Chapter 120: The Modest Mr. Lin

Ding Jun’s jaw twitched uncontrollably. Though he could hold his liquor well, downing a whole bottle of spirits in a single gulp was no easy feat even for him.

Only now did Ding Jun realize he had been careless. He had underestimated that young man, never expecting him to be someone who hid his true abilities so deeply. But at this point, Ding Jun had no choice but to press on; there was no retreat. If he backed down now, he’d lose all face among his peers.

“Fine, I’ll drink,” he said.

With a grimace, Ding Jun raised the bottle and drained it in one go. Several times during the ordeal, he almost couldn’t hold back, feeling as though he’d swallowed a lump of burning coal. But for the sake of his pride, he forced himself to finish.

With a thud, Ding Jun slammed the empty bottle onto the table. His head was spinning, and his stomach churned violently.

“You’re amazing, Jun!” Zhang Yang cheered from the side.

The other young men joined in, praising him.

“Well, am I not a real man?” Ding Jun’s speech was already slurred.

“A true man! You’re the real deal, Jun!” Lin Le complimented.

Ding Jun grinned with satisfaction.

But before Ding Jun could bask in his triumph, Lin Le continued, “As the saying goes, one leg can’t walk the road—good things come in pairs. I’ll toast you once more, Jun. I’ll drink first to show my respect.”

With that, Lin Le produced another bottle, and, without waiting for anyone, gulped it down in one swift motion.

Everyone gasped in awe.

Zhang Yang had originally planned to lead a group challenge against Lin Le after Ding Jun’s turn, hoping to finally knock him out. But upon witnessing Lin Le’s prowess, the plan evaporated.

“I… I’ll join you!” Ding Jun, though already overwhelmed, refused to lose face in front of everyone. Gritting his teeth, he forced down another bottle.

“Jun, you truly have a heroic capacity!” Lin Le flattered.

“I admire men like you, Jun—so bold and straightforward. We hit it off right away! In ancient times, there was Wu Song, who never stopped at three cups; and the oath in Peach Garden among brothers. This third cup is for you, Jun, a true hero. I’ll drink first to honor you.”

Back in Haizhou, Young Master Lin had seen his share of wild parties. If you want to play tricks with me on the drinking table, you’re still too green.

Without hesitation, Lin Le downed yet another bottle.

This time, everyone was stunned. If one bottle could be considered impressive, to drink three in succession and remain unfazed was simply superhuman.

It was clear that Lin Le was determined to have a drinking contest with Ding Jun.

Ni Fang and the others, always eager for excitement, watched Ding Jun with heightened interest.

“I…” Ding Jun, who had been so cocky before, finally reached his limit.

“I need to step outside…” He didn’t finish his sentence before bolting out of the private room.

Immediately, the sound of violent vomiting echoed from outside, like a torrential rain.

The messy noise reached the others inside, and their faces showed nothing but disdain.

Zhang Yang’s expression grew grim. He had hoped Ding Jun would help him regain his standing, humiliating Lin Le in front of everyone. Yet things had turned out quite the opposite.

Disappointment washed over Zhang Yang.

“Anyone else want to toast me?” Lin Le picked up a bottle and smiled at the remaining young men.

Terrified, they all waved their hands, smiling wryly.

Toast him? What a joke! Drinking with him was like drinking water—who would dare try?

“Brother Zhang?” Lin Le looked at Zhang Yang, raising the bottle in invitation.

“I… I’m not really a drinker. Maybe I’ll pass… haha…” Zhang Yang replied awkwardly.

Everyone secretly scoffed. Who didn’t know that Zhang Yang always claimed to be a heavy drinker? But now, clearly, Lin Le’s display had frightened him.

“Husband, you’re amazing!” Ji Xiaorui cheered, delighted that Lin Le had won the drinking game.

“Brother-in-law, you’re my idol!” Ji Xiaohai’s eyes sparkled with excitement. At his age, boys idolized men like Lin Le, brimming with masculine charm.

Even Ni Fang and her friends, who moments before had found Lin Le shabby and unimpressive, now felt a certain attraction to him. There was a unique allure about him, changing the way they looked at him.

They began to understand why Ji Xiaorui had chosen such a man. Some men didn’t need flashy trappings—mere masculinity could conquer many hearts.

At that moment, Zhang Yang heard Ji Xiaorui call Lin Le her husband, saw the girls warm to him, and felt a surge of envy and resentment.

Zhang Yang thought all the treatment Lin Le was receiving should belong to him—having Ji Xiaorui call him husband, obey him, letting Ni Fang and the girls admire him and feel attracted to him. These were Zhang Yang’s lifelong dreams, yet Lin Le, a country bumpkin who had only just joined their circle, had easily attained them! How could Zhang Yang not hate him? He clenched his teeth in frustration.

Now, instead of being the center of attention, Zhang Yang was almost invisible, with everyone’s focus on Ji Xiaorui and Lin Le.

“Right, Xiaorui, I heard there’s some legend from Haidong recently. Have you heard about it?” a girl named Lingling suddenly said.

“Legend? What legend?” Ji Xiaorui asked, curious.

“The new underground boss of Haidong. Haven’t you heard?” Lingling replied, surprised.

“Lingling, you must be talking about that Mr. Lin, right?” Ni Fang, the leader of the girls, chimed in.

“Yes, that’s the name!” Lingling’s relative was in the grey business in Haidong and knew the local affairs well.

“Sister Fang, who is this Mr. Lin? What’s so special about him?” The other girls grew interested.

“I heard that recently, outsiders tried to take over Haidong, nearly swallowing up the entire underground there. But then, the local bosses somehow invited Mr. Lin to oversee things. Ten days ago, Mr. Lin single-handedly drove those outsiders out of Haizhou in just one night. It’s become a legend both underground and above,” Ni Fang said, sounding fully informed.

“One man drove out a whole gang that Haidong couldn’t handle? That’s incredible!” The girls, like Ji Xiaorui, were in their adolescence and yearned for men bursting with testosterone.

Lin Le listened to their conversation with a wry smile.

He realized they were talking about him.

What surprised him most was that his simple act of helping out in a fight had somehow turned him into the underground boss of Haidong.

Even more unexpected was how news from Haidong had spread so far, reaching even the capital.

Thinking it over, it made sense. Haizhou, known as the Magic City, was the financial heart of China, closely connected to the capital. Many businesses operated between these two cities, so news traveling this far wasn’t odd.

“Haidong’s underground boss? Mr. Lin?” Ji Xiaorui, still a student, hadn’t heard the news yet.

But her reaction was swift.

Linking Lin Le’s surname and his connection with the Tianxiong Gang, she was instantly startled.

“Master, could they be talking about you?” Ji Xiaorui whispered, so only they could hear.

“What do you think?” Lin Le replied lightly, neither confirming nor denying.

Ji Xiaorui studied him closely, feeling uncertain. She knew her master’s strength, but the idea of him single-handedly defeating a gang that Haidong’s entire underground couldn’t handle seemed almost unbelievable—even she had trouble accepting it.

“Keep it low-key,” Lin Le said, using his mind to send the words to Ji Xiaorui, though his tone was anything but discreet.