his half-smile told Chen Erpao there was more at play. Soon, another twenty or so men gathered, all with hostile stares.

Chen Erpao smiled faintly. "So it's you, Brother Snake. How polite—surely you don't mean to keep me here, do you?"

He swept his gaze around, already aware of the danger. Though his own strength had grown in recent times, facing so many at once was risky—especially with a delicate woman beside him. As soon as he recognized Brother Snake, he discreetly dialed Wang Xing, hoping his friend would realize the situation and bring reinforcements. All he could do now was stall for time.

Brother Snake laughed heartily. "Since you've come to my place, I must keep you and treat you well, or the big shots of the Heaven Alliance will accuse me of being inhospitable, wouldn't you say?"

Seemingly nonchalant, Chen Erpao shielded Chen Liu behind him. By now, her drunkenness had evaporated, leaving her bewildered and terrified by the unfolding scene. She had always found Chen Erpao mysterious—driving an expensive car to work as a campus security guard, now revealed as the leader of some powerful clan. The man before her grew more enigmatic and compelling.

With perfect composure, Chen Erpao downed his cocktail in one gulp, then turned to the nose-ringed man. "He's quite something. I didn't expect your men to be so impressive, even willing to hit a drunken woman. I suppose the rest of them are just as tough. Not bad at all."

Brother Snake's face darkened with embarrassment, and he shot a glare at the nose-ringed man, who immediately shrank down in fear. Brother Snake's voice rang out again.

"No matter how tough my men are, they're no match for you, Erpao. Still, I doubt they'll accept that. They probably want to see for themselves. You won't mind, will you?"

Brother Snake's meaning was clear. Chen Liu heard it too, and instinctively pressed closer to Chen Erpao, clutching him tightly in terror. For a university woman, no matter how mature or sophisticated, facing a mob of fierce men was enough to unnerve anyone—she was doing well not to scream.

Chen Erpao surveyed the crowd. Nearly fifty men now formed a ring around him, their waists bulging with knives or the ends of steel pipes showing. He was unarmed, with the exit blocked. All he could do was keep stalling, hoping Brother Snake wouldn't see through his ruse and that a little more time could be bought.

He laughed boldly, showing no fear. "On your turf, Brother Snake, what opinion could I possibly have? But you wouldn't bully me with numbers, would you? With so many talented men, surely you wouldn't mind a one-on-one. We're all in the same business—fifty against one, even if I just stand here and let you win, you'd hardly have the face to brag about it, would you?"

"Boss, let me handle this," said a huge, tattooed man with a brutish face, emerging from the crowd, his voice rough as gravel.

Brother Snake nodded. This man, known as Wolf King, was his toughest fighter—a former boxing coach. Seeing him volunteer, Brother Snake was eager to see what Chen Erpao was really capable of.

Chen Liu, having never witnessed Chen Erpao's skills, grew anxious at the sight of the imposing Wolf King.

Chen Erpao patted her shoulder and spoke gently, "Don't worry. As long as I don't want to be hurt, no one can lay a finger on me—or anyone with me."

Chen Liu was momentarily stunned by the words "or anyone with me," her eyes growing wet. She had always aimed to be a socialite among talented young men with powerful backgrounds, unwilling to be ordinary and craving distinction. Breaking up with Li Ziyang and approaching Chen Erpao was a calculated move, not one born of genuine feeling. Yet tonight, first swept away by his masculinity, and now deeply moved by his words, her once-calm heart began to ripple with emotion. She gazed at his tall, unyielding figure, her eyes full of complex emotion.

Tonight, there will be only this one chapter of just over three thousand words after compression. In a few days, the schedule will return to two chapters a day.