C17 Yu Zexin

Meng Junjie felt a fleeting glance from him, and almost instantly, the last traces of his inebriation vanished, leaving him drenched in a cold sweat.

He hurriedly released the hotel manager's collar with shaking hands and even helped to straighten out the wrinkles.

The hotel manager let out a cold snort. With his boss now on the scene, his confidence surged. He spared no mercy in his biting remark to Meng Junjie, "The Meng family is renowned in Wangjiang City. You ordered the finest wine; surely you don't intend to skip out on the bill?"

Meng Junjie, too preoccupied to wipe away the relentless cold sweat on his face, gestured frantically, "We won't renege on our promise. The payment will be made!"

While speaking, he cast a desperate glance at Old Lady Meng. There was no way he could come up with 36,430,000.

He instinctively moved a couple of steps closer, as if seeking refuge in Old Lady Meng's presence from the oppressive aura of Yu Zexin.

Old Lady Meng exhaled a weary sigh, managing a strained smile towards Yu Zexin, "Tonight's mishap was our family's oversight. Boss Yu, please don't bear a grudge. Rest assured, the payment will be forthcoming."

She then addressed the Meng family members present, "We can't expect Jie to shoulder tonight's costs alone. Each household should contribute two hundred thousand yuan. Jie and I will cover the remainder."

Her statement, while causing a stir of discontent, went unchallenged; the family silently consented to the arrangement.

Yet, two individuals wore particularly awkward expressions – Meng Shuran and Soong Yan. For them, producing two hundred thousand yuan for the meal was a daunting task.

The four million yuan Lin Hao had given to Meng Shuran had already been spent on debts; they simply had no spare cash.

"Meng Shuran, you look rather pale. Are you saying you can't come up with two hundred thousand? Or are you reluctant to part with the money?" Meng Junjie caught sight of Meng Shuran's strained expression and couldn't help but blurt out the question.

At Meng Junjie's words, all eyes turned to Meng Shuran, her cheeks flushing rapidly with embarrassment.

"We have two hundred thousand," Lin Hao interjected suddenly, cutting off Meng Shuran mid-sentence. Seated, he remained still, his back to Meng Junjie, Yu Zexin, and the rest of the group.

Yu Zexin's face underwent a dramatic transformation the instant he heard Lin Hao's voice.

"Excuse me, who are you?" Yu Zexin's voice carried a subtle quiver. While it might have gone unnoticed by others, Lin Hao picked up on his fear loud and clear.

Lin Hao shook his head, a slight grin breaking across his face.

Meng Junjie, noticing Yu Zexin's sudden focus on Lin Hao and his stern expression, mistakenly thought Lin Hao's behavior had irked Yu Zexin.

"Boss Yu, please, don't be upset. This man is just a son-in-law who married into the Meng family; he's not familiar with our ways. If he's rubbed you the wrong way, feel free to set him straight. Just don't hold it against us—the Meng family isn't connected to his actions..."

"Beat it!" Yu Zexin shot Meng Junjie a fierce glare, dismissing him with a wave that sent him reeling to the side.

At that moment, Lin Hao rose to his feet, turning to face Yu Zexin with an unruffled demeanor.

A surge of ecstatic excitement washed over Yu Zexin's features.

It had been seven years since he last laid eyes on Lin Hao. He never imagined he'd encounter him here at the Wanggang Hotel.

"It's been a while," Lin Hao greeted Yu Zexin with a smile, his composure relaxed and unaffected, paying no mind to the dumbstruck Meng family members.

Yu Zexin stepped forward briskly, gripping Lin Hao's hand firmly, his excitement palpable. "First young master, it's truly you!"