Shuangling: Braving the Rapids

Seeing Cheng Dong's flushed face, Xiao Hongjuan smiled seductively and said, "Dongzi, it's true you can hold your liquor, but you need to eat something to line your stomach. Here! Let me put a piece of meat on your plate!"

After saying that, Xiao Hongjuan actually got up and came over, pressing the chicken wings into Cheng Dong's plate while also scooping up a bowl of pork tripe soup.

Seeing this, Butcher Zheng grinned, revealing his yellow teeth, and chuckled strangely: "What did I tell you? Sister Xiao is a master at picking up food with her chopsticks! She picks it up so skillfully, she makes it look like a magic trick! Hahaha!"

Zheng the Butcher made a lewd joke, and several like-minded "rough heroes" joined in with their lewd laughter.

Xiao Hongjuan was no pushover. Hands on her hips, chest puffed out, she pointed at Zheng the Butcher's nose and yelled, "Zheng the Bald! You son of a bitch, you can't say anything nice! Still calling me 'sister' all the time? If you want to call me that, go crawl into your mother's bed and call her that!"

Upon hearing this, everyone at the table burst into laughter, slapping the table in disbelief. Butcher Zheng, however, pursed his lips, shrank back, and remained silent. It seems that dealing with this kind of scoundrel requires a shrewish character like Xiao Hongjuan!

Having spent a lot of time in the glitz and glamour of nightclubs, Xiao Hongjuan's allure became increasingly striking. Putting aside everything else, just in terms of seducing men, ten respectable girls couldn't compare to her.

Look! Zhang Tuanjie's eyes became increasingly unfocused, staring intently at Xiao Hongjuan's neckline. His hungry and thirsty appearance was no different from that of a beast in a primeval forest.

After several rounds of drinks, everyone's spirits rose even higher. Seeing that the time was right, Lao Chengxi poured out all the pleasantries he had been preparing for:

"Xia Shang Restaurant is an empire we built together. From now on, this room will be the place where gold and silver are divided! What do you all say?"

"good!"

……

Everyone at the table raised their glasses and cheered, but Cheng Dong probably remained indifferent, with a cold expression that seemed to say it was none of his business. There was no way he could stand out from this group of people.

"Xia Shang Restaurant is opening soon! I officially announce that Hongjuan will be the hotel's general manager. Everyone, give her a hand! At least we can't let our beautiful young lady be bullied! Hahaha!"

Since the leader had spoken, how could everyone not support him? At this moment, everyone raised their glasses to congratulate Xiao Hongjuan.

Xiao Hongjuan's face flushed, she picked up the glass of red wine, tilted her head back and gulped it down, the bottom of the glass instantly turning upwards.

Even if it was a pre-arranged plan, the fact that the team leader announced it publicly made a difference. She was originally a woman who made a living by selling her body, and she desperately craved respect. Since following Lao Chengxi, her value has been amplified infinitely, and now she has a place in the team. Could there be a more respectable job than this?

At this moment, Xiao Hongjuan gazed at Lao Chengxi with burning eyes. From a hairdresser to a hair salon owner, and now to the general manager of a restaurant, all her advancements were thanks to this man. How could she not feel grateful?

The woman swayed her hips and pressed herself against Lao Chengxi, affectionately taking his arm before handing him a glass of wine. The man, adept at playing along, put one arm around her waist and the other, with a sly gesture, accepted the glass. The two, working in perfect harmony, drank the wine together, instantly bringing the atmosphere in the private room to its peak.

Everyone was raising their glasses in celebration, but Cheng Dong walked out of the private room with a cold face. He couldn't stand his brother having any dealings with women other than his sister-in-law, and he couldn't stand these people eating and drinking excessively. Since he couldn't persuade them and couldn't fit in, he might as well go out for some fresh air!

He made his way down the corridor to the open-air platform, expertly popped a cigarette into his mouth, and then realized he'd forgotten his lighter after checking his pockets. Just as he was feeling annoyed, a familiar voice came from behind him:

"Here you go!" Lao Chengxi tossed over a box of matches.

Cheng Dong caught the matchbox, but instead of lighting a cigarette, he stared at the printed pattern on it. It was an ancient wine vessel outlined with simple lines, with the four small characters "Xia Shang Wine House" printed below in clerical script. This little thing was so exquisite that it was quite impressive.

Seeing his younger brother engrossed in watching, Lao Chengxi walked straight to the edge of the platform, held onto the railing, and gazed at the brightly lit industrial area in the distance.

"You hit Zheng Xiong, and he made you drink three cups as punishment. Don't mention this matter again..."

