After spending a night at the hospital, Wang Yang and I rushed to Anyuan Tang the next morning.
Hong Yunpeng wanted to come along, but I dissuaded him. After all, it was difficult for him to even walk in his current state, let alone go find trouble with someone. If we had to consider him during a potential confrontation, it would be quite bothersome. Liu Hui was the one who broke the rules first, so I was entitled to an explanation!
When Wang Yang and I arrived at Anyuan Tang with an air of indignation, someone greeted us at the entrance, "Isn't this Boss Xiang?"
I recognized this person; he was one of Liu Hui's subordinates, though I didn't know his name.
"Where is your boss?" I asked.
"Master Liu is not in the shop."
"Where did he go?"
"Boss Xiang, please don't be anxious. Master Liu instructed that if you came, you should wait for him in the back courtyard for some tea."
I glanced at Wang Yang, and he nodded at me.
So, we were led to a side hall in the back courtyard of Anyuan Tang. After we sat down, I asked Wang Yang what Liu Hui was up to. Did he know we would come to find him? Had he already devised a countermeasure?
Wang Yang said, "Be patient. The fault lies entirely with him. He will definitely have to give you an explanation. Otherwise, who would dare do business with him in the Guangling antique circle in the future?"
He paused and continued, "Whatever countermeasures he has, we just need to adapt. You should also rein in your temper. Do you think the two of us can handle Liu Hui if we get into a conflict?"
Upon reflection, it was true. But it was rich for him to say that, considering he himself had ambushed someone alone before.
We waited in the side hall for the entire morning, but Liu Hui didn't show up. However, Anyuan Tang treated us quite politely, even preparing us a quick meal for lunch. We didn't stand on ceremony and continued waiting after we had eaten our fill.
By the afternoon, I was losing patience. I asked an employee of Anyuan Tang about it, but the fellow only repeated, "Master Liu will be back soon. Please wait a bit longer..."
Around three o'clock, Bai Hanyan called me and asked where I was.
I asked her what was up. She said she wanted to treat me to dinner tonight. I was about to ask why she wanted to have dinner, but then I remembered what Wang Yang had told me about her being very image-conscious. So, I said, "Miss Bai, I'm afraid I'm unavailable today."
"Why?"
"It's not that I don't want to have dinner with you, but I'm a bit busy right now..."
Bai Hanyan on the other end of the line pressed, "What's the matter?"
"I'm at Anyuan Tang, waiting for Liu Hui. I have something I need to discuss with him," I said, deciding to be upfront.
"You're at Anyuan Tang? Alright, I'll come find you in a while."
With that, she hung up.
Wang Yang raised an eyebrow. "What, your fiancée is coming over too?"
"What did you say?" I retorted grumpily, "A dog's mouth only spews foul things."
He grinned sheepishly and was about to say something else when Liu Hui walked in.
"Brother Xiang, sorry for making you wait!" Liu Hui said with a smile, walking up to the tea table and sitting down, signaling for a cup of tea.
"Boss Liu is quite the busy man. It's so difficult to get a meeting with him," I said coldly.
"Brother Xiang, you don't know. With so many people relying on me for a living, I can't afford to be idle."
I didn't want to beat around the bush, and just as I was about to get to the point, he said, "Brother Xiang, you're here today to talk about the chicken-head vase, aren't you?"
Since he brought it up first, I responded without backing down, "Precisely! Boss Liu has been in the Guangling antique circle for so long, surely you understand the rules?"
"Rules?" Liu Hui chuckled, "Brother Xiang wants to talk to me about rules?"
"Indeed!"
Liu Hui slowly picked up his teacup and took a sip. "Very well, I'll talk rules with you!"
His gaze instantly turned sharp. "Earlier, your brother inexplicably hit me on the head. We're even on that matter... But then your Hongyuan shop broke the rules and bought my relative's chicken-head vase..."
Before he could finish, I raised my hand to interrupt him. "Wait! You're saying I broke the rules and bought your relative's chicken-head vase?"
"Didn't I?" Liu Hui sneered. "My relative knows the value of that chicken-head vase. At the time, he asked you for two hundred thousand, right?"
I remained silent, a growing realization dawning that I was likely not going to get a favorable outcome today.
"The quote of two hundred thousand was given by me. He consulted me at the time, and I told him that he could easily sell that chicken-head vase for two hundred thousand. He went to your shop, and what happened?"
Liu Hui's lips curved into a slight smile. "Your shop's people tricked him and bought it for two thousand yuan."
"Boss Liu!" I suppressed the anger within me and asked, "Since you quoted him two hundred thousand, why didn't he sell it to you and instead sold it to me for two thousand?"
"Alas... my relative is from the countryside and doesn't know any better. Does Brother Xiang not know any better either?" Liu Hui's brow furrowed, and his tone was very firm.
"So, according to you, I cheated your relative?" I asked him with a semblance of a smile.
"This is a misunderstanding. I also know that if Brother Xiang knew he was my relative, you probably wouldn't have done it that way..."
Seeing him twist the truth, I took a deep breath. "Alright! Since you put it that way, I have nothing more to say. But why did you smash my shop and beat my people?"
Liu Hui looked helpless and waved to someone behind him. "Bring him here!"
Soon, a man who was beaten black and blue was brought in. The moment he entered, he knelt on the ground. "Master Liu..."
Liu Hui pointed at the man. "This is the fellow who came to cause trouble at your shop. This kid was ignorant and, without my knowledge, brought people to offend Brother Xiang... I've already dealt with him. Now, whatever Brother Xiang wants to do with him, feel free to say."
This guy was truly a master at distancing himself!
At this moment, I realized that Liu Hui hadn't been running around Guangling for nothing.
"Master Liu truly lives up to his reputation. He broke the rules, smashed someone's shop, and yet he can still talk about it so righteously. I'm impressed, truly impressed!" Wang Yang said with a smile.
Liu Hui's gaze turned cold as he looked at him. "It seems my previous reprimand was too light..."
Wang Yang was unfazed. "Thank goodness Master Liu's reprimand was light. Otherwise, if he had smashed me to death... my death would be a minor issue, but Master Liu would have to spend the rest of his life in a brothel."
I gently tugged Wang Yang's sleeve under the table and looked at Liu Hui. "So, according to Boss Liu, this matter is settled just like that? My brother was beaten, my shop was smashed, and I'm supposed to pretend nothing happened?"
Liu Hui smiled. "I've brought the person who beat your brother to you, and I've already disciplined him. If Brother Xiang still feels aggrieved, you can retaliate. As for your shop, I'll have someone find you later to help you deal with it properly..."