Chapter 512 — Joy Breeds Sorrow

Now, Wu Chengtian's appearance had rekindled Kang Jinglong's thoughts: if he applied to become a great clan after the auction and the Wu family lent a hand, might it succeed?

Of course, this was merely Kang Jinglong's private calculation — he would not reveal it to Wu Chengtian just yet. He would first consult his grandfather before making any decision; for now, it was enough simply to cultivate a bond with Wu Chengtian.

"What's there to thank me for? You're my little brother — naturally I've got your back!" Wu Chengtong said brashly.

"Heh, then I'll be looking to you for leadership from now on — just don't get tired of me!" Kang Jinglong said with a laugh.

"Say no more!" Wu Chengtong felt that Kang Jinglong was a real stand-up guy — far shrewder than those two youngsters from the Xiao family!

The two parted ways downstairs at the hotel. Kang Jinglong wanted to go back and consult his grandfather about the Kang family's application for great clan status, while Wu Chengtong was in a hurry to check on how his own grandfather was faring.

So both men had business to attend to, and they simply arranged to keep in touch by phone.

Wei Zhao and Feng Xiaoxiao left the restaurant. Once the Xiao brothers had gone, Feng Xiaoxiao could no longer hold back and burst out laughing.

"Hahahahaha! I'm dying — I'm literally dying of laughter! That Wu Chengtong is such an idiot, still putting on that act there — absolutely hilarious! Hahaha!" Feng Xiaoxiao clutched her belly and squatted on the ground, laughing so hard she could barely catch her breath. "I made a killing this time — those vases and candlesticks on the table must be worth several million at least! Once I sell them, I'll buy myself an Audi — hahaha, I'm overjoyed, absolutely overjoyed!"

Wei Zhao watched Feng Xiaoxiao gasping for breath between her guffaws and couldn't help but find it a little amusing himself. After this whole dinner, Wu Chengtong had probably been thoroughly fleeced without even knowing it — and Feng Xiaoxiao was no less of a schemer!

"Hmph, hmph — dare to cross me, Feng Xiaoxiao? This was just a light lesson. Next time, I'll bankrupt you!" Feng Xiaoxiao kept muttering to herself.

Wei Zhao shook his head. As he'd expected, Feng Xiaoxiao held grudges. No wonder she was always looking for ways to get back at him — she simply hadn't managed to gain any advantage in his case, that was all. Still, Wei Zhao did find himself beginning to understand her somewhat... Growing up in a family like hers, without a mother since childhood, and with a father too busy with work to have any time for her life — all of that had shaped her rebellious temperament.

While some of it was Feng Xiaoxiao's own doing, the primary cause was undoubtedly her family environment.

"Finished laughing yet? Is your father back?" When Feng Xiaoxiao showed no sign of stopping after a while, Wei Zhao could finally hold back no longer and asked.

"Hahaha... you really are something — something this funny happens and you keep a straight face!" Feng Xiaoxiao went right on laughing, barely able to put the brakes on.

"There's nothing funny about it. The world is full of fools, and he's not the only one. If you laughed at every one of them, you'd have died of laughter long ago," Wei Zhao said coolly.

"Huh?" Feng Xiaoxiao blinked, then shook her head. Sometimes she wondered whether Wei Zhao was really her age — no matter how she looked at him, he didn't seem like someone her own generation. At times, he was unnervingly composed.

She couldn't help but curl her lip: "You're such a bore — something this fun and you won't even laugh along."

"I see they really left the 'feng' out of your name — so why don't you just laugh yourself to death?" Wei Zhao shrugged.

"Huh?" Feng Xiaoxiao was taken aback, then immediately realized: her surname was Feng. Is Wei Zhao praising me or mocking me?

"Heh... all right, I've laughed. Your father?" What Wei Zhao cared about was Feng Tianlong. In his view, an idiot like Wu Chengtong getting fleeced was his own doing, and there was nothing funny about it.

"That hardly counts!" Feng Xiaoxiao said, slightly displeased, and snorted. "My dad won't be back until evening. Come on, let's go back to the room and wait for him."

"Back to your room?" Wei Zhao frowned.

"Yes — where else?" Feng Xiaoxiao had merely wanted to spend more time with Wei Zhao, hoping to create some opportunity for him to fall for her; she hadn't thought much beyond that. But Wei Zhao's pointed question made her a little uncomfortable too. Sharing a room alone — a lone man and a lone woman — was something Feng Xiaoxiao had never experienced before.

What if... what if Wei Zhao suddenly lost control? He looked rather formidable, and she certainly wouldn't be his match.

But then he thought: so what if the beast in me breaks loose? At worst I end up doing that to myself. I am not long for this world anyway, and it so happens I still do not know what that feels like... Though would that not leave me at a terrible disadvantage?

On second thought, that probably would not happen either. Judging by how little interest Wei Zhao showed in her, he likely would not push her down at all. At this thought, Feng Xiaoxiao actually felt somewhat disappointed. Was her charm really so slight?

"Then let us go," Wei Zhao said. Seeing nothing unusual in Feng Xiaoxiao's expression, he nodded and agreed.

Truth be told, if Feng Tianlong had not come looking for him, he would never have gone to Feng Xiaoxiao's room in the middle of the night.

"Hahahaha, let us go..." Feng Xiaoxiao picked up the few lunchboxes in her hands, and then, recalling Wu Chengtian's foolish look, started laughing again.

Wei Zhao was somewhat at a loss for words. This Feng Xiaoxiao seemed born to clown around; the smallest thing could set her laughing and laughing.

Feng Xiaoxiao laughed as she walked, and she was still laughing without pause when they entered the hotel. Anyone who did not know better would have thought she had found money on the ground.

In fact, that vase really could be sold for money. The very thought made Feng Xiaoxiao happy; she had picked up several million yuan out of thin air! She was not one who could not tell good goods from bad, and she could roughly estimate the value of that diamond.

"Hahaha..." The moment she thought of it, Feng Xiaoxiao started laughing again. But there is a saying that extreme joy begets sorrow, and so it was with Feng Xiaoxiao: extreme joy begot sorrow. The marble staircase of the hotel had just been mopped, and the water marks on it made it quite slippery. Laughing so hard she was swaying every which way, Feng Xiaoxiao carelessly slipped and took a great tumble!

"Aaah!" With a miserable shriek, Feng Xiaoxiao slid all the way down the stairs with a clatter, landing hard on her rear, and to top it off she was soaked all over, utterly wretched.

"Heh." This time Wei Zhao finally found it funny. Looking at Feng Xiaoxiao, he did not know what to say.

Wei Zhao could easily have caught Feng Xiaoxiao, but he did not reach out. The staircase was not high; sliding down it would at most leave her with a sore backside and dirty clothes, and she would come to no real harm. A lesson would do her good, and save her from giggling like a lunatic over nothing at all.

"Wei Zhao! Come pull me up, quick!" Feng Xiaoxiao had nearly been frightened into tears by the fall, but she clenched her teeth and held them back. Ever since she had learned of her condition, Feng Xiaoxiao had secretly sworn that she would never cry, and so for all these years she had endured.