Zhuang Rui didn't want to say more about his family matters.
"Ouyang Jun, how come you even know that womanizer?"
Miao Feifei looked at Zhuang Rui with a somewhat unfriendly gaze.
"I don't know him; he's my second brother's friend."
Zhuang Rui quickly distanced himself from the matter.
"It's just a meal, what's the big deal? Are you coming or not?"
Yue Jing was somewhat embarrassed and angry by Miao Feifei's gaze.
“Go, why wouldn’t you go? If you dare to do anything dirty, I’ll take you all to the police station.”
After Officer Miao returned to Beijing, he resumed his work in criminal investigation, and his tone of voice was unusually arrogant.
The place where Ouyang Jun treated them to dinner was still his club, but this time the treatment was better than last time, and Zhuang Rui and the others went directly into Building No. 1.
Chapter 277 Flies
The clubhouse opened by Ouyang Jun is relatively formal and low-key, without any of the shady stuff. Its existence is simply to provide a place for leisure and entertainment for a fixed circle in Beijing. Behind the clubhouse, there is also a small six-hole golf course.
It's just that this circle is quite small, so small that most people in the world don't even know that such a place exists in Beijing.
It's not just men who come here; there are quite a few female guests as well. The beauticians here are rare to find elsewhere, and they can even hire the personal stylists of big stars. So many socialites like to come here to get their hair done. Miao Feifei has been here before and is quite familiar with the place.
However, Officer Miao has always had a strong sense of justice, and his eyesight seems to be a bit lacking. After breaking up several normal social activities where both parties were willing to participate in the fight for justice, he became less popular here. Of course, Officer Miao himself didn't really care to come here.
There weren't many people in Building 1 right now. It usually only gets lively after 10 p.m., and now there were only six or seven people sitting in two different places chatting.
People come here to relax, and no one is dressed in suits and ties despite the hot weather. However, even the simple casual clothes are quite expensive and look very classy. When Zhuang Rui and his group came in, they immediately attracted everyone's attention.
Yue Jing and Miao Feifei were dressed appropriately, but Zhuang Rui's outfit was rather eye-catching. The edges of the two ripped holes in his jeans revealed fuzzy threads, making it clear that they were genuinely worn out and not something he had cut himself to be fashionable. Coupled with his hair, which hadn't been trimmed for over a month, it drew everyone's attention.
However, the people who come here have high standards and a lot of experience. Although they are somewhat disapproving of Zhuang Rui's attire, no one goes up to provoke him or do anything ridiculous. Besides, most people know the Miao family's little girl, so why bother making a fool of themselves? I heard that last year, a certain young master was beaten up by her here and lost face, so he had no choice but to leave the capital.
"Oh my! Isn't this Sister Miao? I heard you went to work at Zhonghai a while ago. What brings you back? Did you beat someone up again there?"
Just because men don't want to mess with Miao Feifei doesn't mean women are afraid of her too. Just as Zhuang Rui and his two companions stepped into Building No. 1 and were about to look for Ouyang Jun, a woman walked over with a glass of red wine. Although she was greeting Miao Feifei, the tension between them was palpable.
Miao Feifei was not wearing her police uniform today, which was unusual for Zhang Xinyu. It took Zhang Xinyu several glances to recognize her. The resentment that had been building up for more than a year suddenly surged into her heart.
Zhang Xinyu's grandfather also lived through the war years, but he didn't survive the turbulent decade. After the reform and opening up, the family transitioned from politics to business. With some connections left over from the past, they thrived in the business world. Zhang Xinyu showed her business talent at a young age, opening several top-tier beauty salons and becoming a socialite in Beijing. Coupled with the connections left by her elders, she naturally qualified to enter Building No. 1.
Zhang Xinyu's purpose in coming to this club was naturally different from that of those female celebrities. Doing business requires connections, and this is the best place to socialize. Of course, if there are men she finds attractive, there's nothing wrong with hooking up with a rich guy. These days, no one is a virtuous woman, and none of the men who come here are saints. Everyone is just playing along.
