Unconventional [Rebirth] - Chapter 23.2

Rong Jingtang and Sui Ming did not seem to be attending this underground Grand Meet for the first time. They were extremely familiar with the venue rules, and their attitude was calm, just as it was at the villa and the Rong estate.

Unlike them, Jiang Rui inevitably felt a sense of nervousness.

As the three of them entered, Jiang Rui felt countless gazes instantly converging in their direction.

He was an ordinary man; no one recognized him. But the person he was following was Rong Jingtang!

Setting aside everything else, Rong Jingtang’s excessively flamboyant face alone was enough to attract the attention of most men and women!

Rong Jingtang seemed taciturn and always had an unapproachable look about him, yet, unexpectedly, quite a few people knew him. Moreover, most of those who came up to greet him were foreigners. Seeing individuals whom he usually only saw in foreign news or newspapers approaching to greet Rong Jingtang, a bead of sweat formed on Jiang Rui’s forehead.

“Hi, my dear Rong, long time no see. You are still so astonishingly beautiful.” Along with a phrase in English, a hand suddenly reached out from behind, directly attempting to embrace Rong Jingtang’s waist.

Unfortunately, it did not even touch the corner of his clothes before it was seized by another fair, slender hand.

“Sir, please have some self-respect,” Jiang Rui said in fluent, standard English. At the same time, he smiled and released the tall, blonde foreigner, taking out a tissue to meticulously wipe his hand, as if he had touched something filthy.

The blonde man immediately retracted his hand, his handsome face contorted. He grinned in pain, “What strong hands! You little thing, you’re small but quite strong!”

Rong Jingtang turned around and looked at the blonde man for a long time, frowning and saying something in English that no one expected.

“Who are you?”

The latter looked incredulous upon hearing this!

“Rong! You don’t remember me? We clearly had a romantic encounter in New City, A-Country, last year! I fell in love with you at first sight because of it and pursued you… You should have had feelings for me then, too!” The blonde man accused him with near-tears in his eyes.

Jiang Rui felt a little uncomfortable hearing the beginning of that. Hearing the last sentence, he instantly understood: this foreign lunatic had likely just been discharged from the hospital and had forgotten to take his medication.

Rong Jingtang this time simply said the Chinese phrase “Utter nonsense,” and immediately took Jiang Rui away, not even sparing the man a glance.

“Mr. Bernano, what are you doing lingering here? The raw stones we just bought are about to be cut. Hurry and come with me,” another brown-haired Russian man called out to Bernano in Russian.

Bernano completely ignored his companion’s shouts. He did not understand Chinese and did not know what Rong Jingtang had just said, but he felt that the other person’s intention was definitely for him to follow!

Do not ask him why he knew; he just knew! His romantic experience and intuition told him that he must stick close to the beauty to prevent others from getting ahead!

Jiang Rui was afraid that the lunatic would follow them again, constantly urging Rong Jingtang to walk faster.

Rong Jingtang was unconcerned. He had a private area in the venue that no one could enter without his permission. They had already entered the exclusive zone.

Sui Ming on the side suddenly spoke up: “Young Master Jiang’s move just now was very fast and quite ruthless. I saw that foreigner keep his hand behind his back after taking it back; he clearly suffered a significant injury. Has Young Master Jiang had training in this area?”

Jiang Rui smiled at him and said gently, “I developed it while practicing Tai Chi with my maternal grandfather when I was a child. If you’re interested, Sui Ming, I can teach you.”

Sui Ming was choked by this statement. He was about to retort, but seeing the side-glance from his master, he dared not say more.

They arrived at the lounge area within the exclusive zone.

“It’s only twelve o’clock right now. The competition starts tonight. We’ll rest here first,” Rong Jingtang turned and asked Jiang Rui, “Do you want to eat something? The food here is quite clean.”

The corner of Jiang Rui’s mouth twitched. He shook his head, “If you are hungry, you should eat. I’m not hungry yet.” He had not reached the Core Formation stage, and eating too much mortal food would hinder his cultivation. Furthermore, while he had not completely achieved Bigu (abstention from grain) in the Foundation Establishment stage, he could still go half a month without eating.

