Luo Baoqiang had been arrogant moments before, then submissive, even slapped in the face, and just a second ago seemed ready to fight to the death to save face. Yet in the blink of an eye, he was wearing a carefully fawning expression, coming over to apologize. The girls watching were utterly shocked, but Director Lin and Xu Ze by his side remained completely composed—Director Lin, in particular, looked as if this was only natural.
For these young women, still so inexperienced in the ways of the world, this filled them with even more astonishment… The world really was far too strange…
Behind them, Luo Ba, seeing his father’s behavior and the stunned expressions on the girls’ faces, immediately flushed bright red. Still, deep down he understood that what his old man was doing was not wrong. This was just how the world worked. If they didn’t bow their heads and apologize right now, the company might end up facing serious trouble over this small incident.
Seeing Luo Baoqiang shamelessly come over to ingratiate himself and apologize, Xu Ze decided not to push things further. He had already slapped the guy, which counted as venting some anger. As long as they didn’t bother him anymore, that was fine.
So, in an indifferent tone, he smiled and said, “Director Lin, you should go back to your meal. I’m still here with my classmates—we just want to have a quiet dinner.”
Seeing that Xu Ze was starting to show them the door, Director Lin—who was quite a sharp man—nodded quickly, then carefully smiled and said, “Alright… Comrade Xu Ze, might you have a moment later? There’s something I’d like to consult you about…”
Looking at Director Lin’s cautiously fawning expression, Xu Ze knew perfectly well what he wanted to ask. Smiling, he replied, “Don’t worry. This matter has nothing to do with you. I’m specifically out to make trouble for that wretched boy from the Yang family.”
Upon hearing Xu Ze’s words, Director Lin couldn’t help but heave a deep sigh of relief. With that assurance from Xu Ze, he could finally set his mind at ease. As long as it didn’t implicate his own son, why should he care if Yang Xiaoming went to hell…
Director Lin hesitated for a moment, then lifted his head to look at Xu Ze. He paused, glanced around at both sides, and seemed to waver.
By then, Luo Baoqiang was showing his quick wits again. Realizing that Director Lin probably wanted to speak with Xu Ze privately, he seized the opportunity to make his exit, laughing dryly and nodding to both Director Lin and Xu Ze. “You two chat… we’ll head over first…”
With that, he pulled Luo Ba behind him and walked back to their own table.
Once the Luo father and son had left, Director Lin glanced again at the young women nearby. Xu Ze simply smiled and said, “It’s fine. If Director Lin has something to say, feel free.”
Seeing Xu Ze speak this way, and noting that these all appeared to be young girls—plus Lin Yumeng, who already knew about this matter and wouldn’t be a concern—Director Lin finally lowered his voice. “Comrade Xu Ze… I heard today from that Director Yang… that he’s already called some former leader of his from his army days. It seems the person has agreed to step in for him…”
At this point, Director Lin immediately stopped, glanced at Xu Ze, and then cautiously smiled. “I’m just giving you a heads-up, just so you know…”
“A former leader?” Xu Ze let out a faint laugh. It looked like Yang Li’s old army superior had probably climbed the ranks to a fairly high position nowadays. Maybe this really could have some influence over the Xingcheng military district…
But then again, Major General Peng was a former subordinate of Elder Li. Considering Elder Li’s current standing in the military—unmatched by all but perhaps two or three others—there was no need to worry that the other side could do much of anything.
So, Xu Ze cupped his hands in thanks toward Director Lin, smiling. “Thank you for the warning, Director Lin. I’ll keep it in mind.”
Seeing Xu Ze’s confident and calm demeanor, Director Lin understood that Xu Ze likely had everything well in hand. He said nothing more, but inside, he felt that Xu Ze was even more unfathomable than before.
Once Director Lin had returned to the Luo family’s table, Xu Ze sat down again. Lin Yumeng and the others, having overheard Director Lin’s words to Xu Ze, couldn’t help but worry. “Brother Xu Ze… is that matter going to cause trouble?”
Seeing the concern on Lin Yumeng’s face, Xu Ze shook his head with a light laugh. “It’s nothing. Just a small issue, and it won’t have any real impact. That wretched Yang boy has always been utterly vicious. This time, I have to use this incident to deal with him properly… otherwise, I won’t feel at ease.”
“Oh…” Hearing Xu Ze say it was nothing, Lin Yumeng finally breathed a sigh of relief. The other girls, who naturally also knew exactly which Yang “wretched boy” Xu Ze meant, each recalled the events of that day with a lingering sense of fear. But now, hearing Xu Ze talk like this helped them relax a little.
Watching the respectful way Director Lin had behaved moments before, the girls also realized that what Lin Yumeng had told them was no mere boast. This Brother Xu Ze was truly both resourceful and influential—even the chief of police couldn’t touch him.
Just then, the hotel manager also rushed over anxiously. Seeing that everything inside had settled down, he breathed a slight sigh of relief. Quietly questioning a nearby waiter about what had happened, and spotting the somewhat familiar face of Director Lin at that other table, he sucked in a surprised breath. He hadn’t expected that Mr. Xu’s background ran so incredibly deep.
He went over and warmly greeted Director Lin, then carefully slipped away.
