Chapter 76: Trouble Again!**
The atmosphere in the private room had grown undeniably odd.
Liu Qingyang and Chen Liyun couldn't hide their disdain for Song Mingjie. The chubby kid was a far cry from Wu Yifan—loud, reckless, a carbon copy of his father. Add his explosive temper to the mix, and it was clear: if he and their daughter ever hit it off, chaos would follow. Thank goodness Liu Wei seemed to loathe him as much as they loathed him.
Song Longteng, meanwhile, sized up Liu Wei with approval. She was fresh as a radish, with looks and a figure that could turn heads—*if* his son hadn't torpedoed the whole thing. He gritted his teeth, silently cursing Song Mingjie. *How did I, Song Longteng, raise such a fool?*
He kicked Song Mingjie hard under the table, letting frustration boil over.
"Ouch!" Song Mingjie yelped, glaring at his dad. "What was that for?"
Song Longteng just哼了哼 (hēng le hēng, snorted), pointedly ignoring him.
Song Mingjie wasn't *afraid* of Liu Wei—their families were equally powerful in Beitian. But tangling with her meant endless headaches, and he'd learned to avoid trouble when he could. Still, being tricked into this farce left a bitter taste. He shot Liu Wei a venomous look.
Liu Wei, catching his gaze, stared back—their eyes clashing like sparks, ready to ignite.
Her mind was a jumble. She'd thought bringing Wu Yifan would derail the date, but her parents had seen through the act in seconds. And now, to top it off, her blind date was *this* chubby idiot? She'd rather date Wu Yifan—the lazy, shiftless security guard—than Song Mingjie. She batted her eyes at her parents, silently begging them to end this tedious, nerve-wracking charade.
Liu Qingyang and Chen Liyun noticed their daughter's plea, suppressing smirks. They'd hoped she might settle down, but watching her squirm was almost entertaining. Still, the meal had barely started—chasing guests out now would be rude.
"Mom, Dad, I need to use the restroom," Liu Wei said, standing abruptly, desperate for an escape.
Liu Qingyang and Chen Liyun sighed. "Fine. Don't take too long—our guests are waiting," Chen Liyun said.
"Mhm," Liu Wei mumbled, fleeing the room.
"Phew, Brother Wu, that was brutal," Song Mingjie sighed, slumping back in his chair. "That firecracker's terrifying."
*Slap!* Song Longteng smacked him upside the head again. "Watch your mouth, you idiot!"
"Hey, I'm just saying! I'm free now—no more blind dates. I can chase girls, pick fights… whatever I want! Dating that troublemaker? Not in a million years." Song Mingjie leered, a mischievous glint in his eye.
Liu Qingyang and Chen Liyun exchanged a weary look. *Troublemaker? Pot, meet kettle.* Hadn't Song Mingjie beaten two Korean guys half to death a few months back? He was far more violent than their daughter.
Still, parents always side with their own.
Wu Yifan, meanwhile, remembered his afternoon basketball showdown with those spoiled brats. A pang of annoyance hit—he wasn't worried about losing, but he was short a teammate. Three-on-three, and he only had himself. He glanced at Song Mingjie, who was shoveling food into his mouth like a starving man, and grinned. "Mingjie, do me a favor?"
"Brother Wu, we're brothers! Name it. Who do you need thrashed?" Song Mingjie pounded his chest, loud enough to rattle dishes. "In Beitian, I can take down anyone. Dad'll bail me out if things get messy!"
Song Longteng's lips twitched. He silently chanted, *Calm down. Don't strangle him.* His son had no filter—boasting about violence in front of the Anti-Corruption Bureau chief? It was a miracle they hadn't been arrested yet.
Wu Yifan mentally facepalmed. *Crude, even by my standards.* He was a *security guard* at Infinity KTV—a paragon of talent and skill. Fraternizing with goons like Song Mingjie was bad for his image. He sighed, explaining the basketball challenge.
"Streetball? Hell yeah! I'm in!" Song Mingjie whooped, pumping his fist. "I live for this! Three hobbies: chicks, fights, basketball. Those punks think they can challenge *us*? I'll show 'em what a real baller looks like. Can't wait to see their faces when they lose—all deflated, like plucked chickens!" He cackled, bouncing in his seat like a kid.
The three parents exchanged茫然的 (mángrán de, bewildered) glances.
"Hey, Brother Wu, when's the game? I gotta prep—show off my best moves. Maybe score some digits from the chicks watching," Song Mingjie said, stars in his eyes.
"They'll text me the details," Wu Yifan said, amused. *I'm supposed to be the star today, not him.*
"Ugh, Chinese streetball's so boring. Any fool with a ball calls himself a pro. It's embarrassing. Guys like me—*real* talent—stay under the radar," Song Mingjie grumbled, feigning sadness.
*Pfft!* Song Longteng spit out his wine, coughing. *The nerve of this kid.*
Liu Qingyang and Chen Liyun, now comparing the two young men, liked Wu Yifan more by the second. Sure, he was just a KTV guard, but he was young, grounded, and polite—no trace of arrogance. Next to Song Mingjie, he was a model citizen.
*Maybe Wei'er could do worse*, they thought, exchanging a hopeful look.
Wu Yifan went over the game plan with Song Mingjie, then frowned. They still needed a third player. He couldn't exactly drag Ye Xiwen or Fu Junyao onto a basketball court.
"Worried about the third guy? No biggie. I got tons of guys who can hoop. I'll grab one—done," Song Mingjie said, waving a hand.
Right—Song Mingjie ran several clubs, with plenty of underlings. Finding a third player would be easy. Wu Yifan relaxed.
The group chatted as they ate, the tension easing into something like awkward camaraderie. Twenty minutes passed.
Liu Qingyang nudged Chen Liyun, frowning. "Your turn. Check on Wei'er. She's been gone too long—probably skipped out."
Chen Liyun sighed. Her daughter *would* ditch a perfectly good meal to avoid awkwardness. She stood up.
Wu Yifan, curious about Liu Wei's disappearance, jumped in. "Auntie, let me go. She's a girl—might've run into trouble."
Liu Qingyang and Chen Liyun smiled. *Trouble? Wei'er *is* trouble.* But they nodded, grateful for the excuse.
As it turned out, their hunch was right.
Wu Yifan left the private room, heading toward the restrooms. Before he rounded the corner, a commotion erupted—shouting, crashing, the clatter of falling dishes.
He froze.
That didn't sound like Liu Wei skipping out.
That sounded like *trouble*.
He sprinted toward the noise, heart racing. Whatever was happening, it was about to get messy. Again.