Rong Jingtang frowned upon hearing this: “Uncle Cheng told me you eat very little.”

Fearing another round of the ‘Rong-style negotiation’ method, Jiang Rui quickly explained, “I naturally have a small stomach. Eating too much actually harms it.”

Rong Jingtang did not force him any further and had meals prepared for himself and Sui Ming.

Later, at nine o’clock in the evening, Jiang Rui and Sui Ming followed Rong Jingtang to the competition hall of the venue.

As soon as they entered, they heard people cheering: “Master Mu is indeed the man Mr. Xie brought. He won the bet again!”

Jiang Rui followed the sound and looked over. That was the No. 9 competition area.

The person competing with Rong Jingtang was in the No. 9 competition area.

Looking at this momentum, the opponent had considerable skill.

Jiang Rui unconsciously looked up at Rong Jingtang, but seeing the other’s expressionless face, he could only sigh internally and look away.

Just as the three of them were about to walk toward Area Nine, a familiar voice suddenly rang out behind them: “Rong! You’re here! I finally found you!”

Bernano ran over with a look of delight.

Sui Ming immediately stepped forward to block Rong Jingtang: “Sir, my Master does not like strangers to approach. Please maintain your distance.”

Bernano was accompanied by two people this time: the brown-haired Russian man and a young Chinese man.

The instant Sui Ming stepped forward, the young Chinese man also moved to shield Bernano.

Bernano asked the young man beside him what Sui Ming had said. After the young man translated it for him in English, Bernano quickly smiled ingratiatingly at Rong Jingtang and said, “I won’t come close. I just want to follow you.”

Rong Jingtang simply said to Jiang Rui, “Let’s go.”

Jiang Rui nodded and followed. Sui Ming walked at the rear, preventing Bernano from getting too close.

Bernano quietly asked the young man beside him, “Yue, do you recognize that little beauty next to Rong? He’s the one who grabbed my wrist just now.”

Yue Xun was stunned, somewhat disbelieving: “Mr. Bernano, are you sure the person who injured you was the young man next to him, and not the man who was just blocking Mr. Rong?”

Bernano felt he was being underestimated: “Even if I can’t easily distinguish the faces of ordinary East Asians, beauty knows no borders! How could I possibly mistake that little beauty!”

Yue Xun frowned for a moment upon hearing this, then shook his head: “No, I don’t recognize him.”

“Also, Mr. Bernano, your father instructed me to remind you that if you see Mr. Rong at this Grand Meet, you must stay far away from him.”

Bernano lowered his head, his tone quite mournful: “He doesn’t even remember me. If I stay further away, there will be even less chance for us…”

Yue Xun’s mouth twitched at this sight, thinking: It’s not possible even if you get close! But thinking of his duty, he had to dissuade him again: “Mr. Bernano, this is not New City. This is China. You should still stay away from Mr. Rong.”

Bernano did not speak, clearly not intending to follow Yue Xun’s advice.

The sound of their conversation was very low, but not a single word was missed by Jiang Rui’s ears.

New City… Bernano…

Jiang Rui’s entire body trembled. Bernano! The Bernano family, the mafia from New City, A-Country? He had not seen them with his own eyes, but that did not mean he had not heard of those internationally renowned mafia families.

“I think I heard that bodyguard call that blonde man ‘Mr. Bernano.’ Could he really be from the Bernano family in New City, A-Country?” Jiang Rui immediately asked.

Rong Jingtang said calmly, “I have met Old Victor, the current head of the Bernano family. That man resembles Old Victor somewhat.”

Jiang Rui was speechless.

He had initially thought Rong Jingtang might not know the person’s identity and wanted to remind him, but now it seemed he had been overthinking.

Rong Jingtang knew the man’s background and still dared to be so disdainful of him, clearly not taking him seriously.

Jiang Rui silently mourned the hopeless one-sided love of the young master of the Bernano family.