Chapter 6: Chapter 6: Negotiating with a Tiger for Its Skin
Sister Fang hurriedly said, "Yanyan felt you drank a bit too much just now and was worried about you."
Fu Xingzhou gave a faint smile, his voice as usual, laced with a beguiling gentleness, "Wait for me to come back."
After the door closed, Sister Fang glared at the person opposite her, "How can you not read the room? Do what you're supposed to do, and don't utter a word that isn't your place to say."
Dancing with wolves, frying in dragon oil, they simply couldn't afford any mistakes.
Just like the scar on Fu Xingzhou's face, everyone saw it, but no one dared to gossip.
"I made a mistake, Sister Fang. I'll be more careful next time," Nangong Yan lowered her head, somewhat reluctantly.
"You know very well how you got everything you have today. If you don't hold tightly to Fu Xingzhou, the big mountain behind you, you will end up with nothing sooner or later."
Fu Xingzhou arrived outside Xiong Wenbai's private room, a man of immense elegance, whose mere presence seemed to brighten the surroundings.
Xiong Wenbai hurried out to greet him, "Mr. Fu? It really is Mr. Fu, no wonder I dreamed of goldfish last night. I've encountered a noble person indeed."
Fu Xingzhou smiled, "Jiua received some distinguished guests today, and I wish to take President Xiong with me to offer a toast."
"Of course, of course," Xiong Wenbai thought to himself, fortunate to not only get a chance to connect with Fu Xingzhou but also...
~
Xiao Xiao was leading the group in a game of 'knocking seven.'
It was a simple, clichéd drinking game, but everyone thoroughly enjoyed it.
"Dr. Chai, it's Dr. Chai again."
Dr. Chai, for the nth time, picked up his cup, the fizzy drink making him want to burp.
"Dr. Chai, you really should learn from Dr. Ye; she hasn't missed once."
Xiao Xiao boasted proudly, "Otherwise, Dr. Ye is the youngest Ph.D. in our hospital."
"Xiao Xiao, what are you so proud of? Besides Dr. Chai, you've messed up the most."
The group was laughing and joking when someone uninvited entered.
The noise ceased abruptly, and several gazes simultaneously turned toward the door.
Xiong Wenbai was also stunned.
He had not expected the VIP's room to be so cramped, lacking even a private restroom.
His gaze swept across the faces of the group, uncertain.
These people were dressed plainly, mostly younger, lacking the demeanor of long-standing supremos.
When his eyes landed on Ye Yan sitting not far off, his mind buzzed suddenly.
She was different from the others, not even glancing this way but casually flipping through her phone, her striking features and cold, jade-like demeanor unmistakable.
Just as Xiong Wenbai swallowed hard, he heard Fu Xingzhou speak softly, "President Xiong, everyone seated here is a distinguished guest of mine."
"So these are guests of Mr. Fu," Xiong Wenbai realized.
Yet, he racked his brains and couldn't recall when such a new power had arisen in Ao City.
"I am Xiong Wenbai, I offer my regards to everyone." Xiong Wenbai picked up an empty cup, only to find no wine on the table.
Just then, a waiter came in with a tray, placing a wine glass and several bottles of white spirit on the table.
Ye Liangping was about to say something when Dr. Chai stopped him, shaking his head.
They were familiar with Fu Xingzhou's face, but this man had always been a high and mighty overseer.
This sudden development today must have a reason.
Xiong Wenbai filled the heavy half-jin glass.
"I'll drink this first, please feel free."
"Wait," Fu Xingzhou lazily called him, "President Xiong, that hardly seems sincere."
"Right, right, my mistake," Xiong Wenbai walked over to Ye Liangping, bending at a ninety-degree angle in front of the young man who was about his son's age, "I'll drink first as a show of respect."
With that, he tilted his head back and downed the white spirit in one gulp.
Ye Liangping: ...
Xiong Wenbai had downed three glasses and was already somewhat unsteady on his feet, his stomach burning as if someone had thrown several hot coals into it.
Desperately, he looked towards Fu Xingzhou. The man stood with his hands in his pockets, his posture lazy, seemingly relishing Xiong Wenbai's humiliation and helplessness.
Even with his slow reactions, Xiong Wenbai finally realized that he had offended Fu Xingzhou.
But when had that happened?
With Fu Xingzhou's personality, if he didn't finish those bottles of white liquor today, he feared he might not be able to leave.
Xiong Wenbai's gaze fell on Ye Yan, and in a flash, he realized why Fu Xingzhou was angry.
Could this woman be Fu Mr. Xingzhou's woman?
He must have had the heart of a bear and the guts of a leopard to dare to flirt with Fu Xingzhou's woman.
With a thump, Xiong Wenbai knelt directly in front of Ye Yan.
"Miss, I was wrong. You are magnanimous; please spare my life."
Ye Yan was also startled, just as a message popped up on her phone.
"Feel better?"
She looked up and saw the man giving her a rogue's smirk, cheerfully spinning his phone in the palm of his hand.
Ye Yan frowned and quickly replied, "Let him go."
Xiong Wenbai kept kowtowing, his forehead bleeding from the force—clearly terrified.
Everyone present was a medical professional; making a scene would look bad.
Just as Chai Chen was about to stand up, he heard Fu Xingzhou say dismissively, "Alright, get up. My wife won't hold it against you."
The crowd was once again speechless, staring straight at Ye Yan.
Ye Yan remained expressionless.
Fu Xingzhou watched the commotion for a while, his voice carrying a hint of coercion, "President Xiong, aren't you getting up? You got it wrong."
He shook his phone, "She's not here; it was a text message."
Xiong Wenbai was still a bit stunned, but since Fu Xingzhou had spoken, he certainly wouldn't seek more trouble, and so he got up from the ground and scurried to follow behind Fu Xingzhou.
"President Fu, I deserve to die."
As they left the private room, Xiong Wenbai slapped himself twice, hard and loud enough to draw blood from the corners of his mouth.
"Deserve to die?" Fu Xingzhou took a cigarette from his bodyguard's hand, "Then why don't you go die?"
Xiong Wenbai's face turned pale, and he stammered, unable to speak.
He had dared to flirt with Fu Xingzhou's woman; he should have been prepared for this.
But he couldn't understand; though the woman was beautiful, she didn't seem like someone who would be involved with Fu Xingzhou.
"Wow."
Just as Xiong Wenbai was thinking of how to appease this unpredictable man, a sweet, metallic taste surged in his throat, followed by a spurt of blood.
Xiong Wenbai's bodyguards quickly came forward, one of them tentatively asked, "Mr. Fu, President Xiong might have gastric bleeding; he needs to be taken to the hospital immediately."
Xiong Wenbai was already slumped on the ground, eyes rolling back as blood continued to spurt from his mouth.
At this moment, if Fu Xingzhou didn't relent, the bodyguards wouldn't dare to move him; they could only watch helplessly as he turned into a blood fountain.
Fu Xingzhou disdainfully looked at the blood-stained waistcoat of his suit and said sternly, "Get out."
The two bodyguards hurriedly lifted Xiong Wenbai and quickly headed out of the hotel.
Fu Xingzhou took off his suit waistcoat and casually tossed it, the bodyguard hurriedly reaching out to catch it.
"Throw it away."
This tailor-made suit had only been worn once—truly bad luck.
"Yo, who made our young master so angry?" Someone came from the side of the corridor, followed by the hotel manager.