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墨書 Inktalez
The obviously sarcastic and unfriendly remarks made the atmosphere turn sour for a few people present.
Looking towards the source of the voice, they saw a lavishly dressed, plump man accompanied by another slightly larger man, being led by a waiter as they passed by.
"Uncle Qi, isn't this a high-end club? How could such rude people even show up here? It's ridiculous," Yang Xiaoyou remarked, completely oblivious to the need to read the room or give face. If others respected him, he would naturally return that respect; however, since the other party had nothing good to say, he clearly wouldn’t offer them any kindness in return.
This question not only brought a flash of anger to the face of the mocking plump middle-aged man but also made the two waiters beside him feel somewhat awkward.
One of them then addressed the plump man, "Lord Fu, please do not bring personal grievances into our establishment."
Although they were merely staff members, they had the backing of the boss, which gave them the confidence to speak up. Such sharp words were quite common in this place; it was rare for those at a disadvantage to seek help from the establishment. As employees, they preferred to avoid trouble whenever possible.
However, being confronted by a seemingly first-time guest like this was frustrating. Even though they knew it was intentional, they felt compelled to intervene for the sake of maintaining the club's reputation.
Being criticized by a staff member made Lord Fu feel a mix of embarrassment and anger. Yet, despite his fury, he dared not cause a scene here.
With a cold snort, he left with his companion, who was also glaring angrily at Yang Xiaoyou.
As they passed by Yang Xiaoyou and his group, Lord Fu muttered in a tone that seemed self-reflective yet loud enough for them to hear, "Do they really need a menu? I can't be bothered to stoop to their level."
After finishing his remark, he followed the waiter toward a private booth.
At that moment, even the two waiters felt some dissatisfaction but found themselves powerless to do anything further. The man had already left; it was just one last comment meant for show.
Moreover, this kind of subtle competition often stimulated consumption. They could only turn a blind eye and pretend they hadn’t heard anything.
"How disappointing to run into that fellow," Qi Qiusheng muttered in exasperation before leading his group to their seats.
"Ah, it's fine. No matter what, he lost in the end," said Tang Zaomiao, still looking as youthful and beautiful as someone in their twenties, smiling as she covered her mouth with the menu, seemingly familiar with that annoying fellow from earlier.
"Right, right, he always loses to Big Head," Qi Qiusheng chimed in eagerly after hearing his wife's words.
After ordering their dishes, Yang Xiaoyou realized from Qi Qiusheng's conversation that the chubby man named Fu had a long-standing grudge against him. Both of them had pursued Aunt Tang when they were younger, and despite the man's current tragic appearance, he had once been quite a handsome guy.
With family matters and looks both favoring Qi Qiusheng, it was no surprise that they had been at odds for many years.
As the meal progressed, the atmosphere became more harmonious, except for Qi Qiusheng who kept nagging about wanting Menglu to consider Huangpu Military Academy. Meanwhile, Yang Xiaoyou focused on eating, fearing that the topic might ignite trouble for her.
If that guy found out she was considering giving up her guaranteed admission and secretly applying to other schools with Qi Menglu, he would surely go crazy.
"Instructor? Is that really you? Hehe, Menglu is here too," just as they were finishing their meal, another person known to Qi Qiusheng appeared. It was someone whose reputation was not low.
The newcomer was Yang Xiaoyou's acquaintance as well; he was Zeng Huangyan, the military representative who had been involved in the negotiation during a kidnapping case between their two schools. He was also the one who handed Menglu over to him to take out safely. Zeng Huangyan was a student brought out by Qi Qiusheng before his retirement and held a respectable position.
Seeing this proud disciple made Qi Qiusheng quite happy. He then turned to Yang Xiaoyou and said, "Brat, you should thank him. Your guaranteed admission to Huangpu Military Academy wouldn't have been possible without his help; otherwise, it would have been tough."
Upon realizing that this person was indeed the main culprit behind her situation, Yang Xiaoyou couldn't help but roll her eyes secretly. Although it seemed a bit meddlesome, it was done with good intentions, so she managed a shy smile.
"You're too polite. Um, you're Yang Xiaoyou, right? I feel like I've seen you somewhere before," Zeng Huangyan said after chuckling lightly but then furrowed his brow as if lost in thought.
