Chapter 45: A Chance Encounter with Young Master Ma

“If you don’t believe me, just wait and see—you’ll be crying when the time comes!” Liu Runli retorted unhappily upon seeing that Lin Feng didn’t believe her.

“Alright, Mom, enough with the extra words. Can we eat or not? Look at the time—I rushed back just to have lunch.” Lin Feng’s stomach rumbled loudly, reminding him that he hadn’t eaten anything since the commotion with Ling Shixuan earlier. He quickly turned to ask Liu Runli.

“Lunch! You still have the nerve to mention lunch to me? Isn’t it all your fault from last night? Your father and I have been arguing with people all morning and haven’t had time to prepare lunch for you. If you’re hungry, just deal with it. Skipping one meal won’t kill you!” Liu Runli snapped at Lin Feng, then turned and went upstairs for a rest. After the exhausting morning, she was tired.

Seeing Liu Runli head upstairs, Lin Chuanzhi also got up and said to Lin Feng, “Your mother’s right. Missing a meal won’t kill you. Take it as punishment and reflect on your actions. I’m going to get some sleep too—I’ve been up all morning.” With that, he followed Liu Runli upstairs.

Left alone, Lin Feng sprawled helplessly on the living room sofa, staring at the ceiling and bemoaning his fate, “What have I done to deserve this? How could I be so unlucky!”

“You had it coming!” Mo Tian’s voice suddenly drifted softly from the jade pendant.

Hearing Mo Tian mock him made Lin Feng even more annoyed. He snatched up the jade pendant at his chest and shouted, “Get lost, you too! Even you’re making fun of me, huh…”

But Mo Tian ignored him. After muttering at the pendant for a while, Lin Feng found it pointless and, with his stomach protesting ever louder, finally relented, sighing, “Fine, I’ll just go out and find something to eat. What a day!”

He left the Lin family villa alone, got in his car, and began to drive aimlessly through the city. As he drove, he pondered who he could call to join him for a meal. After thinking for a long time, he realized everyone he knew was busy; only he was so free. Well, there was one other person—Ling Shixuan—but that was clearly impossible, not after their spat that very morning.

Eventually, Lin Feng found himself, almost unconsciously, in the bustling city commercial center. Ever since meeting Mo Tian, he hadn’t come out to roam the shops; yet in the past, he had been a frequent customer here, always bringing different beauties to shop and spend lavishly.

This thought made Lin Feng chuckle self-deprecatingly. After parking, he headed toward the jewelry store he used to frequent. He’d known Xia Ruoxi for some time now, and since she had become his girlfriend, it struck him that he’d never given her a gift. Feeling a bit embarrassed by this, and with some free time on his hands today, he decided to buy her a present.

As Lin Feng pushed open the jewelry store door, a sales assistant immediately approached with a bright smile, “Welcome, sir! How may I assist you today?”

Lin Feng waved her off, indicating he wanted to browse alone, and would ask if he needed anything. Once she stepped away, he took a look around the store. It was quite crowded—mostly with couples.

He wandered over to the high-end jewelry section. He had already decided he wanted to give Ruoxi a necklace. Working alongside Xia Ruoxi these days, he’d noticed she wore a necklace, but it seemed rather old and didn’t quite suit her current style. Lin Feng thought it was time to buy her a new one—a first gift.

After looking over several necklaces in the premium section, one in particular caught his eye. He beckoned to the sales assistant and pointed, asking, “How much is this necklace?”

“Sir, you have excellent taste! This necklace was designed by our company’s star designer. On a lady, it showcases the height of elegance…” The sales assistant began enthusiastically introducing the necklace.

“Alright, that’s enough. No need for the rest—just tell me how much it costs!” Lin Feng interrupted her, getting straight to the point. He thought to himself, these salespeople really could talk—if he let her go on, who knows how long she’d keep praising it.

“Ah, well, this necklace is two million,” the sales assistant said a bit awkwardly, perhaps embarrassed after being cut off.

“Great, I’ll take it. Please wrap it up. Here’s my card,” Lin Feng replied with a smile.

