Chapter 1182: Confrontation Behind the Chessboard

Just as the stalemate reached a freezing point, Minister Han suddenly stepped forward, blocking the space between Sun Bumian and Ying Fu.

"I hope Mr. Sun will forgive him... My student is introverted and dull, shy in personality, and afraid to communicate with others... He just stood up too quickly by accident and didn't see Mr. Sun walking over. I hope Mr. Sun won't take offense."

Minister Han's voice was like a spring breeze, lightly covering the tense atmosphere. He wore an apologetic smile and bowed to Sun Bumian.

After saying this, he turned his head to look at Ying Fu, pretending to scold him:

"I've told you many times, don't cause trouble when you're out... If it weren't for Mr. Sun's extraordinary demeanor this time, he would definitely have made you pay! Go back and sit down!"

Ying Fu looked coldly at Sun Bumian, then walked slowly back to his seat and sat down.

Ying Fu naturally knew that Minister Han stepping forward at this time was to share the fire for him. Otherwise, if Sun Bumian kept pestering him, something would happen sooner or later... But now, in full view of everyone, at the center of the storm, it was unlikely he could sneak out again.

After sitting down, Ying Fu's gaze was like a drawn sword, piercing through the crowd and landing directly on the inconspicuous small table opposite.

The young man in the black Tang suit drank a sip of hot soup unhurriedly, as if all the disputes here had nothing to do with him...

If Ying Fu had only suspected Chen Ling when he saw Sun Bumian enter the venue just now, then after Sun Bumian's unreasonable behavior, Ying Fu could be completely certain that this person was definitely Chen Ling after a face change!

Sun Bumian's actions just now must have been directed by Chen Ling... and the purpose was to delay him here.

Now, Chu Changqing is probably in danger...

Seeing Minister Han easily remove Ying Fu with one sentence, Sun Bumian narrowed his eyes behind his sunglasses.

"Heh, you talk a good game... Who are you?"

"This old man is Han Shuzhi, I have met Mr. Sun," Minister Han bowed again. "I have long admired Mr. Sun's great name. Seeing you today, you truly have a youthful face and an extraordinary spirit."

"Old man? How old are you to call yourself an old man?" Sun Bumian snorted coldly.

"Han Shuzhi... I remember now. You are Han Wenshu's grandson. When Han Wenshu was a kid following me around asking for candied haws, his attitude was much more likable than yours."

As soon as this was said, cold sweat instantly broke out on Minister Han's forehead...

Sun Bumian's light remark was a super seniority boost, directly pulling the status of the two banquet guests from equals to elder and junior. Sun Bumian bullying Han Shuzhi was unreasonable, but if a grandfather-generation figure disciplined a grandson, it could only be called training, and even Bureau 749 couldn't manage it.

"Alright, alright."

Just as Minister Han's brain was running at high speed, Sun Zhongliang's voice came from behind.

Sun Zhongliang walked slowly toward the two with a wine glass.

"Both of you are honored guests of our Bureau 749. Mr. Sun has finally returned from the United States, and it's rare for everyone to get together today. Let's not have such a temper... I'll have someone take Mr. Sun's clothes to be changed. Everyone give me some face, let's just let this pass, okay?"

Sun Zhongliang was also very helpless. The banquet hadn't even started, and the two most senior people were already fighting. Whose fault it was didn't matter; what mattered was not letting this incident interfere with the mood of all the guests.

"Director Sun is too kind. Mr. Sun and I were just chatting, there's no temper." Minister Han said immediately. "But it was indeed my student who made a mistake. As a teacher, I must give Mr. Sun a sincere apology...

Mr. Sun is working hard to promote the lion dance culture overseas alone, which is truly not easy. We juniors have long taken Mr. Sun as a benchmark. If there is a chance in the future, I will definitely bring my student to apologize again!"

Since Minister Han had said this much, Sun Bumian naturally couldn't act out, so he could only say expressionlessly:

"No need to apologize in person. Later, let's have a few drinks... Don't run away halfway."

"Mr. Sun, don't worry about that," Sun Zhongliang laughed. "Mr. Han and I will drink with you. Tonight, we won't stop until we're drunk!"

"I won't get drunk. I'll drink juice, but you two have to drink alcohol."

Minister Han: ...

Things had developed to this point, and Minister Han couldn't refuse anymore, so he could only bite the bullet and agree.

Seeing this, Ying Fu gripped his teacup tightly...

He looked across at Chen Ling, who was still eating unhurriedly, his face looking a bit ugly.

Ying Fu knew very well that on the chessboard of this confrontation, his most important piece had been silently eaten by Chen Ling... In the first round of the exchange, Chen Ling had completely occupied the upper hand.

But Ying Fu couldn't just sit still and wait for death. Even without Minister Han, he still had other pieces he could use.

Ying Fu lowered his head, pretending to eat in a low-key manner, but his fingers slid gently in the corner under the table, as if writing something...

Tiny strokes formed at his fingertips, then gathered into a small worm the size of a pinky, which rolled off the corner of the table silently and crawled bit by bit toward Fu Kun and Zheng Zhiqing in the distance.

Fu Kun and Zheng Zhiqing didn't have as much seniority in Bureau 749, so their seats were relatively far away. Now that Ying Fu couldn't use electronic devices to pass messages, he could only use this hidden method.

No matter how many tricks Chen Ling had, he couldn't intercept this most ancient method of communication.

Just as Ying Fu watched, the stroke-worm moved bit by bit. Just as it was about to cross the aisle, a lizard's red tongue suddenly shot out from the side, instantly wrapping around the worm's body, and then swallowed it into its belly in a flash!

Ying Fu: ?

Ying Fu was startled and turned to look. He saw a small embroidered lizard, about the size of a pinky, lying under Yao Qing's table. It was smacking its lips while blinking at Ying Fu, its dull pupils looking incredibly stupid and cute.

Yao Qing played with an embroidery needle, glanced at Ying Fu gloomily, and then dug behind the embroidered lizard's butt for a long time, actually pulling out that stroke-worm again!

He poked Xiao Chunping, who was sitting in front:

"Grandma! Look! I discovered that poser next to me secretly releasing bugs!!"

Ying Fu: ????????

Ying Fu almost forgot that Yao Qing, who had been staring at him, was sitting next to him... But how did he see through such a hidden method of his? And in such a short time, he embroidered a small lizard specifically to eat his worm?!

Xiao Chunping turned her head, took the pen-drawn worm, examined it carefully for a moment, and then cast a leisurely gaze toward Ying Fu.

She said indifferently:

"Young man, when you're eating, just eat properly. Don't learn from that teacher of yours, always pulling little stunts..."

Xiao Chunping casually pinched the pen-drawn worm to death, tossed it into the trash can, and then turned around to continue eating her small hot pot... Yao Qing turned his head and silently made a face at Ying Fu.

Ying Fu: ...