Chapter 82: Feast at Hongmen

  "What are you talking about, uncle?" Lin Junyun's cheeks flushed slightly: "You're both in your fifties and still not showing respect for the elderly."

  "Haha, just kidding, don't mind it, Xiao Lin! Zhao Hankui turned his head to face Pang Guang, who was playing with his phone: "Young man, don't be shy, we've met a few times already, and I still don't know your name!"

  "Pang Guang." Pang Guang said without lifting his head.

  "Haha, good name, single character takes a light, bright and clean!" Zhao Hankui had long figured out the eighteen generations of Pang Guang's ancestors, how could he not know that his name was Pang Guang?

  Pang Guang raised his head and curiously looked at Zhao Hankui. For over a decade, except for his old man, no one had ever praised his name as sounding good, because every time he introduced himself, others would inevitably mishear it as ***, leaving him very entangled.

  Just then, Zhang Xiaoting walked out of the bathroom, "Hey, Pang Guang, Lin Junyun."

  Pang Guang and Lin Junyun looked at Zhang Xiaoting, and suddenly they felt dizzy. At this moment, Zhang Xiaoting was completely different from the last time they met. The Zhang Xiaoting in front of them had undergone a transformation, making her seem more elegant, pure, delicate, and refined. Pang Guang once again felt like he couldn't breathe, but it wasn't a conscious emotional response - it was a physiological reaction that occurred when he took a deep breath and his whole body froze, causing his breathing to momentarily stop.

  "Why isn't anyone speaking?" Zhang Xiaoting sat down elegantly, her slightly pursed lips forming a beautiful arc: "Lin Junyun, you've finally arrived. I've missed you so much, sis! Do you know that once you become a public figure, you completely lose your freedom? Every move is under someone else's supervision. To be able to have dinner with you and Pang Guang, I begged my manager at least a hundred times. My manager wouldn't agree, afraid of the paparazzi making things up. Luckily, Director Zhao helped out, allowing me to seize this opportunity."

  "Little sister Ting, you look beautiful today!" Lin Junyun replied irrelevantly.

  "Really?" Zhang Xiaoting's eyes sparkled with delight: "Sister, you're laughing at me again. Actually, all of this was made up by the stylist. If you want to, sister, you'll definitely be a hundred times, a thousand times more beautiful than me."

  "Whatever, I know my own weight." Lin Junyun took a deep breath and thought about how Zhao Hankui had asked him to consider it multiple times, but he had rejected all of them in one go. If not for his mother's good luck with gambling, if not for being dependent on others, the new star sitting across from him probably wouldn't be Zhang Xiaoting, but himself.

  Lin Junyun not only sings and dances well, but also has a talent for acting. However, she bluntly rejected Zhao Hanquan's invitation, solely because she was struggling with pride and self-doubt. Before meeting Zhao Hanquan, Lin Junyun had never thought of developing in any other direction except studying hard and getting into Shanghai Mountain University as her only life goal. After meeting him, she still focused on completing her studies, almost without hesitation, giving up the opportunity to pursue a career in showbiz. It wasn't until Zhang Xiaoting appeared before her with a new look that Lin Junyun felt a sense of loss, but it was just a feeling of loss, and if given another chance, she would still choose to study. With the same opportunity, Zhang Xiaoting might succeed, but Lin Junyun might not, because she thought Zhang Xiaoting was much prettier than her. This is the kind of person Lin Junyun is - both proud and self-doubting.

  After the wine and dishes were served, Zhang Xiaoting carefully poured a little red wine into each person's glass. Her bright lips revealed a beautiful smile: "I owe today's achievements to Director Zhao's support. Let's toast to Director Zhao first, don't mind me!" After finishing speaking, she raised her high-heeled cup and sipped the red wine into her mouth.

  Zhao Hankui smiled and said, "This is also the result of your hard work. If I had a mind to support you, you wouldn't have been able to become famous overnight." Zhao Hankui's words made Zhang Xiaoting suddenly feel a chill run down her spine as she recalled Zhao Hankui's abnormal behavior when he locked himself in his room, which was completely different from his current gentle and elegant demeanor. She shivered and quickly used a smile to cover up the unease in her heart, pouring wine into her cup and raising it to say to Pang Guang and Lin Junyun, "Pang Guang, Lin Junyun, come on, let's have a toast together, thank you both for coming." Pang Guang and Lin Junyun hastily raised their cups and clinked them together.

  Wine is only worth a thousand cups when shared with someone who understands you. Among the four of them, only Pang Guang and Zhang Xiaoting could barely be considered as such. Tonight, they talked about many topics, from how they met to why they broke up. Throughout their conversation, Zhang Xiaoting kept making eye contact with Zhao Hanquan, but he seemed oblivious, maintaining a warm and elegant demeanor as if Lin Junyun didn't exist at all. Zhang Xiaoting was perplexed - wasn't it you who insisted that I bring her here? Now that she's here, why are you just sitting there like a wooden stump? Do you think you can get Lin Junyun into bed by just being silent and still?

