chapter 23 Former friends ===

Thorpe Chen, in his previous life, spent more than half his time around Enid Li. He didn't have many close friends, even fewer of the opposite sex. Lorraine Ning was one. After he was framed and imprisoned, she was always looking for evidence to exonerate him. Sadly, in the end, she couldn't clear Thorpe Chen of suspicion. Yet he would never forget her kindness. "Ning, Ning..." For a moment, Thorpe Chen didn't know what to do. He had a lot to say but didn't know how to approach her. After all, he was no longer the Thorpe Chen from before. She stopped in front of a bar, hesitated for a moment, and then entered. Thorpe Chen quickly followed her in. "A cocktail, please." Lorraine Ning sat at the bar and ordered from the bartender. The bartender nodded, put on gloves, and skillfully began mixing her drink. Lorraine Ning seemed preoccupied, quickly finishing her cocktail and ordering another. Thorpe Chen sat behind her, feeling a mix of emotions. At that moment, a young man approached her, grinned, and said, "Beautiful lady, are you alone? Let me buy you a drink." "No thanks." Lorraine Ning didn't even look at him. Such advances were all too common. "Don't be so distant. Let's get to know each other. My name is Heidern Zhang." Casually, he flashed an expensive watch, "How about this watch in exchange for a night with you?" "Get lost," Lorraine Ning responded tersely. "You ignorant woman. Every woman I've wanted, I've had. Who do you think you are, acting so high and mighty in a place like this? Name your price, and I'll take you for a month,". Lorraine Ning stayed silent, grabbing her drink and splashing it in Heidern Zhang's face before turning to leave. "You're asking for it!" Enraged, Zhang grabbed Lorraine Ning's wrist and raised his hand to slap her. Suddenly, a hand caught Zhang's wrist, and a deep voice intervened, "Let's talk. No need for violence." "Who the hell are you?" Zhang turned to find Thorpe Chen. "I'm Thorpe Chen," he replied calmly. "Thorpe Chen?" Lorraine Ning, who seemed slightly inebriated, looked up sharply. Their eyes met, and she felt a familiar twinge in her heart. The man before her shared a surname with her deceased friend, but they were definitely not the same person. Yet his eyes were unmistakably familiar. "Looking for trouble?" Zhang sneered, grabbing a bottle to smash on Thorpe Chen's head. But before he could, Chen snatched it away, using it to hit Zhang instead. With the sound of breaking glass, Zhang cried out in pain. "You dare to hit me? Do you know who my uncle is?" Zhang held his head in disbelief. "I don't know, nor do I care," Chen replied indifferently, "Even if your uncle was here, I'd do the same." "Alright, young man, you'll pay for this," Zhang said, getting up to leave. "Thank you," Lorraine Ning stared at Thorpe Chen, sensing a familiar aura about him reminiscent of her late friend. "You should go. He'll be back with more people soon." "Are you not leaving?" "If I leave, he'll come after you. I need to handle this," Thorpe Chen said with a smile. "If you stay, so will I," Ning declared, taking a seat. "You're affecting my actions here," Thorpe Chen said half-jokingly. Despite the years apart, she was still the same. "Who was fighting here?" At that moment, a group entered the bar, led by someone familiar. It was Kendrew Chen, the cousin of Thorpe's current incarnation. "Thorpe Chen, was that you?" Kendrew asked, slightly startled, "Were you fighting?" "Yes, that was me," Thorpe Chen nodded, "Cousin, you work here?" "I'm in charge of this place," Kendrew Chen said with a hint of pride, "It's been years since you visited your dad." "How is he?" Thorpe Chen's expression became complicated. He had been estranged from his father for nearly a decade. Only he knew how much he missed him. To others, after squandering his father's wealth post-graduation, he had cut ties with him. This cousin, from his father's elder brother's family, always enjoyed ridiculing Thorpe Chen's family. "Heh, you didn't piss me off to death, Thorpe Chen. Those who come here to spend are not ordinary people. You've gotten yourself into big trouble this time." Kendrew Chen