CHAPTER 273: CHAPTER 273 THE MAFIA OF CITY B 2(1)_1

"So, you’re eating here? This restaurant’s food must be quite good to attract such a crowd." Long Hua lifted his gold-rimmed glasses, his face perpetually gentle, yet it always seemed to hide a dagger.

"Brother Long, they were fighting on our turf! Didn’t you see their knives flashing? What’s wrong with your eyes? Or should I ’operate’ and help you improve your vision?" Zhong Mingyang’s lips curved. With a glare and a sharp SNAP, he broke the nearest watermelon knife in two. In front of the Young Miss, of course, he had to put on a show.

"My vision is much better than yours. I’ll pass on the surgery," Long Hua said with a faint smile.

"Are you dissatisfied with our management? Planning to gather here for a brawl?" Li Qing’s frown deepened dangerously. With the Young Miss present, her method was to beat dissenters into submission. Li Qing and her brother, Li Lan, were true disciples of this philosophy; if anyone dared to object, they would strike immediately.

"That’s right. We of the Qing Gang have grown from a small faction into a major one. If anyone here disagrees, step forward. I’ll be happy to oblige you," Li Lan said coolly. She swept her gaze over Shangguan You, suppressing the thrill in her heart, then looked coldly at Scarface Lao Li.

With their arrival, those who had been loudest just moments ago fell silent. The small restaurant became utterly still.

"Girl, have some soup." Shangguan Qing’s warm voice reached everyone’s ears as he handed the cooled soup directly to Shangguan You.

"Thank you, Brother Qing." Shangguan You smiled gratefully and began to sip slowly. Their quiet exchange drew everyone’s attention.

Scarface Lao Li’s rage had been simmering, unventable in front of Chu Yi and the others. He felt he had lost face with his own men. Now, the actions of Shangguan Qing and his sister provided him an outlet for his anger.

Zhu Li’s hands trembled. Her parents were shaking too, their faces pale. These people were heading their way. What do we do? What do we do?

They had never encountered such a situation. Even if they wanted to run, they lacked the strength to stand up and escape.

A roguish glint sparked in Gui Mo’s eyes, which were full of excitement. Finally, a good fight! Lan Xuan and Han Yachu exchanged glances and put down their chopsticks. In this atmosphere, even with their strong composure, they couldn’t remain as outwardly unfazed as Shangguan You and her brother.

"Damn it! We’re here settling business, and you dare to keep eating? Do you think I’m invisible?" Old Li slammed his knife onto the table with a BANG! He stepped onto a stool, his dark face fixed on them.

Chu Yi and Long Hua watched as if it were an amusing play, pitying Old Li. Why did he have to provoke this she-devil? Innocent in appearance, but with the heart of a demon—that’s our Young Miss. This is going to be a good show.

Duan Gang and the others started to move forward but were stopped by Zhong Mingyang. No one knew the Young Miss’s capabilities better than they did. They were quite interested to see if she had improved over the past month.

"And you think you’re alive?" Shangguan Qing’s calm eyes swept over Old Li and his group. He then gracefully took out a napkin, wiped his mouth with unhurried elegance, and even considerately helped Shangguan You by gently dabbing at her lips.

Under Old Li’s furious gaze, Shangguan Qing rose. His tall figure alone seemed to diminish Old Li’s aggressive momentum.

It was all about height; Old Li had only himself to blame for being a head shorter than Shangguan Qing.

"Motherfucker! You dare curse me? You’re looking for death! Brothers, teach them a lesson! Let them know who Old Li is!" Old Li’s face darkened as he roared. The thugs behind him quickly surged forward, surrounding their table.

"Brother Qing, I’m so scared," Shangguan You said in a faint voice. Her tone, expression, and gestures made her look truly like a little lamb.

"Little one, don’t be afraid. As long as I’m here, no one can hurt you," Shangguan Qing said, gently pulling her into his arms in a protective embrace.

Although he knew she didn’t need it, seeing her expression, Shangguan Qing still felt an urge, a desire to protect her well.

The corners of Long Hua’s and the others’ mouths twitched severely. With her vicious fighting style and incredible speed, did she really need protection? And yet, despite knowing she didn’t, seeing her expression still softened them a bit.

"Youyou, don’t worry, I’ll protect you too!" Gui Mo stood up, positioning himself in front of her. Lan Xuan and Han Yachu also rose, shielding them from behind.

"We’re just here to eat. Your business has nothing to do with us, and certainly not with this small restaurant. If you need to settle things, please do it outside. We can even cede this space to you. However, once you’re finished, please compensate the restaurant for any damages," Lan Xuan said calmly.

"That’s right. You mafia types have your own scores to settle. There’s no need to involve innocent bystanders like us or drag us into your mess," Han Yachu said coldly. He wasn’t afraid of a fight, but he and his companions were concerned about frightening Shangguan You and the others. After all, their backgrounds weren’t ordinary; if anything happened to them, no one could escape the repercussions.

"Who do you think you are? So what if we drag you into this? You want *us* to compensate? Are you out of your minds? If you want to blame someone, blame your own bad luck for running into me when I need to vent! Brothers, get them! Teach them a harsh lesson!" Old Li roared. He’d already been intimidated by Chu Yi’s group, and now these youngsters were challenging him. If he couldn’t handle these kids, how could he ever face his men again?

"The mafia isn’t all that impressive, after all," Shangguan You remarked, then added with a curl of her lip, "So crude. Beat them hard."

"Little one, you and Zhu Li step back. Leave this to us," Shangguan Qing said, gently pushing them back. His tall figure was already shielding them. It had been a long time since he’d had a good stretch. Now was the time to really get moving.