Chapter 341: Humiliation
Are they still arguing? No... it seems like there are other people... Zhao Dong pondered for a moment before deciding to stay and listen.
「Meanwhile, inside the private room.」
Ding Lan's delicate eyebrows were knitted together, her expression dark. Beside her, Zhang Shaowen was beaming, looking utterly smug.
Around them, seven or eight scions were feasting and drinking heavily, trading all sorts of lewd and vulgar jokes.
Zhang Shaowen scratched his head and chuckled. "Lan, don't look so grim. Smile a little!"
He glanced at the others and said proudly, "Everyone here is an influential scion from the Provincial City. I invited them out to introduce you to some powerful contacts. If you keep pulling a long face like that, you're making things difficult for me!"
Ding Lan's brows furrowed, her beautiful face a mask of icy indifference. "Young Master Zhang, don't you find their conversation disgusting?"
Zhang Shaowen laughed. "It's fine. A real man doesn't sweat the small stuff. Besides, these guys aren't people you can just invite anytime! Having them here is a testament to my influence! If it were that loser Zhao Dong, he wouldn't even be qualified to sit here!"
With his friends present, Zhang Shaowen's vanity swelled, and his words became more boastful.
Ding Lan's expression soured. After the incident on the plane, she had wanted nothing to do with Zhang Shaowen. But he was relentlessly persistent and had insisted on bringing her here today, claiming he wanted to introduce her to some important contacts. Who would have thought that the moment these so-called scions arrived, they would start bragging about how many women they'd slept with recently? The conversation filled Ding Lan with utter disgust.
She wanted to leave, but some of them were connected to the medical system, making it difficult for her to simply walk out.
"Shaowen, can't you even control your woman?" a preening, slick-haired scion teased Zhang Shaowen with a smirk.
"You jest, Young Master Wang. My girlfriend is just a little shy meeting you all for the first time..." Zhang Shaowen said, trying to curry favor.
But Ding Lan's expression hardened. "Young Master Zhang, when did I become your girlfriend? Please show some self-respect."
Zhang Shaowen grew even more embarrassed and could only shoot Ding Lan a helpless look.
Someone nearby chuckled. "Whoa, this chick's got a temper! Looks like our great Young Master Zhang can't handle her. But we're all just people here, what's there to get used to? Don't tell me she's never seen men before?"
"Exactly, Shaowen. Women are for using, not for pampering. If you don't know how, why don't we brothers help you out?"
Zhang Shaowen looked mortified. The words were incredibly harsh, grating on his ears, but he didn't dare to object. He could only force an awkward laugh.
Another man roared with laughter. "HAHAHA! Young Master Li, you're taking it too far. Are you implying Shaowen can't perform?"
"Hey, you can't say a man is impotent. Even if Shaowen can't get it up, we shouldn't say it out loud! HAHAHAHA!"
The group showed Zhang Shaowen no respect, their taunts growing sharper with every word. He was seething inside, but his face remained a mask of foolish, placating laughter.
Ding Lan, however, couldn't take it anymore and started to get up.
Noticing her movement, Zhang Shaowen quickly stood. "Oh, my terrible memory, I forgot to make introductions! Lan, this is Young Master Wang, an heir from the Wang Family. And this is Young Master Li, a true second-generation entrepreneur. He started his own company, and it's already worth several billion! And this is Young Master Han. His family is in the medical business, and his father is the president of the Medical Association..."
As Zhang Shaowen introduced them one by one, the scions puffed out their chests, their heads held high with arrogance. After hearing the list, Ding Lan's face fell. She couldn't afford to offend a single one of them.
She bit her pale lip and sank back into her seat, feeling helpless and miserable.
At this, Zhang Shaowen felt a surge of triumph. He had brought Ding Lan here today specifically to show off in front of her by leveraging these connections. Now that his goal was achieved, he was naturally delighted. But in the eyes of the other scions, it looked like Ding Lan had submitted.
Instantly, the taunts started up again.
"See, Shaowen? After you introduced us, Miss Ding seems to have adjusted just fine. You should've done it sooner."
"Yes, yes..." Zhang Shaowen agreed with a pained smile.
Another scion piped up, "Shaowen, you may be average, but your taste in women is impeccable. Miss Ding is stacked. She's a real knockout!"
"HAHAHA! With my years of hands-on experience, I'd say Miss Ding's magnificent peaks are at least a D-cup!"
"Hey! Seeing is for fools; touching is proof! I'm not believing it until I get a feel myself!"
"HAHAHA! Young Master Li, you really know how to have fun!"
"Come on, drink up, drink up..."
Their words grew increasingly vulgar, and Ding Lan's face flushed crimson with rage. She shot pleading glances at Zhang Shaowen again and again, but he didn't dare to make a peep.
