<h4>Chapter 596: Chapter 597: Defiance</h4>


    Upon hearing the name "Lei Zhen," Qiangwei''s delicate brows furrowed, and a hint of disappointment shed in her eyes because she knew very well that Lei Zhen was indeed the hall master of this area.


    Yang Chen noticed Qiangwei''s change in expression but couldn''t say much. Instead of exining to the anxious Old Li, he asked with concern, "Old Li, I didn''t visit you when you were hospitalized for surgeryst time. Please don''t hold it against me; I was afraid you''d be in a bad mood. Is your health almost fully recovered now?"


    Previously, Li Jingjing had done something foolish to raise money for Old Li''s tumor removal surgery. Yang Chen still remembered that Lin Ruoxi had visited Old Li in the hospital, but he hadn''t gone with her.


    Old Li didn''t know what to say and smiled bitterly, "I''m much better now. Although I''m not as strong as I used to be, it''s nothing serious. Don''t talk about these trivial matters. Hurry up and take thisdy away!"


    Old Li had met Lin Ruoxi during his hospital stay. Although they had only exchanged a few words, Lin Ruoxi had left an incredibly deep impression on him. So, he knew Qiangwei wasn''t Yang Chen''s wife and was probably another woman of Yang Chen''s. As long as it wasn''t his daughter Li Jingjing, he wouldn''t expose them.


    Yang Chen shook his head nonchntly, walked over to Old Li''s stall, picked up a few skewers of freshmb, and said with a smile, "It''s been a long time since I did this. I really miss it. Since that guy named Lei Zhen hasn''t arrived yet, Old Li, you don''t mind if I grill a few skewers for myself, do you?"


    Old Li almost fainted, sighing heavily. He knew persuading Yang Chen was useless and could only worry anxiously on the side.


    Many passersby on the street had noticed the violent conflict here, but most didn''t dare to linger. Especially those who recognized Xi Pi, they avoided the area as much as possible, fearing they might get involved. Many people looked at Yang Chen and Qiangwei with sympathetic eyes.


    Even so, quite a few people still mustered the courage to stay on the sidelines and wait for the situation to unfold. After all, it was nighttime, and under the lights, everyone looked blurry, unlike the daytime when it was easier to recognize faces.


    After about five minutes, rustling sounds came from one end of the street, followed by noisy voices. Clearly, arge group of people was quickly approaching.


    As soon as this group arrived, the original onlookers dispersed. The mere presence of the gangsters intimidated them into not continuing to watch.


    Yang Chen had just finished grilling a fewmb skewers, sprinkled them with seasoning, and was eating them leisurely.


    Xi Pi''s face was full of excitement. He sneered maliciously at Qiangwei and Yang Chen, then shouted, "Brother!" and ran towards the leading man in the group.


    Lei Zhen was a middle-aged man, shorter and stouter than his brother Xi Pi, with a square face and a naturally authoritative demeanor.


    Dressed in a white shirt, Lei Zhen looked quite like a respectable businessman. If not for the group of imposing, tall men following him, people wouldn''t take him for a gangster.


    "Brother, it''s that nasty woman! She kicked me and injured our brothers!" Xi Pi yelled as he reached Lei Zhen, wearing a deeply aggrieved expression.


    Lei Zhen red angrily at his brother and said, "You''re a grown man, yet you only know how to sneak around and steal. When someone beats you, you call me to settle the score. Are you an idiot?"


    Xi Pi replied indignantly, "Brother, it''s not that I didn''t want to; it''s that this woman is too skilled. I couldn''t beat her with the brothers!"


    The gang members who followed Xi Pi also rushed over,ining in unison. They pointed at Qiangwei, who stood silently by the stall, and also implicated Yang Chen, who was eatingmb skewers, as an aplice.


    Since there was still some distance and the lighting wasn''t very bright, Lei Zhen didn''t take the woman who bullied his brother too seriously and didn''t notice anything unusual. Instead, he turned to apologize to a woman in a ck dress who had apanied him, "I''m sorry to make you witness this, Miss Chen. We rarely get a chance to drink together, and now we run into this mess. It''s just that I have only this one cousin, and I can''t just ignore him."


