25: Do they all think I'm a sucker?

Xinyue Entertainment Center · Second Floor Office

The cold air from the air conditioner hummed, but it couldn't disperse the smoke filling the room.

Li Zhan leaned back on the sofa, the cigarette at his fingertips burning slowly.

Sitting opposite him was a dark-skinned Cambodian man—Boss Chen, wearing a flashy shirt, with a pure gold Buddha pendant hanging around his neck and three gemstone rings on his fingers glittering under the lights.

Zhiyong stood behind Li Zhan, his figure lean but sturdy, his eyes squinting slightly beneath his crew cut.

"Mr. Chen," Li Zhan exhaled a smoke ring, his tone calm, "I won't be paying a deposit. As for this figure of three million, I have no idea how you calculated it."

He flicked the ash, "I only accept monthly payments. If you trust me, we'll cooperate. If not..." He shrugged, leaving the rest unsaid.

The Cambodian man narrowed his eyes and suddenly laughed out loud, "Doing business requires high investment for high returns! Mr. Li—"

"If we were really talking business, there would be room for negotiation." Li Zhan suddenly interrupted him, tossing his lighter onto the coffee table with a crisp "clack."

He leaned forward, his gaze piercing the other man like a blade, "But I think... you're treating me like an idiot."

He leaned back and said coldly, "Zhiyong, see him out."

The Cambodian man's expression changed, "Mr. Li!" He just started to stand up—

Zhiyong had already silently moved to his side, wearing a smile, but his eyes were chillingly cold, "Boss Chen, our Brother Zhan said..."

He leaned in slightly, "Come back to chat when you have better terms."

The Cambodian man's expression shifted as he looked at Li Zhan's sinister gaze. Ultimately, he didn't dare say anything more, got up, and followed Zhiyong out the door.

Before long, Zhiyong returned to the office, sat heavily back on the sofa, and slammed his fist on the coffee table, making the ashtray jump, "Damn! This dead monkey's terms weren't this when he was talking to Sausage!"

Li Zhan sneered, "He probably thinks that since I just took over, I'm easy to push around."

"Should we..." Zhiyong made a throat-slitting gesture, a fierce light appearing in his eyes, "They really take us for suckers."

"Now is not the time." Li Zhan shook his head, crushing the cigarette butt into the ashtray overflowing with cigarette ends, "This business is optional anyway; let it be for now."

"Knock, knock"—a knock sounded at the door. Little Night poked half her body in, "Brother Zhan, are you finished?"

She lowered her voice, "Flour Chang is here, he's outside."

Li Zhan nodded slightly, "Let him come in."

Zhiyong hurriedly stood up, "Brother Zhan, I'll go out and get busy."

Li Zhan nodded and waved his hand.

Little Night pushed the door open, and a tall, thin middle-aged man strolled in. He wore a wrinkled shirt, his shoulders were narrow, and his skin had an unhealthy grayish-yellow hue. His high cheekbones cast two shadows underneath, making his eyes look particularly sinister.

Li Zhan wore a faint smile, stood up to welcome him, and extended his hand, "Brother Chang, what an honor to have you here."

Flour Chang's face was dark. He glanced sideways at Li Zhan's extended hand, walked right past him, and strode arrogantly toward the reception area.

Li Zhan wasn't annoyed. He withdrew his hand, sat back slowly in the main seat, and tapped a cigarette out of the pack to light it. Little Night silently leaned over and sat on the armrest of his sofa.

"Yo, I've only been away for a short while, and the owner here has already changed?"

Flour Chang's hoarse voice carried the distinct accent of the Yunnan-Myanmar border, "My poor brother Sausage..."

He plopped down on the sofa, crossed his legs, his shoe tip almost touching the ashtray on the coffee table.

"Since that's the case, you should just pay off the 2 million in goods payment that Sausage owes me."

He narrowed his eyes, his tone flippant, as if he were stating something that was only natural.

Li Zhan laughed, sat back on the sofa, "Today really is a good day. One person who treated me like a sucker just left, and another one shows up."

He looked up, staring intently at the other man, his smile gradually turning cold, "Brother Chang, I've never heard of this debt."

