After saying goodbye to his family, Wang Cheng left together with Chu Yifeng.
The car did not head toward the apartment or the company. Their first stop was the jam shop in the commercial center. Before they even reached the entrance, they saw a crowd gathered outside. A man and woman who looked like a couple were arguing with Liang Youshan, while onlookers pointed at him and whispered.
As Wang Cheng approached, he heard remarks like “We’re never coming back to this jam shop again” and “What terrible manners.” Liang Youshan, the employee arguing with the customers, actually looked smug. Wang Cheng pushed through the crowd and walked inside.
Liang Youshan’s expression stiffened the instant he saw him.
“Brother Cheng, thank goodness you’re here.”
Guan Ying had been so anxious she no longer knew what to do. Uncle Liang was acting as if he had swallowed gunpowder and had completely forgotten his position. He had clearly been in the wrong, yet he kept arguing with the customers. The way he behaved even made her suspect he was deliberately trying to ruin the jam shop’s reputation. She had just been considering whether to call Guan Jiahe and Song Hai over for help.
Wang Cheng gave her a calming look, then turned to Liang Youshan with a smile. “Uncle Liang, do you think I’m so easy to bully that I wouldn’t dare fire you?”
The arguing couple and the surrounding spectators immediately fell silent. This young man was the owner of the jam shop? Judging from his words, the older employee was the one with a problem. And the boss was handsome too. The direction of the crowd’s whispers quickly changed.
Liang Youshan’s face flushed red.
“Uncle Liang, back then my dad hired you because he thought you were honest. Looking at you now, I’d say that honesty needs a very large discount. Fine, be dissatisfied with me, Song Hai, or Cousin Jiahe if you want. But what did the customers ever do to you? What gives you the right to take your anger out on them? I’m starting to wonder whether you’re really fifty-two or twenty-five. I’m the one who’s twenty-five, all right? And there’s something I need to make clear: I’m not your father, much less your grandfather. We’re not even related by blood, so could you stop putting on airs? Do you know what I felt when I saw that smug look on your face just now? My heart almost broke. What kind of lunatic lets his wife spread rumors and damage my family’s shop while simultaneously expecting a promotion and higher pay? Are you sure you’re normal?”
Wang Cheng was half joking and half serious. The onlookers could not help laughing, and even the couple smiled. A situation that had been turning against the jam shop reversed almost instantly. Now the crowd sympathized with the handsome young owner instead. Having an employee like this really was rotten luck.
“Now I have no choice but to make a decision. Originally, I wanted to give you one more chance. Since you don’t intend to treasure it, I respect your choice. Therefore, I’ve decided…”
“You think I care about working in this lousy shop? Let me tell you, I quit!” Liang Youshan hurled the bag in his hand onto the floor, shoved through the crowd, and walked away without looking back.
Wang Cheng had still wanted to tell him to have a safe trip.
His objective achieved, Wang Cheng walked over to the couple and smiled. “I’m very sorry about what happened just now. We frightened you, and the responsibility lies with the shop. How about this: everything you bought here today is free. Consider it our compensation. I hope you won’t hold the incident against us.”
The couple exchanged glances. The woman’s cheeks reddened slightly as she said nervously, “It’s fine. We don’t mind anymore.”
Her boyfriend looked a little jealous at her reaction, but Wang Cheng’s attitude was excellent, so he could hardly object.
Wang Cheng smiled and nodded. “Thank you for understanding.”
After resolving the crisis at the jam shop, Wang Cheng immediately called Guan Jiahe. He briefly explained what had happened and asked either him or Song Hai to go to the rented apartment as soon as possible, in case Liang Youshan was angry enough to do something foolish without thinking. Guan Jiahe had no time to sigh over the situation. He left Song Hai to watch the New District shop and hurried back himself.
“Guan Ying, you’ll have to work a little harder for now. The New District shop doesn’t have many customers yet. I’ll call Cousin Jiahe or Song Hai and have one of them come help you. After New Year, I’ll hire another employee.”
“Brother Cheng, don’t worry. I can actually manage by myself,” Guan Ying said.
Wang Cheng tapped her lightly on the forehead. “There’ll be more customers tonight. Then you’ll learn what being run off your feet really means. Better to let Song Hai help you for a few days. I still have things to do, so I’m leaving first.”
Guan Ying nodded.
In the car, Wang Cheng took out his phone and called Papa Wang. He first explained what had happened, then told him he had already fired Uncle Liang. Once Liang Youshan returned, he would probably team up with Madam Qi to spread more rumors, so Wang Cheng told Papa Wang to strike first.
“How am I supposed to strike first?”
Papa Wang was baffled. His personality was too straightforward. He had never done anything like ruining someone’s reputation and felt awkward even thinking about it.
“Just do what I told you last time. If Qiangzai’s grandmother comes by, steer the conversation toward this topic, then tell her our family fired Uncle Liang.”
