Chapter 483 — Scared to the Bone
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 2
But Tang Zhi frowned slightly. After a brief flicker of confusion, the answer dawned on her at once. Zou Tiandi probably did not yet know that she and Wei Zhao had broken up -- that was why he was treating her with such deference. She could use this opportunity to simply walk away. But what worried her was that once Zou Tiandi found out about the breakup, he might come after Xiaowei again...
It seemed he had not been speaking ironically at all -- he genuinely did not want the money! This turn of events, though no one understood why, was still a welcome surprise to them all.
At that, Tang Zhi still said: "Mr. Zou, please take this five hundred thousand. This matter needs to be settled once and for all, doesn't it?" Zou Tiandi thought Tang Zhi was deliberately toying with him, twisting the knife -- and he felt a flash of indignation. But fear overwhelmed it. He had learned from his son Zou Ruoming that Wei Zhao doted on Tang Zhi beyond measure. Last time his son had tried to lay hands on her, Wei Zhao had torn him to shreds. How could he dare provoke Tang Zhi again?
Moreover, Tang Zhi's presence here tonight very likely bore Wei Zhao's imprint! A man's patience has its limits -- going again and again to make trouble for Wei Zhao and the people around him would sour anyone's mood, let alone a formidable man like Wei Zhao.
True, a formidable man generally did not bother squabbling with nobodies -- but if that nobody pushed his luck and got cocky, then the formidable man would have no qualms about swatting him dead like a fly.
It was like a dog. If it merely barked at you a couple of times, you might ignore it. If it bit you once, you might tolerate it. But if it bit you again and again, and then went after your family too, you would likely just slaughter it for meat.
Zou Tiandi now felt he was that very dog -- having provoked Wei Zhao time and again, the moment of being swatted flat was surely not far off...
So, after all these thoughts, Zou Tiandi was terrified to the bone. With a heavy thud, he dropped to his knees, tears streaming down his face: "Sister Tang, I'm begging you -- stop toying with me! I know I was wrong, I really do. Go back and put in a good word with Wei Zhao. I was blind, truly blind -- isn't it enough if I slap my own face? Just treat me like a fart and let me off!"
With that, Zou Tiandi squared his shoulders, wound up his arm, and began slapping himself across the face. The sharp cracks of "pow! pow!" rang out without end. Zou Tiandi beat himself with all his might, growing more and more fervent the harder he hit...
Zou Tiandi's words flushed Tang Zhi's cheeks red. What did he mean, "treat me like a fart"? She was a girl, after all -- how vulgar could he be? She could not help but spit disdainfully under her breath and shot Zou Tiandi a withering glare.
Zou Tiandi's miserable state gave Tang Zhi no small measure of courage. Since he no longer wanted the money, then let him put it in writing — with a documented record in hand, she would have no fear of him going back on his word later. With that thought, Tang Zhi decided to ride the situation as it came, donning borrowed authority like a fox wrapped in a tiger's skin.
Zou Tiandi's words left Mother Tang, Xiaowei, and Xiaodan all keenly aware of the truth: this Zou Tiandi feared not Tang Zhi, but Wei Zhao! They did not know why he feared Wei Zhao, but judging by the way he had dropped to his knees and slapped himself across the face, whatever terror Wei Zhao inspired had sunk deep into his very bones!