Chapter 158: The Smug Lin Yuxin

"They have to foot this bill, understand?"

"Understood, understood."

Manager Meng nodded repeatedly, already breaking out in a cold sweat. He remembered clearly what He Dong had said over the phone just moments ago.

If he dared to offend Xia Yu even slightly, he could spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair.

He knew exactly who He Dong was.

"Go invite them in."

Xia Yu waved his hand and sat back down on the sofa, while Manager Meng quickly scurried outside.

"Rest assured, it's all handled," Su Ziyu said, looking at him thoughtfully.

Meanwhile, Cai Xiaojing and her group had been waiting outside the entire time. Seeing Manager Meng emerge, they hurriedly asked:

"Well? Were they crying and begging for mercy?"

"Haha, come on, let's go in and watch them humiliate themselves and grovel."

The group walked in excitedly, but Manager Meng suddenly delivered a sharp slap across Cai Xiaojing's face.

In an instant, everyone froze in utter shock.

"You bitch, are you trying to get me killed?!" Manager Meng pointed straight at her nose and cursed.

"Manager Meng, have you lost your mind? Why did you hit Xiaojing?" the others demanded anxiously.

"I think *you're* the ones who have lost your minds, daring to offend someone like Young Master Yu!" Manager Meng's face was ashen. "Do you even have any idea who he is?"

"Who...?"

"No matter who he is, he is definitely someone neither you nor I can afford to cross! Do you know our boss, He Dong?"

"He just called our boss. The moment He Dong heard his name, his voice completely changed, and he warned me that if I showed the slightest disrespect, he'd cripple me on the spot."

Hearing this, the group's faces drained of color.

Of course they knew who He Dong was—he was a colossal figure, the absolute ruler of the underground world.

If even someone as formidable as him didn't dare to offend Xia Yu, just who on earth was this man?

"If any of you want to walk out of here in one piece, you'd better go in there right now and apologize properly," Manager Meng sneered. "He saw right through all your little parlor tricks from the very beginning."

Their expressions became far uglier than if they had been crying. Trembling all over, they shuffled into the private room.

One by one, they lowered their heads and muttered, "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry."

Su Ziyu was left completely dumbfounded and bewildered. What on earth had just happened? Why were they apologizing the moment they walked back in?

Xia Yu lit a cigarette and said nonchalantly, "What are you apologizing for? I should be thanking you for treating me to such fine wine."

"The only reason I had you brought back in is because we're about to leave, and it's time for you people to settle the tab."

Hearing this, the group raised their heads in panic. Cai Xiaojing stammered, "How... how much is it?"

"Two hundred and forty thousand!" Manager Meng said with a dark expression.

"What?!"

The group turned pale with fright, though deep down they knew it was to be expected—after all, they were the ones who had instructed Manager Meng to order those exorbitant bottles.

"Manager Meng, look at this..." Cai Xiaojing was on the verge of tears.

"Look at what? Are you expecting me to pay out of my own pocket? You were the one who ordered the drinks, so naturally, the bill goes to you," Manager Meng said mercilessly.

"I... I don't have that kind of money!"

Cai Xiaojing finally broke down, tears streaming continuously down her face.

Over two hundred thousand! They hadn't even secured their positions as attending physicians yet, and their family backgrounds were entirely ordinary. Where on earth were they supposed to find that kind of cash?

"I don't care about any of that. The bill gets paid in full today," Manager Meng said with a stern face. "Those are Mr. Xia's instructions."

At this, the group quickly turned their pleading gazes toward Su Ziyu and Xia Yu.

"Ziyu, I'm sorry, we were wrong."

"We'll never talk behind your back again. Please, beg your boyfriend to let us off just this once!"

"We really, truly don't have that much money..."

They cried and begged frantically for forgiveness.

Su Ziyu glanced at Xia Yu, her voice laced with disappointment. "You brought this entirely upon yourselves. Who told you to be so vicious and try to harm us with such petty tricks?"

"Ziyu, we're sorry, it was all our fault, boohoo..."

