A Gentle Heart Behind a Rough Exterior

Murong Feng listened intently to Professor Dybvig on stage, lecturing about the interest rate risks of fixed-income securities and portfolio management. Although the simultaneous interpretation somewhat dampened the emotional expression, he remained captivated. Some of the content resonated with his past investment experiences, but he had never formed a systematic framework. Hearing this clear and concise explanation from a renowned banking and finance professor, who had taught at Yale and Princeton and served as the president of the Western Finance Association, gave Murong Feng a sense of enlightenment. He felt grateful for his decision to attend this course.

Since the EMBA program held classes from Thursday to Sunday once a month, Murong Feng hadn't seen Tang Qing over the weekend. After the class ended, he couldn't resist calling her.

"Qing'er, where are you now?" Murong Feng asked softly.

Tang Qing's voice was still beautiful, but her response surprised him: "I'm at the airport. I'm flying to Shenzhen tonight. Starting tomorrow, I'll be at the Mission Hills Asian Amateur Golf Championship that our company is sponsoring for four days. I probably won't be back until next Friday. I knew you were in class, so I didn't want to disturb you."

Murong Feng quickly reminded her to take care of herself while traveling, which touched Tang Qing. They exchanged a few sweet words before she had to hang up to board her flight.

Guo Yong was waiting in the lobby's rest area. Seeing Murong Feng exit the classroom, he hurried over. His loyalty and dedication moved Murong Feng, who had earlier suggested that Guo Yong take a break downstairs. Guo Yong had refused, jokingly calling himself a qualified bodyguard, leaving Murong Feng shaking his head in amusement.

Murong Feng understood that Guo Yong's behavior was partly due to his own kindness, but also because of Guo Yong's promise to Guo Guodong. As the saying goes, "A warrior's promise is as weighty as a mountain."

He suddenly realized it had been a long time since he had gotten together with Guo Guodong. When he got busy, he often forgot, and Guo Guodong seemed to avoid bothering him by rarely initiating contact. Although Guo Guodong had the reputation of an underworld boss, he was also a well-known entrepreneur in the Haidian District, owning several entertainment venues and rubbing shoulders with numerous officials. This showed Guo Guodong's genuine care for Murong Feng.

Murong Feng silently chided himself for being inconsiderate. Guo Guodong's loyalty was unquestionable, and he should have made more effort to stay in touch. With this in mind, he said to Guo Yong, "Yong, let's invite Boss Guo for dinner tonight."

Guo Yong was surprised, thinking Murong Feng might need Guo Guodong's help with something. He smiled and said, "Murong, do you need anything done? Just let me know. I have some pull in Beijing's underworld."

Murong Feng looked at him and shook his head with a smile. "What are you thinking? I just haven't seen Brother Guo in a while and want to have a drink with him!... Where would I find so many people to deal with anyway?"

Ignoring Guo Yong's awkward chuckle, he took out his phone to call Guo Guodong.

Guo Guodong was in his luxurious top-floor office at the Dihuang Nightclub, berating one of his subordinates: "I told you not to let those punks sell ice in the club! The crackdown is intensifying, and the police have already warned me several times to control the venue. I gave them my word! Aren't you just trampling on my face? Get back there, break the legs of those ice dealers and throw them out. Keep a close eye on all venues this month! The police could raid at any time, got it?"

The subordinate nodded meekly, "Boss Guo, who dares to disobey you? It's just that the customers insisted on buying. They're all people we can't afford to offend... Besides, Boss Guo, which club doesn't have this nowadays? If we don't sell, aren't we just hurting our own business?"

Before he could finish, a black-clad man standing next to Guo Guodong walked over and kicked him to the ground, saying in a low, menacing voice, "Do as Boss Guo says!"

The skinny subordinate knelt on the ground, nodding frantically, "I understand! I understand!"

Guo Guodong had two main enforcers: Guo Yong was known for his martial skills and was relatively kind-hearted, while this man, Lei Zheng, was notorious for his ruthlessness. Rumor had it that he used to be an assassin, and the subordinates feared him even more than Guo Guodong.

As Guo Guodong was about to speak again, his phone rang. He picked it up, glanced at it, and waved his hand impatiently. The subordinate quickly scrambled out of the office, carefully closing the door behind him.

Guo Guodong's face broke into a smile as he answered, "Hey, Brother Murong! What brings you to call your big brother?" Lei Zheng silently resumed his position behind Guo Guodong.

