C7 Who Is the Useless Person?

Zhao Deyi's face turned an ashen hue as he stood rooted to the spot, wordless.

As the heir to Zhao's Group, the thought of streaking naked in public was mortifying. Should word get out, his reputation would be in tatters, and he'd be scorned for the foreseeable future.

To make matters worse, the woman he fancied was right there.

Xu Xin, who had been standing nearby, quickly approached with a stern look and a dismissive flicker of her eyes towards Lin Yuan.

"Your luck won't last forever. Don't overstep. Young Master Zhao was simply swindled by a crooked merchant. There's no need for such hostility."

Lin Yuan chuckled.

"How much did Zhao Deyi pay you to come to his defense?" he probed. "Anyone would think you work for Zhao's Group, not knowing any better."

After Xu Xin met with Zhao Deyi the previous night, he had someone deliver a box to her containing 300,000 yuan in cash.

Lin Yuan, who had been keeping tabs on them, was well aware of the transaction.

"Stop spouting nonsense. I'm with Ruyu Corporation, and that's exactly why I can't let you run amok. Regardless, Young Master Zhao is our esteemed guest, and it's not your place to meddle in his affairs."

Xu Xin, taken aback, quickly retorted with a loud rebuke, her face a mask of indignant righteousness, though her shifty eyes betrayed her inner guilt.

"Enough, both of you. Let's put an end to this matter," Bai Shuang interjected, bringing a sudden calm to the room.

Lin Yuan, hearing his wife's intervention, smiled and held his tongue.

"In deference to my wife, I'll let this go," he said.

Zhao Deyi huffed and returned to his seat.

"I'll have a word with the manager of this establishment later. I need to know why he sold me counterfeit wine. But Bai Shuang, you must believe me—I didn't intentionally buy a fake."

Lin Yuan hadn't anticipated Zhao Deyi's audacity; despite the debacle, he showed no signs of leaving.

Bai Shuang smiled and nodded. Today's incident was trivial, yet she hadn't expected Lin Yuan to handle it so impressively. His conduct had indeed altered her perception of him, and her esteem for him grew.

After the minor disruption, Zhao Deyi, with his thick skin, quickly resumed his composure as if nothing had transpired, ready to continue his meal.

Soon after, staff from the winery arrived, presenting a bottle of red wine so valuable it was almost beyond price, their faces a picture of respectful caution.

"Since you're accusing me of buying counterfeit wine, I'm curious to see whether your Romanee-Conti is authentic. Such an exquisite wine is a rarity, even at auctions," Zhao Deyi said, clearly skeptical of its authenticity.

Not even his father, let alone Zhao Deyi himself, would recklessly squander such a wine. Even if they could afford to keep a bottle at home, they would never dream of actually drinking it.

"Young Master Zhao, there's no need to stoop to his level. Let's be generous and assume the wine is genuine. We shouldn't lower ourselves to his standard," Xu Xin said, her voice dripping with condescension as she dismissed Lin Yuan.

Lin Yuan, who had initially refrained from engaging with her, couldn't help but let a faint smile cross his face, though his eyes grew icy. No man likes to be deemed worthless, especially not in front of his wife, and certainly not someone like Lin Yuan, who had once been known as the War God, a figure of renown and power.

A look of reminiscence crossed his face as he considered the fates of those who had dared to underestimate him in the past.

"You're in no position to judge whether I'm useless or not. But since you doubt me, you needn't bother with the wine. My wife and I can finish it ourselves," Lin Yuan said, his smile unwavering as he uncorked the bottle, releasing a fragrance so distinct and enticing it far surpassed the previous one. It was, without a doubt, in a league of its own.

He poured the red wine for Bai Shuang and then for himself, casting a glance at Zhao Deyi and Xu Xin before raising his glass.

"True ability in a man is never just talk," he said, his words hinting at deeper implications. He took a sip of the red wine, nodding in approval. The wine was exceptional.

Bai Shuang, harboring her doubts, wondered how Lin Yuan had come into possession of such a treasure. Yet, as the aroma enveloped her, she couldn't shake the feeling that the wine was indeed genuine.

She cautiously sipped the wine, her eyes sparkling with delight. It was an unparalleled experience; the wine was unmistakably authentic.

Zhao Deyi swallowed hard, a tinge of regret washing over him. He couldn't fathom why he had been so adamant earlier. The flavor was unmistakably that of a top-tier Romanee-Conti, a luxury he rarely had the opportunity to indulge in.

"Young Master Zhao, I'm not withholding this wine from you out of pettiness. Your body simply can't handle alcohol," Lin Yuan explained.

Lin Yuan was known for settling scores immediately; procrastination was not in his nature.

Having been deeply insulted by Zhao Deyi before, Lin Yuan was not about to let him off the hook easily.

Zhao Deyi was perplexed by Lin Yuan's comments.

"You have no right to curse me. We had a mere exchange of words, and now you're attacking my health. Your remarks are malicious. Such behavior is unbecoming of a gentleman," Zhao Deyi retorted, his eyes narrowing.

"I've studied a bit of medicine. Judging by your complexion, you're clearly overindulging in alcohol and women, leaving you weak, depleted, and your vitality severely compromised. You need to give up drinking and womanizing. Otherwise, you're on a path to infertility," Zhao Deyi asserted.

Lin Yuan, the War God of the underworld, had faced death numerous times and had sustained many injuries. His knowledge in medicine was not only extensive but also exceptional.

The adage that prolonged illness makes one a good doctor rang true. They had only just met, yet Lin Yuan could see through Zhao Deyi's facade. Contrary to his outward appearance of abstinence, his health was in fact deteriorating.

Zhao Deyi's face stiffened, but he quickly glanced around, feigning nonchalance.

"Stop spouting nonsense," he snapped.

"Your kidney function is clearly compromised. Drink three cups of water, and you'll be rushing to the restroom within two minutes," Lin Yuan said, a mischievous grin spreading across his face.

"I'll drink three cups of water right now and we'll see if your claims hold any water," Zhao Deyi challenged.

As the heir to Zhao's Group, Zhao Deyi was certainly not a man who abstained from sexual relations with women. Behind closed doors, he was a notorious playboy, cycling through girlfriends more often than he changed his clothes, and he was a regular at various nightclubs.

Consequently, his sexual prowess had begun to wane, and he relied on medication to function normally. But this was his closely guarded secret, known only to the women in his life and no one else. Lin Yuan couldn't possibly have stumbled upon this information. And as for the challenge of drinking three cups of water, Zhao was convinced he wouldn't need to use the restroom.

With this in mind, Zhao Deyi downed three large glasses of water with confidence.

However, in under a minute, his complexion flushed, and he clenched his legs together, unable to stand or sit comfortably.

"You might want to head to the bathroom," Lin Yuan suggested with a chuckle. "Holding it in any longer and risking an accident would be far more humiliating."

With his face beet red, Zhao Deyi turned on his heel and bolted.

In that moment, Xu Xin's jaw dropped in shock, and even Bai Shuang struggled to believe the scene unfolding before her. Could Lin Yuan's words actually hold truth?

"To be frank, I find Young Master Zhao to be the truly ineffectual one here," Lin Yuan mused to himself. "Especially since his kidneys aren't exactly in top form."

Sitting quietly to the side, Bai Shuang bowed her head, her cheeks tinged with embarrassment as she inwardly cursed Lin Yuan. Moments ago, he had maintained such a dignified demeanor, but now he seemed no better than a street thug.