Luo Baoqiang and his son, still sitting at their table, were now feeling rather awkward. Director Lin, seated on that side, had an expression completely devoid of the earlier warmth; his face had even turned a few degrees colder. No matter how the Luo father and son tried to curry favor, no matter how much charm the PR manager tried to exude, Director Lin remained cold and indifferent. This sent a chill through the Luo father and son’s hearts… They knew that the earlier altercation had completely ruined today’s business.
Given the way the Luos had behaved toward Xu Ze, Director Lin was naturally not about to give the pair any face. After eating just a little, he took his leave despite the Luo family’s attempts to keep him there. Before departing, he did stop by Xu Ze’s table to say goodbye, and only then left.
After seeing Director Lin off, the Luo father and son sat there with ashen faces. The others at their table also looked miserable, knowing that today’s matter had been botched.
Luo Baoqiang picked up his wine glass, his expression dark. After downing two cups in quick succession, he glanced toward Xu Ze’s table, took a deep breath, then grabbed his glass and forcibly dragged Luo Ba over with him.
“Mr. Xu… earlier, I truly was blinded by drink to have committed such an offensive act… Please, for the sake of my son, forgive me. Let me drink first as a sign of respect!” Luo Baoqiang bowed slightly as he stood beside Xu Ze with his wine glass, not daring to ask Xu Ze to pick up his own glass. After delivering these words, he drained his cup in one go, then stood aside, heart hanging in suspense as he watched Xu Ze’s reaction.
Seeing the Luo father and son come over to toast and apologize, the girls nearby blinked, some looking at the deeply red-faced Luo Ba, some looking at Xu Ze. No one spoke, but in their hearts they were sighing. As innocent souls still sheltered in the ivory tower, today was the first time they had truly witnessed certain ways of this world.
Xu Ze unhurriedly placed a chopstick-full of tender peanut shoots into his mouth, chewed slowly a few times, then picked up a napkin and gently wiped his lips. Under Luo Baoqiang’s surprised and delighted gaze, without even turning his head, Xu Ze lifted his red wine glass, took a slight sip, and set it back down on the table. Only then did he say slowly, “I am very busy, and I don’t have time to hold a grudge against you. Conduct yourself with more restraint from now on.”
“Yes… yes… Mr. Xu’s lesson is absolutely right… Luo Ba, hurry up and toast your senior schoolmate a glass of wine…” Luo Baoqiang nodded with a mixture of surprise and delight, while quietly urging Luo Ba beside him.
Looking at the senior schoolmate who now filled him with both respect and awe—someone he dared not show the slightest disrespect toward anymore—Luo Ba no longer cared that so many girls were watching. Holding his wine glass, he bent over respectfully and leaned close to Xu Ze, stammering a little, “Senior Xu… I toast to you…”
Xu Ze slowly nodded, then picked up his glass, turned slightly, and lightly clinked it with Luo Ba’s. In a flat tone, he said, “You’re only a sophomore, and a student council cadre in training. There’s nothing wrong with coming out here to learn more, but don’t pick up bad habits from the outside world. Off you go.”
“Yes, thank you, Senior, for your guidance…” Faced with Xu Ze’s admonishment, Luo Ba of course no longer dared to show the slightest disrespect. He quickly acknowledged it, drank his wine, and only after Xu Ze gave a casual wave of his hand did he retreat alongside Luo Baoqiang.
Seeing that the party at the Luo family’s table left in a hurry shortly after the toast, Xu Ze gave a faint smile, then said to Lin Yumeng beside him, “Seems like today’s meal bill has been saved for us again.”
“Saved again?” The girls blinked in confusion and looked at Xu Ze.
But Lin Yumeng, after blinking a few times, understood and couldn’t help laughing. “Brother Xu Ze… do you mean that Luo Ba and them…”
Xu Ze nodded slightly, then looked at Lin Yumeng and smiled. “Hehe… you little rascal, let me tell you, just forget about trying to pay the bill today.”
“Fine, I won’t… I knew I couldn’t hide it from you anyway…” Lin Yumeng pouted her lips and smiled.
Meanwhile, Xingcheng’s top police official, Comrade Yang Li, was at that moment like an old cat whose tail had been stepped on, raging furiously in his office. He had just returned from the military district’s legal department.
His precious son had been tormented to a truly pitiful state. When Yang Li went there, the boy didn’t even have the energy to cry. He just looked at him miserably, called out a couple of times for help, then collapsed on the table and fell into a stupor…
Yang Li knew perfectly well what was going on with his son and why. The people in the military legal department hadn’t really done much to his precious boy physically—no forced confessions. They’d just set up a blinding lamp of several hundred watts, which had prevented his son from sleeping for dozens of hours…
He knew his son’s character inside out. After being treated like that, of course the boy would spill everything…
Whether it implicated Yang Li himself or not, he didn’t care anymore. He only felt heartache for his precious son, and didn’t know how much longer the boy could endure this torment.
He had gone and banged on the table in the military district commander’s office, only to be unceremoniously thrown out by Major General Peng. After spitting outside the military district gates with a complete lack of decorum, Yang Li had come back in just this state.
After violently smashing two teacups, Yang Li finally sat down in his boss chair, hesitated for a long while, gritted his teeth, and then dialed yet another number.
