Chapter 112 – The Feeling of Bullying Others with a Powerful Backer
This banquet was arguably the grandest business gathering in recent years. Everyone brought out their most prized attire for Elder Liu’s event. The banquet was a congregation of high society, with familiar faces of Film Emperors and Film Empresses weaving through the crowd, as well as good-looking newcomers. Everyone had put in tremendous effort for this banquet. In the world of capital, one had to do things to please the capitalists.
At that moment, a group of young, rich second-generation kids gathered together, sharing a business world joke. The rookie starlets on the side also laughed along with their financial backers, even though they knew the main character of the joke was far better than these rich kids who were all style and no substance.
“What gives Xiao Fang the nerve to attend this banquet? His dad went bankrupt just to fill that financial gap and then scurried away,” a young man with outrageously dyed hair said, his tone dripping with contempt and sycophancy that anyone could hear.
“Exactly. He’s probably just trying to keep up appearances. He can be out of money, but he can’t lose face, hahaha!”
“When he arrives, how about we give our former young master a proper welcome?”
Luo, standing in the center of the group, gave a sarcastic smile. In the past, Xiao Fang’s wealth had overshadowed his, forcing him to bow his head. Now that he was gone, Luo was the most sought-after person in this little circle. The feeling was truly delightful.
“We should indeed give him a proper welcome,” Luo said smugly, feeling incredibly pleased with himself. He casually pulled his female companion closer and gave her a kiss.
“President Fei is here!” a low murmur spread through the crowd.
In an instant, everyone’s attention focused on the entrance. Everyone knew that besides Elder Liu, Fei Xiangnan was the biggest tycoon in the country. No one had expected him to actually attend this banquet.
The female celebrities all perked up, their gazes fixed on the door with a hundred percent of their spirit. Many male celebrities were not to be outdone, competing with the women for presence. In short, the scene was unusually unified and harmonious.
The main doors slowly swung open, and two tall figures appeared at the banquet. Their entrance successfully froze two-thirds of the people present.
Xiao Fang had his hair styled in a particularly well-behaved manner and was wearing a white suit. At 1.78 meters tall, he appeared somewhat petite next to Fei Xiangnan, but his aura was exceptionally clean. Fei Xiangnan, in a black suit, exuded the unmistakable air of a powerful magnate. Walking together, and with the rumors circulating online, they didn’t look strange at all. Instead, they looked incredibly sweet.
Everyone present gasped.
A certain Director Wang, having long seen through it all, looked at his peers and let out a sharp huff through his nose. Hmph, so inexperienced!
Then he tucked his tail between his legs and went forward to curry favor.
“Well, well, I didn’t expect you and Xiao Fang to arrive together, President Fei,” Director Wang said, trying to build a bridge.
Fei Xiangnan was long accustomed to this kind of treatment and smiled. “Yes, Xiao Fang and I are friends. It’s more convenient to come to these events together.”
Director Wang immediately nodded, finding all sorts of ways to praise Fei Xiangnan and Xiao Fang’s “friendship.”
This move made his peers smell the scent of a sycophant, so they all rushed forward to imitate him. What was originally supposed to be a denunciation of Xiao Fang turned into a grand feast of sycophants, giving Xiao Fang a real taste of what it felt like to bully others with a powerful backer.
Xiao Fang smiled by Fei Xiangnan’s side, playing the role of a good friend perfectly. He enjoyed all the perks while tactfully declining various dinner invitations from businessmen, thoroughly relishing his position of power.
“Elder Liu is out!”
Elder Liu was sixty this year, but he was still a figure who held sway over the country’s economy. Just as Xiao Fang wanted to see what he looked like, Elder Liu was already surrounded by a crowd. Xiao Fang nudged Fei Xiangnan.
“You go ahead. I’ll go find something to eat myself.” The biggest reason for Xiao Fang’s presence tonight was simply to attend on his father’s behalf. The rest had nothing to do with him, nor was there any need for him to participate.
Fei Xiangnan nodded in understanding, his eyes filled with endless tenderness for Xiao Fang. Watching him happily bounce over to the food section, a soft spot in his heart melted. He hoped his Fangfang would always be this happy and joyful.
“President Fei, shall we go together then?” He was still surrounded by countless supporters. Fei Xiangnan turned back, his expression instantly becoming cool and detached. He nodded and walked towards the depths of the crowd.
While the older generation talked business, the useless younger generation had no right to approach. They just gathered in their own groups, gossiping about the latest news in their circle.
