Chapter 373: Begging won't help; a grudge must be avenged

Back when they were at the dance academy, Xu Yaqiu and Chu Lingxi were classmates.

They had been crawling and scrambling in the same circle; even if they weren't best friends, their relationship hadn't deteriorated to the point of glaring at each other.

But Xu Yaqiu likes to flatter the high and step on the low, can't stand anyone being better than her, and lacks the generosity to tolerate others.

They are not from the same world.

Now, Chu Lingxi can't even be bothered to glance at her.

Probably only Golden Cane Xiao Li Zi would treat her like a fairy; he walked over, chuckling smugly: "Lingxi, your complexion looks a bit off. I married your classmate—aren't you happy?"

"You call me Lingxi? Please call me Madam Lin."

Chu Lingxi straightened her back, her eyes flashing with an inviolable hue.

Xu Yaqiu linked arms with Xiao Li Zi.

She sneered at Chu Lingxi: "Hey, who did I think this was? Acting all holy, you're just a connection hire—relying on your dad before marriage, your husband after, and you're actually proud of it? Shameless!"

"You……"

Retorting has never been Chu Lingxi's forte.

Chu Lingxi's chest heaved with anger as she shot to her feet, yet she couldn't spit out a single curse.

Lin Dongfan hastily pulled her back onto the chair, soothing her gently: "Wife, calm down—if a wild chicken flies over and pecks you twice, could you peck it back? A phoenix doesn't contend with a wild chicken."

"Who are you calling a wild chicken!!!"

Xu Yaqiu flew into a rage, lunging to grab the cup of water on the table and splash it on Lin Dongfan's face.

This scene gave Xiao Li Zi a big fright.

Xiao Li Zi hastily grabbed Xu Yaqiu: "He wasn't talking about you—don't be impulsive."

"Li Hengbo!"

Xu Yaqiu angrily shook off Xiao Li Zi.

She then bellowed at Xiao Li Zi: "Can't you have some ambition? They insult me as a wild chicken right in front of you, yet you're still deceiving yourself! Now that you're not in the officialdom, what do you have to fear?"

That lion's roar drew the attention of the surrounding diners.

It left Xiao Li Zi so embarrassed he wished he could disappear.

Damn it!

This slut really doesn't know her limits!

What am I afraid of? What do you say I'm afraid of? Back then, why did I quit my post? Ultimately, it's because my background isn't as strong as theirs!

Trash talk is fine, but if you actually lay hands on him, will Lin Dongfan let you off?

Xiao Li Zi held a belly full of resentment with nowhere to vent.

To regain face.

Gritting his teeth, he retorted to Lin Dongfan: "Section Chief Lin, your words really are a bit hurtful. As a public official, how can you speak so recklessly and insult people?"

"I'm off duty, there's no Section Chief here." Lin Dongfan replied righteously: "Whoever makes my wife unhappy, I'll deal with them. If you don't believe it, give it a try."

"Li Hengbo!!!"

Xu Yaqiu glared, then let out another Hedong lion's roar.

Compared to Lin Dongfan, that wife‑crazy madman, Xu Yaqiu suddenly felt her husband Old Hengbo was a useless soft‑shelled shrimp.

Why should I have to endure this insult?

I married you to prove I have good taste! I wanted all our classmates to see what it truly means to rise to a branch and become a phoenix!

Whether it's figure, looks, or dance foundation, in what way am I inferior to Chu Lingxi?

What gives her the right to ride on my head and act like a fairy?

Endless rage roared inside Xu Yaqiu; though she didn't speak it, she had already conveyed these feelings to Li Hengbo through her angry gaze.

Seeing Li Hengbo still like a soft‑shelled shrimp, too scared to provoke Lin Dongfan at all.

Xu Yaqiu, unable to bear it any longer, kicked Li Hengbo: "Are you a corpse? People just fart and you're too scared to utter a sound! If you don't take care of him today, I'll divorce you……"

"Shut up!"

Li Hengbo suddenly slapped Xu Yaqiu across the face, cutting off her tirade.

