Chapter 324: Too Intoxicated
After the apartment raid, it was established that brother Lu’s full name was Lu Yuanbo and that his two subordinates were also employees of the blacklisted MLM organization. Now that they had been caught red-handed, they would be facing criminal charges. As for the others, they were released on the spot, and those of them who were penniless were offered free train tickets to go home.
Still, many of them did not wake up from the fantasy that Lu Yuanbo had planted in their heads—one of them being Ding Zhenyun.
When they both stepped out of the police station, he pushed Xiao Luo away, his eyes were bloodshot, and he was screaming like a madman. “Xiao Luo, why are you standing in my path to wealth? Are you not my cousin? You just can’t stand that I’ll be successful, right?”
He was hysterical—his voice sounded angry and desperate, and he was throwing a fit.
Xiao Luo was annoyed and couldn’t understand why Ding Zhengyun was still blind to the scam. “Use your d.a.m.n brain to think, will you! Ask yourself, if brother Lu was a legitimate businessman like you say, why is he being detained by the police? I understand that you want to succeed very much, but it is not going to be this easy. You can’t achieve it by merely taking some notes in front of your brother Lu’s eyes…
“All of you were only a part of his money-making tree, he was just waiting for you guys to attract more people to become his downline and pay tribute to him. How can you not understand such simple reasoning? Besides, if the plan was really that lucrative to them, why didn’t they seek investments from big bosses, but instead chose you guys? Did you not think about this?”
“You don’t understand, you know nothing. Just look at Jack Ma and the challenges he faced when he started his business. n.o.body could understand him, and not a single person saw the potential in him, many even labeled him a liar, but he made it, and his life story is a legend now.” Ding Zhenyun refused to give up his dream.
Jack Ma?
Xiao Luo just shook his head. “If you want to use Jack Ma as an example, I’ll tell you more about him. On top of being able to seize the opportunity in the era of big data, you must realize that he has excellent soft skills. He is an extraordinary speaker and can influence others easily. He also speaks fluent English, which allows him to converse and negotiate with English-speaking businessmen effectively. Most importantly, he possesses great wisdom, and his business ac.u.men is unparalleled.
“Have you ever seriously done a self-appraisal? If you want to be successful like him, what sort of skills do you need to possess? Are you an influential public speaker, or can you get many people to follow your lead? ‘To forge iron, one must be strong’—don’t you understand that? If you really want to be successful, then improve yourself and develop the right skills and att.i.tude, only then can you grab the opportunity when it presents itself.”
“Are you done lecturing me!”
Ding Zhenyun yelled and pointed his finger at Xiao Luo. “You took so long to just tell me that! You’ve always looked down on me and think that I’m not capable and uneducated, you’re just saying that I’m trash. I don’t need your lecture, and you are not qualified to do that!”
He was very aggressive toward Xiao Luo and now saw him as the enemy.
Xiao Luo gave him a cold stare, and without mincing words, he said, “Had aunt not pleaded with me, I’d be too busy to care about you!”
“I know very well what I am doing, just mind your own business!”
Just as Ding Zhenyun turned to leave, Xiao Luo grabbed him by the shoulder. Ding Zhenyun froze, he felt an incredible weight on his shoulder, and he found it impossible to break away, as much as he tried.
He yelped, “W-what are you doing? Let go, let me go!”
Xiao Luo had a mind to beat the lad up, fl.u.s.tered with his stubborn refusal to learn his lesson, and still dwelling on his far-fetched dream. “Right now, every one of our relatives is wary of you, and they see you as no better than a burglar, while your parents are worried sick about you every day. So, how can you still think that you’re on the right path? Your original intention was to give your parents a better life, but all you’ve done is to make them worry about you. Do you know that your mother cries all the time, is that what you mean by giving them a better life?”
“Stay out of my business… y-you better let go!”
Ding Zhenyun struggled furiously as he attempted to turn around and throw a punch at Xiao Luo’s face.
Never mind!
Xiao Luo sighed and let go of him. He was resigned to the fact that Ding Zhengyun was too intoxicated with this get-rich-quick scheme that he saw as his path to success. Sending him home in such a state would only create more heartache and trouble for his aunt and uncle. It was difficult for Ding Zhenyun to accept the reality now, and it would take some time for the truth to prevail.
Ding Zhenyun glared at Xiao Luo and left, ma.s.saging his aching shoulder.
“When you’re ready to go home, come find me at Crescent Bay Hotel if you need cash… and you take care!”
Xiao Luo spoke as Ding Zhenyun turned his back. Although Ding Zhenyun was only his cousin, he had always treated him like his own brother. Seeing Ding Zhenyun so influenced by this MLM scheme only made him feel downhearted.
Ding Zhenyun paused for a second and glanced back, then walked off without further hesitation.
Xiao Luo took out his phone and made a call. “Aunt, I’ve met Zhenyun.”
“Xiao Luo, how’s Zhenyun? Did any bad guy mess with him, is he hurt?” Xiao Jianying was frantic when she received the call and was eager to find out about her son’s wellbeing.
“Nope, he’s fine. He’s a little lean, but he absolutely refuses to go back for now.”
“Why? He doesn’t even listen to you now?”
“He’s gone too deep into this MLM mindset, he won’t listen to any of us now, so we can only wait until he realizes it himself,” Xiao Luo replied.
“How can he be so dumb, he would rather believe in strangers than his own kin, why is he so dumb…”
Xiao Jianying started to cry uncontrollably, her only son had been brainwashed by an MLM organization to this state, and it broke her heart.
Xiao Luo couldn’t find the words to comfort her, but he said, “Aunt, for him to realize what MLM is doing to him, you must not send him any money regardless of what he tells you. He’ll leave the MLM organization eventually once he cannot sustain himself. Don’t worry too much, when that time comes, he’ll definitely come to me.”
“Thank you, Xiao Luo, thank you so much!” Xiao Jianying felt a sense of relief and clung on hopefully to Xiao Luo’s words.
******
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When Xiao Luo got back to Crescent Bay Hotel, he threw himself on the bed and ma.s.saged his temples to ease his stress.
Within minutes, he received a message from Su Li.
“Are you back?”
“Yes.”
“Come here.”
Xiao Luo had to get up again. But he wasn’t complaining, he was delighted with the luxurious apartment arranged for him, and besides, he was genuinely happy with his role as Su Xiaobei’s surrogate father. On top of that, he did not need to do anything other than play “daddy.” So, it wasn’t difficult for him to decline the monthly remuneration of two hundred thousand. He didn’t desperately need money, and although Su Li was a superstar, her cash was hard-earned too.
He freshened up and left for Su Li’s apartment.
He saw an unfamiliar woman with Su Li when he entered the apartment.
She was tall and decked in a long black dress that complemented her full, voluptuous body. She wore a light eyeshadow and had a pair of alluring eyes. Her long wavy hair, highlighted with streaks of red, tumbled in tresses framing a charming face with snow-white skin.
The slit in her dress exposed her long, slender legs adorned in silk sheer stockings and a pair of crystal-colored heels. She was the manifestation of cla.s.s and grace.
…