The Abused Villain is Always Obsessed with Me - Chapter 10

After passing through two consecutive traffic lights, the surroundings gradually quieted down.

Most of the roadside shops were closed, with only a few still lit up. Even those that remained open showed their owners lazily fanning themselves behind the counter, clearly ready to close for the night.

Lu Cang walked home with his backpack slung over his shoulder.

This was the usual time for high school students to finish their evening self-study sessions. Unlike his classmates who rode their bikes home, Lu Cang’s walk took longer, and he usually didn’t get home until after ten o’clock.

The number of pedestrians dwindled as he ventured deeper into the residential area, which grew increasingly secluded. Even cars rarely passed through these quiet streets.

The dilapidated old neighborhood was mostly inhabited by elderly residents, who had already turned off their lights and gone to bed. Only a few apartments on the lower floors still had lights on, and the streets below were eerily silent, save for the occasional raspy, drawn-out meows of cats echoing from the bushes, sending a chill through the pitch-black night.

As Lu Cang reached the entrance of his building, he suddenly stopped.

He turned to look behind him, where two figures stood in the shadows cast by the trees. Seeing him notice them, the pair immediately began walking toward him.

Lu Cang took a step back, his face expressionless, but his lips pressed into a tight line. His eyes darted between the two figures as he instinctively gripped the strap of his backpack, clenching it tightly.

“Is that him?”

Two men approached Lu Cang. One of them sized him up with a glance, then tilted his head and asked the other.

The man in the hat pulled out his phone, swiped a few times, and held it up a few centimeters from Lu Cang’s face to compare. He nodded decisively. “That’s him.”

Both men appeared to be around thirty, in their prime, tall and muscular. The short sleeves revealed physiques honed by years of training. Even the strongest boy in Lu Cang’s class wouldn’t stand a chance against them, let alone someone of Lu Cang’s build.

“What do you want?” Lu Cang asked, his voice deep and steady, though a faint tremor betrayed his unease. He managed to mask it well.

At his words, the two men exchanged a disdainful smirk. The man in the hat stepped forward, and Lu Cang instinctively retreated a step. The man held up his phone screen to Lu Cang’s face.

“We should be asking you: what’s your dad going to do about the money he owes us?”

Lu Cang flinched, his gaze fixed on the glowing screen before him.

The photo showed a man holding up a handwritten IOU with one hand, his expression impatient as he glared at the camera. His lips were twisted into a resentful sneer, distorting his once-handsome features.

The IOU, written in black ink on white paper, clearly bore his name:

Feng Hechi.

The moment Lu Cang recognized the name, his pupils constricted sharply, and his already unhealthy pallor turned ashen as paper.

The timestamp on the photo indicated it had been taken a year ago, when he was just starting junior high and his mother had recently passed away.

How dare he? What right does he have?

One of the men spoke again, his tone laced with resentment. “Honestly, if your dad hadn’t bolted so fast, we wouldn’t have had to come bother a little kid with this. It’s beneath us.”

Lu Cang froze.

Bolted? Did Feng Hechi deliberately avoid this situation and leave him to face it alone?

“Hey, did your dad ever mention owing money to anyone?”

The hooded man frowned, likely noticing Lu Cang’s stunned expression.

Lu Cang paused, then slowly, almost imperceptibly, shook his head.

“Tsk, probably just trying to stall. Maybe he figures the longer he hides, the better. But if he can’t pay this debt, you’ll be the one stuck with it in the end.”

The man’s words rang in Lu Cang’s ears, sending a shudder through his entire body.

Were all those actions Feng Hechi had taken—those changes he’d thought were signs of a guilty conscience—just motivated by fear?

Did he save me from the icy river only to secure his own escape route?

At his core, at his very essence, Feng Hechi remained unchanged—still the same selfish, utterly worthless man.

Lu Cang’s hands trembled uncontrollably, every cell in his body convulsing with rage and terror. His teeth clenched so hard they chattered, yet his eyes remained fixed on the face in the photograph.

The hatred overflowing from his eyes seemed thick enough to pierce the screen, stab into the man’s carotid artery, and spill out viscous, dark red bl00d.

I hate him so much.

I hate Feng Hechi so much.

I hate this man who shattered my family beyond repair.

Seeing the boy’s reaction, the two men exchanged a glance, a flicker of suspicion crossing their faces. But they didn’t press the matter, merely shook the phone threateningly at him.

“Go back and tell your dad the deadline for the debt is next week. If he still can’t pay by then…”

His voice dropped to a low growl, leaving the threat unfinished, but its meaning was clear to anyone. In this gray area of debt collection, where they constantly skirt the edge of the law, Lu Cang had no doubt they would resort to extreme measures.

