Chapter 218

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Protagonist:

Lin Xiyu

"Right by the river."

Lin Xiyu did not hesitate, telling him the location: "The viewing platform closest to the Oriental Pearl."

"Okay."

Wang Fan clearly had not expected her to arrange to meet by the river; he was stunned for a good long while before replying with a single "okay."

——

Seeing that she had arranged to meet Wang Fan, Wu Meng felt genuinely panicked inside.

She had not expected Lin Xiyu to be so swift and decisive, directly calling him and summoning him over.

She was different from Zhao Yuncheng; Zhao Yuncheng swayed between two masters, surviving in the cracks.

She had only one master, and was very loyal to her own boss.

"Mengmeng, you go back first."

Seeing her expression was off, Lin Xiyu deliberately sent her away: "Don't tell Guben; I'll tell him myself."

"Can you handle it alone?"

Wu Meng stood rooted, unwilling to leave: "Why don't I stay? In case something happens, I can at least help you call 120......"

Lin Xiyu raised an eyebrow: "You're afraid he'll harm me?"

"No."

Wu Meng forced a laugh: "I'm afraid you'll strangle him to death."

"You've reminded me......"

Lin Xiyu rotated her wrist: "I haven't beaten anyone in a long time; it's time to limber up my muscles and bones."

"Uh."

Wu Meng looked awkward: "I didn't actually mean that; just mouthing off, saying it for the sake of saying it."

"When he gets here, you move far away......"

Lin Xiyu deliberately teased her: "So you don't get splattered with blood."

"No way?"

Wu Meng gave an embarrassed laugh: "I really was just saying it; don't take it seriously. Not worth it for a scumbag."

"He's here; you go."

Wang Fan arrived very quickly; in the time the two of them spoke, he had already driven to the viewing platform and walked down along the steps.

Lin Xiyu looked toward his back, and the smile on her face vanished instantly.

——

"It was at this very place that you threatened Zhao Yuncheng, saying you'd throw him into the river to feed the fish, right?"

Wang Fan came up close; without a second word, she grabbed his front lapel and shoved him to the railing.

"Hiss."

Wang Fan's back slammed hard against the railing; the pain made him suck in a sharp breath of cold air.

"Do you believe I'd dare push you down too?"

Lin Xiyu's eyes were like cold frost; not waiting for him to quibble, she applied a bit more force and shoved him hard backward.

"Go ahead and push; if I die at your hands, I'll accept it."

Wang Fan's back pressed tight against the railing, his upper body leaning back, nearly at a forty-five-degree angle.

His assistant-slash-bodyguard wanted to step forward, but was glared back by a single look from him.

"You think I wouldn't dare?"

Lin Xiyu pressed down further, making a move to let go.

"You dare; I believe......"

A trace of wicked charm flickered at the corner of Wang Fan's eye; he teased jokingly: "Toward me, you really can be ruthless; that I've never doubted."

"You still have the nerve to laugh?"

Lin Xiyu glared at him displeased: "The investment matter — was that your doing?"

"No."

Wang Fan denied it: "Although I hate him for snatching away the woman I love, I disdain using such low, underhanded tactics."

"You hate him?"

Lin Xiyu raised an eyebrow, questioning sternly: "What right do you have to hate him? What did he do to wrong you? It was your own mistake; why blame someone else? Even if Guben hadn't returned from the United States, I wouldn't have married you. The contract marriage partner wasn't Zhao Yuncheng; it would have been someone else."

"Why did you never consider me?"

Wang Fan was unwilling: "Since it's a contract marriage, what does having an illegitimate child matter? Why are you so strict with me, unable to tolerate a grain of sand in your eyes, not giving me a single chance to make amends?"

"I'll give you a chance to make amends right now."

Lin Xiyu's attitude was very firm: "Invest in Xingyou Tourism, twenty million."

"Why should I invest?"

The corners of Wang Fan's mouth twitched violently a few times; he felt very uncomfortable inside.

"Did you forget what you once said to me five years ago?"

Lin Xiyu stared straight into his eyes, giving an unexpected answer: "You said your vision was damn sharp; doing business together with him, you valued his potential, valued him as a person — he contributes effort, you contribute money; the two of you, twin swords combined, in the future starting a company, doing business, would surely join forces to carve out a world in the turbulent commercial seas."

"Five years, and you actually still remember?"

Wang Fan gazed at her faintly, a complex, indecipherable look flashing in his eyes.

"Every word you said, every embarrassing thing you did, I remember them all......"

Lin Xiyu wanted to provoke him, and instead of answering, she countered, "Want me to list them one by one to help jog your memory?"

"Cough, cough."

Wang Fan coughed twice, rarely embarrassed.

