Chapter 52: A Little Shake of the Hand

To be fair, Wu Zhiming's request wasn't unreasonable at all.

He had been oppressed by the Yao family for many years, enduring more than a few humiliations in recent times alone. Now, asking the Yao family to drink a bottle of Baijiu to bury the hatchet with a smile—it's definitely the kind of magnanimity only a high-ranking official could muster.

If that bottle of liquor were actually liquor, Yao Tianlong could have burst out laughing right there and then.

Unfortunately, everyone knew what that bottle contained.

To truly drink something like that, leaving aside whether one could stomach it, if anyone dared to drink it in public, they might as well bid farewell to their future in Haixia City.

"Wu Zhiming, you're pushing it too far!" Yao Shanchuan couldn't help but exclaim.

"Pushing it too far?" Wu Zhiming sneered coldly at Yao Shanchuan. "I've been married to Yao Jing for four years. Have any of you Yao family members treated me as your brother-in-law for even a day? Apart from Yao Jing, no one in the entire Yao family has ever respected me. Now that I'm the head of the Wu family, controlling assets worth billions, you come to beg my forgiveness with a straight face. Fine, I'm generous enough not to hold grudges, but I'll have you drink the bottle of liquor you brought yourselves. And that's pushing it too far?"

Yao Shanchuan was speechless.

"Zhiming, you also know what's in that bottle. Don't do this, it's not dignified!" Zhou Yanqiu frowned.

"Do you know what's in the bottle?" Wu Zhiming looked coldly at Zhou Yanqiu. "On this auspicious day of mine, your Yao family head personally brings such a thing to congratulate me, and you say it's undignified?"

Zhou Yanqiu was also speechless. Today was indeed a day of celebration for Wu Zhiming. If people found out that the Yao family had brought a bottle of urine to congratulate Wu Zhiming and he forgave them for their past deeds, Wu Zhiming wouldn't be able to stay in Haixia City.

"Zhiming, leave a way out for yourself..." Yao Tianlong took a deep breath and said with a dark face.

"I like to settle things once and for all. If you're not satisfied, the Yao family can declare war on me. But before you do, think about Shen Hongyue. I've already driven her out of the Wu family and back to the provincial capital. Can your Yao family withstand my actions? Think carefully before starting a war." Wu Zhiming said arrogantly.

Yao Tianlong was dumbfounded. The Wu family was currently in the limelight. His tiny Yao family couldn't withstand the upheaval caused by the Wu family. If Wu Zhiming cut ties with the Yao family and informed other real estate developers, the Yao family would definitely face major problems within six months!

All the members of the Yao family had only one thought in their minds at this moment.

If only we had known earlier, why did we act so recklessly in the beginning!

Do not bully the young... The weak and useless young master of the Yao family back then had now risen to become the head of the Wu family, capable of stirring up the entire Haixia City. How much humiliation had they inflicted on Wu Zhiming in the past? Now, all that humiliation was bound to rebound on them.

Yao Shanchuan looked at the wine in his hand and felt a bitter taste in his throat.

If he really had to drink it, then... among the Yao family members present, he was the most suitable candidate.

Just then... a clear voice rang out.

"I'll drink this wine." Yao Jing stood up and walked towards Yao Shanchuan.

Yao Shanchuan was stunned.

Yao Tianlong was stunned.

Zhou Yanqiu and Yao Jianyong were also stunned.

"Yao Jing, come back!" Wu Zhiming frowned and rebuked.

"Zhiming, we've been married for four years. You've been my husband for those four years, enduring the humiliation from the Yao family. As your wife, I've failed to protect your dignity. I was wrong. Today is your big day, and I believe Grandpa didn't mean to send this bottle of wine to you, but... wrong is wrong, and there must be consequences for mistakes. As you said, any Yao family member can drink this bottle of wine, and I am also a member of the Yao family. So I'll drink it, and there's no problem at all. You are the head of the Wu family, your word is your bond. After this, you and the Yao family will have no more grievances." Yao Jing said, reaching out to take the wine bottle from Yao Shanchuan's hand.

Yao Shanchuan was more than happy to pass on this hot potato to Yao Jing and quickly let go.

Yao Jing picked up the wine bottle and was about to twist open the cap when a hand reached over from the side.

"Madam, let us servants handle the rough task of opening the wine," said Dong Jian. It was indeed Dong Jian's hand.

Before Yao Jing could react, Dong Jian took the wine bottle and then let go of it.

The bottle fell towards the ground.

With a bang, the bottle shattered.

Yellow liquid spilled all over the floor.

"Ah, look at my hands, they're truly useless. I can't even hold a bottle of wine steady. Wuyuwei, come over and clean this up, and bring another bottle of wine for Madam." Dong Jian blamed himself while instructing Wuyuwei.

Not far away, Wuyuwei hurriedly summoned people to clean up, while Wang Hai, who was a bit farther away, saw this scene and got goosebumps all over his body.

He finally understood why Dong Jian could become the most trusted confidant of Wu Zhiming, knowing all of Wu Zhiming's secrets. Just based on this trembling hand of his, it was a level of skill that Wang Hai might not achieve even after several years or even more than a decade of practice.

Exquisite, truly exquisite, it made his scalp tingle!

Wang Hai wished he could take out a notebook and jot it all down. Although he worked under Wu Zhiming, he was still far from being Wu Zhiming's trusted confidant. His greatest aspiration was to strive to reach Dong Jian's position. Therefore, everything Dong Jian did was a learning opportunity for him.

What's done is done.