  As soon as she thought of the perverted bed in Zhao Hanquan's small room, Zhang Xiaoting shivered again and didn't dare to think about it anymore. She glanced at him with a corner of her mouth, "What do I care? Anyway, I've already helped you make an appointment, what to do next is your business, I can't help you with anything else." After figuring this out, she stopped making eyes at Zhao Hanquan and instead opened up her heart to drink and chat with Pang Guang. After two cups of red wine, Pang Guang gradually got rid of his sense of distance and admiration for Zhang Xiaoting, the two chatted a lot, talked until the end, their soft conversation turned into a loud argument, Pang Guang's face turned red as he slammed the table and shouted loudly: "Zhang Xiaoting, don't look down on people, I, Pang Guang, am absolutely not a coward, just you wait and see!"

  Lin Junyun felt something was off and hastily stood up to hold down Pang Guang: "Why do you talk nonsense as soon as you drink wine? Let's go home!"

  Pang Guang pushed away Lin Junyun: "I didn't drink too much, I won't go home, and I must make this matter clear..."

  "Alright, alright! Can't I just be wrong for once?" Zhang Xiaoting furrowed her brow: "A grown-up like you is still acting like a child, getting angry over just a couple of words, isn't it worth apologizing for?"

  "You're a big shot, you're a superstar, I'm just a small fry who can't keep up with you." Pang Guang was already half drunk and his sharp tongue slipped out: "I should be the one saying sorry, for making you stoop to my level today."

  Saturday was destined to be a night of disappointment and sadness for countless people, as if they didn't have time to feel this sorrow in their usual busy lives. The gathering carefully arranged by Zhao Hanquan ended in disarray, and after the four left the luxury hotel, he drove Lin Junyong and Pang Guang to the entrance of the residential area, watching until Lin Junyong supported the stumbling Pang Guang into the gate before leaving with Zhang Xiaoting.

  "What a pity, what a pity! Today's Swan Goose Banquet was all for nothing. Director Zhao, I don't understand, why didn't you take the opportunity to get close to Lin Junyun earlier? It ended up with me and Pang Guang being like the main characters, finishing off the whole show."

  Zhao Hankui slammed on the brakes and turned his head, saying: "You little rascal, why should I get close to Lin Junyun?"

  "You don't say, I already know. You've asked me to invite them out three or four times, isn't that what you're getting at?" Zhang Xiaoting said with a sour tone: "Lin Junyun is young, beautiful and smart, let alone Director Zhao, any man who sees her will be moved."

  Zhao Hankui's eyes swept over Zhang Xiaoting with a stern gaze, and he said coldly: "Zhang Xiaoting, if you want to get along well in this circle, you must grasp the degree of speaking and doing things. Don't say what shouldn't be said, and don't ask what shouldn't be asked."

  Zhang Xiaoting knew she had misspoken and hung her head in silence like a child who had done something wrong.

  Zhao Hankui pinched Zhang Xiaoting's chin, "You little vixen, lift your head and look at me. You need to remember that the relationship between us is one of mutual use. You want to become famous as a star, I need your body, and I especially like seeing your twisted and painful expression. So, for our respective purposes, we still haven't reached the point where we can discuss private matters, got it?"

  "Oh!" Zhang Xiaoting only felt a chill run down her spine: "Sorry, I'll be more careful next time."

  Zhao Hankui nodded in satisfaction, driving the car to make a 360-degree turn: "I know you're not convinced in your heart, listen to me obediently, it won't be wrong. With your current momentum, you'll definitely become an international superstar within half a year. Wait until your wings are hard and come back to find me to settle accounts. Take advantage of the fact that you don't have the capital to rival me yet, enjoy yourself first. Don't go home tonight, I just suddenly thought of a new way to play, guaranteed to make you die and live again, haha!"

  "Zhang Xiaoting's mind went blank, and her whole body broke out in goosebumps: 'Director Zhao... Director Zhao, it just so happens that today is the day for that, really can't be helped...' "

  "Huh? Which one?" Zhao Hankui was stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing: "Great, it's really too good, bloody, and more exciting to play."

  Zhang Xiaoting almost fainted after hearing that, her face turned pale and her body started shaking violently: "Director Zhao, don't!"

  As they spoke, the car had already entered Zhao Hanquan's residential area. After parking the car, Zhao Hanquan got out and found Zhang Xiaoting curled up in her seat, not getting up for a long time. His sharp eyes gleamed with ferocity as he approached the car door, suddenly pulled it open, and slapped Zhang Xiaoting's face, leaving five finger marks on her reddened cheek.

  "Ah," Zhang Xiaoting covered her face, frightened to the point of trembling teeth, and made a "heh heh" sound: "Zhao... Director Zhao, I'm really not feeling well today, can we do it another day? Another day, no matter what you want me to do, I'll cooperate with you, satisfy you."

  "Change day? Change day chrysanthemum is cold, what else to play?" Zhao Hankui said coldly: "Saohuaizi, I give you the last chance, follow me up immediately, of course, you can also give up your future and choose not to go."

  After finishing speaking, Zhao Hankui ignored Zhang Xiaoting and left the parking lot first. Not long after, the sound of closing the car door came from behind, along with Zhang Xiaoting's conciliatory voice: "Director Zhao, don't be angry, I'll go up with you."