As the two men’s figures receded into the distance, Lu Cang remained frozen in place, rooted to the spot.

It wasn’t until a piercing cat’s wail tore through the night air that Lu Cang snapped back to reality. The metallic tang of bl00d in his mouth made him realize he had bitten through his cheek.

“Feng Hechi…”

He spat the name out in a low, venomous whisper, as if uttering it could shatter the man’s bones, drain his bl00d, and flay his skin.

Feng Hechi stood before the Hua Palace Club, his gaze sweeping over the scene before him.

Marble walls framed a heavy, dark wooden door. The plaque above, its patterns understated, simply bore the words “Hua Palace” in elegant script. A single waiter in a black suit leaned lazily against the wall, an earpiece dangling from his ear as his eyes drifted casually toward the street, radiating an air of neglect.

The place looked remarkably unassuming.

Feng Hechi stepped onto the stairs and paused a few feet from the door.

As expected.

His gaze swept over the door. At first glance, it seemed unremarkable, its color even bordering on cheap. But those with a discerning eye would immediately recognize the use of zitan wood, a material whose cost for a door of this size would be considerable.

The white portions of the plaque were carved from jade, and due to its high placement and the lighting, casual observers would likely miss this detail. The characters “Hua Palace” were clearly sculpted from pure gold.

The waiter by the wall appeared nonchalant, but the moment Feng Hechi approached, his eyes darted up and down, assessing him in an instant. The muscular contours of his arms, crossed over his chest, stretched the fabric of his suit taut. Feng Hechi surmised he was more likely a security guard or enforcer than a mere waiter.

This place reeked of shady dealings, yet Feng Hechi of this world had dared to come here, repeatedly racking up debts through gambling. “Stupid” hardly began to describe it.

Feng Hechi’s phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, a rare flicker of annoyance crossing his features. He’d thought he was just completing a cultivation task, but now he had this massive mess to clean up. It was truly infuriating.

He took a few more steps forward. Seeing his intent to enter, a suit-clad waiter approached and pulled open the door, a practiced smile plastered on his face. “Do you have a reservation?”

Feng Hechi swiftly recalled the information provided by the System and returned the smile. “No reservation, but I’m quite familiar with Miss Manna here. Is she available tonight?”

Ten minutes later.

The private room was dimly lit, amber wall lamps casting a warm glow across the walls. A faint aroma of incense lingered in the air. On the black marble coffee table, several bottles of different liquors were meticulously arranged in an ice bucket, while a crystal ashtray, meticulously cleaned of ash, sat squarely in the center.

Feng Hechi lounged languidly in the genuine leather sofa, his long legs crossed, one elbow propped on the backrest as he casually surveyed the surroundings.

When the woman in the crimson dress and striking makeup entered the private room, this was the scene that greeted her.

She stared at the man for a few seconds, until he glanced at her. Then, she flashed a smile and swayed over to sit beside him.

“Well, well, well,” she teased, settling beside Feng Hechi. “Long time no see! You’ve really changed your tune. Anyone would think you were the one paying the bills, not the one in debt, like some young master here to spend his fortune.”

She reached out to casually drape her arm around his waist.

Feng Hechi’s expression remained unchanged as he smoothly shifted to the side, creating a comfortable distance—close enough to hear her clearly, yet far enough to avoid any unwanted physical contact.

Manna was the Hua Palace Club’s most sought-after hostess, and Feng Hechi’s most frequent companion in this world.

But according to the System’s information, their relationship was far from simple. Manna was the club’s top earner, with countless wealthy men willing to pay exorbitant sums for a night with her. Yet she not only accepted Feng Hechi’s invitations to the club at any time, but also turned down other clients’ requests to be with him.

Feng Hechi observed her silently. When Manna noticed his scrutiny, her smile faltered, and a flicker of hurt flashed in her eyes before she quickly masked it.

She withdrew her hand, smoothed her skirt, and expertly opened the wine bottle on the coffee table, pouring herself a glass.

“Speak. What do you want this time?”

Feng Hechi was about to answer when a System notification chimed in his ear.

Detected a significant increase in hatred value. Current target’s hatred value: 81.2%

If he remembered correctly, this was more than a ten-point jump since their last encounter.

What happened with Lu Cang?

Feng Hechi frowned slightly. “System, locate Lu Cang’s current position.”

Target is at home. No anomalies detected.

Already home? Then why…?

Feng Hechi glanced at the time. I need to resolve this situation quickly.

He looked up at the woman before him, abandoning all pretense of politeness, and cut straight to the chase.

