They had completed the toasts in the groom’s guest area, so Xia Lei now accompanied Shentu Tianyin in the bride’s guest area. Shentu Tianyin guided him, and he first drank a toast to the Shentu clan. He recognised almost all of the Shentu clan, but he had no friendly sentiments towards these people. He did not like them, but he was polite on account of Shentu Ren and Shentu Tianyin. He greeted them one by one, and drank with them.
The Shentu clan were quite conflicted about it too. They had tried to topple Shentu Tianyin from her position in the past, and chase her out of Vientaine Group. They’d seen Xia Lei as an enemy and tried to bully and pressure him in various ways. Now, however, they had to live their lives pandering to Xia Lei. They dared not show any dissatisfaction on their faces.
The Shentu clan started whispering as soon as Xia Lei and Shentu Tianyin walked away.
“What are they so haughty about? It’s useless even if he has godly abilities — he can’t make his wife pregnant! What’s all that money he’s making for?” said one of Shentu Tianyin’s uncles.
“Yeah! That punk Xia Lei and Tianyin signed the marriage papers months ago, but Tianyin’s stomach hasn’t changed one bit. Is that guy impotent?” said one of Shentu Tianyin’s male cousins.
“Heh heh. This is retribution. That Xia fellow made Second Uncle’s family go to prison, and didn’t even let the Grandfather off. Of course the Heavens are going to punish him for his evil-doings,” said one of Shentu Tianyin’s aunts.
“It’s good that she’s not pregnant. There won’t be a heir to take over Vientaine Group then, and it would still belong to the Shentu clan. This is a good thing. Let’s toast to that,” said one of Shentu Tianyin’s male cousins.
The Shentu clan raised their glasses in celebration.
This was the only balance they could find now.
Xia Lei could not hear what the Shentu clan was saying behind his back, but he would laugh if he could hear them. Only weaklings would mock those stronger than them behind their backs, and people like these were usually ignorant of their own circumstances.
Xia Lei was led Shentu Tianyin in toasts with the celebrities and established businessmen in attendance of their wedding. These people had said words of mockery earlier, but each and every one of them put a smile of flattery on their faces now, and were giving Xia Lei toasts, trying to win his favour and get acquainted.
The celebrities were trying to curry favour with Xia Lei because they were after the clout Shentu Tianyin had in the entertainment industry, and the businessmen were tried to get acquainted with Xia Lei for political and business clout he possessed. Xia Lei was happy to make the acquaintance of these business people on his end too, and increase his connections. This was advantageous to him too.
They were done toasting the important people on the bride’s side, and the wedding banquet was drawing to a close.
“I’ll help you to a place to rest. You’ve had one too many.” Shentu Tianyin held on to Xia Lei’s arm and spoke in concern.
Xia Lei had indeed consumed a lot of alcohol. He had not kept exact count, but he had definitely consumed over half a kilogram. He was not one bit drunk however, as the mysterious power in his body had awakened when he had been drinking in the groom’s guest area, and cleared the alcohol from his system. He could drink one bottle of baijiu, or even ten, no problem.
Shentu Tianyin was unaware of this, however, and she was worried about Xia Lei. She had watched him drink cup after cup, after all.
‘She would surely think that it’s drunk-talk if I tell her that I’m not drunk, huh?’ thought Xia Lei. He acted drunk, and said slowly, “Nn… I’m not drunk.”
“You’re not drunk? You drank so much! I’ll help you to a place to rest,” said Shentu Tianyin.
“Yes, yes… let’s go rest.” Xia Lei put a drunken stagger in his steps.
“Xia Bro!” came a voice all of a sudden. “Long time no see. It’s your big day today, so come here and have a drink with an old friend, eh?”
This voice was a little familiar, and Xia Lei looked over to see who was talking to him. Xu Lang. He also spotted Ren Wenqiang sitting next to him. He would have forgotten all about the existence of these two if he had not seen them.
“Come, come, come, Xia Bro. We’re all friends here. You have to have a toast with us. It’s your big day today after all.” Xu Lang picked up a bottle of Flying Maotai from the table, and a beverage glass. He poured as he walked over to Xia Lei. The cup was filled to the brim by the time he stood before Xia Lei.
Xia Lei understood why this Xu Lang had called out to him in greeting. He wanted to make him completely drunk, and kick him when he was down by giving him a big cup of alcohol and see him make a drunken fool of himself.
‘Is this all that this old rival can do?’ Xia Lei sighed to himself.
Xu Lang walked up to Xia Lei and Shentu Tianyin with a smile on his face. “Xia Bro, bottoms-up, if you see me as a friend. I wish you and your wife a long life together, and to be soon blessed with children.”
Before Xia Lei could speak, Shentu Tianyin frowned and said, “Mr Xu, my husband has had enough to drink. He cannot have more.”
“Would Xia Bro even wince at this amount of alcohol? Eh? Am I right, Xia Bro? Drink, drink.” Xu Lang shoved the beverage cup into Xia Lei’s hand.
Xia Lei held the cup but did not drink. He looked at Xu Lang blearily. “You are…”
Hate flashed in Xu Lang’s eyes. He knew that Xia Lei knew who he was, and they had been love rivals too, over Jiang Ruyi. How could Xia Lei forget him?
