That punch was so sudden and earth-shattering that the entire hall fell silent for a few seconds—then erupted into chaos.
The chubby director rushed forward without regard for himself, shouting “Let’s talk this out, let’s talk this out!” while desperately trying to stand between Han Yue and Xu Zhongyi.
Several female colleagues turned pale and screamed as they stepped back. The younger engineers hurried forward to intervene—some pulling, some trying to calm things down. Others quickly helped Xu Zhongyi up, his mouth full of blood, repeatedly calling out “Manager Xu! Manager Xu!”
Han Yue flexed his wrist and said calmly:
“You’re not qualified to talk to me. Get your Director Liu over here.”
The director was startled. His eyes darted around a few times before he decided it was best not to take the hit for this. He quickly slipped away to find higher management.
Within minutes, Director Liu pushed through the crowd, sweating heavily, forcing a smile onto his face.
“Second Young Master Han! What brings you here? You didn’t even send someone to notify us…”
Then his expression changed abruptly as he turned to the director.
“What happened? What is going on here?”
The director quickly signaled toward Chu Ci and whispered a few words.
Director Liu’s expression instantly changed.
He knew Chu Ci was responsible for this project. But Xu Zhongyi was not from his faction, and he was unaware that Xu Zhongyi intended to take Chu Ci’s project away. If he had known, he would have done everything possible to stop it.
Xu Zhongyi was merely a relative of a deputy-level leader within the institute’s corporate group. Despite his title as “manager,” his academic capability was mediocre at best. In state-owned enterprises like this, relationships between factions were extremely complex—each leader’s relatives affected another leader’s interests.
So people generally avoided offending these factional relatives. Director Liu usually only exchanged polite greetings with Xu Zhongyi’s group and neither courted nor antagonized them.
But Chu Ci was different.
As the youngest engineer in the entire group, his position was exceptional. He was genuinely talented, and more importantly, his engineering title had been personally secured with Han Yue’s intervention.
Although Chu Ci kept a low profile and never sought attention, the senior management all understood one thing clearly: he carried the Han family’s backing. He was not on the same level as people like Xu Zhongyi.
He was someone to be recruited if possible—and never offended under any circumstances. Especially not over academic credit.
Director Liu immediately broke out in a cold sweat.
Han Yue glanced at him with a half-smile.
“Director Liu, it’s been a long time. Hope you’ve been well.”
Director Liu forced a laugh while wiping his sweat.
“Blessed, blessed… Young Master Han, what brings you here today…”
“I just happened to pass by,” Han Yue said casually. “Didn’t expect a group of highly educated professionals to be fighting in public.”
He pointed at Xu Zhongyi.
“Director Liu, don’t be so nervous. I just saw my friend get hit and got a little angry. I only returned one punch. Nothing else. He hit my friend once, I hit him once. Even now. Fair, right?”
Director Liu thought frantically: So this young master doesn’t even know about the paper situation yet—thank heavens!
“Right, right, completely fair,” he hurriedly agreed. “Young people get drunk and act impulsively, it’s normal! We all were like that at their age! How about this—once Manager Xu sobers up, I’ll have him personally apologize to Engineer Chu and treat him to a meal. Let’s just settle this here. How does that sound?”
Han Yue turned and looked at Chu Ci.
“What do you think?”
For Han Yue, even bothering to ask someone else’s opinion was already rare.
Chu Ci stared at him expressionlessly. His gaze carried something unreadable—cold, distant, and faintly repulsed.
Even though Han Yue wasn’t emotionally perceptive, his instincts were sharp like a beast’s. He could feel it clearly:
Chu Ci was not happy.
In fact, he was displeased—and even hostile.
Before Han Yue could speak again, Chu Ci stood up.
“I agree to that. I’m not feeling well, I’ll take my leave first.”
Director Liu opened his mouth, but it was too late to stop him. Chu Ci had already pushed through the crowd and walked out of the hotel hall.
Hou Yu, Pei Zhi, and the others were standing near the entrance. Chu Ci passed them without even turning his head, as if they were complete strangers.
Han Yue froze for a moment, then quickly strode after him.
