Li Guoxing would never have imagined it.
That a young man he happened to meet at the Tianma Racetrack would possess such a background.
It was like a great mountain looming before him.
Such a background... looking across all of China, it would be hard to find more than a few like it.
He had actually deluded himself into thinking he could rely on his own power to drive such a person to their death.
Thinking about it now, it was somewhat laughable.
As an international metropolis, the power and status of those within Shanghai... naturally went without saying.
The Old Man of his family still provided some protection.
Both of his parents had entered politics, and were only just below the level of a secretary-general.
As a result, over time, Li Guoxing had developed the habit of acting tyrannically in Shanghai.
When facing outsiders, he wouldn't even look them in the eye.
Those wealthy Second-generation rich types...
In his eyes, they were nothing more than people keeping his wallet safe for him.
Whatever he wanted...
He didn't need to spend a penny; if he mentioned it one day, someone would deliver it to his door the next.
Naturally, Li Guoxing began to look down on everything.
In the territory of Shanghai...
There were only a handful of people he couldn't afford to provoke, and he knew most of them.
The rest... were not worth mentioning at all.
That was why Li Guoxing had the audacity to take action before thoroughly investigating Zhou Xing's family background.
This time, he had kicked a steel plate.
To be more precise...
This was no longer a steel plate; it was a titanium alloy plate.
"secretary-general Liu..."
Li Guoxing looked at Liu Changqing, his eyes filled with a look of pleading.
Like a drowning man grasping at the last straw.
The matter between him and Zhou Xing...
If truly brought up, it was actually just a small matter.
If Liu Changqing were willing to mediate... it was very possible to de-escalate the situation entirely, turning a big problem into a small one and a small one into nothing.
At the very least, his family wouldn't suffer too great a blow.
Liu Changqing looked at Li Guoxing and couldn't help but shake his head in disappointment.
The Li Family had spent so many years nurturing him...
Only to produce such a thing.
No wonder he had caused such a massive disaster.
Even now...
He still couldn't tell who held the cards or see the situation clearly.
This entire matter started because of his dispute with Zhou Xing.
Was asking him for help... of any use?
Even if he were willing to help Li Guoxing, without Zhou Xing letting go, if Liu Changqing took it upon himself to step forward and resolve the conflict between the two...
He was just a minor secretary-general.
What did he count for?
Did he have the qualifications to get involved?
Zhou Xing's Old Man had already spoken; if he opened his mouth today, the words would be spoken in the morning, and he'd be gone by the afternoon.
Li Guoxing saw that Liu Changqing ignored him completely.
The last trace of hope in his heart shattered.
He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, looking at Zhou Xing: "Zhou Xing... I admit defeat today. I wasn't as capable as you. There's nothing more to say about this."
Li Guoxing lowered his arrogant head.
He took the initiative to admit his mistake to a young man more than ten years his junior.
Zhou Xing narrowed his eyes as he looked at him.
Then he stood up, stretched his body, and smiled: "I still prefer the way you looked when you were arrogant and unyielding."
"Didn't you want to see if my backer could really protect me?"
"Now my backer is here. Where is yours?"
Li Guoxing's face turned flushed red.
Zhou Xing's light words were even more humiliating than the wretched moment he had to jump out of the car at the racetrack.
"I was in the wrong first. Whatever you want to do to me, I'll accept it!"
Fury surged in Li Guoxing's heart, but at this moment, he was under someone else's roof and had to bow his head: "But a man's family should not be targeted; that is an unwritten rule in our circles. I will compensate you for all your losses, and I will host a banquet for everyone in the Shanghai circle to personally apologize to you in front of everyone."
"I've given you enough face and substance; you can let your anger go now."
"Can we... let this matter end here?"
Zhou Xing, however, looked as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world: "Family should not be targeted?"
"If I recall correctly, it seems you were the one who broke the rules first. What... when it's someone with less power than you, rules don't need to be followed, but when you meet someone more powerful, it becomes an unwritten hidden rule?"
"So your rules are adaptive, aren't they?"
Li Guoxing had truly displayed double standards and hypocrisy to the extreme.
"Then what other demands do you have? Just name them."
