Chapter 300: Wu Zhen’s Heavy Blow
Wu Zhen clenched his fists as well.
The last thing he wanted to see were people from Shou’an—especially anyone from the Jiang family.
Whenever he saw them, the nightmare of his wife and child’s death would entangle him again, leaving him in such pain he could hardly breathe.
Jiang Qingxiang glanced at Dongyang’s exhibition booth, then spotted the familiar Shi Zijin. She let out a mocking snort:
“You came with the people from Dongyang? What’s this—Taoyang couldn’t keep you anymore, or is Taoyang unable to pay you what you want?”
Jiang Qingxiang believed she had treated Wu Zhen and his family quite generously; the monthly pay she gave him was nearly on par with what an ability-user in the regular army earned.
A small, flashy newcomer like Taoyang probably couldn’t afford him at all.
Wu Zhen didn’t move.
If it weren’t for the exhibition hall’s strict ban on fighting, he wouldn’t have cared whether Jiang Qingxiang was a woman or a former employer—he would’ve swung at her long ago.
His wife and child—two lives lost. He would settle that score with the Jiang family one day.
His wife bore some responsibility, but the true culprits were the Jiang family of Shou’an. They treated human lives like dirt, letting zombies overrun the city and trample innocent people.
Su Tao stepped in front of Wu Zhen, her small face cold as she stared at Jiang Qingxiang:
“What business is it of yours? It’s still better than staying in Shou’an. At least we don’t have to worry about being discarded by those above us at any moment. And we even get to attend the summit and see how miserable you’ve become.”
The words struck right at Jiang Qingxiang’s hidden sore spot. Her eyes blazed with fury.
“I’m talking to my gardener—who do you think you are to interrupt?! What are you, huh? Wu Zhen’s little mistress? Pah!”
Even now, she still regarded Wu Zhen as nothing more than her backyard gardener—someone she could order around, who should be wagging his tail and begging for her attention.
But now, somehow, he’d managed to get himself into the Alliance Summit?!
Shou’an had nearly lost its right to attend after its disastrous downfall this time.
The two slots they managed to secure had cost them dearly.
This humiliation made Jiang Qingxiang furious. The gardener should have been squatting in the yard serving her—what was he doing here attending a conference?!
Wu Zhen’s rage surged. She could bully and mock him—he really was an insignificant nobody.
But if she directed it at Boss Su instead?
He would not tolerate it.
With reddened eyes, like a trapped beast, Wu Zhen charged straight toward Jiang Qingxiang.
Jiang Qingxiang instinctively took half a step back, barking in a shaky, tough-sounding voice:
“What do you think you’re doing?! This is Xindu! This is the Alliance Summit exhibition hall! You dare lay a hand on me? Go on then—hit me! You useless little gar—”
Before she could finish the last word, Wu Zhen’s fist had already smashed into her face.
Everyone froze—no one had time to stop him!
Wu Zhen was usually extremely polite and gentle, even gentlemanly. He never spoke loudly. No one expected him to suddenly lash out like this—much less hit a woman.
The others from Shou’an heard the commotion and hurried over. Seeing their Madam lying flat on the floor with blood gushing from her nose, they scrambled to help her while glaring furiously at Su Tao and the others:
“How dare you attack someone inside the exhibition hall!”
Cen Tianjiao, who had wandered off earlier, hurried back at the sound and was stunned by the scene before him.
Su Tao looked at Wu Zhen with admiration.
Wu Zhen was still breathing heavily through his nose. “She insulted us first—she was provoking trouble!”
Jiang Qingxiang sat up and touched her nose. Feeling her hand come away covered in blood, she immediately screeched:
“You actually hit me?!”
She broke free from her companions’ grip and charged at Wu Zhen.
Shi Zijin grabbed her in one swift motion and forced her to kneel on the ground.
The position was humiliating. Jiang Qingxiang went completely berserk, shrieking curses incoherently, drawing the attention of everyone within ten meters.
Cen Tianjiao felt her cursing was getting too foul, and with the opening ceremony about to start, he panicked. He yanked off the sweat towel around his neck and stuffed it directly into her mouth.
Her curses stopped abruptly.
Jiang Qingxiang’s eyes widened.
Su Tao and the others were also stunned—they had personally seen Cen Tianjiao use that towel to wipe his armpits.
Qian Lin, who had a slight cleanliness obsession, immediately turned her face away.
At that moment, security guards rushed over, guns in hand, shouting angrily:
“Stop! No fighting inside the exhibition hall! Were you not informed before entering?! You—and you—and you—come with us!”
Wu Zhen thought he had caused trouble for everyone and flushed red with guilt. “It was this woman who insulted us first.”
Ma Dapao quickly grabbed a few bottles of drinks from the cooler and stuffed one into each guard’s hand—
“Thank you all for your hard work. Have some water to cool down. Here’s what happened: this lady was being disrespectful first. Our brother here is an honest man—he only lashed out because she pushed him too far, and he just gave her a very light tap.”
A few bottles of drinks softened the security guards’ attitudes.
“Be mindful of the impact. The opening ceremony is about to start. Hurry up and clean this up, and release this lady first.”
Shi Zijin let go and glanced at the guards.
The guards stiffened, immediately startled. They didn’t even want the drinks anymore; they shoved all the bottles back into Ma Dapao’s hands and quickly stepped forward to ask:
“Are you Major General Shi? We’re terribly sorry…”
Jiang Qingxiang thought her saviors had finally arrived. But before she even processed what was happening, two guards had already taken her away on charges of causing a disturbance.
Her companions from Shou’an could only watch helplessly as she was escorted out, unable to intervene at all.
Su Tao whispered to Shi Zijin, “Be honest—what kind of powerful connections do you have in Xindu?”
Shi Zijin whispered back, mimicking her tone and leaning close:
“I already told you before.”
Su Tao racked her brain, vaguely recalling the time he threatened the Deng mother and daughter while smashing the car—saying he had some connection with a Captain Ling in Xindu.
“Who’s Captain Ling?”
Shi Zijin simply replied:
“A longtime friend of my father’s. Back when he was still just a squad captain, my father saved his life.”
This was the first time Shi Zijin had voluntarily brought up his father. Su Tao didn’t want to stir up anything painful for him, so she didn’t press further. Instead, she turned her concern toward Wu Zhen:
“Are you okay?”
The moment she asked, she regretted it—today’s incident had brought up painful memories for him too.
Wu Zhen shook his head. In truth, he was grateful that Su Tao had stood up for him at the beginning.
Jiang Qingxiang simply couldn’t stand to see him doing well—those words of hers had infuriated her.
The opening ceremony began in the central exhibition hall. The two hosts gave a long string of welcome remarks, then introduced the full-day schedule. Several leading figures from the organizing committee went on stage to speak one after another.
Su Tao spotted the Mr. Ling Shi Zijin had mentioned. He looked to be in his forties, composed and restrained, carrying himself with the presence of someone in power.
Beside him stood the well-known Zall Chengzhuo, the president of the alliance—just past his early thirties, strikingly handsome and elegant. His peach blossom eyes made more than half the women in the venue swoon when he smiled.
In the audience, Jiang Jinwei looked rather pleased with herself. That man was hers—no amount of envy could change that.
At this moment, she really wanted to show off to someone, but suddenly realized that in this vast exhibition hall…
She had no one to share it with.
