Chapter 107: Too small
Yang Chen could treat others with sincerity, but the prerequisite is that they respect him first.
TangTang noticed Yang Chen’s unpleasant change, and felt a burst of nervousness, she made an apologetic smile and said, “Uncle, don’t get angry, this person is my dad’s most trusted bodyguard, Dugu Zui. Uncle Ah Zui has always been like this, he isn’t deliberately treating you impolitely.”
“Then is he being like this intentionally?” Yang Chen sneered and said, “I was brought here by your incessant wailing. I don’t have the fetish of being ordered around. If I’m being treated with such attitude, I can’t help but suspect that your father wants to drag me into his study and beat me up.”
TangTang’s face paled, her experiences with this uncle had taught her that despite him having a usually warm demeanor, once he’s provoked he would give nobody face, so she persuaded him, “Uncle, don’t worry, my dad wouldn’t do such a thing, he really wants to thank you.”
“Calling an icy stick to drag me up like a criminal, your father has a peculiar style of expressing his thanks.” Like before, Yang Chen remained motionless, too lazy to move.
When Dugu Zui walked up to a bend on the staircase, and saw that Yang Chen still didn’t keep up, impatience showed up on his face. He sneered and said, “I asked you to come, what are you whispering on for?”
“I’m saying, tell your family’s Master to come down himself, I’ll wait for him here.” Yang Chen glanced at him, then turned away, walked towards a sofa nearby and sat down.
Everybody present revealed indignation in their hearts, obviously they were very discontented by Yang Chen’s attitude. Only TangTang was filled with anxiety, but she didn’t know what she should do. She wanted to exhort Yang Chen, but was afraid that Yang Chen would release his anger out on her, so she was stuck in a dilemma.
Dugu Zui’s mouth twitched, there was a hint of malice in his smile, as he gloomily walked down the stairs again.
TangTang couldn’t bear it anymore, she was afraid that Dugu Zui would use force against Yang Chen. She knew how strong Dugu Zui was, and was afraid he would hurt Yang Chen, so she immediately stood before Dugu Zui to block him, “Uncle Ah Zui, don’t get angry, Uncle he’s…… he’s a little stubborn, he isn’t doing this on purpose……”
Dugu Zui squinted his eyes, “Miss, Master is your father, this person spoke rudely of Master, are you siding with him instead of your father?”
TangTang showed an awkward and bitter smile, “This isn’t a big issue, Uncle is just throwing his stubborn temper.”
“To me, someone who dares insult Master should pay a painful price.” Said Dugu Zui in a way that didn’t allow any opposition. In a seemingly gentle manner he then stretched out his hand to move TangTang aside, but in actuality, he used enough strength to prevent her from fighting back.
Yang Chen had a more favorable impression of this brat in his heart while watching this scene. It seemed like she truly thought of him as a friend. As for the cold blockhead called Dugu Zui, he didn’t even take him seriously.
It wasn’t Yang Chen being petty, it was because there wasn’t any past enmity between TangTang’s father and him. He even helped them out, but being ordered around by these people made him truly unhappy. He came back to Huaxia to pass his days comfortably, not to get bullied.
“Just because you helped Miss out a little, you think that you’ve done something amazing? You think you’re a big deal?” Dugu Zui walked up to Yang Chen and mocked him.
This sort of expression and this sort of attitude again!
Yang Chen shut his eyes and waved his hand in a gesture asking Dugu Zui to leave, “I’m not interested in talking to a bodyguard, tell your Master to come down now, if he doesn’t come I’m going to leave.”
Dugu Zui’s face blackened, the violent aura that he had been trying to hide burst forth, “In Zhonghai, nobody dares to speak such words to me, try and say them once more……”
“Get lost, I’m not interested in talking with you.”
Without any hesitation, Yang Chen repeated himself while playing him down, and even looked at Dugu Zui with ridicule.
Veins had already surfaced up on Dugu Zui’s forehead, with cracking sounds his hands formed into fists, and it looked like all of the muscles on his arm had bulged outwards, “Unfortunately, I have to tell you that you’ll be leaving this place lying down.”
Just as Dugu Zui was about to use force, a thick and gentle voice came from the stairs, “Ah Zui, do not neglect your duty.”
The one who walked down the stairs was a middle aged man who wore a white shirt, suit pants, and gold-rimmed glasses. He had a gentle demeanor and upright appearance. He should have been at a high rank for years, because every step he took revealed an impressive bearing, with a calm temperament emitted from his bones.
TangTang stood by the man’s side and patted her chest in relief. She probably noticed that since she couldn’t hold Dugu Zui back, she should go up and bring her father down.
The man had all of the other bodyguards in the room retreat, then had TangTang go upstairs. Although TangTang wasn’t willing, she couldn’t disobey her father, so she glanced at Yang Chen with longing and obediently went up the stairs.
As for Dugu Zui, once the man stopped him, he complied and stood at a corner, taciturnly glaring at Yang Chen, like a viper that would spit its venom at any time.
“My apologies, if Ah Zui frightened Mr. Yang, he has a bad temper.” The man magnanimously smiled and said, “Please take a seat, Mr. Yang.”
Yang Chen pointed at the sofa, “I wasn’t frightened, I just found him rather annoying. Furthermore, I’ve already sat down, I don’t need your invitation.”
The man’s face stiffened up, he didn’t expect Yang Chen to remain unappreciative of his kindness. The words that he was about to say came to a halt. With a gentle face, he made a respectful smile and said, “Mr. Yang should recognize me, I’m TangTang’s father.”
Yang Chen couldn’t help but laugh and say, “What do you mean? Do I have to recognize you? I only came here because your daughter begged me for a long time. This is our first meeting, how could I possibly recognize you?”
