Chapter 16: Who Will Have the Last Laugh

Arriving at the cafeteria, Chu Tianfeng found a familiar chef and handed him a hundred yuan, asking to buy two wine bottles. The chef was naturally delighted; it was an easy deal, and he saw no reason to refuse. He pretended to decline for a moment, but in the end, pocketed the money. Hearing that Chu Tianfeng wanted to store the bottles, the chef showed not the slightest displeasure; instead, he grinned and said that if Chu Tianfeng ever needed help in the future, he should come find him.

Chu Tianfeng poured the medicinal liquid into the wine bottles, plugged them with corks, and sealed them again with his true energy. This way, ordinary people would not be able to open the bottles unless they broke them. Afterwards, Chu Tianfeng bought two small dishes and two bottles of beer. Now that he had finally cultivated his powers, he wished to celebrate a little.

“Chu Tianfeng, you’re in quite a mood today!” Just as he sat down, that familiar caustic voice sounded beside him.

Chu Tianfeng didn’t even look up; he drained his cup in one gulp and smacked his lips. “Can’t help it—the mood is just too good.”

He had noticed Peng Yongliang and Yuan Qi when they entered. Both had bandages wrapped around their heads; Peng Yongliang’s face was half-covered, making him look rather comical. Behind him stood Wei Neng and four others. Zheng Yu and Yu were likely still lying in hospital beds, their injuries more severe, thanks to Chu Tianfeng’s thorough “care” last night.

“How about we go again tonight?” Peng Yongliang’s eyes were nearly blazing with fury. Seeing Chu Tianfeng so relaxed only made him more agitated.

“You really enjoy getting beaten up?” Chu Tianfeng remained unfazed, picking up some food and eating. Now that he had broken through to the first stage of Qi Refining, his confidence soared. Though not fully recovered, his opponents were mere mortals; even without magic, Chu Tianfeng felt he could easily knock them down.

So his mood was light, nothing like the tension of the previous night.

“Do you dare?” Peng Yongliang snorted.

Yuan Qi immediately followed, gritting his teeth. “If you’re so tough, don’t run!”

“Too bad, I’m not in the mood to play with you today.” Chu Tianfeng raised his glass, leisurely drinking it to the bottom. He still had to continue healing tonight and had no time to teach them a lesson.

“Damn you, be careful you don’t drink yourself to death!” Yuan Qi glared, his hatred for Chu Tianfeng now matching Peng Yongliang’s.

“Thanks for your concern. Oh, by the way, where are Brother Zheng and Brother Yu?”

Chu Tianfeng set down his glass and turned slightly.

“They’re just as concerned about you. They asked me to tell you to eat well and sleep well these next few days,” Peng Yongliang said, grinding his teeth.

“Then thank you, Brother Zheng and Brother Yu.” Chu Tianfeng looked up at their bandaged heads with exaggerated admiration. “Suddenly, I find you two look quite fetching dressed up like this—much better than your film set costumes. Ha!”

A few nearby diners couldn’t help but stifle their laughter.

“Laugh, go ahead and laugh, let’s see who laughs last!” Peng Yongliang glanced toward the security at the door, then called his group, “Let’s go!”

After the meal, Chu Tianfeng returned to the lakeside to cultivate. He knew Peng Yongliang would surely follow him again, just like yesterday. But he paid it no mind. If it was just those few men, Chu Tianfeng didn’t even feel inclined to teach them a lesson. Of course, if Peng Yongliang insisted on being humiliated, Chu Tianfeng would oblige him without mercy.

Chu Tianfeng’s guess was right—Peng Yongliang was indeed eager for trouble. Upon learning Chu Tianfeng had gone out alone again, Peng Yongliang was overjoyed. He couldn’t wait to see Chu Tianfeng rolling on the ground like a dog, howling in pain.

This time, he was fully prepared. Six men, six sets of safety helmets, six sets of prop armor. Ropes, clubs, and machetes—each had their own. They split into two groups of three and searched along the lakeside.

However, Chu Tianfeng’s cultivation spot was far from the crew’s quarters and quite hidden. They searched for most of the night and found nothing. Furious, Peng Yongliang and his group cursed Chu Tianfeng all the way back to their shed.

——————

The next morning, at the temporary horse paddock.

The horse trainer explained some basic horsemanship to Chu Tianfeng. It was simple enough: issuing commands for the horse to sit, lie down, walk, gallop, and so on. Having ridden beasts in his previous life, Chu Tianfeng was no stranger to horses.

He chose a large white horse. The animal was impeccably white, not a single stray hair, and remarkably tall—standing out among the herd, like a crane among chickens.

The trainer gave Chu Tianfeng a curious look after he picked the white horse and insisted he ride for only an hour. Chu Tianfeng readily agreed, thinking half an hour would probably be enough.

Indeed, in less than half an hour, he was galloping and leaping on horseback with ease. Perhaps it had been too long since he’d enjoyed such freedom, and Chu Tianfeng lost track of time as he rode. When he finally returned to the paddock, he realized he’d been gone an hour and a half.

“Hey! Who gave you permission to ride our horse?” Just as Chu Tianfeng was about to dismount, a sharp voice sounded from behind.

