A Divine Farmer

Chapter 283 - Fuck It!!!

Yang Jingjing had no interest in engaging with such dull individuals. Once they had departed, she casually tossed the business card into the trash can.

The incident was merely a minor episode to her, not something she dwelled on. Lately, there had been a surge of inquiries about the Essence Dragon Makeup formula, and although it was rare for people to show up at the office like those two had, it was nothing out of the ordinary for her.

Yet, two days later, the office was abuzz with chatter. Both Yang Jingjing and Zhou Li sensed that something was off. Strangers loitered around the company premises, scrutinizing everyone who came and went, which was quite unsettling.

“What's happening?” Zhou Li asked, her voice tinged with fear. “It's not Chu Peng up to his old tricks again, is it?”

“I think we should inform Xiaolong. I've been too complacent; I should have told him sooner,” Yang Jingjing admitted as she reached for her phone to call Zhang Xiaolong.

Before she could complete the call, someone rushed in from outside, “Director Yang, there's trouble. A fight has broken out just outside the company.”

Yang Jingjing and Zhou Li quickly made their way outside to assess the situation.

To their surprise, they were greeted by several unfamiliar faces, including the short-haired man who had visited two days prior.

“Yo, beauty, we meet again. Talk about destiny,” the short-haired man, Wang Wei, said with a sly grin. “I forgot to introduce myself last time. They all call me Brother Wei.”

“I just want to know what you and your group are doing outside our company,” Yang Jingjing demanded, her tone icy.

“Beauty, that's not very polite. I just told you my name. Shouldn't you at least tell me yours?” Wang Wei joked, eliciting laughter from his companions. He then added, “As you mentioned, this is outside your company, so it's none of your business what I do here. However, one reason I'm here is so that if you ever change your mind, you can find me right away. We can always negotiate the price, don't you think?”

“Director Yang, I had just arranged for a client to come and view our products, but they scared him off,” a frustrated woman from the company stepped forward to explain.

Yang Jingjing instantly realized that Wang Wei was intentionally stirring up trouble. Essence Dragon Makeup was at a critical stage of development, and if these troublemakers continued to loiter around, they might frighten off all potential customers. Under such circumstances, even the best products wouldn't save the business from shutting down.

She was certain someone was behind this, but Yang Jingjing also knew these types of people were the most difficult to handle. They didn't play by the rules and were experts at exploiting loopholes. Calling the police wouldn't help much; without any criminal activity, the troublemakers couldn't be charged. At best, they would scatter temporarily, only to regroup once the police left.

“Is this how you plan to acquire our formula?” Yang Jingjing asked icily. “Don't you think this is incredibly low?”

“What are you talking about, beautiful? I'm clueless,” Wang Wei chuckled. “We're just a bunch of friends hanging out here by chance. Is that illegal? Don't worry about it too much. You go on with your work, and if you change your mind, come find me.”

Knowing she couldn't drive these people away, Yang Jingjing clenched her teeth and headed back inside the company.

“What do we do now?” Zhou Li fretted. “It's definitely that scoundrel Chu Peng again. He's the one who set the previous trap, likely aiming to extract Essence Dragon Makeup's formula from me. And now he's resorted to hiring thugs. It's utterly shameful!”

“Let's not dwell on that right now,” Yang Jingjing replied, trying to stay focused. “Essence Dragon Makeup's effectiveness is bound to draw attention. Someone with Chu Peng's crooked mindset will always come up with devious schemes. However, underhanded tactics will never prevail. Even if they got their hands on the formula, they couldn't replicate our success. We need to inform Xiaolong about this and see if he has any viable solutions.”

“That seems to be our only option,” Zhou Li agreed with a nod.

When dealing with such ruffians, the police were of little help. They had to find another solution.

Upon receiving another call, Zhang Xiaolong sensed something was amiss. After quickly hearing out the two women, he responded decisively, “I've got it. Don't worry about this anymore. I'll handle it!”

Previously, he never feared facing his opponents in direct competition; it was their underhanded tactics that concerned him. However, his outlook has significantly shifted. Now, he isn't worried about his adversaries' cunning; he's wary of them staying hidden. Once they show themselves, no matter how tough, he's confident he can send them packing.

Upon reaching the vicinity of the company, he intentionally parked his car in the external parking lot and opted to walk the rest of the way, as if he couldn't drive directly into the company.

He had only walked a few steps when he noticed several people eyeing him. As they confirmed he was indeed heading toward Essence Dragon Company, they casually approached him.

“Hey man, where are you headed?” the guy with the crew cut inquired.

Zhang Xiaolong paused and gestured toward the company building, “Right here. A sales rep called me claiming their makeup is pretty decent. I thought I'd check it out. If it's as good as they say, I might place an order. Are you here to order some cosmetics too?”

“Don't bother with that place. Their products are a rip-off, and we've all been duped,” the crew-cut man said, his eyes darting around. “We ordered a batch a while back, and not only have we not sold any, but we've also had people who used them knocking on our door demanding refunds. It's been a nightmare. You definitely don't want to fall for it too.”

“That's odd. If you haven't sold a single bottle, how are people coming to you for compensation?” Zhang Xiaolong chuckled. “You've got quite the sense of humor. But I won't keep you. I'm going to have a quick look myself and then maybe we can chat more later.”

He attempted to move forward but was blocked by Wang Wei. “I'm not joking,” Wang Wei insisted. “The one person who did buy it nearly had her face ruined. You think that's safe to use?”

“I see, it's that serious,” Zhang Xiaolong mused, hesitating briefly. “Still, I've made an appointment and should at least take a look. If the makeup truly has issues, I certainly won't be placing an order. But, you know, sometimes the problem isn't with the product—it's people stirring up trouble on purpose. You haven't been conned, have you?”

“Why are you so defiant? If I say you can't go in, then you can't. Beat it and stop holding up our important work,” snapped another thug with flamboyant hair.

“Sorry,” Zhang Xiaolong replied with a calm smile, “We're strangers. At this point, it's you who are interrupting my affairs. And whether I enter or not isn't for you to dictate.”

“Damn, you'd rather face the consequences than show respect. Brother Wei, should we show him what we're made of?” The troublemaker glanced over at Wang Wei.

Zhang Xiaolong didn't wait for a response; he simply turned and made his way inside.

Wang Wei's gaze sharpened, and the thug charged forward, aiming a kick at Zhang Xiaolong's leg.