That day at Zhou Xue'er's birthday party should have been a perfect opportunity for Ji Yun to show off his skills and even win the heart of the beauty, but it was ruined by Gu Chen. Gu Chen not only overshadowed Ji Yun with a superb piano performance, but his impromptu guzheng performance afterwards made him lose face.
So now, whenever Ji Yun sees Gu Chen again, he feels a surge of inexplicable anger.
Gu Chen glanced at him. Ji Yun was accompanied by several bodyguards, looking quite imposing. No wonder he looked down on people.
However, Gu Chen ignored him and walked straight to the stairs, saying to the manager there, "Take me to the second floor."
The manager, a man in his twenties, was fairly polite. He nodded to Gu Chen and said, "Sir, please show me your VIP card."
"VIP card?"
Gu Chen frowned.
Although he knew that Pottery House in Zhou City was a private club and a place for some rare transactions, he did not know that a VIP card was required there.
At this moment, Ji Yun jumped up again, sneering, "You don't even have a VIP card, yet you're trying to act tough here? Do you know where you are? The second floor of Pottery House isn't a place just anyone can go up to."
Gu Chen ignored him and asked the reception manager, "How can I apply for a VIP card?"
"You'll need to provide proof of assets, at least 20 million, or have someone you know introduce you to the company."
Upon hearing the manager's explanation, Gu Chen suddenly understood. This was just like the high-level markets in the cultivation world, where one needed to have funds or status as a symbol to enter.
This put Gu Chen in a dilemma. He had given all his money to Ma Gang and the others, and now he only had the two million that Xu Mo had given him.
"Can't get in?"
After being ignored twice by Gu Chen, Ji Yun finally seized an opportunity and sneered, "Gu Chen, beg me now, and I can vouch for you and let you go up to the second floor."
"Please?" Gu Chen's eyes narrowed.
Ji Yun said smugly, "That's right. I wouldn't normally bother with a rat like you, but I'm taking pity on you and want to lend you a hand. You have three seconds to beg me."
"What do you want?" Gu Chen asked.
"Do I have to teach you how to ask for help?" Ji Yun laughed and said, "Of course it depends on your sincerity. I'm a very easy person to please. Why don't you kneel down and beg me?"
A sharp glint flashed in Gu Chen's eyes.
"Don't be ungrateful," Ji Yun continued. "Let me tell you, I'm a Gold VIP at Pottery House. I can kick you out with a single order! Gu Chen, you've offended the Zhou Family and Jiang Family. Now, all the wealthy families in Zhou City treat you like a monster. My willingness to help you is a blessing you've earned in a thousand years!"
"Dream on!" Gu Chen said coldly.
Ji Yun's face darkened. "Gu Chen," he said, "Don't be so stubborn." As he spoke, he turned to the manager and said, "What kind of place Pottery House? How could you let this kind of uncouth country bumpkin in?! I'm going to complain to your superiors!"
The manager recognized Ji Yun and, upon hearing this, quickly put on a fawning smile, saying, "Young Master Ji, how do you plan to handle this?"
"Of course we should kick him out!" Ji Yun sneered. "This kind of person is an eyesore. Do you really want him to stay and ruin your Pottery House business? If your boss finds out you let this kind of person in, being fired will be the least of your worries!"
The manager nodded quickly, then immediately called over three security guards and said to Gu Chen, "Sir, please step outside and cooperate with us."
Originally, Gu Chen had intended to leave and go back to think of a solution since he didn't have a VIP card, but after this commotion, he suddenly didn't want to leave anymore. He first gave Ji Yun a cold look, then looked at the manager and said, "Who says I can't come in?"
"You don't have a VIP card, so naturally you can't come in!" the manager said.
"Why are you wasting your breath talking to him!" Ji Yun interjected, sneering, "Gu Chen, you think you can just get lost like that? Where do you get such a thick skin!"
"Very good!" Gu Chen laughed.
But in an instant, his smile vanished, and then he kicked out, striking Ji Yun in the chest!
Bang!
Ji Yun was smug and ready to humiliate Gu Chen, but he didn't expect Gu Chen to attack so suddenly without any warning.
A sharp pain shot through his chest, sending him flying two or three meters before he landed heavily. He arched his back, coughing repeatedly; the intense pain nearly made him vomit bile.
Of course, Gu Chen held back his kick, otherwise Ji Yun would probably be in the hospital.
"You dare hit me?" Ji Yun raised her head, looking at Gu Chen with a face full of resentment.
"That's an interesting point." Gu Chen's face broke into a smile again. "You know I dared to hit Jiang Kun in the Zhou Family, so hitting you would be even easier, wouldn't it?"
"You, you!" Ji Yun trembled with rage, pointing at Gu Chen, unable to speak. But quickly, he said to the bodyguards beside him, "Are you all idiots? Get him!"
The bodyguards finally snapped out of their daze, glaring menacingly at Gu Chen, and said, "Kid, you dare hit Young Master Ji? You're asking for death!"
Even the manager looked menacing and said, "You dare cause trouble at Pottery House! You don't want to live anymore!"
As they were speaking, they were about to rush towards Gu Chen when another voice suddenly rang out.
What happened?
Everyone paused, and then they saw a burly man come down from upstairs.
"Brother Ming!"
Upon seeing this person, the manager's expression immediately became respectful, and he said obsequiously, "There's someone causing trouble here, we were just about to deal with him, it's no trouble..."
"Isn't this Young Master Gu?"
However, before he could finish speaking, the burly man interrupted him, exclaiming in surprise!
Qi Ming!
Gu Chen looked at the newcomer, his expression slightly hardening.
The newcomer was none other than Qi Ming of the Black Wind Hall!
The scar on Qi Ming's face, which had originally looked extremely ferocious, was now replaced by a wide smile, his ugly face beaming with joy. He excitedly exclaimed, "It's truly fate to meet Young Master Gu here!"
His steps were slow at first, but upon seeing Gu Chen, he immediately quickened his pace and hurriedly came downstairs.
"Brother Qi," Gu Chen nodded at him and asked, "What are you doing here?"
"I was talking to a friend on the fourth floor and just came down. I didn't expect to run into you." Qi Ming first firmly grasped Gu Chen's hand, then respectfully said, "Young Master Gu, are you here to see someone?"
The fourth floor is Pottery House's private club, which is generally only open to the most elite figures in Zhou City. Given Qi Ming's status, there shouldn't be any problem for him to enter.
"No, I'm planning to go upstairs to buy something," Gu Chen said casually.
"If you're coming to Pottery House to buy something, just look for me!" Qi Ming.
"Brother Qi is very familiar with this place?" Gu Chen asked in surprise.
"Didn't the boss tell you? Pottery House has shares in our Black Wind Hall. Nobody dares to cause trouble here because Black Wind Hall protects us." Qi Ming rubbed his nose and said, "I have the final say in this territory."
"So that's how it is." Gu Chen suddenly realized.
At this moment, Qi Ming seemed to remember something, his expression hardened, and he looked at the manager and the others, saying, "You just said someone was causing trouble?"