"Of course, of course." Li Jie squinted, thoroughly enjoying the feeling of being the center of attention.
Speak of the devil.
A middle-aged, square-faced, chubby man pushed open the door and walked in with a smile.
Li Jie quickly stood up in surprise. "Uncle, what brings you here?"
"My dear nephew is hosting his classmates at the Mingyue Tea House. How could I not come and offer a toast?" With his beer belly protruding, Li Zhengnan laughed heartily. "Please, everyone, don't be shy. When you're at the Mingyue Tea House, you should feel right at home."
"Here, this cup of tea is for all of you."
Li Zhengnan poured himself a cup of tea and raised it in the air.
The classmates in the room, all around twenty-five or twenty-six years old and in the prime of their youth, immediately perked up.
Li Zhengnan! The manager of the Mingyue Tea House. He was a symbol of status and position; only billionaires or top city officials could make him lower his stance.
And now, he was proactively offering a toast to them, a group of youngsters? Even their parents didn't have that privilege!
Flattered, the group quickly replied, "Uncle Li, you're too kind."
Li Zhengnan was a true sly old fox. He told an embarrassing childhood story about Li Jie, instantly closing the distance between them. The private room filled with laughter and cheerful voices.
After a short while, Li Zhengnan said, "Alright, you all keep eating. The owner is still at Fenghua Pavilion preparing to welcome some important guests. If you need anything, just have Li Jie call me."
The owner of the Mingyue Tea House… That mysterious big shot?!
After Li Zhengnan left, the private room erupted into a frenzy of excited discussion.
"Li Shao, who exactly is the owner of the Mingyue Tea House?"
"Li Shao, your uncle's presence is so powerful. I didn't even dare to speak loudly just now."
"Brother Jie, it turns out you're the real big shot, unlike a certain someone who was kicked out of their family."
"Keep it low-key, low-key." Li Jie's smile was radiant. His uncle's appearance had given him a great deal of face, making him, already the focus of the party, the undeniable center of attention.
Although this was a teahouse, Li Zhengnan's toast had sent some classmates' egos soaring. No longer content with just tea, they excitedly began to chug alcohol.
Meanwhile, Ruan Tang, Xu Lai, and Xu Yaoyao found themselves marginalized and ignored by everyone.
Xu Yaoyao and Ruan Tang didn't mind. They chatted and laughed about interesting things from their university days. Xu Lai listened with great interest, occasionally interjecting with a question or two, making for an amusing little group.
「An hour later.」
Song Qin returned to the private room from the restroom, his face sporting a bright red palm print.
Zhu Fang stared in shock. "Song Qin, what happened to your face? Who hit you?"
"Ugh, don't even ask." Reeking of alcohol, Song Qin let out a burp and cursed, "I accidentally bumped into some old man, and he slapped me. But I kicked him back. Li Shao, this won't cause any trouble, will it?"
Li Jie frowned. Anyone who could enter the Mingyue Tea House was either wealthy or influential. But then he remembered that his uncle, Li Zhengnan, was the manager here—a man with immense power. Besides, the other guy had started it. With that thought, Li Jie puffed out his chest and declared, "No problem! If anything happens, I've got you covered!"
"That's our Li Shao!"
"Come on, let's all toast to Li Shao!"
Another round of toasts began. All the men in the room, their faces flushed, started drinking and playing loud drinking games.
However, not long after, the door to the private room was violently kicked open. The sudden loud noise startled everyone.
They all turned to look. A muscular man in a black suit stood by the door. Behind him stood an old man in a Tang suit; despite his full head of white hair, he was full of vigor.
The elder's eyes scanned the room before finally locking onto Song Qin. "There you are, you little punk!" he said sharply.
Song Qin slammed his hand on the table and shouted angrily, "You still dare to show your face? Li Shao, that's him! He's the one who slapped me in the restroom."
"Are you sick, you old geezer?" Zhu Fang snapped. "My Song Qin just bumped into you, and you hit him for that!"
"Wang Long, remember this woman. Slap her face later," the elder ordered coldly, his hands behind his back.
"Understood, Boss," the burly Wang Long nodded.
Sensing their hostility, Li Jie frowned. "Gentlemen, I've heard what happened. Is there any need to be so aggressive?"
"Those two," the bodyguard, Wang Long, said, pointing at Song Qin and Zhu Fang, "one will kneel and apologize, and the other will be slapped a hundred times. Then this matter is over. This has nothing to do with anyone else."
"It was an accident, and Song Qin already apologized! Don't go too far!"
"Yeah!"
They were all young men, and with alcohol in their systems, it only took a few words to get them riled up and shouting.
The female classmates were all smiling, completely unconcerned. In their minds, this was Li Jie's uncle's territory. They had every advantage, making them feel invincible.
Zhu Fang shot a glance at Xu Lai and sneered. "What kind of man are you? They've come right to our door to bully us, and while the other guys are helping, you don't even have the guts to stand up?"
"That's right, I'm terrified," Xu Lai said, grabbing a handful of sunflower seeds from the table. He started cracking them open while sizing up the burly man who had come looking for trouble.
He's clearly a trained martial artist. This should be a good show!
"..."
Zhu Fang was struck speechless. She hadn't expected Xu Lai to admit it so readily. She let out a scornful laugh. "Pathetic loser."
"You're a strange one," Xu Yaoyao, who always saw things in black and white, couldn't help but retort. "Your husband is the one who caused this mess, so what does it have to do with us? Why should we stick our necks out for you?" She added sarcastically, "I'm just afraid that if we did help, you'd stab us in the back for our trouble."
"That's a laugh. With Li Shao here, any problem can be solved. What help could you possibly offer? Just sit there and watch quietly," Zhu Fang said dismissively. "This is power. This is confidence. A pity it's something you'll never have."
Xu Yaoyao clenched her jaw in anger, but Ruan Tang gently patted her hand, signaling her not to get worked up.
By the door, Wang Long's gaze swept over everyone, but his brow furrowed when his eyes landed on Xu Lai in the corner.
I can't seem to see through this young man! At a glance, he looks like an ordinary person with no Cultivation Level. But not only is he unafraid, he's actually cracking sunflower seeds and watching the show with great interest? He's either a hidden master or a fool who can't read the situation!
"Wang Long, handle this quickly," the old man said casually. He was in a hurry to get to a banquet and couldn't keep his host waiting.
"Yes, Boss," Wang Long nodded, his voice turning icy. "Kneel and apologize! One hundred slaps!"
"Li Shao!" all the classmates cried out, looking at Li Jie with righteous indignation.
Li Jie's eyes flickered. He had been the star of the class reunion. If he couldn't resolve this perfectly, he would become a laughingstock. Most importantly, he would lose face in front of Ruan Tang! Spurred on by the desire to show off his connections and family background to Xu Lai, Li Jie took a stand.
His voice was deep as he said, "Friend, isn't that method of apology a bit extreme?"
"Oh?" the old man asked curiously. "Do you have a more refined method?"
"Of course," Li Jie smiled slightly. "I'm Li Jie from the East Sea Li Family. Do me a favor, and we can settle this over a cup of tea. Wouldn't that make for a fine story?"
SLAP!
Wang Long's hand cracked across Li Jie's face. "Face? What fucking face do you have!"