And just after Chen Fei and the others were invited into the Herbal Cuisine Workshop by Zhang Long and his wife Zhao Le, Brother Cai and his men, who had been so arrogant just moments before, were gathered despondently by the roadside. One of the injured underlings complained indignantly, "Brother Cai, those bastards are too arrogant! Are we really just going to leave like this and suck it up?"

He was the one Chen Fei had smashed over the head with a wine bottle. His face was now covered in blood, looking both terrifying and utterly miserable.

After all, while he didn't have Brother Cai's background—being the nephew of Zheng Kuangyi, the leader of the Black Clothes Gang—he was still a force to be reckoned with on the streets. He had prestige, women, and money!

Yet today, they had suffered a humiliating defeat. Chen Fei had thrashed them in public and even cracked their heads open! They had lost all face. How could they not be furious?

"Suck it up? Bullshit!" Brother Cai's face was dark, his tone seething with rage. "What the hell is that kid, acting so high and mighty in front of me! If I just swallow this, how am I supposed to maintain my reputation in Northern Mountain?"

One had to consider the status of Yang Cai, a man of his position. He was the nephew of Zheng Kuangyi, the boss of the city's Black Clothes Gang and the undisputed top dog on the streets of Northern Mountain. Wherever he went, people showed him respect. Now, to be publicly humiliated by Chen Fei and forced to apologize aloud… how could he possibly stomach such an insult?

"But Brother Cai, that guy seems incredibly skilled. All of us put together couldn't even handle one of his hands," another underling said, trembling with fear. He had been thoroughly beaten.

SLAP!

Brother Cai slapped the man across the head, his expression as dark as water. "Damn it, so what if he's skilled? Have you forgotten who my cousin is? No matter how good that kid is, is he better than my cousin's top fighters? Is he better than his personal bodyguards? Believe it or not, with one phone call, I can have someone come over and kill him in minutes!"

"Yes, yes, of course… Big Boss Zheng is a major figure, and the Black Clothes Gang is the number one power in Northern Mountain. Brother Cai, if you call in some people, they'll easily crush that punk. You have to get revenge for us, Brother Cai!" The underlings' expressions immediately lit up, their voices dripping with flattery and eagerness.

The top figures in the Black Clothes Gang—the elite fighters and Big Boss Zheng Kuangyi's personal bodyguards—were no joke. They were ridiculously skilled masters, each having clawed their way out of countless street brawls and even real battlefields.

So what if a punk like Chen Fei was brazen and formidable in front of them? How strong could he really be? He probably wouldn't last a single move against those experts.

At this thought, the underlings around Brother Cai could barely contain their excitement. One of them chimed in, "Brother Cai, why don't you give Big Boss Zheng a call…"

SLAP!

Before he could finish, Brother Cai slapped him across the head again, snarling, "Damn it, who do you think my cousin is? Do you think just anyone can call a big shot like him? Are you a freaking idiot?"

After saying this, he stood brooding for a while. Finally, a cunning glint appeared in his ugly eyes. He pulled out his phone, muttering to himself, I remember Brother Liangg has been around Northern Mountain recently. Maybe I should ask him…

"Yes, yes! Brother Liangg! With his skills, that cocky bastard won't last three moves against him!" At his words, the men's eyes shone with excitement, their faces filled with malicious glee, as if they were about to witness a spectacular show.

「...」

"Come, come, everyone, have a taste. This is our Green Bamboo Medicinal Cuisine House's signature dish—Mother Duck and Celtuce Soup. It's especially good to drink during the dry season and is also very beneficial for people with a persistent cough," Zhao Le said warmly, gesturing to the many dishes laid out on the large, round table in the VIP room on the second floor.

It was clear the table was filled with the restaurant's signature dishes, all personally prepared by Zhang Long himself in the kitchen. The quality was top-notch, with no corners cut, making every dish a treat worth savoring.

"Young Master Feng, you should drink more of this when you have time. It's good for your health," Chen Fei said with a smile, pointing to the Mother Duck and Celtuce Soup that Zhao Le was introducing.

"Really!?"

GLUG, GLUG.

Hearing this, Young Master Feng immediately filled a bowl and gulped it down. His eyes lit up. "This soup is delicious, much better than the medicinal soups I've had before."

"Really? Then I'll try some too."

Young Master Gao Yuan was clearly a foodie as well. He quickly ladled a bowl for himself, and after tasting it, his eyes brightened slightly. "It is good. No wonder your business is so successful."

"Of course! This is my Along's ancestral craft. It's said that it made countless dignitaries sing its praises. Both the flavor and the medicinal effects are first-class!" Zhao Le declared, a proud and pleased expression on her pretty face.