“Chu Ci!”
Pei Zhi hurried to stop him. “Not here, what are you doing?!”
Hou Yu also tried to intervene. “Don’t make this worse, Han Er! Talk it out at home!”
But Chu Ci had already reached the hotel doors.
Han Yue shoved Pei Zhi aside and rushed forward, grabbing Chu Ci’s shoulder and twisting him back hard.
“What the hell is your problem? Putting on a face for me?”
Chu Ci winced in pain.
“…Me putting on a face for you? How would I dare? You, Second Young Master Han, are a prince of Beijing. One word from you and someone could have a death certificate issued. You can hit and insult people in public whenever you like. Do I look like I have the guts to give you attitude? Am I tired of living?”
Chu Ci had exactly that kind of ability—one sentence, even one glance, could ignite Han Yue’s anger beyond control.
“…Say one more word,” Han Yue said in a low voice, undisguised malice in it.
Before Chu Ci could respond, he cut in:
“Say one more word and I’ll fuck you tonight.”
Though spoken quietly, everyone nearby—Pei Zhi, Hou Yu, and the others—heard it clearly.
Chu Ci’s expression changed completely. After a long pause, he forced out through clenched teeth:
“…You piece of trash!”
“Sorry,” Han Yue sneered, “you’re stuck with this piece of trash.”
He suddenly lifted Chu Ci off the ground and threw him over his shoulder, striding toward the hotel rooms.
“Let go! Han Yue! Where are you taking me?!”
Han Yue ignored him completely and walked straight into the elevator under everyone’s stunned gaze.
Pei Zhi and the others hurried after them, but no one dared actually intervene.
In the struggle, Chu Ci kicked him hard.
Han Yue gave a low grunt of pain.
“Han Yue, you fucking bastard! Let me go!”
Han Yue let out a faint laugh.
“Oh? You can swear too.”
Just like that, the elevator dinged and stopped.
Han Yue carried Chu Ci out with long strides.
At the private room entrance, the hotel manager was personally leading a row of young men and women waiting. The moment he saw Han Yue arrive with this kind of momentum, he froze.
“Sir, this is…”
Han Yue didn’t even look at him. He kicked the door open and threw Chu Ci straight onto the sofa.
Hou Yu, following behind and sweating, hurriedly explained:
“Second Young Master Han’s… person, haha, his heart’s treasure, they’re just messing around haha…”
Chu Ci suddenly sat up from the sofa—but was immediately pressed back down by Han Yue in a slow, unhurried motion.
“Don’t be afraid. It’s nothing serious,” Han Yue said flatly. “Just a gathering between friends. We invited some kids to keep us company, so I brought you along… nothing else.”
People like Han Yue’s group often held gatherings.
Whenever something important or tricky happened in one of their families, they would gather to ask for help.
Whenever there were new political or central-level developments, they would gather to exchange information.
Whenever someone’s relatives or friends opened a bar or threw a party, they would gather to show support.
And even when there was nothing going on at all, they would still gather simply to maintain relationships.
Although these gatherings always included fresh and attractive escorts, these so-called “princelings” still preferred to bring partners they were more familiar with.
The only difference between these “partners” and hired escorts was that they carried a fixed label—only their designated “owner” could touch them. Without that person’s approval, no one else could interfere.
For example, Pei Zhi had brought his latest companion, said to be a cellist from a well-known orchestra—her smile soft and intoxicating.
Hou Yu had brought a popular young male star who was not even twenty, already famous across half of Asia.
As for Hou Hongchang, he had a vague relationship with the club owner, Cheng Xurong, a well-known powerful woman in nightlife circles. The moment he sat down, she drifted over in a wave of seductive perfume.
Most of the others also brought their own companions. Even those who didn’t were not short of young men and women available in the private room.
The room quickly filled with laughter, drunken noise, and exposed skin everywhere.
Compared to that, Han Yue sitting quietly and Chu Ci sitting cold and rigid looked especially out of place.
Even those who wanted to approach Han Yue hesitated, intimidated by the heavy pressure around him.
Cheng Xurong shot a flirtatious glance and nudged Hou Hongchang.
