C14

"Hahaha, quit the charade, you didn't get the money, did you? I bet you could make ten more phone calls and still not scrape together twenty million."

Ma Ansheng's mocking voice filled the air.

Indeed, it was common knowledge that the Zhao Family's son-in-law had achieved nothing noteworthy. Besides, rumors about his poor family background made the idea of him having money laughable.

The only likely source of funds would be the Zhao Family itself. Yet, when Zhang Cheng mentioned Zuo Kun, no one had ever heard of such a figure associated with the Zhao Family.

"I haven't even started counting yet. I'm giving you a chance right now. It's entirely up to you whether I pull out my wallet or not."

"There's no need, I can raise that amount."

Zhang Cheng replied with an icy tone.

"Remember, you said it. No second thoughts later."

Ma Ansheng wore a mischievous grin.

"Hehehe," laughter echoed.

"Kid, this isn't the time for bravado. A real man doesn't sweat the small stuff. What difference does it make if you call out Ma Ansheng?"

"Exactly, exactly. It's just youthful exuberance from having too little experience."

"…"

Sighs of sentiment came from a few voices. These individuals were practically the same age as Zhang Cheng, and if they were older, it wasn't by much. Yet here they were, doling out advice.

Just then, a woman dressed in an OL suit approached. She appeared to be in her thirties, with a petite and alluring figure, and an effortlessly seductive air about her that made all the men present take a second look.

"Little Wang, what's the situation here?"

Her voice was soft and melodious, sending everyone's thoughts adrift.

The woman who had been caught taking a bribe looked visibly flustered.

"Chair... Chairman."

Chairman? The crowd's interest was piqued.

Hua Ji Inn was part of Hua Ji Corporation, a sizeable company in Leezhu City with numerous hotels and a jewelry business to its name.

While Hua Ji Corporation might not rival Ma Ansheng's Golden Age Group, it was certainly not far behind.

Moreover, it's worth noting that the chairwoman of the Hua Ji Hotel is rumored to be a woman with a formidable background, seemingly hailing from the capital. Even the Zhao Family seems inclined to accommodate the Hua Ji Corporation in business dealings.

At that moment, the implications of the debt collector's words dawned on everyone—could the person who had arrived be the chairwoman of the Hua Ji Corporation herself?

The excitement among the crowd grew. They had initially sought to court Zhao Qingyu, lured by the prospect of the Zhao Family's support. So how could they resist the allure of a strong, enigmatic woman? Despite being slightly older, and the rumors of her having a daughter, she had such a youthful appearance that if she claimed to be a recent college graduate, many would likely believe her.

Moreover, it seemed increasingly unlikely that anyone would win over Zhao Yuqing.

Now, capturing the affections of this beauty seemed like an excellent opportunity.

While these thoughts raced through their minds, the woman previously referred to as Xiao Wang snapped to attention. She quickly explained, "Chairman, I took the initiative to settle the accounts for the convenience of our guests."

"Ridiculous! What have I said about how we conduct meetings?" The chairwoman's rebuke left Xiao Wang abashed, her head bowed and her body quivering, at a loss for words.

Just then, the chairwoman of the Hua Ji Corporation noticed something that caught her interest. Her eyes sparkled with allure as she approached.

Zhao Zhiquan, seizing the moment, eagerly introduced himself, "Hello, I am Zhao Zhiquan, a direct descendant of the Zhao Family. You must be the chairwoman of the Hua Ji Corporation. I've heard much about your exceptional poise and elegance, and seeing you in person today, you truly stand out."

Zhao Zhiquan, occasionally attending meetings for the Zhao Family's enterprises, had gleaned insights from his uncles. The influence behind the chairwoman of the Hua Ji Group was reputedly vast, and even the Zhao Family wouldn't dare to slight them, which explained their subtle deference in business matters.

Building a good rapport with her promised numerous advantages, not to mention the chance to win over the heart of a beauty—a truly delightful prospect.

"Member of the Zhao family? Oh, hello there, could you please step aside for a moment?"

Zhao Zhiquan was mortified by the woman's blunt request.

Consequently, the onlookers who had been eager to approach halted in their tracks.

Everyone had assumed the Huaxi Group chairman would reprimand the woman for her debt collection tactics.

Yet, to their astonishment, the chairman bypassed her and made a beeline for Zhang Cheng.

"Mr. Zhang, it's been a while. I've been meaning to visit you, but what a surprise to run into you here."

The Huaxi Group chairman greeted Zhang Cheng with a warm smile, leaving the crowd agape.

How could this supposed deadbeat son-in-law of the Zhao family be acquainted with the chairman of the Huaxi Group?

The crowd was struck by a wave of disbelief.

Zhang Cheng himself hadn't anticipated a reunion with this woman—the mother of the little girl, Ke Xin, he had encountered upon his return from his hometown.

"Is your uncle feeling any better?" Ji Shaohua asked with a gentle smile.

"Much better, thank you. When you have a chance, you should come over to our place. Ke Xin often mentions you," Zhang Cheng replied with a smile.

He reminisced about how he had met Ke Xin, the little girl who had bribed him on the street after being summoned by her teacher. At that time, he had been in need of money and had gotten involved.

He wondered if this elegant woman knew about his past collusion with her daughter, would she still invite him over?

When Zhang Cheng remained silent, Ji Shaohua pressed on, "By the way, what exactly happened earlier? It seemed quite noisy over here."

As the realization set in, guests began to discreetly exit the banquet.

The thought was ludicrous—this young man was not only familiar with the Huaxi Group's chairman, but he also knew her daughter.

With such connections, how could the evening's drama unfold as planned? If Zhang Cheng revealed his past actions, it would spell trouble.

And so, even Ma Ansheng made his escape. The larger his enterprise grew, the more he understood, and he was well aware that the Huaxi Group chairman was likely backed by the influential Ji Family from the capital.

Are you kidding me? The Ji Family is a force not even the prominent Zhao Family of Leezhu dares to mess with.

Suddenly, those who were just jeering at Zhang Cheng had all vanished.

Zhang Cheng was baffled. Why had everyone disappeared? Could it be that they lost interest and left because they realized he knew a director of the Huaxi Corporation, and the drama couldn't go on?

It seemed there was no other explanation.

But Zhang Cheng wouldn't forget the faces of those who had just swindled him out of over 20 million yuan. He made a mental note of it.

He vowed to make them pay dearly in the future!

Little did Zhang Cheng know about Ji Shaohua's identity and background.

And his sister-in-law, Zhao Qingya, was also in the dark about the whole situation.