Capítulo 58: Chapter 60: Giving Face to Wu Zhiming
Nightfall.
In the VIP private room of the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Zhou Yanqiu, Yao Jianrong, and his brother's family were already seated.
"Why aren't they here yet?" Zhou Kaixuan asked.
"They're coming from work. It's rush hour now; they can't get here that early," Zhou Yanqiu replied.
"Do you think your son-in-law is too afraid to come?" Xu Meili asked with a sly smile.
"Nonsense! My son-in-law is not the same as before. He's now the owner of a big company. Why would he be afraid to come? Just wait a bit longer!" Zhou Yanqiu retorted, picking up her phone to call Yao Jing. After a brief conversation, she hung up and announced, "They're downstairs. They'll be up in a minute."
"Well, I'm curious to see how different your son-in-law has become," Xu Meili said with a smirk. Being from out of town, she was unaware of the recent events in Haixia City or the sensational deeds of Wu Zhiming. To her, it seemed likely that Zhou Yanqiu was exaggerating, and the car she bragged about was probably borrowed.
Xu Meili was ready to assess Wu Zhiming when he arrived. If he really had changed, she might refrain from humiliating him. But if he was still the same as before, she wouldn't hold back.
A few minutes later, the door to the private room opened.
Yao Jing walked in alone.
"Uncle, Aunt, Cousin!" Yao Jing greeted them one by one.
"Jingjing, where's Zhiming?" Zhou Yanqiu asked, noticing that Yao Jing was by herself.
"He couldn't come because of work," Yao Jing replied.
"What could be more important than having dinner with us? Call him right now and tell him to come!" Zhou Yanqiu demanded angrily. She had been eagerly anticipating this chance to flaunt her son-in-law's success, and his absence was unacceptable.
"He can't just leave work like that. Let's eat without him," Yao Jing suggested.
"If you won't call him, I will!" Zhou Yanqiu snapped, dialing Wu Zhiming's number on her phone.
However, it seemed Wu Zhiming had anticipated her call and had already blocked her number. Hearing the busy signal, Zhou Yanqiu's face turned dark with frustration.
"Oh, sister, why isn't your son-in-law coming? Does he really have such important business that he can't even attend his mother-in-law's dinner?" Xu Meili asked with a mocking tone.
"He's got business to attend to. You know how it is with big company owners; they're always busy!" Zhou Yanqiu forced a smile, her expression stiff.
"Really? I've heard you brag about your son-in-law being a big boss dozens of times. But we never see him. Could it be that he's just too embarrassed to show up?" Xu Meili laughed.
"Nonsense! He really is a big boss. If you don't believe me, go ask around!" Zhou Yanqiu snapped, her temper flaring.
"Alright, alright. What's the point of talking about who's a big boss? We're all family here. Even if Wu Zhiming isn't a big boss, he's still our junior. Let's eat," Zhou Kaixuan interjected, trying to smooth things over.
"I was just curious because sister keeps mentioning him. It's a pity we won't get to see him this time," Xu Meili said, feigning disappointment.
The dinner left Zhou Yanqiu feeling very unsatisfied. She had spent a lot on booking a five-star hotel and arranging this fancy dinner, hoping to impress Zhou Kaixuan's family. But with Wu Zhiming's absence, all her efforts seemed wasted. Without him to bolster her claims, she feared they might think she was just putting on airs.
Originally, she had planned to bring out the vintage Maotai she had taken from Wu Zhiming's inauguration ceremony. But with him not here, she decided against it. Her brother's family wouldn't appreciate it, and without Wu Zhiming's presence to validate the wine's authenticity, they might accuse her of serving fake liquor.
The dinner, which started at seven, ended before eight.
"That was quick," Xu Meili commented, glancing at her watch. "Sister, I heard the night market here in Haixia City is pretty good. Why don't you take us there in your Bentley?"
"The night market? It's just food stalls. We've just eaten. What's the point?" Zhou Yanqiu replied.
"Auntie, it's too early to go back to sleep. Let's go check out the night market!" Zhou Shaojun pleaded.
"Fine," Zhou Yanqiu agreed after a moment's hesitation. After all, the car was the only thing she could still flaunt. Taking them to the night market wasn't a bad idea.
"Mom, there are a lot of people at the night market. I'll drive them," Yao Jing offered.
"No need. You go find Wu Zhiming," Zhou Yanqiu dismissed her, ignoring Yao Jing as she walked out.
Yao Jing sighed, unsure of what to say.
At over eight o'clock in the evening, Zhou Yanqiu drove her brother's family to the Shiwusi Night Market in Haixia City.
This night market was quite famous, located by the seaside of Haixia City. Every night, it attracted a large crowd, with people strolling around and enjoying late-night snacks in a lively atmosphere.
With one hand on the steering wheel, Zhou Yanqiu drove slowly through the crowded streets, as cars and pedestrians were everywhere.
"No matter how good your car is, in a place like this, it's no better than a bicycle," Xu Meili remarked with a laugh.
Annoyed, Zhou Yanqiu glanced in the rearview mirror and then honked her horn a few times.