Murong Feng laughed, "Brother Guo, are you free tonight? It's been a while, and I'd like to treat you to dinner and have a drink!"

Guo Guodong was delighted, "Of course! I'd clear my schedule for you even if the king of hell summoned me! Just name the place, and I'll be there!"

Touched by Guo Guodong's enthusiasm, Murong Feng felt even more guilty for not reaching out sooner. He quickly said, "Alright, how about Jin Pin Xuan near you? I remember you love Cantonese cuisine." By choosing this place, Murong Feng was showing respect and a bit of an apology. Guo Guodong laughed heartily, agreeing enthusiastically.

After hanging up, Murong Feng turned to see Guo Yong still grinning foolishly. He smiled and said, "Well, you haven't seen Boss Guo in a while either. Let's all have a good drink together." Guo Yong nodded without speaking.

In truth, Guo Yong had recently met with Guo Guodong when dealing with Huang Jue and had been maintaining regular contact, reporting any suspicious individuals around Murong Feng. Guo Guodong would then have these people investigated, eliminating potential threats to Murong Feng. Guo Yong kept this from Murong Feng to shield him from the darker aspects of their world.

That evening, Murong Feng and Guo Guodong enjoyed a lively dinner. After several rounds of drinks, the conversation became more intimate. In the private room were just Murong Feng, Guo Yong, Guo Guodong, and Lei Zheng. With Murong Feng being his savior and the other two his trusted confidants, Guo Guodong spoke freely, revealing his true feelings.

"Murong, your big brother here might seem to rule this territory with an iron fist, looking all powerful to outsiders, but there's a lot of bitterness behind it all! Just these past few days, with the police cracking down on drugs, I told my boys to lay low and not touch that stuff. They're all grumbling, and the police keep pressuring me. I feel caught between a rock and a hard place! Damn, I'm just trying to look out for my brothers, you know? We're just trying to make a living in this world, and that's how it is. The underworld has its own way of operating, and we can live well enough, but I can't let my brothers risk jail time for a bit of money and that garbage!"

Guo Guodong rambled on, pouring out his heart. He shared stories of his time in the military and the struggles he faced after being discharged. Listening to this, Murong Feng sensed the gentle heart hidden beneath Guo Guodong's rough exterior. He relaxed and drank freely with Guo Guodong.

Guo Yong and Lei Zheng sat quietly nearby, listening and occasionally raising their glasses to each other in a somewhat old-fashioned manner.

The dinner lasted until around 10 PM, but Guo Guodong felt they hadn't drunk or talked enough. He insisted on taking Murong Feng to the Dihuang club to continue. Murong Feng, rarely in such a carefree mood, didn't want to dampen Guo Guodong's spirits. He decided to go all in, figuring that at worst, Guo Yong would see him home safely if he got too drunk.

The Dihuang Nightclub was renowned in Beijing as the most luxurious dance hall and karaoke venue, boasting the city's most beautiful hostesses. If it weren't for Guo Guodong owning the place, Murong Feng would never have set foot in such an establishment. He simply wasn't interested in this scene, and up until now, he hadn't needed to entertain anyone in such a place.

Nonetheless, when the half-drunk Murong Feng and Guo Guodong were belting out songs in the Tian private room at Dihuang, they were accompanied by two stunningly beautiful women.

Murong Feng appreciated that the women were very discreet. They would sit at the bar on stage and sing when Murong Feng and Guo Guodong were talking, giving them space to converse. When the men wanted to sing, the women would quietly sit to the side, applauding, silently refilling their glasses, and carefully placing fruit pieces on toothpicks in small plates in front of them.

Guo Guodong laughed, "Brother, I know you have a girlfriend and you're keeping yourself clean. Don't worry, these two are the most innocent girls here. They're pitiful souls – if it weren't for me, no one would dare help them!...Haha, your big brother won't lead you astray!" These words made Murong Feng even more grateful, and he became extra polite to the two women.

Murong Feng suddenly realized that even in such an environment, it could be a comfortable experience if you were with the right people.

This harmonious atmosphere didn't last long. The door opened quietly, and Lei Zheng entered, whispering something in Guo Guodong's ear. Guo Guodong's expression changed slightly, and after a moment's thought, he smiled at Murong Feng and said, "Murong, sit tight for a moment. I need to step out and handle something."

As he left the room, Guo Guodong's demeanor immediately changed. He walked with purpose, his face stern, all traces of intoxication gone.