041: Seemingly Foolish, Yet Truly Wise

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“Tang Tang is truly different!” He Jiani argued passionately.

“What difference could there be?” Fang Yuhua propped He Jiani’s round chin with her slender fingers and said, “If I use every trick I know to seduce him, do you think he’d abandon you?”

“He wouldn’t.”

“Of course he wouldn’t!” Fang Yuhua’s phoenix eyes widened, “Blame that damned marriage law. Which rotten man isn’t greedy for more?”

“But—”

“No ‘but.’ When he wakes up, I’ll make sure he knows what I can do!” Fang Yuhua declared, her pride unmistakable.

“Don’t do anything reckless. Tang Tang’s parents—”

“Relax. Even if he’s humiliated by me, for your sake, I’ll treat his parents well, make them feel right at home. Is that enough?”

A few minutes past noon, Yang Tang and his group rose for a lavish lunch hosted by Fang Yuhua, making up for their missed breakfast.

Afterward, Fang Yuhua made a call, summoning a young man and woman. She instructed them to drive Yang’s parents around the city’s sights for the afternoon.

“What about Xiao Hong? Aren’t you coming along?” Yang’s mother was uneasy about Fang Yuhua’s arrangements.

Fang Yuhua seemed a little annoyed by Yang’s mother’s doubts; a flash of displeasure crossed her beautiful eyes. She was about to fabricate a casual excuse when Yang Tang spoke first: “Mom, you know why I came to Shenhai. So these days I need to get out and push the software’s price, then after ten days or so, cast a long line and catch a big fish.”

Yang’s mother had once worked in book sales and knew plenty about bargaining. Hearing this, she sighed: “Alright, try your best then.”

Yang Jixue, on the other hand, said nothing. In his heart, he hoped Yang Tang would hit a wall and learn a lesson, tempering his impulsive nature.

Once everything was settled, Yang Tang took his old laptop and entered the empty elevator with He Jiani and Fang Yuhua, descending to the underground parking lot.

“Jiani, help me hold this.” Yang Tang handed the laptop to He Jiani.

He Jiani glanced at Fang Yuhua, hesitated briefly, but ultimately took the laptop.

But in the moment she accepted it, both women saw a blur—Yang Tang’s left hand was already gripping Fang Yuhua’s jade-like neck.

Bang!

Fang Yuhua felt a surge of force; she was slammed against the elevator wall without resistance. Yang Tang’s fierce face was so close she could smell his breath.

It was a peculiar, decaying blend from lunch. Fang Yuhua took a breath and felt nauseous, forgetting even to use her “peach knee strike” or other self-defense moves.

He Jiani was stunned by Yang Tang’s sudden outburst, frozen, unsure whom to help.

“Fang Yuhua, right? Because you’re Jiani’s friend, I’ve given you plenty of respect. You’re arrogant, you look down on a little nobody like me, you don’t see me at all—fine!” Yang Tang glared at Fang Yuhua’s disoriented, contemptuous eyes and muttered, “But you shouldn’t boss my mother around, acting like some lofty queen. Bang!” As he spoke, his right fist crashed beside Fang Yuhua’s ear, thudding like a blow to the heart.

Ding.

The elevator doors opened. Yang Tang instantly released Fang Yuhua, snatched the laptop from He Jiani, and strode out as if nothing had happened.

A cough, cough! Regaining her breath, Fang Yuhua straightened her clothes, her beautiful eyes filled with ferocity. “Jiani, you saw it—this man has no manners at all. If he dares provoke me, don’t blame—eh? Why are you spacing out?” Surprised, she followed He Jiani’s vacant gaze and saw a fist mark, about half an inch deep, left on the elevator wall.

He Jiani quietly said, “I think we shouldn’t go to the fight club after all. If he hurts you—”

“Hmph!” Remembering Yang Tang’s lightning-fast attack that nearly took her breath away, Fang Yuhua had a thousand reasons to be upset, but she had to admit He Jiani’s judgment was correct. With such overwhelming speed and strength, she’d have no advantage against Yang Tang in combat; insisting on it would only be self-humiliation. “Let’s go straight to the shooting range then!” she said, exiting the elevator.

“Shooting range?!” Now it was He Jiani’s turn to be surprised.

“Haha, sweet Jiani, I haven’t practiced archery lately, switched to shooting, didn’t you know?” Fang Yuhua said with pride. “Don’t tell me Yang Tang can’t shoot.”

“He—he really can’t!” He Jiani exclaimed. “But if he uses a bow, he’ll crush you, Yuhua!”

“Hmph, do you think I believe your nonsense, Jiani?”

“It’s true! I even shipped his special black bow to Shenhai, it’s in your car!”

