Chapter 134: Boss Zhao?
"Hello? Mr. Zhao, may I ask what this is about?" Wu Tingyu's slightly tense and respectful voice came from the other end of the line.
Zhao Dong replied with a faint smile, "It's nothing serious. Are you and your father dining at the East Sea Hotel?"
Ever since he had cured Wu Tingyu's mother's facial condition, she always sounded nervous and respectful when speaking to him. It made him a little uncomfortable.
"Yes, we are. Mr. Zhao, are you here too?" she asked, a hint of pleasant surprise in her voice.
"I am. I'm in the room right next to yours." Glancing at the smirking Zhang Shaowen, Zhao Dong added, "There's a man here named Zhang Shaowen who claims he knows your father. Is that true?"
Wu Tingyu immediately covered the mouthpiece of her phone and turned to Wu Tianhua, who was beside her. "Dad, a man named Zhang Shaowen says he knows you and that you two are close. Mr. Zhao is asking if it's true."
Hearing the name, Wu Tianhua grew excited. "Mr. Zhao!" After all, his entire family was indebted to Zhao Dong. He then answered the question, confused, "Zhang Shaowen? Who's that? I've never heard of him!"
"Mr. Zhao, my dad says he doesn't know him!"
Zhao Dong smiled and put the phone on speaker. "Zhang Shaowen, hear that? He says he doesn't know you."
Everyone was startled, their gazes shifting suspiciously to Zhang Shaowen. Someone whispered in surprise, "Is Zhao Dong actually on the phone with the bank president?"
"I think he's just putting on a show," another muttered. "How could he possibly know the president?"
"No way. He's a nobody!"
As the group chattered, Zhang Shaowen stubbornly retorted, "Zhao Dong, who the hell do you think you are, claiming to know the president of East Sea Bank? Did you hire some random person to impersonate him? Do you take us all for fools?"
Ding Lan bit her lip and sighed softly. "Zhao Dong, just stop trying to save face."
"Who's trying to save face?" Zhao Dong shook his head, not wanting to waste his breath on them. He turned back to the phone. "Tingyu, that was all. Go on and enjoy your dinner with your father."
"Alright, Brother Zhao Dong."
After they hung up, Wu Tingyu and Wu Tianhua immediately decided to go over and offer Zhao Dong a toast. They were so thoroughly impressed by his medical skills that they felt they had to show their appreciation. Both stood up and headed over.
Meanwhile, Zhang Shaowen sneered, completely unconcerned. "Zhao Dong, your petty tricks might fool someone else, but let me warn you: if you dare hire an imposter to be the president of East Sea Bank, he'll come looking for you when he finds out!"
"The East Sea Bank practically groveled at our feet, begging the Zhang Family for a partnership! How could a third-rate nobody like you possibly know its president?" Zhang Shaowen scoffed.
Lv Hao chimed in, "Zhao, we're all classmates, so we've been letting things slide. But you're actually hiring an imposter just to show off? Heh, out in the real world, you'd have been taught a lesson by now!"
"Alas, what can you do? Some people think they're high and mighty, but when they can't make a living, they resort to such vanity!" another classmate echoed.
Ding Lan glanced at Zhao Dong and sighed softly without a word. His capacity for boasting is beyond my imagination. He was never like this before.
Only Zhang Yao watched from the side with a cold, mocking glint in her eyes. She knew exactly how capable Zhao Dong was.
Just then, the private room door opened, and Wu Tianhua and Wu Tingyu walked in.
"Haha, Mr. Zhao! It's been a while!" As soon as Wu Tianhua entered, he spotted Zhao Dong sitting by the door. Recognizing him, he strode forward excitedly to shake his hand. "Mr. Zhao, I've heard so much about you! I'm Tingyu's father!"
Wu Tingyu smiled sweetly. "Brother Zhao Dong, this is my dad!"
Zhao Dong offered a modest smile. "Uncle Wu, you're too kind. You're my elder; how could you call me 'Mr.'?"
"Hahaha! By the way, who was it that said they knew me?"
Wu Tianhua had initially assumed it might be a friend of Zhao Dong's. However, upon entering, he immediately sensed the strange atmosphere in the room. Zhao Dong was seated near the entrance, and the others regarded him coldly, clearly not fond of him. Wu Tianhua was an astute man; he immediately grasped the situation.
Zhang Shaowen sized up Wu Tianhua. "Heh, Zhao Dong, you really found someone presentable! Well-dressed in a suit, I'll give you that. But not just anyone can pretend to be the president of East Sea Bank!"
