Chapter 14: Are You Worthy?

The man known as Young Master Zhang gave a subtle wave of his hand. Instantly, the two men seated beside him, Han and Wu, each wrapped an arm around an extra woman, rose in unison, and walked to the entrance of the private room. There, they lit cigarettes, turned their backs to Zhang, and assumed the role of silent sentinels.

Meanwhile, Lin Qiqing, who had barely drunk a few glasses, was already flushed with color. Though she remained lucid, her body swayed unsteadily, betraying the effect of the alcohol. Seizing the opportunity, Young Master Zhang sidled up to her, pressing close to her slender form, his leering gaze roaming over her from head to toe.

Witnessing this, the smile faded from Ye Fei’s face, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

“Come, Qiqing, let’s finish this bottle of Moutai together. Once we do, the business deal is sealed!”

“Really?” A look of delight lit up Lin Qiqing’s face.

“Of course it’s real!” Zhang Tianfeng replied with a grin as he poured two glasses. His fingers moved swiftly, dropping a pink pill into one of the drinks.

Ye Fei’s sharp eyes caught the entire act.

“Here, Qiqing, cheers.”

As the two raised their glasses to drink, a cold hand suddenly intervened, blocking their way.

“Wait.”

The atmosphere instantly tensed.

“What do you mean by that?” Zhang Tianfeng’s expression darkened as he turned to Ye Fei, his tone growing hostile.

“Senior Sister still has to drive me back later,” Ye Fei replied calmly. “So I’ll drink this for her.”

With a smile, Ye Fei seated himself beside Lin Qiqing, sandwiching her between himself and Zhang.

Lin Qiqing frowned, her flushed cheeks tinged with anger.

“Drive?” she retorted. “I’ll just call a driver later. This is my drink, not yours.”

Zhang Tianfeng was unfazed by Ye Fei’s excuse. He sneered, fixing Ye Fei with a cold glare. “If you know what’s good for you, get lost and don’t ruin my mood.”

The menace in his words was unmistakable.

Ye Fei only chuckled. “Young Master Zhang, you’re in such good spirits tonight. Isn’t it dull to have only my Senior Sister drink with you? I can hold my liquor. Let me join you—a toast to you.”

With that, he reached for the glass in front of Lin Qiqing.

Young Master Zhang’s face twisted into a malevolent sneer, his eyes cold and predatory. “If you think you’re so tough, go ahead and drink it. Let’s see if you survive.”

“My master always said I was hard to kill. Why wouldn’t I dare?”

Grinning, Ye Fei raised the glass to his lips.

But at that moment, a delicate hand snatched the drink from him and, with lightning speed, downed it.

“Senior Sister, you—”

“Enough nonsense! Sit down and stop ruining Young Master Zhang’s fun!” Lin Qiqing wiped her lips and shot her junior brother a furious glare.

Ye Fei opened his mouth, but said nothing. He could tell she was genuinely angry and could only sigh inwardly as he stood up.

“Wait,” Zhang called out suddenly.

“Young Master Zhang, my junior brother was out of line. Please don’t take offense. You took time out of your busy schedule to be here tonight, so I’ll drink with you. But you must promise me that our cooperation can’t be delayed,” Lin Qiqing interjected with a polite smile.

“I said, wait,” Zhang repeated, his tone icy. “Did I say you could leave?”

Lin Qiqing’s brows furrowed, worry flickering in her eyes. It was clear Zhang Tianfeng was truly angered, and the situation had become precarious.

“What now? Do you want me to drink with you?” Ye Fei turned back, half-smiling.

“Drink?” Zhang scoffed. “Do you think you’re worthy of sitting at my table? Do you know the kind of people who usually drink with me?” He lifted his glass, crossed his legs, and looked down at Ye Fei with arrogant disdain. “These bottles of Moutai on the table cost over a hundred thousand each. If you can finish all of them, I’ll forget about your little interruption.”

“That much liquor could cause a stomach hemorrhage at best. My junior brother isn’t that strong. Let’s not take it so far,” Lin Qiqing said coldly, defending Ye Fei. Though she had business ties with Zhang Tianfeng, that did not mean she would let him do as he pleased. This was Hangzhou, after all—the domain of the Wangu Group. If things got out of hand, it was anyone’s guess who would suffer more.

“Oh? Is that so?” Zhang’s gaze sharpened. “Fine, Qiqing, if he can’t drink, you do it. If you finish all the liquor on this table, I’ll add another hundred million to our agreement—and I’ll even introduce you to several major real estate companies in Beijing to help you pave your way in Hangzhou.”

Lin Qiqing’s beautiful eyes flickered with hesitation. This was a rare opportunity. With the Wangu Group under so much pressure, Zhang’s offer would provide tremendous relief. What was a night of drinking, really?

Gritting her teeth, she said, “Fine, I’ll—"

Before she could finish, Ye Fei beat her to it. Grabbing two bottles of Moutai, he tilted them back and drank as if it were nothing but water.

The others in the room were stunned into silence.

In less than two minutes, Ye Fei had emptied every bottle of high-proof Moutai on the table. Apart from a slight flush to his cheeks, he showed no signs of discomfort.

“Well, Young Master Zhang?” Ye Fei wiped his mouth and smiled at Lin Qiqing’s astonished face. “Now that I’ve finished, can you confirm your cooperation with my Senior Sister?”

“Junior Brother… are you alright?” Lin Qiqing rushed to his side in concern, genuinely alarmed. While Moutai wasn’t as strong as some foreign spirits, Ye Fei had just downed seven or eight bottles! Even a seasoned drinker would struggle to survive that, yet Ye Fei appeared perfectly fine.

“I’m fine, I can handle it. Don’t worry,” Ye Fei reassured her with a pat on the shoulder. Her fragrance and anxious expression filled him with a sense of satisfaction.

As for the liquor he’d just poured into his stomach, it was nothing at all. Whenever he drank, he would secretly channel the Jiulong Divine Technique his master had taught him, instantly vaporizing any alcohol that entered his system.

In other words, he could drink by the ton without the slightest harm to his body. On the contrary, the energy from the evaporated alcohol would surge through his meridians, accelerating his practice of the technique.

“The Jiulong Divine Technique truly lives up to its name,” Ye Fei marveled inwardly.

At that moment, he noticed his Senior Sister’s breathing had grown rapid.

“Hm?” He looked down quickly.

Lin Qiqing’s face was flushed, her legs weak, barely able to stand. Her gaze flickered between clarity and confusion as she struggled to maintain her composure.

“Senior Sister?” Ye Fei called softly.

“Ugh… Junior Brother, I think… I think I’m drunk… I barely drank anything…” Lin Qiqing pressed her hand to her forehead, her breath coming in short, feverish gasps, her words turning to delirious murmurs.

Ye Fei’s expression darkened. His suspicions were confirmed: Zhang Tianfeng had indeed drugged the wine, and not with anything harmless.

What now?