Chapter 201: Raymond Lee, My Enemy!

Chapter 201: Raymond Lee, My Enemy!

Our playtime cut short all too quickly. Work beckoned to each of us.

Ana had to film her Harem-Feud broadcast tomorrow. Tina and I needed to handle a meeting for the Fire Birds. Afterward, I had a lunch date with Linda.

Tina and Ana growing close brought our daughters together more often for babysitting. Our Feng Maids now handled childcare, granting Ana far more personal freedom. It also allowed Luna and Alice to socialize regularly.

We said our goodbyes with warm hugs and promises for later. Tina and I walked Ana to her car, watching her leave with a security vehicle trailing behind. Then, we walked hand in hand toward the Phoenix building.

Tina broke the silence as we rode the elevator upward, her gaze fixed on the flashing floor numbers. "Mom and dad are visiting Jill to see how her new role as Head is going. Mother asked us to come for a family dinner together, is that fine?"

My facial muscles tightened instantly at her words. Jill had been absolutely furious with me ever since she took over as the new Head. Discovering my identity as the Yellow Emperor made her feel completely cheated. She even started picking fights with Tina, who remained entirely oblivious about why her sister was so angry with me. Tony Feng eventually stepped in to halt Jill's tantrums. He convinced Tina that her sister was simply unhappy with her own marriage, explaining away the tension by noting only one sister could marry me.

I adjusted my posture cautiously, shifting my weight away from the elevator wall before speaking. "Did Jill actually invite us? I truly want to see your mother and father, but I am worried about her reaction."

From Tina’s perspective, her sister was acting entirely unreasonably by pining for another woman's husband. If it were Helen, sharing would be acceptable by our standards. However, as the Fire Birds Leader, I cannot legally marry the Feng Family Head. Jill was the one woman kicked to the curb by institutional law.

Tina sighed deeply, leaning her head against my shoulder as she tried to ease my tension. "Actually, Jill has finally calmed down and is the one who invited us. She wants to apologize to you for ruining our relationship. She knew you would accept if mother and father were also here."

I missed talking with Jill, but her new husband and I shared nothing but mutual hostility. He was a side-branch noble from the Song clan. The man was a cocky, arrogant fool whom I could shatter with a single strike. He constantly flexed his attitude around me, entirely unaware of how close he came to violence. Only his status as Jill's husband provided a fragile shield of protection from my wrath. My voice dropped an octave, a low growl escaping my chest as I gripped the elevator handrail. "Is her jackass husband going to be there tonight?"

Tina recognized the immediate flash of anger in my eyes. She squeezed my arm tightly against her plush E-cup breasts, offering a reassuring smile that radiated complete devotion. "If Silk Pants offends you dear, leave him to me. For some reason he fears me over you. He really is stupid."

My hatred for the man ran deeper than mere personality clashes. He ran a fashion enterprise that directly competed with Linda's brand. Their public corporate warfare was incredibly messy. To make matters worse, he legally took the Feng name upon marriage and belonged to the old-guard faction. Those nobles firmly believed the Feng and Lang clans were destined to be bitter corporate enemies, which heavily contributed to the souring of my relationship with Jill. I let out a long sigh, pushing the thoughts aside as we entered the main office level.

The rest of my morning dissolved into tedious Fire Birds administrative tasks. The work required my signature on several massive financial transfers.

I sat behind my desk, finalizing a few strategic corporate acquisitions within the Black State for our Capital City branch. Jenifer stood behind my chair, her hands expertly kneading the tension from my shoulders while she leaned down to whisper the schedule directly into my ear. "Leader, Linda will be picking you up in 10 minutes for your lunch date, and Mercy will pick you up in your BMW at the restaurant when you are done. Then she will take you to your dinner meeting later. I will leave for home in a few hours with guards following me for safety. So let me get your jacket for you dear."

Her bright blue eyes sparkled with genuine excitement, clearly thrilled to be living the high-society life she had always dreamed of as a young girl. She smoothly assisted me into my suit jacket, her fingers lingering on the lapels.

I pulled her slender frame into my arms, gently sliding her glasses off her nose so I could look directly into her eyes without smudging the lenses against my chest. I spent a passionate moment kissing her, deeply rewarding my stunning secretary for her hard work before sliding the frames back into place on her blushing face. "Alright Jen, I will be with you tonight, so do not exhaust yourself during the afternoon. Love you."

