Chapter 272: Clash Among Foxes

A servant who had been waiting at the door ran inside as soon as he saw Xia Yu's car arrive. 

When Xia Yu and his group parked and got out of the car, Wu Hongyi arrived at the door, wearing a smiling expression as he welcomed Xia Yu.

"Xia Yu, you're here!"

"Sorry, I was held up with some matters, sorry to keep you waiting!"

Xia Yu said apologetically.

"It's nothing, nothing. It's not even time yet. Come on, let's go inside and talk!"

Wu Hongyi quickly waved his hand and led Xia Yu and the others inside.

They followed Wu Hongyi to the door of a room. Upon opening it, they saw two elderly men inside. One of them was sitting casually but gave Xia Yu a feeling of immovability, making him narrow his eyes.

This must be Wu Hongyi's grandfather. Such an imposing presence without anger is something ordinary people cannot possess!

Seeing Xia Yu, Wu Chengde also stood up but did not approach Xia Yu. He merely observed him calmly.

This attitude made Xia Yu raise his eyebrows, realizing that the negotiation had already begun. This was the initial battle of momentum. If Xia Yu lost ground here, it would give him an invisible disadvantage in the subsequent negotiations.

Xia Yu smiled faintly, seemingly unaffected by Wu Chengde's aura. He looked at Wu Hongyi and said with a gentle smile, "Hongyi, who are these two?"

Wu Hongyi quickly smiled and said, "This is my grandfather, and this is the Wu family's butler, Uncle Fu."

Seeing Wu Hongyi being pulled into the introduction and willingly participating, Wu Chengde felt a bit disgruntled. He realized that Xia Yu was not easy to handle. Looking at the oblivious Wu Hongyi, he sighed inwardly, noticing the gap between Wu Hongyi and Xia Yu.

Xia Yu had casually asked and involved his grandson, forcing Wu Chengde to introduce himself first, directly breaking the atmosphere he had created. But he had no way to express his frustration. How could he not be irritated?

However, it was not a big deal. He had other methods. If this one didn't work, it didn't matter; he would still consider his grandson's face.

"Hello, I am Wu Chengde, Hongyi's grandfather. Nice to meet you!"

Wu Chengde showed a kind smile, looking as amiable as a neighborly old man. The earlier imposing aura had completely vanished.

"Hello, Grandpa Wu. I'm Xia Yu, and this is my girlfriend, Li Qian. These are my friends, Li Wuming, Yan Shining, and Hou Sheng."

Xia Yu introduced them with a smile, and Wu Chengde nodded in acknowledgment.

"Grandpa is old now, so you don't have to stand. Let's sit down and talk!"

Xia Yu seemed to have just realized this and hurriedly said, showing an apologetic expression.

Xia Yu's actions and words seemed genuine, displaying heartfelt concern. However, Wu Chengde's expression stiffened as he understood Xia Yu's subtle implication: he was reminding him of his old age.

Given the events of the previous night, the implication was naturally clear.

Wu Chengde was no novice. Having experienced numerous verbal duels, he was not without means to handle such situations.

"Haha!"

He laughed heartily, appearing to have a robust voice, then sat down with Xia Yu and the others, continuing with a smile.

"Yes, being old, my age is similar to your grandfather's. Since you're Hongyi's good friend, don't be so formal. Just call me Grandpa Wu."

Hearing this, Wu Hongyi, who was busy pouring tea, also smiled, pleased with his grandfather's friendly attitude towards Xia Yu. He felt more optimistic about the upcoming negotiation.

"Hmph, old fox, since the imposing aura didn't work, you want to use seniority to pressure me and make me act like a junior? How naïve!"

Xia Yu sneered inwardly but displayed a troubled expression and said, "Hearing you say this, I'm reminded of my late grandfather. Grandpa Wu, don't mind me. I'm a bit particular about manners. It's hard for me to call you that."

Saying this, Xia Yu showed a nostalgic and sentimental expression, as if he genuinely missed his grandfather. This display of genuine emotion touched Wu Hongyi somewhat, but Wu Chengde's heart tightened again, realizing Xia Yu was a crafty fox.

