This young man was Jia Guowei.
Everyone looked over simultaneously. He had a pointed mouth, a monkey-like face, and was painfully thin. A hint of sinister energy emanated from his brows. Judging solely by his appearance, one could tell he wasn't a good person.
Ma Tengyun sighed and then forced a smile. "Jia Guowei, I didn't deliberately avoid you. It's just that I have important guests to meet and critical work to discuss; I don't have time to see you. If you absolutely must see me, you'll have to wait until I'm finished with my work. Please wait in the adjacent lounge for a moment."
Jia Guowei chuckled.
He casually pulled a chair back from the conference table, plopped down, and said, "Wait? Little master has never learned the meaning of waiting!"
Ma Tengyun suppressed his anger and asked, "Jia Guowei, what exactly do you want? Didn't I already give you two million? Why are you here again?"
Jia Guowei said coldly, "Do you think I'm a beggar? You want to dismiss me with two million?"
That was quite a statement.
What beggar would dare demand two million?
Ma Tengyun demanded, "Then what do you want?"
Jia Guowei replied, "Don't you know what I want? I made it very clear last time. I want to join the 996 project! I want to participate in the construction of the space base and artificial satellites!"
"Impossible!" Ma Tengyun roared. "This is a project I've poured my life's blood into. No outsider will ever be allowed to join! You'd better give up on that idea."
"Is that so? I'm not so sure," Jia Guowei's expression grew stern.
He shifted his gaze to Jiang Mengxin and sneered, "Mr. Ma, if you had remained steadfast, I might indeed have given up. Unfortunately, you're a hypocrite! You rejected me and the influential figures from Modu, claiming this project would never cooperate with outsiders. But what are you doing now? You're actually allowing an insignificant entity like Kaixuan Jewelry to join the 996 project, and letting the Jiang family from Jinling participate in our Modu's supreme project! Ma Tengyun, you are truly shameless."
This...
Ma Tengyun was momentarily speechless.
Indeed, he had previously told others that he would not cooperate with any outsiders. But today, he had made an exception to work with Kaixuan Jewelry, which was bound to displease someone like Jia Guowei.
At this moment, Jiang Mengxin's face darkened, and she said with displeasure, "The 996 project is Mr. Ma's project. It's his freedom to decide who he cooperates with; does he need to discuss it with you?"
Jia Guowei glared at Jiang Mengxin and cursed, "You wretched woman, is this any place for you to speak?"
Jiang Mengxin was stunned.
Having received a high-class education since childhood, when had she ever been subjected to such abuse?
She slammed the table and shouted, "Jia Guowei, watch your words!"
Jia Guowei let out a cold laugh. "Watch my ass! You're a pathetic wretch who couldn't even make it in Jinling, and you dare run to Modu to jaw with me? Do you know who I am? My father is the current secretary to the Mayor of Modu! He's a rising figure in Modu's future! With a single word from me, I can shut down businesses like yours! Even Ma Tengyun doesn't dare speak loudly to me. What right do you have to bark at me? Calling you names is mild. If you babble again, I'll slap you!"
Everyone in the room fell silent.
They had finally witnessed what a spoiled brat was, what arrogance looked like, and how troublesome a petty official's son could be.
Although Jia Guowei's father was only the mayor's secretary and didn't seem to hold a high rank, he was a close confidant of the mayor! The mayor discussed every minor detail with his secretary.
Often, a small secretary could wield more power than a high-ranking official.
Most importantly, the Mayor of Modu was in poor health, and many matters needed to be handled by his secretary, which greatly increased the secretary's authority.
It was precisely because of this that Jia Guowei was so unrestrained and arrogant.
Xiao Zhan cleared his throat. He was a native of Modu and knew Jia Guowei's temperament very well.
He smiled and said, "Jia Guowei, you're just after money, aren't you? How about this, we at Kaixuan Jewelry will give you another two million, and you can drop this matter..."
Before Xiao Zhan could finish, Jia Guowei directly hurled the teacup on the table at him.
"Get lost!"
"Damn it, do you think I'm short of two million?"
"I'm telling you all clearly, I must join the 996 project today! Otherwise, none of you will have a good ending!"
He was becoming increasingly audacious.
Ma Tengyun raised an eyebrow and reprimanded, "Jia Guowei, you're being too overbearing. I'm not allowing you to join today, and what can you do about it?"
"Oh?" Jia Guowei smiled. "Then I'll have my father issue a few temporary policies to shut down the 996 project."
"How dare you?!" Ma Tengyun's face turned red with anger.
Jia Guowei said dismissively, "What's there to dare not? With my father's word, if the 996 project is deemed dangerous to the country, it can be shut down at any time. Mr. Ma, then all your life's work will be in vain."
Ma Tengyun roared, "Your father is just a secretary. What right does he have to issue orders?"
Jia Guowei said, "Don't you know? Nowadays, the Mayor's heart condition is severe, and all major and minor matters are handled by my father. So, shutting down the 996 project only takes a word from my father."
This...
Ma Tengyun fell silent.
He knew Jia Guowei wasn't lying. The Mayor of Modu's heart condition was indeed very serious. Just this morning, the mayor had nearly died on the road.
If it weren't for a passing divine doctor who treated the mayor, he would likely be dead by now.
Therefore, all matters, big or small, in Modu were currently being managed by Jia Guowei's father.
Stopping the 996 project was truly just a matter of a word.
"Sigh!" Ma Tengyun slammed the table hard and turned his face away, sulking.
Although Ma Tengyun and Jiang Mengxin were in the right, they were powerless against Jia Guowei. This kind of person, who relied on his father's influence, wouldn't reason with you.
What could they do?
Jia Guowei crossed his legs and said cheerfully, "So, Mr. Ma, for your own good, it's best to honestly let me join the 996 project. As long as you let me join, I won't obstruct you anymore, and I'll turn a blind eye to your cooperation with Jiang Mengxin. So, Mr. Ma, what do you say? Consider it?"
Ma Tengyun gritted his teeth and clenched his fists.
He would never agree to such a scoundrel joining the 996 project, but if he didn't, the project might be shut down.
His life's work would be wasted.
What choice should he make?
Jia Guowei yawned and said, "Mr. Ma, don't try to stall me; it won't work. I'll give you one minute to consider. If you still disagree after one minute, don't blame me for being ruthless."
Ma Tengyun lowered his head, filled with anger and pain.
Jiang Mengxin and Xiao Zhan also looked at Jia Guowei with hatred, daring not to speak out of anger.
Just as everyone was at a loss,
Lu Ming, who had been silent, slowly stood up and walked over to Jia Guowei. He glanced at Jia Guowei and said, "You're the one called Jia Guowei?"
Jia Guowei sneered at him, "You dog, how dare you speak to me like that?"
Lu Ming said nothing further. He reached out, picked up the teacup on the table, and then, under everyone's watchful eyes, did something that exceeded all expectations.
He, heavily smashed the teacup onto Jia Guowei's head!
With a bang.
The teacup shattered, and blood flowed from his head!