NOVEL WEB Chapter 3: Wei Feng, 200 Million Yuan
Wei Feng's supercilious smirk faltered as her eyes widened in disbelief, struck mute by the uncharacteristic commanding presence Shen Zeming suddenly exuded.
His usually gentle features had hardened, brow furrowed and jaw set in a firm line as he regarded her coolly.
"Did he just...?" someone in the crowd whispered, eyes wide with shock as they stared at Shen Zeming's face, which was now stern and devoid of any hint of his trademark easygoing humor.
Another onlooker nodded slowly, equally stunned by the abrupt transformation. "I can't believe it. The great Shen Zeming, always so mild-mannered, finally grew a backbone!"
"Wow...wow, Brother Shen, are you okay?" One of his college friends, Luo Chun, stepped in hesitantly, grabbing Shen Zeming by the shoulder with a frown.
The speaker was a blond young man clad in the trappings of wealth - an expensive watch adorned his wrist, while a sleek black T-shirt hugged his torso beneath a tailored designer blazer, paired with dark denim jeans. Designer sunglasses perched atop his perfectly coiffed hair.
Shen Zeming briefly glanced at Luo Chun, one of his closest friends from their privileged social circles. Both came from prominent, wealthy families, so it was natural for them to know each other well and mingle frequently.
"Look, Brother, that's Wei Feng! The girl you've been pursuing for years - don't you remember?" Luo Chun tried to reason, speaking earnestly while gesturing towards the stunned woman. But all Shen Zeming saw in his friend's eyes was a glimmer of mocking disdain beneath the veneer of concern.
Meanwhile, Wei Feng quickly recovered from her initial shock and opened her mouth, no doubt to deliver a biting retort in her usual arrogant manner. But Shen Zeming ignored Luo Chun and smoothly cut her off before she could speak.
"I don't make a habit of repeating myself," he stated flatly, his deep voice carrying an unprecedented edge of steely authority that seemed to reverberate through the room. "Miss Wei, you have exactly one minute to leave on your own before I have security physically remove you from the premises."
Wei Feng's eyes narrowed dangerously as she shot a sharp glance at Shen Zeming, her full lips curling into a sneer as she spoke in a frosty tone laced with venom, "Do I look like a dog to you? I'm leaving on my own."
She turned on her heel, her long, silky raven tresses swishing behind her as she strode towards the exit, the sharp staccato of her heels on the marble floor echoing her indignant rage.
'How dare he speak like that to me!' Wei Feng thought.
Yet, just as Wei Feng was about to yank open the door, Shen Zeming's voice resounded again from behind her, stopping her in her tracks.
"Wait, Miss Wei."
A derisive scoff escaped her full red-painted lips as she whirled around, her expression one of utter contempt.
"Heh, can't bear even a moment without me, can you?" she began, her tone mocking and ready to unleash a torrent of insults, fully expecting Shen Zeming to grovel and apologize as he always did.
But his next words stunned her into silence, along with everyone else who had braced themselves for his typical obsequious retreat.
"You haven't paid yet. Where do you think you're going?" Shen Zeming's voice cut through the tense silence.
He leaned back against the plush sofa, swirling the deep red wine idly in his glass as he maintained a direct, unflinching stare at Wei Feng.
Clad in an impeccably tailored black suit that hugged his broad shoulders, he cut a dashing figure reminiscent of a powerful young executive.
A sleek navy gilet layered over his crisp dress shirt added a touch of sophisticated flair. His dark locks were neatly trimmed into an undercut style, the tousled middle section artfully styled with just the right amount of dishevelment.
For the first time, his posture exuded a calm self-assurance, a far cry from the meek demeanor she had grown accustomed to.
In this moment, Shen Zeming looked every inch the charming, self-possessed heir to a business empire - his gaze locked and determined, his jaw set in a firm line that brooked no argument.
"Fine!" Wei Feng spat out the word like venom, her delicate features twisted into a mask of fury. Clearly, she had not expected to be so thoroughly humiliated twice in such quick succession.
With trembling hands, she yanked out a wad of cash and slapped it down forcefully on the table, the bills fluttering in her wake as she turned and stormed towards the exit.
SLAM!
The sharp staccato of her heels reverberated through the stunned silence, punctuated by the resounding slam of the door as she flung it open and disappeared into the hallway.
CLICK!
Just as the door slammed shut with finality, it swung open again, revealing a couple of imposing men in sleek black suits. They smiled politely as they stepped inside.
"Greetings, Young Master Shen," one of the security guards addressed Shen Zeming smoothly. "May we know who the troublemaker is?"
His question was met with a room full of stunned silence and wide-eyed stares from the gathered group of young socialites. The guard's brow furrowed in confusion as he glanced around, clearly not expecting such a bewildered reaction.
"He really did that! Wow..." someone finally whispered in an awed voice.
"Now this is front-page material," another chimed in excitedly. "'Shen Family Heir Cuts Ties with Longtime Pursuer' - I can see the headlines already!"
A hushed murmur of amazement rippled through the crowd as the reality of what had just transpired began to sink in.
While everyone was still reeling from Shen Zeming's uncharacteristic display of backbone, his friend Luo Chun frowned deeply, eyeing Shen Zeming with a mixture of skepticism and annoyance.
"That's a nice acting, Brother Shen," Luo Chun remarked dryly as he approached and settled himself on the sofa beside his friend. He reached for another glass of wine, downing it quickly while noting that Shen Zeming's eyes remained fixed on the door through which Wei Feng had stormed out moments earlier.
"She's gone now. Stop looking," Luo Chun scoffed with a derisive laugh. "Go cry now."
When Shen Zeming failed to respond, the frown etched itself deeper into Luo Chun's features. He shook his head slowly, his tone taking on a sarcastic edge. "Alright then, that's a joke, but I must say, your acting was pretty cool."
Yet still, Shen Zeming did not so much as acknowledge his friend's words, his gaze remaining resolutely trained on that same spot as if transfixed.
In reality, however, Shen Zeming was not ignoring Luo Chun at all. His attention was focused intently on the transparent screen hovering before him...
[DING!] Choice 2 has been selected! Delivering the reward: 200 million yuan!
[DING!] Congratulations, Host, for successfully avoiding embarrassment and becoming a true man!
[DING!] Current relationship value with Wei Feng: -90.