Chapter 45: No Entry

If only I had the chance to go inside and take a look... With this thought flashing through his mind, Yang Rui felt a sudden urge. He parted the crowd and walked straight behind the dazzling pair of a man and a woman, heading toward the entrance.

Unfortunately, Yang Rui's wishful thinking fell flat. The moment he reached the door, he was blocked by two security guards in crisp uniforms.

Yang Rui paused slightly and cast an inquiring look.

"Pardon me, sir!" One of the guards gave a slight bow, his tone neither humble nor arrogant. "Today is our grand opening celebration, and we are only admitting specially invited VIPs. Your attire... does not meet the establishment's dress code." His gaze swept over Yang Rui's washed-out jacket.

A surge of anger flared up in Yang Rui's chest, but he had a peculiar trait: the more irritated he felt, the brighter his smile became.

"Oh?" Yang Rui grinned, making a great show of looking down at himself. His clothes were a bit old, but they were neat and clean—hardly deserving of being called "improper." "Would you mind enlightening me as to the exact standards of your esteemed venue's 'dress code'?"

Although Yang Rui and the guards were not speaking loudly, they had already drawn the attention of the crowd outside. The man and woman who had just stepped out of the car also halted, turning around to look.

The two guards were momentarily taken aback. To be fair, aside from being rather plain, there was nothing actually wrong with Yang Rui's attire. After all, he ran his own small business every day and had to maintain a presentable appearance. At one meter seventy-eight, he actually looked quite dashing. Yet, on such a high-end occasion today, his presence would stick out like a sore thumb.

"I'm sorry, this is an exclusive private venue. Please show some self-respect," the other guard reacted quickly and added, a trace of subtle contempt lingering in his voice.

"Are you open for business today or not?" Yang Rui asked lazily.

"It's our grand opening, so of course we are welcoming guests!" the first guard replied coldly.

"Well, that's strange!" Yang Rui decided to adopt a devil-may-care attitude, raising his voice. "Customers are guests no matter who they are! What's this? Do you think I can't afford to pay?"

Inside, some of the guests began to glance over in this direction. A middle-aged man in his forties, who looked like a manager, walked over, nodding respectfully as he passed the glamorous man and woman.

While muttering curses under his breath, Yang Rui nonchalantly scanned the interior. He couldn't help muttering inwardly: This place is so massive, yet the first floor is completely empty while the second floor looks like an office area—what a bloody waste of prime real estate!

"Please watch your language! Show some class! This is an elegant establishment!" the guard "reminded" him again, his tone growing heavier.

Yang Rui raised an eyebrow. Well! It had been years since anyone had thrown the word "class" at him, and it sounded damn grating to his ears!

"What's going on here?" The middle-aged manager walked up. Though his question was directed at the guards, his sharp gaze locked directly onto Yang Rui.

"Here's the thing, Manager..."

"It's simple!" Yang Rui interrupted the guard right away. "Your Puming Pavilion is opening, and I just came to join in the festive atmosphere and show some support—nothing more. But these two here insisted my 'attire was improper' and wouldn't let me in! I just want to know, do you guys really have a rule like that?" He spread his hands with an innocent expression.

The middle-aged manager nodded, his gaze sweeping across the two guards' faces before returning to Yang Rui with a scrutinizing look. "This little brother looks quite unfamiliar. I wonder... which territory do you usually work in, and what's your line of business?" His phrasing carried a distinct cadence and a very specific undertone, faintly reminiscent of underworld jargon used to test a newcomer's background.

Yang Rui was slightly startled. It wasn't that he was stumped by the question, but rather that he found the archaic slang utterly ridiculous. *Hah, is he trying to interrogate me like some old-school mobster? What a joke! What era is this, and he's still using underworld secret codes? Does he really think a society governed by rule of law is just for show?* he muttered internally.

However, Yang Rui was sharp enough to realize that the middle-aged man before him was no pushover. He immediately plastered an entirely harmless smile across his face. "You misunderstood, big brother! I just thought it looked interesting and wanted to go inside to broaden my horizons, nothing else!" Yang Rui was well-versed in the survival philosophy that "a great man can bend and stretch." Having scraped by in the textile city for all these years, if he lacked any other skill, his ability to read the room had certainly been honed. Seeing that this man was someone to be avoided, he backed down immediately, softening his tone. After all, he still had to make a living in this town, and some people could crush him as easily as stepping on an ant.

The middle-aged man didn't seem entirely convinced, a playful smirk curving the corner of his mouth. "I am Qin Tiger. Thanks to the flattering regard of my friends in the underworld, people call me 'Tiger'. If the little brother truly wants to go inside and have a look, we naturally welcome you. However..." His voice trailed off meaningfully, his gaze lingering on Yang Rui with hidden intent.

"What?!" Yang Rui's eyes widened instantly. "You... you are Tiger-哥?"

"Indeed," Qin Tiger nodded slightly.

*Oh crap! I didn't check the almanac before going out today; I walked right into the muzzle of a gun!* Yang Rui wailed inwardly. Who in the circles around Keqiao didn't know the reputation of Qin Tiger? He was a heavyweight figure in the underground order! He wasn't afraid of going hungry for a few months, but if he offended these local thugs, he'd really have to pack his bags and get lost. What shocked him even more was that someone of Qin Tiger's status was actually standing guard here in person—just how immense must the influence of the mysterious owner behind Puming Pavilion be?

"Ah! So it's you, Elder Tiger!" Yang Rui's expression shifted in a split second, transforming into a deeply ingratiating smile. "Your junior has heard of your great name for a long time—it's like thunder roaring in my ears! Today I finally get to meet the living Buddha in person! What a tremendous honor, what a pleasure!" He bobbed and bowed, putting himself in an extremely humble posture.

Qin Tiger was somewhat puzzled himself. He had taken personal command today due to some special circumstances and had even leaked word in advance. He had expected troublemakers from a rival faction, not some clueless, reckless punk. It was a false alarm, leaving him both exasperated and amused. With an impatient wave of his hand, as if shooing away a fly, he turned and walked further inside.

Yang Rui stood awkwardly in place, caught in a dilemma between advancing and retreating. Going inside meant risking bad luck, but leaving would leave an unbearable itch of unfulfilled curiosity.

Qin Tiger walked over to the dazzling man and woman, replacing his expression with a polished, courteous smile. "Mr. Ma, it's nothing. Just some punk who doesn't know the rules; I've already sent him away."

The young man addressed as "Mr. Ma" nodded in appreciation. "Thank you for the trouble, Mr. Qin." His gaze drifted casually toward the entrance, and seeing Yang Rui still lingering there and craning his neck, his brow furrowed imperceptibly, clearly displeased.

Qin Tiger noticed as well. Glancing back, a fresh wave of irritation flared up in him. Just as he was about to blow his top, the young woman beside him spoke up softly, her tone laced with a touch of petulance: "Ma Yunfei, let's hurry inside! Where on earth is my mommy?" She muttered under her breath, "Honestly! Mommy came back to the country and didn't even tell me!"

The girl's mumbled complaint acted almost like magic, instantly smoothing out the creases between Ma Yunfei's brows. He immediately adopted a doting tone. "My dear young lady, how many times do I have to tell you? Auntie came back this time for two reasons: first, to give you a surprise, and second, to celebrate the opening of my Puming Pavilion! What did I instruct you before we came? To play dumb! If you give the game away now and Auntie finds out I spilled the beans, she'll skin me alive!" He shook his head helplessly and joked, "I really find it baffling. How is it that the formidable business titan, Ms. Tang Meng, can't keep her composure at all today?"