How A Ride-Hailing Driver Comes To Dominate The World? [EN]: Chapter 15

15. Setting the Stage for a Hongmen Banquet – What’s Wrong with a Ride-Hailing Driver Having Some Money?

Chen Yuwan: “So that’s what happened. I thought you two were together. But Yang Chen, why did you start driving for a ride-hailing service?”

Lu Na: “What’s going on? Yang Chen, you’re driving for a ride-hailing service?”

Wu Tao: “Yang Chen, what’s up with you? Why are you driving for a ride-hailing service? Weren’t you working at some advertising company before?”

Xia Y柔: “Yang Chen, we’re graduates from the University of Finance and Economics. We shouldn’t be driving for ride-hailing services. Didn’t you waste your years in college?”

Xu Xiaowan: “Maybe he has his reasons, or it’s just a temporary thing. Yang Chen was always very ambitious in school. I don’t think he’d be satisfied with just driving for a ride-hailing service. He must have his own plans. @YangChen, come out and explain it to everyone; don’t let them misunderstand.”

…

Wang Lixin was instantly dumbfounded. *Great*, everyone’s attention is focused on Yang Chen driving for a ride-hailing service. No one cares that she’s about to die of heat on the cross-river bridge.

Wang Lixin: “Are you guys missing the point? I’m about to die of heat! Tell him to come pick me up quickly. I really can’t walk anymore. I feel my heart racing, and my body is shaking a little. I might really have heatstroke.”

Wu Tao: “@YangChen, you’re really going too far. She didn’t even care that you scolded her, and you’re still being difficult. @WangLixin, you wait, I’ll come pick you up now.”

Back in school, Wu Tao was always good at getting things done and was well-connected throughout the School of Economics.

Some people are well-connected because of their personal abilities.

Others are well-connected because they flatter people.

Wu Tao belonged to the latter.

He would flatter the most popular people in each class to get acquainted with them.

Whenever there were grade or school meetings, he would greet those people to show how popular he was.

Wu Tao liked two people back then.

The first was Wang Lixin.

But Wang Lixin liked Yang Chen and didn’t even look at him.

Later, Yang Chen’s scolding of Wang Lixin really hurt her self-esteem, so she vowed not to find a boyfriend from the class, but from other classes or even from society. Therefore, Wu Tao never got a chance with her.

In their junior year, the girls started to learn how to dress up.

Xu Xiaowan, the class monitor who originally didn’t wear makeup, looked stunning after applying light makeup and instantly became a well-known beauty in the school.

Wu Tao confessed to Xu Xiaowan but was repeatedly rejected.

At that time, Xu Xiaowan told everyone that she had someone she liked, but she didn’t say who it was.

Wu Tao felt that Wang Lixin was now trapped on the bridge and needed comfort and help.

If he could show up in time, he would definitely be able to win her heart.

It didn’t matter whether he could become her boyfriend, as long as he could get some action with her.

Seeing Wu Tao send a message saying he was coming to pick her up, Wang Lixin quickly replied to him.

“@WuTao, thank you, Brother Tao. I knew you were the best.”

Wu Tao immediately felt elated and replied: “@WangLixin, it’s nothing. Send me the location, and I’ll be there right away.”

Wang Lixin: “@WuTao, okay, I’ll send it to you privately.”

At this moment, Yang Chen, who hadn’t spoken for a while, sent a message to Wu Tao.

“@WuTao, do you want to see how ugly her boyfriend is? It’s been more than a year since graduation, and you’re still the same, always trying to suck up to others. I’m just asking, if you go pick her up with her boyfriend, won’t you feel awkward? What identity are you going to use to pick them up?”

Wu Tao: “@WangLixin, are you with your boyfriend?”

Wang Lixin: “Yes! Brother Tao, please hurry, I’m about to die of heat. I’ve stopped several cars, but none of them stopped.”

Wu Tao: “@WangLixin, um, sorry, I suddenly remembered that I have a meeting later, so I can’t pick you up.”

Chen Yuwan: “Haha…”

Li Liu: “I don’t want to laugh, but I can’t help it.”

Xia Y柔: “Oh, Wu Tao, you already said you were going to pick her up; you can’t go back on your word. Picking up one is picking up, picking up two is also picking up; it’s not like it’s just her boyfriend.”

…

Wu Tao was extremely embarrassed and wanted to leave the group immediately.

To divert the embarrassment, Wu Tao quickly sent a message to Yang Chen.

“@YangChen, what’s wrong with you? How did you end up driving for a ride-hailing service? And you left Wang Lixin on the cross-river bridge; you’re really something.”

Yang Chen paid and went out, bought a bottle of energy drink from the small store next door, and returned to the car.

In just a short time, Wang Lixin had @ him in more than a dozen messages, all of which were accusations against him.

Of course, the classmates were also particularly concerned about why he was driving for a ride-hailing service.

