Why Are You Here?

Those four words stunned everyone, sending the room into an uproar.

"My God!"

"No wonder he had the nerve to kill a three-billion-yuan project!"

"Is he here incognito? He looks like one of Yue Xiaofei's older relatives. Why else would he help him like this?"

"But why would someone that important come to a little place like Jiangcheng?"

"Maybe he came to visit an old friend and happened to run into this!"

The wealthy guests whispered among themselves, looking at Sha Zhenjiang with newfound awe and curiosity.

Someone from that office...

Even an ordinary staffer there was beyond anyone in this room's power to offend.

Li Hongyan and Yang Jiaojiao went deathly pale. Panic gripped them so tightly they could barely breathe.

They might throw their weight around in Jiangcheng and order people about!

But against a real heavyweight, they were nothing!

"Don't be afraid!"

Yang Guohua suddenly growled and slammed the table, glaring at Sha Zhenjiang.

"That old bastard is a fraud!"

"If he were really a big shot from Handong, why would he come all the way to Jiangcheng? One phone call would've settled Yue Xiaofei's problem!"

"If he were that important, would Gao Zisheng have been able to bully Yue Xiaofei? Would Yue have needed to carry a plaque around to file a complaint?!"

Those words hit Li Hongyan and Yang Jiaojiao like a shot of adrenaline.

That's right!

If that old bastard were really a big shot, Yue Xiaofei wouldn't have suffered so much.

Li Hongyan straightened her back at once and pointed at Sha Zhenjiang. "Old bastard, you're just borrowing someone else's authority to scare us! You must have used some trick to get our project stopped!"

"You're finished! When my brother gets here, I'll have him investigate you properly!"

Yang Jiaojiao joined in. "Exactly! One word from my uncle, and you'll be in a world of trouble. Don't come crying to us then!"

"Hmph!"

Sha Zhenjiang watched the family carry on, oblivious to how close they were to ruin. A cold smile touched his lips.

"Tell Wu Liangde to get over here and apologize!"

"I'll wait right here. Let's see whether he has the power to touch me and how he plans to let a hero suffer an injustice."

"You have ten minutes!"

Sha Zhenjiang glanced at his watch. His voice was calm, but every word carried weight.

"If he isn't here in ten minutes, he'll answer for the consequences!"

"Fine. Just you wait!"

Yang Guohua pulled out his phone, called Wu Liangde, and deliberately put him on speaker.

"Brother-in-law, get here quick! Something terrible's happened!"

"What is it?"

Wu Liangde's impatient voice came through the phone, accompanied by car horns.

"Some old man claims he's from Handong. He brought people to wreck Jiaojiao's college celebration banquet!"

Yang Guohua embellished the story as he shouted, "He said he'd kill our three-billion-yuan highway project, and now it really has been suspended! Get over here!"

Wu Liangde's voice rose. "There are leaders from Handong in Jiangcheng today, but they're all at Qingshan Cemetery for a memorial ceremony for the martyrs. How could one of them be at your banquet? What's his surname?"

"Well..."

Yang Guohua's eyes darted about. Remembering what Secretary Zhou had called Sha Zhenjiang, he blurted out, "Sha! He looks over sixty, and the old bastard's unbelievably arrogant!"

The other end of the line fell silent for several seconds.

"Sha?"

A note of hesitation crept into Wu Liangde's voice.

He had only recently transferred to Handong, but of course he knew who Sha Zhenjiang was!

A figure like that was a dragon soaring above the clouds!

Why would he stoop to attending some small college celebration banquet?

And personally stand up for Yue Xiaofei?

It was absurd!

"I've got it!"

Wu Liangde spoke again, sounding certain.

"A research officer surnamed Sha retired this year. I hear he still has a few connections in the department!"

"He's probably behind this. He must have spoken to Section Chief Wang."

"He's just a retiree. Nothing to be afraid of!"

Phew...

Yang Guohua breathed a sigh of relief and patted his chest. "That's what I thought! What big shot? Brother-in-law, that old bastard even ordered you to come apologize. He said you'd face the consequences if you weren't here in ten minutes!"

"The nerve!"

Wu Liangde's voice shot up, full of anger.

"A retiree dares act so arrogantly? Wait there. I'll be there within ten minutes! I'll make him apologize to you and Jiaojiao!"

"We'll be waiting, brother-in-law!"

Yang Guohua hung up, smug as could be.

"You're finished, old man!"

Li Hongyan planted her hands on her hips and sprayed spittle as she spoke to Sha Zhenjiang. "When my brother gets here, he'll lock you up for a few days so you can think about what you've done!"

