"I also think it looks nice, alright let’s go, today is hard-earned, we can’t waste it, let’s go." Ariel slung over her small backpack she had prepared, and just as she held Xu Ke’s hand and walked out the door, they saw a car parked in front of their house, blocking their way.
The car window rolled down, revealing a face somewhat unfamiliar to Xu Ke.
"We meet again," the man said.
"Who are you?" A look of appropriate confusion appeared on Xu Ke’s face, and it was precisely this bit of confusion that wiped off the expressions on the man’s face.
The man felt as if he had come here today to self-sell, and his dignity was gone in an instant, but soon he adjusted his expression.
"You don’t have to pretend to know nothing, do you think that will make me believe you? Heart pounding upon hearing the Wen Family going bankrupt, panicking seeing me, regretting how you treated me that day, huh?"
The man got out of the car under the escort of the bodyguard.
"I told you long ago, leave room when doing things so we can meet later. I also told you not to act recklessly backed by the Wen Family, everyone ends up alone eventually. You didn’t listen to me back then. But look at it now, wasn’t I right? Now you’re all alone, your biggest support is gone, and you’re just a loner." The man’s gaze paused for a moment on Ariel, then he laughed wildly.
"So, what did you come here today to do? Kick me when I’m down?" Xu Ke raised an eyebrow, asking calmly.
"Don’t make it sound so ugly, I’m just here to take back what’s mine." The man looked at Xu Ke and said.
Ariel frowned and said, "We didn’t take anything from you, what are you trying to prove by coming here? Have some dignity, won’t you?"
"That’s not how it works, you are what I want. I have a few matters to deal with today, and picking you up is the first task." The man slightly turned his body, letting Ariel get a clear look at his Bentley. "Sticking with this pauper won’t lead you anywhere. With your natural beauty, you deserve better, not struggling with this poor kid here." The man spoke with a bit of anger, as if standing up for Ariel.
Ariel raised an eyebrow, tilted her head, and her eyes carried confusion, "Where did you get the idea I’m suffering? I’m living happily with my baby, so keep your condescension to yourself, okay? This sort of self-righteousness is really annoying."
The man squinted his eyes, "Are you sure?"
"Fine, since you’re bent on clinging to this pauper, I won’t stop you, just hope you won’t regret your choice later on." The man sneered coldly.
"I’ve never known how to write the word regret." Ariel chuckled, speaking calmly.
"Fine, then I’ll wait for the day you can’t take it anymore, begging on your knees for me to take you in." After speaking to Ariel, the man turned his gaze to Xu Ke, "Now, it’s our turn."
"Although I don’t know what you want, could you please be quick, I have a date with my girlfriend, and I don’t want to waste time on unimportant people." Xu Ke glanced at his watch and said.
"I know you have a small company in Yunzhou, but you probably don’t know that your company’s Chairman Sun couldn’t stand your foolishness and arrogance anymore. She sold her shares, left the company, and took a big chunk of your team, planning to start afresh. Your company is now just an empty shell, and unless you find employees quickly, it will declare bankruptcy soon, and you’ll truly become a pauper, did you know that?" A look of schadenfreude appeared on the man’s face.
He refused to believe Xu Ke could hear this news and not make a fool of himself, and once he did, it would relieve some of the anger he was harboring.
"Oh, is that so? Is there anything else?" Xu Ke’s attitude was too nonchalant, as if the man hadn’t just declared his impending bankruptcy, but merely asked if he’d had lunch.
Xu Ke’s demeanor made the man feel as if he’d hit a pillow with his fist, with no sense of accomplishment whatsoever.
"Did you hear me clearly? I said you’re about to bankrupt." The man repeated the news to Xu Ke with a frown.
He thought Xu Ke might not have reacted earlier because he didn’t catch what was just said, but repeating it should have made it clear, right?
But he still didn’t get what he wanted. Xu Ke glanced down at his watch again, his expression somewhat perfunctory, "I said I know, is there anything else?"
Xu Ke’s response caused the man’s expression to petrify for a moment, but soon he relaxed again, convinced Xu Ke understood what he said. The lack of reaction was simply not wanting to look too desperate and ruin his image in front of his girlfriend.
"That’s definitely why," the man murmured softly.
"What are you saying? Louder, I can’t hear you." Xu Ke furrowed his brow, wondering what was wrong with this guy, always muttering to himself, forcing you to lean in to catch his nonsense.
"I know you’re hurting inside, just don’t want to show it and lose face. But that doesn’t matter because we have one more thing to settle. Do you remember when you forced me to apologize that day? Do you know how embarrassing that was for me? But that’s fine because I will repay you a hundred times over." The man spoke with a triumphant look.
"Can you stop dawdling, get to the point and finish what you have to do, I’m in a hurry for a date, don’t waste my time here." Xu Ke began to get impatient, if he couldn’t leave with Ariel soon, they wouldn’t be able to start their first activity of the day.
Since going would disrupt the entire schedule, and if they didn’t go, their well-planned itinerary would be in vain and the date might end early. This thought was unacceptable to Xu Ke, who hoped for the perfect date, and naturally couldn’t tolerate it being deliberately ruined by some inexplicable person.