Chapter 278: Chapter 278: How Can You Compete
Li Shuyaâs elegant and noble face was filled with intense anger.
"Sharp tongue!" Li Shuya laughed angrily, "Didnât your parents teach you manners?"
Chen Xiao smiled lightly, "My manners are reserved for those who have manners themselves."
"Presumptuous!" Li Shuya was furious, and slapped the table as she stood up, "A country bumpkin dares to speak to me like this? Donât think you can ride over me just because you did a favor for the old man!"
Duan Baolin followed up with a reprimand, "Kid! Being so disrespectful to Aunt Li, youâd better watch out."
"You four-eyed nerd, I could punch your glasses off and leave you clueless." Chen Xiao wouldnât indulge him.
"Youâ" Duan Baolin glared angrily at Chen Xiao, heâs always hated being called a four-eyed nerd.
This is a symbol of wisdom and culture!
Besides, isnât his kind of genteel scoundrel exactly what girls love nowadays?
"I wonât stoop to the level of someone so vulgar." He looked at Chen Xiao dismissively, "Even saying one more word to you lowers my status!"
He adjusted his clothing, revealing his limited edition watch worth millions, then "accidentally" placed the car keys on the table nearby.
Li Shuya understandingly praised, "Young Master Duan, your watch alone is worth millions and is a global limited edition â money canât buy it. And your car is a fifty million supercar."
"To put it bluntly, a single part of your car could replace his life ten times over."
"Why waste your anger on this hillbilly?"
"Calm down, calm down."
She then turned to Zhang Yaqing, "Yaqing, come, sit next to Young Master Duan."
Zhang Yaqing ignored her and pulled Chen Xiao to sit elsewhere.
"Zhang Mengde, how do you usually raise your daughter? Teach her to be like this? Iâm really disappointed."
Zhang Mengdeâs expression turned somewhat unpleasant, "Is raising a daughter solely my responsibility?"
"Isnât it your obligation? Iâm so busy in the Capital City, do I have time to teach her? If I had taught her from a young age, sheâd definitely be a well-mannered, polite young lady who knows her place!"
"At least her choice in men wouldnât be this poor!"
"I came back this time because I donât want her to follow my old path, choosing an incompetent man as a partner and spending the rest of her life in regret!"
Zhang Mengdeâs expression grew even more unpleasant.
"Enough!" Zhang Zongheng, unable to tolerate it any longer, slapped the table, "Shuya, itâs rare for you to come back, donât start a fight. Your Li family in the Capital City is grand, but my Zhang Family is humble, we canât measure up!"
"But donât forget, when the Li family had troubles in the Capital City, my Zhang Family, as relatives by marriage, went all out to help! Plus, if I remember correctly, my Zhang Familyâs assets arenât that much less than the Li familyâs now?"
"You keep saying Mengde is incompetent! And you? What have you achieved in those ten years in the Capital City?"
Li Shuyaâs expression shifted slightly, and she fell silent.
Although she looked down on Zhang Mengde, she still had respect for the old man. After all, when her own family faced difficulties, it was the old manâs assistance that helped them through it.
Moreover, the old man wasnât wrong.
Her ambition was one thing, but achieving anything was another.
At this time, Duan Baolin spoke up, "Old man, you canât say that, Aunt Liâs efforts in the Capital City over the years have been clear for anyone to see; now her company is estimated to be worth around five billion."
"For a woman to fight her way to this level, thatâs quite impressive!"
Li Shuyaâs face eased somewhat at Duan Baolinâs recognition.
Zhang Mengde wasnât happy either, since the initial funds to start Li Shuyaâs company came from the Zhang Family, yet now things were like this.
Then, Duan Baolin smiled faintly, gazing at Zhang Yaqing intently, "Yaqing, Iâve heard about you from Aunt Li for a long time, Iâve admired you greatly. Aunt Li said today is your birthday, the gift Iâve prepared isnât anything extravagant."
"This is the âQueenâs Heartâ necklace custom-made from abroad, crafted by Kani Sang, Italyâs top jeweler, a unique piece in the world. I hope you like it."
He solemnly took out a brocade box.
He had seen Zhang Yaqingâs photo before and was instantly captivated by her enchanting aura. Upon knowing from Li Shuya that Zhang Yaqing had never been in a relationship, he became even more excited, wishing desperately to win her over.
As for Chen Xiao, he didnât take him seriously.
He knew Zhang Yaqing and Li Shuya didnât get along well, and Chen Xiao was probably someone Zhang Yaqing brought in to spite Li Shuya.
Now, by showing off his prowess, he expected to win Zhang Yaqingâs heart without a hitch, plus he had one ultimate trick up his sleeve.
Zhang Yaqing glanced sideways at the brocade box but didnât reach out to take the gift.
Li Shuya frowned, "Zhang Yaqing, youâre becoming more and more unruly. Young Master Duan is kind enough to offer a gift, at least accept it! Do you know how much this âQueenâs Heartâ costs?"
"180 million!"
"Out of all the jewelry in the world, it ranks in the top ten!"
"Can Chen Xiao provide that? He probably canât even afford a rundown apartment in Yuncheng City!"
"While the Duan familyâs assets are about 50 billion, and they have deep collaborations with the Lu family! Do you know the Lu family? One of the Five Great Families in the Capital City!"
Zhang Yaqing scoffed, "I didnât expect you to remember my birthday, Mom; itâs quite surprising. Over these twenty years, I think you only remembered this once."
Li Shuyaâs face sank slightly, "Are you blaming me?"
"I wouldnât dare." Zhang Yaqing scoffed.
Li Shuya took a deep breath, "Everything I do is for your good. If you choose a suitable partner, youâll be a person of status for the rest of your life! Choosing someone useless and timid is like giving everything for nothing!"
"Youâre right." Zhang Yaqing nodded affirmatively, "Thatâs why I chose Chen Xiao, while those you pick for me are not worth mentioning compared to him."
"I brought him back to show you that your choice is wrong."
"Your vision is just so-so."
"It was before, and it still is now!"
Upon hearing this, Li Shuya and Duan Baolinâs expressions changed slightly.
After a brief silence, Li Shuya laughed angrily, "Youâre saying this guy is better than Young Master Duan?"
"Thatâs right." Zhang Yaqing nodded.
Duan Baolin adjusted his glasses, arrogantly smirked, and stared at Chen Xiao, "Brother, it seems youâve completely fooled Yaqing. Iâm curious, what makes you so outstanding?"
"Which school did you graduate from? How much family assets do you have? Whatâs your personal wealth?"
"My Duan family has assets worth 50 billion! Although I havenât achieved much in the Capital City, after three to five years of hard work, I personally have assets worth billions!"
"Not to mention anything else, could you even gift something worth 180 million?"
"Heâs already given me gifts worth billions today, hasnât he?" Zhang Yaqing said blandly.
Chen Xiao awkwardly coughed twice; this woman was turning things around in front of everyone. However, seeing that others hadnât caught onto Zhang Yaqingâs double entendre, he breathed a sigh of relief.
Duan Baolin sneered, "Yaqing, I know youâre telling a white lie to save his face, but seeing is believing, hearing is deceiving!"
He provocatively stared at Chen Xiao, "Brother, you wouldnât want Yaqing to lose face, right?"
"Show me some real skills?"
"Iâd like to see what you, this hillbilly, can compare with me!"