I left her to manage the office paperwork and headed down to the lobby. Walking toward the entrance, I reflected on how my physical conditioning had evolved.

After four long years of rigorous training, I had piece by piece reached the absolute peak of what the Li bloodline could achieve. Sexual activity multiple times a day no longer drained my energy reserves. I could easily handle up to three extended, intense sessions daily without my stamina faltering. My physical recovery felt almost superhuman. I smiled to myself as I stepped through the glass doors, knowing the inner Dragon bloodline was responsible for this relentless vitality.

A sleek black limousine pulled up to the front curb the moment I stepped outside. A Master-level Lang maid quickly exited the front passenger seat, moving past the driver to open the rear door for me.

She offered a precise, respectful bow while keeping her eyes trained on the pavement. "Good afternoon Master. Mrs. Lang is waiting for you inside, please enter."

I slid onto the leather seat to find Linda sitting alone in the dim interior. She wore a stunning, full-length white shoulderless dress of her own design that accentuated every curve of her pale body. Her facial expression remained characteristically cool, but her smoky grey eyes shone with deep affection the moment our gazes locked. She greeted me in her signature composed tone, though her lips trembled slightly with suppressed emotion. "Husband, I missed you."

I immediately pulled her into a firm embrace, locking her against my chest so she could feel my physical protection. Linda was the one wife who constantly craved tight embraces to soothe her deep-seated insecurities. It was a lingering side effect of her past traumas mixed with her intense devotion to me. She often held our daughter the exact same way when I was away. Fortunately, little Lucy Lang absolutely loved her mother’s suffocating hugs.

My hand traced the smooth curve of her bare shoulder, feeling the slight tremor in her skin. "Dear, who is bullying you? I can feel how agitated you are just by holding you."

Linda’s jaw tightened with visible annoyance, her fingers digging tightly into the fabric of my suit jacket as she looked up at me. "Greg Feng used highly underhanded methods to steal a massive fashion contract from my firm. He even had the nerve to leave a smug voicemail rubbing it in my face."

I leaned down to press a soft kiss against her forehead, attempting to calm her racing nerves. "Wife, this is simply the dark reality of high-stakes business. When we earned our degrees, our professors made it clear that the corporate world is not a fair playground. Competitors will willingly bribe, cheat, and steal to secure a profit margin.

Even I engage in shady tactics against our corporate enemies, and I get burned occasionally too. For instance, a new luxury vacation resort just opened right next to my Country Club, directly draining my clientele.

They are offering under-the-table services at a drastically cheaper rate, even providing highly unsavory entertainment for their VIP clients. But I have to deal with it maturely for now."

Linda playfully smacked her palm against my chest, her lips twisting into a rare, amused scold as she pushed herself slightly back to look at me. "Husband, I sell high fashion, I do not run an upscale brothel. Do not talk to your wife about prostitutes, it is absolutely disgusting."

We spent the remainder of the drive teasing each other, completely dissolving her bad mood by the time the limousine arrived at our lunch destination.

[The 360° Restaurant World]

The establishment occupied the entire top floor of a prominent forty-story skyscraper in the northwest downtown district. It was an ultra-premium dining venue that rotated incredibly slowly, providing patrons with an unobstructed panoramic view of the entire city skyline.

The circular floor moved in a strict clockwise motion at a speed designed to prevent any hint of motion sickness, making the unique viewing experience its primary marketing draw. The culinary quality was exceptional, easily standing on its own merits without relying on the rotating gimmick. The venue represented one of Victoria’s newest Long Group commercial enterprises, currently operating as their single flagship location.

Linda and I rode the express elevator up to the thirty-ninth floor. From there, we walked up a grand central staircase leading directly into the heart of the restaurant.

This central core remained completely stationary, housing the main kitchen facilities, restrooms, and guest stairwells. The kitchen featured a private service elevator dedicated entirely to staff and supply deliveries.

A highly attractive hostess smiled warmly as we stepped onto the main floor, stepping forward to guide us toward the outer moving ring. "Please follow us Mr. and Mrs. Tang."

