Chapter 51: What If I Insist on Going In?

In just a split second, Chu Siqi completely forgot about Zhang Feiyang.

Getting along swimmingly with Zhao Qiang, her eldest sister had explicitly instructed her to make sure Zhao Qiang got inside the Chu family residence no matter what.

"Third Young Master, long time no see."

A faint smile hung on Zhao Qiang's face as he cheerfully greeted Zhang Feiyang. He knew very well that stepping into the Chu family estate today would undoubtedly be a difficult game of wits and will.

"Damn it!"

"How did this bastard get here?"

Zhang Feiyang's face turned ashen in an instant, his eyes filled with utter disgust. He never imagined that Zhao Qiang would actually have the nerve to show up at the Chu family.

Just as Chu Siqi was leading Zhao Qiang toward the Chu family manor, Zhang Feiyang abruptly waved his hand, signaling his men to aggressively block Zhao Qiang's path.

"Third Young Master, what is the meaning of this?"

Zhao Qiang's tone remained calm, though a hint of confusion flickered in his eyes.

"What is the meaning of this? Can't you tell? I'm not letting you in."

Zhang Feiyang crossed his arms, wearing an arrogant and domineering expression.

"Zhang Feiyang, what are you playing at?"

Chu Siqi's pretty face flushed with anger instantly. The people she invited couldn't even be brought in smoothly.

"Siqi, it's nothing personal. Today is my eldest brother's engagement banquet, and I absolutely will not allow just any stray cat or dog to wander in as they please."

Zhang Feiyang glanced sideways at Zhao Qiang, his words dripping with contempt.

"Step aside. This is a guest I invited. What business is it of yours?"

Chu Siqi glared at him, her voice rising a notch. Panic gripped her heart; Zhao Qiang was the pivotal figure today, and if he couldn't get in, the engagement banquet would likely descend into chaos.

"Siqi, since he's a guest you invited, how come his name isn't on the guest list?"

Zhang Feiyang said with a sarcastic sneer, a triumphant smile plastered across his face. He was deliberately picking a fight.

Even though he already knew Zhao Qiang wasn't Chu Siqi's boyfriend, the fact that Chu Siqi knew Zhao Qiang was a married man yet remained so close to him made his blood boil with irritation.

Could it be that Chu Siqi had a fetish for married men?

At this thought, Zhang Feiyang gnashed his teeth in fury. Since Zhao Qiang had shown up today, he was going to give him a thorough dressing-down.

"Zhao Qiang, do you have an invitation card?" Zhang Feiyang pressed aggressively.

"No. Third Young Master, do I really need an invitation card to enter the Chu family manor?"

Zhao Qiang replied with an unservile and unbossy smile, feeling completely secure and entirely unfazed by Zhang Feiyang's deliberate obstruction.

"If you don't have one, then turn right around and go back where you came from."

Believing he had caught Zhao Qiang in a tight spot, Zhang Feiyang's tone grew even more outrageous, convinced that this time he would finally make Zhao Qiang a laughingstock.

"You're going too far!"

Chu Siqi's face turned beet red with rage, her chest heaving violently. "You are clearly just settling a personal score. I am going to make sure he gets in today, and let's see what you can do about it!"

Chu Siqi took a step forward, standing toe-to-toe with Zhang Feiyang without backing down an inch.

"Siqi, these are the rules. Are you seriously going to break the rules?"

Zhang Feiyang felt completely secure, certain that Chu Siqi wouldn't dare actually defy protocol.

"Zhao Qiang, if I recall correctly, President Zhang said he didn't invite you!"

"Showing up here uninvited like this is rather impolite, wouldn't you say?"

Just at that moment, a shrill laugh cut through the air from behind them.

The newcomer was none other than Lin Meina, dressed to the nines today, attempting to use heavy makeup to mask the passage of time. Refusing to let go of her youth, a pair of long legs encased in black silk stockings stood out glaringly.

Trailing behind her was her husband, Sun Zhixiong, wearing a meek and submissive expression, clearly lacking any real status at home.

Lin Meina had also received an invitation to the banquet. Apart from relatives of both families, the hosts had extended invitations to the heads of various small companies.

"Director Lin, what a coincidence. Fancy running into you here."

