How A Ride-Hailing Driver Comes To Dominate The World? [EN]: Chapter 160

Three Kills on Zhou Zhenyang: You Can’t Act Tough in Front of Me (Seeking Subscriptions)

The manager approached Zhou Zhenyang and relayed Yang Chen’s words.

A sneer touched Zhou Zhenyang’s lips. “I was trying to be nice, saving him face, really. But if he insists on being difficult, then don’t blame me for embarrassing him in front of the girls.”

Manager: “Haha… Young Master Zhou is absolutely right. I even tried to warn him, but he wouldn’t listen. Some people just have to learn the hard way.”

Zhou Zhenyang chuckled and, with the manager in tow, strode toward Yang Chen and his group.

The sheer audacity of him claiming he was saving Yang Chen face, after so blatantly using his platinum card to steal their spot, was astounding.

As Zhou Zhenyang and the manager approached, Fang Yingqi immediately challenged him. “Zhou Zhenyang, what are you doing? Are you doing this on purpose?”

Zhou Zhenyang feigned innocence. “No, not at all! I just really liked this particular spot and wanted to join you. But I knew you’d say no if I just asked. So, I had to get the manager involved. He told me my platinum card came with privileges, allowing me to use this venue first. I’m really sorry, but my hands are tied! Unless… you’d be willing to let me play with you?”

The guy was truly insidious. He knew perfectly well they’d never agree to let him join, but he phrased it to make himself look like he was being forced into it. A textbook example of a scheming jerk.

Because Zhou Zhenyang deliberately spoke loudly, other players nearby started to gather, curious about the commotion.

“What’s going on? Someone snatching a venue?”

“No way, are people really pulling rank like that? Aren’t they worried about making enemies?”

“I’ve been coming here for years, and this is the first time I’ve seen someone actually use their privileges to steal a spot.”

“A platinum card stealing a bronze or silver venue… that’s just low. It’s not like there aren’t other spots available. Plenty of empty spaces over there, why bother?”

“I think it’s fair game. People pay a million [currency not specified, e.g., yuan] a year for a platinum card. The club offers privileges, so why shouldn’t they use them? Can’t fault them for taking advantage of what they paid for. Blame yourself for not having the same perks.”

“Damn, you’re right. Who wouldn’t use privileges if they had them? They shelled out a ton of money for those benefits. It’d be stupid not to use them.”

“There’s more to it than that. I overheard them earlier. Seems like the gold card guy is trying to woo the short-haired girl, but she’s not interested and keeps fawning over the guy in the white shirt. So, Mr. Platinum Card is definitely stirring up trouble on purpose.”

“Damn, that’s juicy! Why would the short-haired girl prefer the penniless guy over the platinum card rich kid?”

“That’s what I want to know! I’d pay good money to hear the guy in the white shirt give a lecture on how to juggle three girls at once. I’d be taking notes!”

…

Fang Yingqi retorted, clearly annoyed. “Zhou Zhenyang, don’t you think you’re being incredibly childish? The more you act like this, the less interested I am in you. Just give it up.”

With so many onlookers, Zhou Zhenyang couldn’t back down without losing face. “Don’t flatter yourself. I’m here to play golf, not to harass you. And don’t accuse me of bullying you with my platinum card. I’ll give you two choices.

Choose.

First, we play together. Second, you give us the venue. Choose. The sun’s beating down, let’s not waste everyone’s time.”

The manager chimed in with a practiced smile. “Everyone, I’m really sorry, these are the club’s rules, and there’s not much we can do. Of course, there is a third option: you could also recharge one million [currency] to become platinum card customers yourselves, and then Young Master Zhou wouldn’t be able to take your venue.”

Yang Chen couldn’t help but chuckle. Annoying as the manager was, he was just doing his job and pushing customers to spend more. He was certainly earning his keep.

If the manager had sided with Zhou Zhenyang and humiliated Yang Chen and his friends, he would have been fired on the spot.

The onlookers started offering their unsolicited advice.

“Hey, why not just let him play with you? It’s a win-win. He gets to use his privileges, and you don’t get kicked out. Everyone saves face.”

“Yeah, we’re all just here to have fun, no need to make things so tense. It’s not a good look for anyone.”

