What happened afterward became very simple.
After getting in touch with the person in charge of the “Lou” brand, Lin Haobai agreed to become the spokesperson for their new product line, and in return, the other party would help clear up the false rumors circulating online.
Soon, those blatantly fake news reports were gradually suppressed under the brand’s official announcement. At the same time, follow-up actions to hold those responsible formally began.
If Lin Haobai hadn’t transmigrated into his own figurine, he would never have known everything Ren Tianxing had done behind the scenes to resolve the matter. So when he received Ren Tianxing’s invitation for the first time, he agreed.
Lin Haobai still remembered that their first formal meeting had also taken place at this very private restaurant.
Back then, the way the other man looked at him carried a hint of curiosity and friendliness. Paired with his refined appearance, he seemed almost ethereal. Unfortunately, the moment he opened his mouth, that ethereal air vanished without a trace.
“Xiao Bai, what would you like to eat?” the handsome man sitting opposite him suddenly asked with a smiling gaze.
The familiar voice pulled Lin Haobai’s drifting thoughts back. He glanced around at the surroundings and remembered they were here to eat.
“The same dishes as last time are fine. I’m not picky,” Lin Haobai said, leaning back comfortably against the soft chair.
They were currently in an exquisitely decorated small private room. Aside from the two of them, the bodyguards who had accompanied them were in the larger private room outside.
“This place has too many good dishes. I’ll order some you haven’t tried before.” Ren Tianxing was so enthusiastic it was as if he owned the restaurant, his fingers flying across the ordering screen. Lin Haobai couldn’t help laughing at the way he showed off like he was presenting treasures, and the lingering irritation from their earlier argument in the car finally dissipated.
From the corner of his eye, Ren Tianxing observed his expression and secretly curved his lips.
Once the dishes were served, Lin Haobai stopped being polite and began eating seriously. To him, nothing mattered more than a good meal.
“Seeing you happy makes me happy.”
The sudden remark nearly made Lin Haobai spit out the food in his mouth.
“If we’re eating, then just eat. Why suddenly scare people like that?” After swallowing the food that had gotten stuck, Lin Haobai said irritably. Didn’t it sound strange for one man to say something like that to another?
“I just saw how satisfied you looked while eating!” Ren Tianxing said, lifting the red wine beside him for a sip.
“Boss Ren, President Ren, can you just eat properly?” Lin Haobai rolled his eyes at him and casually picked up the serving chopsticks to place some food onto his plate. He had already noticed that despite the table full of delicious dishes, the other man had only tasted a bit of everything before spending the rest of the time staring at him.
Several times, he had the urge to reach up and touch his own face, wondering if he had suddenly changed from a walking bar of chocolate into hard cash.
Otherwise, why was he looking at him with that kind of gaze?
That shiver brought on by a hunter’s look at his prey made even someone as thick-skinned as him grow increasingly uncomfortable.
Could it be that he was more appetizing than the food?
Ren Tianxing smiled faintly, looking down at the food in his bowl. Normally, if someone picked dishes for him, he would pretend not to notice. But when it was the little cutie in front of him, with that faint trace of expectation in his eyes, he always found himself unable to harden his heart.
Very strange.
Yet Ren Tianxing did not dislike this strangeness at all. There were already very few people or things in his life that could still arouse his interest. Discovering something new now was actually quite nice.
He picked up his chopsticks and ate absentmindedly. Ren Tianxing even found time to pinch the small figurine lying obediently in his pocket, occasionally lifting his head to look at the little cutie sitting across from him. Watching him foolishly focus only on eating, he could not help sighing inwardly: if it weren’t for him, this little cutie would probably have run into quite a bit of trouble this time.
Of course, that trouble had also been brought upon him by Ren Tianxing himself.
If not for his instructions, his family’s brand would never have approached Lin Haobai to be their spokesperson. He just didn’t expect the Xu family to act like rabid dogs, snatching at anything connected to their group. If they couldn’t take it, they would destroy it. Did they think he would remain silent like before? This time, he would make them pay.
…
In the brightly lit suburban villa district, inside an extremely luxurious villa, several men were gathered in the study. Among them were men in their twenties, forties, and seventies. Although they differed in age, there were slight similarities in their features. Anyone with a discerning eye could tell they were family.
The man in his twenties was pacing angrily in the middle of the spacious study, clearly on the verge of losing control.
“Grandpa, why should we stop?”
After circling a few times, the young man finally halted and looked toward the elderly man in his seventies seated at the only desk in the study.
“Do you still not understand?” The old man’s voice was steady and forceful, the tone of someone cautious and composed.
“This is exactly when that woman-faced man’s foundation is unstable. If we don’t take this chance to slowly bring him down, are we supposed to wait until he grows stronger?” The young man thought of what had happened this time and wished he could kick that beautiful face a few times. A man who looked prettier than a woman, what an embarrassment to their pride as men.
The old man looked at his grandson, still consumed by rage, and a trace of disappointment flashed through his eyes. He didn’t expect his own grandson to be so incompetent. It was clearly a trap, yet he had charged straight into it.
“That’s enough. Behave yourself for a while. From now on, you are not to interfere in matters concerning the Ren family. Leave everything to your uncle.” The old man ignored his grandson, who grew even angrier upon hearing the decision, and instead turned to instruct his younger son, who had been sitting quietly to the side the entire time.
The Xu family had never been on good terms with the Ren family, and in business they were outright rivals. But this eldest grandson was far too ruthless in the way he handled things. Ruthlessness itself wasn’t the problem; the problem was lacking the ability to match that ruthlessness. A person like that could easily die without ever knowing how.
The eldest grandson was just like his late eldest son, resorting at every turn to tactics that harmed others without benefiting himself. This matter had been so simple, yet he had still allowed others to seize evidence against him.
“Dad, I know what to do,” the middle-aged man, the old man’s youngest son, said slowly. Then he stood up and left the study with his own son.
The study suddenly fell silent, leaving only the seventy-year-old man and the young man still seething with anger.
“Grandpa, this is my business. What right does Uncle have to interfere?”
“If you had even half the ability of Ren He’s grandson, it wouldn’t be your uncle’s turn. From now on, you’ll stay at home and behave. That way, you won’t suffer any losses.”
“On what grounds? In what way am I inferior to that pretty-faced man? I’ll avenge my father myself. I won’t just sit and wait.” The young man threw out those harsh words and stormed out, slamming the door behind him without looking back.
Only the old man remained standing there.
“Master…”
An elderly man suddenly appeared at the doorway and spoke softly as he looked at the silent old man.
“Steward Xu, have someone keep an eye on him. Don’t let him casually provoke anyone surnamed Ren.”
Soon, cars drove out of the villa, speeding off in different directions.
Lin Haobai knew nothing of these events.
All he knew was that after finishing the meal with Ren Tianxing, he had been sent straight home. From what the other man said, he finally confirmed that Ren Tianxing also lived in the same villa district.
After waving goodbye, Lin Haobai walked into his house feeling a little lightheaded, completely unaware of the gaze watching him from the darkness.