Chapter 506: Clash at the Banquet

Chapter 506: Chapter 504: Clash at the Banquet

Li Xue couldn’t believe how honest Mu Lin was. ‘Couldn’t he have just told a little lie?’ She shot him a resentful glare. That one sentence of his had just doomed her.

‘What now? Should I just insist that Mu Lin is my boyfriend? God, how humiliating would it be to pass off an employee as my boyfriend!’

‘Zhou Tianyi would immediately use this to attack me. How could I ever face our old classmates again?’

Zhou Tianyi pointed at Mu Lin and said with contempt, “You want to meet my boyfriend? Who do you think you are?”

Just then, a well-dressed man walked over and wrapped his arm around Zhou Tianyi’s waist.

“Xiaoyi, you ran into a friend? Aren’t you going to introduce me?”

Zhou Tianyi clung to the man coquettishly. “Honey, this is that university classmate I told you about, Li Xue from the Li Group.”

Zhou Tianyi’s boyfriend was named Wu Tianliang. He took one look at Li Xue and was captivated by her elegance. A flash of admiration glinted in his eyes.

“Is there a Li Group in Di Yang?” Wu Tianliang asked. Zhou Tianyi played along. “Nope! It’s some small company from Anhua, nothing special.”

Wu Tianliang snorted with disdain. “Tonight’s banquet is for Chairman Xiao to host his associates from Di Yang. Everyone attending is a wealthy local business owner or investor.”

“The Li Group isn’t even the top company in Anhua City. Why would a small-fry company like that be here?”

Seeing an opportunity to humiliate Li Xue, Zhou Tianyi said smugly, “Isn’t it obvious? They must have snuck in! The people at the door tonight were just hotel staff, not Chairman Xiao’s personal security. The checks were really lax. I didn’t even see a guest list!”

Li Xue’s face turned pale. Zhou Tianyi’s words were meant to be soul-crushing.

“I am here because I received an invitation from Chairman Xiao, just like you.”

Zhou Tianyi laughed out loud. “In that case, Chu Chaoxiong from your city Anhua should be here too, right? He’s way more qualified to attend than you! He’s not even here, yet you’re claiming you received an invitation?”

“I’d say you’re either lying and snuck in, or that invitation of yours is a fake!”

Li Xue’s face hardened with indignation. “I, Li Xue, have always acted with integrity! I would never do something so despicable!”

Zhou Tianyi roared with laughter. “Then tell us how you got in! Some people will do anything to climb the social ladder!”

Li Xue was naturally a quiet person and terrible at arguing. She felt like she was being strung up and tormented by Zhou Tianyi’s attacks, so angry she felt her lungs might burst.

Mu Lin, however, didn’t step in to help. Instead, he sized up Wu Tianliang and asked, “How did you end up with a girlfriend like that? Aren’t you embarrassed to bring her to an event like this?”

Wu Tianliang pointed a finger at Mu Lin and snapped, “Shut your mouth! It’s none of your business! She’s my girlfriend, and I’ll do as I please!”

“Is that so.” Mu Lin didn’t intend to say more, but added nonchalantly, “I don’t mean to overstep, but you should break up with her. Make it a clean break, the cleaner the better. Otherwise, you’re probably doomed.”

Wu Tianliang was momentarily stunned by Mu Lin’s powerful presence, almost falling for his bluff.

When he came to his senses, he was furious, wishing he could just slap Mu Lin across the face. If it weren’t for how unseemly it would be, and the grave disrespect it would show to Xiao Shoufu, he would have done it.

Zhou Tianyi didn’t hear everything clearly, but she understood that Mu Lin meant her ill.

She flew into a rage. “Do you even have the right to speak here?”

“For someone like you to sneak into such a high-class banquet… you’re like a rotten apple spoiling the whole barrel!”

“Li Xue, I don’t care if you want to debase yourself, but don’t you dare disrespect Xiao Shoufu!”

Wu Tianliang was also furious, his face flushed red with anger. “It really takes all sorts. Some worthless scum actually dares to cause trouble here. Kid, you keep saying I’m doomed. Go on, tell me. How exactly am I doomed??”

“Yeah, go on, tell us,” a new voice chimed in. “This banquet is getting a bit boring. A story would be nice.”

A young man approached with a glamorous female companion, shooting a scornful glance at Li Xue.

His words were like a needle hidden in cotton. “Li Xue, it’s been a few years. Has your skin really grown as thick as a city wall?”

“Do you know who’s hosting tonight’s banquet? It’s Xiao Shoufu!”

“If you offend him, countless people will be lining up to tear your Anhua Li Family to shreds.”

When Li Xue saw him, her face grew even paler. “Li Tianqiang… what are you doing here?”

Mu Lin understood. This man was from the Di Yang Li Family, Li Tianxiang’s older brother.

‘New and old grudges, all piling up at once. This is getting ugly.’