“My surname is Fang, and my name is Zhongping, Fang Zhongping.” Fang Zhongping kindly hinted, he didn’t believe that Yang Chen truly didn’t recognize him.
Yang Chen was unable to make any sense of what he was saying, “Fang Zhongping? Are you a singer or an actor? Are you a celebrity? Have you acted or sung in something?”
*Cough cough…* Fang Zhongping pretended to cough twice. He believed that Yang Chen was feigning ignorance intentionally, but his years of working provided him with ample amount of experience, so he hinted again with a smile, “I work in the government.”
“Zhonghai City’s government?” Yang Chen probed.
Fang Zhongping snickered inside, as expected, Yang Chen recognized him, so he made a ‘do not panic’ face, “Mr. Yang has finally remembered it, that’s right, I’m part of the government in Zhonghai City, Fang Zhongping.”
Yang Chen nodded, and said, “I usually enjoy watching the news, but all I watch is news about the whole of Huaxia. The people that appear are all premiers or ministers. So that’s why I haven’t seen you on television, you’re part of Zhong Hai City’s government! You should’ve just that from the start, why beat around the bush and make a riddle out of it, I still thought you were some incredible senior official. I only watch news regarding the whole country and have never watched a thing about the city, so it isn’t abnormal that I haven’t seen you. You can only blame it on your post being too small.”
Post being too small!?
After hearing Yang Chen’s words, Fang Zhongping felt like he was about to puke blood, he awkwardly smiled and said, “Mr. Yang sure knows how to joke. Although I, Fang Zhongping, can’t be compared with those ministers of the state, but on this plot of land called Zhonghai, I have been the secretary of the municipal party committee for over two years. By fluke I managed to take up the highest post in the committee in my early forties. Nobody in the country is as lucky as me. Speaking of my luck, I feel rather ashamed by it. Mr. Yang has definitely seen me before, but maybe I didn’t leave an impression.”
Yang Chen understood that this older guy had a ‘you must recognize him, you’re not allowed to not recognize him’ attitude. Politicians did indeed have a brain different from the average person. Yang Chen was too lazy to bicker with him about this, so he courteously smiled, “So it’s the municipal committee’s secretary, I have been looking forward to meeting you for a long time, a long long time……”
Fang Zhongping’s complexion finally turned for the better, but he secretly had cold sweat. What do you mean looking forward to meeting me for a long time, you didn’t even recognize who I was a moment ago!
But Fang Zhongping was after all a person who had experienced hardships before, he smiled and said, “Today I invited Mr. Yang to my place because there was a lack of a better option, if I went to Mr. Yang’s place, it would be inconvenient for me if the media found out. So I’d like to ask for Mr. Yang’s forgiveness.”
“If you didn’t invite me here, I’d be even more at ease.” Yang Chen rolled his eyes.
Fang Zhongping had finally understood Yang Chen’s character, he simply didn’t take him, the municipal committee’s secretary seriously. For all these years, who hasn’t spoke flatteringly and fawningly towards him? Having someone who treated his post with contempt appear so suddenly, Fang Zhongping found this change to be fresh and was unaccustomed to it at the same time, “Mr. Yang jokes. TangTang is this Fang’s only daughter, if something happened to her, then this Fang really wouldn’t know how to react. Luckily Mr. Yang saved TangTang, I truly actually should express my gratitude to you in words.”
Yang Chen found these words incredibly contradictory, he creased his brows and said, “What do you mean by… truly actually should? Shouldn’t you just express your thanks? The one I saved is your daughter, not my daughter.”
Fang Zhongping was just making a decorous speech, if someone else heard what he just said, they would definitely react with ‘Secretary Fang is too polite’, or ‘Secretary Fang should not stand on ceremony with who and who’, or something similar, but in front of him was Yang Chen, Yang Chen wasn’t the type of person who was educated in this sort of ceremonial polite speech, and he wasn’t going to react the way one usually would!
Dugu Zui who stood at a corner took a large stride forward to Yang Chen, pointed at him and spoke with a deep voice, “Don’t be despicable!
“Ah Zui! Get back there!” Fang Zhongping sternly voiced out.
Dugu Zui coldly snorted, but still complied with the order and withdrew to the corner.
Yang Chen indifferently glanced at Fang Zhongping. If this man shouted one second later, Yang Chen would have no doubts that his palm would have smacked onto that Dugu Zui’s face.
Fang Zhongping’s smile had already vanished, he lowered his head to ponder over some things, then said, “Mr. Yang, you’re really not giving me any face, but since you’ve saved my daughter, I won’t bicker with you, I just hope you won’t go overboard.”
“*Tch tch*, from your tone, you make it sound like I owe your family something.” Yang Chen smiled, “Shouldn’t you be thanking me? Why has saving that brat become something I ought to do?”
“Youngster, sometimes you shouldn’t be too arrogant, you shouldn’t play with fire.” Fang Zhongping’s expression finally started to turn ugly. He couldn’t do something like express gratitude to Yang Chen. He was the secretary of the municipal committee, while Yang Chen was just someone who worked for public relations in a company, they were simply on different levels.”
Yang Chen didn’t really care as he shrugged, “I’m just speaking the truth, you can be the municipal committee secretary, or a road sweeper, there isn’t much of a difference to me. I’m here today because I heard you wanted to express your gratitude and meet me. I only came because I couldn’t reject your daughter. I’m not here to face your poker face. If there’s something you want to say just spit it out, I still want to return home for lunch.
A glint appeared in Fang Zhongping’s eyes, “Since it’s like this, then I won’t beat around the bush. Mr. Yang, I have my doubts towards your identity.”