Things were complicated on Lu Yifan's side. His phone rang, and with shaky hands, he checked the caller ID. As expected, it was Gu Fan. Most people thought Lu Yifan was the one pulling the strings, but in reality, he was the one being controlled.
Reluctantly, he picked up the call.
"Hello."
"Lu Yifan, is that what I paid you for? Do you think you can bring Chen Wei down just like that? If you think it's that easy, do you really think I'd need a fool like you?" Gu Fan's voice was cold and seething with anger. "Bastard, all you've done is dig deeper into your own dirt."
Gu Fan was always a cunning snake calculating, ambitious, and manipulative. The Gu family, alongside the Chen, Han, and Mu families, had once been the richest in Country S. But when the Gu family suddenly went bankrupt, everything changed. Gu Fan, though, never lost his thirst for power. He was determined to reclaim the Gu family's former glory and, in his eyes, that meant taking down the Chen family a longstanding threat to the Gu's dominance.
"This is your last warning, Lu Yifan," Gu Fan continued, his voice lowering with authority. "If I don't tell you to move, don't. Do you understand?"
"Yes, sir," Lu Yifan responded, defeated.
All his life, if Lu Yifan were asked about his biggest regret, it would definitely be meeting Gu Fan. Yet, paradoxically, he didn't fully regret it either, because Gu Fan had saved his life once. And because of that, Lu Yifan had sworn loyalty, even if it meant sacrificing his freedom.
Lu Yifan had always been a carefree playboy, living a life of luxury. The Lu family wasn't as rich as the Gu or Chen families, but they were still wealthy enough to enjoy comfort. That was until one fateful night.
Lu Yifan had been at a high-stakes gambling table, betting more than he should have, against people he didn't realize could be dangerous.
"I win, you better give up," a gambler jeered.
"Big Brother will take care of you if you lick my shoes," another mocked.
"Lu Yifan, you know you cheated," a third called out.
"And so what if I did?" Lu Yifan shot back. "What do you want to do about it?"
"You think you can cheat and get away with it?" one of the gamblers yelled, stepping forward. "I'll make sure you pay."
Just as the gambler was about to leave, Lu Yifan signaled his men. "A gambler dares to tell me what to do? What are you waiting for? Make him lick my shoes."
The gang members obeyed, dragging the man to the ground and forcing him to the feet of Lu Yifan. The gambler struggled, his pride refusing to break, but Lu Yifan ordered his men to break him further. "If he doesn't want to lick my shoes, then beat him. Break one of his hands I want to see if he dares talk to me again."
The gambler screamed as the gang members complied, his cries filling the room. No one dared to interfere.
"Okay, okay, that's enough," Lu Yifan said with a sneer. "Do you dare call me a cheat again, you loser?"
The gambler, broken and humiliated, limped away, cursing under his breath. "I'll make you pay, Lu Yifan!" he swore before disappearing into the night.
Lu Yifan turned to the remaining gamblers, his smirk widening. "Is there anyone else who wants to gamble with me?" he taunted.
But no one moved. After witnessing the brutal punishment, the rest of the gamblers quickly fled, unwilling to take any more chances. Only a fool would dare gamble after seeing what had just happened.
---
However, the gambler wasn't done with Lu Yifan yet. He limped back to his gang, nursing his wounds, and went straight to Brother Yang, the notorious gang leader.
"Sheng Qi, who did this to you?" Brother Yang's voice was low, filled with anger as he surveyed the battered man.
"Brother Yang, you must take revenge for me," Sheng Qi pleaded, his voice trembling.
Brother Yang, known for his pride and ruthless nature, was furious. "Who dared to lay a hand on one of my men?" he growled. "Tell me exactly who did this."
As Sheng Qi recounted the events, Brother Yang's rage grew with every word. How dare Lu Yifan, a playboy, humiliate his people like that? He would make him pay.
"Lu Yifan is a dead man," Brother Yang declared. "This will not stand. We'll make him regret crossing us."
---
Lu Yifan was lying unconscious on the cold pavement after the gang had beaten him senseless. His body was broken, barely holding onto life, when a strange noise interrupted the chaos. The sound of engines approaching grew louder, and the gang paused, confused.
Before they could react, several black SUVs screeched to a halt. Masked men in dark suits flooded out, surrounding the gang with military precision. The gang members barely had time to react before they were overwhelmed, pinned to the ground, and disarmed.
One of the men approached Lu Yifan's limp form. Without a word, they lifted him into the air with ease, carrying him to one of the waiting vehicles.
The gang members, terrified, watched helplessly as their former target was taken away, unable to do a thing.
---
Lu Yifan's mind was a haze when he awoke. The pain was still there, but it was softer, less immediate. His head was throbbing, and the world seemed to spin around him. When he opened his eyes, the familiar coldness of the city's streets was gone, replaced by something more... luxurious. He was on a plush sofa, surrounded by an aura of power and wealth.
He tried to sit up but failed, his body too weak.
"You're awake," a calm voice said. Lu Yifan turned his head slowly to see a tall figure standing before him. The man's sharp features were unreadable, his eyes cold and calculating. "You're lucky to be alive. Those men would have killed you."
Lu Yifan blinked, trying to process who this was. "Who are you?" he croaked, barely able to speak.
The man didn't immediately respond. His eyes scanned Lu Yifan for a moment before he finally spoke. "I'm the one who saved your life. But you owe me now."
Lu Yifan felt a chill crawl up his spine. "Who are you?"
The man's lips twisted into a cold, almost amused smile. "Gu Fan," he said, his voice carrying an unspoken power. "And from this moment forward, you belong to me."
Gu Fan didn't believe in drawing attention to himself. He preferred to stay in the shadows, orchestrating things from behind the scenes. His men had whisked Lu Yifan away without leaving a trace, bringing him to a place where no one would dare to ask questions.
Lu Yifan lay there, his body healing under the watchful eye of Gu Fan's men, and despite the luxury surrounding him, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was trapped. Gu Fan had saved his life, but what did that mean for him now?
Gu Fan had given him a second chance, but it came with a price a price that Lu Yifan could not escape from