Last night, Xu Bingqing had been thoroughly infuriated by Shen Fanyun. Just as I was plotting how to get my revenge, he delivers himself right to my doorstep?
"What’s going on?" Xu Bingqing asked Chen Yun, swirling the wine in her glass.
"Sister Xu," Chen Yun greeted her with a deferential air. It was clear they knew each other, and on good terms, it seemed.
Chen Yun continued, "These two snuck into the inner hall through unofficial channels. Not only did they refuse to follow my instructions, but they were also about to wander around and disturb the other VIPs. I was just teaching them a lesson!"
Teaching them a lesson? Xu Bingqing raised an eyebrow. She quite liked the sound of that.
"Shen Fanyun, is this a place for the likes of you?" Xu Bingqing sneered.
Hearing the woman call Shen Fanyun by his full name, Su Xiyang realized they not only knew each other but also had bad blood between them. The look Xu Bingqing gave Shen Fanyun was even more hostile than Chen Yun’s.
"Whether I can be here or not doesn’t seem to be any of your business, does it?" Shen Fanyun retorted.
Eager to impress Xu Bingqing, Chen Yun seized on Shen Fanyun’s disrespect and immediately scolded him. "Show some respect when you’re speaking to Sister Xu."
"And don’t forget your place. You’d best keep a low profile. If you cause a scene, you’ll be the only one who ends up embarrassed!"
Chen Yun fumed. Usually, people who sneak in do exactly as they’re told, each one more obedient than the last. Why did I have to run into a reckless idiot today? Is he afraid he won’t be able to stir up some trouble?
"You know, a person ought to have some decency. And self-awareness, of course," Xu Bingqing began in a pompous, lecturing tone. "Don’t force your way into circles where you don’t belong. Take a look at yourself. Do you really think you fit in with the high-society members here, including myself?"
"What business does a nobody with no status have here? Don’t tell me you’re just here to satisfy that pathetic vanity of yours?"
She looked down on Shen Fanyun as if he were a mere ant, her eyes brimming with contempt and mockery. Naturally, now that she had this golden opportunity, Xu Bingqing wasn’t about to let it go to waste.
"Chen Yun," Xu Bingqing ordered with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Get them out of here."
"People like them just lower the tone of this event. They’re an eyesore. Get rid of them, quickly!"
"Of course!" Chen Yun had been itching to kick Shen Fanyun and Su Xiyang out, and with Xu Bingqing giving the order, she felt completely justified. Without a second thought, she grabbed her walkie-talkie to call security.
"On what grounds are you throwing us out? You’re just a guest, same as us."
"The host hasn’t said a thing, yet you, a guest, want to kick us out?" Su Xiyang couldn’t take it anymore and stepped forward to confront Xu Bingqing.
Xu Bingqing shot Su Xiyang a glance. "Well now, someone’s got a backbone. You dare talk back to me? Do you have any idea who I am?"
"I don’t care who you are!" Su Xiyang retorted. "You have no right to kick us out!"
"So it’s true. Any woman associated with you, Shen Fanyun, is just as trashy. Such a waste of a pretty face. Don’t tell me... is this your fiancée?"
Fiancée? What in the world is she talking about? Su Xiyang thought, stunned.
"What nonsense did you tell her?" she demanded of Shen Fanyun.
Shen Fanyun merely pursed his lips, neither confirming nor denying anything.
"Let me give you two a piece of advice," Chen Yun sneered, holding her walkie-talkie. "You’d better scram before security gets here, unless you want me to get physical and make a scene for everyone to see!"
"Chen Yun, what are you doing?" Just then, Xu Yang, finally free after a flurry of activity, walked over.
He had assumed Chen Yun was taking perfect care of Shen Fanyun and Su Xiyang, but as he drew closer, he realized something was terribly wrong.
"Manager Xu," Chen Yun hurriedly explained, "these two who snuck in are completely shameless! They just started eating and drinking, and then they got upset when I called them out on it. They were incredibly rude to me. Fortunately, Sister Xu stepped in and suggested we kick them out. I’ve already called security; they’ll be tossed out any second.
"Manager Xu, it’s a good thing I acted fast. If these two gatecrashers had caused some real trouble, we’d all have been in for it!"
They snuck in? And she called security to throw them out? These are important guests the higher-ups specifically requested special treatment for! The whole reason I stepped away was to clear my schedule so I could return and personally attend to Mr. Shen. Has Chen Yun lost her mind, trying to kick them out? And so what if they were a little rude to her? She’s just a junior employee. Is she some great personage whose honor is priceless? Putting on such airs! Besides, I don’t think Mr. Shen is the type to be arrogant or start trouble. Chen Yun most likely caused this mess herself!
The more Xu Yang listened, the more his heart pounded with dread.
"You—you’ll be the death of me! Do you have any idea what you’re doing?" Overcome with fury, Xu Yang slapped Chen Yun hard across the face.
The slap stunned Chen Yun. Nearby, Xu Bingqing, who had been waiting for Shen Fanyun to be humiliated, stiffened, her fingers clenching instinctively.
"Do you know who Mr. Shen is?"
"I asked you to take good care of them, and in just a few minutes, you cause this much trouble?" Cold sweat trickled down Xu Yang’s back. If he didn’t handle this right, or if Mr. Shen was displeased, he’d be packing his bags as well.
"But they started it! How is this my fault?" Chen Yun protested, clutching her stinging cheek.
Su Xiyang felt she had to set the record straight. "We came in, and you immediately told us not to walk around or eat anything. So, who exactly was provoking whom? How did we offend you? And another thing, you kept insisting we snuck in. That’s bizarre."
Covering her face, Chen Yun was struck speechless. She realized she had completely misunderstood Xu Yang. Shen Fanyun and Su Xiyang weren’t gatecrashers; they were VIPs so important that even Xu Yang was wary of them.
Manager Xu gave me a chance to prove myself by having me look after them. Who knew... I’d screw it up so badly.
Xu Bingqing also sensed that something wasn’t right. As much as it annoyed her to be in the same room as Shen Fanyun, it was clear he was here legitimately with an invitation. She had no grounds to have him thrown out.
"Lucky you," Xu Bingqing muttered. She decided to go find her friends for a drink and pretend she’d never been involved in this little scene.
"Hold on."
"And who are you?" Xu Yang’s sharp gaze landed on Xu Bingqing. He wiped his hands as he questioned her sternly. "Why were you encouraging my staff to throw guests out? Who gave you the nerve? Do you think you own the place?"
"Hmph." Xu Bingqing was displeased. Shen Fanyun is a guest, but so am I! How dare this mere manager use such a tone with me?