Then, I walked up to him with a smile.
Everyone looked at me with curiosity.
The calligraphy and painting Zhao Dahai had given the Zhao family patriarch had already raised the bar for face; everyone was curious about what gift I, the son-in-law who had personally organized the birthday banquet, would present.
I first poured myself a glass of wine, toasted my father-in-law, and downed it in one gulp.
Then, I took out an expensive watch that Xi Dong had prepared for him, personally put it on his wrist, and, smiling, poured another glass of wine.
I offered a distant toast to all the guests present, and then drank it all in one go.
“Thank you all for coming,” I said.
“Today, on the occasion of my father-in-law’s birthday banquet, on behalf of my beloved wife, I announce that the Huida Group’s CBD development project in Nanqiao has been officially signed.” Although my words were brief, the commotion they caused was even greater than the earlier display of Zhao Dahai’s calligraphy and painting.
My securing that development area in Nanqiao for my family’s group meant that Huida Group would enter a new phase of rapid development.
In the near future, it would not only be a renowned star enterprise in the four provinces of Jiangdong, but it might also have a place in the entire nation.
Instantly, congratulations poured in.
My father-in-law patted my shoulder with great satisfaction, his smile never fading.
After I walked down, Nick stood up, holding a gift box.
Recalling the gift box in Nick’s hand, a bitter smile reappeared on my lips as I looked back at the calm sea.
If… that damned black man hadn’t gone back home, the highlight of my life would definitely not have ended at that birthday banquet.
At that birthday banquet, that ruthless and vicious Nick meticulously planned a vicious conspiracy, one step leading to another.
Just like the calm surface of the sea now, beneath which the waves were already surging, on the verge of exploding.
That day, Nick walked to my father-in-law’s side with the gift box, a sincere smile spreading across his angular, dark face: “Dad, this is a hat I brought back for you from America.
Happy birthday.” After saying that, he opened the gift box, took out a baseball cap with “Happy Birthday” printed on it, and placed it on my father-in-law’s head.
Everyone fell silent instantly.
I then noticed my mother-in-law standing to the side, her delicate, charming round face displaying a complex and inscrutable expression.
Looking back now, I imagine she was filled with both shame and anger.
Because Nick had just shoved a green hat onto my father-in-law’s head!
Under the bright green brim, my father-in-law’s face flushed and paled by turns, his lips trembling, unable to utter a single word for a long time.
I, too, stood there dumbfounded, staring at that damned black man’s outrageous act.
It was my mother, seasoned in officialdom, who reacted first, nudging my mother-in-law beside her.
The mother-in-law snatched the hat from her father-in-law’s head, tossed it aside, and glared at Nick angrily.
While trying to soothe him, she smiled and explained to the guests, “Ladies and gentlemen, my husband Nick, as you all know, has lived in America for many years, and…and…he doesn’t know much about things in China.
Please forgive him for this blunder.” Nick feigned ignorance, but who would have guessed that he had deliberately prepared the green hat to humiliate his father-in-law that day?
Having made such a fool of himself, Nick glanced at his in-laws’ faces, pretended to have done something wrong, and sheepishly lowered his head, returning to his seat.
Just when everyone thought the banquet was about to begin, the hall doors were suddenly pushed open by a group of police officers.
The officers, seeing a group of prominent figures in Handong City, were clearly taken aback.
“Li Wuyong, what are you doing!
Are you trying to get a suspension investigation report?!” I’ve known Dahai for so long, mainly because he’s incredibly loyal.
Don’t underestimate him just because he’s only a deputy director of the county police station; he knows a lot of people in the police system.
Seeing that the person who came was a captain from the city that he knew, he immediately felt powerful and stood up to stand up for me.
The captain named Li Wuyong, seeing Zhao Dahai, was clearly taken aback.
Then his gaze fell on his mother’s face, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
He knew he had made a mistake.
The information he received was absolutely true.
Gritting his teeth, facing everyone’s gaze, he forced a retort to Zhao Dahai: “Zhao Dahai, you’re just a county director; you have no right to interfere with me.
I just received a tip that there’s a large-scale drug deal taking place in the auditorium of the Donglai Hotel.” Zhao Dahai felt humiliated.
He was about to retort when his wife tugged at his sleeve, and he sat back down, fuming, and took a swig of his drink.
“What!?” “Nonsense!!” “What do you take us for?
Drug dealers!
Are you kidding me?!” “I think our Handong police force needs a downsizing.
Don’t let any idiots go around.” Amidst the guests’ sarcastic remarks, Mom gently tapped the table with her delicate hand.
The room instantly quieted down, and everyone’s eyes turned to her: “Obeying the law is the duty of every citizen.
We shouldn’t interfere with the police’s investigation.” Looking at Li Wuyong’s eyes filled with gratitude that day, I guess he probably wanted to kneel down and kowtow to Mom.
He looked left and right, and as he ordered his team to search…
A waiter who was about to serve the food walked up behind my father-in-law and, unexpectedly, suddenly attacked, throwing the tray at my mother-in-law.
Beneath the tray, a large black gun was revealed!
The steaming soup was thrown towards my mother-in-law’s pretty face.
Already terrified by the gunshot, she didn’t have time to react and watched helplessly as the scalding soup was poured over her.
I wanted to step forward, but we were separated by a large table, and Xi Dong and I held hands tightly.
In a flash, before anyone could react, a tall figure shielded my mother-in-law with his back.
The scalding soup instantly soaked the back of her white T-shirt.
“Hiss!” “Damn, I’m scalded!” Nick, wincing and cursing, gave his terrified mother-in-law a sheepish smile: “Mom, are you alright?” “I’m fine, Nick.
How are you?
Quickly take off your clothes so Mom can see.” Seeing her protected by Nick’s tall, strong body, my mother-in-law finally reacted and hurriedly stood up to check Nick’s back injury.
“Damn it!” Bang—!
The waiter, who had suddenly become aggressive, fired a shot into the ceiling of the auditorium, then grabbed his father-in-law by the neck, dragged him from his seat, pressed a pistol against his temple, and fiercely glared at the crowd: “You don’t want this old guy to live, do you?” Seeing everyone’s eyes on him, the waiter, who had been hiding behind his father-in-law and whose face was partially visible, revealed a sinister smile.
His mother-in-law was also being pulled out of the crowd by Nick.
“Team One, Team Two, seal off the downstairs area.
Team Three, Team Four, guard the back door.” Li Wuyong grabbed the microphone on the screen and shouted loudly.
He felt that his police career was about to come to an end today.
The chairman of the billion-dollar Huida Group had been kidnapped by a ruthless drug dealer at his birthday banquet.
It wouldn’t be until the next day; this afternoon, he would be on the front page of every major news outlet.
A perfectly good birthday banquet was suddenly turned upside down, leaving everyone present speechless with shock.
“Don’t be impulsive, put Chairman Shen down, everything can be discussed.” My childhood friend Zhao Dahai suddenly spoke up.
I really wanted to slap this good brother across the face.
If I hadn’t revealed my father-in-law’s identity, the robber might not have known he was a chairman.
“Idiot, shut up!” Lin Ningwei was also angered by Dahai’s foolish behavior.
She stomped on his foot angrily and pulled Zhao Dahai, who had been trying to impress her, back.
“Everyone, listen up, my patience is running out.” “If you want this so-called chairman to live, you’d better obey me.”