A deathly silence suddenly fell over the room.
A second-generation rich kid, his grip faltering, dropped his glass. It shattered on the floor.
The others, slow to react, erupted into laughter.
Even Sister Wan, who had been observing the scene, couldn't help but show a hint of amusement, her expression shifting to one of playful interest.
"What the hell? Did this kid drink too much? What nonsense is he spouting?"
"I've seen people brag before, but never to this extent."
"Isn't he afraid he'll twist his tongue from talking too big?"
The crowd chattered amongst themselves, discussing Song Qiao.
"Kid, you've got guts, hearing two names and then daring to spout such arrogance."
Zhao Ye said, his voice laced with admiration as he gave Song Qiao a thumbs-up. His initial anger had vanished without a trace, replaced by disdain and mockery.
...
"Well, well, it seems like quite the gathering. I must see who this young master is."
Just then, a middle-aged man with a thick, scarred face and a sinister expression approached with a forced smile.
"Huh? Isn't that Mr. Song?"
The next moment, he saw Song Qiao sitting calmly and exclaimed in surprise. He immediately dropped his aggressive demeanor, his face breaking into a wide smile as he hurried over.
"Mr. Song, you honor us with your presence today. You should have notified me in advance. If CEO Zhao finds out I've been so remiss in entertaining my guests, I'll surely get another scolding."
Liu Dong said, his hands moving swiftly to refill Song Qiao's wine glass. Sister Wan, about to speak, was sternly silenced by a wave of his hand.
"Heh, a friend invited me. I wouldn't want to trouble you, Boss Liu."
Song Qiao greeted him with a smile and accepted the offered glass. The man was none other than Liu Dong, the true owner of the Emperor's Bar.
"Mr. Song, you're being too formal. Today, your tab is on me."
Liu Dong's respectful tone was unwavering. Before he could finish, Zhao Ye interjected with a scoff,
"Where did another poser crawl out from?"
"Birds of a feather flock together. No wonder you two are friends; you're both masters of pretense."
"Do you know how much we've spent on drinks tonight? How dare you offer to pay."
"I bet you'll wet yourself when you see the bill of over a hundred thousand."
The second-generation rich kids erupted in laughter at his words. Liu Dong's expression turned cold, and he was about to retort when Song Qiao stopped him with a look.
"Brother Liu, don't be so quick to discipline these brats. Let's play along with them for a bit."
Pulling Liu Dong closer, Song Qiao lowered his voice. Liu Dong immediately understood, nodded subtly, and looked at Zhao Ye with a hint of pity. He chuckled inwardly,
"This ignorant kid, who knows where he came from, has actually crossed paths with Mr. Song today."
"Though he shares the surname Zhao, and they might have been related five hundred years ago, he's likely to lose more than just his skin this time."
"Song Qiao, your friend doesn't seem to be as good at pretending as you are."
"He was intimidated by a mere hundred thousand yuan, which is nothing compared to someone like you or Sister Wang, who command such respect."
Seeing Liu Dong's changing expression, several second-generation rich kids mistook it for fear of the sum Zhao Ye had mentioned. Song Qiao's earlier arrogant pronouncements were now seen as a complete joke.
...
"Shhh, everyone, quiet down. Sister Wang is coming."
As the others were making fun of Song Qiao and Liu Dong, Zhao Ye suddenly noticed Sister Wang approaching in her high heels, holding a wine glass. The noisy crowd instantly fell silent, many standing up nervously.
"Don't panic. When Sister Wang arrives, we'll toast her."
"And you two, if you don't want to die, I advise you to toast sincerely. Sister Wang isn't as good-tempered as Sister Wan."
"Exactly. Acting tough just once won't kill you, but if you continue to be arrogant, you might end up at the bottom of the river."
A few second-generation rich kids echoed Zhao Ye's taunts, then turned back to him with flattery,
"Young Master Zhao, you truly have influence. You're acquainted with both Sister Wang and Sister Wan. I bet even Liu Dong will give you some face if you want to get to know him."
"Alas, we are no match for Young Master Zhao."
Zhao Ye swelled with pride at their words, a smug smile playing on his lips.
"Mr. Song, are these people your friends?"
"What's going on here? Is the leader of this group mentally challenged?"
Liu Dong rubbed his bald head and asked Song Qiao, completely bewildered.
"No, no, no. I don't have friends like these. Boss Liu, just watch them, like you're watching clowns in a circus."
Song Qiao smiled faintly, calmly picked up his wine glass, and took a sip.
...
Not long after Zhao Ye finished speaking, Sister Wang calmly entered their circle.
"Xiao Zhao, it's rare for you to patronize my establishment. Have you saved up enough pocket money?"
Sister Wang teased Zhao Ye as soon as she arrived. She was actually quite annoyed. Zhao Ye and his group didn't spend much, but his father had some influence, so she felt compelled to greet them out of courtesy.
"Haha, Sister Zhao, don't worry, I've brought enough money."
"Come, let us all raise a glass to you."
He said, respectfully raising his wine glass. Sister Wang didn't say much more, merely nodding and granting him some face by taking a shallow sip of her red wine.
"Sister Wang is being so accommodating. I suspect Zhao Ye and Liu Dong already know each other."
Several observant second-generation rich kids began to speculate in hushed tones. Song Qiao couldn't help but chuckle, exchanging a glance with Liu Dong, who was struggling to contain his laughter.
"Where did this Zhao Ye come from? When did I ever meet him?"
After Sister Wang finished, she was about to leave when she noticed the two whispering on the sofa. Her face registered surprise. The others followed her gaze and saw that Song Qiao and Liu Dong had still not stood up. Their expressions changed. Zhao Ye, furious, directly cursed,
"You two bastards, didn't I tell you earlier?"
"Sister Wang is here, why aren't you getting up to toast her?"
However, Sister Wang seemed unfazed. She stumbled over to Liu Dong and Song Qiao, her face etched with respect.
"I had no idea Mr. Song and the boss were here. I failed to notice you."
Her words stunned everyone present. Just then, Sister Wan approached, carrying a wooden tray. Seeing her sister's attitude, she looked confused.
"Xiao Wan, come and meet Mr. Song."
Sister Wang waved her hand, urging her sister to greet him. Even if she were slower to react, Sister Wan now understood. She let out a sigh of relief, immensely grateful for Liu Dong's timely arrival. Otherwise, with her own temper, she might have offended him.
"Hello, Mr. Song."
With this thought, Sister Wan quickly bowed deeply and greeted Song Qiao.
"Heh, Xiao Wang, you two sisters are so polite. You haven't forgotten my teachings."
Liu Dong nodded in satisfaction, embraced Sister Wang, and casually declared, "The bill tonight is waived."
"That kid surnamed Zhao, you wanted to meet me? I am the Liu Dong you wanted to meet."