“I’ve been playing here for years, and this is the first time I’ve seen someone actually use their privileges to snatch a venue. While I think it’s a bit rude, it’s the rule of the game, and we should all abide by it. Let’s all play together, the more the merrier.”

…

Yang Chen replied with a smile, “It depends on the situation. If we were eating and drinking, I’d invite anyone to join, as long as I was in a good mood. The more, the merrier, absolutely. But I’m currently enjoying the company of three beautiful women, and no male animals are allowed to approach! I’m keeping this happiness all to myself. No need to share.”

“Haha… I get what you’re saying, but you have to be realistic. What’s the point of talking tough if you can’t back it up? Can you even protect this venue?”

“We’re just trying to give you some friendly advice. Don’t want to see you lose face in front of the girls. Take the hint and save face for everyone. It’s all good.”

“Exactly, that’s the way to go. Everyone’s trying to help you out, just go along with it and make it easy on everyone.”

…

Yang Chen nodded, still smiling. “I appreciate the concern. But I’m not so useless that I’d let someone steal my venue while I’m playing golf. Zhou Zhenyang, considering you spent a million [currency], I won’t make things too difficult for you. Just go play somewhere else.”

Zhou Zhenyang scoffed. “Haha… You don’t even have a membership card! What makes you think you can talk to a platinum member like me that way? I know you’re embarrassed, but there’s nothing you can do about it. I’m just using the privileges the club gives me. In this world, the rich are always in charge. People have to follow the rules to get anywhere. Don’t you agree?”

Yang Chen nodded. “Yeah, you’re right. Life is about following the rules. Coincidentally, I also have a card here. Manager, could you check if it comes with any privileges?”

He pulled out the black gold card, reserved only for Golden Eagle Club shareholders.

The manager was stunned. How could he possibly have a black gold card? Those were only for shareholders!

The onlookers were equally dumbfounded. What kind of card was that?

They’d never seen anything like it before.

“What kind of card is that?”

“I thought platinum was the highest level? How does he have a black card?”

“This is a first for me. Manager, what is that thing?”

The manager quickly stepped forward, bowing deeply to Yang Chen. “Are you the shareholder who recently acquired 30% of our club’s shares?”

The crowd gasped. The shareholder who bought 30% of Golden Eagle Club?

Cheng Junjun smiled knowingly. In her eyes, Yang Chen was capable of anything.

However, Fang Yingqi and Zhang Yuxin, who only knew Yang Chen as a ride-hailing driver, were completely floored. Their mouths hung slightly open in shock.

Yang Chen nodded. “Yes, I just acquired 30% of the club’s shares. Does that mean I can keep this venue?”

Manager: “Yes, yes, of course! You’re a shareholder, you can play at any venue you like. Young Master Zhou, I’m very sorry, but your platinum card privileges are… invalid in the presence of a shareholder.”

Invalid?

Invalid!

Zhou Zhenyang’s face crumpled. He felt a burning sensation on his cheeks and broke out in a cold sweat. He couldn’t have been more humiliated.

The onlookers erupted in chatter again.

“Haha, in this world, the rich are the bosses, but the *richer* ones are the grandfathers.”

“Haha… I’ve been playing here for years, and this is the first time I’ve seen anything like this. Never seen anyone pull out a black gold card before.”

“This is embarrassing. Platinum card useless, privileges invalid, and he’s lost face. Will he even come back to this club?”

…

“I recharged a million [currency]! I’ve spent over a million here! And you’re telling me my privileges are invalid?” Zhou Zhenyang protested.

The manager nodded apologetically. “There’s nothing we can do. He’s a shareholder. When the black gold doesn’t appear, the platinum dominates. But when the black gold appears, who can compete?”

“Damn it! Are you sure that card is real? How could someone who can’t even afford a decent card acquire shares? Couldn’t it be fake?” Zhou Zhenyang demanded angrily.

Manager: “Unlikely. These cards are only carried by the shareholders themselves, and they rarely need to use them. Even if he wanted to fake it, he wouldn’t have the opportunity.”

Yang Chen: “Alright, enough nonsense. Manager, just take Young Master Zhou to another venue. He’s a platinum card customer, after all, so find him something nice.”

Manager: “Okay, okay. Mr. Yang, enjoy your time, we won’t disturb you any further.”