“A year ago, I borrowed 100,000 from you. According to the interest on the IOU, the total owed today should be 150,000.”

Manna’s delicate brows furrowed slightly, as if she wanted to speak but held back.

“You know my family’s situation. Given my current circumstances, I can’t possibly come up with that much.”

As the words hung in the air, a flicker of anger darkened Manna’s striking features. She slammed her wine glass down, her beautiful eyes glaring at Feng Hechi. “Gambling addict! You want me to pay your debts?”

Feng Hechi froze, about to speak, when Manna cut him off. “Don’t push your luck, Feng Hechi. I already waived the interest for you. Don’t take advantage of the fact that I li—”

Her voice trailed off abruptly, as if someone had choked off her words. Manna’s tone dropped sharply, and she turned her head with a cold huff.

“You waived the interest for me?” Feng Hechi focused on this statement.

Manna glanced at him strangely. “So you’ve changed your personality, and now you’ve lost your memory too? Didn’t you sweet-talk me into asking the boss for you?”

It was true. As the club’s top performer, Manna held considerable sway with the owner. The amount Feng Hechi owed, though significant to him, was negligible to Hua Palace Club. If Manna could charm the boss, waiving the interest and allowing him to repay only the principal wasn’t impossible.

That would leave him owing just 100,000 yuan.

With this in mind, Feng Hechi softened his tone. “I’m sorry, Manna. I forgot. I’m truly grateful for what you did. I came here today hoping you could do me another favor…”

Before he could finish, Manna interrupted again, tilting her chin and looking at him with a haughty yet slightly aggrieved expression.

“What’s wrong with you? You never used to call me Manna.”

Huh?

Feng Hechi’s throat tightened as he observed the woman’s displeased expression, tinged with a hint of bashfulness. He could guess that the “special nickname” she wanted him to use was something overly affectionate like “baby” or “darling.”

He simply couldn’t bring himself to say it.

“It’s just been a while since we last saw each other,” Feng Hechi said, his brow arching slightly. “Calling you something so saccharine would sound like I’m trying to get too familiar.”

Seeing the woman’s anger subside slightly, he added, “Besides, I’m here to discuss serious business with you. This feels more formal, don’t you think, Manna?”

The woman huffed, grudgingly accepting his explanation. She lifted her hand to examine her nails, speaking casually, “Fine, go ahead.”

“I came to ask if you know of any suitable job openings you could recommend.”

After passing through two consecutive traffic lights, the surroundings gradually quieted down.

Most of the roadside shops were closed, with only a few still lit up. Even those that remained open showed their owners lazily fanning themselves behind the counter, clearly ready to close for the night.

Lu Cang walked home with his backpack slung over his shoulder.

This was the usual time for high school students to finish their evening self-study sessions. Unlike his classmates who rode their bikes home, Lu Cang’s walk took longer, and he usually didn’t get home until after ten o’clock.

The number of pedestrians dwindled as he ventured deeper into the residential area, which grew increasingly secluded. Even cars rarely passed through these quiet streets.

The dilapidated old neighborhood was mostly inhabited by elderly residents, who had already turned off their lights and gone to bed. Only a few apartments on the lower floors still had lights on, and the streets below were eerily silent, save for the occasional raspy, drawn-out meows of cats echoing from the bushes, sending a chill through the pitch-black night.

As Lu Cang reached the entrance of his building, he suddenly stopped.

He turned to look behind him, where two figures stood in the shadows cast by the trees. Seeing him notice them, the pair immediately began walking toward him.

Lu Cang took a step back, his face expressionless, but his lips pressed into a tight line. His eyes darted between the two figures as he instinctively gripped the strap of his backpack, clenching it tightly.

“Is that him?”

Two men approached Lu Cang. One of them sized him up with a glance, then tilted his head and asked the other.

The man in the hat pulled out his phone, swiped a few times, and held it up a few centimeters from Lu Cang’s face to compare. He nodded decisively. “That’s him.”

Both men appeared to be around thirty, in their prime, tall and muscular. The short sleeves revealed physiques honed by years of training. Even the strongest boy in Lu Cang’s class wouldn’t stand a chance against them, let alone someone of Lu Cang’s build.

“What do you want?” Lu Cang asked, his voice deep and steady, though a faint tremor betrayed his unease. He managed to mask it well.

At his words, the two men exchanged a disdainful smirk. The man in the hat stepped forward, and Lu Cang instinctively retreated a step. The man held up his phone screen to Lu Cang’s face.

“We should be asking you: what’s your dad going to do about the money he owes us?”

Lu Cang flinched, his gaze fixed on the glowing screen before him.

