C19 Selling

Xia Hao was momentarily dazed before the realization hit him. Gu Dongchen was angling for a cut of the Mount Yuquan Project.

Thirty percent!

Once it sank in, a sheen of cold sweat coated Xia Hao's forehead. Gu Dongchen's audacity was staggering—he was eyeing a 30% commission, amounting to over a hundred million.

"Master Chen, you can't be serious?" Xia Hao's lips twisted into a grimace, more pained than amused. The Mount Yuquan Project was profitable, sure, but with hundreds in the Xia Family, the profits thinned when spread out. To put it bluntly, he and his father wouldn't even see a thirty percent share.

"Do I look like I'm joking?" Gu Dongchen's cool gaze swept over Xia Hao, sending a shiver down his spine.

Gu Dongchen was far from your run-of-the-mill thug—he had blood on his hands. Xia Hao was suddenly filled with regret for seeking out such a ruthless partner.

Humiliated publicly by Chen Feng, Xia Hao was consumed with thoughts of vengeance, desperate to disgrace Chen Feng in return. That's why he had rushed to Gu Dongchen without a second thought, not realizing that to a man like Gu Dongchen, he was nothing more than a sacrificial lamb.

"Master Chen, thirty percent is excessive. I can't come up with that much," Xia Hao said feebly.

Gu Dongchen let out a laugh, clapping Xia Hao on the shoulder. "Hao, relax. I'm not that greedy. I was only kidding!"

Xia Hao forced a laugh. "Master Chen, you really have a great sense of humor."

"So, tell me, how do you want me to handle Xia Mengyao?" Gu Dongchen asked, all business.

Xia Hao snickered, "Your preferred method."

"My preferred method?" Gu Dongchen raised an eyebrow, then it clicked. "You mean to sleep with her?"

"That's right, Master Chen. Haven't you always had your eye on Xia Mengyao? I had someone bring back a few bottles of 'immortal water' from the Thai black market recently. It's potent stuff—just a sip, and whether she's a chaste maiden or a virtuous matron, she'll turn into a wanton harlot, ready to be played with, capable of the most shameless acts!"

"That Xia Mengyao, always playing the virtuous maiden, isn't she? Well, I'm curious to see if she can keep up that act after she's had a drink, especially in front of you, Master Chen."

Gu Dongchen's hands eagerly rubbed together, his eyes gleaming with unbridled desire. He had his share of women: students, nurses, office workers, respectable housewives... a complete array. They were all beautiful, but none possessed the purity he craved.

None of them quite satisfied Gu Dongchen.

But Xia Mengyao was a different story. Her beauty and figure were flawless, and her demeanor was cool and ethereal, akin to a celestial nymph. Gu Dongchen longed for her, even in his dreams.

Previously, the power of the Xia Family held him back, and he dared not touch Xia Mengyao. But now, the Xia Family themselves had delivered her to his doorstep. To not take advantage of this opportunity would be a disservice to himself.

"What would happen to me if I slept with her?" Gu Dongchen inquired.

"Master Chen, rest assured, you won't face any consequences!" He went on, "While you're with her, record a video. With that in your hands, you can keep that little bitch in line, ensuring she won't utter a word. And as for her pathetic husband, Master Chen, you might be unaware, but just yesterday, he found out she slept with Lin Zongwei and didn't even muster a peep." Xia Hao revealed.

"Such a damn waste!" Gu Dongchen spat out in disgust. "If my wife ever cheated, I'd break her legs and leave her lover crippled."

"Master Chen, not every man has your fire. Between you and me, that loser has been married to Xia Mengyao for three years without consummating the marriage. Up until yesterday, Xia Mengyao was still untouched." Xia Hao added.

"Damn it!" Gu Dongchen cursed. "What's the point of him even being alive? Why doesn't he just drop dead!"

He couldn't believe it. Three years without touching a woman like Xia Mengyao, and now another man had beaten him to it. Gu Dongchen was seething with the urge to kill Chen Feng. How could such a spineless fool exist in this world?

Seeing his success in riling up Gu Dongchen, Xia Hao's lips curled into a triumphant grin as he disclosed his true intentions: "Master Chen, care to meet this piece of garbage?"

"Why bother seeing him? Just looking at that kind of trash is enough to dirty my eyes," Gu Dongchen spat out.

"Master Chen, you're missing the point. It's precisely because Chen Feng is garbage that you should see him."

"Just picture it: when you're with Xia Mengyao, let Chen Feng watch. Imagine his state of mind when he sees his wife, who he hasn't even kissed in three years, transform into a wanton woman before you, at your mercy."

"And as for Xia Mengyao, the self-proclaimed paragon of virtue, what expression do you think she'll wear when you take her in front of her own husband?"

Xia Hao's smile was wicked, a reflection of the most satisfying revenge he could concoct against Chen Feng and Xia Mengyao.

Chen Feng, you were meant to be nothing more than a useless man. The price of your impulsiveness is far more than you can handle!

Gu Dongchen was dumbfounded. Xia Hao was rotten to the core, oozing malice to think up such a vile scheme.

Yet, the thrill of it all was undeniable...

A flush crept over Gu Dongchen's face. He had been with many women, but never had he taken one in front of her husband.

Feeling a surge of excitement, he declared, "Fine, we'll do it your way. Haha, once this is over, you'll be my brother-in-law, and I won't forget it."

"Thank you, Master Chen." Excitement flickered across Xia Hao's face. With Gu Dongchen's support, no one in the Xia Family would dare cross him, not even Xia Yunsheng.