With that, the manager tried to usher Zhou Zhenyang away.

Zhou Zhenyang shook off the manager’s hand. He had already lost too much face. If he left now, he might as well never come back. He’d be a laughingstock.

He was determined to fight Yang Chen to the bitter end.

“I suspect his card is fake. Call your boss, Chen Jinying, over here to verify it,” Zhou Zhenyang insisted.

Manager: “Young Master Zhou, please don’t do this. If things get out of hand, I’ll be in trouble too.”

Zhou Zhenyang: “Are you an idiot? I’m a platinum card customer! So what if he’s a shareholder? Do you think your boss would risk offending a platinum card customer who spends a million [currency] for the sake of a shareholder?”

Zhou Zhenyang was betting that Chen Jinying wouldn’t sacrifice a paying customer like him to protect a shareholder, especially with a million still on his account.

He was convinced that no boss would choose a shareholder’s ego over a million [currency].

The manager glanced at Yang Chen, who nodded.

The manager quickly called Chen Jinying and explained the situation.

Chen Jinying arrived in a hurry.

“Mr. Yang, so nice to meet you! Why didn’t you tell me you were coming today? I would have personally given you a tour of the club and explained our operations,” Chen Jinying said, greeting Yang Chen with a polite handshake.

Yang Chen returned the smile. “I came with some friends to have some fun. I was planning to discuss the club’s operations with you later. I just didn’t expect this platinum card customer to insist on taking our venue. We’re all young, and no one wants to lose face, so I had to pull out my black gold card.”

Chen Jinying nodded. “I understand, I understand. Young Master Zhou, this is all a misunderstanding. Mr. Yang did recently acquire 30% of our club’s shares. Let’s leave this venue for Mr. Yang. I’ll take you to a better venue and give you three free rounds as compensation from the club. Please, calm down. The most important thing is to have fun when you come out to play, okay?”

The onlookers snickered.

The most common comment was, “Trying to show off and getting burned instead.”

Coupled with Fang Yingqi’s disdainful expression, Zhou Zhenyang’s resolve crumbled.

He had to save face, no matter what!

“Things have gone too far for a simple apology. Either I get this venue, or I cancel my membership and go next door! You choose! I’ll even have someone put up a banner at your club’s entrance, telling everyone how your shareholders bully platinum card members, and everyone will go next door instead! Think carefully about whether you can afford that loss. Is it worth sacrificing so much for a shareholder?” Zhou Zhenyang said, a smug smirk on his face.

Chen Jinying looked genuinely conflicted.

Losing such a high-spending customer and risking a public scandal would definitely hurt the club. And the thought of him going to the competition next door was unbearable.

However, Yang Chen had just acquired 30% of the shares, second only to Chen Jinying’s 45%. She couldn’t afford to let him lose face on his first visit as a shareholder.

The onlookers weighed in.

“That’s Young Master Zhou’s trump card! It’s unbeatable!”

“Chen Jinying definitely won’t give up such a big customer and damage the club’s reputation for the sake of a shareholder.”

“Oh no, does that mean Mr. Yang, who spent a fortune to buy 30% of the shares, is going to get screwed? He spent all that money, only to be humiliated on his first visit. Those shares don’t seem so appealing anymore.”

…

Zhou Zhenyang looked triumphant. He believed he had played an unbeatable hand. Even if everyone knew his intentions, there was no way to counter them.

Fang Yingqi: “Zhou Zhenyang, do you always have to take things to the extreme?”

Zhou Yang: “Hehe… Don’t be so dramatic. As a consumer, don’t I have the right to choose?”

Yang Chen smiled. “Young Master Zhou is going to be disappointed. With me around, you really don’t have the right to choose. You won’t be going next door, and you’ll only be playing at small, no-name clubs in the future.”

Zhou Zhenyang: “Why? You think you can tell me where I can and can’t go?”

Yang Chen pulled out the black gold card of the Golden Sea Club next door. “That’s right. I said you can’t go, and you can’t go. I also bought 30% of the shares of the Golden Sea Club next door. I said you can’t go, and you can’t go!”

“Ah?”

The crowd gasped in unison. Even Chen Jinying was stunned, her eyes wide with disbelief.

Just who *was* this guy?

He had acquired 30% of the shares of *both* Golden Sea and Golden Eagle!

