Cannon Fodder Stand-In Alliance
Chapter 26

Page 26

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Guests at the entrance stopped one after another. Someone recognized Shen Huaiyu and said, "He really is President Shen's nephew."

"Did you hear that?" Cheng Lang shot the man a grateful look and continued, "I wasn't lying. Can we go in now?"

"I'm sorry." The security guard stretched out an arm to block Cheng Lang. "Without an invitation, I can't let you in. Please cooperate with my work."

"Fine!" Cheng Lang nodded and patted Shen Huaiyu. "Call your uncle."

At that, Shen Huaiyu immediately took out his phone. A few seconds later, he lowered it and said to Cheng Lang, "No one answered."

Just as expected. Cheng Lang looked at the security guard. "How about you go in and notify him? We came here today with every courtesy. If Shen Chengan refuses a toast only to drink a forfeit—"

Cheng Lang's smile suddenly turned cold. "Then don't blame us for trying diplomacy before resorting to force."

That sounded rather serious. The guests gathered at the entrance looked at one another. Only then did they realize that these two had come to cause trouble.

"Could there be some misunderstanding?" The man who had confirmed Shen Huaiyu's identity earlier stepped forward again. Since he knew Shen Huaiyu, he naturally knew what had happened to the Shen family. He did not want his friend to bear the stigma of bullying an orphan, so he immediately asked, "What exactly happened—"

Before he could finish, the LED screen across the street at the shopping plaza, which had been playing advertisements, suddenly switched to a crude PPT slideshow—

"They're bullying the bereaved! They're bullying the bereaved! My classmate's parents died in a car accident, both gone overnight! His younger brother is still in a vegetative state and needs money for treatment! Needs money for treatment! That bastard Shen Chengan! Taking advantage of a crisis! Taking advantage of a crisis! His own uncle wants to profit off the dead! A house worth six million was forced down to less than three million! Forced down to less than three million! Then resold for 7.8 million! Then resold for 7.8 million! Even while arranging the funeral, he wanted to pocket the cemetery money! Even while arranging the funeral, he wanted to pocket the cemetery money! The president of the X City Calligraphy and Painting Association is bullying the bereaved! His brother and sister-in-law's bodies aren't even cold! His brother and sister-in-law's bodies aren't even cold! Yet he cheated and swindled his nephew! Yet he cheated and swindled his nephew! That bastard Shen Chengan! Give back my classmate's parents' hard-earned money! Give back the life-saving money for my classmate's brother! That bastard Shen Chengan..."

How enormous was the LED screen across the street? Even from a street away, someone with severe nearsightedness could still clearly read the scrolling words! Cheng Lang had even turned the price lists and related evidence he had gathered into PPT tables that played on a loop. He had only refrained from putting up Shen Chengan's photo because he was worried Shen Chengan might sue him for violating his portrait rights. Of course, Cheng Lang was certain Shen Chengan would not dare sue. Even if Shen Chengan really sued him for infringing on his portrait and reputation rights, Cheng Lang had plenty of ways to deal with it.

The guests gathered at the entrance looked at one another in shock. Even the security guard, who had remained calm and impartial until now, began to panic.

Cheng Lang checked the time. "It's ten in the morning. I don't have much money in my pocket, so I only rented that LED screen until five this evening. One day only."

Everyone's expressions changed, because Shen Chengan's calligraphy and painting exhibition was also open until five that evening.

Cheng Lang and Shen Huaiyu had clearly come prepared.

Shen Huaiyu looked at Cheng Lang in surprise. He had not expected Cheng Lang to rent the LED screen for this.

The LED screen was clearly doing its job. Shen Chengan, who had been hiding inside all this time, finally deigned to come out.

"What are you doing?" Shen Chengan was only in his early forties. He had a refined air and looked fairly respectable. When he put on a stern face, he even carried a certain imposing authority. His expression darkened as he looked at Shen Huaiyu with disappointment, striking first. "Shen Huaiyu! You're becoming more and more outrageous. Your parents' bodies aren't even cold, so I won't pursue those disgraceful scandals that have brought shame upon the family! But look at the worthless friends you're associating with now. They only know how to engage in this sort of extortionist street-corner racket! Do you have even the slightest trace of the Shen family's integrity and nobility left?"

"Even worthless friends have loyalty." Cheng Lang was not angered by the insult and said with a grin, "Loyalty is often found among butchers and dog slaughterers, while the faithless are all scholars. Our ancestors understood that truth thousands of years ago. It's about people who can write and paint, who put on a respectable front while deceiving the world, yet are insatiably greedy behind the scenes. Their words sound grand and proper, but they'd even cheat their own brother out of his coffin money."

After hearing Cheng Lang's words and recalling the content that had played on the LED screen, the guests present understood without needing it spelled out. Those who knew a little more about the matter looked upon Shen Chengan's conduct with even greater contempt.

Shen Chengan stared coldly at Cheng Lang. "And who are you?"

"A debt collector." Cheng Lang spoke bluntly and acted even more directly. He pulled a stack of account records and price lists from his backpack. "President Shen, we're all smart people, so stop pretending not to understand. We came today to recover the difference in price from that house, as well as the money you secretly skimmed during the funeral arrangements."

Shen Chengan gave a cold laugh. "Young man, you'd better watch what you say. I don't care who you are. You came to my calligraphy and painting exhibition to cause trouble today, and I have every right to call the police and have you arrested. Can you take responsibility for your own actions?"

"Is this how the distinguished President Shen, master of both calligraphy and painting, scares children?" Cheng Lang scoffed. "I haven't even entered the museum, yet President Shen is already accusing me of causing trouble. I'd love to go in and cause trouble, but President Shen's threshold is too high. I couldn't get in, could I?"

Shen Chengan's expression shifted slightly.

Seeing Shen Chengan's embarrassed fury, Cheng Lang said with a grin, "Regretting it now? If you hadn't alerted the security staff in advance to stop us from entering, or if you'd shown even a little consideration when Shen Huaiyu called and answered the phone, letting us in, you wouldn't be left without even a plausible excuse and forced to bluff your way into intimidating me. I'm curious too—what excuse does President Shen plan to use to call the police and have me arrested?"

"You'd better think it through. If you can't come up with one, the police won't help a bad man bully an orphan."

End of Chapter
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