Chapter 128: I Am Threatening You
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
“We have you on the ground, Mr. Fang. If I dropped from the sky, then you would definitely be my meat cus.h.i.+on. By then, both our bones would be shattered. Am I right?” Xiao Luo glanced at Fang Changlei with a false smile.
The grin on Fang Changlei’s face dimmed in an instant. As he removed the cigarette from his lips, smoke billowed over his face. He said, “It isn’t good for a young man to be so arrogant. I suggest you check that temper of yours. Otherwise, you won’t even know what kills you in the future.”
Xiao Luo sneered back, “Well, everybody has to die sooner or later. But I certainly believe that you’re going to die before I do, Mr. Fang. After all, you are a geezer capitalizing on advanced age. For your information, that is a sickness. You could easily, you know, kick the bucket at any time.”
“You…”
Fang Changlei widened his eyes in anger as he stared at Xiao Luo furiously.
“Bam!”
Zhang Hongda slammed the table and stood up. He glared at Xiao Luo with maddened eyes, shouting, “Get out of here, kid! You are not welcome in this place!”
It was only now that Xu Guansong regained his senses. He put on an awkward smile and stepped forward to serve as a mediator. “Calm down Mr. Zhang. You too, Mr. Fang. Mr. Xiao is at fault here, so I’ll ask him to apologize. Please don’t let this get to you.”
Zhang Hongda and Fang Changlei’s complexions softened slightly. They obviously cared about getting an apology from Xiao Luo.
“Mr. Xiao, what are you doing? Hurry up and apologize to Mr. Zhang and Mr. Fang.” Xu Guansong had utterly surrendered. They had come here to talk about business, and they were in need of Zhang Hongda’s help, so why did Xiao Luo have to pick a fight? It was beyond ridiculous.
“Mr. Xu, are you still oblivious as to what’s going on here? Mr. Zhang has agreed to see us because he wants to make us look bad in front of Mr. Fang. I will not apologize. Even if I did, he would never renew his contract with Luo’s Workshop anyway,” Xiao Luo replied coldly. With his temper up, anyone who tried to intervene, no matter who he may be, he was merely a flea in his eyes.
“Yeah, I support Mr. Xiao!” Luo Qi expressed his support for Xiao Luo.
This wasn’t how people ought to talk about business. Since the very beginning, Zhang Hongda’s att.i.tude toward them had been indifferent. When Fang Changlei had arrived, he’d even gone on to say that Luo’s Workshop was trash. This was a bald-faced insult. No matter how terrible Luo’s Workshop may, it should still be allowed to preserve its dignity and pride.
“Keep quiet, Luo Qi! Stop fanning the flames! Mr. Xiao isn’t sensible, but must you follow his example as well?” Xu Guansong thundered at her, though it mostly felt like he was abusing one over the shoulder of another.
“Mr. Xu, you are talented. Why have you allowed yourself to be treated so shabbily at Luo’s Workshop? Look at your company now. It is full of newbies who can hardly maintain their composure. Your future will be dim if you stay at Luo’s Workshop. I think you should come to Taste Buds. With your experience and capabilities, I believe that Brother Fang will be very willing to take you in,” Zhang Hongda stated hurriedly. Persuading Xiao Luo’s people to join another company right in front of their boss was humiliation at the highest level.
Fang Changlei lifted his eyebrows and seconded, “That is a great suggestion. I treasure talent most of all. If you’re willing to join us, Mr. Xu, I will make you Taste Bud’s deputy manager. That way, I can fully retreat behind the scenes and take a long vacation. Although you’d only be a deputy manager, you would still be paid considerably more than what you earn now at Luo’s Workshop.”
Xu Guansong was extremely flattered. He answered promptly, “Thank you for your kind offer, Mr. Fang, but I am deeply attached to Luo’s Workshop. This company is like a family to me. No matter rich or poor, a family remains as it is. I have no intention of abandoning my family.”
“Is that so? How very unfortunate!” Fang Changlei lifted his teacup and took a sip.
Xiao Luo began clapping his hands with a faint smile. “Mr. Fang, Mr. Zhang, persuading my men to join your ranks right in front of me—I see you’re gleefully gloating.”
