Yes, yes.
"Then stop talking nonsense!" Xu Zhengyang roared, then shook his head slightly, gritting his teeth and muttering, "Damn it, you bunch of bastards, you should be respected intellectuals with students all over the world..."
Wang Duanhong had initially planned to explain using excuses such as the need for double compensation or a meeting with school leaders, but seeing Xu Zhengyang's fury and the possibility of him beating him up at any moment—a character like Xu who could probably escape legal consequences even if killed—Wang Duanhong quickly agreed to have the finance department arrange for the medical expenses to be covered immediately…
No sooner had he finished speaking than a series of chaotic footsteps came from outside, followed by Chen Hanzhe's cold voice: "Stop!"
"Who are you people?" came the angry shout.
Then came gasps of surprise from the crowd, followed by a deathly silence.
Xu Zhengyang glanced around and saw two campus police officers and several security guards in the hallway outside the tightly closed office door. Chen Hanzhe drew his pistol and stared coldly at them.
"Damn it!" Xu Zhengyang cursed under his breath and said, "Go and tell the campus police and security guards to leave!"
"Okay, okay." Wang Duanhong was also wondering to himself. Hearing Xu Zhengyang's instructions, he quickly went to the door, opened it, and went out. But when he stepped out and saw the scene in front of him, he couldn't help but gasp. Good heavens, the bodyguard who came with Xu Zhengyang was carrying a pistol.
You know, campus police officers don't carry guns. They and the security guards all carry batons when they come.
At that moment, the campus police officer took out his walkie-talkie to prepare to report the incident.
"It's alright, it's alright, you all leave first. This is... this is..." Wang Duanhong hesitated for a moment, unsure how to explain Xu Zhengyang's identity. After a long pause, he said, "This is a matter for me to discuss with a higher-up. Please don't disturb him."
Everyone was stunned. The leader?
At this moment, Xu Zhengyang stepped out. He had originally planned to gather all the teachers and directors of the school together and give them a good scolding, so that these weaklings would stand up and uphold the moral integrity expected of scholars. However, he now thought better of it; in these extraordinary times, it was best not to cause any more trouble for the Li family.
Xu Zhengyang walked out and coldly said to Wang Duanhong, "Alright, I'm leaving now. You go and take care of what you need to take care of."
"Okay, okay, definitely." Wang Duanhong quickly agreed, thinking to himself, "Please hurry up and leave."
Ignoring the stares of the crowd, Xu Zhengyang left calmly, as if nothing had happened.
However, Xu Zhengyang had already made a plan. After these students' parents received some money for urgent use, they wouldn't be in a rush to use it. They would receive the compensation they were entitled to after the final judgment of the case. Therefore, it was necessary to keep Wang Duanhong around for now.
Once the family receives the money, I'll call Wang Duanhong and tell that old bastard to turn himself in.
If you dare not go, I'll tear your old bones apart!
Damn it!
Little did Wang Duanhong know that Xu Zhengyang was still plotting against him. As soon as Xu Zhengyang left, he quickly instructed the campus police and security guards not to spread rumors, as the matter was confidential. Then, he politely invited the victim's family into his office, called the people in charge of finances, and had them sign documents, issue receipts, and complete all the formalities as quickly as possible so that the student's parents could receive medical expenses and partial compensation.
Over there...
Chen Chaojiang helplessly endured the intense gazes of the girls, while the boys looked on with envy, jealousy, or admiration.
After holding it in for a while, he turned to Chen Chaohai and said, "You weren't driving, were you?"
"Huh? No."
"Yes, wait until you get your driver's license before driving. No drunk driving allowed."
"I know."
The students were stunned. This extremely cold-blooded martial arts master had actually said something like that to his younger brother. Then, the students realized Chen Chaojiang's good intentions. Yes, the car accident at school a few days ago—the two female students who were injured—wasn't it because the driver was drunk?
While the students were still in a daze, Chen Chaojiang's long, cold eyes swept over them and he said, "From now on, be a good person. There are gods watching over you... Don't do anything bad."
Chen Chaojiang was never a good talker.
Therefore, he only uttered this simple, vulgar, and utterly unsophisticated statement.
But what he really wanted to do was say something on behalf of Xu Zhengyang.
Volume 5, Spirit Official, Chapter 260: Be thankful, I'm in a good mood now.
In terms of personality, Chen Chaojiang and Xu Zhengyang are somewhat similar. Both are rigid and inflexible.
