Chapter 28: A Single Phone Call, and the Ji Family Goes Bankrupt!

Xu Ye watched Xu Ruowei’s departing silhouette, his eyes darkening with a flicker of malice.

Just then, Ji Boduan jumped in impatiently. "Qian Dachuan! Did you not see what just happened? To think you’d dare offend the dignified eldest daughter of the Xu family—why haven’t you called security to beat this bastard to death yet?!"

Damn it, he had actually dared to strike him. Ji Boduan had long since sworn that he would not let this go today.

Qian Dachuan’s face, however, was instantly filled with hesitation. Reality was not a novel; as the restaurant manager, he truly did not want to get involved in such matters. If there was a conflict, why not just call the police? Why make things difficult for him? What if this turned out to be a huge misunderstanding? Wouldn't he be the one dragged down into misfortune?

Su Zijin’s expression sank, but before she could speak, Xu Ye gently restrained her. How could he let a girl stand up for him in his own affairs? If some arrogant "Young Master Ji" could dance on his head, what did that make him, the true eldest son of the Xu family? Did they really think he had no temper?

"I will only say this once: get out immediately, or I hope you can handle the consequences!"

"Xu Ye, who do you think you’re scaring?" Ji Boduan sneered. "Aren't you just the son of a servant in Ruowei’s house? She only hasn't bothered with you because she’s kind-hearted, but you’ve pushed her too far today. Have you even considered the consequences for yourself?"

"You’re staring death in the face and don't even know it, yet you’re still here barking at me. I’ll give you one chance: we aren’t going anywhere. Let’s see what you can actually do to us."

Wu Siyu scoffed from the side, dismissing Xu Ye’s ultimatum entirely. A servant had truly lost his mind these past few days. Not only had he usurped his master’s car, but today he had even dared to question Xu Ruowei’s identity? Over the past year, Xu Ruowei had shared countless photos of her daily life. She lived in a Xu family villa, the garage held over twenty luxury cars worth millions, and she had taken them to seven-star hotels nine times, the Cloud Top One villa twenty-one times, and gone on seven spontaneous trips totaling sixty-six days—not to mention other extravagant expenses. Could all of that possibly be fake?

It was even more ridiculous now that he was telling them to bear the consequences. What did he think he was?

Today, she would give him his chance to see exactly what kind of consequences awaited him!

"Very well. I gave you a chance, and you didn't cherish it. In that case, the Ji family can just wait to go bankrupt and be liquidated," Xu Ye said, his eyes icy.

"Pfft... Hahaha, hahahahaha..."

"Are you fucking kidding me?"

"What are you even supposed to be, that you could bankrupt my Ji family?"

Ji Boduan and Wu Siyu exchanged a glance, then nearly burst into hysterical laughter. They truly could not comprehend how much fake alcohol Xu Ye must have consumed to spout such laughable nonsense.

"Go on, start your performance. I’d love to see what a pathetic dog like you could possibly do to bankrupt my family!"

Xu Ye remained expressionless, staring at Ji Boduan for a moment as if looking at a mental patient. Then, he took out his phone and dialed Zhou Yulan, his mother’s secretary.

"Aunt Lan, help me put the word out: from now on, whoever collaborates with the Ji family is an enemy of the Xu family."

Ji Boduan and Wu Siyu burst into laughter once more.

"Look at him pretending—I almost believed him for a second," Ji Boduan mocked. "Tell me, Xu Ye, have you actually lost your mind and started believing you’re the Young Master of the Xu family?"

His expression suddenly shifted, his eyes turning cold. "You piece of trash, stop playing pretend. I’m giving you two choices: first, kneel and apologize to me, then crawl to beg the eldest Miss Xu for forgiveness. Second, I’m not waiting for the useless security guards here; I’m calling my boys right now to cripple you tonight!"

"Did you hear that?" Wu Siyu chimed in. "Why aren't you doing what my boyfriend said? Do you really want to die?"

Su Zijin glanced at her phone, cutting in before Xu Ye could speak, her voice cold. "I have never hated anyone as much as I hate you. You chose this path yourselves; I hope you won't regret it."

"Get lost! Is it your place to speak? You’re just a cheap actress hired for the day..." Wu Siyu spat at her. She had long disliked this woman—so beautiful, and for what, to seduce someone? If she could be hired to act, couldn't she be hired for other things, too?

*SLAP—*

Before she could finish, a deafening crack echoed through the restaurant. Wu Siyu was slapped to the floor, her lip split and blood instantly flowing. She was stunned, clutching her swollen cheek in disbelief.

"Xu Ye, you dare hit me?!"

Ji Boduan was apoplectic with rage. "You little bastard, you..."

But before he could finish, his phone rang. He paused, recognizing his father’s ringtone, and quickly answered. "Hello, Dad..."

On the other end, his father roared, "You useless idiot! Who the hell did you offend? What kind of trouble have you caused?!"

"Every single one of our business partners has called to terminate our contracts! The banks are forcing a recall on all our loans, demanding full repayment within a week!" His father gasped for air, coughing violently before continuing, "There are also dozens of commercial reports. The Economic Investigation Department will be at our headquarters in half an hour. The Fire Department, the Bureau of Industry and Commerce, and auditors are all coming too. Our house isn't clean—it has never been clean!"

"We are finished! It’s not just bankruptcy and liquidation waiting for us—it’s prison! Who the hell did you offend?!"

As the voice poured from the phone, Ji Boduan’s face turned deathly pale, and cold sweat dripped down his forehead.

"How... how can this be? I didn't do anything..."

"Nothing? If you did nothing, why would someone go out of their way to destroy us? Why would they keep mentioning you?!"

Mentioning him?

Ji Boduan looked at Su Zijin and Xu Ye, his legs giving way, and he collapsed onto the floor. A breeze blew past, chilling him to the bone.

"Ji Boduan, I don't care who you offended. You must beg for their forgiveness, no matter what it takes!" his father screamed. "If you can't, you know the consequences. Without the protection of the Ji family, you are as good as dead!"

*CRASH.*

Ji Boduan’s mind went blank as his phone slipped from his hand, shattering against the floor.