People coming to the night market usually expected slow-moving traffic, so hardly anyone used their horn. Zhou Yanqiu's sudden honking startled the nearby pedestrians and drivers.
Seeing that it was a luxury car, people quickly made way. Spotting a slightly less crowded area to the left, Zhou Yanqiu abruptly turned the steering wheel and pressed the gas pedal.
The powerful engine of the Bentley propelled the car forward in a flash. However, this sudden move caught Zhou Yanqiu off guard. The car veered sharply to the left, crossing the solid line on the road.
**Bang!**
A dull thud echoed as the Bentley crashed heavily into a Volkswagen driving in the opposite lane.
Both cars came to a stop. Zhou Yanqiu hurriedly got out of her car and squatted down by the left front light. The Bentley's left front light had collided with the right tire of the Volkswagen, causing a dent in the Volkswagen's body. The paint around the Bentley's front light was scraped off.
"Hey, do you even know how to drive?" Zhou Yanqiu angrily slapped the body of the Volkswagen, yelling.
The door of the Volkswagen's driver's seat opened, and a slender young man stepped out.
"You're the one who broke the rules. We were driving in our lane, and you crossed the solid line and hit us. You're entirely at fault!" the young man frowned.
"What do you mean I'm at fault? Are you out of your mind? Clearly, you hit my car! Trying to scam me because I have a luxury car?" Zhou Yanqiu shouted.
"Are you kidding? I'd only be scamming you if I had changed lanes. You illegally changed lanes and hit me. How can you accuse me of scamming?" the young man retorted angrily.
"Regardless, look at your car, just a Passat. Mine is a Bentley. How do you want to resolve this?" Zhou Yanqiu demanded.
"Resolve it? Let's call the police and let them handle it!" The young man said, picking up his phone.
"Don't call the police!" Zhou Kaixuan, who had gotten out of the car, quickly intervened. Unlike Zhou Yanqiu, who had become overconfident driving the Bentley and had forgotten basic traffic rules, Zhou Kaixuan knew that Zhou Yanqiu had crossed the solid line illegally, making them fully at fault.
Despite their usual squabbles, Zhou Kaixuan knew they had to stand together in front of outsiders.
Xu Meili also got out of the car, examining the scratched paint on the Bentley. Her expression shifted slightly as she walked over to Zhou Yanqiu.
"Sister, the paint on this Bentley isn't cheap. This scratch could cost tens of thousands to fix. If this car is rented, you might have to pay for it," Xu Meili commented.
"This car belongs to my daughter! Who would rent such a thing!" Zhou Yanqiu snapped angrily.
"I was just saying 'if'. Since it's not rented, it's fine," Xu Meili said, shaking her head with a smile.
"Hey man, how about we each take half the responsibility?" Zhou Kaixuan whispered to the driver of the Volkswagen.
"How can this be a fifty-fifty situation? You broke the law, I didn't. Why should I take half the blame? Let's call the police and let them decide!" The young man insisted, picking up his phone.
"What's there to decide? Your car is just a lousy Volkswagen. Fine, I'll pay for it. It's not like I'm scared of you," Zhou Yanqiu said dismissively.
"Stop calling my car lousy. My boss's car is the latest Volkswagen Phaeton, worth over four million yuan, almost as much as your Continental. I'm sick of these nouveau riche idiots showing off," the young man replied disdainfully.
"What?!" Zhou Yanqiu's face turned pale. "Your Volkswagen costs over four million yuan? How is that possible?"
"This is indeed a Phaeton. The latest model!" Zhou Kaixuan confirmed, looking at the car's badge at the rear.
"What's a Phaeton?" Zhou Yanqiu asked.
"It's a high-end model from Volkswagen... The latest one does cost around four million," Zhou Kaixuan said, his face grim.
Four million! That's the same price as their Bentley Continental!
Zhou Yanqiu's face went white.
Was she unaware of traffic laws? Of course not. But she was used to throwing tantrums and, emboldened by driving a luxury car, had tried to intimidate the other party to gain the upper hand. She hadn't expected the other person not only to stand firm but also to own a car as expensive as hers.
How much would it cost to fix the dent she made?
Wu Zhiming had just bought this car. Did he get insurance?
If not, they would have to pay out of pocket.
If Wu Zhiming had to pay, that would be fine. But given his personality, he wouldn't pay. If she had to pay...
Her face turned even paler.
The young man was dialing the police.
At that moment, the rear window of the Phaeton rolled down.
A middle-aged man in a suit appeared in the window.
"A Bentley Continental in this color, there's only one in all of Haixia City. It doesn't have a license plate. This car belongs to Wu Zhiming, right?" the man asked.
"Yes, yes, it does," Zhou Yanqiu replied nervously.
"Who are you to Wu Zhiming?" the man continued.
"I... I'm his mother-in-law!" Zhou Yanqiu stammered.
"Oh, so you're Wu Zhiming's mother-in-law... I'll give Wu Zhiming a bit of face. Let's drop this matter. Xiao Wang, drive away," the man said.
The young driver nodded, got back into the car, and drove off.
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