For example, when he came back from Hedong University this time, he insisted on taking the car keys without any hesitation, just to prevent his younger brother from driving. Yes, his black Land Rover was parked at Hedong University.
Fortunately, Xu Zhengyang is much more reasonable now, so he smiled and made the decision, letting Chen Chaojiang leave the car keys. He then said to Chen Chaohai, "University studies are not so intense. Take some time each day to learn how to drive. I'll give you this car, but you can't drive it until you get your license."
"Thank you, Brother Yang, thank you, Brother Yang." Chen Chaohai's eyes crinkled with laughter.
That's right. These days, college students come from quite well-off families; isn't it normal for them to own a car? Chen Chaohai, a college student in the prime of his life, certainly hopes to have a car to drive...
With the wedding date fast approaching in late February, Xu Zhengyang's family was bustling with preparations.
There's no need for any renovations, since it's a new house. And when this house was built, the Xu family's financial situation was already quite considerable, so while the decorations aren't extravagant, they're definitely high-end. However, Xu Zhengyang's marital home, which was originally his bedroom and the outer living room, needs to be redecorated.
Yuan Suqin insisted on buying a completely new set of furniture. What a joke! How could a newlywed couple use old things? Replace everything!
We also need to buy all the appliances we need; we used to only have one set, but now we need two.
In short, relatives and friends would come over to help every now and then, checking if anything was missing or needed. Every day was just about buying things, buying whatever came to mind...
Xu Zhengyang then realized with some dismay that the house was still too small.
Xu Zhengyang is a person who likes simplicity, but he didn't want to go against his mother's wishes when it came to getting married. So, a week before the third day of the third lunar month, the east room's bedrooms and living room were completely filled with furniture, decorations, and appliances—a chaotic mess. If he had known this would happen, he should have combined all four rooms in the east room; that place would have been much more spacious.
A relative suggested that the wedding banquet be held in Futou Town, and that the Tianwaitian Hotel be booked entirely, since there are many friends from Zhengyang. But our house is too small, isn't it?
But Yuan Suqin felt it wasn't a good idea. She discussed it with her future mother-in-law and decided to hold the wedding at home. She said that no one in their village had ever held a wedding outside the village.
Jiang Lan agreed without hesitation, "Let's do it this way!"
The Jiang Lan of today no longer showed the fear she usually had towards Xu Zhengyang. While she wasn't as arrogant as before, she certainly adopted the demeanor of a mother-in-law. As the mother of her daughter's marriage, she naturally had the absolute authority and right to decide on the wedding etiquette.
Xu Zhengyang smiled and nodded in agreement.
To be fair, given Xu Zhengyang's rather conservative mindset and temperament, he would certainly prefer the wedding to be held at his home in the village. Isn't that exactly what he wanted—a lively and festive atmosphere?
As for Li Bingjie... this girl didn't say anything except nodding and agreeing with a blush on her face. You guys decide.
When the young couple were alone together, Xu Zhengyang joked, "Bingjie, if I rode my bicycle to pick you up and take you to the thatched house, would you not even say a word?"
"Mm." Li Bingjie nodded.
Xu Zhengyang was overjoyed. Who says melodramatic sweet talk can't be touching? What a magnificent and romantic love story this is… But before his excitement could subside, Li Bingjie immediately added, "Would you do that?"
"Ahem..." Xu Zhengyang chuckled awkwardly.
Yes, although Li Bingjie doesn't talk much, she understands what kind of person Xu Zhengyang is.
Even if Xu Zhengyang were poor and down on his luck, he would still do his best to make the wedding as beautiful as possible. Of course, he's not the kind of person who suffers for the sake of saving face. He might borrow money if he's short of cash, but he would never flaunt his wealth without any self-awareness.
The guests for the wedding have all been booked.
The Li brothers, Ruiyu and Ruiyu, will not be coming. They don't have the time; things are turbulent in the capital right now, with various factions vying for power. However, since it is their daughter's wedding, they have already made arrangements in advance. After Xu Zhengyang and his wife have finished their wedding in their hometown and stay for a few days, they will go to the capital together to hold another wedding banquet and invite their friends and family.
Regardless of your position, you still have to follow the proper etiquette and customs. You can't escape the common practices!
February 28th, 10 PM.
The number of vehicles on National Highway 107 in the middle of Futou Town has decreased significantly, and many shops on both sides of the highway have been closed and their lights off.
Under the heavy cover of night, the bright streetlights could only emit a dim yellow light, casting their glow on the wide road.
