Chapter 116: Many Familiar Faces
“Yu Ge is my friend; you’re not allowed to bully him.”
Lin Yuqing grew more assertive, a stark contrast to her usual gentle demeanor—she now resembled a formidable woman of strength.
“Yu Xin, and all of you, tonight’s banquet is hosted by Yinghao Group and Jinhai Group. Causing trouble here, aren’t you afraid of upsetting them?”
“If you keep bullying Yu Ge, I’ll have my boss, Xiao Jun, come out and deal with you!”
At the mention of Xiao Jun’s name, everyone’s expressions shifted dramatically.
Even Wang Dong and the others seated on the sofa looked astonished.
This guy really knows a lot of people—he even has a connection to Xiao Jun, and she’s a stunning beauty.
“Hey, I recognize her! Isn’t she Lin Yuqing, the female anchor?”
“Yeah, that’s definitely her. I can’t believe Xia Yu actually knows her.”
Xiao Qin suddenly recognized Lin Yuqing and was even more surprised.
Xiao Jun was enough to intimidate Zhang Jialong and the others, so when Xiao Yu glanced at Liang Zichao and saw him nod slightly, he said, “Fine, you worthless dog, you’d better watch out for yourself.”
“Remember, you owe me an apology,” Xia Yu said calmly.
After they left, Xia Yu turned to Lin Yuqing. “Miss Lin, what brings you over here? Finished your work?”
“Yuqing...” Zhao Sijie turned around and greeted her warmly.
But beneath her smile, there was a trace of disappointment. If she were as strong as Lin Yuqing now, she could protect Xia Yu just the same.
Maybe then no one would dare to look down on or bully him.
Unfortunately, she lacked such ability.
“I was just busy accompanying my colleagues. Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?” Lin Yuqing chided gently.
She glanced at Wang Dong and the others who had come with Xia Yu.
Unconsciously recalling the words spoken after last night’s drinks, a bitter feeling stirred in her heart. Their bond was truly strong—they even shared mutual friends.
“Yu Ge, Sijie, my colleagues are still waiting for me. I’ll go ahead and find you once I’m done.”
“Alright, go ahead,” Zhao Sijie said generously.
Once Lin Yuqing left, as the two sat back down, Xiao Qin and the others couldn’t help but gossip about how Xia Yu knew such a big-name anchor.
“Yuqing was my college classmate,” Zhao Sijie explained.
Xia Yu took a sip of his wine and narrowed his eyes, having already anticipated the earlier situation.
Before coming, he had considered that he might run into Liang Zichao and his gang, even rehearsing a scenario fiercer than what had just unfolded.
If Lin Yuqing hadn’t intervened in time, things would have spiraled out of control.
So before arriving, he had made arrangements—to reveal some information. Otherwise, any random person would try to step on him, which was simply tiresome.
Setting down his glass, he suddenly noticed someone watching him intently, a strong sense of being observed.
He looked up to his right and indeed saw a familiar face—Miya.
She was accompanied by several middle-aged men in suits, laughing and chatting.
Miya wore a grayish-white backless evening gown that showcased her fiery, sensual figure to perfection. Several men nearby couldn’t help but glance at her with varying degrees of interest.
Noticing Xia Yu’s gaze, she smiled flirtatiously and even threw a playful glance his way.
‘Interesting,’ Xia Yu thought, smiling faintly before turning his attention elsewhere.
But then he spotted another familiar face. Tonight was turning out to be full of acquaintances.
“Sijie, I see a friend over there. I’ll go say hello. Wait for me a bit.”
“Okay, go ahead,” Zhao Sijie replied with a generous smile.
Xia Yu rose and walked toward Chu Zitong.
“What a pity that guy didn’t get beaten up and kicked out just now,” Chen Fei and Li Shen, sitting nearby, chatted with some old colleagues. When they saw Liang Zichao and his crew causing trouble for Xia Yu, they couldn’t hide their delight, wishing Xia Yu had been thrown out on the spot to settle their grudges.
“Hi, didn’t expect to see you again—what a coincidence,” Xia Yu greeted Chu Zitong politely. She was the woman who had helped look after Liu Xiaomi when Xia Yu couldn’t bring her to the café during the last encounter with the assassin.
“Oh, it’s you. What a coincidence...” Chu Zitong was caught off guard, especially since her father had just told her not to talk to him. But since he approached, she had to respond out of courtesy.
“Yeah, thanks for what you did last time,” Xia Yu said generously, extending his hand. “I’m Xia Yu.”
“Chu Zitong,” she replied, hesitating just before her father intervened, blocking her handshake.
Chu Bin’s face darkened with displeasure. “Young man, I am Zitong’s father. Are you trying to flirt with my daughter and pursue her?”
“Doing that in front of me? That’s inappropriate. We’re busy—please leave. Thank you.”
“Uh...” Before Xia Yu could respond, Chu Zitong blushed. “Dad, what are you saying?”
“He just came over to say hello. What nonsense are you talking about?”
“It’s okay, Xia Yu, don’t mind him.”
Xia Yu smiled awkwardly and explained, “Sir, you’ve misunderstood. Zitong did me a favor. I just wanted to thank her.”
Before Chu Bin could reply, Chu Zitong pulled Xia Yu aside. “It’s nothing—you already thanked me last time.”
“What brings you here? I just saw Zhang Jialong and Liang Zichao. Were they looking for trouble with you?”
“You know them?” Xia Yu asked in surprise.
“These rich brats are so well-known, it’s normal to know them,” Chu Zitong said bitterly. “Just don’t stir up trouble with them.”
“Oh, they’re the ones stirring trouble for me,” Xia Yu said helplessly. “What about you? Why are you here?”
“Sigh, don’t mention it...” Chu Zitong pursed her lips, her face filled with worry and helplessness.
“What’s wrong?”
“There’s been some trouble at our company...” Chu Zitong was straightforward and told him everything.
After listening, Xia Yu nodded. “Don’t be upset. It’s nothing serious. Later, you can go talk to Xiao Jun.”
Chu Zitong couldn’t help but laugh. “You say that easily. Who is Xiao Jun? We can’t even meet a general manager under Yinghao Group, let alone Mr. Xiao himself.”
Just as Xia Yu was about to say he could help, someone appeared behind him.
“It’s you again, worthless dog. This time you’ve really brought trouble on yourself.”
Xia Yu turned to see Zhang Jialong—alone this time.
Liang Zichao and the others sat not far off, watching with smug, satisfied expressions.
“What’s the matter? Trying to hit on my woman? Get lost, got it?”
“Look at you, thinking you can get close to my little sister Zitong.”
“Zhang Jialong, what are you saying? She’s not your woman,” Chu Zitong snapped angrily.
Seeing him, Chu Bin’s face shifted slightly...