“Well, sorry then. I haven’t touched a bow for half a year. If we compete in archery, I’ll definitely lose. So—”

He Jiani finally understood Fang Yuhua’s intent and retorted, “So you plan to bully a novice?”

Fang Yuhua stopped, spun around, lifted her chin, towering over the slightly shorter He Jiani, and said coolly, “That’s the price for asking my help.” With that, she continued toward the parking spot.

Yang Tang was already waiting by Fang Yuhua’s Kirin SUV. As the two women approached, Fang Yuhua stood a bit taller than He Jiani, who was five-foot-seven, though her figure lacked Jiani’s curves. Still, by all appearances, Fang Yuhua’s physique matched the gentle elegance of southern women.

Of course, that was only on the surface. As for temperament, Yang Tang thought He Jiani was a hundred times better than Fang Yuhua.

Sure enough, as Fang Yuhua reached the Kirin SUV and opened the door, she greeted Yang Tang, “What were your dog’s eyes looking at just now?”

Yang Tang didn’t reply, simply opened the door and got in. When Fang Yuhua started the engine, he suddenly said, “Drive!”

The Kirin SUV roared out. Fang Yuhua shot him a glance, “Do I need you to tell me?”

“Are you talking to me?” Yang Tang pointed at his nose.

Fang Yuhua retorted, “If I’m not talking to you, am I talking to the dog?”

“Hah, you’re right. I’m talking to a driving bitch. Seems my animal language has improved lately!”

Fang Yuhua was so enraged she nearly exploded. She was about to turn and shout at Yang Tang in the back seat, “You’re the dog!” when Yang Tang beat her to it: “Dog’s eyes on the road!”

Now Fang Yuhua was so furious she could have launched herself to the moon. He Jiani couldn’t help but call out, “Tang Tang!”

“Alright, enough!” Yang Tang made a surrender gesture.

Fang Yuhua’s anger vanished instantly, and she reverted to her aloof, distant demeanor.

Seeing this, He Jiani quietly thought, “Oh no,” and sent a discreet text to Yang Tang’s phone.

Yang Tang opened the message and saw: “She’s really angry. Good luck!”

At the shooting club, Fang Yuhua flashed an unfamiliar purple card and brought in He Jiani and Yang Tang, who lacked membership.

Inside the lobby, Yang Tang felt like a country bumpkin in a grand mansion. He Jiani’s expression grew more serious; she tugged at him nervously.

Just then, an attendant approached, “What can I do for you three?”

“I want six guns,” Fang Yuhua ordered coldly. “Two pistols, two semi-automatics, two sniper rifles.”

The attendant was chilled by Fang Yuhua’s frosty demeanor. “We don’t have that many airgun models.”

“I want real guns,” Fang Yuhua flashed her gold-edged purple card again.

The attendant carefully noted the card number. “Right away, I’ll inform the armory!” He ran off.

Fang Yuhua turned to Yang Tang, meeting his eyes without a care for those around. “Yang Tang, Jiani told me why you came to Shenhai. I’ll give you a choice: either kneel and apologize or beat me in a shooting contest. Otherwise, no matter how good your software is, I swear by the Fang family, from Jade Capital in the north to Hong Kong and Macau in the south, along the coast, you won’t sell a single copy.”

Yang Tang was both amused and exasperated. He hadn’t expected the cool, aloof Fang Yuhua to be so straightforward. “Either kneel and apologize or compete in shooting”—her conditions were blunt, if absurd.

If he were in her shoes, with resources “from Jade Capital to Hong Kong and Macau,” he’d have quietly dug a pit and buried someone up to their neck, then dealt with them however he pleased. Wouldn’t that be satisfying?

Countless mischievous thoughts flashed through his mind. He barely held back a laugh and sighed heavily. “No choice then. Too many people here for me to kneel—so I guess I’ll try competing with you in shooting.”

“Tang Tang!” He Jiani cried anxiously.

“Hmph, at least you have guts!” Fang Yuhua sneered. “If you’d chosen to kneel, I’d have had you dragged out and fed to the dogs.”

Yang Tang frowned deeply, his impression of Fang Yuhua worsening. He couldn’t help but mock her: “Fang Yuhua, you keep bringing up dogs. Are you related to them?”

Fang Yuhua’s brows arched in anger, but before she could retort, a man in a suit from the crowd jumped out: “Outrageous! Who do you think you are, insulting the Fang family as dogs?”

Slap!

Before he could finish, Fang Yuhua slapped him. He was stunned, about to explain himself, when—thud—she kicked him between the legs.

Every man present, including Yang Tang, winced in sympathy for the suited man.

…