However, last year, Zhang Xinyu was truly humiliated by Miao Feifei. At that time, Zhang Xinyu had just met the son of a minister who had been newly transferred to Beijing and was preparing to get to know him better when she ran into Miao Feifei.
The minister's son was new to Beijing and didn't know the complexities of the city. He spoke carelessly and was severely beaten by Miao Feifei, who also scolded Zhang Xinyu, almost calling her a high-class socialite.
Zhang Xinyu, who was always concerned about her reputation, couldn't swallow this insult. However, Officer Miao was subsequently transferred away from Beijing, leaving her powerless. She couldn't very well go and reason with Officer Miao's elders; she didn't have that right. Besides, she knew that Miao Feifei never relied on her elders, otherwise Zhang Xinyu wouldn't have dared to cause trouble for Miao Feifei.
"Where I go is none of your business."
Miao Feifei glanced at Zhang Xinyu, a disdainful look on her face. The woman in front of her was covered in several pieces of cloth stuck to her front and back. To put it nicely, she was a socialite; to put it bluntly, she was a prostitute. Miao Feifei despised this kind of woman the most.
"Sister, I'm just concerned about you. Girls should be gentler, otherwise they'll easily scare men away. Hey, Feifei, you really have good taste. Your friend has quite a personality."
Zhang Xinyu didn't dare to provoke Miao Feifei too much. This girl had a fiery temper, and if she was pushed too far, she might even bring people to smash up her shop. She glanced at Zhuang Rui and couldn't help but look at him for a moment before extending her hand and saying, "Hello, my name is Zhang Xinyu. May I ask your name?"
Zhang Xinyu was almost obsessed with fashion. She could tell at a glance that Zhuang Rui's clothes, apart from his sneakers which were worth three or five hundred yuan, were not brand-name items. She felt disdainful. However, seeing Zhuang Rui walking in the middle of the three, and not seeing him as Miao Feifei and Yue Xiaoliu's follower, she, being a seasoned businesswoman, didn't show it on her face. Instead, she wanted to find out more about Zhuang Rui's background.
"Second brother, shouldn't this invitation to dinner show some sincerity? We're all here, but the host still hasn't shown up..."
Zhuang Rui seemed not to see Zhang Xinyu's outstretched hand, and instead turned to talk to Yue Jing. Miao Feifei was his friend, so Zhuang Rui naturally sided with her. As for the woman in front of him, although she was pretty, judging from her clothes, her private life was probably similar to that of a public bus, or at most a slightly more upscale Mercedes-Benz.
"I'll give him a call. He should be here by now."
Yue Jing was also very dissatisfied with Zhang Xinyu. "You're just a businessman, and your ancestors are all gone. How dare you be so arrogant as a woman?" Most importantly, Yue Jing's elders were still in their seats, yet they were ignored just now. This was the most unbearable thing for him. So Yue Xiaoliu continued talking to Zhuang Rui, completely ignoring Zhang Xinyu.
"You...you all..."
Zhang Xinyu's outstretched hand froze in mid-air, hardly believing her ears. She hadn't expected to be ignored by the man in front of her. Her body trembled with anger, and even the top-quality whitening cream on her face couldn't hide her blushing face from shame.
Zhang Xinyu could accept Yue Xiaoliu's rudeness, after all, he had the confidence to do so. However, being ignored by Zhuang Rui in front of everyone made Zhang Xinyu furious and humiliated. She was certain that there was no such person as Zhuang Rui in the capital. Zhang Xinyu's face turned from white to red, and her high breasts trembled with excitement.
"Calm down, calm down..."
Zhang Xinyu kept reminding herself that others were clearly ignoring her, and no matter how she responded, she had already lost face today. However, she was too angry to calm down, and Zhang Xinyu couldn't help but point at Zhuang Rui and say, "How could someone like you come in here? You have no manners at all. Are you a gigolo?"
"What did you say?"
Zhuang Rui suddenly raised his head, his eyes, which had been hidden by his hair, staring intently at Zhang Xinyu.