Xiao Fang found a less crowded spot where the tables were laden with the freshest Australian lobsters and king crabs. Xiao Fang accepted all comers, absolutely loving these seafood treasures. Seafood was considered “cooling” in nature, so at home, Fei Xiangnan kept him on a tight leash, allowing him a big seafood meal about once a month. Now that he had the chance to indulge himself, he certainly wouldn’t let it pass.
This was a gathering of the absolute upper crust, so very few people would sit down to eat, let alone tackle something like shrimp that required peeling. Xiao Fang sat in a chair, picked up a lobster, and started to work on it. The lobster meat was perfectly salted, and the sauce was prepared by a top chef. Eating it was simply a delight.
Although Xiao Fang ate quickly, he was a public figure after all, so he wasn’t messy or casual in the slightest. He ate like a little nobleman, finishing one and moving on to the next.
“Young Master Xiao, do you need me to peel the shrimp for you?” A waiter approached from the side. Xiao Fang waved his hand, speaking with great consideration. “No, no, you go about your business. I can manage myself.”
Xiao Fang still couldn’t fully adapt to the indulgences of the wealthy. He casually waved his hand and continued to eat on his own.
Xiao Fang’s behavior naturally drew the envy of certain people present.
Luo stood not far away, watching with jealousy. “Just a bankrupt rich second-generation kid. Does he think he’s some big shot just because he came in with Fei Xiangnan?”
The followers beside him were now a little afraid to speak up. Some even tried to persuade him, “President Fei’s background is too deep, Young Master Luo. Why don’t we just not provoke him?”
“You bunch of cowards!” Luo looked at them unhappily. “No matter how impressive Xiao Fang is, he’s just a plaything in Fei Xiangnan’s hands. Would a businessman really offend a genuinely beneficial partner for a mere toy? You’re not going, right? I’ll go!”
Luo had been overshadowed by Xiao Fang since childhood, even in school. Others always treated Xiao Fang as the leader, while he, Luo, was just an errand boy. Why? Just because the Xiao Family was rich? Ridiculous. Well, now his Luo Family was much better off than this fallen household. There was no reason to stop him from venting his frustration now!
Luo walked over with a dark expression.
A few of his followers behind him nudged each other. “Aren’t you going to follow him?”
“Pah, Luo might be a fool, but I’m not. Who does he think President Fei is? Would he really care about the puny Luo Family? I’m not offending him, no way!”
“But then won’t we offend the Luo Family?”
“Hmph, offending the Luo Family just means losing a bit of business. Offend the Fei Family? Heh, your whole family can wait to go begging on the streets!”
The group found this reasoning to be quite sound, and so, not a single one followed him.
Luo grew angrier as he walked. A bunch of fair-weather friends!
“Well, if it isn’t Xiao Fang, the son of a bankrupt family. I didn’t expect you’d dare to come here. What for? To make a fool of yourself?” Luo put on an arrogant facade and sneered.
Xiao Fang swallowed a mouthful of crab meat and looked at him blankly. “Who are you?”
This sentence made Luo choke. After all this time, the guy didn’t even remember him?
“Xiao Fang, don’t think you can look down on people just because you have Fei Xiangnan backing you!” Luo said, flustered and exasperated.
Xiao Fang was speechless. Look at the idiotic things this guy was saying. Wasn’t the whole point of him coming today to bully others with a powerful backer?
Xiao Fang’s hands didn’t stop peeling the lobster. He then began his Xiao-style brainwashing routine. We’re all civilized people, we can’t resort to violence. It’s time to start lecturing this dim-witted brother.
“I’m guessing you originally had a group of people following you, wanting to come and mock me, right?”
Luo’s face flushed red and white, unsure whether to say yes or no.
Xiao Fang didn’t care about these minor details. He dipped the peeled lobster meat in sauce and put it in his mouth. So fragrant!
“You’re not as smart as your followers. Think about your own words. I’m being so brazen precisely because I have President Fei backing me. They all know not to cross this line, so why are you, who knows this perfectly well, still coming over to look for trouble? It doesn’t matter if you’re unhappy, but what if I get unhappy? If I’m unhappy, President Fei will be unhappy. And if President Fei is unhappy, you’ll be even more unhappy. It’s such a simple logic. If you’d even scored an eighty in middle school Chinese, you wouldn’t be so foolish as to walk right into this. Brother.” Xiao Fang gave him a speechless look. By now, Luo’s face had turned completely pale.
