Chapter 530 — Who's Cheating Whom

So Kang Zhaolong nodded and smiled. "Then I must apologize. I misjudged Mr. Lai a moment ago — it seems he had no intention of competing with me for this thousand-year snow lotus at all, but simply wanted to buy that handsome box! I wronged him by thinking he lacked a physician's compassion. How shameful of me, how shameful!"

"Of course — what would I want with a thousand-year snow lotus? It's not good to eat, and it's not fun to play with," Feng Xiaoxiao snorted. "Since you know that now, why don't you just yield it to us?"

Heh heh. Kang Zhaolong sneered inwardly. Even if you hadn't said it, I'd have yielded it to you anyway! Only what I yield won't be the thousand-year snow lotus — it'll be that box! You like that box, do you? You want to use it as a makeup case, do you? Fine, then, I'll grant you your wish! Let's see you keep up the act with me. Who do you think I am, Kang Zhaolong? You dare play these games with me? Just wait — I'll play you crippled!

"Heh heh, of course you may!" Kang Zhaolong said with a smile. "Since it was a misunderstanding, that makes things simple! Little sister Xiaoxiao likes this box, doesn't she? Then how about this: after I win the thousand-year snow lotus, I'll sell you the box for fifty million! I won't make you spend more than you must — we'll split it down the middle, each taking what he needs. How's that?"

Having said this, Kang Zhaolong watched Fatty Lai and Feng Xiaoxiao with a cold, sidelong smile, waiting to see how they would extricate themselves. He was already certain that Feng Xiaoxiao's talk of buying the box for a makeup case was pure nonsense. Had no one ever heard the tale of the man who bought the casket and returned the pearl? Who would do anything that idiotic?

So Kang Zhaolong used Feng Xiaoxiao's own nonsense to turn the tables on them, trapping them between a rock and a hard place. If they wanted to save face, they would have to swell their cheeks and pretend to be fat, swallow their broken teeth, and cough up fifty million to buy the box back. If they abandoned all shame, then of course Kang Zhaolong could not force them to buy it — but in his view, Fatty Lai's company had only just been founded, and he was a man of some standing now; he would never let himself lose face over a matter like this. That would be far too humiliating.

Divine Doctor Kang and Kang Guifeng both looked at Kang Zhaolong with some astonishment. They had not expected him to be so shrewd — not only had he seized the initiative in the bidding with a few words, but now he was turning around and selling the shabby wooden box that held the snow lotus to Fatty Lai for fifty million!

This was nothing short of naked extortion! A moment ago the Kang family had been fretting over a lack of funds, and now, in the blink of an eye, they had squeezed fifty million out of someone else.

Though most of the people at the auction did not believe Feng Xiaoxiao's words either, there was truly nothing to find fault with in what Kang Zhaolong had done. You want to buy the box, he sells it to you — what's improper about that?

"You—" Feng Xiaoxiao widened her eyes in feigned fury, pointing at Kang Zhaolong, unable to get a word out.

Kang Zhaolong was smug beyond measure. The intelligence of this little brat, he thought, is good enough to fool a fool like Wu Chengtian, but compared with me, Kang Zhaolong, she's far behind! Well? Lifted a rock only to drop it on your own foot, haven't you? This time you have no choice but to buy!

"Fine! Fifty million it is, then. In that case, thank you, little Kang, for granting us the favor!" Fatty Lai's expression too was a sight to behold; he ground his teeth and spoke with hatred in his voice.

With that, Fatty Lai sat back down, his face dark and sullen — though inside he was bursting with delight. He had never imagined that the girl beside the boss was so formidable; with a few words she had gotten them the box, and at less than half the price! That was simply incredible!

He secretly gave Feng Xiaoxiao a thumbs-up from below, and Feng Xiaoxiao grinned back at him, baring her teeth, then said to Wei Zhao, "Hey, I kept my word, didn't I?"

"Heh..." Wei Zhao had not expected Feng Xiaoxiao to have so many devious ideas either. Yesterday she had just cheated someone once, and today she had cheated him again! Not only that, but she had made the person she cheated think he had gotten an enormous bargain.

"Aren't you going to say something?" Feng Xiaoxiao was a little displeased. She was angling for credit from Wei Zhao, but his expression showed no particular delight.

"Haven't I already answered you?" Wei Zhao countered.

"Hmph!" Feng Xiaoxiao turned her head away in anger. What kind of person was he! She had kindly helped him, and he could not even spare a word of thanks.

Over on Divine Doctor Kang's side, both Divine Doctor Kang and Kang Guifeng wore expressions of delight, and Divine Doctor Kang even praised him: "Guifeng, your son is no simple man! It seems our Kang family will flourish in his hands. That snow lotus worth over a hundred million — he cut the price in half, just like that!"

"Heh heh, it was only a matter of seizing the moment," Kang Zhaolong said modestly. "Over a hundred million — the cost is simply too high. Even if we make a beautifying and skin-nourishing wound medicine from it, this amount would yield only about thirty doses, and even if each dose sold for an astronomical five million, that would barely cover the cost. Though we will spare no expense to break into the great clans, isn't it better to save a little where we can?"

"That Feng Xiaoxiao — she's probably cursing you to death by now," Divine Doctor Kang said with a cheerful laugh.

"Those in the same trade are natural enemies. Even without today's business, she'd have come to hate me already," Kang Zhaolong said, unconcerned, and even smug. "That meal yesterday was her little swindle. If I don't take it back from her double, how could I do her justice?"

"But might they go back on it afterward? Find some excuse to back out?" Kang Guifeng was somewhat worried, afraid the meat at his lips would vanish again. Fifty million — for the Kang family in these straitened times, that was an absolute fortune.

"Of course it's possible! That girl's mouth runs on rails; she might well say she's changed her mind and wants to renege," Kang Zhaolong said, having already considered this. "So we must strike while the iron is hot. I'll go backstage right now and handle the transfer formalities, and sell that box to Fatty Lai in front of everyone. I'd like to see if he dares to humiliate himself by refusing to buy!"

Divine Doctor Kang and Kang Guifeng both nodded in deep agreement. Kang Zhaolong's idea was really quite good!

In fact, when Kang Zhaolong brought the box before Fatty Lai, Fatty Lai did indeed wear a look of acute pain, staring at the box in Kang Zhaolong's hands and refusing for a long while to pull out his checkbook.

"Mr. Lai, I've brought the box. Please have a look," Kang Zhaolong said, in no hurry, holding the box with the air of a man certain of victory. "It really is a lovely box. As a makeup case, it's truly excellent!"

"It's a bit too expensive, isn't it?" Feng Xiaoxiao pursed her lips. "Hey, Brother Zhaolong, we've eaten together, haven't we? Can't you just give it to me?"

"Heh heh, little sister Xiaoxiao, I paid money for this box too. It's only out of regard for our friendship that I'm selling it to you cheap," Kang Zhaolong said mildly, while thinking: Just as I expected, Feng Xiaoxiao wants to renege! But how could Kang Zhaolong let her back out so easily?

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