Return to the City: The Strongest King
Chapter 84 Ashen-faced

Chapter 84: Chapter 84 Ashen-faced

"Yeah, what’s wrong with the cheque? Don’t you accept cheques here?" Song Xiaodong asked cautiously.

Shen Ping quickly said, "Of course we can use it, but...does anyone still give out cheques for wages these days?"

Song Xiaodong shook his head, "No, it’s just that I did a small favor for a friend, and they gave me a little token of appreciation."

"Oh, you got a little token of appreciation, no wonder you guys insist on handling this transaction. Cheques, indeed, need to be cashed to be useful, haha."

At that moment, Shen Ping didn’t take it seriously. Cheques might sound fancy, but they don’t necessarily represent a large sum of money. Companies with a robust financial system generally use cheques for any amount over a thousand yuan.

So, he assumed the figure on the cheque wouldn’t be large.

"Miss, how do you plan to deal with this money?" the staff member inside asked Song Xiaoru politely.

"Deposit it all, just put it in a one-year fixed deposit, please."

"Miss, that much money isn’t suitable for a fixed-term deposit. You can now become a VIP customer at our bank, and then I’ll recommend a client manager for you who can help you figure out how to manage this money. Our bank has launched many excellent wealth management products, which will definitely yield much higher returns than the standard fixed deposit."

"VIP?"

Song Xiaoru and Song Xiaodong hadn’t spoken yet when Shen Ping asked in confusion, "To get a VIP card means having a minimum deposit of over five hundred thousand at a bank."

"Miss, as you can see, Mr. Shen is a VIP customer of our bank and enjoys many premium services from us. You too can get a VIP card—it would be much more convenient, right?"

"Ah ha...you’re not bad, giving face like this. But it’s really the first time I’ve heard that VIP status can be introduced by someone else."

At that moment, Shen Ping was feeling smug, thinking that Song Xiaoru’s ability to get a VIP card was all thanks to his influence.

The bank staff politely responded, "Mr. Shen, VIP status cannot be introduced; one must have sufficient assets in our bank to qualify."

"What? What do you mean? You’re saying she...actually has that much money?" Shen Ping reacted quickly, suddenly widening his eyes and asking, although it sounded a bit foolish.

The staff looked at Shen Ping somewhat skeptically, but still nodded, "Naturally, the lady here deposited a cheque for a million, of course that qualifies for VIP status."

"One...million?" Shen Ping drew out the word like Fan Wei and someone else in a sketch, stretching out the sound with a very heavy tone on the word "million."

Then he turned his head with an extremely surprised expression to look at Song Xiaoru and Song Xiaodong.

Song Xiaodong smiled with narrowed eyes, saying, "Yeah, just a small sum of money. I really got frightened there, thinking you needed ten or twenty million to be a VIP."

"This small sum of money..." The corners of the bank staff’s mouth twitched slightly, even working in a bank and seeing a lot of money every day, people who said a million was a small sum of money were rare indeed.

Shen Ping’s facial skin trembled violently, and then he grinned, his voice sounding a bit hoarse, "Xiaoru, are you a cash accountant?"

Song Xiaoru knew what Shen Ping was asking, but deliberately played dumb, "Nope."

Shen Ping took a breath, his gaze somewhat odd as he said, "Then this money...?"

"It’s nothing, just some money my brother gave me." At that moment, although Song Xiaoru spoke in a calm tone, she exuded considerable pride.

Shen Ping once again turned his gaze toward Song Xiaodong, swallowed a mouthful of saliva, and said, "I say, Xiaodong, you... you’re really something, aren’t you?"

Song Xiaodong narrowed his eyes, leaned in close to Shen Ping, and said, "Did I ever say I was incapable?"

"That... was never mentioned." That day, it was only Song Xiaodong’s Third Aunt who kept talking, so Shen Ping had just assumed Song Xiaodong was incapable.

"Do you think capable people all behave like you?"

The corner of Shen Ping’s mouth twitched again as he said, "Xiaodong, I truly didn’t see it coming. I have disrespected you, indeed." Thinking about how he had just been showing off his wealth in front of Song Xiaoru, and thinking about all his ostentatious behavior here, now it just seemed so foolish, so short-sighted, and he even felt that the bank clerk’s gaze contained a kind of mockery.

Song Xiaodong smirked again, but his expression was filled with mockery as he said, "Do you really think that just because you’re a director, and you have a bit of embezzled money in your hands, you’re so freaking impressive? Do you think that in pursuing my sister, it’s my sister who is getting the big advantage? Let me tell you, in my eyes, you’re not even worth the dirt. It’s best you don’t harass my sister anymore, or else don’t blame me for not being polite to you!"

Shen Ping’s face instantly turned very embarrassed, and Song Xiaoru tugged at Song Xiaodong, saying to Shen Ping, "Director Shen, I really am not thinking about personal issues right now, so..."

Shen Ping let out a forced laugh and said, "No rush, no rush, can’t we just be friends first?"

Song Xiaodong glared and said, "Who the hell are you to deserve to be friends with my sister?"

Shen Ping’s face darkened, and he said in a heavy voice, "Song Xiaodong, even if you are wealthy, you should still speak to me with respect."

"Do you deserve it?"

"You..."

Shen Ping was extremely annoyed by Song Xiaodong’s contempt. His inner fury surged uncontrollably as he said, "Don’t you know that around here, it’s not like having a bit of money makes everything work."

Song Xiaodong’s gaze was sharp as an arrow fixed on Shen Ping as he slowly said, "Then by all means try, provided that you think your time as an official has been too long and your life too lengthy. I’ll satisfy your desires."

Shen Ping felt a chill run down his spine under Song Xiaodong’s gaze, as if saying anything out of line might cause himself to be torn into pieces right then and there.

Shen Ping knew a few folks from the streets, yet none of them had ever made him feel the kind of danger he sensed from the man in front of him. This intense menace made Shen Ping not dare to retreat any further.

Taking a step back, Shen Ping still put up a strong front and said, "Aren’t you taking yourself a bit too seriously?"

"Disagree?" Song Xiaodong pressed forward a step.

Shen Ping’s face turned even uglier, and he dared not meet Song Xiaodong’s gaze.

"Shen Ping, are you finding that you can’t sleep well at night these days, only managing two or three hours of sleep, and when you do sleep, does your pillow get soaked with sweat?"

"How... how do you know that?" Shen Ping looked at Song Xiaodong in horror, even more shocked than seeing Song Xiaoru with a check for half a million.

"You better get yourself checked out at a hospital. If you’re treated well and find a suitable kidney, you might still save your life. Otherwise, you don’t have long to live, and your hundred thousand plus won’t count for much in a hospital."

"Don’t spout nonsense." Shen Ping’s forehead broke out in sweat.

"You better start accumulating some good karma for yourself!" Song Xiaodong said coldly with a sneer and spoke no more.