"And you!"

Yang Jiaojiao pointed at Yue Xiaofei. "Once we've dealt with that old bastard, you're next!"

Yue Xiaofei wasn't angry. He laughed.

Ha!

They still have no idea what kind of person they've provoked.

Wu Liangde?

He's nothing in front of Sha Zhenjiang!

This family is a pack of clowns dancing on the edge of a cliff, convinced they've got the upper hand.

He stole a glance at Sha Zhenjiang.

Sha Zhenjiang had taken a seat at a nearby table, where Secretary Zhou hurried to make him tea.

Sha Zhenjiang took a sip, utterly composed, as if the commotion around him had nothing to do with him.

Thunder in his heart, a still lake on his face—a man fit to command armies!

The saying surfaced in Yue Xiaofei's mind.

He could even imagine that, had Sha Zhenjiang lived in wartime, he would have become a general commanding vast armies, just like Yue Xiaofei's grandfather.

And now Yue Xiaofei could hardly wait for Wu Liangde to arrive...

Would he be scared out of his wits when he saw Sha Zhenjiang?

The minutes ticked by.

The clock on the wall ticked steadily, as though counting down to the Yang Family's doom.

Bang!

The banquet hall doors were suddenly pushed open.

A balding middle-aged man entered, sweat covering his forehead.

"Director Wu, you're finally here!"

"Director Wu, your presence is an honor!"

"I had someone bring this jadeite from Myanmar. It's just a small token..."

The wealthy guests beamed and instantly crowded around him.

One tried to slip jadeite into Wu Liangde's hand, while another held out an elegantly wrapped gift box...

Wu Liangde did not so much as lift his eyes. He waved them off arrogantly, as though shooing away flies.

Yet the wealthy guests saw nothing wrong with it and kept smiling ingratiatingly.

Everyone knew how much power he held!

Getting on his good side was like finding a money tree.

"Brother-in-law, you're finally here!"

Yang Guohua hurried forward, about to list Yue Xiaofei's "crimes."

"I'm dying of thirst. Got any water?" Wu Liangde asked impatiently.

"Yes, of course!"

Yang Guohua hastily poured him a glass and handed it over.

Wu Liangde gulped down most of it, wiped his mouth, and began to complain. "Today's been strange. Several big shots from Handong all came to Jiangcheng."

"What for?" Yang Guohua asked curiously.

"To visit an important person's grave at Qingshan Cemetery."

Wu Liangde went on, "I thought I'd go over and try my luck. Maybe I'd get a chance to speak to one of them. But they wouldn't even let me through the cemetery gate."

"Ah... I only just transferred from Jiangcheng. I'm an outsider in Handong, with no roots or backers. If I don't find a big shot to protect me soon, I won't keep this position for long!"

"Brother, whose grave were they visiting? Who could command that kind of respect?" Li Hongyan came over as well.

"I heard it was a doctor," Wu Liangde said offhandedly.

"Oh," Yang Guohua said, giving it no further thought.

When he had stolen Yue Xiaofei's place, he had only checked that Yue Xiaofei's parents were dead and that he had no power or connections. He had never cared who that "doctor" really was.

As far as he was concerned, if there was something to gain, why should he care who she was?

"Right. Who said someone was causing trouble at the college celebration banquet?"

Wu Liangde finally remembered why he was there. His gaze sharpened as he scanned the banquet hall.

"Uncle, it's him!"

Yang Jiaojiao jumped forward and pointed at Yue Xiaofei. "This penniless brat brought people here to wreck the banquet! He even said he'd bankrupt the Yang Family!"

She was too busy throwing her weight around to notice Sha Zhenjiang seated at the table behind Yue Xiaofei, leisurely sipping his tea.

"Wreck the banquet?"

Yue Xiaofei sneered. "I came for justice! You stole a martyr's survivor benefits and claimed college entrance exam bonus points you weren't entitled to, and you still have the nerve to hold this banquet? The only thing that deserves wrecking is your faces!"

"You're asking for it!"

Yang Jiaojiao shrieked, "My uncle's here now. Let's see what he does to you!"

"Who's got the nerve to bully my niece?"

Wu Liangde rolled up his sleeves, ready to explode.

But the next moment, he caught sight of Secretary Zhou beside Yue Xiaofei out of the corner of his eye.

Th-this is...

Wu Liangde rubbed his eyes. After checking again and again that he was not mistaken, his attitude changed completely.

Thud, thud, thud!

He rushed over in a few quick strides, his haughty expression replaced by an ingratiating smile as he bowed and scraped.

"Secretary Zhou, why are you here?"