"It's not as amazing as you make it sound. Stop bragging." Just then, Zhang Long, still in his chef's uniform, personally brought in another large tureen. It appeared to be a nourishing medicinal dish with chicken as the main ingredient, mixed with various herbs for nourishing the blood and boosting one's vitality. The mixture was complex but not messy; its color, aroma, and appearance were so enticing that it made one's mouth water and drew everyone's gaze.

"The aroma is incredible. What is this…?" Young Master Gao Yuan asked, his eyes glued to the medicinal tureen.

"This is Hundred Herbs Black-Boned Chicken Soup, a type of warming medicinal soup. Because the ingredients are very troublesome to prepare, we only serve ten portions to the public each day. After that, there's no more," Zhang Long explained with a smile.

"Hmph, and you told me not to brag. Look at you showing off," Zhao Le immediately huffed, feigning annoyance.

Seeing this, Chen Fei couldn't help but smile. He looked at the Hundred Herbs Black-Boned Chicken Soup with great interest and said, "Now I finally understand why your business is doing so well. Putting everything else aside, this medicinal soup alone is worth a perfect score!"

"It's all an ancestral craft. I'm just basking in the glory of my forefathers," Zhang Long said modestly, though the excitement on his face was obvious.

After all, in his mind, Chen Fei's status was immense. He was a man whom even the mighty Director of Northern Mountain City's Organization Department and even Deputy Governor Xiao couldn't handle. That represented incredible prestige, power, and influence. To receive such high praise from him was naturally thrilling, as if he'd won a grand prize.

"Ancestors are family too. Hahaha, all right, all right, Along, stop working and come sit down. Let me make some introductions," Chen Fei said with a laugh.

He then pointed to the couple and said to Gao Yuan and Huang Feng, "Young Master Feng, Gao Yuan. This is my high school classmate, Zhang Long. We're very close. And this is his wife, Zhao Le, who was also my university classmate."

He paused slightly, then turned to the couple. "As for these two, this is Gao Yuan. And this is Huang Feng, Young Master Feng."

"A pleasure to meet you both. I'm Huang Feng," he said, promptly raising his glass and downing it with a smile. "Since you're both friends of Brother Fei, then we're all friends now. Here's a toast to you."

Given his status as the son of Northern Mountain City's mayor, he absolutely didn't need to take the initiative to offer a toast. But with Chen Fei present tonight—and especially after Chen Fei had deliberately pointed out they were 'very close'—he couldn't afford to be neglectful and had to show genuine enthusiasm.

"Me too, me too! A toast to you both," Gao Yuan added with a smile. He was clearly not accustomed to such occasions but followed Huang Feng's lead, his sincerity evident.

"The pleasure is all ours. It's a great honor to meet you both. I'm Zhang Long, and this is my wife, Zhao Le. Please," Zhang Long said, immediately raising his glass in return without hesitation. He motioned for his wife to drink as well.

However, after he finished his drink and set his glass down, he noticed his wife hadn't moved. Frowning slightly, he was about to give her a quiet reminder when he saw an expression of pure shock on her face.

Just as he was growing puzzled, Zhao Le began to stammer, her voice trembling, "You… you two are Young Master Huang Feng and Young Master Gao Yuan?" Having worked in sales, she was well-connected and had occasionally heard the names of two prominent figures people looked up to.

Young Master Huang Feng… Young Master Gao Yuan… Doesn't that mean…

Huang Feng and Gao Yuan were momentarily stunned before they smiled and nodded. "Yes, that's us. Miss Zhao, do you know us?"

"I didn't before, but I certainly do now," Zhao Le exclaimed, her face a mask of astonishment as she turned to Chen Fei. "Chen Fei, you're really incredible! I can't believe you even know Young Master Feng and Young Master Gao."

"Ah Le, what's going on…?" Zhang Long whispered, completely failing to grasp the situation.

"It seems I need to reintroduce them properly."

Chen Fei shook his head with a smile, a glint in his crystal-clear eyes. "This is Young Master Huang Feng. His father is the city's newly appointed mayor, Huang Tao. And this is Young Master Gao Yuan. His father is Director Gao Zhinan of the Vast Sea Group."

HISS!

Zhang Long gasped, taking a sharp breath as sheer shock washed over his face.

What… what the hell? Young Master Feng and Young Master Gao? The sons of Mayor Huang and Director Gao of the Vast Sea Group?

Zhang Long felt his head spin. He couldn't believe that the peers he was sharing a meal with had such terrifying, intimidating backgrounds. One was the son of the city's mayor, and the other was the son of the chairman of the city's wealthiest corporation.

Their backgrounds were absolutely staggering

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