Chapter 3 - 1#

In the eyes of those around him, Jin Yan was the kind of man with a heavy air of the underworld about him.

This had a lot to do with his family background, and at the same time, he worked in the entertainment industry, which inevitably involved dealing with people from all walks of life. He mingled in the legitimate world, but also had one foot in the underworld. Every Chinese New Year, he would always transfer a sum of money to the accounts of certain specific individuals, while at the same time, others would transfer money to his account as tribute.

When he put on a suit, he looked every bit the elite, but only he knew clearly what was in his bones.

So when he said “this matter cannot just end like this,” he had already formed a rather vicious plan in his heart.

“This person is my wife, surnamed Jiang. The character ‘Qin’ from the line ‘cold quilt like iron’. Height 1.80 meters, wears glasses, drives a silver Lexus, works at Shichou Accounting Firm.”

Jin Yan pressed two fingers on the photo, sliding it gently across the pear wood table surface.

Kun Yang squinted at it for a while and asked, “Brother Jin, how come you prefer men? This person looks straight and elite at first glance.”

“He just has that vibe. Recently I suspect he has someone on the outside. Yesterday he just told me he wants a divorce. I just want to know why he wants to leave. You have your people watch him. As long as you see any man daring to pry at my corner, go up and beat him up without a word. If it’s a woman, forget it, the probability is low.”

Kun Yang agreed profusely: “No problem! Daring to cuckold our Brother Jin, they must not want to live! If I get angry, I’ll tie both of them up and throw them into the moat!”

Jin Yan’s face suddenly changed: “If you’re going to throw someone, throw the adulterer. Who told you to throw Jiang Qin?”

“…Huh?”

“I was just about to tell you, keep your movements small and quiet. Don’t let my wife find out, or I’ll skin you alive!”

Kun Yang was instantly speechless, and a group of his subordinates had black lines dropping down their foreheads.

Subordinate A, having relatively strong logical thinking, immediately asked: “Then… then Brother Jin, what if we catch them in bed? Just let them be?”

“Are you stupid? Can’t you go up and pretend to be police checking the room? If you really catch them in bed, don’t make a scene either. Tie that man up and send him to me. I will personally deal with his whole family. Let me tell you, surnamed Kun, if this is handled well, there will be a heavy reward. If it’s not handled well, you wait for me to come and dismantle your family’s golden signboard, and don’t even think about mixing in the underworld anymore!”

Jin Yan had a very famous virtue, which was that he always kept his word. Most of those who started mixing in the underworld at the same time as him had folded. Even those who made a name for themselves were barely making ends meet. Only he was the most glamorous and best at doing business.

It was because he kept his promises.

In his early years when he started out, he once trusted others too easily and used his company’s name to guarantee a huge loan of 600,000 yuan for someone. As a result, that person ran away, and debt collectors came to his door. He gritted his teeth and refused to declare bankruptcy, nearly running off to sell his organs to repay the loan. At that time, unlike now, selling organs was still relatively valuable. He pondered for a long time which organ to sell, but in the end, Jiang Qin found a way to get a sum of money, barely solving his urgent need.

At that time, an investor in the company valued this point about him and added another 800,000 yuan in investment, feeling that although he was young and impetuous and unstable in his work, his principles were still there, his wife was also reliable, and the family was harmonious and advancing together, so eventually, there would be a day when he would prosper.

In fact, they all succeeded. Star Time Entertainment used to rely on others for support, but now it could support others.

Kun Yang didn’t doubt in the slightest that if Jin Yan said he would dismantle their signboard, he could really do it.

Jin Yan walked out of the antique shop and sat in his car smoking for a long time. By this time, the sky was already very dark, yet he didn’t want to go home at all. He didn’t know why, but a laziness born from his bones made him not want to do anything, not even move.

Yesterday afternoon, when he saw Jiang Qin’s back standing there frying eggs, he was still impulsive like a tiger in heat. But now that passion had turned completely to ash, completely cooled down, exhausted as if he had instantly aged twenty years.

Men are actually just like this, he thought somewhat philosophically.

Playing the big spender in front of friends, playing the big boss in the company, and forever playing the young lad in front of the wife’s bed.

Money, power, sex—missing any one of them won’t do. Like the three corners of a triangle, missing any one makes it incomplete, missing any one makes life collapse.

He didn’t even want to go to the company anymore. Let it be whatever. Close the doors tomorrow and quit. Everyone go back to fending for themselves. He had survived the days of being penniless and wanting to sell organs; there was no reason he couldn’t survive now, right?

