Wife Takes the Reins: The Calm CEO

Chapter 3: A Threatening Tone

“Are you looking to die?” Although his cool sunglasses hid most of his face, they couldn’t contain the overwhelming charisma radiating from him. Yet his voice sent a chill down one’s spine—no, it was more like an innate, regal aura that instantly overwhelmed Li Xiaowan and Qi Xin'er. “I’m... I’m sorry. It’s my fault. I’ll pay for any damage to your car at full value.” Li Xiaowan couldn’t even believe her own words—it was obvious she lacked any real conviction. “Is that so? You’ll compensate… and with what, exactly?” The man walked straight up to Li Xiaowan. At 1. 65 meters, she was of average height among the female friends she knew, but compared to the man standing before her—whether due to reality or a psychological effect—she felt as though she were a full head shorter. What was even more frustrating was the distinct sensation that her face was flushing and her heart was racing; perhaps because he was standing so close, she could even clearly feel his breath. “I… don’t worry. I’ll write you an IOU. If I can’t pay it off this year, I’ll pay it off next year; if not next year, then the year after. In short, I’ll spend my whole life working hard to earn the money to pay you back,” Li Xiaowan said solemnly, not even knowing where she’d found the courage. Qi Xin'er, standing beside her, quickly nudged Li Xiaowan’s arm, as if to warn her not to make such grandiose promises. Only then did Li Xiaowan realize she probably shouldn’t have said that. Perhaps she should have first put on a pitiful expression, then knelt down to beg for mercy and burst into tears. Who knows? The person in front of her might have softened his heart, felt sympathy for her, and decided not to press the matter. But once the words were out, could she take them back? Besides, that wasn’t her style anyway. Taking responsibility for her actions had always been her guiding principle—though to others, it might just look like she was putting on a brave face. “No need for an IOU. Here’s my business card. Once you’ve made up your mind, go to the front desk in the lobby of the Nifusia Hotel at 8:00 p. m. tomorrow and hand this card to the receptionist. Someone will take you where you need to go.” After the man finished speaking, a barely perceptible cold smile flitted across the corner of his mouth. Just as Li Xiaowan was about to reach out to take the business card the man was offering, it fell to the ground with a “thud” the instant he turned away. “That was totally on purpose! So what if you’re rich? Does having money give you the right to trample on other people’s dignity? I’m not picking it up—let’s see what you can do about it!” Li Xiaowan thought to herself angrily. “You can choose not to pick it up, and you can choose not to come, but let me tell you this: from now on, you’ll end up worse off than a beggar on the street. Believe it or not, it’s up to you!” With that, the man sped off in his sports car. Li Xiaowan ignored the man’s threat and turned her head away, but suddenly a thought struck her: “What am I going to do? These are the new shoes I just bought!” There was certainly no way to turn back now to get them repaired, so she had to think on her feet. She pulled off the other good shoe from her foot, held it in her hand, and banged it hard against the ground. “Crack!” She finally managed to snap it off. She then slipped on the pair of high heels with the broken heel. Although they were a bit imperfect, they were much more comfortable than before. She was still used to wearing flats; even the high heels she wore to work every day—no matter how high the heels were—weren’t as high as the ones she was wearing today. “What kind of people have I run into today? They’re all such oddballs—especially this one, who’s the biggest oddball of them all!” Li Xiaowan grumbled, but she still bent down to pick up the business card that had fallen to the ground. Before she had a chance to take a closer look, however, Qi Xin'er snatched it away. “Wow, Xiaowan, look—this business card is even gold-plated!” Qi Xin'er had been shouting excitedly just a second ago, but the next second, upon seeing the person’s title printed on the card, she was so startled that even the hand holding the card began to tremble. “Xin’er, have you lost your mind?” Li Xiaowan found Qi Xin'er’s dazed expression utterly baffling. Out of curiosity, she reached out, took the business card from Qi Xin'er’s hand, and examined it closely. The text on the card looked as if it had been inlaid, and it was extremely brief: Fengyi Group, Feng Lingzheng. No logo, no title, no contact information—she flipped it over and back, but there were only those seven characters. This