He hadn't thought much of it when he only saw her photos before, but now that he saw her in person, she seemed oddly familiar. It felt like a strong impression from some memorable encounter, yet he couldn't recall ever having met her.
"Maybe I just have a common face; you must be overthinking it," Yang Xiaoyou replied. She hadn't expected him to be so perceptive; after all, she had completely concealed her appearance back then with a hood.
"Exactly, this fellow is so ordinary, just like any stranger," said Meng Lu, tugging at Yang Xiaoyou's cheek from behind, playfully squishing it like clay.
Feeling the teasing hand on her face and the soft body pressed against her back, along with the faint fragrance in the air, Yang Xiaoyou couldn't help but feel a bit speechless. Was there really a need to humiliate someone like this? But at least it helped her out of an awkward situation.
On the other side, Qi Qiusheng seemed a bit jealous of his daughter clinging to Yang Xiaoyou, and interrupted, "By the way, you should have some restrictions, right? How did you end up in a place like this? Someone might report you."
After being interrupted multiple times, Zeng Huangyan shifted his attention and gave a wry smile. "A son-in-law of an old leader invited me to gather. He probably needs my help with something. I made sure to come after the meal was about to end to see what it was about."
Upon hearing this, Yang Xiaoyou blinked. Well, if that was the case, it seemed possible...
Just as this thought crossed her mind, that annoying voice from before reappeared. "Zeng, why did you take so long? Didn't I tell you not to take those rules too seriously?"
It was Lord Fu, who had just come out after a hearty meal, speaking in a somewhat dissatisfied tone. He then frowned when he saw Zeng Huangyan chatting with Qi Qiusheng, his expression darkening immediately.
The fact that this fat man had a chance to compete with Qi Qiusheng indicated that their circles overlapped in some way. Now it seemed clear that the old leader's son-in-law Zeng mentioned was undoubtedly Lord Fu.
Perhaps the three of them had never encountered each other simultaneously before; now that such a scene had unfolded, it appeared to catch both sides off guard.
"You can't be with them and say you have no time for me, right?"
If it were anyone else, Fu Jintao could brush it off without concern. However, if it involved Qi Qiusheng, he found it hard to tolerate.
He hadn't expected that even a fellow he invited for dinner would be snatched away by Qi Qiusheng. Was this an outright provocation?
This was still bearable because he needed something from them; otherwise, he wouldn't let it slide so easily. Even now, he was contemplating how to speak ill of them in front of his father-in-law once they finished their business. It was too disrespectful.
Even if Zeng Huangyan had been unaware of the relationship between the two before, seeing the current scene and atmosphere made it clear that there was some tension between them.
From the fact that he had once taken on pressure to help Qi Menglu keep everything under wraps, it was evident that he was a person who valued loyalty and relationships. For Qi Qiusheng, he was his mentor when he enlisted, while on the other side was Old Leader's son-in-law, which certainly put him in a difficult position.
Of course, if he had to choose sides, one was his mentor and the other was merely Old Leader's son-in-law, making him naturally closer to Qi Qiusheng.
Just as he hesitated for a moment, Fu Jintao rolled his eyes and glanced at Qi Menglu beside him, then said with a forced smile, "Alright, perhaps you just promised him something similar to what I did. Let's consider this matter settled for now. However, since you can agree to his request, you must also agree to mine. After all, this is your grandfather's grandson."
Although it was somewhat vague, Zeng Huangyan understood clearly. Due to his outstanding performance during a rescue operation, he had been promoted and assigned to the admissions office of Huangpu Military Academy, where he held significant power over the entry requirements of this prestigious military school. He had also discussed some matters regarding the instructor's daughter and had been asked to assist with her admission process.
In contrast, Qi Menglu was already an excellent student whose qualifications were all in order; his role would only be to streamline many steps and procedures. It wasn't particularly difficult. Other students might not necessarily be more outstanding than her, so he felt justified in helping.
However, when it came to Old Leader's grandson, things became complicated. He had no particular skills or impressive grades. Moreover, he had heard some rather negative stories about him from his school; even Old Leader himself seemed embarrassed to bring it up.
Fu Jintao was clearly using this opportunity to set aside grievances and pressure him into agreeing to something.
If he truly agreed to the instructor but rejected Fu Jintao's request, then Fu would have an excuse to involve Old Leader. That would lead to a situation where everything would become tangled and confusing.
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