Chapter 921 — A Top-Tier Lion's Mouth
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 2
Gu Pengzhan had not expected Xiao Ji to be so utterly lacking in class, cursing the moment a single word displeased him. What sort of meeting was this between people of standing?
"Mr. Xiao, what is the meaning of this?" Gu Pengzhan choked down his anger. "Have you come here deliberately to make trouble?"
"So what if I have? I do not mind telling you — I am here to settle a score for my wife!" Xiao Ji gave a cold snort and kicked the office sofa with one foot. "Daring to bully the Xiao family? I would say you are tired of living! The Xiao family may be down on its luck, but we are still one of the great houses. And you, Gu Pengzhan — just what the hell do you think you are?"
Wei Zhizun, meanwhile, sat to one side looking for all the world like a spectator at a play. Gu Pengzhan had not asked him to act, and he was quite content to enjoy the show; the more wildly the other side kicked up a fuss, the more dire the situation became, the more brilliantly his own intervention would display his abilities.
"Xiao Ji, so you have come looking for a fight? What is it you want? Say it plainly." Gu Pengzhan did not believe that Xiao Ji and Xiao Ben had come all this way merely to curse and kick and smash things. There had to be some other purpose.
"Enough, elder brother, calm yourself and let me talk to Mr. Gu!" Xiao Ben was well pleased with his brother's earlier performance — give Gu Pengzhan a show of force first, and the terms would be easier to negotiate afterward. So he made a show of urging Xiao Ji to be calm, then went on: "I am sure Mr. Gu is a sensible man, and will certainly make compensation to our Xiao family. Is that not so, Mr. Gu?"
"Hmph!" Xiao Ji gave a cold snort at last, dropped onto the sofa to one side, and sat there stewing in silence.
"Just say what you have to say." How could Gu Pengzhan fail to guess the purpose behind the Xiao brothers' visit? It was nothing more than using some trifling pretext to squeeze benefits out of him.
"Straight to the point — I like that!" Xiao Ben looked at Gu Pengzhan and nodded. "Our Xiao family is a house of name and standing. Even if we have fallen on somewhat lean times, the Xiaos are not to be insulted at will! If you, Mr. Gu, do not pay some price for it, then before long anyone and everyone will think they may insult the Xiaos as they please."
"And what price do you want?" Gu Pengzhan asked, forcing down the anger in his heart. So much time had passed, and only now did the Xiaos come knocking — and the timing was all too neat. Li Fu and Wei Zhao had both been injured, and only then did they appear! Gu Pengzhan could not help suspecting that they had come only after getting word of it.
"We won't ask for much. The Xiao family has come to Songshan City to do business as well. I say, let it be like this: Mr. Gu, you give us the Pengzhan Commercial Building and the Pengzhan Business Hotel, and toss in a paltry two hundred million as seed capital, and we shall let the matter rest." Xiao Ben opened his mouth and demanded the moon outright; after all, in such dealings one asks sky-high and settles on the ground. Besides, he had no intention of settling on anything — seeing how Gu Pengzhan dared not voice his anger, his greed only swelled.
"You are demanding the moon!" Gu Pengzhan was startled by Xiao Ben's terms. Had the Xiao family asked for a few million, or for certain conveniences in doing business in Songshan City, Gu Pengzhan might well have agreed. But their present terms were utterly, absurdly excessive.