Chapter 42: Stubbornness

Chapter 42: Stubbornness

Wu Yang saw that Fan Xiaoyao was blocking the doorway, refusing to let him speak to Feng Lun. Annoyed, he shoved her a little. “Can you stop being unreasonable? I really have something to discuss with President Feng. Can you just let me through?”

Noticing the standoff outside the door, Feng Lun quickly gave Wang Guocheng a meaningful glance. Wang Guocheng took the hint, hurried forward to mediate, and pulled Fan Xiaoyao aside. “Xiaoyao, don’t cause a scene. Maybe he really does have something urgent. Be good, okay?”

Still unwilling, Fan Xiaoyao protested, “He insulted me just now! What did he mean by calling me a shallow woman? Just because he wants to court me, does that mean I have to accept?”

Wu Yang glanced awkwardly at Fan Xiaoyao and Wang Guocheng, sweat beading on his brow as he worried about the Korean clients waiting next door.

Desperate, Wu Yang turned to Feng Lun. “President Feng, please do me a favor. Tonight, our company is hosting Korean clients—they’re a priority for our GLT export business this year. If we don’t treat them well tonight, I’m afraid my superiors will blame me, and I might even lose my job.”

Feng Lun, always a reasonable man, hadn’t realized when he’d asked his secretary to reserve those exclusive dishes yesterday that Wu Yang would have important guests tonight as well.

After a moment’s thought, Feng Lun looked apologetically at Wang Guocheng. “Guocheng, how about this: tonight, let’s switch up our dishes and let Xiao Wu’s Korean clients have the specialty menu. We can always come back another day—on a rainy day, I’ll bring you back to savor them again…”

Before Wang Guocheng could respond, Fan Xiaoyao objected. “Uncle Feng, how can that be? Guocheng is a guest too—why should we be the ones to give way? There should be some order of arrival, shouldn’t there?”

Seeing Fan Xiaoyao’s stubbornness rear its head again, Feng Lun grew vexed. “Xiaoyao, listen to me. Let’s give way today.”

Feeling wronged that even Feng Lun seemed to side with Wu Yang, Fan Xiaoyao’s pride was wounded, and she grew petulant. She looked at Wu Yang and said, “Fine, I’ll compromise, but you’ll have to pay thirty percent extra for those dishes if you want to take them from us…”

“Xiaoyao…” Feng Lun and Wang Guocheng called out in unison. Wang Guocheng glanced at Feng Lun, inviting him to speak first.

Feng Lun cleared his throat. “Xiaoyao, please listen. Don’t be so stubborn. And I won’t accept any extra money.”

With that, Fan Xiaoyao stood up, slapped the table, pulled out her wallet from her small bag, and strode angrily toward the cashier.

Wang Guocheng didn’t try to stop her along the way. “Xiaoyao, calm down, will you? I’m sure Wu Yang didn’t mean what he said…”

Fan Xiaoyao shot him a frosty look. “So you’ve picked your side, have you? Do you agree with him and think I’m a shallow woman too?”

Wang Guocheng wanted to slap himself. If this isn’t being blinded by concern, what is? He hurriedly handed his own wallet to the cashier. “Settle the bill for Golden Room No. 2!”

Fan Xiaoyao pushed Wang Guocheng aside and told the cashier, “If you don’t want to lose your job, give Mr. Wang back his wallet and charge my card!”

The cashier recognized Fan Xiaoyao. Though she didn’t come in often over the year, being the granddaughter of Feng Lun’s lifelong friend and a major shareholder, the cashier always made a point to remember her.

With impeccable manners, the cashier handed her card back. “Miss Fan, President Feng has already said to put this bill under his name. You don’t need to pay.”

Irritated, Fan Xiaoyao stuffed her card away and stormed toward Golden Room No. 2. “Uncle Feng, I want to pay for tonight myself…”

She pulled out cash from her wallet, only for Feng Lun to rebuke her sternly.

“Fan Xiaoyao, sit down! We uncles have spoiled you too much. Why are you being so rude and unreasonable?”

Wang Guocheng was startled—he hadn’t expected the always composed Feng Lun to lose his temper with Fan Xiaoyao.

He knew her actions tonight had been somewhat improper and unreasonable, but it wasn’t his place to comment…

Still, he’d never imagined the ever-gentle Feng Lun would actually snap at Fan Xiaoyao.

Trying to ease the tension, Wang Guocheng interjected, “Uncle Feng, please don’t get angry…”

Wu Yang, seeing that his request had led to Fan Xiaoyao being scolded, felt even more regretful.

He thought he should have checked the almanac before leaving home—of all days to host the Korean clients, why did it have to be today? Now, it seemed his relationship with Fan Xiaoyao was ruined for good.

Wu Yang took out his checkbook, wrote a check for thirty thousand yuan, and handed it to Feng Lun.

“President Feng, please don’t scold Xiaoyao anymore. This whole thing is my fault—I spoke rashly and hurt her feelings. It’s only natural she’d be upset with me. Please accept this as compensation for the dishes.”

Ever since Feng Lun had scolded her, Fan Xiaoyao hadn’t made a sound. Her expression betrayed no anger, no resentment, no tears; she simply turned away, shrinking into herself like a wounded kitten.

In her memory, this was the first time Feng Lun had ever raised his voice at her.

Sensing the awkwardness in the air, Wu Yang quietly withdrew from the room. Before leaving, he bowed deeply to Feng Lun, Wang Guocheng, and Fan Xiaoyao. “I’m sorry for causing all this trouble today.”

After Wu Yang left, Fan Xiaoyao still stood there, dazed. Feng Lun hurried to comfort her.

“Why are you upset? Even someone as carefree as you can get angry? You know, it’s better to be forgiving. Why make things difficult? Wu Yang is a good kid. Even if you can’t be lovers, there’s no need to be enemies.”

Fan Xiaoyao looked at Feng Lun, her voice tinged with grievance. “But Uncle Feng, you can’t shout at me for an outsider, can you? I’ve never heard you yell at me before.”

Feng Lun hadn’t expected her to hold grudges just as she did when she was little. He couldn’t help but smile wryly. “He was being perfectly polite by then—why did you have to keep up the act?”

Hearing Feng Lun’s gentle admonishment, Fan Xiaoyao felt she could hardly complain further. She turned to Wang Guocheng with a hint of apology. “Sorry you didn’t get to try the signature dishes tonight. We’ll come back another day when it rains…”

Feng Lun couldn’t help but laugh and cry at once. He took a diamond VIP card for Kangcheng Gourmet House from his wallet and handed it to Fan Xiaoyao.

“Xiaoyao, I meant to give this card to you and Guocheng tonight anyway. Keep it. Next time, you can bring You Ru, Ye Ye, and the others here together with Guocheng to try the signature dishes.”

Fan Xiaoyao took the gilded diamond card in her hand and asked softly, “Uncle Feng, what kind of discount does this diamond VIP card get?”