“Oh, I remember now. You’re Xu Lang, aren’t you? What are you doing here?” said Xia Lei.
“Drink, drink.” Xu Lang kept mum about his reason for attending, and tried to make Xia Lei drink instead.
Ren Wenqiang walked over then. He, too, held a bottle of alcohol in his hand and a cup. There was a smile on his face as he said, “Your achievements to date makes one envious, Xia Bro. You can’t have forgotten me too, eh?”
Xia Lei gave a laugh. “Ren Wenqiang. Of course I remember.”
“Good that you remember,” laughed Ren Wenqiang. “Let’s drink, us three.”
Shentu Tianyin had been about to lose her temper at Xu Lang and Ren Wenqiang, but she did not say anything about it when she saw how Xia Lei was smiling as he talked with them. If they really were Xia Lei’s friends, and she lost her temper at them, then Xia Lei would be upset. She was still worried about Xia Lei’s health, though, and she nudged Xia Lei with an elbow. “If you really must drink, then let me drink on your behalf,” she said quietly.
“It’s fine, it’s fine,” said Xia Lei.
Xu Lang laughed and said, “No need to worry, Ma’am. Xia Bro’s alcohol tolerance is really high. He won’t get drunk from this one cup.”
Ren Wenqiang spoke up too. “Yep, yep, he doesn’t need you to drink on his behalf.”
Annoyance flashed in Shentu Tianyin’s eyes, but she did not lose her temper.
Xia Lei was not drunk yet. He looked at Xu Lang and Ren Wenqiang. “I asked you two what you’re doing here. Is this so hard to answer?”
Ren Wenqiang and Xu Lang exchanged looks. Their eyes held hate and embarrassment.
“I’m sure I didn’t send you any invitations. I’m sure my wife won’t invite you either. How did you two get in?” said Xia Lei.
“What do you mean by this, huh, Xia?” Xu Lang could not hold back the flames of his anger. “The two of you are just stinking rich. Don’t forget that you were just a construction worker back then in Haizhu!”
Ren Wenqiang also sneered, “I’ll tell you how I came here. I came here with our Director Wang. I wouldn’t come if you’d invited me! Let me tell you this, Xia Lei — don’t forget your beginnings. Think about your joke of a beginning in Haizhu, and don’t be so full of it. Have a good look at yourself.”
Some guests looked over, and they started whispering.
“Get out, the two of you!” said Shentu Tianyin angrily.
Xu Lang sneered. “Who do you think you are? Must I leave because you tell me to? What can you do about it if I refuse to leave, huh? Call the police and have me arrested?”
He was the police, and he had held a position in Jingdu for some time, so he was secure in the knowledge that he had backing.
Shentu Tianyin was about to summon her bodyguards when Xia Lei stopped her. “Let me handle this.”
“Humph!” scoffed Xu Lang. “What are you going to do against me, Xia? Hit me if you dare. I’ll let you hit me.”
“Hit you?” Xia Lei shook his head. “I don’t want to dirty my hand.” He then waved a hand at the doorway.
Four Bureau 101 agents walked over.
“Please take these two people out,” said Xia Lei.
The four Bureau 101 agents said not a word. Each pair had Xu Lang and Ren Wenqiang accosted in the blink of an eye.
“They like to drink, and they’ve each brought a bottle, so let them drink,” said Xia Lei.
The four Bureau 101 agents dragged Ren Wenqiang and Xu Lang out. Xu Lang struggled, and was hit viciously in his lower abdomen by an agent. He fell quiet.
The agents were silent throughout the entire process, but they followed Xia Lei’s command to the letter. Xia Lei was a consultant in Bureau 101, but the prestige he had built up in the organisation was not any lower than Long Bing, Tang Yuyan and Tang Bochuan.
Xu Zhengyi watched everything happen with his own eyes since he was at the same table as Xu Lang and Ren Wenqiang. Xu Lang had given him a pleading look as he had been taken away by the Bureau 10 agents, but Xu Zhengyi had responded with a shake of his head, and pretended not to see. Even he dared not mess with Xia Lei now, much less a pitiful little Xu Lang!
“It’s all right now, it’s all right. Everyone, please eat well and drink well. Enjoy yourselves.” Xia Lei spouted some courtesies, and left with Shentu Tianyin.
Meanwhile, in a toilet.
“You fucktards dared to cause trouble. You must have blubber for skin.” Long Bing’s subordinate put two bottles of baijiu on the toilet floor, and looked down at Xu Lang and Ren Wenqiang, who had been knocked to the ground. He sneered, “I’ll give you two choices. One, I pour it down your nostrils. Two, you drink it yourself.”
Xu Lang said angrily, “Who are you? What do you want? I’m a policema…”
Long Bing’s subordinate kicked him before he finished his sentence. He grabbed Xu Lang’s hair when he doubled over. “I’ll say it one more time. Drink it yourself, or I pour it down your nostrils for you.”
Before Xu Lang could make a move, Ren Wenqiang suddenly grabbed the bottle with less alcohol in it, and lifted it to his lips. Glub, glub, glub went the alcohol, down to his belly.
Xu Lang looked wordlessly at Ren Wenqiang, and he forced himself to pick up a bottle too. He suddenly thought of a person in that moment.
Mommy…