Once inside, Zhou Chengtao’s men shut the banquet hall doors firmly.
The busy staff stopped what they were doing, nervously watching the group that had barged in.
A sense of unease filled the room. Some had seen Zhou Chengtao at events held in Yanjing before, and now that he had shown up with people in tow, no one knew how to deal with him.
“Judging by your tone, you must be President Yan,” Zhou Chengtao said.
Yan Ci had seen photos of Zhou Chengtao, but previous events were handled by subordinates. Hence, Zhou Chengtao didn’t know Yan Ci’s exact identity, relying only on scattered clues to make his guess.
“Boss Zhou, we’re organizing an event here. Bringing so many people—surely you’re here to show support?” Yan Ci said, her tone calm and unperturbed.
“Consider this me showing support, adding some crowd to the scene,” Zhou Chengtao replied.
“But before that, I have something to discuss with you.”
Yan Ci knew what Zhou Chengtao wanted to say but still asked:
“What does Boss Zhou want to talk about?”
“I heard you’ve hosted a few events in Yanjing before. You should know how things work here. Sneakily pulling off an event like this—shouldn’t you give me an explanation?”
“We collaborated before, but I found the results unsatisfactory. Despite multiple discussions, the issues weren’t resolved, so I’d like to know: what kind of explanation are you seeking?”
Yan Ci’s words were curt, prompting Zhou Chengtao’s eyes to narrow.
“Since President Yan has laid it out this way, there’s no need to beat around the bush,” Zhou Chengtao said quietly.
“I may not concern myself with other places, but when it comes to the entertainment scene in Yanjing, I have quite a say. Running this event without going through me—it’s a breach of protocol.”
As their confrontation turned clear-cut, Yan Ci’s team barely dared to breathe, unsure of how far Zhou Chengtao might go.
After all, his infamous reputation in Yanjing was well known.
Meeting Zhou Chengtao’s gaze head-on, Yan Ci crossed her arms and said, “What does Boss Zhou want? Since you’re here, let’s make things explicit.”
“I don’t want much,” Zhou Chengtao said.
“Running this event under the radar has broken my rules. Hand over 200,000 yuan and replace all the equipment with ours, and I’ll let this slide.”
“Absolutely not,” Yan Ci flatly refused. “Our budget is meticulously controlled. If Boss Zhou expects us to pay 200,000 yuan as compensation, that’s just impossible.”
Zhou Chengtao’s eyes narrowed further, his expression growing colder.
“Business is about harmony and profit. I’m giving you one more chance to reconsider, or the consequences will be on you.”
“I’ve thought it through completely. This matter leaves no room for negotiation,” Yan Ci said. “Unless you agree to collaborate under my terms, I suggest you leave.”
“Since you refuse to take what is offered, don’t blame me for being ruthless.”
As the words fell, Zhou Chengtao barked coldly, “Take action!”
More than 20 men pulled iron rods from their coats and charged in all directions like maniacs.
They smashed equipment wherever they saw it, as if possessed by demons.
“What are you doing? Have you lost all sense of law and justice?”
“Justice? I’m the justice, damn it!”
The Bald man wielded his iron rod and struck a male staff member on the head.
The man screamed, blood streaming from his wound, and collapsed, unable to move.
The female staff on the scene screamed in fear!
The equipment wasn’t the only victim—some male employees caught off guard were injured too.
Though their injuries weren’t severe, they were still affected.
Yan Ci watched the chaos unfolding in front of her with cold eyes, barely able to suppress her fury.
But she said nothing. She knew that, given her capabilities, she had no way to control the situation.
The mayhem lasted for over 30 minutes.
Every piece of rented equipment on-site was smashed to bits, resulting in direct losses of over 500,000 yuan.
After venting their rage, the twenty-something men regrouped around Zhou Chengtao, who seemed even more arrogant now. He pointed at Yan Ci and declared:
“This is what happens when you refuse to play by the rules. From now on, if you come to Yanjing again, I’ll smash your event every time!”
After dropping his threat, Zhou Chengtao led his men away, leaving the venue in dead silence. The manager limped over to Yan Ci.
“President Yan, what should we do now?”
“Find someone to greet the journalists who’ve come over, inform them that today’s press conference is canceled, and send them small gifts as an apology.”
“Call for an ambulance to get the injured staff to the hospital, and estimate the losses—whatever it amounts to, we’ll pay for it. We’ll be working with them in the future; let’s avoid making things unpleasant.”
“Understood, President Yan.”
After giving her instructions, Yan Ci left the venue in her high heels, found an empty room, sat down, rested her forehead in one hand, and looked utterly helpless.
She knew that at this point, there was nothing more she could do.
*Sigh~~~*
Taking a deep breath, Yan Ci pulled out her phone and dialed Lin Yi’s number.