“Ah Chang, who offended Second Young Master Han today? Why is he so stern? And who’s that cold beauty sitting next to him?”
Before Hou Hongchang could answer, Hou Yu cut in sharply:
“What Han Yue does or who he brings is none of your business. Do you think you’re the police asking for someone’s family background?”
Cheng Xurong froze. She had never seen Hou Yu speak so sharply before.
But in the next moment, Hou Yu returned to his usual joking tone.
“Besides, Second Young Master Han’s partner isn’t someone you’re qualified to ask about. If you’ve got free time, you should focus on Ah Chang instead, or you’ll be overshadowed by younger, prettier girls.”
“…Mr. Hou really likes joking,” Cheng Xurong said with a smile, brushing her hair back.
She then turned to Hou Hongchang.
“Ah Chang, what have you been up to lately? Why haven’t you come to see me?”
Hou Hongchang’s expression darkened immediately.
“Didn’t you see the news?”
“You mean yesterday’s traffic accident? Honestly, that’s nothing. Everyone in Beijing knows your family has influence—how can you not even handle the death of a migrant worker’s child?”
Even though the room was noisy, her voice carried clearly.
Han Yue’s eyes shifted slightly.
He saw Chu Ci tilt his head and glance toward Cheng Xurong.
In the dim light, his expression was unreadable—but Han Yue felt that look land with unusual weight, as if it carried something real and cold, fixed directly on the woman.
That was interesting.
In all the time he had known Chu Ci, this was the first time he had seen him deliberately look at a woman like that.
“It’s all those media and internet rumors causing trouble. Otherwise it wouldn’t be such a mess. In the past, a bit of compensation would’ve solved everything.”
“So what now?” Cheng Xurong smiled lazily.
“Easy. The parents are just after money. I heard they’re migrant workers from out of town? Just throw them a few million—tens of millions if needed. They’ll go home quietly. What do you think?”
Hou Hongchang slammed the table.
“I know it’s about money! I just hate these damn people causing trouble over nothing. Do you know how much public pressure this caused? My father and uncle already scolded me this morning! I’m not giving them a single cent. I’m not swallowing this humiliation!”
Cheng Xurong chuckled.
“Oh, my young master Hou, you can lose tens of millions in a casino overnight, but you care about this small amount?”
“Gambling is different! At least I enjoy it!”
Hou Hongchang downed a drink and was still cursing loudly when suddenly a chair in front of him was pulled out.
Chu Ci sat down naturally.
His movements were calm and controlled, so composed that for a moment Hou Hongchang had a strange thought: this man really was different from the rest of them.
No smoke, no alcohol, no vulgarity.
Clean and refined—almost pleasing to look at.
Chu Ci smiled faintly, his gaze fixed directly on Hou Hongchang’s eyes.
“Mr. Hou doesn’t look in a very good mood.”
Then he added softly:
“I heard you like gambling. Since everyone’s free tonight, why don’t we play a few rounds of cards to lift your mood?”
The room fell silent for a few seconds.
Han Yue, sitting nearby, frowned slightly as he watched Chu Ci.
Hou Hongchang laughed.
“Oh? Didn’t expect Engineer Chu to play cards too. But we usually play big—100,000 per round. Is your Second Young Master Han paying for you?”
Han Yue’s lips curved slightly into a faint smile. He shifted into a more comfortable sitting position and looked at Chu Ci without saying anything.
Chu Ci turned his head slightly and met Han Yue’s gaze in midair, remaining silent.
“…What kind of expression is that?” Han Yue chuckled. “It’s rare that you’re asking me for something. How could I not give it to you? If you win, it’s yours; if you lose, it’s mine. Go ahead and play.”
Chu Ci closed his eyes briefly. When he opened them again, he was already facing Hou Hongchang.
He gave a slight smile.
“—Then let’s play a few rounds of stud poker. How does that sound?”
“Stud poker? Good, good!”
Hou Hongchang, fueled by alcohol, immediately became excited. He slammed the table and laughed loudly.
“I’d like to see just how much money I can win out of Second Young Master Han’s pocket tonight!”