Chapter 28: Clearly it's a domineering flower

Tang Yizhou still hadn't realized the seriousness of the problem: "I just wanted to find someone to give her a lesson—who let her keep stringing Xu Er along? Back when she was dating Xu Er, she was wishy-washy, and now she has a kid, a new boyfriend, and still keeps provoking Xu Er. Who knows what tricks she's up to now."

"You can't go on like this—there has to be a limit. Can you just joke about this kind of thing?" Fu Li slapped the table and stood up. "You'd better pray Xia Xi is okay, otherwise you and Xu Er are done as brothers."

"Is it really that serious?"

"I think you've got water in your brain!"

"……"

"Do you think Xu Er is an idiot? If Xia Xi were really playing tricks, he'd see through it!"

Their argument grew louder and louder, drawing the attention of the others; the private room gradually fell silent, and everyone exchanged puzzled glances.

"Young Master Fu, what's going on?"

"How did it start?"

Fu Li had no time to explain to the others, he grabbed Tang Yizhou's arm and headed out, reaching the empty corridor, where he shouted: "They're also at Penglai Fandian, right? Which private room?!"

Tang Yizhou was jerked about, stumbling and nearly falling; just as he steadied himself, Fu Li's shout left him dazed, and only then did he feel guilty: "I—I don't know either."

"Hurry up and find someone to ask clearly!" Fu Li pointed at him again, "You, you—I thought you were just sharp-tongued, at least you had some sense, but I never expected you… sigh, it's too late to say anything now. What kind of person is Li ChengHai? Do you really have no idea?"

Tang Yizhou quickly called the manager of Penglai Fandian to find out which private room Manager Li had booked.

Taking the opportunity, Fu Li called Xu Yanfeng.

Since it concerns Xia Xi, and they're outsiders anyway, it would be more appropriate for Xu Yanfeng to come handle it personally.

Xu Yanfeng didn't know what he was busy with, didn't answer the call, and just hung up.

Fu Li pressed his forehead hard, kept calling, over and over, until he finally answered.

On the fourth try, the call finally went through, and Xu Yanfeng answered impatiently: "Is it Tang Yizhou who had you call me? I said I wasn't going to the gathering—have fun."

"No." Fu Li, who had just scolded Tang Yizhou, was now frustrated and parched; after swallowing, he said, "Tang Yizhou has caused trouble—he's standing up for you, he set someone up to scheme against Xia Xi, and now it's likely to end badly. This guy really… has lived his years in vain."

As soon as Xia Xi's danger was mentioned, Xu Yanfeng cast aside everything else and only cared whether she was safe.

He didn't listen to the rest, put on his coat, grabbed the car keys from the cabinet, and left.

He even forgot to lock the door.

Keeping the line open, Fu Li heard a clattering sound from Xu Yanfeng's end, then the roar of a sports car engine starting, not knowing how fast he was speeding.

Fu Li was a bit worried: "You take care of yourself."

At that moment, Tang Yizhou turned around, phone in hand, looking guilty, and said: "I asked the manager—Manager Li is in the Viewing Waves Private Room."

Fu Li didn't hesitate, he sprinted toward the Viewing Waves Private Room—faster than he'd ever run in college fitness tests. Fortunately, he'd been here a few times and knew the place well; otherwise, the winding corridor would have left him dizzy.

Tang Yizhou followed behind him; in mid-September, the temperature remained sweltering at night, and his shirt was soaked with sweat across his back.

Fu Li, panting, stopped outside the Viewing Waves Private Room; at this point he didn't bother with courtesy and just turned the lock.

Who knew the door was bolted from inside and couldn't be opened from outside.

He wiped the sweat from his forehead, glared at the breathless Tang Yizhou, and snapped: "What are you standing there for? Call the manager to get the spare key!"

The door was bolted—this boded ill; how could a weak woman like Xia Xi possibly stand up to a man like Manager Li?

Tang Yizhou, scolded like a grandson, didn't dare retort, opened his call log, and tapped the most recent entry to call back.

As the "beep" sounded, the tightly shut door opened. Xia Xi stood inside, wearing a gray knit short-sleeve, white casual pants, holding an Hermès bag, unharmed, looking more like she'd come for afternoon tea than like she'd been bullied.

