"Let me put my words right here! Today you’ve got some backbone, and I won’t bully you just because I’m older. But you—aren’t you Charles Chen?"
Hugh Hu stared coldly at Charles Chen, who sat across from him.
"Captain Hu..." Charles Chen’s forehead glistened with sweat as he hurriedly raised his wine glass and stood up. "Kids don’t know any better, please don’t take it to heart. I’ll drink with you instead!"
"I’ll punish myself with three cups first!"
Once he finished speaking, Charles Chen downed his wine in one gulp.
The baijiu burned as it went down, sharp and strong.
As Charles reached for another pour, Hugh Hu shook his head. "A toast? Did I ask you to drink with me? You’re just a businessman—if people heard I drank with you, what would they think of me?"
"I’m negotiating with you right now. Sure, maybe I can’t control whether he goes to Oceanport City in the future, but I can decide if he stays in school here in Jinnan."
"And your company—the shantytown redevelopment project you’re chasing isn’t just your family’s target. I keep things simple: you give me face, I give you face. Now, make your choice."
Hugh Hu ignored Evan Lin and kept his eyes fixed on Charles Chen.
Charles Chen’s forehead was drenched in sweat, his gaze full of hesitation and embarrassment.
Originally, Wansheng Wang had sent him to Jinnan to break new ground. If he did well, his future would be limitless; if he failed, it was the end of the road at this company.
Charles Chen stood there, locked in stalemate, caught between a rock and a hard place.
Quentin Yu watched the drama unfold from the sidelines, feeling secretly pleased. Helen Qi kept shooting cold glances at Evan Lin, her eyes sharp and vicious.
"Had enough, Hu?"
Before Charles Chen could respond, Evan Lin finally stood up after sitting for ages, stretching lazily.
"Hu?"
Hearing Evan Lin call Hugh Hu that way, Lucy Lu’s face changed instantly.
Linda Guan narrowed her eyes, sizing up Evan Lin again.
Hugh Hu glared fiercely at Evan Lin, slamming the table. "Watch your mouth!"
Just as Hugh Hu finished speaking, Lucy Lu tried to pull Evan Lin back into his seat to keep things from getting out of hand.
But right in front of everyone, Evan Lin also raised his hand and slammed it down on the table.
Bang!
The solid wood table split clean in two under Evan Lin’s palm.
"Ah!"
The tea cups on the table tipped over, and boiling hot water splashed right onto Hugh Hu and the others.
Linda Guan saw trouble coming and quickly stood up, dodging the hot water. But Quentin Yu and Helen Qi weren’t so lucky—the water drenched them and they jumped out of their seats, scalded.
Hugh Hu was startled by Evan Lin’s palm strike. As he stared at the split table, he hadn’t even reacted when a wave of pain shot through his right foot.
The broken half of the tabletop landed squarely on his toes.
"Captain Hu! Are you alright?"
Charles Chen was badly shaken by the scene.
Hugh Hu tried to keep calm, but the pain in his foot was too much. He collapsed onto the floor, clutching his toes and rubbing them furiously.
"Courting death!"
The young man who came with Hugh Hu suddenly changed expression, clenching his fists and charging at Evan Lin.
He moved fast, leaping up and aiming a high kick straight at Evan Lin’s face.
"Watch out!"
Lucy Lu’s face went pale.
The man with Hugh Hu was a younger member of the Grant family—not as skilled as Grant Zhengping, but still a minor expert in the military.
His sudden flying kick was powerful and intimidating.
"With moves this weak, you dare come at me?"
Evan Lin stood his ground. As the kick came flying, he casually reached out, grabbed the man's ankle midair, and tossed him straight into the wall.
He didn’t even break a sweat.
"Are you crazy?! Do you know who you just hit?"
Helen Qi was soaked with tea, looking utterly miserable.
Linda Guan frowned, her gaze at Evan Lin growing even colder. "Didn’t expect you knew martial arts."
"This is outrageous!" Hugh Hu yelled from the floor, still clutching his foot.
Evan Lin strolled over, grabbed him by the neck, and lifted him clean off the ground.
"Evan! Stop!"
Lucy Lu saw trouble coming and her heart skipped a beat.
This guy wasn’t just anyone—if Evan Lin really started a fight, he’d be in serious trouble!
"Evan Lin, don’t! Let go—let’s talk this out! Uncle Chen promises, even if I have to give up the company, I’ll never force you back to Minghai!" Charles Chen blurted out, anxious.
The company mattered, but he cared even more about Evan Lin not getting into trouble he couldn’t fix.
"Yeah, yeah! Let go, let go—Captain Hu isn’t some nobody! If you throw a punch now, your life’s over. Don’t think you can get away with everything just because you can fight!" Quentin Yu urged, but secretly hoped Evan Lin would attack.
He was secretly hoping Evan Lin would throw a punch—if he did, that kid was finished.
Linda Guan watched coldly from the side.
This was exactly the situation she wanted.
Hugh Hu had the whole Hu family of Jinnan behind him. If he really lost his temper, Evan Lin would be out of Jinnan for good.
That would solve a whole lot of problems.
"I don’t believe it! You really dare hit me?"
Hugh Hu struggled, but couldn’t break free. The kid’s arm looked thin, but the strength inside was terrifying—Hu was shocked again and again.
Everyone was watching, and Hugh Hu’s face burned with humiliation—he was furious and embarrassed.
"If you hit me, I guarantee you won’t walk out of the Bamboo Room’s door today!"
Hugh Hu gritted his teeth and tried to stand tall, but when he met Evan Lin’s eyes—and glanced at the shattered table—his heart wavered.
Smack!
Before he finished speaking, Evan Lin’s crisp backhand landed squarely on his face.
It wasn’t a hard slap, but it rang out loud and clear.
Hugh Hu was stunned, his mind blank and eyes wide.
Evan Lin dragged him by the neck to the Bamboo Room’s doorway, kicked the door open, walked out with him, and then came back in still holding him.
The waiter outside jumped in fright.
When Evan Lin returned to the Bamboo Room, he gave Hugh Hu another crisp backhand.
Smack!
This time it was louder and harder—blood trickled from Hugh Hu’s mouth.
"Not only did I hit you, I walked out that door. Are you not convinced?" Evan Lin dragged Hugh Hu close: "Today I’ll make you a promise too—I guarantee you won’t leave through the Bamboo Room’s door."
"Do you believe me, or not?"