Sure enough, as soon as Qian Bao finished speaking, the burly man charged forward, blocking the path of the three women with a forceful and mocking presence. His menacing aura was clear, carrying an air of superiority that could not be ignored.
Guan Xing's eyes flashed coldly. These people clearly had no idea what they were dealing with. In a public setting like this, they were using their power to intimidate others without realizing that he was no ordinary man. He had spent five years training in underground boxing. It seemed like now would be a good time to put those skills to the test.
"You better watch out, kid," Qian Bao taunted with a smug grin. "My buddy here is a professional fighter. He's killed people before, and no one has ever paid the price." His words were meant to dominate the situation, but to everyone's horror, no one stepped forward to stop him. The crowd around them was clearly intimidated.
Just as the tension was building, an elderly man slowly walked out from the restaurant, exuding an elegant yet commanding presence. His gold-framed glasses glinted in the dim light, his eyes sharp as he held a finely crafted pipe. He approached slowly, a cold snort escaping his lips as he addressed Qian Bao.
"Qian, you've really crossed the line. You're causing trouble even in my hotel. Have you been living too comfortably lately?" The elderly man spoke with an air of authority, utterly ignoring Qian Bao, and walked right past him to stand in front of Guan Xing.
"Sorry, Doctor Guan, I didn't mean to disturb your evening. I'm afraid I've interrupted your enjoyment," the old man said with a respectful tone.
Guan Xing and the three women were stunned. Guan Xing, unsure of the situation, asked, "And who might this be?"
The elderly man smiled slightly, his expression warm and not at all offended. "Doctor Guan, don't tell me you've forgotten me already. I'm Old Peng. You saved my life on the island, remember? I didn't expect to run into you here."
Guan Xing's mind slowly started to piece things together. A memory of a frail figure came to mind, though it didn't quite match the imposing presence of the man before him. He let out an awkward chuckle, "Old Peng, you've changed so much. I didn't recognize you! Looks like you've recovered well. By the way, are you still practicing your boxing?"
"Of course, I am!" Old Peng grinned widely. "That's the only way I'll keep going. I'm not dead yet, after all. I want to live a few more years." At the mention of his boxing, the old man's mood visibly brightened. "That training has really helped. It keeps my body limber. I feel younger than I've ever felt."
As Old Peng appeared, many people in the crowd started to sweat nervously. Old Peng wasn't just some random senior. In the underground world, he was a highly respected figure. Many of the leaders had to show him respect. Even ordinary people who encountered him would give him the proper courtesy and call him "Peng Lao" (Old Peng).
Upon realizing who Old Peng was, Qian Bao's confidence wavered. "Ah, so this is a misunderstanding. My bad, Peng Lao. I didn't realize you were connected to Doctor Guan," he stammered, his bravado fading.
Old Peng paid no attention to Qian Bao's words. His gaze was cold as he turned to face him. "Enough. You're not welcome here anymore. Get out."
Four burly men in black shirts flanked Old Peng, their stance clearly suggesting that if Qian Bao didn't leave willingly, they'd throw him out by force.
The middle-aged, thin man standing beside Qian Bao shot him a quick look. With a forced smile, Qian Bao muttered, "Don't worry, Peng Lao, I'll leave right away. But just remember, this isn't over," his eyes locking onto Guan Xing with a malicious glare.
Once Qian Bao was gone, the three women sighed in relief. Cheng YunYa, who knew a bit about Old Peng, explained, "Thank you, Peng Lao. I didn't realize this would disrupt your evening. We'll catch up another time."
Old Peng nodded with a smile. "No need to mention it. If Qian Bao ever dares to cause trouble for you again, just let me know. I'll take care of it."
Guan Xing expressed his gratitude, and much to his surprise, the meal was completely free of charge, with Old Peng refusing to let him pay. The old man's sense of indebtedness seemed to outweigh the cost of the meal. Guan Xing was left somewhat embarrassed, not knowing how to repay the old man for saving his life on the island.