She flicked her long curly hair, the gold coin earrings on her ears catching a glint, and looked astonished at the two men outside—Tang Yizhou and… Fu Li.

How did you end up here? Fu Li leaned against the doorframe: "Are you okay?"

Before Xia Xi could speak, Fu Li heard a man's pained groan from inside the private room; looking in, he saw a big-bellied man collapsed on the floor, curled up like a shrimp, hands covering his vulnerable spots, his face deathly pale, beads of cold sweat dotting his forehead.

It was Manager Li.

Fu Li: "……"

Xia Xi then spoke: "It doesn't look like I'm the one in trouble."

After saying that, she realized something was off; her calm gaze flickered with suspicion as she reexamined Tang Yizhou and Fu Li. How did they know she was in this private room?

Fu Li had just asked if she was okay, proving he knew what had happened in there.

Xia Xi's face sank like water: "Aren't you going to give an explanation?"

It was Tang Yizhou. Seeing Xu Er anguished over you, he lost his temper and came up with this idea to teach you a lesson—he didn't gauge the seriousness, and I've already scolded him. For Xu Er's sake, can you forgive him?

Fu Li had no intention of covering for Tang Yizhou; no matter what heinous things Xia Xi might have done, treating a woman like this is indeed unbecoming. No, this isn't just a matter of decorum—it's a lack of morality.

Tang Yizhou, face wooden, lowered his head for the first time before a woman to apologize: "Xia Xi, this time I—"

Before the words "sorry" could leave his mouth, he got a hard slap to the face, his forehead ringing.

Tang Yizhou, caught off guard, was struck so his head tilted to the side; he held the sideways pose facing Xia Xi for a moment, unable to believe he'd been slapped—by a woman.

Xia Xi, regardless of what he thought of her, tossed out "psycho" and walked away.

Tang Yizhou's half-face went numb and painful; soon a clear handprint appeared on his pale skin. He slowly turned his head, saw Xia Xi's retreating back, and chased after her, furious.

He hadn't taken two steps before Fu Li grabbed him.

"You still have the nerve to chase her? That slap was deserved." Upon learning Xia Xi was unharmed, Fu Li relaxed and said to Tang Yizhou, "I told you before—regarding Xu Er and Xia Xi, just watch the drama, don't interfere. As brothers you also need to keep boundaries. As the saying goes, 'Only the drinker knows the temperature of the water'—you haven't heard that? Do you really know what Xu Er feels in his heart?"

"Enough already—I know I was wrong." Tang Yizhou pressed his tongue against the left side of his swollen face, grimacing in pain.

He suspected her hand was made of brick.

Fu Li glanced inside the private room, dialed 120 out of concern, and sent Manager Li to the hospital—if he were truly incapacitated, it would still be a hassle.

Tang Yizhou said, "How did Manager Li end up like this? I just told him to let Xia Xi wait a couple of hours, then make things difficult for her—best to scare her into begging on her knees. Could it be that seeing Xia Xi's face actually stirred his lust?"

Fu Li cut to the chase: "If you lock a starving wolf and a little white rabbit together, do you think the wolf will keep its promise to you and not eat the rabbit?"

Manager Li puts on a Maitreya Buddha facade, smiling at everyone, but behind the scenes who knows how many romantic entanglements he's had. Can you believe what a person like him says?

Tang Yizhou stubbornly retorted: "Is Xia Xi a little white rabbit? Clearly she's a domineering flower!"

"Fu Li, where are you? I'm at Penglai Fandian—where are you?" Xu Yanfeng's voice came from the phone; Fu Li glanced at the screen, the call duration still increasing.

Fu Li didn't know how much Xu Yanfeng had heard, raised the phone to his ear, and said: "In the Viewing Waves Private Room."

"Xu Er came so quickly?" Tang Yizhou murmured, "How far away is his place? Did he come by plane?"

Fu Li glanced at him, sympathy showing in her eyes: "Instead of thinking about this, you'd better think about how to face Xu Er's anger. I really can't help you with this; you're on your own."

Xu Er arrived immediately _(: з」∠)_(End of chapter)