Xia Yu turned the tables, telling Wu Chengde not to think he could pressure him with seniority. He made it clear that he was himself, Wu Hongyi was Wu Hongyi, and Wu Honglin was Wu Honglin. The grudge couldn't be easily settled. Attempting to play the emotional card was futile!

To avoid an awkward atmosphere and considering Wu Hongyi's feelings, Xia Yu even brought up his deceased grandfather, claiming the moral high ground and blocking Wu Chengde's attempt to continue.

With one sentence, Xia Yu defused Wu Chengde's offensive and countered, reminding him not to use such pretentious tactics.

At this point, Wu Chengde had a clear and direct impression of Xia Yu. He was a fox disguised in rabbit's skin, not inferior to him at all.

With this judgment, Wu Chengde knew that minor tricks were unnecessary and ineffective.

He glanced at the amiable Wu Hongyi and felt quite disheartened. He had thought his grandson was outstanding, but compared to the young Xia Yu, the difference was obvious. How could he not be upset?

How was this prodigy cultivated? It was beyond common sense, and it seemed unjust!

Of course, the more exceptional Xia Yu appeared, the more cautious Wu Chengde became.

He had not much time left. Now that the Wu family was at odds with Xia Yu, if not resolved, the more exceptional Xia Yu became, the greater the danger for the Wu family. If the negotiations failed, he would definitely find ways to eliminate Xia Yu.

If Xia Yu escaped and, considering his current exceptional performance and potential to become a top tycoon, Wu Chengde did not believe his descendants could compete with Xia Yu. The Wu family would face a disaster!

But there were also benefits. If the grudge with Xia Yu could be resolved or softened, the relationship with Wu Hongyi would remain, and Xia Yu's excellence would benefit Wu Hongyi.

If Wu Hongyi truly lived up to his expectations and became the pillar of the Wu family, the benefits to Wu Hongyi would naturally translate to benefits for the Wu family.

Whether Xia Yu was an enemy or a friend, this negotiation at noon was crucial, perhaps the only opportunity! It all depended on how he would choose!

With this thought, Wu Chengde could not help but be cautious!

Adjusting his mindset, Wu Chengde laughed heartily, directly skipping the previous topic, and said to Wu Hongyi, "Hongyi, it's getting late. Let's have the dishes served and talk while eating."

"Alright, Grandpa!"

Wu Hongyi quickly responded.

Before long, the kitchen, which had been prepared in advance, started serving the dishes. The beautifully presented dishes were extremely appetizing just by appearance.

"Come on, don't be polite. The ingredients for these dishes were specially sourced from various places in the UK. They are top-quality ingredients. Try them and see how they taste."

Wu Chengde took the lead in picking up his chopsticks and said with a kind smile.

"Then I'll definitely have a taste!"

Xia Yu said with interest, picking up a dish that Wu Chengde had chosen, while ignoring the other dishes.

Wu Chengde's cloudy eyes narrowed slightly, and he sighed inwardly. Xia Yu was indeed cautious, only touching the dishes that Wu Chengde had selected.

No choice. To dispel Xia Yu's doubts, he smiled and said, "Let's all eat together. Don't be polite!"

He then picked up another dish, and the unsuspecting Wu Hongyi and Butler Fu also began to eat. The atmosphere began to warm up slightly.

As time passed, Xia Yu focused on eating and did not take the initiative to start a conversation. Since Wu Chengde had requests of him, he could remain calm. If Wu Chengde had the skills, he should continue to maintain his composure. At worst, he would leave when the time was right. He had been prepared for retaliation from the beginning.

Wu Chengde was not in a hurry, but Wu Hongyi grew anxious. His smile became strained, and he frequently glanced at his grandfather, Wu Chengde.

Seeing Wu Hongyi's performance, Wu Chengde felt a bit sad. The most promising person in the family couldn't match up to Xia Yu. If he were gone, how would they compete with Xia Yu?

Since that's the case, while he was still alive, he should do more planning for the family!

Sighing at Xia Yu's calm demeanor, Wu Chengde decided it was time to reveal the key points.

He wiped his mouth with a napkin and actively brought up the topic.