Chapter 103 - 5: Open Your Mouth
Chapter 103: Chapter 5: Open Your Mouth
He had intended to seize the upper hand right from the start, only to make a slight fool of himself instead. Although he awkwardly managed to find a way to save face, he was momentarily unable to unleash the volley of verbal traps he had prepared.
Facing Zhang Yan’s unyielding words, the young man named Chu Chengxi maintained a polite smile, but his tone had already turned frigid.
"This new friend perhaps doesn’t know me. My father is—"
"Stop! I asked what tier you are, not your father. Are you a daddy’s boy?"
Faced with Zhang Yan’s unreasonable and aggressive attitude, Chu Chengxi’s face darkened a fraction more.
He had mentioned his father only so the other party would immediately grasp his level of influence. He hadn’t expected his opponent’s words to be so sharp.
The one with the money is the boss—this was an eternal truth. Even Si Mingxin humbled himself to associate with him. When had Chu Chengxi ever been treated like this?
Furthermore, regardless of their underlying allegiances, these second-generation heirs always appeared completely harmonious on the surface. They spoke politely to one another as if they were dear friends and family. No matter how much they clashed behind the scenes, they always left some face for each other in public.
Someone like Zhang Yan, who tore off all masks and opened fire right from the start without leaving any room for retreat, was truly a rare sight.
"Is a Si Mingcheng, who has absolutely no possibility of inheriting the Ouya Group, really worth this?" he wondered.
Encountering someone so reckless, Chu Chengxi finally put away his facade.
"I am the manager of the XX Private Equity Fund, the strategic investment advisor for the XX Investment Bank, and the deputy director of the financial technology department at the XX Group...
"May I ask, are these tiers enough? Then what about you, my friend? What tier are you?"
Facing Chu Chengxi’s merciless counter-interrogation, Zhang Yan merely smiled faintly.
"You say all this, but aren’t they all just backdoors your daddy opened for you in your family’s businesses? This is your tier? As for my tier..."
Zhang Yan took out his phone and played a voice message.
"Brother Zhang Yan, I still have an entertainment company under my wing. Don’t you young people like this sort of thing? With your financial resources, why not buy one just for fun? It’s not too expensive, either—a flat price of twenty million. What do you say? Will you think it over?"
"I don’t know if you know Ren Jintian, but I just bought a street from Brother Ren a few days ago. It was just a drop in the bucket.
"So you’re asking about my tier?
"I usually socialize with people from your father’s generation. I have absolutely no interest in your kind of behavior, playing house in your own family’s companies."
Of course Chu Chengxi knew Ren Jintian, and he definitely wouldn’t mistake the voice.
He also knew that Ren Jintian had been a bit strapped for cash lately. His side was still holding onto several of Ren Jintian’s loan applications, originally planning to stall in order to squeeze out a few more percentage points of interest.
However, just a few days ago, the project that seemed perfectly within their grasp was suddenly withdrawn by Ren Jintian’s camp. While they were immensely frustrated, they were also left guessing who exactly had issued a loan to him.
This project was precisely the one Chu Chengxi had been managing. Losing this deal had earned him a severe scolding from his father, leaving a heavy buildup of negative emotions in his heart.
To think it was actually because of the man standing right in front of him!
With new grudges piling upon old hatreds, Chu Chengxi really wanted to curse out loud right then and there, and perhaps even stab the man a couple of times for good measure.
Instead, he wiped the arrogance from his face and said with the utmost seriousness,
"My friend Zhang Yan, I admit I was rash just now. I formally apologize to you!
"To show my sincerity, I can offer you a large-denomination certificate of deposit from the XX Investment Bank, with an additional five points on top of our maximum interest rate..."
There were no eternal friends or enemies, only eternal interests.
People like Chu Chengxi were educated with this exact mindset from a young age.
After all, he was the one who had picked a fight first. The fact that he could suppress his internal dissatisfaction and prioritize his family’s interests the moment his opponent revealed sufficiently weighty information showed that he was a formidable character in his own right.
Moreover, the "apology" he offered was very subtle. For this large certificate of deposit, if Zhang Yan didn’t deposit money into the bank where Chu Chengxi’s family held a significant stake, it amounted to nothing.
But as long as he deposited the money, it would not only anchor a true glimpse of Zhang Yan’s financial power—providing a basis for deeper cooperation in the future—but it would also promote their own business and earn them real money. It could undoubtedly be considered a win-win situation.
As for the extra interest rate, it just meant earning a little less, not failing to profit entirely. As long as the amount was large enough, the final returns would still be substantial.
Limited by his experience, Zhang Yan didn’t immediately untangle all these twists and turns, but his principles would never change.
The several investment companies and banks that this man’s family had shares in were already deeply bound to Si Mingxin’s industries. It could be said that they shared in each other’s glory and downfall. If Zhang Yan deposited money with them, it would be the equivalent of giving Si Mingxin a blood transfusion!
"Your apology lacks even the slightest bit of sincerity. Save your breath about making friends. If you really want to associate with me, I might consider it a little the next time I visit your father."
Chu Chengxi’s face was already blacker than the bottom of a pot, yet he still politely revealed a look of regret before bidding Zhang Yan farewell and leaving with his female companion.
He was in a state of absolute fury, having to focus all his energy just to barely suppress it. Therefore, he completely failed to notice his female companion frequently glancing at Zhang Yan, nor her subtle little gestures of licking her lips.
She felt a strong curiosity and an admiration for the strong, but the biggest factor driving her interest was Xia Xiqing, who was holding Zhang Yan’s arm.
"I’ve heard of this woman long ago. Every man fawns over her like they’re bewitched. If I could snatch her man away..." she thought.
Watching the two walk away, Zhang Yan exchanged a few meaningful glances with Chu Chengxi’s exceedingly flirtatious female companion before retracting his gaze.
"Thank you for just now."
"As long as it helped you."
"There seems to be a lot of good food over there. Shall we go try some?"
"Mhm."
At the dessert-themed buffet station.
"Senior Sister Xia, try this. It’s super delicious."
Xia Xiqing turned her head. She had just picked up two small cakes she hadn’t eaten in a long time and couldn’t free her hands for the moment.
But looking at the creamy dessert Zhang Yan held out, which was equally tantalizing, she fell into a slight internal struggle.
Seeing her expression, the corners of Zhang Yan’s mouth rose slightly. Everything was progressing exactly as he had planned.
"Don’t bother. Open your mouth, I’ll feed you."
She was a bit hesitant to perform such an intimate act that slightly exceeded the boundaries of their relationship in a public place. However, unable to resist the temptation of delicious food, she leaned forward slightly and opened her cherry-like mouth.
Xia Xiqing’s lips were painted a pale pink today. Her pearly white little teeth were faintly visible, and her delicate, fragrant tongue curled up slightly, seemingly anticipating the incoming delicacy.
Their coordination wasn’t particularly good, and a bit of cream smeared on the corner of her mouth.
Zhang Yan casually wiped it off and naturally put his finger into his own mouth to taste it.
"How is it? Isn’t it delicious?" he asked, looking at Xia Xiqing with a smile.
Everything happened so naturally. Xia Xiqing was stunned for a moment before she even realized what had just transpired.
The base of her ears and her neck rapidly flushed red.