Jin Yan pressed the cigarette butt out heavily. Just as he was thinking about sleeping in the car for the night, he heard a knocking sound on the car window.

“Brother Jin hasn’t left yet?” Kun Yang stood outside with two subordinates, asking with a smile: “Going home to see the little prince tonight?”

“The little prince is of one mind with his mother. Currently, he doesn’t much care for his old man.” Jin Yan asked: “Where are you guys going?”

“A friend opened a new bar, just on the turning of the bar street. I’m taking a few people over to support him. Is Brother Jin coming? If you come, I’ll book the whole place, and we can have some good fun.”

Fun my ass, my wife doesn’t even want me anymore.

Thinking this, a sudden ruthlessness rose in Jin Yan’s heart. He felt that since you, Jiang Qin, are out hooking up with pretty boys, why should I be hiding here alone in sorrow, like Yang Guo without his balls?

I should be calling friends and going out to have fun surrounded by people, making a phone call to summon a dozen small artists to take turns accompanying me in debauchery! I’m not Lin Daiyu, what the hell am I crying for hiding here? Even if I cry myself into dregs, the wife won’t necessarily change his mind!

“Let’s go!” Jin Yan said with self-abandonment: “Brother will be your driver today, get in the car!”

Kun Yang was different from Jin Yan—Jin Yan was mainly a figure in the legitimate world, stepping one foot in the black was just because of some old family connections, plus the entertainment industry inevitably required some connections and background. Kun Yang was a complete gangster leader. Opening an antique shop was purely for fun. He led a group of people under him, and in earlier years, he went out to fight with weapons to grab territory and collect protection fees.

So Kun Yang’s friends were all of that tune. The bar had just opened and recruited a batch of male and female hosts. Three days before opening, they had invited all the respectable people in the city who ate government grain.

As soon as Jin Yan entered the door, the bar owner laughed loudly and welcomed him: “Yo, Brother Jin! Brother Jin is a rare guest. Today we must have a good drink or two! — Lijun, hurry up and get the little girls dressed up and call them out. Whoever can climb up to this great noble Brother Jin, I’ll give her a thick red envelope tomorrow!”

While being led to the private room by a welcome lady with a hot figure, Jin Yan smiled and asked: “The season hasn’t been good recently, how is business?”

“Sigh, losing money just to earn a shout. Friends come to support me, I can’t earn money from friends, right. How has Brother Jin been recently?”

Jin Yan waved his hand and didn’t speak.

“Brother Jin, excessive modesty is not right of you. Everyone knows the movie you invested in is about to be released. A few days ago, I heard people say there’s a huge poster at the entrance of the cinema. Directed personally by the famous director Duan Hanzhi! Performed by an all-star cast! Let me tell you, Brother Jin, the little girls here are going crazy waiting for you. If you see anyone you like, give them a lift to show their face, and we’ll never forget your great kindness for a lifetime!”

People around laughed, and several scantily clad waitresses also laughed tremulously.

Jin Yan asked perfunctorily: “Is that so?” His expression clearly showed he didn’t take it seriously.

In his early years when he was young and impetuous, hearing these words would inevitably make him feel a bit smug. However, once a man passes thirty, his mindset changes completely. Now he was completely calm about these vain things.

This bar was indeed the latest gathering place for people from all walks of life in the city. Before long, a dozen girls of all shapes and sizes arrived in the private room. Some were pure and flawless like white lotuses, some had hot figures like black roses, and they all had considerable professional quality. They didn’t stick to people when they arrived, only greeting old customers enthusiastically and cutting fruit.

Jin Yan had many female artists under him and had seen all kinds of monsters and demons. He didn’t take them seriously at all, just sitting lazily to one side. The bar owner observed his expression, slapped his thigh and laughed: “Brother Jin definitely wants to see some fresh goods. It just so happens I have a few excellent children here—come, I’ll call them up for you right now!”

Saying this, he got up and walked out personally. After the time it takes to smoke a cigarette, he indeed brought back three or four teenage boys with flower-like faces and snowy skin.

Kun Yang looked and laughed: “Oh my, you really have everything here! Come over and let brother see this little face, oh my… where did you find such good goods?”

The owner laughed loudly and pushed those little boys: “Go, go light a cigarette for Brother Jin!”

Jin Yan just smiled and didn’t speak.

These boys were indeed beautiful, all taking the androgynous route, looking almost no different from beautiful young girls. Especially two of them had particularly good facial features, a cut above Jiang Qin.

However, Jin Yan was not that interested in these little boys who were not much older than his own son. He even felt a little disgusted in his heart.