“But… how do I steer it there?” Papa Wang had succeeded last time only because Qiangzai’s grandmother brought up the subject herself. That piece of gossip was old now, and the woman had long since moved on to newer material.
Wang Cheng rubbed his forehead. “Forget it. Give the phone to Xiao Yu. I’ll tell her.” Wang Ziyu was far more reliable than Papa Wang. After hearing his instructions, she immediately promised to complete the mission. Talking to a grandmother who loved gossip posed absolutely no difficulty.
Wang Cheng put his phone away and heard Chu Yifeng chuckle. “What are you laughing at?”
“Your biological parents and eldest brother have always worried you might not be able to handle those relatives once you return to the Zhou family. I think they’re worrying too much. Those people should probably be grateful if you don’t end up digging pits for them instead.”
He knew when to be decisive and did not soften when dealing with enemies. The Zhou family patriarch might have no idea what kind of heir he was about to choose.
“I call this ‘if people don’t offend me, I don’t offend them.’ Everyone has a bottom line. Mine just happens to be a little shallow.” Wang Cheng shrugged.
“That’s good.”
Chu Yifeng also wanted his partner to be capable of protecting himself not only with physical strength but when schemes were involved as well. He was confident he could protect Wang Cheng, but he could not remain beside him every moment.
Cheng Cheng’s ex-girlfriend never came back to the company after that day. Everyone assumed Tao Jing was simply too shameless to show her face again. What they did not know was that she had been hospitalized after Sun Jian struck her hard enough with the mouse to give her a concussion.
As the New Year approached, some company employees had already started their holiday leave. Those still working had their minds fixed on the coming break and no longer had much enthusiasm for work. The ones who would definitely remain until the end were mostly veteran employees.
Fang Tian and Cheng Cheng were delighted to see Wang Cheng. They had not seen him since that night and both had questions. Wang Cheng deliberately stayed in Chu Yifeng’s office for half an hour, making them wait until their curiosity was thoroughly tormented. When he finally came out, the two pushed one another back and forth until Fang Tian won.
“Brother Cheng, um… was what Tao Jing said that day true? Are you and the boss really the ones dealing with Dongwang Group?” Cheng Cheng swallowed, staring at him with sparkling eyes.
The corner of Wang Cheng’s mouth twitched. “If you think so, then yes. If you think not, then no.”
“Brother Cheng.” Cheng Cheng grabbed his hand emotionally. Even without a direct admission, he had already decided he understood. “You two didn’t do all this for me, did you? My problem was just a small thing. You really didn’t need to go this far. I was already happy that you stood up for me.”
Goosebumps rose all over Wang Cheng. He yanked his hand free and placed it heavily on Cheng Cheng’s shoulder, speaking with great solemnity. “Cheng Cheng, listen carefully. You’re right. Your problem really was a small thing. Do you understand what I’m telling you?”
Cheng Cheng: “…”
“Pfft, hahaha!” Fang Tian bent over laughing. He had known it. There was no way Wang Cheng would ask the boss to attack an entire group company just because of Cheng Cheng’s love life. Cheng Cheng was absolutely flattering himself.
Wang Cheng could not help laughing too.
Cheng Cheng stared resentfully at both of them. Li Yu was talking to Xu Siyu nearby and raised an eyebrow when she heard them. She kept feeling that Wang Cheng was somehow different from before, though she could not say exactly how. And she had the vague feeling Dongwang Group’s troubles really did have a great deal to do with him.
Back in Chu Yifeng’s office, Wang Cheng flipped through the day’s newspaper, then opened the laptop on the coffee table. News about Dongwang Group was spreading just as quickly online. Someone had revealed that Sun Jian was preparing to sell one five-star hotel and one four-star hotel. Rumors said Jinding Hotel intended to make a move and was currently having the properties valued. Nothing would be finalized until after New Year.
“I remember Dongwang Group owes more than one billion in unpaid taxes, right? If they sell two hotels, how much can they repay?”
Chu Yifeng looked up from his desk. “At most, half.”
“That little?”
“Dongwang Group is facing the possibility of being shut down. Sun Jian and his father won’t let the company reach bankruptcy. Eventually, they’ll have no choice but to sell more hotels.”
Wang Cheng understood. “Anyone buying will take advantage of that to push the price down, and no matter how low it goes, Sun Jian and his father will still have to compromise, right?”
“Exactly.”
Wang Cheng closed the laptop, walked over to the desk, planted both hands on its surface, and gave Chu Yifeng a roguish look. “What do you think my chances are of swallowing Dongwang Group?”
“One hundred percent, as long as you have enough capital.” Chu Yifeng glanced at him.
“What if I don’t have enough capital?” Wang Cheng blinked innocently.
Chu Yifeng smiled faintly. “You could consider seducing me.”