Chapter 052: Even Thicker-Skinned Than Us Rogues

Xu Ling glanced at Zhao Xiaozhi, a slight frown creasing her brow.

At that moment, Zhao Bin hurried to explain, “Oh, Xu Ling, Zhao Xiaozhi didn’t mean anything by it. She just thought it’s been a long time, so we should all have a meal together. And since I’m a man, of course I should pay. It’s not that we think you’re stingy.”

Xu Ling nodded.

Zhao Xiaozhi quickly added, “Oh, Xu Ling wouldn’t overthink it. Even if your family business isn’t doing well right now, surely you can still afford one meal. By the way, when is your friend coming?”

Before Xu Ling could reply, Song Kai walked over holding a roll of documents.

“Oh? You invited someone else?” Song Kai sat down beside Xu Ling as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“It was just a coincidence, we ran into each other. He’s a friend,” Xu Ling explained helplessly. She understood Zhao Xiaozhi’s intentions well enough—there was no malice, but she was a woman, and a vain one at that. Back in high school, Xu Ling had overshadowed her in every aspect—grades, looks, family background. Now, after all these years, Zhao Xiaozhi had found herself a good boyfriend and wanted to show off, as if to make up for all the times she’d lagged behind.

But this sort of petty satisfaction struck Xu Ling as both tedious and ridiculous.

Zhao Xiaozhi sized Song Kai up: wearing a shabby, pilled sweater, no watch, no gold chain, his hair unkempt, and sneakers splitting at the seams… He looked like a delivery man!

Song Kai didn’t seem to care. He smiled politely at Zhao Bin and Zhao Xiaozhi, then set the documents next to Xu Ling.

“Even though you trust me, I still want to set your mind at ease. These are the documents from the Chinese medicine factory—have a look,” Song Kai said. “We’re family, but business is business. I can’t let you hand over ten million for nothing, right?”

Xu Ling murmured her agreement.

Zhao Bin looked at Song Kai with unconcealed disdain. “Hello, are you Xu Ling’s relative? Her cousin?”

“Huh? I’m her boyfriend,” Song Kai replied, “We’re serious—talking about marriage.”

Xu Ling couldn’t be bothered to explain or scold Song Kai. She simply asked the waiter to bring food and drinks, then absentmindedly flipped through the documents.

Zhao Xiaozhi was momentarily stunned. She looked Song Kai over again, suddenly realized, and blurted out, “You must be Song Kai.”

“That’s right. You know me?” Song Kai grinned, pushing aside his coffee and sipping a glass of water instead.

This gesture made Zhao Xiaozhi look down on him even more.

A man who doesn’t drink coffee but opts for water—he must be a country bumpkin!

Zhao Xiaozhi turned to Xu Ling and exclaimed, “Xu Ling, how can you be so foolish?”

“What’s wrong?” Xu Ling asked, still reading.

Zhao Xiaozhi spoke with heavy earnestness, “Xu Ling, listen to me. For us women, choosing a man is the most important decision of our lives! I know your family once had an arrangement with the Songs, but that was the past. The Songs are bankrupt now—they have nothing! Why are you still dating someone like that? You’ll ruin your life!”

Zhao Bin, catching on, nodded in agreement. “Exactly, Miss Xu Ling. You’re so beautiful, and even without a massive fortune, it would be easy to find someone like me—a top executive at a Fortune 500 company. Why ruin yourself over an old arrangement?”

Zhao Xiaozhi nodded vigorously, “Really, Xu Ling, if you don’t mind, let Zhao Bin introduce you. Spend time with people like him and you’ll see—there’s a whole other way of life among the upper class.”

Song Kai, sitting off to the side, was speechless and exasperated. He turned to Xu Ling, “These are your friends? Let’s go, darling. If we stay any longer, I’ll end up looking like a beggar. Let’s eat at another table.”

“Shut up!” Zhao Xiaozhi snapped at Song Kai. “Listen, Xu Ling and I sat together for years. Sure, I used to be jealous of her, but I can’t just stand by and watch my old classmate ruin herself. Look at you! Do you think you’re even worthy of Xu Ling’s little finger?”