If you say Zhuang Rui is a kept man, he might laugh it off, but to say he's ill-mannered is an insult to his mother. This is something Zhuang Rui absolutely cannot tolerate.
"Apologize!"
A cold glint flashed in Zhuang Rui's eyes. He took a step forward, his eyes still fixed on Zhang Xinyu.
"Security, security! What's going on? You're letting just anyone in. Look, this guy is even trying to hit me."
Zhang Xinyu took a step back, startled by Zhuang Rui's gaze. She hadn't expected this ordinary-looking man to have such sharp eyes, as if he could pierce through her body—not in the way of piercing through her clothes, of course.
As soon as Zhang Xinyu shouted, two men in black suits walked in from outside the door.
"Sir, please do not cause trouble here."
Two men in black suits quickly stepped between Zhuang Rui and Zhang Xinyu, separating them. They didn't know Zhuang Rui, but they were very familiar with Zhang Xinyu, a regular customer here, and their words were somewhat biased towards her.
Zhuang Rui glanced at the two people in front of him and said in a deep voice, "Make her apologize..."
"What, you want to make a move?"
Miao Feifei, worried that Zhuang Rui would be taken advantage of, also came over, but her high heels and dress today weren't really suitable for a fight.
Seeing Miao Feifei's eager expression, Zhuang Rui laughed, but then felt a little bored. He turned to Yue Jing and said, "Second Brother, let's go. We can skip this meal. You guys pick a place, and I'll treat you."
"You poor wretch, this isn't a place you can afford to eat. Go back and eat at a roadside stall..."
Seeing the two security guards standing beside her, Zhang Xinyu felt much more at ease and couldn't help but make a few sarcastic remarks about Zhuang Rui.
"you……"
Miao Feifei was about to turn around in anger, but Zhuang Rui stopped her and said, "There are a lot of flies in summer, don't bother with her. Let's go, finding a place to fill our stomachs is the important thing."
The sound wasn't loud, but it reached the ears of everyone in the room.
“Tell Ouyang Jun that I’ve been here. If he wants to see me, he can come find me himself.”
Zhuang Rui then raised his voice and said to the two men in black suits, "I'm fed up with this kind of place. Everyone is wearing a mask and acting all superior."
Zhuang Rui's words made Zhang Xinyu, who was about to chase after him to argue further, stop in her tracks. She was a regular customer here and naturally knew that Ouyang Jun was the owner. His background and influence were not something a businesswoman with a little bit of resources and looks like her could afford to offend.
Chapter 278 Passing on a Message
"Ouyang Jun's guest?"
The same question arose in the minds of everyone present. It wasn't surprising that this person knew Ouyang Jun; after all, everyone has a few relatives who aren't doing so well. But the way Zhuang Rui spoke, as if Ouyang Jun had been eagerly seeking him out, was what made people curious.
Those who can enter Building No. 1 all have backgrounds no less impressive than Ouyang Jun's. Among the six or seven people here, two are even the children of the core members. They all look at Zhuang Rui's background with curiosity, wondering about his origins.
Some friends might say that Zhang Xinyu's family doesn't have much influence in politics and she's a businesswoman, so how could she get into Building No. 1? It's not surprising. Her elders have connections, she's rich, and she's beautiful. It's normal for her to be able to get into this circle. Women have privileges these days.
Needless to say, Zhang Xinyu stood there awkwardly. She had come so early today because she wanted to ask Ouyang Jun for a favor, but she hadn't even met the person in question and had already offended his guest. To be honest, Ouyang Jun wasn't an easy person to talk to.
The two security guards in black suits were also at a loss. They had driven away their boss's friend, so how could they expect to get away with it? For a moment, they didn't know whether to call Zhuang Rui back. Their gazes toward Zhang Xinyu also became somewhat unfriendly. If it weren't for this woman, how could they have offended Zhuang Rui?
"Yue Xiaoliu, what's wrong? Where are you going?"
Just as Yue Jing opened the door to leave, Ouyang Jun walked in. Seeing Yue Jing's somewhat unfriendly expression, he asked curiously.
