"I'm sorry, Yuluo, I still want to try to make it on my own, so I can't go with you."

"Ling Zhenfei, are you really just foolish, or do you actually dislike me that much? Do I need to spell it out any clearer? If you leave with me, I am yours, and everything I have is yours too—including a fifty-one percent share in Lin's Group. Do you know its worth? Even if you worked hard, could you achieve that much?"

Lin Yuluo spoke with extreme clarity, indeed. Such temptation might lead eight out of ten men to accept without hesitation. What use was effort then? Some people could strive for ten lifetimes, perhaps, and still not match even one percent of Lin's Group's shares. If effort mattered, what was the point of talent?

"Yuluo, I really do like you, but I don't want to possess your money without working for it. I want to have success, not just a lot of money. That has been my dream since I was young, and I hope you can understand that."

"Is success that important to you?" Lin Yuluo truly couldn't understand his mindset. In her eyes, marrying her equated to being a winner in life.

"Yes, success is very important to me. Even if it means marrying you, I would only do it after I've earned my own success."

After Ling Zhenfei finished speaking, Lin Yuluo fell silent for quite a while, as if reflecting on his words.

"Alright, I respect your choice. But remember, no matter when you decide you can't continue on your own, call me. No matter where I am in the world, I'll make sure to come back immediately and take you with me."

"Okay, I'll remember."

"Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

After the repeated farewells, the two hung up the phone. Ling Zhenfei felt a tinge of sadness in his heart. Lin Yuluo—a wonderful girl he truly did not wish to disappoint. Yet he also didn't want something for nothing. Perhaps some would call him a fool, but many would understand his choice.

Unconsciously, he found himself near the fishery, at the spot where he had saved Liu Bingying the day before. Thinking of Liu Bingying, Ling Zhenfei became slightly distracted, considering himself lucky to have met such a woman.

As he was lost in thought, he suddenly sensed a gust of wind aiming for his head. Ling Zhenfei instantly realized someone was attempting a sneak attack and quickly dodged to the side. A brick flew past where he had been standing; had he not dodged quickly, it would have struck his head.

"Who's there, so shameless?"

Ling Zhenfei was furious, not knowing who would stoop to such a cowardly attack.

Following his outcry, eight figures emerged from a nearby alley, all brandishing wooden clubs, and surrounded Ling Zhenfei, their aggressive stances making their bad intentions clear.

"What do you want?"

Ling Zhenfei eyed these men, and a slight shock registered in his mind—he detected the flow of Inner Strength in all of them.

Although their levels weren't high, the fact that seven or eight had Inner Strength was intriguing. More so, the aura they carried was almost identical to that of Little Overlord Zhou Tong from the previous night.

"What do we want, kid? You injured someone with your own hands yesterday, and now you pretend you don't remember?"

The leader seemed to be in his thirties, with well-defined muscles straining against his clothes, a clear sign of regular exercise. His Inner Strength was even deeper than that of Little Overlord Zhou Tong's from yesterday.

"I'm well aware of what I did. So, was it Zhou Tong who sent you? Such a shameless man. I didn't report him to the police yesterday, and rather than being grateful, he sends someone to teach me a lesson. Some people never change."

"Cut the crap. Are you going to do it yourself or shall we do it for you?"

Ling Zhenfei didn't expect so much protocol from his assailants, so he inquired, "What's the difference between me doing it and you doing it?"

"If you do it yourself, you just need to put a hole in your own hand. If we do it, we'll chop your hand off."

The man opposite was very arrogant, clearly not taking Ling Zhenfei seriously. Considering their upper hand with weapons, it made sense they wouldn't fear an unarmed man.

"I'm the type to faint at the sight of pain. Asking me to do it to myself is like asking me just to die. I think it's best if you do it."

Those men were taken aback by Ling Zhenfei's words, initially feeling that he was joking. The leader quickly grew impatient.

"Brothers, take him down."

With those words, he raised his club to strike.

"Wait a moment!"

Ling Zhenfei suddenly called out, stopping everyone in their tracks.

"Have you had a change of heart, kid?"

Smiling, Ling Zhenfei replied, "Not a change of heart, no. It's just that I don't fight nameless nobodies. I haven't even asked for your name."

"I'm Zhou Jian, now prepare to die."

Enraged, the man swung his club with all his might, the whoosh of air indicating his full force.

The others didn't stand idly by; they all attacked Ling Zhenfei with their wooden clubs. These men, all martial brothers who regularly practiced martial arts together, coordinated flawlessly. Dealing with just one person—or even four or five—came naturally to them, leaving the opponent with no chance to fight back.

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