"He might look impressive to the public, but he'd still have to bow his head to my Zhang Family! If the real president of East Sea Bank were here, he'd be coming over to respectfully offer me a toast!"
Lv Hao glanced at Wu Tianhua and sneered, "Old man, if you don't want a beating, get the hell out. Otherwise, don't blame us for throwing you out!"
Wu Tingyu's face flushed with anger, but then a realization dawned on her, and she sneered, "You idiots are going to regret this!"
"Oh? And there's a fine-looking gal, too! Zhao Dong, you really go all out with your act, don't you!"
Zhang Shaowen and his cronies eyed Wu Tingyu with lewd gazes, making her blood boil. She wished she could slap each and every one of them.
Wu Tianhua looked at the group, slowly pulled a business card from his pocket, and tossed it onto the table. "This is the first time someone has accused me of being an imposter," he said coldly. "Open your eyes and take a good look."
The group stared curiously. Zhang Shaowen picked up the card, and his disdainful expression instantly froze. A chill ran down his spine as dread flooded his heart. The gold-trimmed card was unique to East Sea Bank, as official as Wu Tianhua's own ID and impossible to fake.
Seeing Zhang Shaowen's expression, Lv Hao was stunned. He hurriedly snatched the card. After examining it carefully, his eyes widened in utter disbelief.
"So, do you still think I'm a fake?" Wu Tianhua pulled out a chair, sat down, and fixed his gaze on Zhang Shaowen.
Zhang Shaowen's legs trembled. He swallowed hard, staring in horror at the man before him as he stammered, "You... you're really... President... President Wu?"
At this question, everyone else in the room was dumbfounded, their eyes wide with shock.
He's really the president of East Sea Bank?
Ding Lan was completely stunned and incredulous.
How could this be? Does Zhao Dong actually know him?
Wu Tianhua snorted. "So, you're not blind after all. Mr. Zhao is a friend of mine. Who do you think you are, making snide remarks about him? And you, you're Zhang Shaowen?"
Zhang Shaowen trembled. "President Wu, I... I..."
"Outrageous! Even your father has to speak to me with his head lowered, yet you dare tarnish my reputation? From this day forward, East Sea Bank will not lend your Zhang Family a single cent!
"Your own father has to be respectful when he comes to me for a loan, yet a punk like you has the gall to be this arrogant!"
"No, Mr. Wu!" Looking as though his world had ended, Zhang Shaowen's legs gave out. Tears streamed down his face as he knelt before Wu Tianhua and began slapping himself, wailing, "President Wu, I beg you, I was wrong! Please don't hold this against me! You can't cut off the loans to the Zhang Family, I'm begging you!"
His face was a mess of tears and snot.
Lv Hao shrank back, not even daring to meet Zhao Dong's eyes.
The rest of the classmates swallowed hard, their gazes toward Wu Tianhua and Zhao Dong now filled with awe. Wu Tianhua was a true titan of East Sea City. Without East Sea Bank, countless businesses would fail, a fact that affected the lives of everyone in the room.
And Zhao Dong... he was on another level entirely.
Ding Lan was completely stunned, staring blankly at Zhao Dong. Zhao Dong... he knows such an important man? And that man is so respectful toward him? Am I dreaming? Thinking back to her earlier words, her face burned with shame. After all that, we were the real clowns.
Just then, a student with glasses stood up, quickly put some distance between himself and Zhang Shaowen, and approached Zhao Dong to offer a toast.
"Ahem, uh, Brother Dong, I might have said some unpleasant things just now. Please don't take it to heart. Come, let's have a drink!"
The others quickly caught on and started chiming in with praise.
"See? I always said that Zhao Dong was a great student and would definitely be successful!"
"Brother Dong, we got along pretty well back in the day, right? We sat right next to each other! You've gotta look out for your bro in the future!"
Zhao Dong's expression was indifferent. He pushed away the cluster of glasses offered to him. "Enough. We're all adults here. Who are you putting this act on for? I'm not drinking."
His flat refusal left the group utterly embarrassed, their faces burning with regret.
KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK!
"Boss!"
Han Dayou opened the door and came in, smiling as he approached Zhao Dong. "Boss, why are you using this room for your get-together? You should be in the luxury VIP suite on the top floor!"
Boss?
At that word, everyone in the room—except for Zhang Yao—was thunderstruck.
This first-class hotel... is owned by Zhao Dong?
Ding Lan's jaw practically hit the floor. She stared dumbfounded at Zhao Dong and stammered, "Zhao Dong... you're... you're the owner... of this place?"