"What did you just say?!"
Susan Xu immediately shouted when she heard what Max Xu said.
She cupped Max Xu's face in her hands, looking at the deep slap mark with heartache—and even more anger. "What kind of man is so arrogant? Is he jealous that you’re hanging out with Chloe?"
But how could he just go around hitting people like that?!"
Susan Xu’s face was full of rage as she shouted at the top of her lungs.
"What happened, Chloe? Who did you run into?!"
Lisa Liu stepped forward quickly, her expression suddenly changing as she got closer.
"It was that Evan Lin..."
Chloe Cheng whispered.
"So it really was that kid!"
Lisa Liu looked furious, but then her gaze softened with concern as she turned to Max Xu. "Thank goodness you protected our Chloe!"
"Who is that person?" Susan Xu demanded, her face still full of anger.
"That kid is nothing but a thug! He only acts tough because he has people backing him. Back in junior high, he was already scheming after our Chloe. Even after she clearly turned him down, he wouldn’t give up—just kept shamelessly chasing her!"
Lisa Liu’s face was full of indignation as she talked about Evan Lin.
Because of Evan Lin, their whole family had been humiliated before—they’d lost all face. Lisa thought Chloe and Max would become a couple and finally put all that behind them, but now Evan Lin had popped up again out of nowhere.
"I’ve never seen anyone so shameless!"
Hearing Lisa Liu’s story, Susan Xu got even angrier.
They were sitting a short distance away from Director Chen and the others, so Director Chen hadn’t heard Chloe mention Evan Lin’s name just now.
But seeing Max Xu with a swollen face, Director Chen’s expression darkened. He strode over and asked, "Do you know the guy who hit you? Can you find him?"
"I have his number—I can call him right now!"
Chloe Cheng nodded and spoke up several times.
She naturally recognized Director Chen standing before her.
"Good. Chloe, call him right now and tell him to come here!"
Director Chen looked angry, but then glanced apologetically at Simon Xu. "Mr. Xu, I’m sorry—this whole situation’s gotten pretty ugly."
"But since your son was assaulted here in Whitewood County, I’ll handle this myself! I promise you’ll get a proper explanation!"
"I hope this won’t affect our partnership. And let me be clear—here in Whitewood County, we welcome all investment with genuine sincerity, and we absolutely do not tolerate any bad elements!"
Director Chen spoke with firm conviction.
"Exactly, exactly! Director Chen is always dedicated to his job. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have built such a great relationship with the boss who invested over five hundred million!"
Kevin Cheng chimed in from the side, playing along.
Just from Lisa Liu’s tone earlier, Kevin Cheng had already pieced together most of the story—and now had a pretty good idea what was going on.
He figured it must be that Evan Lin guy.
"You really think just because you latched onto some sketchy woman from Minghai City, you’re suddenly better than everyone else? I can’t wait to see you act all high and mighty when we meet in a bit!"
That’s what Kevin Cheng was thinking as he glanced at Simon Xu, who stood there with a gloomy face. Kevin couldn’t help but let a sly smile slip onto his lips.
Lucy Lu was just from Minghai, but Simon Xu was from River City!
Plus, Simon Xu was planning to invest several million in Whitewood County. If you really compared things, Kevin Cheng didn’t believe for a second that Simon’s influence could be less than Lucy Lu’s, who was just some elementary school teacher Joy Zheng brought in.
What’s more, Max Xu was actually injured—so when it came time for compensation, there’d be plenty of room for negotiation.
Lately, Kevin Cheng had heard all about Joy Zheng’s tutoring business. Seeing her move into a villa just from running a tutoring center made him insanely jealous.
"That would be perfect!" Simon Xu nodded, then looked at Director Chen and said, "Director Chen, as long as you handle my son’s matter properly, I’ll add another two hundred thousand and open two more stores in the plaza!"
Simon Xu made the decision on the spot.
Meanwhile, Evan Lin was walking home with his backpack.
Big Tank said he had to meet with an investor tonight, so he went ahead to Whitewood County’s temporary office to print out the contracts Lily Zhong sent over.
Evan Lin had no intention of keeping him around and just sent him off.
When Evan Lin reached the entrance of the Moon Sky Mansion villa complex, his phone rang.
The caller ID showed an unfamiliar number.
"Hello."
Evan Lin picked up, sounding a bit lazy.
"Where are you right now?"
On the other end, Chloe Cheng’s voice was icy.
"If you’ve got something to say, spit it out. If you want to fart, do it quick. Where I am isn’t really any of your business."
Evan Lin walked along the stone path inside Moon Sky Mansion.
When Evan Lin got home, he thought Joy Zheng would be there tutoring students or cooking, but to his surprise, the place was empty.
"You just hit someone and now you want to run? Listen up! You messed with someone you shouldn’t have! You’ll pay for what you did! And that fat guy—is he with you too?"
Chloe Cheng’s tone dripped with contempt: "I suggest you both behave and come to Whitewood Grand Hotel right now! And make sure you bring enough money to pay up!"
"Oh? What if I don’t go?"
Evan Lin pushed open the door, tossed his backpack onto the sofa, grabbed a drink from the fridge, and took a sip.
Chloe Cheng seemed at a loss for words—she hadn’t expected Evan Lin to refuse so bluntly.
"So it’s you, huh? I’m warning you—if you don’t show up, your mom’s tutoring center is finished! Believe it or not, I’ll shut her down tomorrow!"
Suddenly, someone snatched the phone from Chloe Cheng.
Lisa Liu’s voice came through the phone.
Director Chen, Simon Xu, and Kevin Cheng were still inside drinking tea—Lisa Liu had stepped out just to make this call.
Through the glass door, Lisa Liu glanced at Director Chen, feeling even more confident.
She only vaguely knew that Joy Zheng’s tutoring center had always run smoothly and nobody bothered her—maybe she had some connections in the education bureau.
But Director Chen was the one holding the purse strings for education funding!
Besides, Joy Zheng was just an elementary school teacher—how strong could her connections really be?
As long as Director Chen stepped in and had a word with Deng Yangyan from the education bureau, Joy Zheng wouldn’t just lose her tutoring center—she’d probably lose her teaching job too!
"Are you threatening me?"
Evan Lin’s voice was indifferent.
"Think whatever you want! Get to Whitewood Grand Hotel right now! What kind of man are you, if you can’t own up to your actions? And bring that fat guy who helped you—he needs to take his beating too!"
Lisa Liu was brimming with arrogance.
Evan Lin took a sip of his drink and closed the fridge door.
"Alright."
"In twenty minutes, I’ll bring someone with me. I hope you’ll still have the guts to say all that to my face."