Chapter 214: The Broadening Experience
As high as its 49 floors, the Long’s Dining Hall’s shape resembled two Golden Dragons, whereas the middle arch was used for the anteroom with a sphere-like shape, which was the manifestation of two dragons playing with a bead. From afar, its majesty and grandiosity gave gave everyone who looked at it a sense of oppression. Four security guards stood straight as spears outside the entrance, whereas a welcoming lady in formal attire kept smiling while checking out the guests’ VIP membership cards.
At the entrance, a limousine stopped and left again. However, when a taxi stopped before the entrance, eyes were immediately attracted to it, showing looks of despise as well as contempt.
Tang Xiu got off the car along with Chen Wei, who looked somewhat unnatural. As he came to the welcoming lady, he said calmly, “I’m sorry Miss, I forgot to bring my membership card.”
The welcoming lady showed an apologetic expression as she said, “Sir, Long’s Dining Hall needs a membership card to enter. Unless you’re a regular patron here. You’ve to look…”
Chen Wei’s expression instantly turned a bit ugly. After hesitating for a moment, she repressed the urge to turn around and leave.
It was a disgrace. Shameful! Because she found that Tang Xiu basically had no membership card here, whereas he was acting as though he was someone who had the rights to enter, wanting to join in.
Tang Xiu’s brow rose. His vision shifted toward the four securities and found one he saw previously. He faced the security guard as he waved and said, “Hey you. Come here.”
The four security guards looked at Tang Xiu. The one who Tang Xiu knew and was called, immediately approached with a respectful expression, saying, “Hello, Mr. Tang, is there anything I can do for you?”
“Can you tell her that I’m a regular patron here?” Tang Xiu said.
The security guard then spoke to the welcoming lady, “Mr. Tang has been here many times and he’s also VIP, as well as Young Master Zhengyu’s friend.”
The welcoming lady’s eyes flickered. Her face turned respectful as she said with a nod, “I’m really sorry for just now, Mr. Tang. Please come inside.”
Tang Xiu nodded and turned around, looking at Chen Wei’s surprised expression as he then walked through the entrance.
Even in her dreams, Chen Wei had never thought that everything would turn 180 degrees. Looking astonished, she hurriedly followed Tang Xiu through the entrance.
“Oh my God! This place is way too luxurious, isn’t it? Much more than those foreign 5-star hotels.” Chen Wei looked around for a while and asked with a dropped jaw, “Tang Xiu, are you really a member here?”
“Do you think we would be able to enter if I was not a member?” Tang Xiu asked back.
“B-But, the taxi driver said that only the wealthy and powerful can dine here.” Chen Wei replied and asked curiously, “How did you…”
“You don’t think I’m a big shot, do you?” Tang Xiu sneered.
“Hmph. What big shot, eh?!” Chen Wei snapped and said. “At the most, you’re just only a smart high school graduate, nothing else!”
Tang Xiu shook his head and sighed, “Just forget it. You also have a backward IQ, it seems!” Then, he continued, “Aside from your fierce mouth, I really have no expectation from your brain. Let’s just go. And please, less nonsense and less asking, will you? Just fill your belly with whatever you want.”
Chen Wei angrily glared at Tang Xiu. But finding him headed inside directly, she swallowed her anger and followed him inside.
Tang Xiu didn’t want to take the presidential box, because he thought that there was no need for him to expend much entertaining Chen Wei. After all, the presidential box was astronomical and he didn’t want to waste his money, even if he could afford it. Therefore, he took the standard box and walked behind the attendant.
“WOW! It’s really luxurious!” Chen Wei was just like Granny Liu who visits the Grand View Garden, with a dropped jaw, she said, “We can also see half of Star City from here.”
Tang shook his head. Whilst glancing at the attendant who was chuckling and covering her mouth, he said, “Get us a few of your specialties, four meat dishes and two staples. Ah, a pot of soup also.”
"OK, please wait!" The waiter quickly complied, and soon, another one came to serve tea.
Chen Wei stood before the window, looking at the outside city landscape, exclaiming, “Damn! Rich have the good life! This great aunt—I, socialize well, I’ll simply find a wealthy second generation nouveau-riche and marry him. Spending my time drinking and seeking pleasure and partying every night.”
“And I dare say you’ll be beaten by your man, since you don’t do your responsibilities to take care of him,” Tang Xiu said with a smile.
“In life one gotta have the ability to take care of themselves, no?!” Chen Wei talked back, and then asked, “Ah, right, where’s the restroom? I need to fix my makeup and then wait for the grand meal.”
“Go out and ask the attendants, they’ll take you there.” Tang Xiu said.
"Alright!" Chen Wei complied loudly, walking lively out of the box.
4-5 minutes later.
The cell phone in Tang Xiu’s pocket rang. When he took it out and saw the caller ID, he suddenly frowned, since the one calling was Chen Wei.
“Aren’t you in the restroom? Don’t tell me you’re forgot your aunt’s towel. I’m telling you, I’m a gentleman, and I never strolled into the women’s restroom!” Tang Xiu couldn’t help teasing her.