“Why are you not scramming yet? Should I ask my men to force you out?”
Zhang Hongda wasn’t polite to Xiao Luo. In his eyes, this kid was not at all qualified to talk business with him. Using his words, he was a boss who didn’t even have fully grown pubic hair. He was literally an incompetent child in a tuxedo with an inflated sense of self.
“That won’t be necessary, Mr. Zhang. I’ll leave when I have concluded my business.” Xiao Luo always had an enigmatic smile on his face that was impossible to see through.
“Your business?”
Zhang Hongda sneered, “I suggest you give up. Don’t even think about recouping the f.u.ke Group’s order. We will not give you a single penny. Trash companies like the Luo’s Workshop should hurry up and close down, lest you disgrace yourselves in Jiangcheng!”
Not only Xiao Luo, but Xu Guansong also heated up hearing that.
“Brother Zhang, you will hurt their self-esteem that way. Look at Mr. Xu and that little girl. You’ve made them so angry. Let them save at least a little bit of face, alright? After all, they are still executive members of a company,” Fang Changlei said, throwing oil on the fire.
Not even a tinge of anger showed on Xiao Luo’s face. He sat down by himself, picked up the teapot, and drank directly from it right in front of Zhang Hongda and Fang Changlei. When he was finished, he said to Zhang Hongda with a hippie-esque grin, “I think I understand. Mr. Zhang, you’re saying that you’d rather give the f.u.ke Group’s order to a dog than Luo’s Factory, right?”
Zhang Hongda, who was already fuming, responded without thinking, “Of course! I will not give you any orders, even if it’s only a single penny’s worth!”
“Oh? So, in your eyes, Mr. Zhang, Mr. Fang is a dog,” Xiao Luo spoke in a tone as if he was enlightened.
“You scoundrel, what nonsense are you saying? Do you really believe that I’d let you walk out of here with your back on the ground?” Fang Changlei got caught up in anger.
Similarly, Zhang Hongda was also glaring at Xiao Luo. His face flushed and paled alternately. He had never encountered someone as insidious as Xiao Luo before.
“Mr. Fang, it wasn’t me who called you a dog, so why are you barking at me? Chillax, alright? Come, sit down. Let us have a nice chat. Amiability attracts riches, right? Peace breeds wealth!”
Xiao Luo smiled as he poured tea for Fang Changlei and Zhang Hongda. Then, he raised his teacup and said, “Cheers, Mr. Fang, Mr. Zhang. Please accept this cup of tea as my apology.”
The two men stared at him with their faces twitching. They were thinking: You’ve friggin’ drank directly from the teapot, so who wants to drink tea from it now?
“What is the meaning of this?” Zhang Hongda asked with a solemn face.
“Nothing, to be exact. But, you know, I’m rather unhappy that you repeatedly called my company trash earlier. Based on my usual disposition, you should be on the way to the emergency room by now.”
“Hah! You think you could send me there by yourself?” Zhang Hongda replied mockingly with eyes filled with disdain.
“Yes.”
Xiao Luo nodded carefully. As soon as his voice dropped, the teacup in his hand could not bear the colossal force of his five fingers. Following a loud crack, it shattered in an instant, scattering debris across the table. The tea, which was no longer hot, dripped down through Xiao Luo’s fingertips, drop by drop.
This little display profoundly startled Zhang Hongda and Fang Changlei, and they both sat up straight in response to the threat.
There was a slight change in the expressions of their bodyguards in black. Just how strong were Xiao Luo’s fingers to have crushed a calcined porcelain teacup with his bare hands?!
Luo Qi looked at Xiao Luo with overwhelming adoration. She felt like her boss was a true hero.
“Are you trying to scare me?” Zhang Hongda forced himself to calm down.
“My apologies. I’m not scaring you. I’m threatening you. Do not touch my bottom line. You may refuse to sign a contract with us, but do not insult us.” The warm smile on Xiao Luo’s face vanished and was replaced by freezing cold, sending chills through their bones.
The corners of Zhang Hongda’s mouth twitched. This was the first time that he had been threatened by someone younger than him, which was incredibly infuriating. However, he did not dare make any disrespectful remarks, and only glared unwaveringly at Xiao Luo.