"We've never had any grudge between us, so why are you targeting me like this? Just because my son touched your watch?" His eyes brimmed with bewilderment and rage.
Jiang Cheng shook his head. "I simply can't stand it. Go back to your old trade—you've lived off their family for years, that's long enough. They're bankrupt now, so why should you still be living the high life? Don't you agree?"
Fang Wende stared in disbelief, his lips trembling as he searched for a retort that wouldn't come.
Yet his face was etched with unwillingness.
"You can't just do whatever you please. We have to be reasonable. I've worked for decades—everything I have is what I deserve." His voice carried a rare note of defiance.
Jiang Cheng sighed. "I'm reasoning with you right now, but it looks like you're not interested in listening."
Seeing Jiang Cheng's expression darken, Wang Sheng stepped forward again.
Fang Wende instantly shrank back. "What do you want? Don't come any closer—Zhou Ying, help me… I… I…"
Watching Fang Wende babble in terror, Jiang Cheng waved Wang Sheng off. "What are you doing, acting like a gangster?"
Although Wang Sheng stopped, the murderous aura still made Fang Wende shudder.
Jiang Cheng patted Fang Wende's shoulder. "I've said my piece—take a few seconds to think it over."
By now Fang Wende's mind was blank from fright, and he asked blankly, "Think about what?"
"Two choices: one, I buy your company for a few hundred thousand; two, accept my challenge and watch it go bankrupt."
Fang Wende's face turned livid at the arrogance.
All fear seemed to vanish as he shrilled, "A few hundred thousand? You think I'm a beggar? Do you even know how big my plant and equipment are? What's your name, and what does your family do? What makes you so sure you can crush me?"
Jiang Cheng answered without hiding a thing: "Jiang Cheng. My family runs a small construction company—assets aren't even as much as yours."
Fang Wende was stunned. "Then… what exactly are you going to use to ruin me?"
"That's not your concern. Same question—choose in a few seconds. Option one and you stay for tea; option two and you leave. Don't waste my time."
When Jiang Cheng finished, Fang Wende's expression flickered through a dozen emotions.
Confusion, joy, and suspicion all surfaced.
He clenched his back teeth, trying to tell if Jiang Cheng was bluffing.
Yet he couldn't be certain.
Jiang Cheng had made such a show of force, yet his family was only in construction.
Still, Fang Wende knew that in this world connections can outweigh cash.
Even so, he would never pick option one.
Swap assets worth billions for a few hundred thousand?
Only an idiot would agree; he'd rather gamble than bow to Jiang Cheng.
But he'd already tasted Jiang Cheng's ruthlessness.
So even if he rejected option one, he dared not show the slightest contempt.
If he angered Jiang Cheng now, he'd only bring trouble on himself.
There'd be no good end to resisting at this point.
The smart move was to retreat and regroup.
Fang Wende glanced at Wang Sheng and the others and asked cautiously, "I can leave now?"
Jiang Cheng replied casually, "Up to you."
Seeing that none of the Bodyguards moved, Fang Wende jumped up, grabbed Chen Haiyan and Fang Yuhao, and hurried out.
The three of them scrambled down the stairs from Zhou Ying's home.
Only when they reached the ground floor did they finally exhale.
Fang Wende looked back at the fifth-floor window.
His heart seethed with rage and resentment.
He swore silently that Jiang Cheng would pay for today.
Chen Haiyan's earlier smugness was gone; she asked dejectedly, "Lao Fang, will we be all right?"
"Go back and find out who this kid really is." Though he looked down on Jiang Cheng, he didn't dare speak too boldly.
He'd assumed Jiang Cheng must be the son of some listed-company tycoon, not merely the heir to a construction outfit.
His own company wasn't huge, but its assets still totaled well over a billion.
How could one small construction firm sway the entire industry against him?
After Fang Wende's family left, Jiang Cheng took out his phone and called Cheng Gui.
The call connected quickly.
Cheng Gui spoke first: "Hey, Jiang Cheng."
"Good afternoon, Uncle Cheng," Jiang Cheng said politely.
"Haha, good afternoon. Had lunch? I just finished a meeting and grabbed a bite."
"I didn't expect someone in your position to be so busy."
"Well, the company's had some issues lately; I have to handle them myself."
"Then should I call back after you're done?"
"No need for that. No need to stand on ceremony between us."
"I actually need your help with something."
Cheng Gui's interest was piqued.
Yesterday, to show sincerity in cooperating with Jiang Cheng, Cheng Gui had gifted him a villa worth a hundred and fifty million.
That villa had been the key that won Jiang Cheng's allegiance.
But for now they were only strategic partners on paper; if he could help Jiang Cheng again, their bond would deepen.
So when he heard Jiang Cheng needed help, Cheng Gui replied without hesitation: "Tell me."
Jiang Cheng recounted what had just happened and asked, "Uncle Cheng, have you heard of Shangde Group? They deal in cement and clinker."
Cheng Gui understood at once. "Give me a few minutes to check; I'll call you right back."
"Thanks, Uncle Cheng."
"Hey, none of that polite talk."
After hanging up, Jiang Cheng said to Wang Sheng, "Shangde Group—you know what to do."
When Wang Sheng nodded, Jiang Cheng waved the Bodyguards away.
A dozen black-suited Bodyguards had filled the small living room; though intimidating, the space felt cramped.
Once they were gone, Zhou Ying hugged Jiang Cheng and said gratefully, "Thank you, Jiang Cheng."
She had witnessed scenes like this twice before, but this time Jiang Cheng had stood up for her personally.
The gesture moved her and set her heart racing.
She wasn't worried that Jiang Cheng would lose to Fang Wende.
In her eyes the two men weren't even in the same weight class.
Besides, she had no sympathy left for her uncle.
"No need for thanks between us."
"Seeing my uncle's miserable look actually felt great. All those years my mom begged him for help and came home empty-handed—now he wanted to ruin the rest of her life. I can't understand how anyone could be so heartless; they're full siblings."
Jiang Cheng patted her back comfortingly. "If you trust me, I'll guard your mother's happiness for the rest of her life."