Inside the Tianwaitian Hotel, the restaurant on the first floor was empty and quiet, with only two pretty waitresses chatting and laughing softly behind the counter.
In a large private room on the second floor, a sumptuous feast was laid out. Xu Zhengyang sat smiling in the head seat at the very back.
The charming proprietress, Xue Hong, sat to one side with a beaming smile.
Once upon a time, Xue Hong regarded Xu Zhengyang as a rising star in the area, noting his close relationship with the police station chief, his exceptional courage, and his impulsive yet astute nature. Little did she know that after visiting Tianwaitian a few times that year, Xu Zhengyang would never return.
Later, according to Zhong Shan, the current director of the Futou Town Police Station and now the deputy director of the County Public Security Bureau, Xu Zhengyang would never come to eat at Tianwaitian again. Don't think that Tianwaitian is the best hotel in our Futou Town, and it would rank among the top five in Cixian County. In Xu Zhengyang's eyes, it's not even worth mentioning.
For Xue Hong, it would certainly be a good thing to be able to make friends with someone powerful, but she would never go out of her way to curry favor with them.
Furthermore, while Xue Hong does enjoy making friends, she never believes that she needs to curry favor with anyone in Fuhe City.
So over the years, people have gradually forgotten about this young man.
Unexpectedly, someone came to the hotel this afternoon to book a table for a banquet, saying that guests would arrive after 10 p.m., and then threw down 5,000 yuan without saying a word.
At exactly 10 p.m., the person who arrived was none other than Xu Zhengyang.
The young man who came to book the banquet in the afternoon unexpectedly became Xu Zhengyang's follower.
Xu Zhengyang was still dressed plainly, but he had long since shed his former rustic air, resembling a delicate landscape painting. His understated elegance exuded a refined and graceful charm.
"Zhengyang, why haven't the guests arrived yet?" Xue Hongtian asked with a smile. "Are you honored guests for tonight?"
Xu Zhengyang shook his head and laughed, "Not really, haha, I'll be there in a bit."
"I haven't seen you come over all these years. I thought you'd made a fortune and gotten a promotion, and you'd forgotten all about your older sister..."
"How could that be? Hehe." Xu Zhengyang said, "I'm getting married on the third day of the third lunar month. Come to my house for the wedding banquet."
Xue Hong was taken aback for a moment, then laughed and said, "Okay, okay, I'll definitely go. I'll definitely go, hehe, congratulations in advance."
Xu Zhengyang nodded with a smile.
Just as Xue Hong was about to say some more polite words, the door to the private room was pushed open, and Zhu Jun walked in and said, "Everyone's here."
"Hmm." Xu Zhengyang nodded calmly, then turned to Xue Hong and said, "I'm sorry to bother you so late, Sister Hong."
"Oh, don't be so polite. Alright, alright, you take care of the guests. I won't bother you any longer." Xue Hong was shrewd and naturally understood the meaning behind Xu Zhengyang's words: it was inconvenient to have outsiders present.
As Xue Hong walked out of the private room, she saw seven or eight men and women dressed in various styles going upstairs.
What puzzled Xue Hong was that these people all had such blank and dazed expressions, as if the whole world had a deep-seated hatred for them.
After going downstairs, the two waiters, quite curious, told Xue Hong about their feelings.
Xue Hong frowned and said, "Don't ask any questions. You don't need to go over there in a while."
"Oh," the waiter quickly replied, though his mind was full of doubts.
Xue Hong, however, felt that Xu Zhengyang's rapid rise to prominence at such a young age must have been due to some shady dealings, and it was only natural that he would associate with strange people. Therefore, she advised against letting the waiters disturb him; what if they overheard something they shouldn't… who knew what those kinds of people might do?
Inside the private room.
Xu Zhengyang sat upright in his chair, calmly watching the group of men and women enter.
The five men and two women, who had been expressionless, shuddered almost simultaneously, their eyes suddenly brightening with the energy of normal people. They then looked at the young man sitting at the other end of the table with a mixture of confusion and fear.
"We have no grudges," Xu Zhengyang said softly. "My wedding is in a few days, and I'm in a very good mood right now, so I've set up a table tonight to invite you few, who aren't exactly respectable people, to have a few drinks in advance..."
All seven people simultaneously became more alert.
At this point, telling lies is useless; they know that perfectly well.
The only question is, how did I end up here?
"After this meal, you can go back now." Xu Zhengyang picked up a glass of wine and took a small sip. He said, "I'm getting married soon, and... I don't like people watching me in secret, it's not good."