Chapter Thirty-Four: The Dread of Ignorance

Chapter Thirty-Four: The Dreadfulness of Ignorance

Wu Xiaoyong was indeed just as Feng Lei had described—a genuinely decent person, or at least that was the impression he gave others. As the only son of the richest man in the country, Wu Xiaoyong did not possess the overbearing arrogance or untouchable pride that one might expect. He was approachable and friendly, even sprinkling his words with a touch of humor. Nor was he the stereotypical second-generation heir who relied solely on his father’s wealth and connections, indifferent to everything else; he was talented in his own right, with a sharp business acumen.

His attitude toward Zhang Le was neither overly enthusiastic nor cold. With Feng Lei occasionally chiming in, their conversation flowed pleasantly. They were all young, and there was little need for formality. Whether friends or friends of friends, they got along well, a group of seven or eight, enjoying one another’s company.

Among men, friendships often deepen over drinks.

“Hey! Isn’t that Young Master Wu? Long time no see—I thought you’d been tamed by that woman and didn’t dare show your face anymore!” A young man entered with his entourage, spotted Wu Xiaoyong surrounded by drinks, and smirked before approaching with feigned surprise.

His exaggerated expression was anything but genuine surprise; it was pure mockery, with a clear note of provocation in his words.

Wu Xiaoyong was known for his flirtatiousness, but he was not lecherous. In other words, he never cheated. Once he was in a relationship, he would not maintain ambiguous ties with other women, nor would he toy with anyone’s affections. For someone of his background, this was already a rare virtue. The only criticism he faced was his habit of changing girlfriends rather quickly.

Compared to other wealthy heirs, he was far from being a scoundrel. In fact, his ability to handle relationships with his ex-girlfriends was legendary—never once had there been any messy aftermath.

“Ah, so it’s Young Master Lin! Who let you out?” Wu Xiaoyong replied with a smile, not at all ruffled by Lin’s remark, instead greeting him with apparent cheer.

“I just got back from America a few days ago—” Young Master Lin frowned, thinking Wu was asking when he had returned, but before he could finish, a burst of laughter erupted, leaving him baffled.

One of Lin’s companions quickly whispered in his ear, and when realization dawned, Lin’s face flushed deep red with embarrassment—if only he could vanish on the spot.

“Who let you out?” By now, hardly anyone failed to catch the meaning behind these words. When Zhang Le had said that line to Li Ming on the red carpet at the premiere of “Waiting for Return,” the media made a huge sensation of it, and soon it was everywhere online.

Now, if someone said that to you, they were either calling you a dog or implying you were insane. Paired with Zhang Le’s earlier remark—“Why don’t you bite me?”—it became clear: you were being called a dog, let loose to bite people at random.

If combined with Zhang Le’s later quip—“Don’t stop your medication”—it meant you were being called mentally ill, and only a madman would behave so erratically.

Having just returned from America, Lin Xiaofan was oblivious to the context. What made it worse was that he had actually answered the question, and in such a way that only deepened the ambiguity.

“A few days ago, just got back from America…”

So, he had just been released from America?

Zhang Le and Feng Lei didn’t join in the laughter but couldn’t help smiling at Lin’s unwitting reply.

Feng Lei whispered to Zhang Le that the man was called Lin Xiaofan, son of the chairman of Wanbang Group, and that there was long-standing friction between him and Wu Xiaoyong. Of course, at the root of it, Wanxing Group and Wanbang Group both started in real estate.

Rivals in the same trade are natural enemies, and Wanxing Group had always held the upper hand over Wanbang. While the fathers battled fiercely in the business world, their sons clashed at every turn.

“Hmph!” Lin Xiaofan snorted and slunk away.

“Hey, Young Master Lin, I bought a watch last year!” Wu Xiaoyong called after him with a laugh.

Laughter erupted as Lin Xiaofan’s face showed utter confusion. At that moment, Wu Xiaoyong felt an immense satisfaction—spending a hundred thousand yuan to unravel the meaning behind that phrase had truly been worth it! To see Lin Xiaofan so humiliated, he’d gladly spend twice as much.

Lin Xiaofan paused, frowning, glancing at his companions for an explanation. “What does that mean?” he demanded.

They hesitated, struggling to find the words.

“I know it’s not anything good—I just want to know what he called me! Damn, there’s nothing more infuriating than being insulted and not even understanding it! Don’t you get it? Tell me!”

“It means ‘I went to your mother’s next door’—it’s a popular online phrase, and the guy who first said it is that Zhang Le, who was just sitting with Wu Xiaoyong,” the companion replied nervously.

“Zhang Le, Yang Xin’er’s boyfriend? The singer?” Lin Xiaofan glanced over at Zhang Le as his companion pointed him out, a cold gleam in his eyes.

“I heard he’s also a director,” the other nodded.

Lin Xiaofan sneered and turned back toward Zhang Le’s group.

Zhang Le had already sensed Lin Xiaofan’s gaze. Since taking up martial arts, his instincts had sharpened. Seeing Lin Xiaofan returning, eyes fixed on him with a malicious grin, Zhang Le realized he was about to be caught up in the storm.

“Ah, Young Master Lin, back so soon? Planning to join us for a drink? Don’t worry—if payment is an issue, just put it on my tab,” Wu Xiaoyong teased, implying Lin had come back to freeload.

Lin Xiaofan scoffed and ignored Wu, fixing his gaze on Zhang Le. “No need to trouble Young Master Wu with our drinks. It’s just that drinking alone is boring. Since you have a busker here, why not have him sing a song to liven things up?”

A busker? Zhang Le’s eyes narrowed as he glanced at Lin Xiaofan, feeling Feng Lei tug his sleeve. He looked over and smiled.

Lin Xiaofan’s words had been blatantly insulting. Feng Lei, knowing Zhang Le’s temper, was worried he might lose control and escalate things. In Feng’s mind, there was no need to get involved in such pettiness.

Zhang Le had become collateral damage.

Wu Xiaoyong glanced apologetically at Zhang Le, then said, “Lin Xiaofan, you’d better mind your words, or people might think you’re uncultured.”

“Did I say anything wrong?” Lin Xiaofan grinned, looking at Zhang Le as if to continue, but Zhang Le cut him off.

“Ignorance is truly dreadful,” Zhang Le said coolly, shaking his head as though speaking to himself, but with a tone of deep disappointment.

There was a moment of stunned silence before several people burst out laughing.

“Ignorance is truly dreadful!” Wu Xiaoyong laughed heartily, repeating Zhang Le’s words, but this time his gaze was fixed on Lin Xiaofan.