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Chapter 18: It turned out that this was an account that was impossible to settle.
Getting rich can solve most of the problems in life—not an absolute truth, but not entirely without reason.
And this was something that Huo Niansheng had made Chen Wengang qualified to understand.
In his past life, without the entire fortune generously given by Huo Niansheng, he wouldn’t have been able to support so many elite teams, wouldn’t have the confidence to turn the tide and compete with others, wouldn’t have established the Niansheng Foundation, and wouldn’t have achieved everything in his later life.
As orchestrated by Huo Niansheng, there was never a moment of material scarcity in his later years.
Yet he couldn’t buy back even a single second of the time spent with them.
Chen Wengang stood by the roadside for a while and waved down another taxi.
Upon getting in the car, he wasn’t entirely at ease. He sent a few names to Zheng Baoqiu and Zheng Maoxun. They were the friends who came to the restaurant with He Jiajun that night. He told them that there was a bit of conflict between the two parties and asked for their help in keeping an eye on whether these people had said anything on social media or in group chats.
Especially if there were any videos or photos capturing Chen Xiangling in the frame.
Zheng Baoqiu replied first, saying that there was nothing. Soon after, Zheng Maoxun called him and also confirmed the same. However, feeling a sense of accomplishment, he couldn’t help but adopt a condescending tone when talking to Chen Wengang, “Getting bullied while having a meal, how do you manage to attract trouble like that?”
Chen Wengang breathed a sigh of relief for now and went along with him, “Alright, I’ll reflect on it.”
Zheng Maoxun said, “It’s good that you’re not stupid. At least you know how to run fast. There were so many people in the restaurant, and if you had stayed, you would have been at a disadvantage.”
Chen Wengang smiled, “True, now I just hope that Master He didn’t suffer any serious harm. If things get worse, we can always involve the police and determine responsibility.”
Zheng Maoxun clicked his tongue a couple of times and said, “You’re taking it lightly. You won’t have to pay any money, right? You won’t be using our family’s money to compensate, will you?”
The atmosphere froze when those words were spoken.
Our family’s.
Zheng Maoxun realized he had gone too far. He had only intended to taunt the other party, not thinking too much about it. This wasn’t the most damaging thing he had ever said or the most extreme joke, but it surprisingly left him with a faint sense of “maybe I shouldn’t have said that.”
There was a bit of regret in his heart, but Chen Wengang didn’t say anything on the other end of the phone, and he couldn’t bring himself to apologize.
He could only force a smile and say, “I’ll find someone else to keep an eye on him. Let me know if he ends up in the hospital. Hang up.”
Chen Wengang’s voice remained calm and mild, “Okay, thank you.”
Perhaps if Zheng Maoxun could see his expression, he might feel more at ease. But as it was, Zheng Maoxun could only reassure himself that he had overthought the situation.
In both lifetimes, Chen Wengang had heard countless rumors and gossip, enough not to take a casual comment too seriously.
Especially when it was the truth. As Uncle had said, with him calling Zheng Bingyi his adoptive father, the world presented before him was different.
In his youth, Chen Wengang used to care about these things. He consciously opened two bank accounts, keeping the money given by Zheng Bingyi in one account and his own salary and his father’s alimony in another… He had tried to use this method to differentiate between “his” and “Zheng family’s” so that he could stand by Zheng Yucheng’s side independently.
In the end, he discovered that this was an account that was impossible to settle.
Everyone, consciously or unconsciously, weighs gains and losses; it’s a common occurrence in the world. Between people, it’s impossible for there to be no debts. He was destined to owe something to others, and others, in different ways, owed him.
But if he had to say, if Huo Niansheng was willing to give, he would be immensely content, and he would definitely accept everything in this lifetime.
The taxi driver suddenly asked, “Young man, what are you thinking about? You haven’t said a word since you got in the car.”
Chen Wengang snapped back to reality and smiled, “Nothing, just thinking about something trivial.”
The middle-aged driver said, “Are you still a college student? Cheer up. At your age, besides failing exams and not being able to attract girls, what else is there to worry about? When you reach my age, where you have to earn money every day just to support your family, that’s when the real worries start!”
Chen Wengang chuckled, listening to the driver talk about his wife and children. He had encountered a talkative driver, unable to stop himself from chatting all the way.
It reminded him of his father, who was also a driver.
He wondered if, when his father was driving for Zheng Bingyi, he was also thinking about providing a better life for his own wife and children.
Arriving at the Zheng residence in the old, wealthy district, the driver dropped Chen Wengang off, turned his head to figure out where to turn, and caught a glimpse of Chen Wengang ringing the doorbell. The villa gate opened, the guard greeted him through the intercom, and he nodded in acknowledgment. Then, in a familiar manner, he walked inside—indeed, the child of a wealthy family. He felt it even in the car; the demeanor was different.
The driver paused for a moment, looked into the seemingly endless courtyard, sighed with admiration, clicked his tongue twice, and then turned around to leave.
***
Yu Shanding rushed to the private room, pushed open the door, and locked onto Huo Niansheng’s position among a group of fairies dressed in red and green.
A quick scan revealed the one holding the microphone was the son of President Ma, singing a duet with a hostess. They had just reached the climax of the song.
Others were drinking and playing various games with suggestive themes on the side. The scene was filled with various noises, assaulting the eardrums.
Huo Niansheng lazily leaned back on the sofa, fingers wrapped around a wine glass, long legs stretched out far away. His demeanor was languid, as if he were drunk, with his eyes flashing a hazy glow.
He sat in the crowd like this, but there was a hint of detachment, as if he were enjoying his own solitary drink.
One of the fairies, bold as a snake, swam through the crowd, attempting to wriggle into his arms.