Back in college, he used to win all kinds of scholarships, but now he’s driving for a ride-hailing service, which really surprised everyone.

Yang Chen took a sip of the energy drink and replied seriously.

“I quit my job a few days ago, and I also broke up with my girlfriend. I’m in a good mood and don’t want to look for a job for the time being, so I’m driving for a ride-hailing service as a temporary thing. You all know that I’m not the kind of person who just sits around and does nothing. Although I need to adjust my mood, I can’t really do nothing. I think driving for a ride-hailing service might be the most suitable thing for me right now. Besides, I think as long as I don’t steal or rob, there’s nothing wrong with driving for a ride-hailing service. So, everyone, don’t discriminate against me. But, if you really think it’s embarrassing to be my classmate, you can pretend you don’t know me when we meet in the future; I won’t blame you.”

Xu Xiaowan, who had just defended Yang Chen, immediately sent a message.

“I said he might have his reasons, just a temporary thing; I wasn’t wrong. Yang Chen, don’t overthink it; we’re all classmates, why talk about discrimination? Then why did you leave Wang Lixin and her boyfriend on the bridge? There must be some misunderstanding.”

Before Yang Chen could reply, Wang Lixin immediately started complaining again.

“What misunderstanding? From the moment I got in the car, he was looking at me with displeasure.”

Yang Chen knew that he couldn’t explain things clearly by arguing with Wang Lixin, so he simply sent the recording that he had just uploaded to customer service for review to the group.

Yang Chen: “This is the recording; I also have a video. If you need it, I can also send it to the group for everyone to see. I won’t explain; everyone can judge for themselves.”

In the recording, Wang Lixin and her boyfriend were constantly pressing him, Yang Chen repeatedly backed down, and even apologized to her in the end, but she still refused to let him go. Then Yang Chen launched a counterattack.

Xu Xiaowan: “@WangLixin, you’re going too far. Back then, Yang Chen only told you not to pester him; when did he call you a slut? You’re really good at making things up. Besides, he repeatedly tolerated and even accepted your false accusations, and apologized to you, but you still refused to let him go. Let’s just say it’s not necessary to be like this, right? How does him driving for a ride-hailing service affect you? Do you need to find a sense of validation in front of him?”

Since the class monitor had spoken, the others also quickly criticized Wang Lixin.

Xia Y柔: “Speaking of which, Wang Lixin, you are indeed a bit too much. It’s obvious that you look down on Yang Chen for driving for a ride-hailing service and are deliberately trying to humiliate him. Your boyfriend was about to hit him; that’s too bullying.”

Lu Na: “You asked him to drop you off, so you can’t blame him for that. As a ride-hailing driver, he has to listen to the passengers’ requests. You’re kind of blaming the victim.”

Wu Tao: “Indeed, judging from the recording, Wang Lixin and your boyfriend are indeed going too far. You obviously look down on Yang Chen and want to push the responsibility onto him.”

…

Watching her classmates condemn her, Wang Lixin almost fainted from anger.

Originally, she wanted to falsely accuse Yang Chen and make him lose face in front of his classmates in the future.

She didn’t expect to mess it up and make herself lose face.

Just then, a taxi passed by, and Zhang Jiankun stopped it with his body. The two quickly got into the car and were finally able to escape the cross-river bridge quickly.

Zhang Jiankun gasped for air and said fiercely: “That classmate of yours, if I don’t make him pay the price, I’ll take his last name! Damn!”

Wang Lixin complained: “Oh, he sent the recording to the class group, and now everyone is blaming me. How am I going to get along with everyone in the future?”

Zhang Jiankun took Wang Lixin’s phone and quickly browsed the group messages.

Then he comforted her: “It’s okay; I’ll help you take care of it. Do many people from your class stay in Haicheng?”

Wang Lixin shook her head and said: “Not many, about ten.”

Zhang Jiankun nodded; the number of people was not large, and he could afford it.

So, Zhang Jiankun pretended to be Wang Lixin and sent a group message.

Wang Lixin: “@All members, after reading everyone’s criticisms, I am deeply sorry. I also realized my mistakes. I now formally apologize to Yang Chen, and I hope you can forgive me for the sake of our friendship as classmates. To make up for my mistakes and express my apology, my boyfriend and I are hosting a dinner at the Baoqing Hotel on Sunday. All classmates in Haicheng are welcome to come. Of course, if it’s convenient, you can also bring your family members, so we can all get to know each other. Is that okay?”

Zhang Jiankun showed a confident smile and said: “As long as he dares to go, I’ll show you how I’ll make him lose all face in front of your whole class!”

In short, Zhang Jiankun wanted to trick Yang Chen into going there under the guise of a class reunion. He was setting the stage for a Hongmen Banquet [a banquet intended to trap or kill a guest].

He would prepare manpower in advance, so he could abuse Yang Chen at will.