Li Guoxing's expression shifted several times. He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressed the fire in his heart, and looked at Zhou Xing calmly.
"I have no demands,"
Zhou Xing said indifferently. "I've already tasted your appetizer, and it didn't seem like much. As for the next courses... I'm quite looking forward to trying them."
"Zhou Xing!"
Li Guoxing stared at Zhou Xing: "Do you really want to make this a fight to the death?"
"A fight to the death?"
Zhou Xing glanced at him: "You don't seem to have grasped the situation yet. Right now, you are being unilaterally crushed. To talk to me about a fight to the death—are you even worthy?"
"When you can forgive, forgive. Don't take things too far."
Li Guoxing gritted his teeth and said, "You can insult me or trouble me all you want, I don't care. But if you move against my family, who will dare to associate with you in the future?"
Just after he finished speaking...
The phone in his pocket rang.
Li Guoxing took out his phone and saw the caller ID; it was actually his father.
His hand trembled slightly.
He felt as if the phone weighed a thousand pounds. After hesitating for a long time, he finally answered the call.
"Hello, Dad."
Li Guoxing's voice was somewhat dry.
"You animal! What on earth have you been doing outside to cause such a disaster for me!"
On the other end of the phone, his father's roaring voice rang out.
In his memory...
His father always maintained absolute calm when facing anything; he had never seen him like this.
Li Guoxing glanced at Zhou Xing, his heart suddenly sinking.
"Dad, what... what happened?"
Li Guoxing asked, bracing himself.
"Don't call me Dad! I don't have an animal for a son like you! I usually tell you to be cautious in your words and deeds and to keep your eyes open when you're out."
"You animal, not only did you not listen, but you also caused such a huge disaster that it's affected the whole family."
"Now it's great—the family is finished. If the Old Man hadn't used up his last bit of face, our whole family would have been dragged in by you!"
"Your grandfather is so angry he's been hospitalized. Don't bother coming back; the Li Family won't welcome you anymore, and don't go around using the Li Family's name. The family is completely finished, there's no room for maneuver, and we can no longer provide you with the capital to be arrogant."
"I don't care what happens to you outside anymore; just don't involve us again."
The call was abruptly disconnected.
Li Guoxing held the phone, standing there with blank eyes, unable to recover for a long time.
Although the speakerphone wasn't on...
The roaring from the phone was so loud that everyone present heard it clearly.
Zhou Xing looked back at Liu Changqing.
He noticed a slight flicker of surprise on Liu Changqing's face as well.
He then understood in his heart.
This was his father, Zhou Jianping, taking action.
Since the matter had been perfectly resolved, there was no need to stay here any longer.
He turned to look at Wang Tianli: "Director Wang, can I leave now?"
"Of course, no problem."
Wang Tianli, who had been trying his best to stay invisible and minimize his presence, quickly replied upon hearing Zhou Xing's words: "I'll see you out. I'm truly sorry; because of my subordinates' dereliction of duty, such a misunderstanding occurred. I will come to your door later to apologize."
He wished for this great deity, Zhou Xing, to leave as soon as possible.
Otherwise, if he stayed...
Either his heart or the hat on his head would be gone first.
Zhou Xing nodded slightly and started walking out.
Seeing this, Liu Changqing also stood up immediately.
Su Xi also rose, giving Li Guoxing a deep look.
As a witness who had seen this entire matter unfold, her heart was filled with mixed emotions.
It wasn't exactly sympathy.
All of this was brought upon by Li Guoxing himself.
She just felt a bit sorry for his family; after all, the two families were on good terms and were family friends, yet because of Li Guoxing alone, the entire family was implicated.
Zhou Xing did not stop his pace.
Just as he was about to walk out of the lounge door...
Li Guoxing suddenly snapped out of it and fell to his knees before Zhou Xing with a thud: "Zhou Xing, I'm sorry, I was wrong, please let me go!"
Without the family's protection...
Even an ordinary Second-generation rich person could ride over his head.
At this moment...
His so-called self-esteem and face...
Were all completely useless.
Zhou Xing looked down at the pleading Li Guoxing and said indifferently: "Too late."