Chapter 1690: Arrogance

Zhao Fusheng was not afraid of the Xiang family.

That was his truest thought.

As a super-rich man, though not among the top tier in the country, Zhao Fusheng faced a former gang family that had since laundered its image and whose influence was limited to Hong Kong's entertainment circle. He didn't feel the need to fear them.

What puzzled him even more was where the Xiang family got the confidence and audacity to provoke him.

"Standing up for someone?"

A cold sneer curled at the corner of his mouth. Zhao Fusheng was eager to see what surprises Xiang Shi and his wife could bring him.

Seeing his expression, Wu Sijie couldn't help but sympathize with the Xiang family.

Having followed Zhao Fusheng for years, he had some understanding of the chairman's temper and character.

Zhao Fusheng was the type who yielded to softness but not to hardness.

If that Ethan had honestly come to admit his mistake and apologize, showing a bit of respect, Zhao Fusheng might have let it slide and forgotten the matter.

But instead of apologizing, he even found someone to back him up, which was tantamount to openly opposing Zhao Fusheng.

To be honest, Wu Sijie couldn't figure out if Ethan had water in his brain. What made him think anyone in Hong Kong's entertainment circle could stand up to Zhao Fusheng?

This man was a bona fide super-rich, even if his strength and background fell short compared to the old tycoons in Hong Kong. But in terms of potential alone, many in Hong Kong would be eager to befriend Zhao Fusheng.

Under these circumstances, he still dared to provoke Zhao Fusheng—was he out of his mind?

"Chairman, shall I have Chen Zhen bring some men..."

Wu Sijie said, meaning to have Chen Zhen bring people to protect Zhao Fusheng.

Zhao Fusheng shook his head: "No need. You come with me. Have Chen Zhen send two men to follow, and he can stay here to protect Beibei."

"Ah, okay." Wu Sijie quickly nodded.

He turned and went out to discuss it with Chen Zhen.

Chen Zhen had no objection to Zhao Fusheng's arrangement.

To be honest, this kind of thing didn't bother them at all. Unless the Yee On people were crazy, they wouldn't dare lay a hand on Zhao Fusheng and his party.

The reason was simple: if something happened to Zhao Fusheng at the Xiang residence, the consequences would be beyond their ability to bear.

Zhao Fusheng, Wu Sijie, and two bodyguards went downstairs and saw Xiang Shi's son.

"Go back and tell your mother I'll be waiting for you at the Victoria Hotel."

Zhao Fusheng smiled faintly, but instead of following him, he walked straight toward the door.

Xiang Zuo stared blankly at their retreating figures.

"Young Master!"

Someone beside him said in a low voice.

"It's nothing." The young master waved his hand: "Let's go, back home."

He knew the other party was no ordinary person. He also didn't quite understand why his mother had sent him to invite this man. After all, the Xiang family had been keeping a low profile in Hong Kong lately. Why would they suddenly want to provoke this wealthy man from the mainland?

...

...

"To the Victoria Hotel." Zhao Fusheng said to the driver as he got into the car.

When they arrived at the hotel, before they could even sit down, someone came over and bowed: "Mr. Zhao, please follow me."

"Heh, interesting." Zhao Fusheng laughed.

"Chairman!" Wu Sijie said worriedly to Zhao Fusheng.

Zhao Fusheng waved his hand: "It's fine. Since we're here, we'll take things as they come."

He was curious about what the Xiang family was up to.

Led by a waiter, they entered a private room in the hotel.

As soon as he entered, Zhao Fusheng saw a couple sitting across from him, both dressed luxuriously and looking well-maintained. Ethan sat beside them, with a group of bodyguards standing around.

"Mr. Zhao, hello."

A woman who weighed at least 150 pounds stood up and extended her hand to Zhao Fusheng.

"Hello."

Zhao Fusheng smiled, said nothing, but shook her hand: "Mrs. Chen, right?"

"Yes, I am Chen Lan."

"Your Mandarin is very standard." Zhao Fusheng smiled.

"You flatter me. This is my husband, Xiang..." Chen Lan chuckled, preparing to introduce her husband to Zhao Fusheng.

"I know him. Brother Lung Wu."

Zhao Fusheng smiled and said, "I've seen the movies starring Mr. Xiang."

He meant it. Back when he watched "God of Gamblers," Chow Yun-fat's elegance, Lung Wu's coolness, and Andy Lau's quirkiness were truly impressive.

Of course, that didn't mean the film was flawless; it was just a memory of a certain period in life.

That was the truth. Many Hong Kong films are revered as classics not because they were exceptionally well-made or profound. If you think about it, movies shot in half a month or a month—what depth could they have, and how refined could the production be? At best, they were watchable.

But still, these films accompanied many people through their youth and represent our memories.

Nostalgia, though sometimes ridiculous, can indeed make people overlook certain shortcomings.

"Hello, Mr. Zhao." Xiang Shi nodded expressionlessly.

"Sorry, Mr. Zhao, my husband has that poker face. If he smiled..." Chen Lan said apologetically to Zhao Fusheng.