“T-Tang… Xiu, I seem to be in trouble! Come here quickly and help me.” From her voice, Chen Wei was somewhat panicked.
Tang Xiu’s face turned cold and asked with a deep tone, “What happened? Where are you?”
“I’m in the corridor outside the restroom. I… I just accidentally hit the bonsai porch in the hallway and it hit someone else. And he wants me to pay compensation.” Chen Wei said.
“Wait for me there.” Tang Xiu said.
After he hung up the phone, Tang Xiu quickly went out of the box and asked the attendant outside about the restroom location as he quickly headed toward the corridor on the left.
“You must pay the damages. My clothes are worth 58 thousand, 26 thousand for my shoes, for a total of 84 thousand yuan. You must pay my medical expenses also, because my leg hurts because of you. I’ll give you a small account with the interest of 16 thousand. So you must pay me 100 thousand yuan. If you can’t pay it, it won’t be as simple as a slap to your face.” An arrogant voice reverberated in the hallway.
“Can I wait for my friend first? He’s coming here!” It was Chen Wei’s voice.
“Waiting for someone, eh? I tell you, I don’t give a damn even if an Emperor comes, you still must compensate me. Not a dime less, otherwise I won’t end things here. Fuck, it’s so fucking bad luck.” The man’s voice and tone was even more arrogant.
Tang Xiu was just only ten meters away from them. He could clearly see the man’s appearance and didn’t expect the world to be so small that he could bump into the guy he had given a lesson before.
“What a big tone eh! Just give it a try. I wanna see what you’ll do if she doesn’t want to pay you,” Tang Xiu spoke whilst approaching.
Anger was written on Hu Wanjun’s face. When he turned around and saw Tang Xiu, his pupils suddenly shrunk, as fear could be seen in his eyes. He heard Zhang Deqin and Zhang Yongjin’s plan before and he even had the intention to join them. However, the Zhang Family had fallen now, even the sibling’s whereabouts was unknown. He also suspected that Tang Xiu was related with that matter.
“Why are you here?”
Sneering, Tang Xiu said, “Why can’t I? She’s my friend and I just heard that someone is looking to trouble her.”
Hu Wanjun was someone who relied on his family background. Even though he knew that Tang Xiu was a powerful martial artist, he didn’t want to lose face, saying, “What’s wrong with what I said? It’s her who’s in the wrong to begin with, not me. She’s the who bumped into the porch and injured me. It’s perfectly justified if I want her to pay damages.”
“How much do you want for the compensation?” Tang Xiu said indifferently
Hu Wanjun stared at Chen Wei as he proudly said, “100 thousand.”
Tang Xiu took his bank card and handed it to him, saying, “There’s 1 million in this card. Ten times the compensation. Are you satisfied?”
Hu Wanjun blankly stared for a moment. He thought that Tang Xiu was afraid of him. A bit of a smiling expression was revealed on his face as he said with a nod, “Well, consider this matter finished.”
“You are satisfied, aren’t you? But I’m not. If I’m not wrong, the mark on my friend’s face should be from your slap, shouldn’t it? Her body is very precious and expensive. Whoever moves even a strand of her hair, I won’t let them go, let alone slapping her. So, you gotta pay the medical expenses for her, am I right?”
The smile on Hu Wanjun’s face coagulated. He looked at Tang Xiu with disbelief and shifted his vision toward the bank card in his hand. He suddenly sobered up and bellowed, “You want to kill me?”
“Hmph, if I wanted to kill you, your corpse would long be floating in the Pacific Ocean already. I’m giving you a chance to pay my friend’s medical expenses and end this matter. Else I will never let you go!” Tang Xiu sneered.
Hu Wanjun’s face flickered. He looked to the box at the distance, took a deep breath and asked, “How much do you want?”
“11 million,” Tang Xiu said lightly.
"Hiss…" Hu Wanjun sucked cold air, whereas disbelief was written on Chen Wei’s face.
“An hour. If you don’t send me the money within this time window to my dining box, I will consider your Hu Family to be just like the Zhang Family. You will forever disappear from Star City and even the world. Do remember, this is a threat.” Tang Xiu said.
After having said that, he grabbed Chen Wei’s wrist and walked toward the box.
As dumbstruck as she was, Chen Wei could only let herself be pulled by Tang Xiu. Had it been before, she’d probably have shaken off Tang Xiu’s hand, but now, warmness filled her heart even though there was an intense sense of crisis also mixed within.
Having gone back to their box, Chen Wei asked with a somewhat pale complexion, “Tang Xiu, do you think they will pay the compensation? You just gave him 1 million! That’s 1 million!”
“There’s no way he’ll give it back. Of course, I also don’t want him to give it back either.”
Chen Wei swallowed her own saliva and no longer spoke.
At the hallway.
Hu Wanjun held the 1 million bank card in his hand and suddenly felt that it turned into a hot potato. Originally, he was thinking to completely ignore Tang Xiu’s threat. However, what made him tremble down to his core and panic was that, Tang Xiu mentioned the Zhang Family. What did he mean by saying it? Was the Zhangs’ fall… because of him?