Top Soldier Pursued by a Beauty

In an instant, Ding Lan's face turned pale. It felt as if a bottle of mixed emotions had been knocked over in her heart, leaving her unable to utter a single word.

The entire private room fell into dead silence.

The Ding family stared at Zhao Dong in a daze.

Finally, with an incredulous look, Ding Xingteng's voice trembled as he spoke, "Zhao Dong, how… how do you know these people?"

Zhao Dong glanced at Ding Xingteng, whose face instantly flushed red, then turned pale. In that moment, he felt like a complete clown in Zhao Dong's eyes.

Zhao Dong stretched lazily and stood up. He glanced at Ding Xingteng and Tian Fangmei, asking indifferently, "Uncle, Auntie, do you still think my friends are a bad influence?"

Ding Xingteng and Tian Fangmei both felt their faces burn with a painful sting, as if they had just been slapped.

Ji Xiong frowned, shot a look at the couple, and snorted, "Calling us a bad influence? You should take a look at yourselves. It's not even easy for us to get Zhao Dong to agree to a meal, yet you dare to scold him. You're truly blind."

Ding Xingteng and Tian Fangmei lowered their heads even further, their bodies trembling and their faces filled with bitterness. They were simultaneously regretful and shocked. Who exactly is Zhao Dong now? How could he possibly know these people?

At that moment, Ji Xueyao looked toward Ding Qin. When Ding Qin saw the gaze on her, she panicked and forced a smile. "Miss Ji, I… we just met yesterday. You remember me, right? I… I am…"

"That's enough. I certainly remember you, but…" Ji Xueyao paused, then said with cool indifference, "…you can forget about that business order."

In an instant, Ding Qin looked as if she were mourning a death. Her face fell, and she nearly dropped to her knees as she pleaded, "Miss Ji, why? Didn't we have a good talk about it yesterday?"

"Why?" Ji Xueyao repeated coolly. "There is no why. I just didn't like your previous attitude toward Zhao Dong. Are you satisfied now?"

Ding Qin's heart turned to ash. Her strength seemed to drain away, and she collapsed into her chair. "Miss Ji, I know I was wrong. Please, give me another chance. I'm begging you."

Ji Xueyao simply shook her head. Then, her gaze shifted to Zhao Dong and her expression softened into a smile. "Zhao Dong, we have other matters to attend to, so we'll be leaving now. Just contact me if you need anything! Oh, right, there's a concert tomorrow. Are you free? I'd like to go with you."

Zhao Dong touched his nose and gave a wry smile. "Let's talk about it tomorrow."

"Alright, we'll get going then."

Ji Xiong also bid farewell to Zhao Dong. Their family's main purpose today had been to make an introduction for Shi Huqing. Now that it was done and Zhao Dong had received the ginseng, they left, completely satisfied.

Shi Huqing also smiled and said, "Young friend Zhao, I'll be leaving the room now as well. Just give me a call if you need anything."

"Of course."

Shi Huqing smiled again and added, "By the way, I had someone bring another case of Moutai from my personal collection into the room. Please don't think this vintage is subpar. A bottle might only be sixty or seventy thousand, but it has been aged for seven or eight years, so the flavor is quite good."

Zhao Dong nodded. "Thank you very much, Mr. Shi."

"Ah!" Shi Huqing protested immediately. "None of this 'Mr. Shi' business. Just call me Little Shi!"

Zhao Dong gave a wry smile as Shi Huqing, not wanting to delay further, hurried out.

Soon, only Zhao Dong and the Ding family remained in the room. The once-lively atmosphere had given way to a deathly silence. Ding Xingteng and Tian Fangmei stared at Zhao Dong with incredibly complex expressions, looking as if they were bursting with things to say but didn't dare to speak. Ding Qin's face was ashen; she seemed utterly stupefied, her expression a mask of regret and bitterness, on the verge of tears.

Only Ding Jianguo sat drinking sullenly, not saying a word, though his brow was etched with melancholy.

Zhao Dong stood up and scanned the room. His gaze finally rested on Ding Jianguo as he smiled. "Elder, that case of Moutai is in the next room. It's a gift for you. Remember to take it with you when you leave. Also…"

Zhao Dong thought for a moment, then picked up a nearby pen and paper. He wrote down a prescription and handed it to Ding Jianguo. "Additionally, Elder, this is a prescription. Go get the herbs and drink it regularly. I guarantee it will cure your liver disease."

Ding Jianguo put down his glass and looked at Zhao Dong. His eyes suddenly reddened, and tears glinted in his cloudy pupils. "Zhao Dong, our Ding family has wronged you! When you and Ding Lan broke up, I was angry for a long time. Who would have thought my own worthless son and daughter-in-law were the ones who forced you two apart… Sigh! Zhao Dong, Grandpa has had a bit too much to drink today and can't control his words, so please don't mind me. I still hope that you and Ding Lan can get back together."

Zhao Dong fell silent for a few seconds before speaking softly, "Elder, that's all in the past. Let's not bring it up again. But regardless of whether Ding Lan and I are together, you will always be an elder I respect in my heart."

With that, Zhao Dong took one last look at the Ding family and turned to leave the private room.

After he had gone, Ding Xingteng finally stammered, "Fangmei, do you think… we really underestimated Zhao Dong? Should we… should we really have forced Ding Lan to break up with him back then?"

A bitter expression also appeared on Tian Fangmei's face. But soon, she clenched her jaw and said, "They've already broken up, so why are you bringing this up now? I refuse to believe it. Where would he get the ability to know such prominent figures? I feel like there must be some trickery involved! I'm going to investigate Zhao Dong thoroughly!"

Ding Jianguo, who had been silent, sighed and said in a hoarse voice, "Tian Fangmei, why must you be so stubborn? Why are you so blinded by greed? When you forced Ding Lan to break up with him, I told you that you would regret it one day! I'm a good judge of character, and that boy, Zhao Dong, is destined for great things."

Tian Fangmei pursed her lips, wanting to argue but ultimately just letting out a heavy sigh.

Seeing her, Ding Qin suddenly exploded with anger. "This is all your fault! Tian Fangmei, you owe me!"

Tian Fangmei was instantly displeased. "What on earth? Why are you blaming me all of a sudden? What did I do?"

Ding Qin said hatefully, "You were the one stoking the flames! If you hadn't been stirring things up, would I have spoken to Zhao Dong like that? Now look what's happened! The order is gone, millions just vanished into thin air. Tian Fangmei, you're going to pay me back!"

Seeming to have lost her mind, Ding Qin lunged at Tian Fangmei, who also grew frantic. The two were about to start brawling.

"Enough!" Ding Lan shouted, slamming her hand on the table as she shot to her feet.

Both Tian Fangmei and Ding Qin froze. The next second, Ding Lan's eyes reddened. Without a backward glance, she ran out of the room.

Outside the private room, Zhao Dong was about to head downstairs when he heard footsteps behind him.

"Zhao Dong!" a voice called out.

He turned his head and frowned. It was Ding Lan.

"What is it?" Zhao Dong asked.

With red-rimmed eyes, Ding Lan took a deep breath. Her voice was slightly hoarse as she asked, "Can I talk to you?"

"About what?"

Ding Lan was silent for a few seconds. "Meet me on the hotel rooftop."

With that, she turned and walked directly up the stairwell.

Zhao Dong frowned. He didn't want to go, but Ding Lan's emotional state seemed unstable, and he worried something bad might happen. Forget it, I'd better go and see.

Zhao Dong followed her up the stairs. The two of them soon arrived on the rooftop of the building.