In this era of young masters and princesses, Yu Shanding thought that between each of them, it was hard to tell if they were male or female. He took a closer look—well, it’s a boy, but he’s wearing fishnet stockings and high heels.
At this moment, President Ma’s son finished his high-pitched song.
Huo Niansheng lifted his eyelids, as if just noticing Yu Shanding, and smiled, “Boss Yu is here? Come, take a seat.”
Knowing his temper, Yu Shanding squeezed in between him and the fairy, separating the two.
However, Young Master Ma was not pleased, “Why is Mr. Huo not in high spirits? Or is it that the people I arranged for today aren’t good enough?”
Yu Shanding knew that these rich young masters, even if they hadn’t earned half a penny themselves, seemed to feel entitled to look down on him.
But it didn’t matter; he had thick skin. He reached out and grabbed a glass from the marble coffee table, saying, “Apologies for disturbing everyone’s enjoyment. I’ll take a penalty drink for myself.”
He downed the drink in one go.
Young Master Ma paid him no attention, but Yu Shanding didn’t mind. He turned the situation around and encouraged the pushed-away MB (money boy), “Let’s see if you have the skill. Go, no matter what method you use today, make sure to get Mr. Huo to drink a glass.”
He patted the fairy’s buttocks and said, “Get him to drink a glass, and I’ll give you a ten thousand yuan tip. Your earnings depend on your abilities.”
Laughter erupted in the private room.
Someone whistled, “Young Master Ma is generous, giving you a chance to make a fortune. Why not go for it?”
Yu Shanding sighed inwardly, thinking: Amitabha Buddha, you’re committing a sin, but it’s not my business anymore.
With a hefty reward hanging in the balance, the fairy became even more enthusiastic, wriggling past Yu Shanding’s legs and climbing toward Huo Niansheng.
With his slender arms also resembling a snake, he reached down; the touch made even Yu Shanding, a straight man, change his expression. Men understand men the best, and all principles can be summed up into one: there is no man who is not truly lascivious. When in Rome, do as the Romans do.
Young Master Ma squinted his eyes, raised his glass, and muttered something, his nerves scorched by alcohol seemingly transitioning into a philosophical state.
“Mr. Huo, look, these little things come out just to make a living. Just consider it an act of charity.”
A delicate, boneless hand reached toward his chest. Huo Niansheng hooked the corner of his mouth and took the offered drink.
The wandering hand was suddenly restrained. The MB was hopeful but found his arm twisted backward as if undergoing torture, causing intense pain.
His knees gave way, and he collapsed to the ground, not understanding how he had rolled down from Yu Shanding. He fell flat on his stomach.
Laughter echoed from above, and several colleagues around him laughed heartily.
Feeling a chill in his heart, he felt his heart grow cold. The alcohol flowed down his forehead and cheeks.
The empty glass was poured over his head by Huo Niansheng, “I’ve pushed you several times. Why are you still crawling? No manners at all.”
He casually placed the empty glass into Young Master Ma’s cup, and the cold liquid overflowed, flowing onto his hand.
Young Master Ma found it amusing and burst into laughter. Suddenly, his scalp tightened, feeling the pain, and his neck uncontrollably tilted backward.
Huo Niansheng reached out, patting his face, “Why are you still laughing? Are you worthy of asking me to perform an act of charity?”
The joyous atmosphere was silenced, with only the background music still playing, unable to drown out the expressions of the two.
There was a good five or six seconds of silence. No one dared to speak, wisely choosing to keep a low profile and assess the situation.
After a while, Young Master Ma struggled to get up, attempting to force a smile while freeing himself. His facial muscles contorted into a comical and grotesque appearance.
Huo Niansheng, having deformed his face as if it were a Thomas the Tank Engine, looked around and chuckled, “Ma Jiming, I suddenly realized, is your face chubby or just swollen?”
He let go of him, took out a handkerchief, wiped his fingers clean, and glanced at the table full of alcohol. With a hint of disdain in his peach blossom eyes, he commented, “Not to criticize, but early to bed, early to rise, and a bit more exercise is better than any medicine.” He scanned the drinks on the table and said, “I’ll take my leave. And you, consider losing some weight.”
As the crowd realized what had happened, they hurriedly tried to smooth things over. Huo Niansheng lazily stood up, picking up his clothes.
For those present, Huo Niansheng had been a name heard but not seen in recent years since his return to Zhang City. However, holding shares of the Huo Corporation, he had the authority to make decisions, and this undoubtedly tempted many to try and win his favor. The trap set by Young Master Ma, inviting him to this gathering and offering a reward to anyone who could handle Huo Niansheng, seemed well-prepared, except for this unexpected reaction that resulted in humiliation.
It was known that Huo Niansheng was easygoing, but no one mentioned that he could turn hostile at the drop of a hat. Who knew what landmines lay beneath the surface?
Yu Shanding, experienced and composed, kept his expression unchanged. When Huo Niansheng mentioned medicine and glanced at the empty glasses on the table, Yu Shanding touched his throat and felt his pulse, suspecting that he might not have added anything to Huo Niansheng’s drink. Regaining his smile, he stood up and said, “Sorry, everyone, I have urgent business to discuss with Mr. Huo. I’ll take my leave now. Next time, it’s my treat. Please enjoy yourselves.”
With that, he didn’t care about the reactions of the people in the room, and he quickly followed Huo Niansheng out, running a bit to catch up.
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Aish, those poor “entertainers”/hosts are always caught in the crossfire. Just trying to earn a living but having to deal with this kind of humiliation and abuse. Sorry ML, but there’s nothing “manly” about treating those “beneath” you like trash. I hope he changes later.