Chapter 372 — Swallowing a Silent Loss
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 2
Li Yixun assumed Wei Zhao was merely passing through on his way into the banquet hall, and thought nothing more of it. But his words left everyone present dumbstruck — including Squad Leader Zhong Dingwei!
He finally understood why Old Sui had been spouting such barefaced nonsense, standing so resolutely on Wei Zhao's side! So Old Sui had known all along that Wei Zhao was the one Li Yixun truly regarded as an honored guest!
From Li Yixun's tone alone, his attitude toward Wei Zhao was plain to see! Looking at the beaming, blossoming smile all over Old Sui's face, Zhong Dingwei itched to walk up and punch him — he had been set up by Old Sui! He had stuck his neck out as the nail that gets hammered, and it was utterly not worth it!
He had curried favor with Zhu Xiaozhang, true enough — but in doing so he had offended Li Yixun!
"Little Zhong, what's going on here? Who assaulted an honored guest?" Only after exchanging pleasantries with Wei Zhao did Li Yixun turn to question Zhong Dingwei.
"Heh, Brother Li, it's like this. This fellow calling himself Zhu Xiaozhang says I hit him — but I didn't hit him, and everyone saw it clearly. Yet this Squad Leader Zhong of ours insists that I did." Wei Zhao spoke up mildly.
"Oh?" Li Yixun was taken aback. He had not expected the matter to involve Wei Zhao as well.
"I can testify to that. Mr. Lin did not strike Zhu Xiaozhang — everyone here saw it too. Brother Li, you can ask anyone in the crowd!" Old Sui said with complete confidence.
Wei Zhao's first slap had indeed landed, but at that time there had been no one near the banquet hall entrance, and Zhong Dingwei had not yet arrived. As long as Wei Zhao refused to admit it, no one would be able to testify against him!
But the second slap was different. Not only had Zhong Dingwei been present, but a large crowd of onlookers had been gathered nearby, and no matter whom one asked, they would all testify that Wei Zhao had not struck Zhu Xiaozhang!
"Little Zhong, just what is going on here?" Brother Li's face darkened. Though he sensed something was off, Old Sui's words were most likely trustworthy, and seeing that none of the bystanders contradicted them, he grew all the more convinced that this Zhong Dingwei was lying!
"Th-this... this... then perhaps I saw it wrong..." How could Zhong Dingwei fail to read the situation now? To dare keep siding with Zhu Xiaozhang at this moment would be to offend Li Yixun himself!
"Zhong Dingwei, I gave you two thousand yuan, and now you say you saw it wrong?" Zhu Xiaozhang exploded on the spot. He had been struck, yet no one believed he had been struck; his face was swollen like a steamed bun, and still no one believed him! Was there any suffering in this world more bitter than that? Was there? Was there?
"Oh..." A wave of jeering laughter rippled through the crowd. It would have been better had Zhu Xiaozhang not blurted out that inside story; though no one had clearly seen how Wei Zhao struck him, Zhu Xiaozhang's face was indeed swollen, and some had still suspected Wei Zhao of foul play.
But now, with that outburst, everyone without exception concluded that Zhu Xiaozhang had bribed Zhong Dingwei and then beaten himself, the two of them conspiring to frame Wei Zhao!
Li Yixun's gloomy gaze settled on Zhong Dingwei's face. "Get back to the security office. Write me a self-criticism first — if it isn't satisfactory, then get lost!"
How would Zhong Dingwei dare utter a word of protest? He slunk off with his tail between his legs, leaving only Zhu Xiaozhang, seething with fury!
Kang Jingming had never expected Wei Zhao to have backing, to know Li Yixun of the resort — that truly caught him off guard! In Donghai's high society, there was no one who did not know Li Yixun. Though he was Boss Tian's spokesman, his words carried considerable weight.