person was truly bizarre—who on earth would print a business card like this? “Xiaowan, don’t you have any thoughts after seeing that?” Qi Xin'er finally snapped back to her senses. “It’s just a business card. What’s there to think about?” Li Xiaowan said nonchalantly. “Sigh, it’s all my fault for spoiling you so much and not filling your head with all that work-unrelated gossip. Haven’t you ever heard of ‘Fengyi Group’? Haven’t you heard of ‘Feng Lingzheng’ either?” Qi Xin'er said excitedly. “I think I’ve heard of them, but I don’t remember.” Li Xiaowan vaguely recalled someone mentioning them, but she hadn’t paid much attention at the time. “Fengyi Group has subsidiaries all over the world, and its headquarters is located in the famous United States gambling city that never sleeps—‘Las Vegas.’ Feng Lingzheng is the sole heir to Fengyi Group, and The Feng Family’s influence permeates every level of society both at home and abroad—it’s on a scale you can’t even imagine. Feng Lingzheng himself is said to be extremely mysterious, straddling the line between good and evil, and is feared and respected by both the underworld and the establishment. The fact that we have the privilege of meeting him today is definitely a karmic connection earned over three lifetimes.” Qi Xin'er grew more and more excited as she spoke. “Come on, you didn’t even get a clear look at what he looks like. With those huge sunglasses, I bet he’s either ugly or disfigured!” Li Xiaowan said resentfully. She really didn’t understand why Qi Xin'er was painting that arrogant man as if he were a god revered by all. “Xiaowan, keep your voice down. You can say these things to me in private, but don’t let anyone else hear them. Got it?” Qi Xin'er said with a serious expression. “Got it. I, Li Xiaowan, promise right here and now: I won’t tell a soul!” Li Xiaowan replied, playing along. She’d originally wanted to take another dig at Qi Xin'er, but after a moment’s thought, she decided against it—she’d just go along with it to satisfy Qi Xin'er’s current surge of excitement. After hearing Li Xiaowan’s promise, Qi Xin'er felt truly satisfied; she believed Li Xiaowan had finally agreed with her point of view. “Xiaowan, I knew you’d be the most level-headed and reasonable. Look, it should be just up ahead—let’s hurry!” Qi Xin'er said happily. Li Xiaowan looked up—holy cow! The exquisite building before them could easily rival the world’s top ten castles. It exuded nobility without losing its elegance, and understated charm without sacrificing depth; in short, it gave off an incredibly pleasant and comfortable vibe. “Welcome to the Bolerro Winery, ladies. Please show your invitations to the reception,” said one of the hostesses standing on either side of the castle gate, smiling at Li Xiaowan and Qi Xin'er with a gentle, sweet tone. “Sure.” Li Xiaowan and Qi Xin'er handed over their invitations at the same time. Even the hostesses were so strikingly beautiful that Li Xiaowan was convinced that even without makeup, they would still be among the most stunning women. “Ladies, please follow me.” The hostess led the way, but Li Xiaowan glanced at the other guests—none of them were receiving the same treatment. She suspected the hostess had taken pity on them, assuming they were clearly inexperienced and might get lost in the vast estate, so she was kindly guiding them inside. Li Xiaowan and Qi Xin'er had lost count of how many corridors they’d walked through with the hostess; they felt as if they were about to get dizzy from all the twists and turns. Just as the two were beginning to feel utterly hopeless, “Ladies, we’re almost there,” the hostess said with a smile. “Oh my goodness! We’ve finally made it through,” Li Xiaowan muttered under her breath, though she didn’t forget to say “thank you” to the hostess. “You’re welcome, ladies. I hope you have a wonderful evening. Goodbye,” the hostess said. With an elegant stride, she turned and disappeared from Li Xiaowan and Qi Xin'er’s view. “Xin'er, let’s go inside. If we don’t go in soon, the cocktail party will be over!” Li Xiaowan led the way. “Xiaowan, wait a minute… Why do I feel a little scared all of a sudden?” Qi Xin'er hurried forward two steps, grabbed Li Xiaowan’s hand to stop her from moving forward, and said. “Miss Qi, weren’t you the one who was absolutely determined to come to this cocktail party? What’s the matter—are you getting cold feet now?” After saying this, Li Xiaowan gave Qi Xin'er’s index finger a firm squeeze, hoping to jolt her nerves a bit. “Ouch... that hurts! You Xiaowan, are you trying to squeeze me to death?” Qi Xin'er shrieked. “I’m doing this to make you feel the pain—otherwise, I’m afraid you’ll forget why you’re