Ning Manfei then noticed that through the gap in the blinds, she could see a spacious office.
The dozen or so gossip magazine reporters she brought were all tied up with their hands behind their backs and hung from the ceiling like dried meat.
A group of men in black were beating them hard with sticks.
Screams and pleas for mercy echoed throughout the empty office, sounding particularly jarring.
"Ah! Stop hitting me! Have mercy! I'll never do it again..."
"Help! Someone's being killed! Help..."
Ning Manfei watched as many people were beaten until their heads bled and they fainted, their fates unknown.
She was instantly terrified, her face turning deathly pale.
"Stop! Ning Bing'an, are you crazy?! Tell them to stop! Killing someone is illegal!"
Ning Bing'an sighed softly: "Breaking the law? Second sister, you're too naive. In this world, many things are not as simple as they seem. In Hong Kong these days, to get ahead, you need both strength and cunning."
Ning Manfei trembled with fear. She had been pampered and spoiled since childhood, and had never seen such a scene before.
She couldn't utter a single word: "..."
Ning Bing'an released his grip on her hand, his tone still cold—
"Second sister, you have always been protected too well by the capable people in the family. You don't even know why the family has become the head of the four major families in Hong Kong in just twenty years."
"Do you really think that the chairman could have achieved his current status in the chaotic and bloody business world of Hong Kong and Macau by simply being a 'Justice of the Peace'? Did the elder brother and sister really achieve their current success by being honest people?"
Ning Manfei was somewhat dazed: "No, Daddy, Big Sister, Big Brother, and the others..."
She never inquired about the dirty dealings in the family business, so she had no idea that there was such a cruel side to it.
Ning Bing'an supported her arm and pulled her up, pointing out the window with a cold tone tinged with sarcasm: "Why don't you take another look?"
The office door opened, and Inspector Li from the Major Crimes Unit filed in with a group of officers.
Upon seeing the reporters hanging up and the men in black committing violence, the officers behind Inspector Lee instinctively raised their guns.
The atmosphere froze instantly, as if a fierce conflict was about to erupt at any moment.
Ning Manfei's heart jumped into her throat.
However, at this critical moment, Tony strolled in from outside and handed Inspector Lee a cigar with familiarity: "Inspector Lee, thank you for your help today."
Inspector Li glanced at him and suddenly signaled everyone to put their guns away.
He took the cigar, his tone as indifferent as if he were discussing the weather: "Just don't cause any deaths, these paparazzi are just annoying anyway."
Tony chuckled: "Inspector Lee is right. Why don't we go down to the lounge? They have a buffet lunch there, prepared by the chef from Treasure House."
Inspector Li raised an eyebrow, a smile playing on his lips: "Then my men and I are in for a treat."
He snapped his fingers and said to the officers behind him, "Fall back, time for lunch!"
The group of plainclothes Hong Kong police officers acted as if they hadn't seen anything, and happily followed Tony and Inspector Lee away.
The office was now empty except for the reporter who was half-dead from the beating and the men in black who remained nonchalant.
Ning Manfei stared blankly at the scene, as if she had been slapped hard in the face, completely stunned.
She had always lived in an ivory tower and had never encountered such a complex and cruel side.
Now, for the first time, she realized that she knew nothing about the real world.
Ning Bing'an looked at Ning Manfei's pale face and said calmly, "Do you understand now? Why are all the people you brought here betraying you?"
"Why...why are you telling me all this?" Ning Manfei's voice trembled.
She never imagined that the real workings of power were far more complex and brutal than she had ever thought.
Ning Bing'an's eyes were deep and unfathomable: "Because, Second Sister, you are too naive. You think you are helping me? You are just causing trouble for yourself, for me, and for the Ning family."
He paused, then gently and patiently wiped away her tears: "So, don't do such foolish things again."
Ning Manfei bit her lip, tears welling up in her eyes.
She couldn't understand why her once gentle and considerate younger brother had become so cold and ruthless.
"You...you've changed."
Ning Bing'an sighed softly: "I haven't changed. I was just asked by my family to let you see the real world."
He released Ning Manfei and ordered the people around him, "Throw those malicious paparazzi back to their newspaper and magazine offices!"
"Yes, Young Master An!" The two burly men in black nodded and turned to leave.
Ning Bing'an then looked at Ning Manfei and said calmly—
“The old man and my father are businessmen, not gangsters. They wouldn’t kill people casually. But if they wanted to, these people could disappear from the Hong Kong government and no one would pursue them.”
He lowered his eyes and sighed gently and helplessly, "My little sister has only been back for less than half a year, yet she has gained more of the old man and father's approval than you. Second sister, sometimes I don't know whether you are lucky or pathetic."
Ning Manfei stared blankly, then bit her lower lip, stubbornly remaining silent.
...
Ning Bing'an came out of that office, rubbed his temples, and felt a little tired.
The secretary immediately came forward and asked in a low voice, "Young Master An, where are we going now?"
"Go to Gui Lao Si's place," Ning Bing'an said calmly, walking towards the elevator.
The secretary immediately followed closely behind him and pressed the elevator button.
The elevator doors slowly opened, and Ning Bing'an looked up to see Ning Yuan and Aheng standing inside.
Ning Bing'an raised an eyebrow slightly and stepped inside.
The atmosphere in the cramped space became somewhat awkward for a moment.
"Brother Bing'an, is everything going smoothly?" Ning Yuan broke the silence first, her smile sweet, as if everything that had just happened in the office had nothing to do with her.
Ning Bing'an glanced at her calmly, his tone revealing neither joy nor anger: "That's a question I should be asking my little sister. Today, many wealthy families in Hong Kong will probably have to re-evaluate the methods of the seventh young lady of the Ning family."
Ning Yuan smiled, her eyes crinkling: "Not at all, I just love what I do and want to contribute my modest efforts to the Hong Kong government's march toward a new era."
Ning Bing'an was speechless for a moment, unsure how to respond to this strange-sounding "official statement".
Ning Yuan then turned to Ning Bing'an and said with a half-smile, "Brother Bing'an did a perfect job teaching Second Sister how to be a good person today. As her younger sister, I am very satisfied. Thank you for your hard work, Brother Bing'an."
Ning Bing'an almost laughed out of anger. Yes, it would be strange if she was not satisfied. Wasn't she the one who threatened him to keep his second sister in check?
He slightly curled the corners of his lips: "My little sister actually grew up safely without being beaten to death. I wonder which deity was so powerful."
Ning Yuan blinked and said very seriously, "It's probably because we workers have power! There has never been a savior, nor do we rely on gods or emperors! To create human happiness, we must rely entirely on ourselves... Let our thoughts break free from their cages!"
Ning Bing'an: "..."
Don't think that just because he grew up in a capitalist world, he doesn't know that this piece of char siu is reciting the lyrics of "The Internationale"!
This song was composed during the Paris Commune movement in France!
Secretary & Ah Heng: "Ah... Pfft!"
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