"Cheng Daqi, you've got some nerve, trying to swindle anyone!" As soon as he got up, the bald guy grabbed Cheng Daqi by the hair and roared, his expression ferocious.
He wanted to put on a show for Li Zhonglou.
In truth, he wasn't afraid of Li Zhonglou, but he was terrified of Zheng Rui, to his very core.
After losing a little finger last time, if he offended him again, he'd likely lose his life.
And Li Zhonglou could order Zheng Rui around.
What other choice did he have?
He could only brutally torment Cheng Daqi to show his loyalty.
"Brother Chen, it hurts, it hurts..." Cheng Daqi's face contorted as he was pulled, crying out miserably.
Jin Jing's beautiful eyes widened at the scene.
This beast, Cheng Daqi.
Not only did he abuse her, but he also had someone beat up her father.
And now he was framing her for infidelity; he deserved to die.
But in the past, she had no way to retaliate. Now, seeing him dragged on the ground like a dead dog, a sense of vengeful pleasure welled up within her.
Jin Jing unconsciously glanced at Li Zhonglou.
Her benefactor's back loomed larger and larger in her eyes.
Not only had this man stepped forward to help her in her time of need, but he had now done something she wanted to do but couldn't.
It was incredibly satisfying!
What kind of woman would be lucky enough to marry such an outstanding man?
Jin Jing's heart churned.
"You know pain, huh? Kowtow to Master Li. When Master Li is satisfied, then you can scram!" The bald guy, still holding Cheng Daqi's hair, threw him directly in front of Li Zhonglou.
Cheng Daqi no longer dared to resist.
He scrambled to his knees and began kowtowing: "Master Li, Li Master, I'm a beast, I'm not human."
"I shouldn't have slandered you, and I definitely shouldn't have tried to swindle you."
"You are a great person. Please spare me, seeing as someone like me, who just muddles through life waiting for death, has no other path to take."
"For Jin Jing's sake, after all, we were husband and wife."
"I'll give her to you... I'll divorce her immediately!"
What Cheng Daqi said became more and more outrageous.
Jin Jing's face turned from white to red, like a ripe apple, as she listened.
Bang!
Li Zhonglou couldn't stand it any longer. He kicked him down and said coldly, "Go and complete the divorce procedures with her today."
"Do not harass her at the store again."
"If you dare to drag your feet, someone will come looking for you."
With that, without waiting for Jin Jing to react, he picked up his groceries and left the store.
"Brother Li..." Jin Jing wanted to chase after him but lacked the courage, so she eventually stopped, her eyes showing reluctance.
Cheng Daqi lay on his back on the ground, as if granted a great pardon.
But in his squinting eyes, a sinister glint appeared.
His heart seethed with hatred: "Master Li, Bah! Stealing my wife, and daring to have me beaten, I remember you, just you wait!"
People like him didn't learn from pain; they were always two-faced.
As long as the bald guy didn't interfere, he would definitely find a way to get back what he lost today.
Li Zhonglou paid no mind to what this petty thug thought.
Carrying his groceries, he returned home.
Just as Jiang Yuxin greeted him, Lin Ying called him aside: "Junior Brother, I need you to do something for me."
"Sister, please instruct me!" Li Zhonglou said without hesitation.
"Sister Yun just called me. She wants me to meet a client with her tonight, but I need to watch your mother, so I recommended you instead." Lin Ying said matter-of-factly.
Actually, she was terrified of such business engagements.
Xiao Yun had to attend to clients to regain control of the Xiao family.
This client particularly liked Tianhuang seals, so she wanted someone to help appraise them.
She used Zheng Xiumei as an excuse and naturally pushed the task onto Li Zhonglou.
"Sister Yun saved me, it's only right to help her. Leave it to me," Li Zhonglou agreed.
The few of them worked together, Li Zhonglou responsible for chopping the filling while the others wrapped the dumplings.
In no time, two hundred dumplings were in the pot.
Lin Ying suggested having some white wine, and Jiang Yuxin unusually agreed.
She rarely drank alcohol, even seldom drinking red wine, but for some reason, she suddenly wanted to drink today.
Could it be because of him?
Jiang Yuxin subconsciously stole a glance at Li Zhonglou, her pretty face flushing.
Thinking that they would be sleeping together tonight, drinking a bit more would make it more natural.
Ning Lang took out some aged wine. Only Li Zhonglou did not touch a drop, as he had to accompany Xiao Yun to meet a client that evening.
Under Zhang Dongxu's diligent persuasion, everyone else drank until they were slightly tipsy.
Before six-thirty, the driver sent by Xiao Yun had arrived and took Li Zhonglou away.
"Mr. Li, Sister Xiao specifically prepared a set of clothes for you before you came. They are by your side, please change into them," the driver said respectfully as they drove onto the main road.
Beside Li Zhonglou was a set of custom-tailored suits.
The cut was elegant, and the material was high-quality.
Originally, Li Zhonglou was quite averse to wearing suits.
After all, he studied ancient culture, and suits made him feel a strong sense of restraint.
He hadn't worn one in years.
But he had to fulfill a promise, so he couldn't be picky.
He took off his clothes and changed.
Instantly, a handsome young man, full of youthful vigor and spirit, was born.
"Tsk tsk... I have to say, Mr. Li, you and this suit are a perfect match. With this presence, who would dare to make eye contact with you for more than five seconds?" The driver praised repeatedly, glancing at Li Zhonglou a few times in the rearview mirror.
