Chapter 35: Still Clinging to Pride

Everyone went downstairs together to the parking lot. To witness He Haoxuan's embarrassment, Wang Zhisheng deliberately parked his Mercedes next to the BMW that He Haoxuan drove.

Excited, Wang Zhisheng rushed over to He Haoxuan's BMW, eager to behold a "classic" scene. Yet, as he inspected the car from every angle, he could not find even a scratch on its surface. The black BMW X5 remained sleek and gleaming, only making him more furious the longer he stared.

He Haoxuan was truly shameless, renting a luxury car just to show off.

But wait, hadn’t he already made arrangements with Brother Dao? He’d even given the license plate number. Why was there not a single mark on the BMW? Could it be that Brother Dao and his crew had gotten drunk and forgotten to do the job?

“Ah! Zhisheng, what happened to your car?” Minnie cried out, pointing to the Mercedes beside them.

Wang Zhisheng turned to look and nearly spat blood in rage.

His Mercedes had been scratched beyond recognition—every side was ruined, and even the windshield had been sprayed with paint. How was he supposed to drive like this?

Wait, this seemed exactly like the instructions he’d given Brother Dao. Had Brother Dao’s men gotten drunk and mistaken the Mercedes for the BMW?

Yes, that must be it.

Ignoring Wang Zhisheng, who was now hopping mad beside his ruined car, He Haoxuan called Li Qingwan and the others over, ushered them into the car, and drove off.

“Zhisheng, what do we do now?” Minnie stared at the wrecked Mercedes, especially its painted windshield. She dared not get in, fearing an accident.

“And didn’t you say you’d arrange something for He Haoxuan? Why hasn’t anything happened?” Minnie asked, puzzled.

“I don’t know either,” Wang Zhisheng replied, unwilling to call the police for fear Brother Dao’s involvement would come out and implicate him. He took out his phone to call someone to handle the situation and told Minnie to take a taxi back to campus.

No sooner had Minnie left than a masked man rushed over and gave Wang Zhisheng a brutal beating.

“Help! Somebody help!” Wang Zhisheng screamed from the ground.

The man was careful not to inflict serious injury; he simply beat Wang Zhisheng, then left as quietly as he had arrived, vanishing without a trace.

This time, it was the hotel security guard, arranged by Xiao Qiang.

Since it was their hotel, they couldn’t intervene openly, so they simply had the security guard teach Wang Zhisheng a lesson in disguise.

Inside the car, Xiao Juan flattered Li Qingwan, “Qingwan, your Xuan-ge is so handsome and rich. I doubt Minnie will dare to act arrogant again in class or on campus. How could Wang Zhisheng ever compare to He Haoxuan?”

Li Qingwan broke into a cold sweat. He Haoxuan was merely a laborer, her family’s useless son-in-law. But now was not the time to expose him. “Of course,” she said. “He Haoxuan is very wealthy. If it weren’t so late tonight, he’d have taken you all out to a club.”

“Next time, then, let’s go to a club!” Xiao Juan chimed in immediately. “Minnie mentioned a place called Sparkle Club that’s supposed to be really nice.”

Li Qingwan, still a student, had no idea what Sparkle Club was, so she nodded. “No problem. Next time, we’ll have He Haoxuan take us there—with Minnie, too, so we can really put her in her place.”

He Haoxuan shook his head inwardly. Li Qingwan cared too much about appearances, not realizing how exorbitant the club was.

It was said that the minimum spend for one night was one hundred thousand yuan.

Li Qingwan, just to impress her classmates, cared little for such details.

When they arrived at Qingshan University, He Haoxuan said, “We’re here. You can get out now.”

“Xiao Juan, you guys head back to the dorm. I want to go home,” Li Qingwan suddenly said.

“Hehe, Qingwan, we understand. Just take it easy; you both have class tomorrow!” Xiao Juan and the others laughed as they got out of the BMW.

They were adults now. Many freshmen were already booking hotel rooms with their boyfriends; they were sophomores, after all.

Li Qingwan pretended she was going home, but everyone assumed she would spend the night with He Haoxuan.

Fuming, Li Qingwan protested, “Don’t be ridiculous. I really am going home!”

“Sure, goodbye!” Xiao Juan and the others waved as they left.

He Haoxuan drove off, advising Li Qingwan, “You’re still a student. Don’t let pride get the better of you.”

“He Haoxuan, you’re just the son-in-law our family took in—a good-for-nothing. Mind your own business,” Li Qingwan snapped angrily.

Her mood had been excellent—she’d managed to put Minnie in her place—but He Haoxuan’s comment ruined it.

Back at the Li home, Song Li saw He Haoxuan return with her daughter’s company’s BMW and berated him, “He Haoxuan, why did you sneak out with the BMW? I’m warning you, if it gets scratched, you couldn’t pay for it even if we sold you!”

“Exactly. If you must go out, just use the electric car we bought for the servants. Someone of your status doesn’t deserve to drive the BMW X5,” Li Dong chimed in.

From upstairs, Li Qingying heard the shouting and came down. “Dad, Mom, enough. Qingwan wanted to see a show, so I had him drive her.”

Only then did Song Li stop scolding.

“Li Qingwan didn’t go to see—” He Haoxuan tried to explain to Li Qingying, not wanting to be dragged into another scheme to help Li Qingwan save face.

Especially since she always threatened him in that way—it made him deeply uncomfortable.

“He Haoxuan, you dare—” Li Qingwan saw him about to speak and quickly interrupted, warning him through gritted teeth. If he dared say more, she’d accuse him of improper conduct.

He Haoxuan fell silent, unwilling to invite disaster.

“What was He Haoxuan about to say?” Song Li asked suspiciously.

He Haoxuan wasn’t trustworthy. With money and two beautiful daughters in the house, she had to be vigilant.

Seeing He Haoxuan quiet, Li Qingwan smirked, “I said he wants to fly to the heavens.”

“Pah! A useless coward wants to fly to the heavens? He should take a good look at himself!” Song Li glared at He Haoxuan in disgust.

Li Qingwan turned to Li Qingying, “Sis, I heard Sparkle Club is really fun. Give me some money so I can go.”

“What? Sparkle Club?!” Li Qingying’s face changed.

“What’s wrong, sis? Is there a problem?” Li Qingwan asked, puzzled.

Li Qingying sighed, “Qingwan, that club isn’t for ordinary people. Without a membership, you can’t even get in. Besides, the minimum spend per night is one hundred thousand yuan.”

Hearing this, Li Qingwan realized she had agreed too recklessly to Xiao Juan and the others; it was a much bigger deal than she’d thought.

“Sis, you’re the general manager of Bai Li Group. Just get a membership card and let me treat my classmates. It’s only a hundred thousand yuan; after this, I’ll go out less, okay?” Li Qingwan pleaded.

“Qingwan, you can’t ask your sister to spend so much just to save face with your classmates. You’re just a student. Even I’ve never been to Sparkle Club,” Song Li scolded her.