novelaction Chapter 514: Bodhisattva or Jackal?
Chapter 514: Bodhisattva or Jackal?
Sheng Qianrui knew that in front of the Xu Group, the Shengshi Group was like a decrepit old dog.
It may look tall and imposing, but it has long since lost all offensive capabilities.
Therefore, although she spoke with a firm tone, her heart felt as if it were being squeezed tightly by something, both sore and painful, and her eyes uncontrollably welled up with tears.
She should have hated him, but under Fang Li's calm, almost contemptuous gaze, she tasted for the first time a deep-seated powerlessness.
A rustling sound came from behind, and soon an undeniable sense of pressure approached from behind.
Not long after, a cold wind brushed past her, and Xu Fangye's tall figure walked past her to Xu Fangli's side.
From afar, his gaze fell upon Fang Li, and as he approached, his two sharp eyebrows furrowed slightly.
Fang Li knew what he was worried about; he guessed it was something Zhao Manqi had said that made him think she had been wronged.
However, seeing her calm expression and her fingers casually twirling the water glass, Xu Fangye's tension eased slightly.
When he turned to look at Sheng Qianrui, a faint smile appeared on his lips, but the smile did not reach his eyes; his pupils held a deep, unfathomable coldness.
Sheng Qianrui's heart clenched almost instantly.
The arrogance he had shown towards Zhao Manqi and the others deflated like a punctured balloon the moment he saw Xu Fangye.
She had heard countless rumors about Xu Fangye from her father and from the parties and events held by Shengshi Group for various projects.
He took over the Xu family business in his early twenties, his methods as ruthless as a poisoned knife, yet he always wore a nonchalant smile. Many old foxes fell into his hands, and in the end, they still had to smile and say, "President Xu is young and promising."
She tightened her grip on the hem of her skirt, forcing a polite smile: "Mr. Xu, you've arrived."
Her voice was deliberately softened and ingratiating, and she even unconsciously straightened her shoulders and back a little.
In front of this man, her so-called sense of superiority was nothing, but her stubbornness made her unwilling to appear too humble.
Xu Fangye acted as if he hadn't heard her, turning his head to look at Fang Li. He had come because he was worried, but his words revealed a strong sense of disgust.
"What are you doing here all alone? Do you think someone can take over your own territory?"
These words seem to be referring to Fang Li, but even a fool could tell who they were referring to.
Sheng Qianrui's face froze instantly, and she dug her fingertips into her palm to keep herself from losing her composure.
She gritted her teeth and barely managed to maintain a polite demeanor: "Mr. Xu, Ms. Xu and I met in Beijing. We were just chatting casually."
Xu Fangye slowly raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping over her as if she were an insignificant decoration.
"Miss Sheng."
He drew out his words, his smile deepening, but the chill in his eyes intensified. "I heard you've been quite free lately?"
Sheng Qianrui was taken aback: "President Xu... what do you mean by that?"
"Means nothing."
Xu Fangye picked up the untouched lemonade in front of Fang Li, touched the glass with his fingertips as if testing the temperature.
"I just feel that instead of wasting time acting like a rich heiress in front of others, she should go back and look at her own company's financial statements. Oh, by the way!"
He suddenly turned to look at Sheng Qianrui, smiling innocently, "I heard that the Sheng family even gave away their most treasured land to the X Group in order to prolong their existence? They thought they could survive, but little did they know that they had already become a piece of fat meat in someone else's mouth."
These words were like a slap in the face to Sheng Qianrui.
Her heart leaped, her face turned deathly pale, and her lips trembled: "Mr. Xu! What... what do you mean by that?"
"What do you mean?"
Xu Fangye raised an eyebrow, his tone nonchalant, "Miss Sheng, instead of trying to rekindle old flames with my sister, you should use your brain to think about what's been happening lately. If all else fails, spend some of your father's savings to have someone investigate and see if the X Group, which you all revere as your savior, is a bodhisattva or a wolf in sheep's clothing?"
"......"
He paused, his gaze falling on her tense face, as if hooked. "Or is it that, as the former president of Shengshi Group, you're more adept at meddlesome other people's private affairs than the fate of your Shengshi Group?"
Every word was like a needle, precisely piercing Sheng Qianrui's most vulnerable spot.
She wanted to argue, but when she met Xu Fangye's eyes, which seemed to be smiling but weren't, all the words stuck in her throat.
She knew that this man knew everything; he was doing it on purpose, deliberately using the gentlest tone to say the most cutting words when she was at her most embarrassed.
Xu Fangye didn't look at her again, but took Fang Li's hand and walked out.
As he passed by Sheng Qianrui, he paused, turned his head, and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Miss Sheng, I hope you will consider your own worth before doing anything in the future. My sister has a good temper, but that doesn't mean I have the same patience."
The moment the two walked away, Sheng Qianrui could no longer hold on and stumbled backward, bumping into the edge of the table.
The wine glass on the table crashed to the floor with a jarring shattering sound.
Looking at the crowd in the distance, clinking glasses and chatting happily, and listening to the seemingly low-key but actually hushed comments about her, her eyes welled up with tears, and her heart was filled with overwhelming humiliation and resentment.
Why? !
Why should Xu Fangli be protected like this without doing anything?!
Why is it that what she fought so hard for is so insignificant in their eyes?
Despite her resentment, she could only bite her lip tightly.
Xu Fangye had already said that this was Xu family territory.
His warning was like a thorn stuck in Sheng Qianrui's heart, making her both hate and fearful. Whenever she had any other thoughts, she would feel inexplicably apprehensive.
Sheng Qianrui admitted that this was the first time in her life she had felt panicked.
She didn't know what to do next?
Her father told her to seize this opportunity, build connections with the wealthy and powerful families in Haicheng, and use these connections to make a comeback in Haicheng.
But what should she do now?
She was practically driven out of the capital, and after much effort, she tried to find a way to survive in Haicheng, only to provoke the person Haicheng least wanted to mess with...
A blinding ray of light flashed before Sheng Qianrui's eyes.
The sting made her squint and cover her eyes with her hand.
As soon as the light disappeared, something suddenly popped into her mind.
Her eyes darted around nervously and frantically, and finally she spotted something in a hidden corner.
Sheng Qianrui's heart tightened slightly as she met those eyes lurking in the darkness. She clenched her fists little by little and made a decision through gritted teeth.
She took a deep breath, seemingly regaining her confidence.
Turning around, I searched for Xu Fangli in the banquet hall and soon saw her wrapped in a shawl, opening the door and going to the lounge at the back of the banquet hall alone.
Sheng Qianrui held her breath, glanced subconsciously at the corner, and then quickly followed in her high heels.