The photo showed a man holding up a handwritten IOU with one hand, his expression impatient as he glared at the camera. His lips were twisted into a resentful sneer, distorting his once-handsome features.

The IOU, written in black ink on white paper, clearly bore his name:

Feng Hechi.

The moment Lu Cang recognized the name, his pupils constricted sharply, and his already unhealthy pallor turned ashen as paper.

The timestamp on the photo indicated it had been taken a year ago, when he was just starting junior high and his mother had recently passed away.

How dare he? What right does he have?

One of the men spoke again, his tone laced with resentment. “Honestly, if your dad hadn’t bolted so fast, we wouldn’t have had to come bother a little kid with this. It’s beneath us.”

Lu Cang froze.

Bolted? Did Feng Hechi deliberately avoid this situation and leave him to face it alone?

“Hey, did your dad ever mention owing money to anyone?”

The hooded man frowned, likely noticing Lu Cang’s stunned expression.

Lu Cang paused, then slowly, almost imperceptibly, shook his head.

“Tsk, probably just trying to stall. Maybe he figures the longer he hides, the better. But if he can’t pay this debt, you’ll be the one stuck with it in the end.”

The man’s words rang in Lu Cang’s ears, sending a shudder through his entire body.

Were all those actions Feng Hechi had taken—those changes he’d thought were signs of a guilty conscience—just motivated by fear?

Did he save me from the icy river only to secure his own escape route?

At his core, at his very essence, Feng Hechi remained unchanged—still the same selfish, utterly worthless man.

Lu Cang’s hands trembled uncontrollably, every cell in his body convulsing with rage and terror. His teeth clenched so hard they chattered, yet his eyes remained fixed on the face in the photograph.

The hatred overflowing from his eyes seemed thick enough to pierce the screen, stab into the man’s carotid artery, and spill out viscous, dark red bl00d.

I hate him so much.

I hate Feng Hechi so much.

I hate this man who shattered my family beyond repair.

Seeing the boy’s reaction, the two men exchanged a glance, a flicker of suspicion crossing their faces. But they didn’t press the matter, merely shook the phone threateningly at him.

“Go back and tell your dad the deadline for the debt is next week. If he still can’t pay by then…”

His voice dropped to a low growl, leaving the threat unfinished, but its meaning was clear to anyone. In this gray area of debt collection, where they constantly skirt the edge of the law, Lu Cang had no doubt they would resort to extreme measures.

As the two men’s figures receded into the distance, Lu Cang remained frozen in place, rooted to the spot.

It wasn’t until a piercing cat’s wail tore through the night air that Lu Cang snapped back to reality. The metallic tang of bl00d in his mouth made him realize he had bitten through his cheek.

“Feng Hechi…”

He spat the name out in a low, venomous whisper, as if uttering it could shatter the man’s bones, drain his bl00d, and flay his skin.

Feng Hechi stood before the Hua Palace Club, his gaze sweeping over the scene before him.

Marble walls framed a heavy, dark wooden door. The plaque above, its patterns understated, simply bore the words “Hua Palace” in elegant script. A single waiter in a black suit leaned lazily against the wall, an earpiece dangling from his ear as his eyes drifted casually toward the street, radiating an air of neglect.

The place looked remarkably unassuming.

Feng Hechi stepped onto the stairs and paused a few feet from the door.

As expected.

His gaze swept over the door. At first glance, it seemed unremarkable, its color even bordering on cheap. But those with a discerning eye would immediately recognize the use of zitan wood, a material whose cost for a door of this size would be considerable.

The white portions of the plaque were carved from jade, and due to its high placement and the lighting, casual observers would likely miss this detail. The characters “Hua Palace” were clearly sculpted from pure gold.

The waiter by the wall appeared nonchalant, but the moment Feng Hechi approached, his eyes darted up and down, assessing him in an instant. The muscular contours of his arms, crossed over his chest, stretched the fabric of his suit taut. Feng Hechi surmised he was more likely a security guard or enforcer than a mere waiter.

This place reeked of shady dealings, yet Feng Hechi of this world had dared to come here, repeatedly racking up debts through gambling. “Stupid” hardly began to describe it.

Feng Hechi’s phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, a rare flicker of annoyance crossing his features. He’d thought he was just completing a cultivation task, but now he had this massive mess to clean up. It was truly infuriating.

He took a few more steps forward. Seeing his intent to enter, a suit-clad waiter approached and pulled open the door, a practiced smile plastered on his face. “Do you have a reservation?”

Feng Hechi swiftly recalled the information provided by the System and returned the smile. “No reservation, but I’m quite familiar with Miss Manna here. Is she available tonight?”

Ten minutes later.