As they left the restaurant, Qin YunLu sighed heavily. "This night has been awful. We ran into that thug, and a nice meal turned into a nightmare. Haha, Doctor Guan, you'll have to treat us again next time. Seems like dinner here is free after all."
Guan Xing immediately tried to lighten the mood. "Don't worry, ladies. I'll treat you next time. Not everyone in the world is like me. There are always some scoundrels and ruffians around, and they make me look good by comparison."
"Don't worry, we won't bother with people like that. It's not worth it," Cheng YunYa reassured him, though there was a hint of concern in her voice. "But Guan Xing, you should be careful. Qian Bao is no saint. He's up to no good."
Guan Xing smiled inwardly. He had been waiting for Qian Bao to make his move. As long as Qian Bao dared to come at him, he was ready.
"By the way, Doctor Guan," Cheng YunYa added, her curiosity piqued, "how do you know Old Peng? He's quite a big shot in Kyoto, especially in the underground world. I didn't know you knew such influential people."
Guan Xing replied nonchalantly, "I saved his life once. He was suffering from heart failure, and I performed surgery on him. Without me, he probably wouldn't have made it."
Hua Ru Bing smiled, teasing, "I should've known. Someone like him wouldn't have risked offending Qian Bao just to help you out. And look, he even saved you from paying for dinner. Maybe next time, you can take us somewhere cheaper," she added playfully, as if teasing him for being so generous.
As the group made their way toward the parking lot, the night seemed to take an even darker turn. Suddenly, three figures appeared in front of Guan Xing's car, their faces twisted with malice.
It was Qian Bao and his gang. The moment they saw Guan Xing and the three women, their smug expressions returned.
"Well, well, Doctor Guan. I didn't expect to see you here again. Looks like we're destined to meet, huh?" Qian Bao said with a twisted grin.
The middle-aged man and the burly fighter flanked him, staring down at the group like vultures.
The three women were shocked by their persistence, and as they saw Qian Bao's predatory gaze, they quickly stepped behind Guan Xing for protection.
Cheng YunYa, who had had enough, snapped. "Qian Bao, what do you think you're doing? After all that trouble, you still want to pick a fight?"
Qian Bao, grinning lewdly, responded, "What else? My buddy here just wants to have a bit of fun with your boyfriend. Don't worry. He knows how to control himself."
"Don't even think about it! I'll call the police!" Hua Ru Bing shouted, her voice trembling with fear.
"Call the police? Ha, I've never feared anyone in my life, not even the law," Qian Bao sneered. He gestured to the fighter, "Go on, show them what we're capable of."
But before anyone could react, Guan Xing's figure blurred. Without warning, two resounding slaps echoed through the parking lot as Guan Xing's hand struck Qian Bao's face with precision.
"You… You dare hit me?" Qian Bao was stunned, his hand pressed to his mouth in disbelief.
"I'll hit you again, and next time, I'll kick you," Guan Xing replied coldly, raising his foot and launching a powerful kick that sent Qian Bao flying off the car roof. With a sickening thud, Qian Bao hit the ground with a scream, unable to get up.
The fighter, Furious Wolf, charged at Guan Xing in a fit of rage, but he was immediately overwhelmed by Guan Xing's ferocity. With a swift move, Guan Xing sent a powerful kick to the fighter's abdomen, causing him to collapse, gasping for air.
"You don't follow the rules of boxing, do you?" the fighter gasped, clutching his stomach in pain.
Guan Xing chuckled darkly, "Boxing? Let me show you what real fighting is."
With a spinning back fist and a quick hook, Guan Xing sent the fighter sprawling, blood spilling from his mouth. The fighter groaned, unable to get up.
Seeing the rest of his crew getting beaten down, the middle-aged man turned pale and bolted, shouting, "You'll regret this! I'll be back with reinforcements!"
As the three women watched the scene unfold, they were left in stunned silence. Finally, Guan Xing opened the car door for them with a smile. Cheng YunYa, her anger still bubbling, stepped forward. With a swift motion, she kicked Qian Bao in the stomach