Li Tianqiang glared at Mu Lin. This was the man who had killed his third brother, Li Tianxiang.

Moreover, he had used his formidable power to suppress the entire Li Family and extort a fortune from them.

“Kid, I don’t care if you’re a dragon, you’d better lie low while you’re here. Otherwise, someone will put you in your place!”

Li Tianqiang was insidiously goading Mu Lin, trying to provoke him into causing a scene.

If they offended Xiao Longjiang, not only Li Xue, but the entire Anhua Li Family would be finished!

From now on, the Anhua Li Family could forget about ever doing business in Di Yang again. They could stay in Anhua and play in the mud!

Having been with her boyfriend Wu Tianliang, Zhou Tianyi had seen a lot, and she certainly knew of Li Tianqiang’s fearsome reputation.

This was the second young master from the main branch of the Li Family, one of the six great families, and he wielded real power!

The thought that Li Tianqiang would deal with Li Xue for her made Zhou Tianyi thrill with excitement.

Emboldened by Li Tianqiang’s presence, she postured triumphantly. “I never knew you were this kind of person, Li Xue. Get lost, now! Or you’ll be completely finished when Xiao Shoufu arrives!”

Li Xue gritted her teeth, forcing down her anger. This was not the time to lose her composure.

Leaving aside the mortal enemy Li Tianqiang from the Li Family, there was also Wu Tianliang, a major business owner here in Di Yang.

Neither of them was someone to be trifled with.

Not to mention the important figures all around them, who were already looking displeased.

If they didn’t leave now, they would be in serious trouble.

She gave Mu Lin a push. “Mu Lin, let’s go!”

But Mu Lin said, “We can’t leave now.”

Li Xue was furious. ‘What is this idiot doing?’

Mu Lin said slowly, “If you want us to leave, fine. Have Xiao Longjiang himself see us to the door. Otherwise, forget it.”

Li Tianqiang and Wu Tianliang were both dumbfounded.

‘Is this kid brainless? Is he in a hurry to die?’

‘Does he have any idea what it means to make Xiao Longjiang get involved?’

‘It means he’d be as good as dead.’

Wu Tianliang sneered, “He’s crazy!”

Li Xue was mortified. ‘How am I supposed to salvage this?’

‘Mu Lin is going to be the death of me!’

Mu Lin’s gaze, however, fell upon Zhou Tianyi. A divine sense, vast as the ocean, enveloped her.

“You. Apologize to President Li, or you will bear the consequences.”

Zhou Tianyi thought Mu Lin was an idiot and said dismissively, “Why should I? I’m doing just fine. You’re the ones who should be apologizing!”

Mu Lin stared at Zhou Tianyi in silence, his divine sense gradually condensing.

Suddenly, Zhou Tianyi felt a surging force pressing down on her from all sides, placing her under immense pressure.

Not knowing where the pressure was coming from, she couldn’t help but cling tightly to Wu Tianliang.

Seeing that Zhou Tianyi was in distress, Wu Tianliang quickly yelled, “Security! There are a couple of trespassers who snuck in here!”

Security guards rushed over at the commotion. The captain stepped forward, pointed at Mu Lin, and said:

“You two, get out of here right now! Or don’t blame us for using force!”

Li Xue quickly stepped forward to apologize. “I’m sorry, we’ll leave right away.”

But Mu Lin said to the security captain, “You’d better think this through. If we leave, you might just lose your job.”

The security captain heard this and a cold sneer crossed his lips. ‘What kind of riffraff does he think he is? Does he think I’m easily intimidated?’

‘If a real disturbance breaks out at this banquet, that’s when I’ll be in real trouble!’

The security captain waved his hand. “Do it! Drive them out. If they resist, throw them out! I’ll take full responsibility!”

The guards pulled out their rubber batons and advanced on Mu Lin and Li Xue.

Li Xue quickly grabbed Mu Lin’s arm and pleaded, “Mu Lin, I’m begging you, let’s just go! Stop making a scene…”

Li Xue’s palms were ice-cold and her whole body was trembling; her fear was palpable. Mu Lin couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

‘After living together for so long, he had come to understand Li Xue quite well.’

‘She was kind, and at times a bit imperious, but in the face of true power, she didn’t have the courage to fight back.’

‘Mu Lin was genuinely worried. If she continued on like this, how could he ever go back to the mountain and face the old master?’

‘The Li Group and the Anhua Li Family couldn’t stay like this. They had to become a major pillar of the Nanjiang Business Community.’

‘Only then, combined with the forces Mu Lin was arranging in the Martial Arts Realm, could they become as stable as a mountain, unshakeable from any quarter. No one would be able to challenge the Li Family’s position again.’

‘Only then would his mission of repaying his master’s debt of gratitude be complete.’

‘Time for some drastic measures!’ Mu Lin suddenly sprang into action. He grabbed the security captain by the belt and hurled him through the air.