Chapter 104 (1/2)

Kamsutram Oil

When they got to the table, Ren Wen-Qiang got up from his seat with a pleasant smile on his face, “h.e.l.lo, Mr Xia. I saw that you had n.o.body you’re familiar with at that table so I asked Ning Jing to invite you over. Let’s sit together.”

Xia Lei also put a smile on his face, “I’ll be intruding then, thank you.”

Xu Lang also stood up and reached out a hand to shake with Xia Lei, “Long time no see, Mr Xia. h.e.l.lo.”

Xia Lei was polite too, “h.e.l.lo, Mr Xu.”

Ren Wen-Qiang pulled out a chair for Xia Lei and smiled as he said, “We’re all friends here, no need to be so formal. Come, sit, sit.” He looked at Ning Jing and said, “Ning Jing, you sit next to him.”

“Okay.” Ning Jing looked rather happy that she didn’t have to sit next to Ren Wen-Qiang.

Xia Lei and Ning Jing took their seats and other guests also came to the table but they did not know each other and so did not exchange greetings.

After chatting about some trivial things, Ren Wen-Qiang shot Xu Lang a look.

Xu Lang gave a slight nod and gave a barely perceivable evil smile.

The pair’s tricks did not escape Xia Lei’s eye. His left eye twitched and the table disappeared, revealing the situation under it. He saw a bottle of red wine by Ren Wen-Qiang’s feet and the spiked bottle of wine by Xu Lang’s feet.

“Mr Xia, I feel bad about what happened in the past. I do apologise,” said Ren Wen-Qiang.

“No need to mind it, Mr Ren, it was just a small matter. You don’t have to take it to heart,” said Xia Lei. As he spoke, he reached to take his phone out but accidentally dropped it on the floor. “Excuse me,” he said, and squatted to pick it up.

While squatting, Xia Lei switched the bottles of wine in a flash, then picked up his mobile phone and went back to his seat.

Ren Wen-Qiang and Xu Lang could not lift the tablecloth to see what Xia Lei was doing under there in front of other guests as they had images to maintain. Furthermore, they would never in a million years imagine that Xia Lei had seen through their scheme and switched the bottle of spiked wine for the clean one.

The mobile phone cover had some scratches on it and Xia Lei pretended to be upset, sighing and grumbling, “How unlucky.”

“Mr Xia, I hear you are the Chairman of a company now. It’s just a mobile phone and a locally produced Xiaomi at that,” Xu Lang said in a faintly mocking way.

Xia Lei laughed uncomfortably, “Ah, please excuse my poor phone.”

Xia Lei looked like he was simple-minded and honest, not getting upset at Xu Lang’s snide words. The other guests at the table also looked down on Xia Lei and their gazes were full of contempt. What company was this young punk chairman of? An empty sh.e.l.l company, or a small little workshop claiming to be a company?

Ning Jing was displeased and said, “So what if it’s a locally produced phone? Are all Apple iPhone users definitely rich or high cla.s.s?”

Ning Jing was the most honest of all but it was a mystery why she was standing up for Xia Lei at this point of time and coming to his aid when he was suffering an injustice.

A flash of displeasure showed in Xu Lang’s eyes but he did not act out.

Ren Wen-Qiang laughed, “Let’s not talk about mobile phones now. Mr Xia, I am very sorry for what happened last time. I was looking for a chance to apologise to you but couldn’t so today, I must give you a toast as a token of my apology.” So saying, he bent to retrieve a bottle of red wine.

The apology was just an excuse to have him drink.

Xia Lei laughed, “You’re being too courteous, Mr Ren. That matter is past and you don’t have to apologise to me.”

Ren Wen-Qiang popped the oak cork and stood to pour wine into the long-stemmed gla.s.s in front of Xia Lei, saying, “I insist. If you don’t drink, it’ll mean that you haven’t forgiven me and don’t see me as a friend.”

Since he put it that way, Xia Lei would be seen as impolite if he did not drink.

Xia Lei stood, took up the gla.s.s and drank it all, then said, “Give me the wine. I’ll pour you some too. Let’s have a toast.”

Ren Wen-Qiang gave Xu Lang a look and poured more wine for Xia Lei as he said, “It’s all right, I can pour my own.”

At that moment, Xu Lang stood with a bottle of wine in his hands, acting natural. He laughed as he said, “How about we not be so formal? I’ll pour some wine for you, Brother Ren, and us three shall have a drink together.” He popped the oak cork on the wine bottle and poured a gla.s.s for Ren Wen-Qiang, then one for himself.

If one poured for another, he must also pour one for himself - this was the most basic of rules.

Ren Wen-Qiang and Xu Lang raised their gla.s.ses to clink them with Xia Lei’s gla.s.s.

Xia Lei shook his head gently, “Strange, is the alcohol content of this wine very high? I drank just one gla.s.s but I feel dizzy already.”

Ren Wen-Qiang and Xu Lang exchanged glances and faint evil smiles appeared on their lips.

“Don’t fool us, Mr Xia. It’s just one gla.s.s. I’ll toast first.” Ren Wen-Qiang clinked his gla.s.s with Xia Lei’s, then tipped his head back and drank half the wine in his gla.s.s.

Xu Lang also clinked his gla.s.s with Xia Lei’s and drank the red wine in his gla.s.s.

Xia Lei could not refuse. He bit the bullet and drank a second gla.s.s of wine.