"What's wrong with that, huh?"
Yang Hanqing's husband, Zhang Anli, sounded utterly indifferent, instantly infuriating her.
"Jiang Xue is from the design department, not sales. What right do you have to take her to dinner parties?"
Zhang Anli hadn't expected his wife to lecture him right off the bat and began to get angry.
"Yang Hanqing, have you lost your mind?
Jiang Xue is the project's designer; meeting with clients is part of her job.
Besides, she's so pretty, and her figure is like that of a fairy. It's a waste of her to just be a designer. I gave her the chance to climb up the social ladder; she should be thanking me!"
It was then that Yang Hanqing realized what kind of scheme Zhang Anli had plotted, and why Xiao Ming had specifically requested that Jiang Xue not participate in social gatherings.
Xiao Ming knew everything that even the police couldn't find out; heaven knows how much power he had behind the scenes.
The more Yang Hanqing thought about it, the more frightened and angry she became, her voice almost a roar as she said, "Zhang Anli, you are such a bastard!
My Yang family has always conducted business with integrity. When have we ever resorted to selling our employee's bodies for profit?
I'm warning you, send Jiang Xue away immediately, or don't blame me for being rude!"
Zhang Anli was so baffled by the scolding that his temper flared even more, "You're the one who's sick. What era is this? You've got to be ruthless to make money, got it?
Foolish woman, I can't be bothered to argue with you. Mr. Cao is waiting for me to drink. We can talk about this tomorrow."
After the call was hung up again, an enraged Yang Hanqing smashed things around the living room like a mad person.
After a while, as she caught her breath and calmed down, the contrast between her husband's current attitude and the one before her father passed away covered any conflicting emotions from years of marriage with hatred in an instant.
"Hello, is this the police station? I want to report a crime..."
Jiangtian Building, facing the winding river and backing onto the central golden district of Longyin City, is one of the local landmark buildings.
At its rooftop, there's the Yunding Restaurant, with Michelin chefs at the helm, taking a fine business dining approach. Combined with the superior view over other mountains and rivers, even with its steep average cost per person, it's extremely popular, and reservations are hard to come by.
It's said that dining here requires at least half a month's advance booking, making it a top choice for corporate banquets and social media influencers to flaunt their wealth.
Xiao Ming took the elevator to the fifty-first floor, where the receptionist at the restaurant entrance sized him up quickly before putting on a professional yet arrogant smile: "Good evening, sir. Do you have a reservation?"
"I'm here to find someone, at the Lingxiao Hall," said Xiao Ming as he tried to enter.
The receptionist's eyes lit up with an understanding once Lingxiao Hall was mentioned.
Mr. Cao, who booked Lingxiao Hall for the evening, is known to be a lover of married women; this is an open secret in certain circles of Longyin City.
This guy in front must be here to find a lady, and he cannot be allowed to ruin Mr. Cao's fun.
"I'm sorry, sir,"
the receptionist said, blocking Xiao Ming's way. "You are not on the reservation list of this restaurant; you cannot enter."
Xiao Ming narrowed his eyes: "How do you know I'm not on the list if I haven't introduced myself?"
The receptionist's face stiffened, and his smile faltered, "Don't play games, brother. No offense, but judging by your dress, from head to toe, it probably doesn't cost as much as my work suit. Can you afford to eat here?
Of course, our restaurant never judges by appearances. If you were really here to dine, I wouldn't stop you. But we both know what you are here for.
So either call someone to come pick you up, or wait downstairs. If you think you're getting in directly, you're out of luck!"
Checking his watch and realizing there were less than ten minutes left until his wife's fall from memory, Xiao Ming suppressed his rage. "I'm warning you, lives are at stake. If something happens, you and your restaurant won't be able to shoulder the responsibility."
"Ha! Who are you trying to scare? If someone dies, that's a matter for the police, not our restaurant.
Besides, heh heh heh..."
The receptionist chuckled maliciously, patting Xiao Ming on the shoulder, "In my opinion, even if there really is a casualty, it'll be the kind that shows up ten months later. It has nothing to do with us.
Brother, look on the bright side. There's a saying: if you want to live comfortably, it's not bad to be a bit of a cuckold.
If a rich young master fancies your wife, that's your good fortune. You'll gain benefits without lifting a finger; you should be happy instead of... Ah—!"
Xiao Ming grabbed his thumb and broke it, then with another crack, he kicked and broke the receptionist's leg.
The receptionist fell to the ground, his screams like those of a butchered pig.
Two suit-clad security guards nearby rushed over immediately.
"Dare to cause trouble in Yunding Restaurant, you're asking for it! Get on your knees and cover your head..."
"Get lost!"
With a roar, Xiao Ming moved like the wind. He struck one of the guards in the throat while seizing the other guard's face, slamming his head violently against the wall.
From beginning to end, his steps didn't falter, and he charged straight into the restaurant.
In his previous life in prison, he had the chance to meet a master and learned many skills. Kung fu was just one of them. The two security guards stood no chance against him.
Just as Xiao Ming's figure disappeared into the restaurant's vestibule, the elevator 'dinged' open, and a young couple walked out.
Seeing the situation at the door, the girl's face changed drastically, "What happened to you guys? What's going on here?"
Seeing her, the receptionist cried as if he had seen his own mother, "Miss, someone came to the restaurant to cause trouble and broke in after injuring us."