    The woman in the ck dress had a beautiful face. Standing in front of such arge group of men, she showed no signs of difort, as if she had enough presence tomand these brutes.


    "Since he''s a rtive of Hall Master Lei, it''s only right to help. Besides, if they are doing this against the Red Thorns Society, it''s a matter for everyone," the woman said in a clear voice.


    Lei Zhen nodded with a smile of agreement and then led therge group of people towards where Qiangwei was standing.


    When the distance was reduced to just over ten meters, Lei Zhen and the ck-haired woman beside him both stopped in their tracks, their expressions bing strange.


    As they looked at Qiangwei standing not far away, who was also looking back at them, they first appeared puzzled, then hesitant, and finally shocked and terrified!


    "President?!" "Qiangwei Sis—"


    Lei Zhen and the woman in the ck dress both recognized Qiangwei in surprise, and the henchmen from the Red Thorns Society behind them showed expressions of astonishment. Many of them had never seen Qiangwei, but who else could be called "President" except the head of the Red Thorns Society, the woman who rarely showed herself but had personally unified the underworld of Zhonghai?


    Xi Pi''s face turned deathly pale. He finally understood what his brother meant by "President." The shock almost made him faint!


    "Why, do you seem unhappy to see me, Rongrong, Lei Zhen?" Qiangwei''s cold gaze swept over the crowd, and the whole ce fell silent.


    Dressed in casual attire, Qiangwei stood on the street like the most ordinary city beauty. From a distance, Lei Zhen and Chen Rong hadn''t recognized her at all!


    It took Lei Zhen a while toe to his senses. He hurriedly bowed respectfully at ny degrees and anxiously exined, "President, please don''t be angry. Things are not as you think. If I had known it was you, I would have, I would have..."


    Qiangwei sneered, "What would you have done? If the person beating up your brother today wasn''t me, Situ Qiangwei, would you, the mighty Hall Master Lei of the Red Thorns Society, have helped your brother beat me up instead?"


    Lei Zhen''s legs almost gave way, but he didn''t know how to respond. In his anger, he kicked Xi Pi away!


    "Get lost! Beast! How dare you provoke the President?!"


    Xi Pi rolled several times, fainting on the spot, whether from fear or from hitting something hard.


    Old Li, watching from the side, was dumbfounded. This seemingly beautiful young woman was actually the President of the Red Thorns Society?! No wonder Yang Chen wasn''t worried at all. But why were there so many powerful women around Yang Chen?!


    On the other side, Chen Rong, whose face was also not looking good, bit her lower lip, walked up to Qiangwei, bowed her head, and said softly, "Qiangwei Sis, I just happened toe to this area to discuss something with Hall Master Lei. Please don''t misunderstand."


    Qiangwei nced indifferently at Chen Rong without replying, then looked at the terrified Lei Zhen and said, "I remember I said before, for the Red Thorns Society to have a long-term future, we must strictly prohibit the abuse of ordinary people. Whoever fails to uphold this will bear the responsibility. I didn''t expect that on the rare asion Ie out, I would encounter such a thing, and it''s even the hall master''s brother tantly extorting on the street in the name of our Red Thorns Society. Is it that what I said has now be just empty words to you?"


    Lei Zhen straightened up and continuously apologized, "President, please calm down. It''s my fault for not managing this beast properly. Rest assured, President, when I return, I will discipline him well. Such a thing will never happen again in my territory!"


    "No need," Qiangwei said lightly, "Some things, once started, can''t be stopped. Lei Zhen, when you return today, organize your affairs in the society. Tomorrow, I will send someone to take over your territory. You and your brother can leave the Red Thorns Society."


    Upon hearing this, Lei Zhen''s face was full of shock and disbelief, and he cried out, "President! You can''t do this!"


    Qiangwei''s voice also rose, "Am I the President, or are you the President?!" As she spoke, an aura of authority erupted from her, making it hard for Chen Rong, standing beside her, to breathe!


    Lei Zhen''s face turned red and white, his fists clenched tightly, "President, I have always respected you. This incident is indeed my fault. I have been too lenient with my subordinates and my brother, and I admit my negligence. But for so many years, I have fought for the Red Thorns Society, earning my position with blood and sweat. If the President takes away everything I have for just one mistake, I, Lei Zhen, refuse to ept it!"