C15 15

Bai Ya remained silent. Today was Zhang Yang's treat, and she didn't want to overshadow the host.

Zhang Yang, upon seeing Lin Yuan, recalled that he hadn't been at a disadvantage last time. But he knew that, even as the boss, the customer was king.

"I'm sorry, but you're not welcome here. Please leave."

Lin Yuan's expression froze. He hadn't expected Zhang Yang to dismiss him so bluntly. Anger flared within him, but the memory of his last defeat at Zhang Yang's hands quelled his temper.

"Hmph, you ungrateful kid. Bai Ya, how could you be interested in someone like him and even agree to have dinner with him? He has no manners and comes from a poor background. I truly think you're making a mistake."

Bai Ya had never had a private dinner with a man before, and yet, here she was, dining with Zhang Yang. Lin Yuan's jealousy soared to new heights.

Damn it, you play hard to get when I ask you out, always making excuses. But this nobody invites you, and you accept. It's clear you have no regard for the Lin family.

"Hmph, I don't need Lin Gongzi to worry about whom I dine with."

Bai Ya snorted coldly. She didn't care for either man, and now they had both intruded on her evening. If it weren't for her promise to Bai Ling, she would have already left.

Lin Yuan, feeling humiliated, quickly devised a new plan. "Zhang Yang, how can you be so frugal when inviting Director Bai to dinner? You didn't even order a bottle of wine. I have a bottle of '82 Lafite. How about I give it to you both as a gift?"

Offering his rival a fine bottle of wine was a calculated move. If Zhang Yang accepted it graciously, it would diminish his standing in Bai Ya's eyes. If he refused, he'd either have to spend money or decline the gift, which would be embarrassing. If he chose to spend, Lin Yuan was curious to see how deep his pockets were.

Zhang Yang felt a jolt of surprise. The legendary '82 Lafite, such a prized item, was being offered to him.

"No need, Mr. Lin. I drove here, so I can't drink," Bai Ya firmly declined. Although she found Zhang Yang disagreeable, for some reason, Bai Ling seemed quite fond of him. Love is blind, she thought. Bai Ya was well aware of Lin Yuan's subtle intentions, but she was certain that Zhang Yang wasn't wealthy. Out of concern for Bai Ling's friend, Bai Ya feared that Zhang Yang might foolishly accept the offer and end up with a bruised ego.

"What are you saying, Director Bai? Mr. Lin is kindly offering wine. If you won't drink it, I can take it home with me. We shouldn't dismiss his generous gesture."

Neither of them truly understood Zhang Yang, or perhaps they didn't grasp the mindset of an underdog. Zhang Yang was indifferent to the impression he made on Bai Ya; he was more interested in tangible benefits.

It reminded him of the time he did something outrageous at school for 100,000 yuan, and later, how he spared no expense to make Xiaoxuan regret her actions.

Bai Ya remained silent. If Zhang Yang was on a path to ruin, she wasn't going to be his savior. She was convinced that Lin Yuan had more tricks in store.

With a snap of his fingers, Lin Yuan summoned the manager, who leaned in to take orders.

"Go, bring my treasured bottle of '82 Lafite. Mr. Zhang deserves a fine wine."

Soon, an attendant arrived with a bottle of red wine. Lin Yuan uncorked it himself and poured a glass for Zhang Yang.

"Please enjoy, everyone. I have other guests to attend to, so I'll leave you to it."

Zhang Yang was puzzled by Lin Yuan's antics. He wondered if the young man had brought fake wine to deceive him.

Ding! Would you like to spend 10 Achievement Points to activate Wine Master mode?

It was like being offered a pillow while dozing off. He had to activate it.

Bai Ya's vision blurred momentarily. Watching Zhang Yang, he seemed transformed. She scoffed at the thought of him daring to accept anything from Lin Yuan.

"You don't even know how to appreciate wine. Taking it would be a waste. Plus, you'll end up spending tens of thousands more when the bill comes. Can you really afford to be so wasteful?"

Zhang Yang paid no attention to the man. He lifted his glass and gave it a few casual swirls, a gesture that seemed nonchalant yet was executed with the utmost authenticity. Bai Ya, unfamiliar with such nuances, simply noted how graceful Zhang Yang's movements were.

Bai Ya couldn't help but wonder if she was seeing things. How could a mere college student exude such elegance?

With just one sip, Zhang Yang identified the wine. It was supposed to be a high-end Bordeaux, but clearly, Lin Yuan had tried to pass off a counterfeit as the real deal.

"This is fake wine," Zhang Yang declared, setting down his glass with conviction. Bai Ya was taken aback. "Don't spout nonsense. You're just a recent graduate. What do you know about distinguishing real from fake wine?"

Bai Ya knew she had to tread carefully. The Lin's Group was influential, and even if the wine was fake, Zhang Yang was bound to be the one at a loss. Making a scene could only lead to more trouble for him.

"What? You dare to claim this is fake wine? Kid, you're finished. Our Tang Pavilion is a premier restaurant in Clear Water City. You slander us, and I'll see to it that you pay for our damages," Lin Yuan, who had been eavesdropping, saw his chance to strike. He had planned to extort a sum of money, but Zhang Yang's accusation that Tang Pavilion was selling fake wine could lead to a defamation case, potentially costing millions to settle.

So, Lin Yuan began to raise his voice, intent on escalating the situation. He wanted to pressure Zhang Yang until he couldn't bear it, leaving Lin Yuan in control.

