C12 Cheating Money

"That little harlot from the brothel, do you think you have a say here?"

Ma Ansheng was seething with rage, and his words were deliberately offensive.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Qingya was so incensed that she began to shake, her lovely face turning deathly pale.

"What... what did you just say?!"

Zhao Qingya roared in fury.

Ma Ansheng's expression grew dark.

"I asked which brothel you crawled out of! Are you deaf or just failing to comprehend?"

Ma Ansheng had unleashed a year's worth of vulgarities in that single outburst.

With a sharp crack, Zhang Cheng, unable to stand it any longer, delivered a resounding slap to Ma Ansheng's face.

Regardless of his recent rapport with Zhao Qingyu, Zhang Cheng had grown quite fond of his sister-in-law over the past few days.

Hearing Zhao Qingya spoken to in such a manner, Zhang Cheng felt a surge of rage, especially seeing her shaking with anger. He couldn't restrain himself from striking the man who had sought to make his presence felt in such an unwelcome way.

Ma Ansheng was left dazed by Zhang Cheng's slap, a bright red imprint of a hand quickly forming on his cheek.

The commotion had already drawn attention, and all eyes were on the scene. When they witnessed Zhang Cheng slap Ma Ansheng, the crowd was momentarily stunned.

This kid just slapped the chairman of the Golden Age Group?

My goodness.

The Golden Age Group had climbed into the top five hundred global companies this year. Even the most powerful families in Leezhu City, like the Zhao Family, would show them respect.

A single thought echoed in everyone's minds: this kid is done for, the Zhao Family's son-in-law is done for.

As expected, Ma Ansheng was boiling with fury. Who did he think he was? The new luminary of Leezhu City, admired by many, with a net worth in the tens of billions.

Even an ordinary person would be livid after being publicly slapped, let alone Ma Ansheng.

"Break his arm."

Ma Ansheng stepped back, his voice low and menacing.

His two bodyguards, already fuming from Zhang Cheng's unexpected slap to their boss, feared the worst—that Ma Ansheng might dismiss them on the spot.

Upon hearing those words, he charged forward without hesitation.

The two bodyguards were towering and muscular, each standing nearly 1.9 meters tall. Next to them, Zhang Cheng looked as frail as a child.

It was as if everyone could already hear Zhang Cheng's cries of agony.

But against all expectations, the two bodyguards who had just charged were swiftly taken down by Zhang Cheng's kicks, unable to withstand even a moment.

Eyes wide, the crowd watched the scene unfold in utter disbelief.

Wasn't this son-in-law of the Zhao Family supposed to be a complete waste? How was he so adept? So powerful?

But what good was brute strength in today's society? After all, this was a society governed by law.

The shock quickly subsided, and the room returned to a sense of normalcy, punctuated only by the bodyguards' pained moans on the floor.

Ma Ansheng hadn't anticipated that his carefully selected bodyguards would be dispatched with such swift kicks, leaving his face burning with humiliation.

He maintained a steely composure, aware that now was not the time for an outburst, with Zhao Qingyu's birthday party about to commence.

But to let this slide was out of the question.

He would not let this go! He had taken note of this affront!

Just then, Zhao Zhiquan, with a smile plastered across his face, made his way to the makeshift stage at the center of the hotel lobby.

He had witnessed the entire incident.

He was well aware that Ma Ansheng was a formidable opponent; anyone who could rise to become a top 500 entrepreneur in just a few years was not to be underestimated.

He was content to simply wait for the drama to unfold.

With that thought, he gave a light puff to the microphone before him.

"Welcome, esteemed guests. Thank you for joining us in celebrating my cousin Zhao Qingyu's birthday. I extend my gratitude once more!"

The room burst into applause as Zhao Zhiquan concluded his welcome.

"Today, I had hoped my cousin would be here to greet you, but she was unavoidably detained. So, I will be your host for this birthday celebration. Please, don't be upset. Help yourselves to food and drink, and there's no need for gifts. All expenses today are on us."

Upon hearing Zhao Zhiquan's announcement, the mood among the guests soured.

Damn, we came here to catch a glimpse of Zhao Qingyu, and now it turns out her 'private birthday party' was nothing but a farce?

Dozens of people walked out without a second thought, blatantly snubbing him.

In that moment, Zhang Cheng realized the truth. Zhao Zhiquan had likely invited him here with the sole purpose of public humiliation, and he no longer wished to stay.

Zhao Qingya shared Zhang Cheng's sentiment. Her opinion of Zhao Zhiquan had plummeted to an all-time low.

Unexpectedly, just as they were about to leave, Zhao Zhiquan stirred the pot with his comments.

"Brother-in-law, brother-in-law, please don't go."

Zhang Cheng tensed up, sensing trouble brewing.

"Brother-in-law, you're my sister's husband, the man of the hour at this private birthday celebration. Won't you come up and say a few words?"

Zhang Cheng eyed Zhao Zhiquan on the stage, puzzled about what he was plotting.

Zhao Zhiquan then added, "Even if you don't want to give a speech, as my sister's husband, isn't it your responsibility to foot the bill for her birthday party?"

Zhang Cheng's face turned grim. So, this was the trap they had set for him.

"Yeah, you're Zhao Qingyu's husband. How could you possibly let your brother-in-law pay for her private birthday party?"

"Exactly. I mean, what kind of man are you, letting someone else pay for your wife's birthday celebration?"

Zhang Cheng's expression grew stormy as the crowd below began to voice their opinions, making him the center of their collective scorn.

Before Zhang Cheng could respond, Zhao Qingya assertively cut in.

"Pay? Sure, we'll pay! What's the big deal?"

"Great!" Zhao Zhiquan quickly agreed.

"Then today's expenses will be covered by Zhao Qingyu's husband, Mr. Zhang Cheng. Everyone, feel free to eat and drink to your heart's content."

Upon hearing Zhao Zhiquan's declaration, Zhang Cheng's face turned even darker.

Meanwhile, the few guests who had been about to leave paused, reconsidering their departure as they resumed their roles as spectators.

The crowd was buzzing with excitement, clearly intent on taking this Zhao family son-in-law for all he was worth.

With nearly a hundred people present, indulging in the most expensive offerings of this ultra-luxurious hotel could easily rack up a bill in the tens of millions.

This wasn't an exaggeration. Each person there was a seasoned socialite, well-practiced in the art of extravagance and knowing exactly how to run up a tab to its most painful extent.

Just like that, 10 million was already an underestimate. If a few top models were brought in to put on a show and sing to liven things up, the cost would skyrocket.

Zhang Cheng was in a state of utter dismay. He had a mere 500,000 yuan to his name, and it seemed his sister-in-law, Zhao Qingyu, wasn't exactly flush with cash either.

Unbeknownst to him, the crowd had already resolved to splurge, aiming to saddle him with a hefty bill.

Zhang Cheng was already wincing at the thought of his 500,000 yuan dwindling down to half.

As time trudged on, the guests indulged themselves, channeling their dissatisfaction and envy of Zhang Cheng into voracious eating.

To add to the festivities, over thirty renowned models were invited to take the stage, performing and singing to the delight of the audience.