sneered. "Oh, really? How much trouble?" Thorpe Chen laughed. "But considering you're my cousin, I'll solve this trouble for you." Kendrew Chen said, acting like he was doing Thorpe a big favour. He then turned and asked, "Who was involved in the fight?" "Mr. Chen, the one who got beaten up was hit by a bottle by your cousin." The bartender whispered. "Who got beaten up?" Kendrew Chen asked. "It's Zhang... Young Master Zhang." The bartender looked a bit uneasy. "Which damn Young Master Zhang?" Kendrew Chen asked impatiently. "Young Master Heidern Zhang." The bartender's voice trembled. "What did you say?" Kendrew Chen's previously arrogant face turned pale instantly. "Heidern Zhang?" "Yes." "Thorpe Chen, you're dead! You're in huge trouble now. I can't save you this time, so you better pray." Kendrew Chen almost roared. "I never expected you to save me in the first place." Thorpe Chen glanced at Kendrew Chen. "Fine, act all mighty now. Soon, you won't even be able to cry. You idiot, do you even know who Young Master Zhang is?" Kendrew Chen yelled. "No I don’t, who is he?" Thorpe Chen asked. "His uncle is the big boss of Fengling. If he wants you dead, it'll happen in minutes. If you want to die, that's fine, but don't drag me down with you!" Kendrew Chen looked devastated. Heidern Zhang was one of the three notorious young masters in Fengling, often seen in various nightclubs. His family's bar used to be small, but who knew that such a notorious figure would come here? If things were unresolved tonight, Kendrew Chen would also be in trouble. "Bind this kid up and hand him over to Young Master Zhang when he comes." Kendrew Chen ordered angrily. "Yes, Mr. Chen." A few nightclub security guards stepped forward to apprehend Thorpe Chen. "I'm a lawyer. Whoever touches him, I'll make sure you rot in jail." Lorraine Ning warned sharply. "To hell with lawyers. Get him!" Kendrew Chen cursed, and several security guards lunged at Thorpe Chen. Thorpe Chen suddenly stepped forward and delivered a powerful kick to one of the guards. The guard was sent flying, knocking down two others behind him. A commotion ensued with tables and chairs being knocked over in the bar. "Thorpe Chen, you..." Kendrew Chen was furious. Smack! Thorpe Chen responded with a resounding slap. "You dare hit me?" Kendrew Chen was livid. He had always looked down on Thorpe Chen, but he didn't expect Thorpe to hit him. As he lunged at Thorpe, Thorpe effortlessly kicked him away. Kendrew Chen crashed to the ground, stars spinning before his eyes, unable to get up. "Kendrew Chen, being a lapdog is one thing, but don't be so disgustingly obsequious." Thorpe Chen frowned. He knew the kind of person his cousin was—always a sycophant around the rich, and nothing had changed over the years. "Thorpe Chen, you just wait. Young Master Zhang won't let you off." Kendrew Chen spat blood. "I'm waiting for him." Thorpe Chen smiled. Suddenly, a large group stormed into the bar, overturning tables and chairs. The bar's music stopped, and the lights brightened. With his head wrapped in a bandage, Heidern Zhang stormed in, declaring, "The bar is closed for tonight. Everyone not involved, get out." Seeing the impending conflict, patrons silently left, as bar brawls were all too common. "Young Master Zhang, I wanted to capture him and hand him over to you, but this kid is too good at fighting," Kendrew Chen painfully said as he approached Heidern Zhang. "Kid, you've got guts for not running after hitting me." Heidern Zhang didn't even glance at Kendrew Chen. He glared at Thorpe Chen and ordered, "Josh, kill him. I'll handle the consequences." "Don't worry, Young Master Zhang. I'll cripple him today." A burly man sneered and pointed at Thorpe Chen, "Kill him!" As he spoke, several bodyguards drew machetes from their waists and charged at Thorpe Chen. Thorpe Chen dodged nimbly, grabbing the machete from the closest man and smacking him with the flat of the blade. The man screamed as he fell, his face badly bruised. Four more machetes swung towards Thorpe, but with a flick of his wrist, Thorpe's machete collided with theirs. Ting, ting, ting! All four machetes were sliced in half.