C9 Lee Yifan Who Was Dumbfounded

Are you out of your mind?

Where are the "few friends" you mentioned?

It's obvious you're here for insurance, but to the uninitiated, it looks like an illegal rally!

The turnout was way beyond Yin Tian's expectations.

He had assumed Hsu Yang's "few friends" meant literally a handful of people, not the crowd that showed up.

A cyclist passing by caught sight of the throng and was so startled he nearly forgot how to pedal.

"Mr. Yin, is this enough? If not, I can call a few more over," Hsu Yang offered, oblivious to the issue at hand.

"That's plenty, thanks," Yin Tian replied, gesturing for him to stop. "I was expecting a small group, but this is... well, it's more than enough."

They had already surpassed the goal. Any more business would just pad Dung Tao's stats.

Hsu Yang simply offered a good-natured smile in response.

With a sigh, Yin Tian muttered, "Guess lunch is off the table now."

With such a crowd, finding a spot to eat would be a challenge. They'd probably need to reserve the whole place, but Yin Tian didn't have the funds for that kind of hospitality.

Besides, with all the contract signing, there likely wouldn't be time for a midday meal.

He and Dung Tao had used business as a pretext for the meeting, not expecting it to turn into an actual business affair.

After a cursory glance at the attendees' information, Yin Tian led them upstairs to finalize the contracts.

Upon arriving, he found Dung Tao blocking his desk, trying to charm Ning Shang, who was visibly annoyed.

"Manager Dong, make way, please. I have work to do."

Yin Tian didn't mince words with Dung Tao, quickly moving him aside and taking his seat, leaving Dung Tao on the outside looking in.

"Yin Tian, I was just about to find you. Weren't you off finding a client? Where's the client?" Dung Tao asked, his anger turning to a mocking laugh. He had been close to making plans with Ning Shang, and Yin Tian had just thwarted his efforts.

Yin Tian didn't even lift his head as he searched for the contract, subtly gesturing with a purse of his lips.

"Here, where's the client?"

Following Yin Tian's subtle cue, Dung Tao glanced over and spotted a middle-aged man with a little girl by the glass door. The girl was peering curiously into the office, hopping up and down.

"You were gone that long and only brought back one?" Dung Tao let out a relieved breath upon seeing just the two of them.

Yin Tian had sounded so assertive on the phone that Dung Tao had braced himself for a crowd—perhaps seventeen or eighteen people.

They were all outside because there were too many of them. The small office wouldn't have been able to accommodate everyone.

"Is one client not still a client?" Yin Tian hadn't mentioned the dozens more waiting outside.

With a quick glance, Dung Tao clapped Yin Tian on the shoulder. "You get back to work then."

With that, he strode off to his own office and immediately dialed Lee Yifan's number.

"Thump, thump, thump."

Lee Yifan arrived with sweat beading on his forehead, clearly having run over as soon as he got the call.

"Brother Dong, did you need me?"

Approaching, Lee Yifan noticed Dung Tao's empty cup and promptly refilled it without being asked.

"Wasn't your job to watch Yin Tian? He's about to close a deal."

After taking a leisurely sip from his freshly filled cup, Dung Tao eyed Lee Yifan.

"That quickly?" Lee Yifan was taken aback. "Okay, I'll head back and keep tabs on him."

"Now!" Dung Tao rapped on the desk. "I want you to go and secure that deal right now."

"Ah?" Lee Yifan balked at the idea.

He had planned to discreetly shadow Yin Tian, figure out who he was dealing with, and then approach the clients privately. That way, he could avoid a direct confrontation with Yin Tian.

Going out to snatch the deal now would be like broadcasting to everyone, "I, Lee Yifan, am going after Yin Tian."

Reading his hesitation, Dung Tao offered some advice: "If you don't step in now, and he keeps bringing people back to sign, you'll just be standing by watching him succeed, won't you?"

"This..." Lee Yifan hesitated, his head bowed in thought. When he finally looked up, he was met with Dung Tao's exasperated gaze. Steeling himself, he declared, "I'll do it!"

Exiting the manager's office, he noticed the entire team was missing. Lee Yifan stopped Li Shufen, the cleaning lady, to inquire about their whereabouts.

Li Shufen gave Lee Yifan a quick once-over, noting his youthful appearance but sharp, simian features, before averting her gaze.

"They're in the guest hall," she said curtly, then turned away to continue her work without another glance at him.

Lee Yifan had more questions about everyone's absence, but seeing Li Shufen sweeping off into the distance, he awkwardly swallowed his words.

Straightening his collar, Lee Yifan made his way to the guest hall.

Despite his stoic facade, fear was making his legs wobbly.

The mere thought of confronting Yin Tian head-on filled him with dread.

The guest hall's doors were soundproof, leaving Lee Yifan in silence outside.

He lingered, taking several deep breaths to banish his fears.

"It's just a beating at worst, and if he hits me, he's sure to get locked up," he reassured himself silently, over and over.

With newfound bravery, he flung open the guest hall doors and bellowed Yin Tian's name.

"Yin Tian!"

In an instant, dozens of heads swiveled to stare at the man who had captured their attention.

Lee Yifan's initial surge of boldness evaporated, and his legs turned to jelly under the weight of their stares, feeling like a soft-shelled shrimp.

He struggled to move, his feet as heavy as if encased in concrete, his body shaking.

Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his face turned ashen.

"What's the matter, Group Leader Lee?" Yin Tian emerged from the crowd, eyeing the second group leader with a mocking air. "I'm in the middle of something here."

Name: Lee Yifan.

Gender: Male.

Age: 27.

Leader of Sales Team Two.

A sycophant and a schemer, tasked by Dung Tao to hinder Yin Tian's work.

To Lee Yifan, Dung Tao is the sun and the earth; as long as it leads to a promotion, Dung Tao is his provider and protector.

Net worth: $100,000.

Having reviewed Lee Yifan's profile, he was well aware of Lee's intentions and, consequently, harbored no sympathy for him.