Before Lao Chengxi could finish speaking, Cheng Dong immediately became agitated. He clenched the matchbox in his hand and shouted, "Brother! Do you know who Zheng Gou Xiong hit? He hit Uncle Aimin's nephew!"

The two brothers spoke as if they were exchanging secret codes. If there were any other people present, they would definitely be completely confused. But after all, they were siblings from the same mother, and they both knew what the other was trying to say.

"How is he?" Lao Chengxi asked slowly, smoothing his slicked-back hair.

"After lying in the hospital for several days, I've already returned to school at No. 1 High School."

Cheng Dong replied irritably, his anger simmering. Just as he was about to yell something more, Lao Chengxi's face darkened, and he cursed across the room, "Damn it! Zheng the bear! He should have been skinned alive long ago! He was made to guard a cold storage, and even with the power outage, he was still out racing motorcycles with a bunch of bastards, ruining thousands of pounds of meat!"

Lao Chengxi was furious when Zheng Xiongqian's stupidity was mentioned. Although the pig slaughtering business was managed by the Zheng family, as the team leader, how could he not have his own opinion?

Hearing his brother's words, Cheng Dong's heart skipped a beat. He looked nervous and stared into his brother's eyes, asking, "Brother, did you send Butcher Zheng to run the cafeteria at No. 1 High School?"

"Yes!" Lao Chengxi answered readily, but then added, "However, I really didn't know about using rotten meat to fill in the numbers. I wouldn't do something so shameless!"

Whether Lao Chengxi's words were true or false, only he himself probably knew. However, given his past behavior, he certainly wouldn't send thousands of kilograms of rotten meat to the school. Everyone knew that was a place where trouble was easily caused. In the entire team, probably only the Zheng family father and son would do such a dirty thing.

Because of this, Lao Chengxi was quite angry. He originally held the contract for the South Campus cafeteria, but now that idiot Zheng Xiong had ruined it all. The money he had invested had gone down the drain, which was the real reason he was cursing Zheng Xiong.

"Brother, tell me the truth, this really has nothing to do with you? If you hadn't been backing them up, would those two have been able to get the contract? Brother! We need to have some sense of propriety, right? Eating rotten meat will kill you!" Cheng Dong's words were barbed, clearly placing all the blame on his older brother.

"I've already told you, I know nothing about this. Don't try to pin this on me! I'm your older brother!" Lao Chengxi retorted sternly.

"Fine, this is Zheng Xiong's fault, he's the one who got the rotten meat at school. But now that something's happened, how did you handle it? You sent Zheng Xiong and Jiang San'er to smash up the food stall! And then you had Zhang Tuanjie clean up the mess! You and your gang can fool others, but you can't fool me!"

Cheng Dong finally broke the ice. He knew his brother too well and knew what the other didn't want to hear, but he insisted on telling the truth to embarrass Lao Chengxi.

If anyone else had said those words, Lao Chengxi would have slapped them across the face already. But the person standing in front of him was his own brother, so he couldn't bring himself to do it. He was indeed a ruthless character. In the Chengguankou area, no one dared to speak to him like that, and no one could truly hurt him. Apart from his own brother, who else could strike him in a vital spot?

"I really don't know what kind of spell they've cast on you!" Lao Chengxi roared, veins bulging on his forehead. "I'm your brother! Who is that widow to you? Is she someone you've stood up for time and time again? I asked you to manage the hotel, and you kept making excuses. Now you're being used as a pawn by others. Are you trying to be some kind of hero like Qin Aimin?"

Brothers grow up together like brothers, sharing the same pants. That's why they know each other's weaknesses best. Even if you don't draw blood, a single cut will cause excruciating pain.

"Brother, we started out as street vendors too. What kind of hero are you to be making things difficult for a woman?" Cheng Dong retorted, sticking out his neck in mockery.

"Don't take yourself too seriously. Take a good look at this society! We're nothing in the eyes of those officials up there, yet you're always looking out for us! Tell me now, how much money do you want to pay them before you stop talking about this?" Lao Chengxi had completely lost control of his expression. His eyes were sharp, even revealing a coldness and determination, just like those triad bosses in Hong Kong movies.

"Is money all you care about now? You've been hanging out with these things all day, and they've led you astray!" Cheng Dong was getting angry. The more he spoke, the angrier he became, and the matchbox in his hand was already crumpled into a ball.

"Second brother, I've told you this more than once! As long as it helps us make money, you don't care if it's good or bad! Understand?"

The two brothers argued until the very end, eventually circling back to the old topic. Despite saying all that, they still couldn't reach a consensus. After all, they were no longer toddlers and had their own thoughts, so neither could convince the other.