Lin Xiyu sneered, "So you know you've done a lot of embarrassing things, too many to record on bamboo slips?"

"Let's not talk about the past."

Wang Fan found himself a way out: "Is this the attitude of someone asking a favor? The iron railing is so hard, it's digging into my waist until it's about to snap."

"Who said I'm asking you?"

Lin Xiyu still wouldn't let go: "Don't forget, you were stabbed by Li Qing, you owe Guben a promise. He forgot, I didn't. I'm here to collect on his behalf. These twenty million in investment count as you repaying his favor."

"The one who gave me a blood transfusion was you."

Wang Fan's gaze was complex, and he looked at her deeply once more.

"My debt to you is repaid......."

Lin Xiyu met his gaze, neither dodging nor evading: "One thing is one thing. Guben's favor, you must repay."

"Twenty million isn't a small sum......."

Wang Fan wanted to stall: "I don't have that much cash on hand. You have to give me some time to consider."

"What's there to consider?"

Lin Xiyu could see right through his little schemes, her eyes showing displeasure: "You were so sharp in high school, now you've turned stupid instead."

"You're calling me stupid?"

Wang Fan laughed in anger.

"Not making money when you can, if that's not stupid, what is?"

Lin Xiyu retorted: "I guarantee, if you invest twenty million in him, he can return you a hundred million. He's never changed; all he lacks is an opportunity, a chance to turn things around......."

"What good does his turning things around do me?"

Wang Fan felt sour inside, jealousy welling up again.

"You still dare say that."

Lin Xiyu kicked him in anger.

"Hiss."

That kick carried significant force, landing on his calf, the pain making Wang Fan's face change drastically.

This time, he really couldn't laugh anymore.

His assistant hesitated, wanting to step forward again.

"Don't come over!"

Wang Fan shouted sharply, stopping his movement.

"Do you agree or not?"

Lin Xiyu ignored the assistant, making a move to kick again.

"Fine, fine, fine, you win."

No matter how thick Wang Fan's face was, he couldn't withstand being kicked twice in a row by a woman in front of an outsider.

"Empty words are no proof......"

Lin Xiyu dragged him along: "Come with me to Xingyou right now, sign the contract."

"You're being way too overbearing, aren't you?"

Wang Fan put on a show of protest, but inside he felt a little secretly pleased.

This was an opportunity he had waited hard for, a chance to be connected to her again in this way.

Lin Xiyu ignored his protest, dragging him straight to his sports car, opening the door, and shoving him inside.

"Couldn't you be a little gentler......"

Wang Fan slammed into the steering wheel, utterly speechless.

"No need to be gentle with you."

Lin Xiyu opened the door from the other side and got in herself.

"Do you know what my current worth is?"

Wang Fan complained resentfully: "No matter how cool you act in front of outsiders, only you dare treat me like this."

Lin Xiyu couldn't care less, bestowing two words on him: "Shut up."

The corners of Wang Fan's mouth twitched violently a few times, he ignited the engine, and the sports car roared away from the viewing platform.

"Ah, they just left like that?"

Wu Meng had been stunned watching, and only when the sports car drove far off did she stomp her feet in annoyance and chase to the roadside.

"Want to get in the car?"

Wang Fan's assistant generously invited her into his own car.

"Yes."

Wu Meng was overjoyed, hurriedly ran over, and climbed into the back seat.

——

Xingyou Tourism.

The company's financing was cut off, and malicious rumors spread; the news traveled extremely fast.

On the very day the contract signing was halted, someone deliberately came to the door to provoke, offering a low price in a deluded attempt to buy the copyright to Star River Liar Hunter.

"100,000 is already not a small amount; you'd best consider it — a non-complete demo, and you still want to sell it for how much?"

An executive from a game company struck a God-like pose, arrogant and domineering: "Our Shayu Company is still quite righteous; anyone here who wants to jump ship can come over, people and game together, salary is negotiable, I dare guarantee one hundred percent that under Shayu Company's operation, Liar Hunter's future prospects will surely be bright, more than twice as strong as at a small company like Star River."

——

"100,000, too bullying."

"Our R&D investment alone exceeds this much money."

"Exactly, the contract just got terminated and they show up to acquire — are they dogs? Nose this sharp?"

Zhang Shan, Li Hao, and the others couldn't stand his high-and-mighty look, all revealing displeased expressions.

"Hmph."

That executive hmphed from his nose tip, disregarding Li Hao and the others' displeasure with contempt: "You can't make the call; call your boss out, my time is precious, no leisure to waste words with you bunch of little minions..."

"If your time's so precious then scram..."

