Chapter 112: Truly Terrifying

Chapter 112: Truly Terrified

The private room was the most luxurious suite in the Golden Summit VIP Tower, its grandeur rivaling that of an ancient palace.

Huang Chengren had dined at the Golden Summit several times before, entertaining clients and superiors alike, but always in ordinary private rooms. He had never set foot on the top floor because the row of eight private suites up there required reservations a month in advance and, frankly, an elite status. To put it bluntly, Huang Chengren’s social standing didn’t qualify him to book a suite on that top tier.

That was just how prestigious the Golden Summit was.

Yet here he was, seated in the most opulent suite in Kun City. Under normal circumstances, he might have been thrilled, but now he was consumed by sheer dread.

The atmosphere in the suite wasn’t oppressive; on the contrary, there was laughter and conversation. But the lively banter belonged only to Chu Fei and Jiang Xue. Upon entering, Jiang Xue waved to the waiter, who promptly began serving a lavish assortment of dishes—no need to describe the abundance. Jiang Xue then dutifully attended to Chu Fei like a devoted handmaiden, asking if he liked this dish or that, immediately offering to serve him whenever he nodded. The scene resembled a palace maid catering to the emperor.

At first, Chu Fei found this unfamiliar and tried to stop her a few times, but to no avail. Eventually, he grew accustomed to Jiang Xue’s attentive care.

Jiang Xue was clearly a clever girl; while tending to Chu Fei, she never neglected Ximen Lu, though her enthusiasm there was noticeably more restrained. As for Huang Chengren and his nephew, seated in the same room, they were completely ignored.

Indeed, the two of them had been reduced to mere extras, utterly overlooked.

Out of courtesy, Ximen Lu politely declined a few times, which only made the uncle and nephew more astonished—they nearly dropped their chopsticks in fright. Sighing, Ximen Lu ceased engaging with them. As for the so-called loan matter, no one dared to bring it up...

One minute passed, then two...

Before long, more than ten minutes slipped by.

Huang Chengren sat stiffly on the luxurious rosewood chair, restless and uneasy. His chopsticks barely moved. Occasionally, he glanced at the young man opposite him—the very one he had initially deliberately ignored, now served like an emperor. His heart pounded with anxiety.

“Bang—”

At that moment, the door to the suite was pushed open from outside. A man and a woman entered one after the other. The man was Niucheng, and beside him was a young woman clad in a white qipao, her face exquisitely charming and alluring.

Jiang Xue wore a qipao, and so did Niuhua, but neither could compare to the enchanting aura emanating from this woman—a seductiveness that seemed to seep from her very bones.

Huang Chengren jumped to his feet, his expression turning pale with fear—not because of Niucheng’s arrival, but because of the woman beside him.

Liu Huamei.

The most formidable and ruthless woman in Kun City.

How had she gotten in here?

Huang Chengren’s mind went blank; he lost all capacity to think. Even a fool wouldn’t assume she had come because of him.

Even his own boss would have to smile and play along when facing Liu Huamei.

His suspicion proved correct. As soon as Liu Huamei stepped in, she didn’t glance at Huang Chengren and his nephew near the door. Instead, her eyes fixed directly on the inside, a brilliant smile illuminating her face...

“Jiang Xue, little sister, why didn’t you tell me in advance that you were dining here? You’re being way too formal with your sister,” Liu Huamei said with a warm smile as she approached Jiang Xue. She had just learned from Niucheng that Jiang Xue was eating here. On her own, she might have been polite but not so eager to flatter Jiang Xue. However, hearing from Niucheng that Jiang Xue was accompanying a young man, she had immediately asked about his appearance. Upon realizing it was Chu Fei, she couldn’t sit still and hurried over to propose a toast. Just as she entered, Chu Fei shot her a subtle glare, signaling that her flattery was misplaced. But it was too late for retreat; she quickly shifted her attention to Jiang Xue.

“Huamei sister, I was just having a casual meal,” Jiang Xue instantly stood up and smiled. Deep down, she held great respect and even a hint of fear for Liu Huamei, though she masked it well.

“A casual meal? With your lover?” Liu Huamei teased playfully, then noticing Chu Fei’s darkening expression, she quickly laughed it off, “Just kidding. Anyway, you shouldn’t keep me in the dark next time. Don’t be so distant, okay?” Her feigned annoyance only heightened her allure.

“Sure, I’ll definitely call you next time,” Jiang Xue replied with a smile.

“All right then, I won’t disturb your meal any longer.” Liu Huamei knew Chu Fei disliked her presence, so she took the hint and prepared to leave. Before exiting, she grabbed Jiang Xue’s hand and smiled, “Order whatever you want. Here with me, this is your home turf—don’t be shy. Also, come whenever you want from now on. If you have any banquets, just come here directly; no need to waste money elsewhere. I’ll arrange a private room for you.”

“Thank you, Sister Huamei,” Jiang Xue said gratefully, not refusing Liu Huamei’s kindness—she was well aware that Liu Huamei’s flattery wasn’t for her, but for Chu Fei. The two women silently agreed not to mention this.

Only then did Liu Huamei release Jiang Xue’s hand, signaling Niucheng and stepping out of the suite. Throughout, she never once truly looked at Chu Fei.

After a distance, Liu Huamei finally exhaled, thinking she had been reckless this time. But soon, a knowing smile curled her lips. Although her forwardness had displeased Chu Fei, she had gained insight into the progress between Jiang Xue and Chu Fei. Previously, under Blood Fox’s orders, she had treated these two sisters politely but unwillingly. Why should she humble herself for these mere girls? But now, seeing how their relationship was heating up—perhaps even more intimate—she reconsidered. Flattering these sisters might not be such a bad idea.