Instantly, an overwhelming sense of disappointment washed over her. Yet, facing this pack of scions, she didn't dare resist.
But the submission of the weak never earns the pity of the strong.
Just then, Young Master Han's lecherous gaze fell upon Ding Lan's pale, slender legs. "Shaowen, Miss Ding has such a fine figure. It's a waste for her to just sit there! Have her get up and dance for us to liven things up. Let us brothers have some real fun!"
WHOOSH!
Ding Lan's face went deathly pale, like a sheet of paper. Her body trembled, her fingernails digging so deeply into her palms that they broke the skin. She shot a desperate, pleading look at Zhang Shaowen.
Zhang Shaowen was frantic. No matter what, he was pursuing Ding Lan. How could he let her be ordered around like a dancing girl?
He spoke with a hint of annoyance, "Young Master Han, I invited you all here to build some goodwill and introduce you to my girlfriend. We can joke around, but let's not take it too far, alright?"
SLAM!
Young Master Han's palm struck the table, and the room fell into a dead silence.
"Joking?" Young Master Han sneered. "Do I, Han Li, look like I'm joking with you?"
Han Li's expression had turned ugly, and Zhang Shaowen froze on the spot. Zhang Shaowen had some influence, but compared to Han Li, he was absolutely nothing.
Finally, he turned to Ding Lan with a look of utter helplessness. "Lan, maybe you could..."
"Zhang Shaowen! You've gone too far!"
Unable to bear the humiliation a moment longer, Ding Lan shot to her feet. With tears welling in her eyes, she glared fiercely at Zhang Shaowen before storming out of the room.
"Damn it!" Han Li roared. "Zhang Shaowen! What kind of woman did you bring? How dare she give us attitude? I'm telling you, if you don't get her back here to dance for us today, you're not getting out of this room!"
"Exactly!" Young Master Li jeered. "The little bitch really thinks she's somebody?"
"Zhang Shaowen, hurry up and drag her back!"
The pretense was gone. Their true colors were on full display. In their eyes, Zhang Shaowen was nothing but a dog to be kicked around. They had only come for a free meal and drinks. As for Zhang Shaowen himself? Who the hell was he? What gave him the right to befriend them?
Filled with rage and humiliation, Zhang Shaowen felt compelled to obey their threats. He hastily nodded and bowed to appease them, then bolted out the door after her.
"Lan! Wait!"
「Outside.」
Zhang Shaowen caught up to Ding Lan just as she was leaving the clubhouse.
"Zhang Shaowen! How dare you chase after me?" Cold disappointment filled her eyes.
Zhang Shaowen's expression suddenly turned serious. "Lan! Do you really think I wasn't angry about what they were saying? But what are we doing right now? We're asking for favors! That Han Li—his father is the president of the Medical Association. You're about to start an internship at the Provincial City First Hospital. If he could put in a good word for you, you'd get promoted in minutes! You're already a physician, and the next step is professor! Do you know how many people are competing for that position? Are you sure you want to throw this away?"
"This..." Ding Lan hesitated.
Seeing his chance, Zhang Shaowen pressed on. "And the others? They're all influential scions from various industries in the Provincial City. If you get on their good side, will you ever have to worry about your career? Would anyone at the hospital dare to mess with you?"
"Lan!" He grabbed her by the shoulders, his voice full of deep emotion. "I'm doing all of this for your sake, you know?"
His words were nothing short of passionate. He had successfully painted himself as a good man completely devoted to her well-being, leaving Ding Lan's anger with nowhere to go.
Finally, she let out a long sigh. "Fine," she said, her expression defeated and hollow. "I'll go back and dance for them. Is that what you want?"
Upon hearing this, Zhang Shaowen was overjoyed. He grabbed Ding Lan's arm and started to lead her back. But just as they turned, they saw Zhao Dong stepping out of the entrance.
"Zhao Dong? What are you doing here?" Zhang Shaowen's face darkened, his tone hostile.
Zhao Dong replied calmly, "Just passing by."
His curiosity had gotten the better of him, so he'd lingered by the door to listen in. When Ding Lan stormed out, he had quickly hidden. He now had a good grasp of the situation, but as for Ding Lan's troubles, Zhao Dong couldn't be bothered. He had been about to leave the clubhouse when he ran into the pair.
Zhang Shaowen said sinisterly, "Cut the crap! 'Just passing by?' You really think I'd believe such a coincidence? I bet you were following Lan on purpose! You still haven't gotten over her, have you? Are you trying to win her back?"
As Zhang Shaowen hurled his taunts, Ding Lan could only stare at Zhao Dong, her eyes a storm of complicated emotions.