Flour Chang's expression changed, and he spat violently on the floor, "Li, don't refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit. Do you really think you've sat firmly in this position..."

"Slap!" A heavy slap landed hard on his face, the force so great that he toppled sideways onto the sofa, his ears ringing.

Little Night was startled by this sudden turn of events and leaned back slightly.

Before Flour Chang could react, Li Zhan had already stepped over the coffee table and planted a foot on his face, the sole of his leather shoe grinding against his cheekbone, pinning him down.

"Whether I can sit firmly or not is my business. I treated you like a guest and called you Brother Chang because I have a good temper and know my manners."

Li Zhan leaned down and patted Flour Chang's face, "You're acting this arrogant on my turf; I really wonder how you've survived in the underworld for so long."

Flour Chang struggled frantically, grabbing Li Zhan's ankle with both hands, trying to pry it off, but found that the other man didn't move an inch.

Li Zhan increased the pressure on his foot slightly, "I don't know about your accounts with Sausage, and I don't want to hear about them. But treating me like a sucker is where you're wrong. No matter what, this is still Ninth Master's territory. Remember to be polite next time you come."

The office was deathly silent, with only the sound of Flour Chang's heavy breathing remaining.

Li Zhan released his foot, sat back on the sofa in a leisurely manner, and straightened his collar, "You sell your little pills; that's none of my business. Whatever you and Sausage did before, that's your affair."

He brushed off his leather shoe, "I have no interest in those little pills."

"Little Night, see him out."

Flour Chang scrambled up in a sorry state, Li Zhan's shoeprint still visible on his face. He pointed at Li Zhan, about to curse, but met the other man's chillingly cold eyes, swallowing the words back. In the end, he only managed to choke out, "You just wait..."

Little Night opened the door, wearing a professional smile, "Brother Chang, take care."

After Flour Chang slunk away, Little Night closed the door, her smile instantly vanishing. She hurried back to Li Zhan's side and whispered, "Flour Chang is arrogant, but he has Master Bai behind him... I'm afraid..."

Li Zhan stood up, reached out to lift Little Night's chin, and gently rubbed his thumb against her lips, "If you're out here in the life and you're afraid of this and that, you might as well go back to the countryside, marry a wife, and have kids."

A cold sneer curled the corner of his mouth, "That would be much more peaceful. I can bow my head, but if someone spits in my face, what else is there to say? Just fight."

After saying this, he let go and strode out of the office.

Today's events also made Li Zhan realize that unless he made a big scene, all the wolves and tigers around him would think he was a soft target easy to push around.

In the lobby, Zhou Tieshan was playing pool with Yang Big Courage and Chen Shui Sheng. Big Courage cleared the table in one shot, drawing cheers from the surrounding lackeys.

Li Zhan walked over and whispered a few words into Zhou Tieshan's ear. Zhou Tieshan's eyes sharpened; he immediately put down his cue and signaled to Big Courage and Shui Sheng. Without a word, the three of them turned and headed downstairs.

— —

Phoenix City Top Floor · Tea Room

Sandalwood incense curled in the air. Ninth Master rubbed his fingertips over the patina on his Zisha teapot, the spout pointing directly at the "Dragon in Water" calligraphy painting on the wall.

Brother Biao bowed his body to pour tea, his scar glistening under the light.

"A Tai is back now," Brother Biao said, stealing a glance at Ninth Master's expression, "So, as for Li Zhan's side..."

Ninth Master chuckled, "His Achilles' heel is entirely in our hands."

He tapped his fingertip lightly on the tea tray, "As long as we keep a close watch on A Zhen and her little sisters... the more he invests in these women, the less we have to worry."

Brother Biao was silent for a moment, his rough fingers rubbing the rim of his teacup, then suddenly grinned, "Ninth Master is brilliant. That kid is buying houses for those women and..."

He lowered his voice, "He's certainly better than idiots like Scar Qiang; at least he knows how to cherish women."

Ninth Master chuckled, "And..." He paused, the wrinkles on his face smoothing out as he revealed a meaningful smile, "Who said that just because A Tai is back, we won't get any news?"

The tea room fell into a brief silence, with only the faint hum of the tea kettle.