Terrified out of their wits, they wept uncontrollably, sobbing so hard they could barely speak.

"We've been colleagues for so long. Please, show some mercy and let us go this once."

Feeling a pang of sympathy, Su Ziyu looked over at Xia Yu to gauge his reaction.

Xia Yu let out a cold scoff. "No money? If you didn't have any money, where did you get the audacity to look down your noses at people?"

"You lot simply need to be taught a lesson. If you want me to let you off, fine."

"However, each and every one of you has to dance right here, to entertain me and Ziyu."

"Dance?"

"That's right, dance," Xia Yu said with a mocking smirk. "Besides, there's still some wine left that hasn't been finished."

"Start dancing, or else pay the bill."

The group exchanged glances, fully aware that Xia Yu was deliberately humiliating them.

Did they have a choice? Absolutely not.

Cai Xiaojing wiped her tears and said, "Fine, I'll dance."

And so, the group actually took turns dancing around the private room. Their movements were so awkward and ridiculous they looked like they were having seizures, enough to make anyone want to laugh.

Even Su Ziyu couldn't help covering her mouth with a giggle.

Manager Meng, standing off to the side, had to bite his cheek to keep from laughing out loud.

When their awkward performance finally ended, Xia Yu coldly told them to get lost.

Hanging their heads in deep humiliation, they fled the room one by one, whimpering as they went. They probably realized just how thoroughly disgraced they had been.

After tonight, they would likely never dare to look down on anyone ever again.

Stepping out of the bar, a cool breeze greeted them. Xia Yu pulled his jacket tighter around himself and asked, "Well? Did that vent your anger?"

"You're truly wicked, who on earth comes up with such a punishment?"

Su Ziyu shot him a playful sideways glance, though her mood was undeniably much brighter.

"They brought it on themselves." Xia Yu checked his watch. "It's getting late. Let me walk you home so you can get some rest. I'll go grab the car."

"Oh, no need, my apartment is right around the corner," Su Ziyu replied. "You should head back early too."

"It's fine, since it's close I'll walk you. It's unsafe for a young woman to be out this late alone," Xia Yu insisted earnestly.

She nodded, and the two walked side by side beneath the dim, warm glow of the streetlights.

Su Ziyu asked suddenly, "Are you really just a driver? Earlier, the manager looked terrified of you."

Xia Yu paused for a fraction of a second. "Oh, right, because I made a phone call to my boss just now. My boss is a very important person."

"As soon as he heard his name, he was scared stiff."

"No wonder. It looks like your boss thinks very highly of you, then." She nodded, not suspecting a thing.

"Not bad, or else how do you think I survived getting stabbed a few times for nothing?"

She covered her mouth, unable to hold back another giggle.

Soon, they arrived outside her apartment building. She stopped and said, "I'm here. Thank you for everything tonight, I had a really good time."

"You're welcome. After all, you're my doctor."

For some reason, her cheeks suddenly flushed with a rosy tint. Murmuring a quick goodbye, she hurried upstairs.

Xia Yu smiled slightly and turned to walk away.

...

The next day.

Lin Yuxin was summoned back to the Lin family estate. Thanks to successfully securing the Hong Shun project, she had earned the high praise of the Liang family and finally lifted her head high with pride.

Thus, upon returning to the Lin household, she carried herself with an extra air of arrogance.

"Yuxin, you didn't handle this matter very honorably," the Elder of the Lin family said from the seat of honor, his tone carrying a hint of reprimand.

"I've heard about what happened yesterday. After securing such a lucrative project, why didn't you think of the Lin family first instead of handing it straight to the Liang family?"

"Indeed, Yuxin, you can't just forget your own family the moment you marry out."

The others chimed in with their own grievances.

Lin Yuxin cast a cold look at Lin Yuqing, who was sitting across from her, and sneered.

"Didn't you all send Yuqing to represent the Lin family instead? I secured the project myself—what does that have to do with the Lin family?"

"If you want to blame someone, blame your precious darling Yuqing..."