Chapter 77: Shallow Waters, Many Turtles

“I know your boss Zhao,”

Xu Shaochen frowned as he spoke.

“Sorry, Mr. Xu. I’m just following protocol. Please don’t make it difficult for me,” the receptionist kept a polite smile, impeccable in her demeanor.

Xu Shaochen nodded and said, “Alright, thank you. I’ll give him a call.”

He wasn’t really bothered by the receptionist’s actions. After all, she was just doing her job, following company rules.

Besides, her attitude had been very professional. Xu Shaochen had no reason to complain.

“What’s going on?”

At this moment, a young man in a black suit walked in from outside. He glanced at Xu Shaochen, then looked at the receptionist and asked.

“Manager Wang, this Mr. Xu wants to see Boss Zhao, but he doesn’t have an appointment,” the receptionist explained respectfully, pointing at Xu Shaochen.

Wang Gang’s gaze shifted to Xu Shaochen, sizing him up. He turned to the receptionist, annoyed, “In the future, just have security throw out anyone without an appointment. Boss Zhao is incredibly busy. Does he look like someone who can meet just anyone?”

To him, Xu Shaochen seemed too young and without an appointment. He likely figured that Xu was just another college kid with a wild idea, here to pitch for investment.

He’d encountered several such people lately.

These broke students—do they really think we in the demolition business are brainless, rich fools?

Xu Shaochen, who had just taken out his phone to make a call, raised an eyebrow after hearing this. But he only glanced at Wang Gang, not bothering to argue.

“Uh…” The receptionist looked a bit distressed, casting a glance at Xu Shaochen before saying to Wang Gang, “Manager Wang, Mr. Xu said he knows Boss Zhao.”

“Hah! What a joke. Lots of people say they know our Boss Zhao. Who does this guy think he is?” Wang Gang sneered dismissively.

Xu Shaochen’s expression darkened as he looked at Wang Gang, a trace of displeasure surfacing.

I let it slide the first time, but you’re really pushing it now, huh? Where do you get this sense of superiority? As he noticed Xu Shaochen looking at him, Wang Gang arrogantly said, “What are you staring at? If you know what’s good for you, you’d better leave right now. You’re not welcome here.”

“Heh, the way you’re acting, anyone would think you own the company. Do you even know why I’m here today? I’m here to deliver money, yet this is how you treat a financial backer?”

Xu Shaochen smirked coldly, looking at Wang Gang with a mocking expression. The company might be small, but the management sure had big egos.

“Shallow waters, many turtles. The place is full of self-proclaimed bosses.”

He wasn’t exaggerating. After securing the Old City, the demolition would be a huge project. He’d originally planned to offer the job to Zhao Qing, so saying he was there to deliver money wasn’t an overstatement.

“Deliver money? You’re just a naive kid who doesn’t know your limits! Get out of here right now! Not just anyone can meet our Boss Zhao!”

Wang Gang responded to Xu Shaochen’s words as if he’d just heard a joke, ruthlessly mocking him.

“The last person who was as arrogant as you in front of me, now has grass three feet high on his grave,”

Xu Shaochen’s eyes turned cold as he spoke in a harsh tone.

“What a laugh. You may be young, but your arrogance knows no bounds. If you don’t leave, don’t blame me for calling security. It wouldn’t be fun to be thrown out into the street, would it?”

Wang Gang didn’t care at all about Xu Shaochen’s words. He glanced at Xu with a cold smile, making no effort to hide his threat.

“Ding——”

The elevator doors opened, and Zhao Qing stepped out wearing a suit, followed closely by his secretary. It seemed like he was about to go out to meet someone.

“Hello, Boss Zhao,”

The receptionist was the first to react, quickly greeting him.

But Zhao Qing didn’t pay her any attention because his focus was entirely on Xu Shaochen. His face immediately changed.

Seeing how Zhao Qing’s expression shifted when he saw Xu Shaochen, Wang Gang hurried forward, ingratiatingly saying, “Boss Zhao, it’s just another ignorant kid. They really think anyone can meet you. Don’t worry, I’ll get him out of here right away.”

“Slap!”

Zhao Qing raised his hand and slapped Wang Gang hard across the face. His entire face twisted in anger as he roared, “How dare you! Who gave you the guts to be insolent to Mr. Xu?! Are you looking for death?”

“Bo… Boss Zhao…” The burning pain on his face left Wang Gang utterly stunned. He had no idea what was happening.

The receptionist and the secretary behind Zhao Qing were both dumbfounded as well, utterly confused and bewildered.

But Zhao Qing didn’t care about them. He walked up to Xu Shaochen and respectfully said, “Mr. Xu, why didn’t you give me a heads-up that you were coming? I would have come out to welcome you!”

Wow! The moment everyone saw this, they were utterly astonished, staring at Xu Shaochen in disbelief.

What had they just witnessed? Their boss was actually groveling in front of Xu Shaochen, being so humble that it was hard to believe. To put it bluntly, Zhao Qing acted no better than a lackey.

They couldn’t believe their boss even had such a side to him.

The receptionist sighed in relief. Thankfully, she had been very polite to Xu Shaochen earlier; otherwise…

She cast a sympathetic glance at Wang Gang.

Wang Gang’s face had already lost all color. Cold sweat was pouring from his forehead as terror filled his heart. His legs trembled uncontrollably.

He realized he was in deep trouble—really deep trouble.

“Boss Zhao, it’s really not easy to meet you these days! Your employees have such high airs that I thought I had stepped into a state enterprise,” Xu Shaochen said, a half-smile on his face. With his suit on, Zhao Qing indeed looked somewhat the part of a boss.

Zhao Qing was startled upon hearing this and mentally cursed Wang Gang’s ancestors. He glared at Wang Gang coldly and said, “You blind fool! How dare you offend Mr. Xu! Go settle your salary with finance right now. You don’t need to come to work tomorrow.”

“Boss Zhao! Boss Zhao, please calm down! I beg you, give me another chance! I may not have achieved much, but I’ve worked hard!”

Wang Gang’s heart sank upon hearing these words. He frantically pleaded, after all, the company had just gone through a significant reshuffle, and he had only recently been promoted to manager.

“Get out of here right now!”

Zhao Qing roared impatiently. Damn, even daring to offend Xu Shaochen? You want to die, but don’t drag me down with you!

Wang Gang collapsed to his knees in front of Xu Shaochen with a thud, “Mr. Xu, please spare me! I was just blinded by greed and said those things. Please, I beg you to have mercy!”

“Manager Wang, you overestimate me. How could a nobody like me have such power?”

Xu Shaochen sneered at Wang Gang with a mocking smile.

Hearing this, Wang Gang’s face flushed with alternating shades of red and white, feeling utterly powerless and limp. He collapsed on the ground as if all the strength had been drained from him.

After all, he had repeatedly used these exact words to humiliate Xu Shaochen earlier.

Now, he realized he was nothing more than the insignificant character he had mocked, and regret filled his heart.