“Wait, you’re actually buying it? Oh—sorry, I’ll package it right away. Please wait a moment!” the assistant stammered, surprised and a little flustered. In the high-end section, there were always more browsers than buyers, so no wonder she was excited—selling such an expensive piece meant a hefty commission for her.

In just a few minutes, the sales assistant had the necklace beautifully packaged and placed it in front of Lin Feng. “Here you go, sir, your necklace.”

Lin Feng took the box and handed over his bank card. “Alright, go ahead and swipe it. Thank you.”

Just as the assistant took the card and turned toward the counter, a man stepped in front of her, saying, “Wait a moment. Hand me that card.”

Startled, the assistant looked up and recognized her young boss. She quickly handed the card over with both hands, asking respectfully, “Certainly, Master Ma. This card belongs to the gentleman who just made a purchase. Is there an issue with it?”

“Don’t ask unnecessary questions,” Master Ma snapped as he took the card, then walked over to Lin Feng.

Standing before Lin Feng, he said respectfully, “Young Master Lin, it’s an honor to have you shop here today. How could I possibly accept your payment? Please, the necklace is our gift to you.”

Lin Feng took the card back from Ma without ceremony, teasing, “So, this place is your family’s business? Waiving two million just like that—aren’t you afraid your family will come down on you, especially your father? He’s notorious around Zhanhai City for being stingy!”

“Heh, it’s not a problem. I’m the manager here now, so I have some say. Besides, if my family knew I gave a gift to someone like you, Young Master Lin, they’d probably envy me!” Ma replied, piling on the flattery.

Today, Ma had just dropped by the family store on a whim. While making his rounds, he’d spotted a familiar back in the high-end section. At first, he didn’t dare believe it—since learning of Lin Feng’s influence, he’d regarded him as a legendary figure. He couldn’t imagine someone like Lin Feng showing up in his shop. But when Lin Feng spoke to the sales assistant, Ma was certain it was him, leading to this scene.

“It seems we haven’t seen each other for a while. You’re doing well. Since that’s the case, I used to spend a lot here—how about you refund all my past purchases too?” Lin Feng joked.

Ma broke out in a cold sweat at this. He hurriedly replied, “Young Master Lin, you must be joking. With the value of your company, FutureTech, these sums are nothing to you!”

Lin Feng chuckled, patting Ma’s shoulder. “Alright, I’ll stop teasing you. Thanks for the gift. I’m going to grab some food—I haven’t even had lunch yet, I’m starving!”

“You haven’t eaten? In that case, let me treat you to a meal. We’ve known each other this long, and I’ve never had the chance to host you properly. Let me take this opportunity—and my father has been hoping to meet you, as well. May I arrange it?” Ma seized on the chance, eager to introduce Lin Feng to his father. After all, who in Zhanhai City wouldn’t want the favor of the chairman of the city’s most profitable company?

“Oh, so Uncle Ma wants to treat me? Are you sure I won’t end up footing the bill?” Lin Feng quipped.

“You must be joking, Young Master Lin. Of course, I’ll be the host!” Ma replied, wiping his brow.

Lin Feng considered for a moment, then agreed. Though he now held sway over Zhanhai City and could disregard most other families, another ally meant another path to walk.

Upon receiving Lin Feng’s agreement, Ma quickly arranged a private room at a nearby hotel—another family property. After settling Lin Feng in, he immediately called his father to let him know. Over the phone, Ma’s father praised him and set off for the hotel. If they could establish a relationship with Lin Feng, the father and son’s standing in the family would surely rise.

Meanwhile, Lin Feng, left alone in the private room, demolished the dishes set before him. Only when the plates were empty did he put down his chopsticks with a heavy sigh, take up his tea, and drink. It was just at that moment that Ma and his father entered, as if they’d timed it perfectly for his meal’s end.

“Young Master Lin, I hope the food was to your liking. This hotel doesn’t have many signature dishes—please forgive any shortcomings,” Ma apologized as soon as he entered.

Lin Feng smiled with satisfaction. “No worries, it was good. I’m not picky—so long as I’m full, I’m happy.”