Zhou Cheng focused on Xiao Lan as if no one else existed.
While Xiao Lan had been utterly caustic toward Fan Zhen Chuan, she was gentle and sweet with her boyfriend.
“Seeing them, I couldn’t eat. I ate before coming here.”
“Won’t all this food go to waste then? Who’s paying?”
“It’s unlikely the Fan family will pay, so let my aunt foot the bill – since she wanted to play matchmaker, she should be generous.”
The couple worked in tandem to put the bill on Liu Fang. This was truly an elaborate spread with high-end ingredients – one couldn’t leave the Municipal Party Committee Guesthouse without paying at least a hundred yuan. The Liang family hadn’t touched their chopsticks, so why should Liu Fang pay? She was fuming, her neck visibly swelling with anger.
Liu Fang didn’t dare object because, since Zhou Cheng’s entrance, even Fan Zhen Chuan had fallen silent.
Everyone stared at what lay before Zhou Cheng – a weapon, casually placed there as if it were a pen, flashlight, or some other ordinary item.
This was the Municipal Party Committee Guesthouse – who would dare bring a weapon here?
But Fan Zhen Chuan wouldn’t bring weapons to the guesthouse.
He wasn’t that foolish – acting like a local tyrant in He Dong County was one thing, but showing off in the provincial capital was another matter!
So why could Zhou Cheng bring one?
The weapon showed signs of wear – it wasn’t new. The cold metallic gleam told Fan Zhen Chuan it wasn’t fake either.
“You’re Xiao Lan’s partner.”
Fan Zhen Chuan spoke first. Zhou Cheng gave him a lazy glance. “Yes, I heard you wanted to marry Xiao Lan?”
Fan Zhen Chuan wanted to crush every member of the Liang family.
First, he’d crush Liu Fang, the most troublesome one. If she hadn’t been brought up marrying her niece into the Fan family, Fan Zhen Chuan’s daily activities would have been limited to He Dong County, while Xiao Lan lived in Shang Du City – the chances of encountering her were minimal. Even if he had noticed Xiao Lan, he would have investigated her background himself.
It was Liu Fang’s mouth, saying she was just a country girl, who dropped out after middle school, had divorced parents, lived with her mother, had no proper job, depended on her uncle’s family, and was dating some poor outsider… The Fan family had completely believed what came from Liu Fang’s mouth.
Wouldn’t an aunt know her niece’s situation?
Why act as a matchmaker without understanding the situation?
But Liu Fang truly didn’t understand the situation.
Xiao Lan was more than just a helpless country girl. Fan Zhen Chuan knew better than anyone what helpless country girls were like. When he climbed into his young maid’s bed, she didn’t dare resist, crying in pain while covering her mouth. Look at Xiao Lan now – Fan Zhen Chuan properly proposed marriage, hadn’t even touched her little finger, and at their first formal meeting, her people boldly declared they’d kill anyone if paid enough!
The fierce fear only those who don’t value their lives, and Fan Zhen Chuan valued his life – his life was more precious than these ruffians!
Xiao Lan was dating some poor outsider?
If the man sitting there was just a poor outsider, Fan Zhen Chuan would eat the entire table’s dishes along with the plates.
He’d been thoroughly deceived by the Liang couple, and would certainly take revenge a thousand-fold later – provided he could safely walk out of the guesthouse today. Sometimes retreat opened up possibilities, and patience calmed stormy waters. Fan Zhen Chuan swallowed his pride:
“Comrade, this is all a misunderstanding. I didn’t know Xiao Lan had a partner—”
“But you knew Liu Ai Yue had a husband? And Jiang Cui Ping not only had a husband but was three months pregnant. Let me think who else…”
Fan Zhen Chuan had had so many women he’d lost count.
The two names Zhou Cheng mentioned happened to be memorable ones. These two women left strong impressions on Fan Zhen Chuan, memorable enough to remember their names, precisely because of how fiercely they had resisted… Xiao Lan’s partner had even uncovered these old affairs – today wouldn’t end peacefully.
