"Don't go, Boss Wang, I'll make them leave right now. Please don't leave," Tang Lao pleaded, chasing after Er Zhu as he turned to go, his heart in a panic.
"Well, well, Elder Tang, your family seems to be quite complete," a man said flippantly as the door burst open and he swaggered in, followed by over a dozen burly men.
"Liu Zhi, you dare show your face again!" Seeing the man, Elder Tang's brow furrowed, his eyes filled with indignant fury as he shouted, his hands trembling uncontrollably.
"What is there for me to not dare? Collecting a debt is only right and just. Do you, a second-rate influential family, intend to renege on your debt?" Liu Zhi sneered, producing a contract as he spoke.
"Elder Tang, this contract bears your personal signature. It clearly states that unilateral breach of contract incurs a penalty of five hundred million!" Liu Zhi glanced at everyone present, then opened the contract and pointed at Elder Tang's signature with a smug grin.
"You... you have the nerve to say that! If you hadn't set this trap to fleece me, would I have torn up the contract? You scoundrel!" Elder Tang retorted, waving his hand. Instantly, over a dozen bodyguards appeared from all directions, eyeing Liu Zhi and his men menacingly.
"Throw them out!" Seeing his bodyguards arrive, Elder Tang composed himself, waved his hand, and quickly retreated. If Liu Zhi had come at any other time, Elder Tang might not have acted. But with Er Zhu present, if he didn't act now, he would truly miss this opportunity!
"Grandpa Tang, what's going on?" Seeing Elder Tang retreat, Er Zhu asked softly, glancing at Liu Zhi and his men.
Elder Tang sighed, his chest heaving with anger as he glared at Liu Zhi and his men, then began to explain.
It turned out that three months ago, Liu Zhi and Elder Tang had partnered on a project. Everything seemed fine until Elder Tang accidentally discovered that the project's terms were not what they had agreed upon! After some investigation, he learned that Liu Zhi was infatuated with Tang Jie, but after being repeatedly rejected, he harbored a grudge and sought revenge against the Tang family. According to the contract, the Tang family would have to pay over a billion! Upon realizing this, Elder Tang canceled the contract. To his surprise, Liu Zhi was now demanding compensation using the contract as an excuse! Five hundred million, which would have been a drop in the ocean for the Tang family in the past, but with their continuous decline, he truly couldn't afford it!
"Alas, on the surface, the Tang family appears to be a second-rate influential family, but in reality, we are close to falling out of the third-rate bracket. Boss Wang, I've made a fool of myself," Elder Tang sighed again, watching his bodyguards being systematically defeated, his eyes filled with despair.
Tang Jie and her sister had offended Er Zhu, and Er Zhu had witnessed the true state of their family. Elder Tang no longer held any hope for Er Zhu. Without a patron, perhaps this was the fate of the Tang family!
"Ah!" The sounds of pained cries echoed. A flicker of light appeared in Elder Tang's despairing eyes. He still stood there, unyielding and dignified.
"Old man, you think these twigs can stop me? How presumptuous!" Liu Zhi glanced at the defeated Tang family bodyguards with a smirk, and slowly walked towards Elder Tang.
"Old man, either pay up or hand over the girl. Choose one!" Seeing Elder Tang's panicked expression, Liu Zhi no longer bothered to conceal his intentions. He glanced at Elder Tang, then at Tang Jie.
Tang Jie flinched as if electrocuted and scurried to Er Zhu's side, grabbing his hand. "Boss Wang, please save us! I can't marry Liu Zhi. This guy already has three mistresses!" Tang Jie's eyes reddened. Thinking about what she had discovered, she wished she could die! In fact, when she first met him, she had been favorably impressed by Liu Zhi. However, after her investigation, she learned that although he was the sole heir of the Liu family, he was a womanizer and utterly useless! She, a beautiful and accomplished young lady of high status, would never marry such a scumbag!
"Boss Wang, this is none of your business. If you want to live, get out!" Liu Zhi was startled, and then he noticed Er Zhu standing beside Elder Tang. He smirked and confidently gestured to the unharmed burly men behind him. As the heir of the Liu family, having a few women was perfectly normal in his eyes. The Liu family was a second-rate influential family, controlling half the economic lifeline of Lin City! Besides that mysterious richest man in Lin City, Liu Zhi feared no one!
"Boss Wang, you should leave. Even my professional bodyguards can't beat him, so your staying here would be futile. This is all due to my own foolishness, and I don't want to implicate you!" Elder Tang opened his mouth, wanting to beg Er Zhu, but recalling what had just happened, he felt too ashamed to ask. His two granddaughters had so rudely insulted Er Zhu. If he were Er Zhu, he would certainly hold a grudge against the Tang family. Now that he saw them in trouble, they would likely be happy rather than offer help!
"Boss Wang, aren't you the richest man in the Three Cities? Can he really bear to watch us perish?" Seeing Er Zhu remain silent, Tang Jie thought he truly didn't want to get involved. She tightened her grip on his arm, her eyes welling up with tears.
"Richest man in the Three Cities? Boss Wang? Could this kid be Wang Er Zhu?" As Liu Zhi was about to drag Tang Jie away, he suddenly heard this and looked at Er Zhu with disdain as he asked.
"Yes, he is the richest man in the Three Cities, Wang Er Zhu, a good friend of my grandfather, and a distinguished guest of our Tang family!" Before Tang Jie could speak, Tang Jing stepped forward from nearby and replied with firm eyes.
"Hahaha, what a bunch of idiots, hahaha..." Hearing this, Liu Zhi not only showed no fear but doubled over with laughter, his burly companions joining in with their cleavers, roaring with laughter.
"What are you laughing at? Boss Wang really is the richest man in the Three Cities, Wang Er Zhu. Elder Miao himself verified it." Liu Zhi's laughter made Elder Tang's heart pound. He began to doubt Er Zhu's identity for the first time.
"Hahaha, you idiot... Wang Er Zhu is just a codename for the richest man. Don't you think? Which rich man would choose such a vulgar name!"
"Hahaha... Look at him, his suit is even worse than your bodyguards'. Have you ever seen such a poor-looking rich man? And the richest man in the Three Cities at that!" Liu Zhi forced himself to suppress his laughter as he taunted Er Zhu. In the end, he couldn't finish his sentence and burst into laughter again. As a second-rate influential family in Lin City, Liu Zhi was naturally aware of the legends surrounding that mysterious richest man. Although their names were the same, he was absolutely certain that this shabby young man in front of him could not be the richest man in the Three Cities!
"Alright, Miss Tang, you'll come with me. I'll treat you very gently!" Having laughed enough, Liu Zhi grabbed Tang Jie, pulling her into his embrace, and cast a contemptuous glance at Er Zhu.