With that, Song Hao hung up.
Fucking moron, he cursed inwardly. You want me to put in a good word for you? Who the hell do you think you are?
As the saying went, even when beating a dog, you had to consider its master. If the person Meng Zhe had offended today had not been Qing Fen, but someone with a far less impressive background, Song Hao would certainly have helped Meng Zhe regain face. He might even have crushed that person so thoroughly that they could never get back on their feet.
This was also one of the main reasons Meng Zhe sucked up to Song Hao: running with Young Master Song was a blast. He could trample anyone he disliked! Conversely, if someone wanted to trample him, he would have Young Master Song crush them until even their own mother wouldn't recognize them!
Unrestrained and overbearing-it felt absolutely incredible.
Unfortunately, the person Meng Zhe had offended today was Qing Fen. The chairman of one of Rongcheng's three major conglomerates, a big shot on the same level as Song Hao's father, Song Qingyun!
Go plead with Qing Fen for the sake of a dog?
Song Hao was extremely shrewd. He would never do anything so foolish. Even if Qing Fen did him the favor of letting Meng Zhe off, would it be worth it?
A massive loss!
Song Hao could have as many lackeys like Meng Zhe as he wanted. There was absolutely no reason to owe Qing Fen a favor over him!
But just what makes this Lin Fei worthy of such respect from Qing Fen? Song Hao wondered privately, deciding to watch how things played out.
Ji Yaoguang was chatting with Qing Lixue at the time and had not noticed Song Hao's arrival.
When women got together, the conversation inevitably turned to pretty clothes and accessories.
Qing Lixue soon noticed the necklace around Ji Yaoguang's neck.
The silver necklace was exquisitely crafted, looking all the prettier against skin so fair it put frost and snow to shame. Its pendant, however, was tucked inside her gown, hiding its design.
"Yaoguang, can I have a look at your necklace?" Qing Lixue asked with a smile.
"My necklace? Sure, though there's not much to see." Ji Yaoguang smiled and pulled it out.
It was a piece of crystal-clear, wholly natural amber, highly ornamental and clearly expensive.
But to Qing Lixue's surprise, this little piece of such fine amber had actually been ground down, with a small triangle of white paper stuffed inside.
There seemed to be... strange symbols on the paper, too?
"Yaoguang, what's that paper inside the pendant?" Qing Lixue couldn't help asking.
"I think it's called..." Ji Yaoguang paused to recall. "A Barrier Talisman."
Qing Lixue was dumbfounded.
A Barrier Talisman? What kind of bizarre term was that?
And this whole air of feudal superstition felt awfully familiar!
Recalling Ji Yaoguang's earlier attitude toward Lin Fei, Qing Lixue asked incredulously, "Don't tell me that charlatan called Lin Fei gave it to you?"
Ji Yaoguang was a little surprised. She hadn't expected Qing Lixue to know Lin Fei as well. She was just about to speak when a soft chuckle rang out. "Charlatan? That's the first time anyone has called me that. How very... interesting."
At the sight of Lin Fei, Qing Lixue immediately pulled a stern face and said unhappily, "What, you don't dare admit you're a charlatan?"
Lin Fei merely smiled it off. Ji Yaoguang, however, hesitated briefly before explaining, "Lixue, don't misunderstand. He's not a charlatan. He even saved..."
Before she could finish, Qing Lixue interrupted her. "Yaoguang, he must have fooled you! He's incredibly good at conning people. He even has my dad running around in circles, calling him some Immortal Master!"
Thinking of how her father had knelt before this charlatan and even barked at her to kneel to him too, Qing Lixue ground her teeth in hatred.
This fraud was truly outrageous. He even dared impersonate the benefactor of their ancestor from four thousand years ago-why didn't he just drop dead?
Ji Yaoguang was momentarily speechless, unsure how to explain. After all, who would believe something so fantastical?
Seeing that Lin Fei didn't mind at all, she simply smiled and shook her head, dropping the subject.
"You could at least put some effort into your fakes. Even Taoist priests use yellow ritual paper and red cinnabar to draw their talismans, don't they?" The more Qing Lixue looked at the amber, the more ridiculous she found it. "You just tore a random sheet out of a notebook and scribbled that gibberish with a fountain pen?"
The point was that something this absurd had actually fooled a woman as intelligent as Ji Yaoguang. Just how slick a talker was this man? Was he using some kind of pyramid-scheme brainwashing?
No, she had to keep her distance from someone like this!
"Yaoguang, let's go." Qing Lixue sneered and shot Lin Fei a glare, taking Ji Yaoguang's hand to lead her away.
But just as she turned, she saw Song Hao approaching with a smile. "Lixue, happy birthday."
He handed her a box with "DIOR" written on it.
A Dior diamond bracelet, worth 220,000.
Qing Lixue accepted the gift and said politely, "Thank you, Hao."
Song Hao smiled and waved a hand. "Just a little gift to show I care."
He turned toward Ji Yaoguang and Lin Fei, a trace of darkness flashing through his eyes before he smiled as though nothing had happened. "Yaoguang, may I invite you to sit with me for a while?"
Ji Yaoguang frowned. "Well..."
But before she could continue, Lin Fei said flatly, "No."
Song Hao had the urge to start cursing. I'm asking Ji Yaoguang. What the hell does it have to do with you?
But wary of Lin Fei's mysterious background, he continued smiling. "Ah, Mr. Lin. We meet again. Your performance at the archery club last time was simply astonishing!"
Lin Fei paid no mind to his insincere flattery and replied casually, "Just a bit of fun. Nothing worthy of mention."
The corner of Song Hao's eye twitched.
If you call that fucking fun, what does that make my level?
"Hao, you know this charlatan too?" Qing Lixue asked with a frown.
Did this charlatan's business reach so far that he had conned all three of Rongcheng's major conglomerates?
"Charlatan?" Song Hao was somewhat taken aback.
"You didn't know?" Qing Lixue was even more surprised. "This charlatan gave Yaoguang a piece of scribbled nonsense and called it some Barrier Talisman. Yaoguang ruined a perfectly good natural amber necklace just so she could wear it."
"And he fooled my dad into treating him like some Immortal Master!"
An Immortal Master?
Hahaha, why don't you just claim you're Celestial Master Zhang reincarnated?
Song Hao nearly laughed aloud, looking at Lin Fei mockingly.
Whatever reservations he had originally harbored about Lin Fei's mysterious identity vanished completely.
He had thought Lin Fei had some incredible background, only to discover he was just a charlatan. Song Hao knew Qing Fen was one of the Di People, whose customs seemed somewhat steeped in feudal superstition to ordinary people. But he hadn't expected anything this absurd: the man had actually been conned by a bodyguard.
"So you're Immortal Master Lin. Forgive my lack of respect." Song Hao smiled tauntingly. "Since you're so capable, Immortal Master, I wonder what divine treasure you'll be giving Lixue for her birthday today? A pill of eternal youth, or some heavenly nectar? Sorry for the trouble, Immortal Master, but do show us and broaden the horizons of us mere mortals."
Song Hao's words were barbed. Anyone could sense his mockery and provocation.