Although Linda retained her legal Lang surname for corporate branding, etiquette dictated using the husband's family name when addressing us as a couple. I kept Linda's hand resting elegantly on my arm as we took our seats at a premium window table. The hostess took our drink orders quickly and left us to browse the menus.

We selected our entrees and placed our orders with the waiter, settling into a perfectly romantic atmosphere. That peaceful mood was abruptly shattered by the arrival of two men who cast long shadows over our white tablecloth. "Oh? If it isn't my dear brother-in-law dining with a Lang woman. What an absolute shame. I think my appetite is entirely ruined."

I snapped my gaze upward, my fingers instantly tightening around my water glass until the knuckles turned white. The speaker was a man both Linda and I recognized instantly: Greg Feng, Jill's arrogant husband.

Greg ignored Linda's icy demand entirely. His lips curled into a smug smile as he gestured toward the attractive woman standing at his side. "This is my new fiancée, Melody Lee. And this is her older brother, Raymond Lee, my new business partner!" He puffed out his chest, his eyes gleaming with malicious satisfaction. "They hail from Central City and belong to the noble clan of Lee. You know, the one you never truly belonged to."

I carefully evaluated the two Lee siblings, keeping my posture entirely relaxed. My mind raced, wondering why Lucy had not sent word to warn me of their sudden arrival in Star City.

Raymond noticed the brief flash of surprise in my eyes. He stepped closer to the table, choosing to be entirely blunt with his intentions. "So you are the grandson of the now traitor General Lee, and the son of the traitor Rick Lee. You seem reasonably impressive for a stray."

He looked down at me, adjusting his cuffs with an air of absolute superiority. "I am here on behalf of my Traditionalist Lee Clan to keep a close eye on your movements. Central City does not want another Lee turning traitor. How does that sit with you?"

I remained momentarily speechless at the man's sheer, arrogant openness. My thoughts immediately locked onto his strange words about my family history. What the hell was going on with my grandfather?

I leaned back in my chair, swirling the amber liquid in my glass before addressing him. "Why exactly would your clan need to watch me? I am not a member of the Lee clan, and I have not laid eyes on my piece-of-shit grandfather in almost ten years. So what is this nonsense about a traitor issue?"

Melody Lee tightened her grip on Greg's arm, lifting her chin to speak with immense pride. "General Lee defected to the China Empire last week. He is actively working for them as we speak!"

"What?!" My eyelids snapped open wide at her sudden declaration, the shocking piece of news hitting me like a physical blow. The revelation tied instantly with finding out about Ling Ling in the deepest depths of my heart.

My grandfather was a fiercely proud man who absolutely despised the China Empire with every fiber of his being. Why on earth would he defect there of all places? Furthermore, I was under the distinct impression that the China Empire hated anyone carrying the Li bloodline. Raymond closely monitored my genuine shock, correctly deducing that I had been completely left in the dark.

He crossed his arms, continuing to deliver his summary in a matter-of-fact tone. "Well, we Traditionalists stopped by the Political Lee Clan first. We legally cannot kill or arrest you since you do not even belong to your now-defunct Lee house."

He gave a dry, mocking chuckle that echoed softly over the quiet restaurant ambience. "That is right. As of now, only two official Lee clans exist. As the final remaining survivor of your specific Lee line, you are granted amnesty by the leaders of the Central Government."

He leaned in closer, his blue eyes narrowing to thin slits. "Unless you decide to follow in the exact footsteps of your father and grandfather and turn to the China Empire. So please, feel free to become a traitor. It will give us the perfect excuse, haha!"

Melody Lee offered a cruel, dainty smile, her voice dripping with artificial sweetness. "Next week, we will be hosting my official welcoming party. Do not be late, future brother-in-law, ufufu."

Greg stepped forward to face my wife, determined to pierce her composure and provoke an angry reaction. "Do not worry, Linda. I have the exact recipe down for that humble pie you just ate, and I will happily serve it to you again. I am going to completely dominate the fashion business world, so you can get used to eating my corporate scraps."