"Also, Master Chen, Chen Feng does have some brute strength. For safety's sake, I suggest we disable him first, then bring him over. We wouldn't want him spoiling your fun with Xia Mengyao," Xia Hao proposed with a venomous tone, the sting of Chen Feng's slaps still burning on his face. Now, he was eager for Gu Dongchen to give Chen Feng a taste of his own medicine.

"Alright, consider it done," Gu Dongchen said with a dismissive wave of his hand. His men were cold and brutal; to them, hurting someone was as inconsequential as stepping on an ant.

"I'm going to call Xia Mengyao right now and have her come here," Xia Hao said before stepping out of the private room to use his phone. He had already gathered that Xia Mengyao was at home, while Chen Feng was out making a delivery.

Getting Xia Mengyao to come was the first step; Gu Dongchen would handle Chen Feng accordingly.

Xia Hao dialed Xia Mengyao's number. "Xia Mengyao, you have thirty minutes to get to Golden Age. Move it!"

The moment she recognized Xia Hao's voice, Xia Mengyao hung up.

Xia Hao clenched his jaw in frustration. That woman dared to defy him.

"You've got half an hour. If you're not here, Chen Feng will pay the price," he texted, his threat unmistakable.

Xia Mengyao's brow creased with worry. She couldn't ignore Xia Hao's menacing words. But what did he want with her at Golden Age?

Despite her reservations, Xia Mengyao decided to go. She doubted Xia Hao would harm her; he probably just wanted the construction team she managed.

She arrived at Golden Age swiftly by taxi.

Once inside, ushered by a woman in a qipao, Xia Mengyao spotted Xia Hao sitting alone with a bottle of red wine on the table.

"What do you want?" she asked icily.

"Sit," Xia Hao replied, barely looking at her.

With a slight frown, Xia Mengyao took a seat on the couch.

Xia Hao poured a glass of wine and slid it toward her. "Just spit it out, Xia Hao."

"Come on, Mengyao, I'm your cousin. Can't you speak to me with a little warmth?" Xia Hao said with a wry smile.

Xia Mengyao eyed him skeptically. His demeanor was off.

"It's really nothing major. At lunch, Chen Feng slapped me twice in front of our relatives. Surely, we can't just let that slide, right?" Xia Hao spoke calmly.

"And what do you propose we do?" Xia Mengyao asked through gritted teeth, well aware of Xia Hao's vindictive nature. He would seek revenge. Without proper compensation for Chen Feng's actions, Xia Hao would never drop the issue. He might already be plotting against Chen Feng.

"Give me back my father's engineering team. It's that simple."

"That's not going to happen!"

"Not possible?" Xia Hao let out a cold laugh. "You're not worried that Chen Feng might suddenly get hit by a car while out walking?"

Xia Mengyao's face paled; she knew Xia Hao was threatening her, and she wasn't willing to gamble with Chen Feng's life.

"Fine, I'll give you the engineering team, but you have to promise no more trouble for Chen Feng, ever!" Xia Mengyao said through clenched teeth. Surrendering the engineering team to Xia Hao meant losing her last leverage, and with it, any connection to the Mount Yuquan Project. But if it meant Chen Feng's safety, she was willing to let it go.

"I promise. Give me the engineering team, and I won't bother Chen Feng again," Xia Hao said with a smirk.

"You better keep your word," Xia Mengyao warned, giving Xia Hao a frosty look.

"Relax, Xia Mengyao. Who would ever pick a fight with money? Here, let's drink to this—our old feuds, settled with one toast," Xia Hao said cheerfully, pouring a glass of wine and sliding it toward Xia Mengyao.

Without suspicion, Xia Mengyao picked up the glass and downed it in one go.

She was ready to leave after finishing her drink.

But just then, the private room's door swung open, and a man with a floral shirt and a scar on his face entered.

Xia Mengyao immediately sensed trouble.

"My lovely lady, how's the wine?" Gu Dongchen approached with a sleazy grin.

"Xia Hao, who is this?!" Xia Mengyao demanded, her anger rising.

Standing up with a smile, Xia Hao approached her and said, "Cousin, meet your future husband, handpicked by me. Doesn't he outshine that loser Chen Feng by miles?"

"You're despicable!" Xia Mengyao was shaking with rage. She attempted to slap Xia Hao, but her motion was cut short.

Xia Hao's hand struck her cheek first, turning her fair skin a fiery red.

"You wretched woman!" Xia Hao sneered viciously. "Did I give you too much respect? Chen Feng hit me, and now you, a wretched woman, think you can hit me too?"

"Xia Hao, you're cursed to a terrible end!" Tears swirled in Xia Mengyao's eyes as her legs turned to jelly, unable to support her any longer.

"Hao, why would you strike your sister-in-law? Such a pretty face she has—it'd be a shame to mar it," Gu Dongchen said, his smile never wavering.

"Master Chen, my apologies," Xia Hao quickly said, remorseful.

Gu Dongchen dismissed the apology with a wave of his hand. "No worries. You go on with your tasks. I'll take a moment to get cozy with your sister-in-law!"

"Yes, Master Chen, please enjoy," Xia Hao said with a respectful bow, closing the door behind him as he exited.

"Here comes your handsome man!" Gu Dongchen leered, lunging toward Xia Mengyao.

Panicked, Xia Mengyao stumbled backward, only to be tripped up by the couch behind her....