What was his game?

Was it purely an investment?

He couldn’t possibly be unaware that Golden Sea and Golden Eagle were mortal enemies!

He had simultaneously invested in two competing companies. If one benefited, the other would inevitably lose. How could he not see that?

Yang Chen wanted to tell them not to overthink it; the system was simply too generous.

Chen Jinying: “Mr. Yang, may I see the Golden Sea card?”

Yang Chen nodded and handed her the card.

Chen Jinying carefully examined it, confirming that it was indeed a shareholder card issued by the Golden Sea Club.

Golden Sea and Golden Eagle had once been a single entity, split into two due to a sibling rivalry over inheritance.

Both claimed to be the rightful successors to the original Elite Seashore Club, so they retained many of its original designs.

As mentioned before, the shareholder cards of Golden Sea and Golden Eagle were identical, except for the issuing unit: Golden Sea on one, Golden Eagle on the other.

As the major shareholder of the Golden Eagle Club, Chen Jinying could easily verify the authenticity of the Golden Sea shareholder card.

Chen Jinying returned the card to Yang Chen. “I had no idea you were so powerful, Mr. Yang, that you could acquire 30% of the shares of both of our clubs.”

Yang Chen replied with a casual smile. “It’s nothing, really. It’s not that much money.”

Chen Jinying was floored. It had cost two billion [currency] just to acquire 30% of the Golden Eagle Club. The Golden Sea side couldn’t have been cheaper, meaning Yang Chen had spent over four billion [currency] to acquire shares in both companies. And he said it wasn’t that much money?

Just who *was* this person?

He was so young; he couldn’t have earned that much money on his own. There had to be a powerful force backing him.

Zhou Zhenyang: “You… are you crazy? Why would you buy shares in both Golden Sea and Golden Eagle? Don’t you know they’re mortal enemies?”

Yang Chen: “I’m aware, but it doesn’t affect my decision to buy their shares. Now, I’ll give you two choices. First, go play at the venue next door. Second, cancel your membership and play at other small clubs.”

Zhou Zhenyang had repeatedly emphasized that golf was a noble sport, best played at a prestigious club. What was the point of playing at some unknown, hole-in-the-wall place?

He would either stay at the Golden Eagle Club or go to the Golden Sea Club next door. If he couldn’t go to either, he would give up golf entirely.

The onlookers changed their tune again.

“Forget it, why are you arguing with a shareholder who spent billions to buy shares?”

“You started this whole thing. He didn’t hold you accountable and even offered you compensation. That’s more than enough.”

“Golf is a noble sport. If you’re blacklisted by both Golden Eagle and Golden Sea, you can kiss golf goodbye. There’s no point in going to some small, amateur club. That would be too degrading.”

…

Earlier, they had advised Yang Chen to be sensible and not to antagonize Zhou Zhenyang, the platinum card customer.

Now, they were advising Zhou Zhenyang to be open-minded and not to antagonize Yang Chen, the shareholder.

They were truly weathercocks, swaying with the wind.

Fang Yingqi said with a look of disdain, “Zhou Zhenyang, why don’t you just take the hint and get off the stage? Do you have to embarrass yourself further?”

Zhou Zhenyang laughed. “Since things have gone this far, I’m not backing down. I’ll put it plainly: if you dare to cancel my membership, I’ll have Zhang Xiang sue you! Ever heard of Zhang Xiang? The legendary lawyer who can even get the opposing counsel disbarred! Our company has a partnership with his law firm. One word from me, and he’ll help me sue your club into bankruptcy! You think you can cancel my membership? Ridiculous!”

Yang Chen sighed, took out his phone, and called Zhang Xiang.

The call connected quickly.

Zhang Xiang: “Mr. Yang, what can I do for you?”

Yang Chen: “I’m calling about Zhou Zhenyang. He needs your legal assistance!”

Then, Yang Chen said to Zhou Zhenyang, “Young Master Zhou, I forgot to mention that I’m also the third-largest shareholder of Zhang Sanfeng Law Firm. I’ve already dialed Attorney Zhang’s number for you. You can tell him exactly how you want to sue me and the Golden Eagle Club!”

Instantly, the entire area fell silent.

The sound of golf balls being hit at the club next door became the most deafening sound in the world…