After venting his frustration in the office, Zhao Weixiang's emotions gradually settled.
At that moment, Hong Jiao, dressed in striking red, pushed the door open and walked in. She had just seen Lin Muyang off.
When she took in the chaotic state of the office, her expression flickered almost imperceptibly before returning to its usual composure. Not a trace of surprise showed in her eyes.
She wasn’t the least bit surprised.
Or rather, she had already anticipated Zhao Weixiang’s reaction.
She knew all too well the trouble Lin Muyang’s "gift" of the fund would bring them.
And the only one capable of forcing Zhao Weixiang to swallow this bitter pill without protest was none other than the enigmatic Liu Yutong.
Stepping carefully around the shattered glass and spilled water in her high heels, Hong Jiao approached Zhao Weixiang.
Without a word, she first fetched a clean towel and gently wiped the water stains from his suit jacket.
"Boss, Young Master Lin has left. He... seemed to be in rather good spirits."
Zhao Weixiang waved his hand, signaling her to stop, then slumped onto the sofa with a cold laugh. "Of course he’s in good spirits. He just dumped his burden and even thinks he’s done me a favor. Ha!"
His voice dripped with sarcasm.
Then, out of habit, he extended two fingers in a scissors gesture.
Understanding immediately, Hong Jiao turned to the cigar box by the liquor cabinet, retrieved a premium cigar, snipped off the cap, lit it, and placed it between his fingers.
Zhao Weixiang took a slow drag and exhaled a smoke ring before asking, "What has my so-called 'kinsman' Zhao Tianxing been up to lately?"
Standing respectfully beside him, Hong Jiao reported, "Zhao Tianxing and his men have been unusually quiet recently. It seems they’re afraid of retaliation from the Wanlong Society and the Yilian Association."
"But what’s strange is that the young mistress of the Wanlong Society must know they were behind it. Why hasn’t she made a move against them?"
Zhao Weixiang smirked again, a glint flashing in his eyes. "That’s the brilliance of that woman—slow torture. She’s not sparing Zhao Tianxing out of mercy or fear. She’s keeping the blade hanging over their heads!"
"That way, Zhao Tianxing and his men will live in constant fear, forced to keep their heads down like turtles. They won’t dare make trouble anytime soon."
"Still, knowing that old fox Zhao Tianxing, he won’t just sit back and wait for death. He’s definitely plotting a counterattack in secret."
Hong Jiao gave a slight nod. "Boss, what should we do?"
A ruthless smile curled at Zhao Weixiang’s lips. "If Zhao Tianxing wants to hide, we won’t let him have his way."
As if struck by a sudden thought, he asked, "If I recall correctly, his precious son Zhao Junjie should be eligible for bail tomorrow, right?"
Hong Jiao nodded promptly. "Yes, Boss. The suspicion of assassination has been cleared from Zhao Junjie. Though he’s still tied to a few minor cases, none are serious enough to prevent bail."
Zhao Weixiang exhaled another puff of smoke. "Hong Jiao, tell me... how do you think Zhao Tianxing would react if his only beloved son, fresh out of custody, ended up a cripple—bedridden and unable to care for himself?"
A chill ran down Hong Jiao’s spine, but she replied without hesitation, "Boss, I’ll arrange it immediately."
Satisfied, Zhao Weixiang crushed the cigar into the ashtray. "And one more thing—Liu Yutong. She’s become too much of a nuisance. She can’t stay any longer."
"Understood!"
.....................
A few days later, the entrance of Yanwang Internet Cafe buzzed with excitement.
A massive billboard stood prominently, its bold lettering impossible to miss:
[Back-to-School Extravaganza! Yanwang Internet Cafe—Dominate the New Semester!]
This was the meticulously planned campaign by Deng Zheyan.
The promotions were generous, including a "spend X, get X" deal.
For example, first-time or single top-ups of 50 yuan would instantly double the credit, effectively halving the cost of internet access with no upper limit.
There was also a referral program to boost occupancy—bring a friend to form a duo, and each would get an hour of free surfing.
Additionally, a lucky wheel offered prizes.
Any customer spending over 50 yuan during the event could spin for rewards ranging from keyboards, mice, and headsets to free overnight passes, drinks, and instant noodles.
All in all, Yanwang Internet Cafe’s campaign was undeniably attractive, and the results were immediate.
With the school term approaching, college students—the cafe’s main clientele—flocked in, calling up friends to join the fun.
"Whoa, Yanwang’s giving 50 for 50? That’s half-price! Let’s go, guys!"
"If we team up, we get a free hour. So if I only play for an hour, it’s basically free, right?"
"The prize wheel—if I land a mouse or keyboard, it’s a total steal! Let’s go!"
".........."
The moment Yanwang’s campaign launched, students swarmed in, filling every seat. Revenue skyrocketed, and its popularity eclipsed that of the rival Phoenix Power Esports across the street.
Of course, this was partly because Phoenix Power’s own promotions hadn’t yet rolled out.
Standing on the second floor, Deng Zheyan watched the lively scene below with a smug grin.
"Liu Yutong, oh Liu Yutong, you thought you could cut me off at the knees? Let’s see you beat this!"
Meanwhile, at Phoenix Power Esports...
Li Xiaohui leaned against the entrance, munching on a bag of chips as she glared at the bustling Yanwang Internet Cafe, her lips pursed in displeasure.
"Ma Da, Ma Da, look at that place! They’re totally asking for it!"
"With all their top-up bonuses and prize draws, they’re clearly trying to steal our customers!"
Ma Da took a leisurely drag of his cigarette, glanced across the street, and replied calmly, "No rush. Let them do their thing. Our secret weapon’s almost ready, isn’t it?"
Li Xiaohui’s eyes lit up. "You mean... Huang Lvdeng and the others?"
Ma Da nodded. "Yeah. They’ve been blending in over there for a few days now—should be familiar enough to make their move. Deng Zheyan’s riding high right now, which means his guard’s down. Perfect timing."
"Oh, and Xiaohui, did you notice something about their promo ad?"
Li Xiaohui blinked. "Huh? What?"
Ma Da pointed at the billboard. "It says, 'Bring two people to form a team, and each gets an hour of free surfing.'"
"To quote Lawyer Zhao, the wording is extremely loose. Couldn’t we interpret that as getting a free hour even without spending a dime?"
"Even if those three guys don’t pull any tricks, we can still exploit this loophole to get free internet access."
"Gotta admit, the person who planned this event thought the same way we did. If I didn’t know better, I’d think they were a spy on our side."
Li Xiaohui caught on too, her eyes lighting up. "Brother Ma, you’ve got a sharp eye. But the owner of that place is seriously stingy—only giving out one free hour. We should make them add more to it."
"Brother Ma, I’ll have everyone notified to line up at their place tonight to claim the free internet perk."
"Good!"
"Hahahaha..."
Li Xiaohui could already picture the furious expression on Deng Zheyan, the rival internet café owner’s face. In high spirits, she started crunching loudly on her potato chips.