Zhao Qiang glanced briefly at the man beside Lin Meina. This must be her cuckolded husband in name only. He had never laid eyes on him in his past life, and this was his first time seeing him.

"Perhaps not much of a coincidence. I have an invitation letter, whereas you do not."

"We shouldn't have crossed paths here, yet you still managed to crawl over with a thick face!"

Lin Meina looked at Zhao Qiang with utter disdain, mocking him relentlessly, thinking to herself that it would be quite entertaining if Zhao Qiang caused a scene at the Chu residence today. Since both families were present, she figured Zhao Qiang wouldn't dare make trouble anyway.

"Third Young Master, here is my invitation."

Walking up to the entrance, Lin Meina eagerly brandished her invitation letter, her face beaming with smug triumph.

"That is indeed a valid invitation. You may go in—unlike certain people who try to force their way in without one. How utterly delusional!"

Zhang Feiyang deliberately raised his voice so Zhao Qiang could hear every word.

"Indeed, some people lack any self-awareness whatsoever."

"Second Young Lady Chu, don't be fooled by this Zhao Qiang. He is my subordinate, and he has a wife at home."

"What's more, his wife is quite attractive. He specializes in sweet-talking nonsense to deceive women into going home with him."

Eager to ingratiate herself with Chu Siqi, Lin Meina piled on the slander, terrified that Chu Siqi might remain unaware of Zhao Qiang's dubious background.

"I know he has a wife. So what?"

Seeing this aging woman targeting Zhao Qiang as well, Chu Siqi frowned deeply, her eyes brimming with disgust.

Anxiety gnawed at her; she simply couldn't understand why Zhao Qiang wasn't firing back with verbal retorts. Where had the fierce momentum he used to shred Liu Ruyan's family yesterday gone?

What she didn't realize was that Zhao Qiang wasn't panicked in the least, because he knew someone would step up to bat for him—someone like Chu Siqi right now.

He was here to deliver a massive "surprise" to Zhang Zihao, and everything had already been quietly arranged.

"We are merely friends. Is this young lady not allowed to have a married man as a friend?"

"Did this young lady commit a crime? Which law states otherwise?"

"When I do as I please, since when did an outsider like you earn the right to point fingers and dictate my actions?"

Chu Siqi's voice grew increasingly sharp, her gaze scorching enough to spit fire.

"If you are genuinely here to offer congratulations, the Chu family welcomes you."

"If you are here to cause trouble, then crawl away and get as far from here as you can!"

Chu Siqi scolded loudly, stamping her foot in frustration. It seemed she had no choice but to handle this personally.

Lin Meina's complexion turned dreadfully ugly after the verbal lashing. She never expected that the other party was the Second Young Lady of the Chu family, someone far beyond her ability to offend.

Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined that Zhao Qiang's relationship with the Chu family's Second Young Lady ran this deep; her calculations had completely backfired. If she dared to mock Zhao Qiang any further, she might not even be allowed past the front gates herself.

"Siqi, she was merely offering a kind warning. Why are you being so aggressive?"

Seeing Lin Meina losing the argument, Zhang Feiyang hurriedly jumped in to chime in. Flames of fury burned in his eyes as he incessantly speculated on the nature of the relationship between Zhao Qiang and Chu Siqi.

"Third Young Master, I don't care about all that. May I simply ask if I am definitively barred from entering today?"

Zhao Qiang's voice remained steady, though the corners of his mouth curled upward into an imperceptible smile.

"If you have an invitation, you are welcome. Without one, you are not stepping foot inside."

"As long as I am here, I will never let you pass. So save your breath, Zhao Qiang, and give up!"

"My eldest brother's engagement banquet is hardly an event fit for someone of your caliber!"

Zhang Feiyang's eyes flashed with utter contempt. In his mind, had his eldest brother not promoted Zhao Qiang, the man would still be nothing more than a lowly little manager. Even if he had managed to become the vice president of some tiny company, he remained utterly insignificant.

To think the fellow actually considered himself somebody important, trying to crash such an important banquet without an invitation.

"And what if I insist on going in today?"

A sudden flash of resolute determination crossed Zhao Qiang's eyes, carrying a distinct edge of provocation.