Raymond Lee noticed the dangerous, predatory glint surfacing in my eyes. He merely smiled wider, entirely unfazed by my silent shift in demeanor."Cousin Rick Tang... If anything unfortunate happens to the three of us, or if we suddenly go missing or end up dead, the Central Government will know exactly who to blame. So please, come at me." He tapped his chest confidently, his laughter returning with full force. "My family explicitly sent me because they are perfectly willing to lose me if it means securing enough evidence to imprison you permanently. Go ahead and dare us, haha!"

As his loud laughter filled the space, the intense burning anger in my chest suddenly vanished into nothingness. I remembered the vast array of brutal countermeasures I would soon have in store for his entire Traditionalist faction.

I let my lips pull back into a slow, deliberate smile. It must have looked incredibly creepy, because Raymond's boisterous laughter froze mid-chuckle the moment he noticed my genuine amusement.

He stared at me, suddenly feeling like a foolish, jumping clown performing for my entertainment. A wave of deep unease washed over his features, causing his smile to falter.

Raymond quickly turned away, clearing his throat as he nudged Greg's shoulder. "Let us leave these two lovebirds alone and head over to our own table."

The three of them walked swiftly toward their designated seating area on the moving platform. A server approached them immediately to note down their drink orders.

Linda observed my dark expression but chose to say absolutely nothing, fully understanding that I was calculating my next lethal moves. I pulled my smartphone from my suit pocket and dialed my wife, Victoria Long.

I ended the brief call and took a sip of my drink, only to see something that made me choke instantly.

The drink server had moved past their table, placing two strong alcoholic beverages directly in front of Greg and Raymond. She then served Melody a tall glass of fresh juice.

The exceptionally busty, loli-statured drink server cast a sharp wink in my direction before disappearing into the kitchen. I nearly suffocated on the spot, letting the burning whisky slide straight down the wrong pipe.

Linda moved her hand quickly, grabbing a linen napkin to assist me. "Husband, let me wipe your face. Are you alright?"

"Oh, yes, I just swallowed completely wrong. I am perfectly fine." I coughed softly, wiping my lips as my gaze tracked the server's path. "I was just waiting for our main show to start."

Linda caught the underlying meaning behind my request to Victoria, her lips curving into a rare, knowing smile. She, too, wanted nothing more than to watch their public downfall.

The trio received their appetizers and finished their first round of beverages. The restaurant staff quickly brought out a second round of refills.

None of the guests at that table noticed that their original server had been subtly replaced. The smaller woman standing over them was actually a disguised operative from the China Empire.

What in the world was Ling Ling doing operating here in broad daylight?

I deliberately avoided calling Lucy on my smartphone, unsure if the three individuals had managed to bug the restaurant prior to my arrival. I maintained a perfectly normal, relaxed act, and then the trap snapped shut.

The formal restaurant manager marched out from the central core, his voice carrying clearly over the hushed, upscale atmosphere of the dining room.

He stopped directly at their table, addressing the three guests with absolute authority. "Guests, I am truly sorry, but I must ask you to leave the premises immediately. Do not worry about the financial bill, as management will fully cover everything you have ordered."

He stood perfectly straight, his expression completely devoid of warmth. "However, the sole owner of this restaurant has officially declined your future patronage. Head Long has already personally called your wife, Head Feng, to apologize and explain your exceptionally rude behavior toward Head Long's husband." He gestured toward the grand staircase with a firm hand. "Therefore, please leave at once. Otherwise, I will be forced to have our security team escort you out by force." He adjusted his lapels, delivering the final crushing blow. "Finally, you are hereby barred from entering any Long-owned enterprises within Star City effective immediately, regardless of your wife's presence. Goodbye."

As the three individuals snapped their heads around to look at our window table, I casually lifted my whisky glass in the air. I toasted them with a broad, victorious smile, giving them a cheerful wave goodbye.

That is right, fuck you bastards. I do not need to rely on killing you to completely shame and ruin your reputation within the borders of Star City. I am fully prepared to go against the main Feng Clan hierarchy to extract my absolute revenge. The Traditionalist Lee Clan might possess significant raw martial strength, but their operational influence in the outside world remains heavily limited.

Only the Political Lee Clan cannot be openly offended without massive consequences. This arrogant brother and sister duo, however, are completely fair game.

As of this very moment, all of my lovers and children are being assigned the absolute highest level of security protection.

I am completely ready for whatever they throw at me. Bring it on!