Zhao Fusheng nodded: "I know."

He knew a bit about Mr. Xiang Shi; the guy was indeed poker-faced.

After all, as the boss running the triad, unlike his younger brother Xiang Shisan, who was a smiling tiger in business, Xiang Shi preferred to solve problems with his fists.

"Please, have a seat."

Chen Lan smiled and invited Zhao Fusheng to sit.

Zhao Fusheng didn't stand on ceremony; he walked over and sat down. Wu Sijie and the bodyguards stood behind him.

"Mr. Zhao, I heard you have some misunderstanding with Ethan?" Chen Lan didn't beat around the bush. Once Zhao Fusheng was seated, she got straight to the point.

Zhao Fusheng frowned slightly, but his smile remained unchanged: "How did you hear about this, Mrs. Chen?"

"Ethan and I are quite familiar." Chen Lan smiled. "As soon as I heard the news, I quickly contacted you, Mr. Zhao. I'm sorry for being so abrupt."

In her view, although Zhao Fusheng was a wealthy man, he was from the mainland.

Simply put, a powerful dragon cannot suppress a local snake. Chen Lan believed that the Xiang family had significant influence in Hong Kong's entertainment circle. Since Zhao Fusheng owned the subsidiary Future Films, if he wanted to break into Hong Kong's entertainment industry, he would have to cultivate ties with her family.

That was why Chen Lan was so emboldened.

No matter how much money Zhao Fusheng had, if he wanted to enter Hong Kong, he couldn't bypass the Xiang family!

Chen Lan believed that was why Zhao Fusheng was here. If he didn't want to enter the Hong Kong market, why would he have collaborated with Stephen Chow back then and even be here now?

"It's fine."

Zhao Fusheng smiled and shook his head.

He was growing more curious. What made Chen Lan think he would give her face?

"You see, our Huaxia Star Company has always hoped to cooperate with mainland companies. If you're willing, I think our two companies have broad room for cooperation, don't you agree?"

Chen Lan looked at Zhao Fusheng, speaking with a smile.

"Cooperation?"

Zhao Fusheng raised an eyebrow and suddenly laughed. He finally understood what this woman was thinking.

So she thought he was trying to make an example of Ethan to establish his authority in Hong Kong's entertainment circle.

And her goal was to use this as an opportunity to cooperate with him?

"Mrs. Chen, are you joking with me?"

After about half a minute of silence, Zhao Fusheng looked up at Chen Lan.

"Joking?"

This time it was Chen Lan's turn to be surprised. She looked at Zhao Fusheng in astonishment, not understanding what he meant.

Zhao Fusheng smiled faintly, his gaze sweeping over Ethan before settling on Chen Lan: "Mrs. Chen, what do you think Ethan is in my eyes? Or, what do you think the Xiang family, including Hong Kong's entertainment circle, is in my eyes?"

"Huh?"

Hearing Zhao Fusheng's words, Chen Lan frowned, while Xiang Shi's expression suddenly turned ugly.

Clearly, they caught the contempt in Zhao Fusheng's words.

"Mr. Zhao, what do you mean by that!" Chen Lan's face changed color, and her gaze toward Zhao Fusheng turned hostile.

But Zhao Fusheng didn't give her any face. He raised his finger and pointed at Ethan: "You'd better not show up in the mainland from now on, or I can't guarantee what might happen to you."

Ethan's face turned pale, and he looked at Chen Lan and Xiang Shi.

"Mr. Zhao, what are you doing?"

Xiang Shi finally spoke slowly, his voice cold: "This is Hong Kong."

"So what if it's Hong Kong?"

Zhao Fusheng sneered: "Mr. Xiang Shi, don't forget what you do. Do you really think making a few movies makes you upper class?"

"You!"

The bodyguards behind Xiang Shi changed expression, glaring at Zhao Fusheng with hostility.

Even Xiang Shi and Chen Lan's faces were extremely ugly at that moment.

Ethan, on the other hand, was overjoyed. In his eyes, Zhao Fusheng was crazy to speak to the Xiang family like that—this was Hong Kong, after all.

Wu Sijie and Zhao Fusheng's bodyguards stepped forward as well, glaring back at the Xiang family's men.

"What, is this a Hongmen banquet?"

Zhao Fusheng suddenly laughed, looking at Xiang Shi and Chen Lan, speaking calmly.

"Mr. Zhao, you'd better think carefully about my suggestion." Chen Lan looked at Zhao Fusheng, her tone full of sarcasm: "You may have countless assets on the mainland, but this is Hong Kong—Hong Kong belongs to the people of Hong Kong."

"Hahahaha!"

Zhao Fusheng suddenly burst into laughter: "Hong Kong belongs to the people of Hong Kong? As I recall, before 1997, this was British Hong Kong. Now you have the guts to speak up, huh? Back when you knelt like dogs before the British, why didn't you say Hong Kong belongs to the people of Hong Kong?"

By the end, the smile had vanished from Zhao Fusheng's face, replaced by a chilling coldness.