That resounding slap startled everyone around, making their bodies tremble as if struck themselves, each heart thudding.

Chu Lingxi also jumped, never expecting Xiao Li Zi to hit his wife.

All one could see was Xu Yaqiu touching her burning cheek, tears streaming down, she glared hatefully at Li Hengbo: "You crippled bastard, dare you hit me!"

"Just now I was possessed; my hand wasn't under my control."

The bystanders also didn't know what Li Hengbo was afraid of; all they saw was him hastily grabbing a tissue, trying to wipe Xu Ya's tears: "Don't make a scene, there are plenty of people watching……"

"Get lost!"

Xu Yaqiu angrily shoved Li Hengbo away.

She then glared at Li Hengbo and spat: "Cripple, go home and I'll deal with you!" She turned and left the night‑snack stall, her steps hurried.

Seeing this, Lin Dongfan finally couldn't help but chuckle: "Xiao Li Zi, you and this green‑tea bitch are truly a match made in heaven."

"What 'green‑tea bitch'? Don't put it so harshly."

Xiao Li Zi's vision is truly growing—actually he's forced to tuck his tail and play the grandson.

Earlier he gave a Land Rover to Zhu Xianhua, the Vice Station Chief of Jianglan Province TV; now Zhu Xianhua has been placed under shuanggui, and he himself has been questioned several times by Lin Dongfan's subordinates.

Fortunately, after delivering the car, he didn't rush to ask Zhu Xianhua for favors.

There is no situation of seeking improper benefits.

Thus it does not constitute bribery.

Xiao Li Zi collected himself, pulled out a chair and sat down opposite Lin Dongfan, declaring boldly: "Running into you two here today is pure coincidence—this meal's on me."

"Are we that close?" Chu Lingxi asked in surprise.

Lin Dongfan, continuing to follow Chu Lingxi's words, retorted: "My wife says you're sitting in the wrong place; please get up, move your butt."

That's excessive!

Despite feeling depressed, Xiaolizi's ninja divine skill is still trained to perfection.

He stood up and stepped back two paces.

Keeping his distance, he spoke with Lin Dongfan: "I have a matter I need to clarify with you: it's about delivering a car to Zhu Xianhua; that matter truly does not constitute bribery."

"Hmm, you're a law-savvy Xiaolizi, top-notch at finding loopholes, I know."

"Regardless of whether I've exploited loopholes, in this rule-of-law era we act according to the law. I haven't broken the law, but your people still keep watching me every day, making me feel nonexistent and severely damaging my personal image. I've entered the film and TV industry, and now many producers dare not work with me, fearing something will happen to me and the project will die before birth."

"That's your business, none of my concern."

"How is it not related to you?"

"Producers not working with you is your affair; I never told them not to work with you."

"Brother, speak from your conscience; if it weren't for your Anti-Corruption Bureau people watching me every day like a hawk, would my personal image suffer?"

"You're implicated in a case; I had people investigate you—that's my duty."

"Didn't we just say that? The car delivery matter isn't bribery; your people already investigated it thoroughly, yet you keep running to our company every few days to summon me, damaging my reputation."

"Zhu Xianhua's case isn't closed yet; summoning you is part of the job—if you can't bear it, you still have to, who made you implicated?" Lin Dongfan lit a cigarette, then exclaimed with gusto: "Do you still remember the death by slicing with three thousand cuts? A dull knife slicing flesh slowly—isn't that your masterpiece?"

That's excessive!

Xiaolizi frowned worriedly.

He again suppressed his anger and complained: "That's all ancient history; I've already quit my iron rice bowl, yet you still hold a grudge—can't we show a little magnanimity as humans?"

"If we swapped places now—you sitting, me standing—would you still say one should be magnanimous?" Lin Dongfan took a slow drag of his cigarette, exhaling the grudge of two lifetimes: "You wouldn't; you'd only have me kneel and lick your shoes. Compared to that, my approach is already gentlemanly—what do you have to complain about?"

!!!

Xiaolizi silently held a smile, but that smile gradually changed—from initial helplessness to a furious laugh of having to endure what he could not bear.