Chapter 139: I Will Fight for You

"Well, well, Xia Yu, you really think you're someone now, don't you?"

"How dare you insult me? Just look at the state you were in when you were picking food out of trash cans."

"A low-life piece of trash like you—if it weren't for Xiao Jun, what the hell would you even be?"

Back in her car, Lin Yuxin cursed Xia Yu and his entire family. She had come here today thinking he would feel honored by her presence, given how he used to hang on her every word. Instead, he had rejected her without a second thought and treated her with complete disdain. For a woman as vain as her, this was unbearable.

In her heart, she still saw Xia Yu as nothing more than a pathetic loser. Xiao Jun was merely using him to humiliate and deal with the Liang family; the moment he was no longer useful, he would be discarded like expired food. She couldn't wait to see how smug he would be then.

This thought brought her some comfort, yet the indignity still stung. She was already out of favor with the Liang family, and her standing in the Lin family was slipping, far behind that of Lin Yuqing.

"No, I can't stay passive anymore."

"Xia Yu, I will make you regret this!"

***

Xia Yu strolled out of the café, his phone ringing again, causing him to pause in surprise. It was He Dong. Aside from two brief calls about minor matters in the past, they rarely contacted each other, and He Dong had certainly never reached out to him first.

"Boss He, what brings you to call me?"

"I hope I'm not interrupting, Young Master Yu?" He Dong's laughter came through the phone.

"Not at all. Do you have any instructions, Boss He?" Xia Yu asked.

"Instructions? I wouldn't dare. I just need a favor from you, Young Master Yu."

As Xia Yu listened, his expression grew grave. After a moment of hesitation, he agreed. He Dong had helped him before, and it was hard to refuse someone who had reached out. That was the nature of human relationships; reciprocity was the foundation of trust. He hung up, got into his car, and drove off.

His expression remained heavy. He Dong had made it clear: he had a formidable rival who operated primarily in the Dongguan and Huicheng areas. The two had been at each other's throats for nearly a decade, each desperate to replace the other. The man, known as Sang Biao, had recently gained the backing of some powerful figures from other regions—including someone from the Bai family of the provincial capital—and his ambition had grown accordingly. He had begun encroaching on He Dong’s territory, leading to several skirmishes over the past week.

Sang Biao had even destroyed several of He Dong's most profitable casinos. Realizing the severity of the situation, He Dong had been forced to turn to Xia Yu for help. Sang Biao had issued a challenge: a fight between their strongest fighters. The stakes were enormous, and if He Dong lost, his boxing gyms—his primary assets—would likely be forfeited to Sang Biao’s backers. Worse, the news had already spread. If He Dong, the leader of the Shenzhen underworld, were to lose, he would lose all face. He had specifically asked Xia Yu to find a master fighter to win this match for him.

Half an hour later, Xia Yu arrived at the Heaven Club. It was daytime, and the place was quiet, with a few tattooed men standing guard at the entrance. Seeing Xia Yu in casual attire, they assumed he was just a customer and blocked his way with stern faces.

"Stop right there. We aren't open yet. You can't go in."

"I am Xia Yu," he replied nonchalantly.

At the mention of his name, the men trembled. Their boss had strictly ordered them not to obstruct a man named Xia Yu if he arrived.

"Mr. Xia, we are so sorry! We didn't know it was you."

"Please, go right in. The bosses are waiting for you inside."

Xia Yu walked in without a word. The spacious hall was silent, save for a dozen or so men sitting in a booth, among them He Dong.

"Young Master Yu, you've arrived." He Dong rose enthusiastically, stepping forward to greet him respectfully.

Everyone turned to look at him, many frowning.

"Is that the 'expert' Brother He was talking about?"

"He looks so ordinary. 'Young Master Yu'? Which prominent family is he from?"

"We know all the young heirs in Shenzhen, but we’ve never seen this guy before."

They were skeptical, but seeing He Dong's attitude, they kept their doubts to themselves. The fight tonight was too important to risk any mistakes. Only He Dong's son, He Wei, blinked in recognition. His father had told him about Xia Yu, and he had even tried to reach out to him during that conflict at the resort with Lily and Wu Tian. He hadn't realized who he was then, but he remembered him clearly. He had seemed like the most unremarkable person there, yet it turned out he was the young master of the Xia family!

Truly, the most powerful people were the most low-key. He still had much to learn.

"Boss He, no need for formalities," Xia Yu said with a polite nod.

"Please, let me introduce you. These are my brothers, and this is my son, He Wei."

Xia Yu exchanged brief greetings.

"Young Master Yu, we meet again. Do you remember me?" He Wei asked with a smile. "We had a brief encounter."

"Of course, at the resort," Xia Yu replied.

"I'm honored that you remember such a trivial thing. I'm sorry I didn't recognize you back then."

"It's fine. It was nothing."

Once seated, He Dong—knowing Xia Yu wanted to keep a low profile—did not explain his background to the others. He poured him a glass of wine and asked, "Young Master Yu, has the expert you were going to find arrived? Will they be here before the match tonight?"

"I didn't invite an expert. I'm doing it myself," Xia Yu replied helplessly.

He really couldn't think of anyone else. He supposed Xiao Jun was the best fighter he knew, but given that Xiao Jun was the heir to the top wealthy family in the city, it would be beneath him to get into a street fight. So, he had to step in himself. Besides, after trading a few blows with that brute from the Gu family, he had been itching for a real challenge. A boxing match sounded like a decent way to pass the time.

"Ah..." He Dong gasped. "Then... what about the match tonight?"

"My fighters aren't strong enough; they’re clearly no match for the opponent, which is why they issued the challenge in the first place."

The men around them looked stunned. If not for the respect they held for He Dong, they would have started cursing. Was this a joke? What was the point of him fighting himself? Where was the "master" they were promised?

"I will fight in your place," Xia Yu said calmly.

He Dong’s expression changed drastically. "You can't be serious! Young Master Yu, don't joke around. If something happens to you, I wouldn't know how to answer to your family."

"Besides... you..." He didn't finish his sentence, but the doubt in his voice was clear. He had never heard that Xia Yu knew how to fight, and their opponent was definitely coming prepared.