Fan Zhen Chuan changed his approach immediately:
“If you have the guts, kill me. You look like someone with connections – would you throw away your future over a moment of anger? Seems hardly worth it! This woman beside you isn’t one to be content with her lot. If you kill for her and get arrested, she’ll quickly find a new target… Oh right, she complained my position was too low – sooner or later she’ll look down on you too. Just wait until she meets someone more powerful!”
Fan Zhen Chuan was worldly-wise, able to sow discord in just a few sentences.
Zhou Cheng’s expression turned strange.
If only his wife truly loved power, wouldn’t she cling tightly to him?
Zhou Cheng could see that Fan Zhen Chuan was scared.
When Zhou Cheng picked up the weapon, Fan Zhen Chuan suddenly retreated, while his driver instinctively lunged forward to grab it. Zhou Cheng moved faster, loading and releasing the safety, raising it to shoot the driver in the leg.
The shot shattered the driver’s kneecap. As he fell, Ge Jian stepped on him, fearing he might still struggle.
Fan Zhen Chuan laughed from behind a chair, “So you don’t dare kill!”
Using force at the Municipal Party Committee Guesthouse was trouble enough. Hearing the noise, everyone except Fan Zhen Chuan was paralyzed with fear – not just the Liang family, but even Fan Zhen Chuan’s mother.
They did it!
The dead couldn’t be brought back to life – even if Zhou Cheng went to prison afterward, he could still kill them all.
Liang Huan didn’t dare look at Zhou Cheng.
That handsome face was even fiercer than Xiao Lan’s.
Liang Bing An and Liu Fang felt guilty too – this Zhou Cheng wasn’t someone to be trifled with.
Zhou Cheng hadn’t completely lost his reason for Fan Zhen Chuan’s provocation because Xiao Lan held his other hand.
Zhou Cheng feared frightening Xiao Lan – he dared not gamble with violence in front of his wife.
Suppressing his violent urges, he returned to his cocky self:
“I won’t kill you – you should face legal punishment.”
The driver knelt clutching his knee, writhing in pain.
Fan Zhen Chuan’s face turned vicious:
“Who do you think you are? Even with connections, you’re the one who attacked – you should be the one begging for mercy! Don’t worry, once you’re arrested, I’ll have a good taste of your woman… You can’t escape, this is the Municipal Party Committee Guesthouse!”
As if to confirm Fan Zhen Chuan’s words, urgent footsteps approached – people had heard the commotion and were rushing upstairs!
Fan Zhen Chuan’s words were too filthy – Zhou Cheng couldn’t tolerate anyone speaking about his wife that way. He grabbed Fan Zhen Chuan’s head and drove his knee into it hard. Everyone in the room gasped. When Fan Zhen Chuan raised his head, his nose was crooked, his face covered in blood, and when he opened his mouth with a “wa,” he spat out two bloody teeth.
“Where are the police? Get the police to arrest him! Help! Let go of Zhen Chuan!”
Aunt Li screamed while holding the table – Zhou Cheng had a weapon, otherwise, she would have rushed to fight him herself.
Fan Zhen Chuan’s nose was broken and teeth knocked out, yet he still laughed – if Zhou Cheng didn’t dare kill him, he had won!
The half-closed door finally opened as several people rushed in. The leader was someone Fan Zhen Chuan had greeted earlier, who had called him “Old Fan” – Fan Zhen Chuan felt relieved, his reinforcements had arrived!
Aunt Li wanted nothing more than to kill Zhou Cheng, while the Liang family wanted to cheer in celebration.
It had been terrifying – the driver’s kneecap shattered, Fan Zhen Chuan’s face bloody – would they be next?
Thankfully, their savior had arrived!
“Quickly, restrain him, he just injured someone!”
Zhou Cheng disgustedly tossed Fan Zhen Chuan aside. Old Fan’s savior frowned, but instead of arresting Zhou Cheng as Fan Zhen Chuan had hoped, he spoke in an official tone:
“Comrade Fan Zhen Chuan, I’ve received orders from above to request your cooperation in investigating certain matters.”