"Fourth Brother, the water here is too deep. Let's go eat somewhere else."
Yue Xiaoliu was also holding back a lot of anger today. He was a low-key guy, which was his basic principle. But being ignored by Zhang Xinyu, a social butterfly, made him feel very embarrassed. So when he spoke to Ouyang Jun, he wasn't very polite.
"What's going on? Zhuang Rui, don't go yet..."
Ouyang Jun then noticed Zhuang Rui behind Yue Jing, but without bothering to greet him, he beckoned over the two men in black suits in the room.
Before Ouyang Jun could even ask what had happened, Miao Feifei jumped out from behind Zhuang Rui and pointed at Ouyang Jun without any mercy, saying, "Ouyang Ke, this place of yours is really boring, and the people who come here have no manners."
Well, seeing Miao Feifei, and then glancing at Zhang Xinyu standing in the arena with an unyielding expression, Ouyang Jun immediately understood what had happened.
“Little aunt, my name is Ouyang Jun, not Ouyang Ke. Give me some face and stop making trouble. Tomorrow, your fourth brother will send you a nice car.”
Ouyang Jun also had a headache with Miao Feifei. The two families had a very good relationship and were allies on some level. He really didn't dare to offend this little girl. Last time, after that incident, he was summoned by his father and given a good scolding.
He just couldn't understand how this girl got involved with Zhuang Rui. After glancing at Yue Xiaoliu, he could only assume that she had come with Yue Xiaoliu.
"She didn't offend me. Why do you need my face? That woman said Zhuang Rui was ill-mannered. Oh, sorry, Zhuang Rui, I didn't say that. I'm just repeating it."
Miao Feifei stuck out her tongue at Zhuang Rui shyly, then ignored Ouyang Jun and instead grabbed Xu Da Mingxing behind him, saying, "Sister Xu, your skin is getting better and better, it's so fair."
Not only did she talk, Miao Feifei also pinched the big star's face.
"Find a man to pamper you, and your skin will naturally improve."
Xu, the big star, is such a character that he made Miao Feifei blush with just one sentence. The two women then went to the side to whisper to each other, bickering and teasing each other.
"Fourth Brother, we'll talk about this later. We're leaving now. Officer Miao, let's go. You really want to stay here for dinner?"
When Zhuang Rui saw Ouyang Jun, he gave him a lukewarm greeting and called out to Miao Feifei. In his opinion, Ouyang Jun would definitely protect that woman's reputation.
"No, it's not you who should leave, Zhang Xinyu. Mr. Zhuang is my friend. I don't think this place is suitable for you today. Please go back first."
Ouyang Jun's behavior surprised everyone present. They had all thought that Ouyang Jun would go along with the situation and let those people leave first to ease the awkwardness, but who knew that Ouyang Jun would state his position right away? This didn't seem like the usual slick Ouyang Gongzi's style.
Actually, Ouyang Jun had already given Zhang Xinyu face by saying those words. What he heard from Miao Feifei earlier had enraged him. Zhuang Rui's lack of manners was an insult to the Ouyang family. If this weren't in his own club, Ouyang Jun would have gone up and slapped her.
Yesterday, Ouyang Jun mustered up his courage and asked several old men. According to them, if nothing unexpected happened, Zhuang Rui was Ouyang Jun's cousin, and Zhuang Rui's mother was his aunt. Ouyang Zhenwu didn't say what exactly happened, but this answer was enough to make Ouyang Jun's resentment towards Zhuang Rui disappear.
"I was wrong today, and I offended you in some way. I'll apologize to Fourth Brother another day..."
Zhang Xinyu hadn't expected that Ouyang Jun was openly protecting Zhuang Rui. Her face turned pale as she gave a brief explanation. When Ouyang Jun waved at her dismissively, her eyes reddened, and she lowered her head and walked out.
Ouyang Jun didn't take Zhang Xinyu seriously at all. Although Zhuang Rui didn't know about their relationship, Zhang Xinyu was not someone who could be easily insulted.
"Zhuang Rui, come in. Let's eat first. I'll talk to you later if I need anything..."