"Qi Shao, why are you staring at me?" Shen Lang asked, clearly displeased. "It was Kong Shao who spoke disrespectfully, Kong Shao who kept provoking the Tang Sect's dignity. Are you going to tell me that I, the son-in-law of the Tang Sect, am in the wrong?"
"You..." Kong Wudao never expected Shen Lang to stir up trouble and then act so innocently. He was so angry he almost spat blood. Shameless, this brat was utterly shameless.
"That's right, Qi Shao. Your job is to make the person who made a mistake apologize, not to make those who did nothing wrong bow their heads," Ye Shishi added with a glint in her eyes.
"You... you guys..." Qi Tuojiang found one Shen Lang troublesome enough, and now Ye Shishi. They seemed to be in cahoots, speaking in the same tone.
Just as Qi Tuojiang was at a loss for how to resolve the situation, Kong Wudao, who had been so vocal, suddenly changed his demeanor. His arrogance vanished, replaced by a gentle and polite smile. "Shishi is right. I was rude just now, and I should apologize." He bowed respectfully to Tang Wan'er. "Miss Tang, please forgive my earlier rudeness. Please accept my apology."
"What?" Shen Lang, who had been ready to fan the flames further, was taken aback by Kong Wudao's sudden apology. What was this scoundrel up to? If you're going to be arrogant, commit to it. Why the sudden change of heart?
Kong Wudao's sudden shift in attitude confused not only Shen Lang but also Qi Tuojiang, Ye Shishi, and Tang Wan'er. However, confusion or not, fanning the flames was still the order of the day.
Seeing Kong Wudao's change of attitude and his apology, Shen Lang smiled. "I'm glad Kong Shao can apologize. As the son-in-law of the Tang Sect, I am pleased. However, I did say you should apologize on your knees. You've apologized, but you haven't started kneeling yet." Standing behind Tang Wan'er with an 'we are a family' expression, Shen Lang continued, "If you don't kneel, first, my fiancée, Tang Wan'er, will not agree. Second, the Tang Sect in Shu and my father-in-law will not agree. So, as the saying goes, friendship forged through conflict. Forget the full ritual of bowing and kneeling. Just symbolically kneel and kowtow to my fiancée, Tang Wan'er, and this matter will be settled."
"Enough!" A furious voice rang out as Shen Lang finished speaking. It wasn't Kong Wudao, but Tang Wan'er, who glared at Shen Lang. "This matter ends here. Don't go too far." Tang Wan'er was not foolish. She knew Shen Lang was trying to sow discord and incite trouble. Forcing Kong Wudao to kneel in public would undoubtedly incur the displeasure of the Kong family, which would be of no benefit to the Tang Sect. Therefore, this time, Tang Wan'er did not let Shen Lang have his way. After scolding Shen Lang, she turned to Kong Wudao and said calmly, "Kong Shao, given your sincere apology, let's put our earlier unpleasantness behind us."
"Thank you, Miss Tang," Kong Wudao said with a slight smile. "Miss Tang is indeed the eldest daughter of the Tang Sect, truly knowledgeable and virtuous. Much better than some scoundrels." He added with a sigh, "Truthfully, to see a beauty destined to marry a scoundrel in the future is truly heartbreaking and regrettable."
Kong Wudao's words were clearly a jab at Shen Lang. Hearing this, not only Shen Lang but also Ye Shishi was displeased. "You old bastard! You call Shen Lang a scoundrel, which means I've fallen for a scoundrel? Insulting Shen Lang is one thing, but insulting my taste in men?" Before Shen Lang could react, Ye Shishi was the first to retort, smirking at Kong Wudao. "Scoundrels are good, scoundrels are wonderful, scoundrels have excellent skills. Kong Shao only sees the surface; there are deeper things you can't perceive." She continued, "Take you, for example. You look handsome and tall, but who would know you've been relying on aphrodisiacs?"
Kong Wudao, due to unrestrained indulgence in his youth, had depleted his body. After the age of thirty, he found himself lacking vigor and had to resort to aphrodisiacs. Very few people knew about this, but Ye Shishi was one of them. Ye Shishi's words implied that while Shen Lang might be a scoundrel, he was an effective one, whereas Kong Wudao, despite his polished appearance, was merely a showpiece, good to look at but useless.
Facing Ye Shishi's taunts, Kong Wudao was furious. "Ye Shishi, are you daring to oppose me?" It was understandable that Kong Wudao was angry; what man wouldn't be provoked by such a remark? His eyes turned red with anger as he glared at Ye Shishi. "If you provoke me, aren't you worried your bank will soon go bankrupt?"
"Sorry, I'm not worried about that at all," Ye Shishi replied, shrugging casually. "If anyone could make my bank go bankrupt, I, Ye Shishi, wouldn't be where I am today. If my bank were to go bankrupt, it's not just you, but even your grandfather couldn't do it." Ye Shishi's Zhongzhou Bank was the largest commercial bank in Nanling, with assets and investment scales far exceeding many people's imaginations. Affecting it would cause a chain reaction, and few people could actually move Ye Shishi. Moreover, with a powerful figure always in her corner, Ye Shishi was even more audacious.
"You..." Kong Wudao was astonished by Ye Shishi's fearlessness, his face flushing red again.
At this moment, Shen Lang chuckled playfully. "Kong Shao, are you angry?" he asked. "No way, no way, did Shishi's words really hit a nerve?" He then burst into laughter. "Hahaha, you're only thirty, thirty years old, and you're already relying on pills. What about the next thirty-four years? That's going to be a disaster!" Shen Lang's unrestrained laughter only amplified Kong Wudao's humiliation and rage. Kong Wudao secretly vowed to kill Shen Lang and Ye Shishi, this pair of male and female dogs.
Just then, Shen Lang's tone suddenly shifted. "Kong Shao, I'm a medical student and have some experience treating such conditions. If you are willing to give me ten billion, I will immediately give you a prescription. Follow my prescription, and within three months, I guarantee you'll be as vigorous as a dragon. What do you say?"
Upon hearing this, Kong Wudao's eyes lit up instinctively, and he blurted out, "Really?" As soon as the words left his mouth, Kong Wudao realized his mistake and cursed at Shen Lang, "Get lost."
"I can get lost, but the ten billion must be paid," Shen Lang said, his smile vanishing. He then addressed Kong Wudao and Qi Tuojiang. "Ten billion. If even a fraction is short today, neither of you will leave this place."