“That’s enough, Zhao Xiaozhi. My personal life is none of your concern. You don’t get to decide who I befriend. And yes, our family is facing some difficulties, but even in hard times we still have a few hundred million to our name. So I won’t lower my standards to marry some man with a mere million-dollar salary. Do you understand?”

Xu Ling’s words were few but left Zhao Xiaozhi utterly speechless.

Indeed, no matter how impressive a top executive might be, a few million in salary was nothing compared to a true business tycoon.

Zhao Xiaozhi flushed, then slapped the table. “Xu Ling! I’m doing this for your own good. Don’t be ungrateful. Besides, Zhao Bin isn’t just an executive—he owns shares in the Sanqian Group, and one day he’ll be an entrepreneur himself! Fine, fine, I see how it is. My good intentions are wasted on you. Just wait—you’ll regret this…”

Bang!

Before Zhao Xiaozhi could finish her sentence, her head was slammed down onto the table.

The flimsy table toppled over, coffee and water spilling everywhere with a loud crash.

The three of them recoiled in alarm.

Standing behind Zhao Xiaozhi were seven or eight burly men. The one in front, sporting a thick beard, was the one who had smashed Zhao Xiaozhi’s head onto the table.

Blood trickled from her forehead, and she looked dazed.

“Stupid woman, I told you you’d regret it!” Liu Hu sneered, grabbing Zhao Xiaozhi by the hair and yanking her upright.

Zhao Xiaozhi stammered in terror, “Brother Hu, please have mercy! Zhao Bin, help me!”

Zhao Bin was frightened too, but with so many people watching, he had no choice but to stand up.

He forced himself to sound brave. “What do you want? Is there no law here? The restaurant owner is… is my friend!”

Liu Hu glanced at Zhao Bin. “So what? It doesn’t matter who your friends are!”

“You—you…” Zhao Bin fumbled for his phone. “I’m calling the police! Just wait!”

Liu Hu laughed coldly. “Calling the cops? Not even the king himself could help you now. You little wretch, you tricked my brother, didn’t you? After you signed the contract, you blocked him, right? You played him good, huh? You’ve got some nerve—thicker skin than any of us thugs!”

As he spoke, Liu Hu slapped Zhao Xiaozhi across the face.

She collapsed onto the sofa, sobbing, “I won’t dare again, I swear. Please, President Liu, Brother Hu, let me go!”

Liu Hu just sneered.

Song Kai stooped to gather the scattered documents, sighed, and said to Xu Ling, “Let’s go somewhere else, darling. This place is cursed—first a busybody mocks us, then thugs flip the table. Let’s get out of here.”

Xu Ling, a little frightened, nodded in agreement.

Song Kai took her hand and led her toward the exit.

Liu Hu looked at Song Kai and then at Xu Ling, momentarily stunned—Xu Ling was so beautiful that he almost lost his nerve.

But, having already crossed the line into thuggery, he didn’t care about appearances anymore.

Liu Hu grabbed Song Kai by the collar. “Who are you calling a thug, you punk? None of you are leaving today! That little tramp deceived my brother, so now you’ll all pay the price.”

“Let me go,” Song Kai said, fixing Liu Hu with a steady gaze.

“Oh, you dare glare at me?” Liu Hu jabbed a finger at him.

Without warning, Song Kai swung the documents and smacked Liu Hu across the face.

The blow was so sharp that Liu Hu was sent flying, crashing to the ground. Half his thick beard was left scattered on the floor.

“You… you punk… you dare—” Liu Hu spat, blood and two teeth flying from his mouth.

“Damn it… kill them! Kill them all!” Liu Hu screamed in rage.

His men all drew steel pipes and wooden sticks.

Zhao Bin, terrified, shouted, “It’s none of my business! I don’t know them, I swear!”

With that, he scrambled onto the sofa and bolted for the exit.

Liu Hu’s men ignored Zhao Bin, weapons raised, and charged at Song Kai.