Turning, Chu Tianfeng saw a young woman standing on the grass. She looked to be twenty-seven or twenty-eight, with fine features and a striking presence. Her hair was short, neatly tucked behind her ears, giving her a very capable air. Especially in her black suit, she appeared the quintessential professional woman.

“Our horse?” Chu Tianfeng was baffled as he lightly jumped off the horse.

The short-haired woman sized him up with disdain. “Of course it’s our horse—unless you think it’s yours?”

Chu Tianfeng, though handsome, wore gear worth less than two hundred yuan; the woman clearly had little regard for him.

Just then, the trainer walked out from the stable. “Sorry, Miss Shi, this was our mistake. We apologize.” Evidently, he had overheard their conversation.

He quickly took the reins from Chu Tianfeng and winked at him, “Go on, apologize to Miss Shi.”

“Oh, sorry.” Chu Tianfeng, unsure what was happening, followed the trainer’s cue and apologized.

“That’s it?” Miss Shi was plainly displeased, pointing at Chu Tianfeng. “Your manager Li said this horse belongs to us for this period—only Xiao Yunmeng can ride it. But I just saw this guy riding it. You need to give us an explanation, or how can we continue working together?”

“What does Miss Shi suggest?” The trainer was at a loss.

The woman snorted. “That’s not for us to say. You should show the proper attitude.”

“I’ve already apologized. What more do you want?” Chu Tianfeng couldn’t help but object. He found the woman extremely troublesome; she wasn’t even old enough for menopause, yet acted as if she were.

“Xiao Mei, what’s going on?” A silvery voice rang out nearby.

All three turned to look, and saw a woman of almost ethereal beauty gliding across the grass. Her brows were delicate, her eyes like stars, and her lips full and red, glistening as if freshly painted. Draped in a pale lilac gown, she seemed otherworldly—a celestial maiden.

A middle-aged man followed behind her. Chu Tianfeng recognized him as Manager He, who oversaw the paddock.

“Oh, Yunmeng, you’re here.” Shi Xiaomei, the short-haired woman, hurried to greet her.

The beautiful woman smiled and approached. Everyone stepped forward to exchange greetings.

Chu Tianfeng searched his memory, trying to recall who this Xiao Yunmeng was.

“Yunmeng, you came at the right time. I think we should call Manager Li. He promised this horse would be ours for filming, and no one else would ride it. But I just saw this guy riding it.” Shi Xiaomei spoke rapidly, words rattling like firecrackers.

Manager He’s brows furrowed as he turned to the trainer. “Is that the case?”

The trainer nodded. “Yes.”

Xiao Yunmeng maintained her smile, her gaze sweeping over Chu Tianfeng before resting on Shi Xiaomei. “Manager Li was joking that day. I have very few scenes coming up; how could the crew assign a horse just for me?”

“Yunmeng, you mustn’t think that way. Manager Li proposed it himself, so why not? Besides, if someone else wears out the horse and it affects your filming, who will bear that loss?” Shi Xiaomei tried to persuade her.

Chu Tianfeng looked up at the sky. The sun was high, clouds drifting, yet he still felt a chill.

“Very well, I’ll consult Director Yang and deduct this month’s bonus for the two of them,” Manager He said apologetically. “Sorry, Miss Yunmeng, it was our oversight. Please forgive the inconvenience.”

Chu Tianfeng thought to himself, ‘I don’t have a bonus anyway—deduct all you want.’ Still, he felt a bit guilty for implicating the trainer.

“It’s fine.” Xiao Yunmeng shook her head. “Let it go; it’s a minor issue. Please don’t deduct their bonus.”

Manager He was about to speak, but Shi Xiaomei cut him off, pointing at Chu Tianfeng again. “We called to say we’d be riding at ten. They agreed, but this guy was still riding at ten-thirty. What does that say? It says they don’t care about us at all, or what we think.”

Chu Tianfeng frowned; he now remembered who Xiao Yunmeng was. Asia’s rising diva, her song “Love in the Snow” had spread worldwide. She was talented, occasionally appearing in films as a beauty. Her fame rivaled that of Wu Bai, and she was the idol of Yan Ping, Han Xinwen, and others.

His first impression of Xiao Yunmeng was quite good, but her companion Shi Xiaomei left him with a sour taste. The woman kept pointing at him, calling him “this guy” over and over, which was grating.

Xiao Yunmeng shook her head. “Xiao Mei, we were late too. If there’s fault, we share it.”

Then she turned to the trainer. “Is this the horse?”

“Yes,” the trainer quickly nodded.

Shi Xiaomei pouted, clearly unhappy. But since Xiao Yunmeng repeatedly declined to pursue the matter, she had little more to say.

“All right, Xiao Mei, come ride with me,” Xiao Yunmeng said, taking the reins from the trainer and turning to Chu Tianfeng. “Sorry for the trouble.”

“No problem.” Chu Tianfeng shook his head, raising his opinion of her another notch. He had to admit, Xiao Yunmeng was truly charming, and he admired her greatly.

“Get me a horse, a black one!” Shi Xiaomei, unable to continue berating Chu Tianfeng, shouted at the trainer in frustration.

“Go ahead, pick a docile one,” Manager He added, then turned to Chu Tianfeng. “You can get back to work.”

The trainer agreed and headed back to the stable.

“Goodbye.” Chu Tianfeng turned and left, but in his heart, he silently cursed Shi Xiaomei’s ancestors eighteen times over!