My Ares Son-in-Law

The more she looked, the less gloomy Grandma Zhou's face became, replaced by uncontrollable ecstasy, her wrinkles around her eyes blossoming into smiles.

"Good! Good! Good!" The old lady said "good" three times in a row, her voice trembling with excitement, and she almost dropped the contract in her hand.

"Ke Ying! You've done a tremendous service this time! A truly great service! With this contract, our Zhou family can soar to new heights and never have to depend on others again!"

She grabbed Zhou Keying's hand, her tone urgent and joyful, her eyes full of admiration:
"Tell me quickly, my good child, how did you do it? President Shen is such a difficult person to talk to, how did you win her over so quickly and secure a contract worth 10 billion?"

Looking at the old lady's warm manner, Zhou Keying was filled with mixed emotions... One second she was being questioned about forging a contract and was about to be kicked out of the Zhou family, and the next second she became a family hero. The fickleness of human relationships could not be more evident.

She hesitated for a moment before cautiously replying, "Thanks to President Shen Yingying, she highly recognizes the strength of our Zhou family and is very optimistic about this cooperation project, so the talks went very smoothly and she readily agreed."

She had intended to mention the mysterious chairman, but then she thought that she didn't even know his identity. If she brought it up rashly, not only would she be unable to explain herself, but it would also increase everyone's suspicions.

It might also cause trouble for Xiao Chen, so he simply let the matter go.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Hao felt as if he had been stabbed in the heart, the pain almost making it hard for him to breathe. Regret and resentment surged through him like a tidal wave.

Damn it! So Shen Yingying had her eye on the Zhou family all along? Does that mean anyone could negotiate and it would work out?!
Damn! He's practically throwing away a huge opportunity for success and advancement!
He hated his own cowardice and weakness, hated his own blindness, and hated Zhou Keying even more for stealing the glory that should have been his!

Just as Zhou Hao was consumed by endless regret and resentment, a calm voice rang out, unhurried and steady, like an ice needle piercing the noise of the conference room and precisely striking Zhou Hao:
"Zhou Hao, do you remember yesterday's bet?"

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw Xiao Chen leaning back in his chair, looking languid, with a half-smile on his lips.

He looked indifferently at Zhou Hao, whose face was ashen and who was trembling all over, his tone was calm but carried an invisible sense of pressure.

Zhou Hao's body stiffened abruptly, and the expression on his face instantly twisted, as if he had swallowed a dead fly, looking both ugly and unsightly.

The bet? How could he forget! It was a bet he made yesterday in a moment of anger, mocking Xiao Chen as a good-for-nothing... The loser had to kowtow three times to the winner in front of the whole family and loudly say, "I was wrong."

Now that Zhou Keying has secured a contract worth tens of billions, he is undoubtedly the loser!

Damn it! How could he accept this outcome?!

Who is Zhou Hao? He is the young master of the Zhou family in the capital, the eldest grandson on whom the old lady once placed great hopes. He is of noble status and high position. How could he kneel and kowtow to Zhou Keying, this country bumpkin?

If this gets out, how will he ever be able to maintain his standing in the capital's social circles? It would be an utter disgrace!
It's impossible!

Zhou Hao gritted his teeth, stiffened his neck, and glared fiercely at Xiao Chen, his voice shrill and hysterical:

"Xiao Chen, who the hell do you think you are? You dare to bring up a bet with me? Zhou Keying is just a lucky country bumpkin. You think you can make me, the young master of the Zhou family in the capital, kneel before her? You're dreaming!" Xiao Chen wasn't annoyed. He leaned back in his chair leisurely, the smile on his lips fading slightly. A hint of coldness flashed in his eyes as he said lightly, "Looks like you're quite the barker, you dog."

He abruptly changed the subject, his tone turning icy, "However, we swore a solemn oath in front of the whole family yesterday. Anyone who goes back on their word will have their father, mother, grandfather, great-aunt, and great-great-aunt die!"

He deliberately emphasized the last few words, each one clearly striking everyone's ears, especially the five words "dead old lady," which were like a cold dagger stabbing straight at Old Mrs. Zhou.

Sure enough, Old Mrs. Zhou's face instantly darkened, her aura turned icy, and her eyes, which had been smiling, were now fixed on Zhou Hao, her gaze as cold as ice, her tone filled with suppressed anger:

"What? Zhou Hao, are you cursing me to die?"

Zhou Hao shuddered, as if he had been doused with ice water. He panicked instantly, waving his hands frantically and explaining in a disordered voice:
"Grandma! Don't fall for Xiao Chen's tricks! He's deliberately trying to sow discord, to embarrass me, and to make you lose face too! I didn't mean to curse you!"

Xiao Chen chuckled lightly, his tone full of sarcasm, and slowly added insult to injury:

"Zhou Hao, don't use the old lady as a shield. You're the one who swore the oath, and you're the one who voluntarily made the bet with me. I didn't force you."

"If you go back on your word, being struck by lightning is the least of your worries. But publicly cursing your grandmother to die is a serious crime... After all, these are the vows that the old lady believes in the most."

"You..." Zhou Hao trembled with anger, pointing his finger at Xiao Chen, but he couldn't utter a single word in rebuttal. Xiao Chen's words struck at the heart of the matter, leaving him utterly defenseless.

Grandma Zhou's face grew increasingly grim. She slammed her hand on the table with a loud bang, silencing the entire room instantly.

She looked at Zhou Hao, her tone icy and chilling, carrying an undeniable authority:
"You know I've always been a devout Buddhist and respectful of gods. The oath I swore to Heaven is like a sacred decree. How dare you go back on your word? Do you still respect me as an elder? Do you still respect the rules of the Zhou family?"

"Grandma, I...I didn't mean to..." Zhou Hao's voice trailed off, cold sweat beading on his forehead as he completely panicked. He could see clearly that the old lady was truly enraged, and furious beyond measure.

Seeing that her eldest grandson dared to treat her life-or-death oath as a joke in order to save face, Old Madam Zhou was instantly enraged. She slammed her hand on the table again and shouted sternly:

"Are you determined to break your oath and curse this old woman to die?!"

"Grandma, I didn't... I dare not..." Zhou Hao's voice was choked with sobs as his mind raced, instantly weighing the pros and cons.

If he abides by the bet and kowtows to Zhou Keying, he will only lose face temporarily. Although it is humiliating, at least he can keep his position in the Zhou family and preserve the old lady's last bit of affection for him.

However, if he doesn't comply and angers the old lady, he will not only be completely stripped of all resources in the Zhou family, but may even be kicked out of the Zhou family and become a laughing stock in the Zhou family of the capital...

The old lady always kept her word; when she got angry, even the head of the family had to give her some leeway, let alone him, the eldest grandson who had made a mistake. (End of Chapter)