The yellow liquid on the ground, whatever it was, couldn't be put back into the bottle now.

Dong Jian took a newly opened bottle of wine and poured a glass for Yao Tianlong, Yao Shanchuan, Yao Jianyong, and Yao Jing—one glass each.

A two-liang-five cup, four glasses filled one bottle exactly.

After pouring, Dong Jian smiled and said, "The master is the most magnanimous person I've ever seen. In ancient times, a smile could reconcile enmity, and today, a bottle of wine does the same. Congratulations and celebrations are in order."

Yao Tianlong looked deeply at Dong Jian.

This person spoke and acted with just the right touch, and his ability to read people was stronger than others'. With such a person by Wu Zhiming's side, it was no wonder Wu Zhiming could succeed.

However, Yao Tianlong was puzzled. Why did Dong Jian take a liking to Wu Zhiming? He was originally Wu Zhiming's secretary. What merits and abilities did Wu Zhiming have to win Dong Jian's assistance?

Four glasses of wine, not four glasses of urine, made it much simpler for the Yao family members.

Yao Jing downed her glass in one go, and the other Yao family members did the same.

Afterwards, Yao Jing picked up another bottle from the table, poured a glass for Wu Zhiming, and then poured one for herself.

"Today is your big day. As your wife, I want to toast you," Yao Jing said.

Watching Yao Jing, Wu Zhiming understood that she was actually the most distressed person present. On one side were her closest family members, and on the other was her husband. The conflict between the two sides was irreconcilable no matter whom she sided with.

So, Wu Zhiming suppressed his anger.

Without Yao Jing, Yao Tianlong and Yao Shanchuan would never have been able to leave the Wu family without drinking the bottle of wine they had brought.

"Thank you!" Wu Zhiming raised his glass and clinked it with Yao Jing's.

"Cheers," Yao Jing said, and downed the two-liang-five Baijiu in one gulp.

Wu Zhiming wasn't good with alcohol, but seeing Yao Jing finish it, he did the same.

Wu Yuwei timely brought out delicious dishes and placed them on the table.

The lunch continued.

"Jingjing, even though you're now working at Wu Group, you still need to visit our family company often. The position of CEO, Grandfather always intended it for you," sighed Yao Tianlong to Yao Jing. He reflected on how, just now, without Yao Jing, for the sake of his dignity, he would have ended up tearing his face with Wu Zhiming. Fortunately, Yao Jing stepped in to defuse the situation, along with Dong Jian, and the crisis passed smoothly.

Therefore, Yao Tianlong felt immense gratitude and fondness towards Yao Jing.

"If only Yao Shanchuan had half your intelligence, he wouldn't need to rely on this person or that!" Yao Tianlong was a traditional man from Haixia City. Thus, he couldn't bring himself to pass the family business to his daughter. Ultimately, the family business had to go to the men in the family. However, among the men in the family, there were many like Yao Shanchuan. Yao Tianlong couldn't trust handing the company over to them completely, so he had to seek influence everywhere to try to ensure the company earned more and extended its lifespan.

"Grandfather, but I'm already the CEO!" mumbled Yao Shanchuan.

Yao Tianlong gave Yao Shanchuan a cold glance, revealing a hint of murderous intent for the first time.

Yao Shanchuan promptly closed his mouth.

After sitting at the dinner table for about fifteen minutes, Yao Tianlong found an excuse to leave. His purpose for this visit had been achieved—Yao Family had reconciled with Wu Zhiming, albeit deep cooperation was still unlikely. Nonetheless, it was a good start. With Yao Jing present, Yao Tianlong believed there would be more opportunities for Yao Family to cooperate with Wu Family.

Yao Jing escorted them out of the Wu family gate.

"Jingjing, we're counting on you with Zhiming!" Yao Tianlong held Yao Jing's hand earnestly.

"Zhiming has his own thoughts," Yao Jing replied.

"Even if he has thoughts, he's still a man. Once you sit on him, won't he obediently listen to everything you say?" Yao Shanchuan remarked.

Smack!

Yao Tianlong directly slapped Yao Shanchuan across the face.

"If you spout nonsense again, do you believe I'll break your legs?" Yao Tianlong reprimanded.

Yao Shanchuan shrank his neck, covering his face, and dared not speak.

"When did you switch the wine for me?" Yao Tianlong asked sternly, his face darkening. Yao Shanchuan's earlier actions had already indicated that he knew the wine contained urine.

"Um... Once when I was drinking with friends, I mentioned you had a bottle of 60-year-old Maotai. They insisted I show it to them, so I did. Then I couldn't resist and drank some..." Yao Shanchuan explained awkwardly, bowing his head.

"You drank it, fine. But why did you urinate into it?" Yao Tianlong demanded.

"I drank too much, felt a bit urgent at the time, and was afraid you'd find out, so I peed in it. It wasn't just me—Wen Kai, Wang Shaoyi, Li Jiaxin, they all did too!" Yao Shanchuan explained.

Yao Tianlong's expression turned extremely ugly. He hadn't expected that he had actually been drinking mixed urine.

"Go back and confine yourself for half a month. If I catch you leaving the house during this half month, I'll break your legs!" Yao Tianlong said angrily, turning and getting into the car.

Yao Shanchuan hurriedly followed him into the car, and they left the Wu family.

Watching them leave, Yao Jing sighed inwardly.

Even in this situation, Yao Tianlong couldn't really bring himself to severely punish Yao Shanchuan. If Yao Family truly fell into Yao Shanchuan's hands, it probably wouldn't last long.