Li Zhonglou wasn't handsome, but his aura was very special.
When wearing casual clothes, he wasn't too conspicuous.
But once he put on a suit, he immediately shone like a beacon in the dark, brilliant and dazzling.
Even this man couldn't help but look more.
"You flatter me," Li Zhonglou replied politely.
Not wanting to talk much, he closed his eyes to rest.
Not long after, the car stopped in front of the Eternal Han Palace, Yong'an's largest super five-star hotel.
Its towering palace gates, like city walls, proclaimed its unique status.
Luxury cars lined the entrance, and the people entering and exiting were either rich or noble.
The men and women were all impeccably dressed, like princes and princesses.
In a place like this, without proper attire, one wouldn't even have the资格 to enter.
"Mr. Li, you can go in by yourself. It's on the fifth floor, in the Phoenix Soaring Hall. I won't accompany you," the driver respectfully escorted Li Zhonglou out of the car and instructed him.
Li Zhonglou nodded and strode into the Han Palace.
From the outside, the hotel was decorated like ancient city walls, but inside, it was resplendent, extremely luxurious.
The floor and wall tiles alone were made of high-end custom marble.
The intricate patterns formed beautiful natural artworks.
Hand-woven cashmere carpets covered the floor, and despite the constant foot traffic, they were spotless.
The crystal chandeliers overhead were made of genuine pure crystal, emitting a dazzling glow.
Not to mention the various high-end rosewood furniture and exquisite porcelain pieces made by renowned artists from Jingdezhen.
They fully embodied the grandeur of ancient imperial palaces.
At this moment, there weren't many people in the lobby.
Li Zhonglou walked to the front desk and said, "Excuse me, could you please find someone to take me to the Phoenix Soaring Hall on the fifth floor?"
The receptionist immediately called the lobby manager.
Just then, a young man in a sharp suit, with a gorgeously made-up woman on his arm, walked over.
The moment he saw Li Zhonglou, he clearly paused, then sneered, "Li Zhonglou? It's actually you!"
Upon hearing this, Li Zhonglou looked at the man. He seemed a little familiar, but he couldn't quite recall where he had seen him before.
"Have you been a live-in son-in-law for so many years that you've gone stupid? We lived in the same dorm," the man said, his sneer growing more pronounced. "Don't you remember how you and that loser Wu Hao used to wash our socks?"
As soon as he said this, memories that had been sealed in Li Zhonglou's heart for decades instantly broke free from the depths of his mind.
"Zhang Ren, what a coincidence," Li Zhonglou called out the man's name.
During his university years, he was notoriously timid at school, and his family was poor.
So he took on the task of washing all the clothes and socks in the dorm to earn some tuition fees.
Wu Hao couldn't bear to see him doing it alone, so he helped him, refusing any money.
The main source of those clothes and socks was the rich second-generation in front of him.
At that time, Zhang Ren was the campus heartthrob, favored by everyone, with a good family background and silver tongue.
He had dated countless girls during college.
His sense of superiority was immense, and he usually didn't treat his other roommates as human beings.
After graduation, he never kept in touch with his classmates; everyone thought he had gone abroad.
He never expected to encounter him at the Han Palace.
"Heh, a distinguished guest like you must have a poor memory. If I didn't remind you, would you even remember my name?" Zhang Ren said in a sarcastic tone. "What? Have you gained status by washing clothes at your wife's house?"
"How come I heard from other classmates that you're known as a useless son-in-law in Qin Zhou?"
It was naked sarcasm.
His condescending superiority was evident; Zhang Ren hadn't changed one bit over the years.
"My dear, you have classmates who are live-in sons-in-law? How come you never mentioned it to me?" the woman beside Zhang Ren asked, making an exaggerated expression.
Zhang Ren pretended to smile and said, "I was afraid you'd look down on me if I told you. Besides, I haven't kept in touch with those losers for years."
"By the way, Li Zhonglou, why are you here at the Han Palace dressed so dapperly?"
"You're not working as a waiter, are you?"
Li Zhonglou's clothes had no brand he recognized.
But Zhang Ren had some discerning taste and could tell the clothes were not ordinary.
However, seeing them worn by this timid loser from school, who later became a live-in son-in-law, he instinctively ignored their value.
After all, the only way Li Zhonglou could enter a hotel of the Han Palace's caliber was to be a waiter.
"I have business," Li Zhonglou said with a cold smile in his heart, turning to leave.
So-called classmates were just people he knew for a few years.
He had no affection for Zhang Ren like he did for Wu Hao, nor any deep enmity.
Zhang Ren was used to stepping on him at school, and now he wanted to elevate himself in front of his woman.
Li Zhonglou had no interest in wasting his time with him.
"Stop!"
Seeing this, Zhang Ren's face darkened instantly. "Country bumpkin, did I say you could leave?"
"It seems that after a few years as a live-in son-in-law, you've forgotten what you are!"
"I really want to know, what qualifications do you have to be here at the Han Palace?"
"Should I remind you who you think you are?"
Li Zhonglou daring to disrespect him instantly made him furious.
Especially in front of his new girlfriend, this dog-like coward was never tiresome to step on.
He might as well have some fun.
"Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen, is there a problem?" Just then, the lobby manager hurried over, asking with a fawning smile from a distance.
"Old Wang, you've come at the perfect time. When did your hotel's standards become so low that you'd let a peasant in?" Zhang Ren's sneer intensified upon seeing the lobby manager.