The Tang Pavilion erupted into commotion. It was a dining spot for the who's who, and the establishment had always enjoyed a sterling reputation. The rumor of selling fake wine was a scandal.

"Zhang Yang, don't be reckless with your words. You could be stirring up serious trouble," Bai Ya cautioned urgently.

Unperturbed, Zhang Yang dismissed her concerns with a wave of his hand. "What's there to fear? If they have the audacity to sell fake wine, shouldn't they be called out? I'm here to expose the fraud."

Bai Ya sensed trouble brewing. Lin Yuan had been listening in all along. Zhang Yang was in for a rough day. He had landed himself in hot water, and with her ongoing collaboration with the Lin family, she was powerless to assist him.

Bai Ling was puzzled by the unfolding events. She turned to Zhang Yang with a smile and said, "Do you even know how to taste wine? You must be mistaken. I'm a regular here at Tang Pavilion and I've never once heard of them serving fake wine."

"Ling Ling, you've got to believe me. This is indeed a fake wine. What are the odds that I'd be the one to come across it?" Zhang Yang insisted.

Lin Yuan, smug and self-assured, addressed the crowd, "Ladies and gentlemen, we have an accusation here that our Tang Pavilion sells fake wine. With so many of you present, I'd like you to bear witness to this situation."

"Boss, please tell us what's happening. I'm a loyal customer and I've never encountered fake wine here before," someone chimed in.

"Exactly, Boss, we trust Tang Pavilion. Please explain," another voice added.

"Come on, Boss, tell us," urged another.

Seeing the crowd's growing impatience, Lin Yuan decided not to keep them in suspense any longer. "This Mr. Zhang Yang, to my knowledge, comes from a working-class family. He's a recent graduate without a job at the moment."

"Boss, what's the point of saying all that? Are you trying to disrespect someone?" a patron inquired.

Lin Yuan calmly responded, "I mean no disrespect to anyone. I'm merely providing some context. Just a moment ago, Mr. Zhang ordered a full spread of dishes and a bottle of '82 Lafite from us. After taking a sip, he claimed that the wine we sold him was counterfeit. Is that not the case?"

Lin Yuan fixed Zhang Yang with a challenging stare, confident in the presence of the many security cameras.

Zhang Yang stood his ground. "You've got the story right. And yes, your wine is definitely fake."

Bai Ya, realizing the situation was getting out of hand and not wanting to upset Bai Ling, whispered to Zhang Yang, "Let's just pay the bill and leave. There's no need to escalate this any further."

Zhang Yang bristled with frustration. "Why should I let this go? He's trying to charge me tens of thousands for a bottle worth only a few thousand. I won't stand for it. I'm going to expose him today."

Bai Ya frowned, looking at Zhang Yang with concern. "I'll cover the cost of the wine. Let's just leave for now."

Upon hearing that, Zhang Yang's displeasure intensified. "What do you mean, 'you'll pay for the wine'? You'll take the loss? I've made up my mind. Today, I'm the host. If you're scared, feel free to leave first."

Bai Ya's chest heaved with frustration. Bai Ling tugged at her and said, "Sister, let's not argue anymore. I trust Mr. Zhang Yang. We can't just let ourselves be taken advantage of like this."

Bai Ya offered a resigned smile. "What do you understand? Lin Yuan is clearly trying to extort Mr. Zhang Yang. Can you even discern the real from the fake with wine? Besides, tasting wine isn't evidence. Without proof, it's just a matter of who has more clout."

Zhang Yang really didn't appreciate his own situation. Bai Ya resolved to sit back and enjoy the drama, curious to see how he would handle the situation.

Lin Yuan was secretly thrilled. When Bai Ya had spoken earlier, he was contemplating whether to spare her some embarrassment. But then, the man practically dug his own grave. If he didn't take Zhang Yang down today, how could he live with himself?

"Ladies and gentlemen, as you've all heard, this issue needs to be addressed, or it will severely damage our restaurant's reputation."

"The boss is right," chimed in another voice. "This seems straightforward to me. Let's just bring in a few wine connoisseurs to taste it. That should settle the question of the wine's authenticity, right?"

The speaker was a plant by Lin Yuan, meant to bait Zhang Yang before bringing in so-called experts to pass judgment. Of course, these experts were in Lin Yuan's pocket. Even though the fake wine's flavor was nearly indistinguishable from the real deal, there was always the chance someone might detect the difference.

"Well, since that's the consensus, let's bring in a few wine experts today to give their opinion on whether this bottle is genuine or not. Mr. Zhang Yang, how does that sound to you?"

Lin Yuan was forcing Zhang Yang into a corner. If Zhang Yang refused, it would imply guilt. If he agreed, the wine experts, compromised as they were, would still spell trouble for him. Either way, Zhang Yang was set up to lose.

Zhang Yang was well aware that it was a rare individual who could identify this counterfeit wine. Regardless of Lin Yuan's machinations, even genuine experts might not possess the discernment required.

Ding! Host, you are in danger. Would you like to spend 10 Achievement Points to unlock a solution to this crisis?

Damn it! Why does this app always activate at the last second? Activate it.

Williams, a seasoned Wine Master at Bohor Manor, had come to China after meeting a beautiful Chinese woman. They were enjoying a romantic dinner when suddenly, a commotion erupted in the restaurant.