No one knew what others would think of such bold words, but Lu Jingyang found them quite repulsive.
Yes, he had no great ambitions in this life; he just wanted to be a salted fish. But that didn't mean he lacked the ability to discern right from wrong. He truly considered these people his brothers, otherwise, he wouldn't have treated them to meals, drinks, and outings for years on end.
But did they consider him a brother?
No!
They only saw him as a walking ATM.
Lu Yanbei was right: drinking buddies were ultimately sustained by money. Without financial support, so-called friendships were fragile.
Li Chao's voice was loud, echoing throughout the entire bar lobby, drawing countless glances.
"Boss!" The band members actually looked down on Li Chao and his group. Not only did they never pay, but they were also constantly finding fault. Relying on being the boss's friend, they bossed them around as if the bar was their own.
Now, they were even bullying the new lead singer, which was utterly shameless!
She was a young girl still in school, working at the bar to earn her tuition. Who did she offend to be humiliated like this? This was a bar, not some illicit establishment; it was too much!
Lu Jingyang calmly looked at the broken glass shards on the floor and stumbled over. "What happened?"
"Young Master Lu is here just in time! I was just disciplining your staff for you!" Upon seeing Lu Jingyang, Li Chao not only failed to recognize his mistake but brazenly claimed it was for Lu Jingyang's own good. Lu Jingyang couldn't help but laugh out loud.
How much of a scoundrel was he to consider these people friends!
"Hahaha..." Lu Jingyang laughed until he was bent over, almost unable to stop. "You're smashing my things, scaring away my customers, bullying my staff, and all this is for me?"
Li Chao and his group seemed stunned by Lu Jingyang's attitude and had no idea what he meant.
"Did you have enough smashing?" Lu Jingyang stepped forward, pulled the female singer up, and pushed her behind him. "If you're not satisfied, I'll have them bring out a few more cases of drinks for you to smash to your heart's content!"
The others, apart from Li Chao, immediately understood.
Lu Jingyang was angry!
"It's a misunderstanding, it was just a misunderstanding..."
"Li Chao drank too much and was just joking with the little sister."
"Yeah, we didn't intend to do anything to her, we just wanted to invite her for a drink..."
Among this group of hangers-on, Li Chao had the highest status and was inseparable from Lu Jingyang. Lu Jingyang might indulge Li Chao's actions, but their words might not pass so easily.
Therefore, one clever individual shifted all the blame onto Li Chao, attempting to appease Lu Jingyang's anger.
In the past, no matter how outrageous Li Chao's behavior was, Lu Jingyang had always accepted it without a word of complaint. But today, they clearly felt something was different about Lu Jingyang.
Lu Jingyang swept a faint glance over them and walked directly to Li Chao. "Did you ever consider me a brother?"
The smug look on Li Chao's face visibly froze. "Of course! I've always considered you my best brother!"
"Best brother..." Lu Jingyang slowly savored the words. "Yes, a good brother!"
He patted the other man's shoulder, his expression gradually darkening. "To be this good a brother, it's indeed quite difficult..."
Before Li Chao could speak, Lu Jingyang said to the manager behind him, "Tally up the drinks, the damaged tables and chairs. Oh, and the outstanding bills. I believe this good brother of yours will surely look out for his brother and compensate me for my losses, right?"
Li Chao hadn't expected Lu Jingyang to suddenly turn on him, and his face instantly became unsightly. "It's just a few smashed bottles of wine, do you have to be like this? Does our years of brotherhood mean less than a few bottles of wine?"
"Or have you never considered me a brother!" Li Chao, in his anger and embarrassment, didn't show any shame but rather shifted the blame.
"Haven't considered you a brother?" Lu Jingyang chuckled. "Should I remind you? How many times have I paid your bills over the years, how much have I given you?"
"Ah Bin, when you were in trouble, who paid to solve it for you?"
"Ah Hong, when your relatives kicked you out, who took you in?"
"And Ah Xing, you said you liked my Harley, didn't I give it to you without a second thought?"
The individuals named avoided his gaze and looked away.
With no one else to speak for him, Li Chao was suddenly isolated and helpless.
At this moment, Lu Jingyang turned around again, looking at Li Chao, whose face was flushed red.
This was the man he had always called 'brother'.
"And you, Li Chao! I've always confided in you. You know everything about my thoughts and feelings. Yes, you've given me some advice, but when have I ever not rewarded you?"
"The Land Rover you drove, the woman you fancied, even the usurious loans you incurred, I helped you with them all!"
"I don't owe you anything!" Lu Jingyang, for once, stood his ground, voicing everything that had been bottled up in his heart. "I can overlook past incidents. But you've taken advantage and now you're bossing my people around on my turf, smashing up my place. Isn't that going too far?"
"Young Master Lu, please calm down!"
"We're all brothers, let's smooth things over!"
"Brothers?" Lu Jingyang, fueled by alcohol, decided to lay it all bare. "I dare not be his brother! With him around, wouldn't I go bankrupt?"
Li Chao, being reprimanded by him in front of everyone, lost all face and angrily said, "That was all voluntarily offered by you! Do I lack those few bucks?"
"It's just a few bottles of wine? How much are they worth? I'll pay you!"
"Is fifty thousand enough?"
Li Chao said, pulling a card from his pocket and throwing it in front of Lu Jingyang.
Lu Jingyang sneered. "If I recall correctly, this card was given to you by me, wasn't it? Are you sure there's still money in it?"
Everyone present heard this and showed expressions of disbelief.
"My God, this man is too shameless! Showing off money given by others, isn't he afraid of divine retribution?"
"He looks like a scoundrel, a street hoodlum!"
"To be friends with someone like him is truly a lifetime of bad luck!"
Listening to the surrounding whispers, Li Chao's face could no longer bear the shame, and he said indignantly, "Lu Jingyang, you really want to tear my face off in front of everyone? Aren't you afraid I'll reveal your dirty secrets?"
"What dirty secrets could I have?" Lu Jingyang raised his chin disdainfully.
He was just an idle freeloader, lacking ambition and skill, but he hadn't done anything that weighed on his conscience. The only mistake he'd made was being instigated by Song Yan to plot against Su He. But that attempt wasn't successful, was it?
Seeing his arrogant gaze, Li Chao couldn't help but sneer, "Everyone! Do you know the cost price of the drinks you're consuming, and how much they're sold to you for? The profit margins in this are beyond your imagination!"