Chapter 31: Are you in dire need of money?

Chen Ronghai’s attitude completely stunned Boss Wang.

Seeing that Chen was clearly not joking, Boss Wang panicked and shouted indignantly, "What are you doing! I’m telling you, don’t try anything funny. First of all, I did not harass your employee! That is slander, do you understand?"

"Slander?" Chen Ronghai scoffed. "You grabbed the young lady’s backside! If that’s not harassment, what the hell is?"

"Just because she says I touched her doesn't mean I did! Hmph! You don't believe a big boss like me with a net worth of tens of millions, but you believe this… this woman?" Boss Wang retorted, clearly unconvinced.

Chen Ronghai shook his head. "Boss Wang, at a time like this, what else are you trying to argue? Do you think the security cameras here are just for decoration? Don't you know what you’ve done?" He added coldly, "Just tell me, how do you think we should handle this? Have some shame!"

Chen Ronghai was in a foul mood. He didn't know exactly who Xu Yi was, only that the second-in-command of the Donghai Gang, Mr. Zhang, had personally called his boss at the Blue Sky Group to arrange for the transfer of a penthouse—originally a gift for Mr. Zhang—to this man. It was obvious that Xu Yi was far more important than this reckless Boss Wang. He had hoped to curry favor with his distinguished guest, only to get dragged into this mess while parking a car. If he failed to handle this properly and left a bad impression on the guest, his boss would never let him off the hook.

*Damn it! It’s all this pervert's fault. What the hell is he thinking?* Chen cursed internally.

When Boss Wang heard the mention of surveillance footage and the whispers and questioning looks from the crowd, his resolve crumbled. He lowered his voice and pleaded, "Manager Chen, do me a favor! There are so many people here. Can’t we go somewhere private to settle this?"

"This…?" Chen Ronghai hesitated and looked at Xu Yi.

Xu Yi said indifferently, "Why find a private place? Let’s settle it right here."

Receiving his cue, Chen Ronghai turned to Boss Wang and said coldly, "Boss Wang, you heard him. Speak your piece; we’re settling this here."

Boss Wang’s expression darkened, shifting uncertainly as he weighed his options. Chen noticed that Xu Yi was starting to lose patience.

"Hmph!" Chen Ronghai snorted. "Boss Wang, we don’t have time to waste with you. If you don't speak now, well, there are others who will be happy to 'speak' with you later."

Hearing this, Boss Wang’s face changed colors several times. Finally, looking as if he had swallowed a fly, he said with extreme reluctance, "Fine! Let’s just say I was wrong. I accidentally touched her body earlier, and I shouldn't have accused her of extortion. It was my fault."

Xu Yi’s expression hardened. "Is that the attitude you're taking for an apology? 'Accidentally touched'? You’re still twisting the facts!"

"Everyone saw what kind of face you were showing just now. You slandered an innocent woman, and now you think you can brush it off with a casual 'misunderstanding'?"

"Since you don't know how to handle this, let me tell you!"

"First, apologize sincerely to her in front of everyone."

"Second, you violated her reputation, so you need to pay for it. Not much, just 200,000."

"Third, slap yourself in the face twenty times. Make sure everyone can hear it."

Boss Wang’s face turned black. This was essentially the same demand he had mocked earlier. He felt humiliated. "Damn it! This is too much. Do you really think I’m easy to bully? What if I refuse? If you have the guts, call the police! Let’s see who’s afraid of whom!" he roared.

Xu Yi didn't reply, but his gaze turned icy.

Terrified, Chen Ronghai quickly stepped forward and whispered in Boss Wang’s ear, "Don't be a fool! He is someone you cannot afford to provoke. He’s one of Mr. Zhang’s people from the Donghai Gang."

"What?" Upon hearing the name of Mr. Zhang, Boss Wang turned pale, his legs trembling uncontrollably.

Boss Wang immediately began slapping his own face, crying out, "I was wrong! I’m a disgusting pervert! I was blinded by lust, I touched the lady’s backside, and I refused to admit it afterward! I was wrong! I’m not a human being!"

*Smack! Smack! Smack!*

Fearing Xu Yi wouldn't be satisfied, he struck his face with all his might, the sound echoing loudly. By the end, his face was swollen and unrecognizable. Finally, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, he transferred the 200,000 to Zeng Lili before slinking away in shame.

Xu Yi realized something. He had heard Chen mention "Crazy Zhang" to Boss Wang. The mere mention of the name had terrified the man to such an extent. It was clear that Crazy Zhang’s influence in Donghai City was even greater than he had imagined. Xu Yi silently decided to be even more cautious regarding him.

As the spectacle ended, the crowd dispersed. Xu Yi turned to Zeng Lili and asked, "Are you okay?"

Zeng Lili wiped a tear from her eye and gave an excited laugh. "I'm fine! What could happen to me? I got 200,000 for nothing, all thanks to you! By the way, give me your account details later, I’ll split 100,000 with you."

Though she had been angry and hurt, the moment Xu Yi appeared, all her negative emotions had vanished. In their place was a complex mix of sweetness, joy, and a hint of shyness.

"Anyway, why are you here?" she asked, changing the subject.

Xu Yi shrugged. "What else would I be here for? To buy a house."

"What? Didn't you just buy a car? You're buying a house now? Did you win the lottery again?" Zeng Lili’s eyes widened, her pretty face a mix of surprise and curiosity that looked quite adorable. She remembered him mentioning winning 2 million at the car dealership.

Xu Yi smiled and shook his head without giving a direct answer. Instead, he asked, "Aren't you working at the 4S shop? Why are you here?"

"I'm working a part-time job. It pays 2,000 a day," she replied.

Xu Yi hesitated before asking a question that had been on his mind: "Are you really that short of money?"

From his perspective, Zeng Lili had made tens of thousands from him at the car dealership, and she didn't seem like someone obsessed with luxury. He remembered hearing her thoughts once about wanting to buy back her grandfather’s house.

Zeng Lili’s expression dimmed. She avoided his gaze, not answering directly. Then, she quickly put on a smile. "Yeah! I really need the money. If you’re here to buy a house, why don't you let me be your agent? That way I can earn a commission. How about it?"

Xu Yi turned to Chen Ronghai, who was waiting nearby. "Manager Chen, excuse me, but could you transfer this sale to my friend? If this causes any loss on your end, I’m willing to compensate."

Chen Ronghai quickly replied, "No, not at all! Mr. Xu, Mr. Zhang has already given instructions. All processing fees and commissions for this deal are covered by his side; there is no loss for me." He paused, then added, "As for Miss Lili, even though she is part-time, since she is your friend, I will make an exception. According to company policy, I’ll give her a 0.5% commission as a reward."

Xu Yi asked, "How much is this property worth?"

Chen Ronghai replied, "This is the second-highest floor of our top 'King of Buildings' at Blue Sky Waterfront. It’s 150 square meters at 50,000 per square meter, totaling 7.5 million. The commission will be around 37,000."

"That works," Xu Yi said with satisfaction. "Let’s go take a look at the property now."

Zeng Lili’s mouth hung open in shock. She had only suggested it on a whim, but she had just earned 37,000?

Nearby, Yang Tingting looked ready to cry, screaming internally, "That big spender was my client first! That 37,000 should have been mine! Damn that part-timer!"