here tonight. Just think of all the princes waiting for you in that hall, my Princess Xin'er.” After saying this, Li Xiaowan made a gentlemanly gesture. “Get lost…” Qi Xin'er said, then took Li Xiaowan’s hand and walked straight into the ballroom—it seemed her fighting spirit had been ignited by the thought of all the handsome guys she was about to meet. As soon as they walked in, the two were immediately struck by the sight before them. Not only was the venue luxurious, elegant, and upscale—which goes without saying—but most importantly, it exuded a warm, welcoming atmosphere that didn’t feel oppressive at all, which came as a surprise to Li Xiaowan. “Xiaowan, there are so many handsome guys! I feel like my heart can’t take it!” Qi Xin'er whispered excitedly into Li Xiaowan’s ear. “Look at you, such a wimp. Okay, go ahead and try to pick up some handsome guys. I’ll just sit here and wait for you. Remember to drink in moderation.” Li Xiaowan wasn’t particularly interested in the handsome men and beautiful women filling the room; instead, her attention was drawn to the delicious food before her. So she urged Qi Xin'er to get out of her sight as quickly as possible—she couldn’t let half her savings go to waste like this. Getting her money’s worth through the food would at least be a way to justify her hard-earned salary! “Got it, I’m off!” Qi Xin'er was in high spirits at that moment. Although she’d never attended such a high-class cocktail party before, she wasn’t the least bit shy. In the blink of an eye, she vanished from Li Xiaowan’s sight. She had no idea if that girl Qi Xin'er had water in her brain—or maybe she’d just watched too many romance dramas. All that “rising from rags to riches” nonsense was just for the sake of grabbing viewers’ attention. Yet there she was, still daydreaming. The silliest part was that she’d even tagged along to experience the cruelty of reality with her. And why hadn’t she checked the almanac before leaving this morning? What kind of people had she run into? Li Xiaowan sat alone in an inconspicuous corner of the hall, lost in her thoughts. In front of her were two plates of pastries she’d just grabbed at random, along with a glass of nameless liquor that didn’t have the slightest hint of alcohol. To her, any liquor she couldn’t name was simply “nameless liquor.” Li Xiaowan idly watched the handsome men and beautiful women swaying back and forth before her, wondering what on earth these people were even doing here—saying things they didn’t mean and doing things they didn’t want to do. And she, too, had let that girl Qi Xin'er turn her head. It would be so much better to go to the night market for fried chicken and beer—now that would be a real treat. At that thought, Li Xiaowan wished she could grow a pair of wings and fly straight to the night market she and Qi Xin'er loved to visit, to enjoy that carefree atmosphere where they could sing their hearts out. Speaking of which, where on earth had that little brat Qi Xin'er run off to? Just as Li Xiaowan was about to get up to look for her, a platform suddenly began to rise slowly in the center of the hall. Now Li Xiaowan finally understood why she’d seen a circular flower stand—half a person’s height—in the center of the hall from the very beginning. She’d thought it was merely decoration at the time, but it turned out to have a hidden purpose. Rising along with the platform was a man who exuded extraordinary charisma at first glance. Before Li Xiaowan could get a clear look at his face, her view was blocked by a swarm of handsome men and beautiful women rushing toward the platform. Where was the gentlemanly decorum? Where was the ladylike grace? Where had they all gone? Is he really that popular? It’s not like he’s the President of the country! At that moment, Li Xiaowan felt as if a hundred thousand questions had suddenly popped into her head. If she kept thinking about it, her head would probably explode sooner or later. Oh well, it’s none of her business. “Hey… Xiaowan… Xiaowan…” Qi Xin'er came running over from who knows where—and “running” was no exaggeration. But compared to her, the people currently crowding around the elevator platform were even more unbelievable. “You little brat, where’d you run off to? I’ve been sitting here waiting for you all this time by myself.” ” Li Xiaowan said irritably. That brat Qi Xin'er really had the nerve to leave her hanging while she went off to flirt with some hottie. No doubt she’d been having the time of her life earlier and had completely forgotten about her. Qi Xin'er was great in every way, except that the moment she saw a hottie, she couldn’t tear herself away. Hotties… Excuse me, but can hotties actually be eaten?