“Ms. Liu, who exactly is Jiang Xue, that you flatter her so much?” Liu Huamei schemed inwardly, but Niucheng frowned beside her, feeling that Liu Huamei’s demeanour was too submissive, bordering on losing face.

“You don’t know anything,” Liu Huamei scoffed. Niucheng was her right-hand man, a true ally, so she spoke bluntly. Glancing down the corridor, she whispered, “Old Niu, remember, treat Jiang Xue like a goddess from now on. If anything goes wrong, don’t say I showed no mercy.”

Niucheng, unused to such a reprimand from Liu Huamei, dared not resist and quickly nodded, “Don’t worry, Ms. Liu, I know what to do.”

“By the way, what’s the deal with Young Master Li coming to Golden Summit today?” Liu Huamei suddenly frowned at Niucheng.

“I’m not sure. Young Master Li invited several wealthy heirs from Kun City. I just sent Huahua in to gather intel; we’ll know soon,” Niucheng replied with a shake of his head. His absent-minded daughter was a blessing in disguise—she mingled everywhere, which was perhaps her only merit.

“Hmm, we really owe your precious daughter this time,” Liu Huamei chuckled softly.

“It’s her honor to serve you, Ms. Liu,” Niucheng grinned.

“Enough with the flattery, what’s the point?” Liu Huamei shot him a glare.

“Hehe...”

“Let’s eat first; don’t starve. Then we’ll meet with Young Master Li and see what this prince is up to in Kun City. Maybe this is our chance to break into the East Sea market,” Liu Huamei said, striding ahead with ambition sparkling in her eyes.

“Ms. Liu is always far-sighted,” Niucheng praised from behind.

The two gradually disappeared into the distance...

—

Liu Huamei came and went in less than three minutes.

But the atmosphere inside the suite had completely changed, suffocating especially for Huang Chengren and his nephew.

“Mr. Huang, please have a seat. Why stand?” Ximen Lu invited politely.

“No, I’ll just stand,” Huang Chengren stammered. His speech was faltering, and his legs trembled. He was truly terrified. He dared not sit down. The intimate “sister” and “little sister” banter between Liu Huamei and Jiang Xue had nearly paralyzed him.

Who was Liu Huamei?

A true tigress, a female Yama—the Goddess of Death.

Although Huang Chengren wasn’t fully aware of the recent upheaval in Kun City’s underworld, he had heard enough. All events were tied to Liu Huamei. She likely controlled everything from the shadows. Not only Cai Jiu, but Hou Bing—their bodies were reduced to bones, all at her hands.

To Huang Chengren, she was a demon, a killer who treated human life like grass. In her eyes, he wasn’t even worth a grasshopper—she could crush him with a single finger. Even if she killed his boss, the boss might come to apologize to her for dirtying her hands.

Yet here he was, foolishly putting on airs with a girl who called Liu Huamei “sister.”

His head was truly being squeezed mercilessly—no, repeatedly—how else could he be so brainless?

Seeing Huang Chengren stand there, unwilling to sit, Ximen Lu, clever as she was, secretly curled her lips. Then, with a quick glance, she switched tactics and pulled out the trump card: “Mr. Huang, about Feilu Company’s loan…”

“A loan? What loan?” Huang Chengren was still dazed and didn’t react immediately.

Ximen Lu’s expression shifted. She smiled coquettishly, “Mr. Huang, don’t joke. I just mortgaged the company to the bank a few days ago. Didn’t you block the paperwork?”

“That’s right, I blocked it,” Huang Chengren finally snapped out of his daze, nodding hurriedly. But then he realized something was off and quickly shook his head. “No, it wasn’t blocking. I thought there were some issues with the mortgage and wanted a re-evaluation.”

“What issues? Please explain clearly, Mr. Huang,” Ximen Lu’s heart sank. She had hoped that Huang Chengren, scared like this, would seize the chance to push the loan through, but instead, he complicated matters again.

“Well, I remember the market valuation on the documents was eight hundred...” Huang Chengren suddenly faltered, unable to recall the exact figure.

“Eight hundred and seventy thousand,” Ximen Lu supplied, frowning at Huang Chengren. With Jiang Xue as her temporary backing, she no longer feared Huang Chengren much. Of course, she wasn’t foolish enough to be arrogant.

“Right, right, eight hundred seventy thousand. I think this valuation is inaccurate, so I had someone do a more thorough assessment...” Huang Chengren hurriedly explained.

“And what’s your valuation, Mr. Huang?” Ximen Lu pressed, her heart skipping a beat.

“I think eight hundred thousand is too low. The assessment I commissioned valued it at over twelve million, which delayed the loan approval,” Huang Chengren carefully offered a figure. Now, all he wanted was to curry favor with Ximen Lu—or more precisely, with Jiang Xue.

“Twelve million?” Ximen Lu gasped, startled by the number. The previous valuation of over eight hundred thousand already exceeded her expectations. That figure included projected company appreciation; the actual market value was barely five million. Now Huang Chengren was claiming over twelve million. Even if he was flattering her, he was wildly exaggerating. Bankers sure liked to talk big!

[Today, I found a tentative beauty photo of Murong Wei. Everyone can go take a look and see if it matches. On the public account, those who haven’t followed it can open WeChat and search for “Xiao Xiao Xing’er” or “Xiao Xiao Xing’er Wish Army” to find it. Haha!]