Chapter Eleven: Caught Off Guard

"What are you doing?" At this moment, Lu Hao's hand swiftly caught Wu Jian's incoming slap.

"If you want to talk, just talk—why the need for violence?"

Hearing this, Wu Jian grew even more furious, glaring at Lu Hao, then glancing at Sun Yunzhao beside him. "What’s going on here? Is this the wild man you’re keeping outside?"

"Well, well, so that’s why you haven’t given me a single cent lately. Turns out you’ve found yourself a man, huh? You cheap woman, damn you—"

Wu Jian seemed deranged, lunging toward Sun Yunzhao and kicking her in the abdomen.

Lu Hao was caught off guard, having only prepared to defend against Wu Jian’s blows to himself, never expecting he’d target Sun Yunzhao.

Sun Yunzhao was knocked to the ground, tears immediately springing to her eyes, yet even then she chose not to reveal Wu Jian’s gambling debts.

She could only plead, "Whatever it is, let’s talk about it at home, okay? Let’s talk when we get back."

She still cared about the bigger picture, about saving face for everyone.

But Wu Jian was like a madman, still charging forward with intent to hit her. The force and posture made it clear he’d often laid hands on her at home, otherwise he wouldn’t so instinctively vent his fury on Sun Yunzhao.

"Are you even a man? When you’re broke you come to a woman for money? You don’t know how to earn it yourself?" Lu Hao’s anger flared, and he shoved Wu Jian hard to the ground.

Having inherited the Azure Dragon legacy, Lu Hao’s strength and technique were far beyond Wu Jian’s.

"Damn you!" Wu Jian, after being shoved, burned with rage, rushing forward to fight Lu Hao—only to be kicked down again, a searing pain tearing through his chest as bones seemed to crack.

"You slut! Slut!" Wu Jian, sprawled on the floor, still glared at Sun Yunzhao, howling in anger.

"You lost the money gambling, didn’t you?" Lu Hao crouched calmly before Wu Jian, gripping his collar and lifting him up.

Their eyes met, and in that moment, Wu Jian completely wilted.

He was the classic bully at home—tough only for a moment, but never for long, especially when confronted with someone fiercer. All he could do was stare in silence.

"How—how do you know?" Wu Jian, despite his slick hair and polished appearance, was in truth not very bright.

With that admission, Wu Jian’s last shred of dignity was stripped away.

Lu Hao slapped him hard across the face. "I don’t care if you gamble, but remember one thing."

"Sun Yunzhao is my friend. She will never pay your gambling debts. If you have the guts to gamble, you pay them yourself."

"If you ever threaten her for money again or lay a hand on her, every time I see you, I’ll beat you. No matter where you run, I’ll find you and hang you up, and you’ll end up in the hospital knowing exactly why."

Wu Jian was instantly terrified.

Lu Hao’s blows were much heavier than he expected—far tougher than any street punk he’d fought before. A single kick left him unable to even crawl.

If he took another beating, he doubted he’d walk away with all his limbs intact.

"Who are you? Why are you interfering in our business?"

Lu Hao sneered, standing up. "Whether you’re dating or not is your affair."

"But extorting my friend for money and hitting her—that’s my business."

"Get lost! If I see you again, I’ll break you."

With that, Lu Hao went to Sun Yunzhao’s side, helped her up, and asked softly, "Are you all right?"

Sun Yunzhao bit her lip, stood, looked at Wu Jian, and said nothing.

There is no greater sorrow than a dead heart. Today, Sun Yunzhao finally saw her boyfriend’s true face.

"Thank you, Brother Lu." She wiped away her tears, finally admitting she’d chosen poorly.

Lu Hao said nothing, only briefly checked her injuries. "Your forehead’s skin is broken."

"Are you okay?"

That fall had struck Sun Yunzhao’s forehead.

Wu Jian, still glaring viciously at Sun Yunzhao, spat blood onto the floor.

"Damn you, you cheap woman! Are you seeing some wild man outside? Fine, I’ll be honest too. In just the last three months, I’ve brought no fewer than ten women to our rented apartment."

"I made sure to bring them home while you were out on night shifts."

"You entertain men outside, I entertain women at home—doesn’t that make us even?"

At that, Sun Yunzhao finally couldn’t hold back. She froze, then stared at her boyfriend in disbelief.

"Are you telling the truth? Why—why would you do this?"

Her tears, long suppressed, poured forth like a breached dam, flooding her with grief.

Wu Jian stood up and spat blood onto the ground.

"Let’s break up! You cheap woman! Damn it, if it weren’t for your filthy money, would anyone look twice at trash like you?"

Those words stabbed Sun Yunzhao to the core. She’d never imagined her boyfriend would see her this way.

All the sweet, beautiful memories in her mind vanished in an instant.

Sun Yunzhao, gasping furiously, almost fainted from rage.

Lu Hao could no longer contain his own anger.

"Damn you, get over here!"

He strode forward, grabbed Wu Jian’s collar, and punched him in the abdomen.

"Are you even a man? Huh? Got no hands, no feet? Did you date just to scam women out of money?"

"I don’t care if you cheat others—but you dared to cheat my friend, and insult her like this. If I don’t beat you into a pancake today, I’m not Lu!"

He punched Wu Jian again in the stomach, breaking him completely and making him cry out for mercy.

Sun Yunzhao hurried forward to intervene. "Don’t… don’t, Lu Hao. It’s not his fault—his gang of bad friends led him astray."

"If you beat him too badly, it won’t be good for anyone."

Lu Hao had no time for her words, sending punch after punch into Wu Jian’s gut.

The arrogant will meet their match; evil is ground down by evil. Today, I am this man’s reckoning.

"Meeting me, you have nowhere left to run." Lu Hao sneered, landing another blow, making Wu Jian wail.

"What’s going on here? Who allowed you to fight in this hall?" At that moment, a commanding woman’s voice rang out across the hall.