The private room was dimly lit, amber wall lamps casting a warm glow across the walls. A faint aroma of incense lingered in the air. On the black marble coffee table, several bottles of different liquors were meticulously arranged in an ice bucket, while a crystal ashtray, meticulously cleaned of ash, sat squarely in the center.

Feng Hechi lounged languidly in the genuine leather sofa, his long legs crossed, one elbow propped on the backrest as he casually surveyed the surroundings.

When the woman in the crimson dress and striking makeup entered the private room, this was the scene that greeted her.

She stared at the man for a few seconds, until he glanced at her. Then, she flashed a smile and swayed over to sit beside him.

“Well, well, well,” she teased, settling beside Feng Hechi. “Long time no see! You’ve really changed your tune. Anyone would think you were the one paying the bills, not the one in debt, like some young master here to spend his fortune.”

She reached out to casually drape her arm around his waist.

Feng Hechi’s expression remained unchanged as he smoothly shifted to the side, creating a comfortable distance—close enough to hear her clearly, yet far enough to avoid any unwanted physical contact.

Manna was the Hua Palace Club’s most sought-after hostess, and Feng Hechi’s most frequent companion in this world.

But according to the System’s information, their relationship was far from simple. Manna was the club’s top earner, with countless wealthy men willing to pay exorbitant sums for a night with her. Yet she not only accepted Feng Hechi’s invitations to the club at any time, but also turned down other clients’ requests to be with him.

Feng Hechi observed her silently. When Manna noticed his scrutiny, her smile faltered, and a flicker of hurt flashed in her eyes before she quickly masked it.

She withdrew her hand, smoothed her skirt, and expertly opened the wine bottle on the coffee table, pouring herself a glass.

“Speak. What do you want this time?”

Feng Hechi was about to answer when a System notification chimed in his ear.

Detected a significant increase in hatred value. Current target’s hatred value: 81.2%

If he remembered correctly, this was more than a ten-point jump since their last encounter.

What happened with Lu Cang?

Feng Hechi frowned slightly. “System, locate Lu Cang’s current position.”

Target is at home. No anomalies detected.

Already home? Then why…?

Feng Hechi glanced at the time. I need to resolve this situation quickly.

He looked up at the woman before him, abandoning all pretense of politeness, and cut straight to the chase.

“A year ago, I borrowed 100,000 from you. According to the interest on the IOU, the total owed today should be 150,000.”

Manna’s delicate brows furrowed slightly, as if she wanted to speak but held back.

“You know my family’s situation. Given my current circumstances, I can’t possibly come up with that much.”

As the words hung in the air, a flicker of anger darkened Manna’s striking features. She slammed her wine glass down, her beautiful eyes glaring at Feng Hechi. “Gambling addict! You want me to pay your debts?”

Feng Hechi froze, about to speak, when Manna cut him off. “Don’t push your luck, Feng Hechi. I already waived the interest for you. Don’t take advantage of the fact that I li—”

Her voice trailed off abruptly, as if someone had choked off her words. Manna’s tone dropped sharply, and she turned her head with a cold huff.

“You waived the interest for me?” Feng Hechi focused on this statement.

Manna glanced at him strangely. “So you’ve changed your personality, and now you’ve lost your memory too? Didn’t you sweet-talk me into asking the boss for you?”

It was true. As the club’s top performer, Manna held considerable sway with the owner. The amount Feng Hechi owed, though significant to him, was negligible to Hua Palace Club. If Manna could charm the boss, waiving the interest and allowing him to repay only the principal wasn’t impossible.

That would leave him owing just 100,000 yuan.

With this in mind, Feng Hechi softened his tone. “I’m sorry, Manna. I forgot. I’m truly grateful for what you did. I came here today hoping you could do me another favor…”

Before he could finish, Manna interrupted again, tilting her chin and looking at him with a haughty yet slightly aggrieved expression.

“What’s wrong with you? You never used to call me Manna.”

Huh?

Feng Hechi’s throat tightened as he observed the woman’s displeased expression, tinged with a hint of bashfulness. He could guess that the “special nickname” she wanted him to use was something overly affectionate like “baby” or “darling.”

He simply couldn’t bring himself to say it.

“It’s just been a while since we last saw each other,” Feng Hechi said, his brow arching slightly. “Calling you something so saccharine would sound like I’m trying to get too familiar.”

Seeing the woman’s anger subside slightly, he added, “Besides, I’m here to discuss serious business with you. This feels more formal, don’t you think, Manna?”

The woman huffed, grudgingly accepting his explanation. She lifted her hand to examine her nails, speaking casually, “Fine, go ahead.”

“I came to ask if you know of any suitable job openings you could recommend.”