Chapter 127: Hua Shao

"Ah!"

A series of sharp screams filled the air as people who had been dancing excitedly on the floor moments ago now scattered in panic. They fled toward the exit of the dance hall, clutching their heads, their faces a mix of terror and confusion. It was as if they feared the entire building would collapse upon them if they didn't escape quickly.

In the center of the dance floor, several people lay on the ground. One had already gone still, while the others were curled up, groaning in pain.

Niu Jie was completely stunned. At that moment, he felt his mind go blank, unable to comprehend what had just happened. He muttered, "How could this happen?"

Not only Niu Jie was shocked; Zhou Ming, Du Peng, and even Manager Rao were all stunned. No one had expected such an outcome.

Manager Rao stared at the fallen light ball, realizing that, despite his concerns about the iron frame not being able to bear the weight, it should have lasted longer and only fallen after additional stress. The immediate fall suggested the quality of the iron frame was subpar.

Zhou Ming was the first to regain his composure. He turned to Kong Xiaolin and said, "You need to go outside and call the police, and also contact the emergency services. From the looks of it, those people are likely seriously injured."

Kong Xiaolin snapped back to her senses upon hearing Zhou Ming's instructions. She nodded and rushed outside to find a phone.

At this point, Niu Jie also came to his senses. He immediately pointed at Zhou Ming and Du Peng and accused, "You're behind this, aren't you? You made that light fall, didn't you?"

"Damn it! The renovation was done by you, and you picked the materials. We're here on the first day, and before we even get settled, your light falls! And you blame us? Do you even have a brain? Do you know how much I hate being slandered!" Du Peng, furious, slapped Niu Jie across the face, sending him sprawling onto a nearby sofa. Not satisfied, Du Peng followed up with two more slaps to the back of Niu Jie's head.

Compared to Du Peng's rage, Zhou Ming was more thoughtful.

To Zhou Ming, the situation was almost comical. He had warned about the light ball, which Niu Jie had ignored, only for the light to fall just as predicted. But beneath the comedy lay trouble. The dramatic fall of the light ball, whether due to a design flaw or poor material quality, meant Niu Jie would likely try to shift all the blame onto Zhou Ming and his team. Given the existing tensions with Shenzhou Company, this incident could exacerbate the conflict.

"Damn it, Little Niu, next time, think more carefully before you act. If you were really worth my attention, I'd deal with you directly, but for now, just stay out of my way," Du Peng said, clearly frustrated.

Du Peng then indicated to Zhou Ming that they should leave, but Zhou Ming wanted to stay a bit longer. He shared his thoughts with Du Peng, who quickly understood. Du Peng then told Niu Jie, "We can't reason with someone like you. I'll wait for Hua Shao to arrive and talk to him directly."

Zhou Ming knew that Hua Shao was a prominent figure from Shenzhou Company, a core member of the large organization and the main person responsible for Nanjiang.

A few minutes later, a young man in a leather jacket entered the scene. He appeared calm and composed, and when he saw this person, Du Peng immediately stood up to greet him. This was Hua Shao.

Seeing Hua Shao, Zhou Ming initially intended to speak with him, but Hua Shao showed no interest in small talk. He nodded briefly to Du Peng and, ignoring the rest, walked straight to Niu Jie. Niu Jie, head lowered, apologized to Hua Shao for not completing the task well.

Hua Shao merely smiled and said, "It's okay. I've been pushing you to rush the work. Mistakes are bound to happen in a hurry. This incident isn't entirely your fault."

Zhou Ming was impressed by Hua Shao's leadership skills. Although Zhou Ming didn't know how powerful Hua Shao was, his ability to manage and handle the situation effectively was clear. Hua Shao's approach was to show concern for his subordinate and take responsibility, which was a mark of a good leader.

Rather than reprimanding Niu Jie, Hua Shao's approach was to assume some responsibility himself, which made Niu Jie feel valued and motivated. This wasn't a planned strategy but rather a habitual reaction from Hua Shao, which made him a formidable leader.

After comforting Niu Jie, Hua Shao approached Zhou Ming and Du Peng. Du Peng began to explain the situation, but Hua Shao cut him off with a gesture, saying, "Du Shao, you don't need to explain. I already know what happened. It's unfortunate that there was an incident on the first day of our opening. I'm grateful for your presence here, and I apologize for the mishap. I'll make it up to you next time with a drink."

Hua Shao's words made Zhou Ming feel even heavier. His statements, while appearing conciliatory, were also strategically placed. By deflecting blame and focusing on hosting them well, Hua Shao avoided addressing the actual problem directly. This made it difficult for Zhou Ming and Du Peng to argue further.

"Since you say so, Hua Shao, it would be improper for me to insist. If there's a chance, I'll take you up on that offer," Du Peng said, trying to maintain a cordial tone.

Hua Shao then turned to Zhou Ming and said, "I've heard of you, Mr. Zhou. Your efforts to resolve the land speculation issue were impressive."

"Thank you. It was just a matter of luck," Zhou Ming replied, then added, "But it seems we have some misunderstandings. Since we've met today, let's find an opportunity to clear the air over a drink. It's always better to resolve conflicts than to let them fester."

Hua Shao responded, "Definitely. We'll find a chance."

As Hua Shao left to handle the situation, the sounds of sirens and ambulances were heard outside. Hua Shao told Du Peng, "I need to deal with this matter. Excuse me."

With Hua Shao's departure, Zhou Ming and the others also decided to leave. Back in Du Peng's Audi, Du Peng asked Zhou Ming, "What do you think of Hua Shao's words today?"

Zhou Ming replied, "Did you catch that too?"

"Of course. Hua Shao's calm demeanor was unusual. He's not a natural good guy," Du Peng said.

Zhou Ming agreed, "Exactly. His reaction was unexpected. He avoided taking direct blame but managed to handle the situation with skill. It's hard to predict his future actions."

"Do you think he's planning to create more trouble for us?" Kong Xiaolin asked.

"It's hard to say. His actions today suggest he might have a plan, but we can't be certain. For now, let's focus on our own work," Zhou Ming advised.

Zhou Ming then told Manager Rao, "Manager Rao, the renovation of our dance hall is crucial. Please ensure every step is done safely. It's better to be slow than to make any mistakes."

"Don't worry, Mr. Zhou. I always ensure everything is done properly," Manager Rao assured.

With that, Zhou Ming and his team moved forward, aware that Hua Shao's seemingly benign approach could be a prelude to future complications.