That’s right, why did he come to cross this line? Shouldn’t he have sent a lackey over to test the waters first?
Xiao Fang had eaten about three or four large lobsters and half a king crab. His stomach was full. He took a napkin to wipe his hands and mouth, then delivered the final blow to the already stunned Luo.
“I’ll make you a bet. Go over to your dad right now and tell him you came over and insulted me, and that I haven’t even talked back yet. See if he praises you or scolds you.” Xiao Fang looked at Luo with a smile, but to Luo, it was as if he were looking at a demon. And the demon didn’t linger long, walking past him to the other side.
The crowd of onlookers came over. Seeing Luo’s pale face, they knew what had happened.
Meanwhile, Xiao Fang, who had walked out onto the balcony, let out a cry of satisfaction. Damn, so this is how good it feels to bully others with a powerful backer! Thinking about that brother’s pale face and the look in his eyes when he realized the consequences, he knew that his days ahead would surely be filled with anxiety and fear.
At this, Xiao Fang revealed a gratified smile.
***
Meanwhile, Elder Liu was chatting with great interest with Fei Xiangnan and Yan Yunyang. The two men each had their own merits. Fei Xiangnan possessed an absolute sense of control, while Yan Yunyang relied on a fearless drive. Both had qualities he admired. However, what surprised him this time was Fei Xiangnan. In his estimation, this man shouldn’t have condescended to come over.
But this doubt was completely dispelled during his conversation with Fei Xiangnan. In the end, Elder Liu patted Fei Xiangnan’s shoulder. “President Fei, you have truly exceeded my expectations. With such spirit and ability, you are worthy of being the head of the Fei Corporation. I believe we will have the opportunity for pleasant cooperation in the future.”
Fei Xiangnan smiled humbly. “Not at all. I am merely a junior. Elder Liu is the true economic legend of our country. If there is an opportunity, I must cooperate with you and learn.”
Yan Yunyang stood to the side, also smiling, but a sense of pressure grew in his heart. This pressure came from Fei Xiangnan. He had a strong premonition that this man was going to take something important from him.
Left with no choice, Yan Yunyang had to find openings under high pressure, and only then did he win Elder Liu’s favor.
Fei Xiangnan’s gaze inadvertently fell on Yan Yunyang. It seemed he wasn’t a complete idiot after all. It was just that there was no possibility of anyone taking what he wanted.
***
Over here, while Xiao Fang was getting some air on the balcony, he received a call from home. He had just recently taught Xiao Xu how to make phone calls, so he figured something must have happened. Xiao Fang quickly answered.
“Hello? Xiao Xu?”
“Brother! Lang Lang… called me… daddy,” the voice on the other end sounded very excited.
Hearing this, Xiao Fang became even more excited. “Lang Lang can say daddy? Let me hear!” Xiao Fang excitedly tugged at his pant leg.
“Come on, Lang Lang, say it. Da-ddy,” Xiao Xu instructed from the other end of the line.
Lang Lang babbled a few times, then managed a correct pronunciation. “Da-ddy.”
Xiao Fang’s eyes immediately reddened, his feelings of excitement and emotion beyond words. “Lang Lang, say it again? Good Lang Lang, say daddy.”
“Daddy,” the tender voice sounded in Xiao Fang’s ear. Xiao Fang wished he could run to Fei Xiangnan’s side right now and share this with him, but that was unrealistic. Xiao Fang could only enjoy this happiness alone for now.
“Daddy, come back, owh owh, daddy, daddy!” Lang Lang’s voice filled Xiao Fang’s heart.
How could he refuse his good son asking him to come back! “Coming, coming, daddy will be back in a bit. Is there anything you want to eat, Xiao Xu?”
“Brushed teeth, not eating. Brother, eat less outside, stomach ache!” Xiao Xu lectured Xiao Fang like a little adult. Last time, Xiao Fang had overeaten hotpot and gotten diarrhea. He had been nagged by both Fei Xiangnan and Xiao Xu about it. Having two mother hens in the house was a feeling of both happiness and pain.
“I know. You two rest early then. Close Nuomici’s door at night, don’t let him run around,” Xiao Fang instructed.
“Mhm, bye-bye, brother.”
“Bye-bye, Xiao Xu, Lang Lang,” Xiao Fang said softly.
“Long time no see, little friend,” a familiar voice sounded from behind him.