A disdainful sneer cut off his arrogance; Wang Fan was dragged into the company by Lin Xiyu, just in time to hear that line, and with an even more cocky attitude rudely retorted: "100,000 and you dare come here to show off? What broken Shayu (Stupid Fish) Company, believe it or not, one word from Brother and I can turn you into dead fish?"

"Who are you?"

The Shayu Game Company executive turned back, glaring at him in displeasure.

"I'm a partner of Xingyou Tourism."

Wang Fan pulled a chair for himself and sat down, leaning comfortably against the backrest, crossing his legs.

"When did Xingyou Tourism get a partner?"

The executive didn't believe it, narrowing his eyes and sizing him up from head to toe.

Before coming, someone had given him the inside scoop, detailing Xingyou Tourism's current predicament; it was precisely because of this that he dared to be this arrogant, coming straight to the door to acquire.

"Didn't have one before, have one now."

Wang Fan's smooth-talking words came the moment he opened his mouth: "Dingsheng Investment officially injects 50 million starting today, reaching a cooperation with Xingyou Tourism."

"50 million?!"

"Great."

"Operating funds secured, our game can officially launch."

"Who's this big shot?"

"Looks like he's got money."

Li Hao and the others heard 50 million, their little eyes all lit up, gazes toward Wang Fan burning hot.

Wang Fan quite enjoyed the worship of this crowd of miscellaneous people, switched to another posture, sitting cross-legged, very much showing off.

"Dingsheng Investment?"

The Shayu Game Company executive and his people were different; he keenly heard something off: "Xia has been mixing in Shanghai for many years, never heard of this investment company."

"Never heard of it only proves you're ignorant and narrow-minded."

"Dingsheng Industry has already secured no fewer than dozens of projects large and small nationwide; the developments under construction outnumber your company's headcount."

Wu Meng and Wang Fan's assistant then entered, the two singing in harmony, retorting back for Wang Fan.

"Well said, continue....."

Wang Fan nodded in satisfaction, expression increasingly complacent.

"Dingsheng Industry?"

The Shayu executive frowned tightly, hesitating whether to believe.

"The developments we build are all high-end developments, a duplex luxury mansion costs several million per unit."

Wang Fan's assistant is also a ruthless character, words stabbing straight to the heart: "No need to think, even if you wanted to you couldn't afford it."

"Pfft."

Wu Meng sprayed a laugh, giving the assistant a thumbs-up.

The Shayu executive's greasy fat face swelled to pig-liver color.

"You few, all listen good."

Wang Fan excels at damaging people; pointing at Li Hao and the others, he continued poking the Shayu executive's lungs: "Bring out all your abilities, use the game to take them down, within one year you must seize Shayu (Stupid Fish)'s market share, make them thoroughly turn into dead fish."

"Fuck!"

"I just don't believe Liar Hunter would be worse than their game."

"Bringing 100,000 to disgust us, if we don't take them down, can't vent this spleen."

Li Hao and the others had their emotions stirred by his few words, all rolling up sleeves, preparing for a big fight.

"Hmph......"

The Shayu executive retorted with a sneer: "Just relying on you, a no-name small company, wanting to contend with Shayu, delusional fantasy."

"Wait and see; sooner or later we'll let you witness whether it's delusional fantasy."

Li Hao and the others glared back in anger.

"Daydreaming......"

That person just wanted to vent a few more sentences when Wang Fan's assistant rudely grabbed him by the collar and threw him out.

"Where's your CEO?"

Wang Fan couldn't be bothered to deal with that person further, scanning the surroundings, asking the doubt in his heart.

"In the office, monitoring game data."

Li Hao beat everyone to answer: "Originally we were also monitoring data, didn't expect that person to suddenly barge in, all disturbed by him."

"With such a big thing happening....."

Wang Fan sneered, deliberately provoking: "He can actually keep his cool, hiding in the office and not coming out."

"Uh."

Li Hao froze, a bit dumbfounded.

He had thought Wang Fan stepping up at the crucial moment to back them up meant he was some close confidant of the General Manager or the like; he never expected the tone to sound somewhat unfriendly.

"The General Manager isn't coming out, which means this matter isn't that big."

Wu Meng spoke up for her own Boss: "Within controllable limits, maybe he just wants to use this opportunity to temper Rat and the others a bit more, let them practice their on-the-spot adaptability too."

"Haven't seen you in a while, Dumb Cute, you've improved......"

Wang Fan gave her a cool sidelong glance; though it was a joking tone, listening to it inexplicably felt a bit frightening.

"I'm just telling the truth, right, Xiyu......"

Wu Meng decisively chose to pull an ally, turning her gaze toward Lin Xiyu.

"That's possible......"

Lin Xiyu very cooperatively nodded, and sure enough drew Wang Fan's gaze onto herself.