Meng Shuping looked at him as if he were utterly foolish. "Calling him stupid really isn't wrong—does he usually think with his toes?"
"If everyone says it, and he says it too, then if everyone says he's eaten crap, does that mean he really has?"
"Psht—" This time, even those who had been with Fan Jianhui earlier couldn't hold back their laughter. Meng Shuyang laughed so hard his stomach hurt. "Hahaha..."
He loved watching them tear each other apart!
Only Meng Shuchun couldn't laugh; instead, he had to force himself to maintain an angry expression. It was exhausting.
Fan Jianhui was so furious his eyes turned red. He desperately wanted to punch Meng Shuping, but since no one else could hear the voice, he had no justification for violence.
Seeing Meng Shuyang burst out laughing, he immediately turned his anger toward him. "What are you laughing at? Is it that funny?"
Meng Shuyang was blindsided by Fan Jianhui's sudden shift. Before he could respond, Meng Shuping's voice chimed in first. "Of course it's because what you said is ridiculous. Look, even my foolish sixth brother thinks you're utterly stupid. That shows how dumb you are."
"No way! Poor sixth brother, getting blamed even when he's just lying there. Hahaha, what? He can't laugh? Who said he isn't allowed to laugh now?"
"Besides, what if he suddenly remembered something funny? It doesn't necessarily mean he's laughing at you. Why are you so full of yourself?"
Meng Shuyang instantly dropped the smile off his face. He shot a sidelong glance and said lazily, "Isn't Master Fan being too domineering? You even care if I laugh? It's not my fault what you said was so ridiculous. Why blame others?"
This Meng Shuping—why did he have to drag him down while insulting Fan Jianhui?
Fan Jianhui wanted to explode but had no justification, leaving him fuming.
For the first time, Meng Shuping found Meng Shuyang not so bad. "Exactly! Go for it, sixth brother! Show him your con artist energy!"
"Hmph, daring to offend our sixth young master? If he doesn't scam you until you're broke, it'll be a loss for our sixth young master!"
Meng Shuchun's face turned red from holding back laughter. He really wanted to tell Meng Shuping to stop—any more and he wouldn't be able to keep it in.
Meng Shuyang glared angrily at Meng Shuping. Which side was he on, anyway?
Meng Shuping looked puzzled. "Why are you looking at me? Look at Fan Jian! Your battlefield is over there! So many people are laughing—why single you out? Does he think you're the easiest target?"
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Got it. Sixth brother is a paper tiger. Acts tough at home but turns into a coward outside, too scared to peep!"
Meng Shuyang balled his fists. Who's scared? Tell me who's scared! Just watch me rip Fan Jian a new one!
He sneered coldly. "I've never seen anyone as stupid as Master Fan. If everyone says something, you believe it? If everyone says you've eaten crap, does that mean you really have?"
"Pfft—hahaha!" Everyone lost it laughing at this. Today's birthday banquet was worth it—what a show!
Meng Shuping happily watched the drama. "Tsk, tsk, Fan Jian, why did you provoke him? Don't you know my sixth brother is good at nothing but being a pain? If you can tolerate this, you're not a man!"
Fan Jianhui's anger flared instantly. "Meng Shuyang! You're the one talking trash! If your mouth is dirty, go wash it instead of biting people randomly!"
Meng Shuping's eyes lit up excitedly. "Wow, everyone's cursing so viciously! Fight, fight!"
Meng Shuyang felt like he might die from Meng Shuping's antics before Fan Jianhui even did anything. Whose side was Meng Shuping on? Even if they didn't get along normally, weren't they supposed to be allies now? Why was he causing chaos on both sides?
But after dealing with Meng Shuping so many times, he'd learned a thing or two. He said sarcastically, "I'm just stating facts. Why are you so angry? Can't handle it?"
Meng Shuping looked surprised. "Huh? Sixth brother suddenly got smart? He knows how to reason with people now?"
"Sorry, even if my words sound harsh, the logic is solid! I'm reasoning with you properly—why are you cursing at me? Where's your morality?"
"Tsk, such a tool!"
"Hey, Fan Jian! Not to be rude, but can you just let him act so smug? If you don't save face, you'll definitely become everyone's laughingstock!"
Fan Jianhui was already steaming, and after Meng Shuping's provocation, veins popped on his forehead. He shot back, "Ridiculous! Since when can a dog like you, Meng Six, say anything smart? Stop kidding yourself!"
Meng Shuping was thrilled. "Wow, he called sixth brother a dog! Go for it, sixth brother! Show him your rabid dog act! Yank his wig off!"
Meng Shuchun looked at Meng Shuping, wanting to say something. He really wished Meng Shuping would stop fueling the fire—any more and Meng Shuyang would really lose it!
Meng Shuyang almost laughed in frustration. So he was fighting on the front lines while Meng Shuping was undercutting him from behind?
Since he couldn't take it out on Meng Shuping, he took his rage out on Fan Jianhui. He glared daggers. "Who are you calling a dog? Look at yourself—you're not even worth as much as a dog!"
Hearing this, Fan Jianhui almost couldn't stop himself from throwing a punch. But just as he was about to act, he heard Meng Shuping's cheerful voice. "Wow, he's mad, he's mad! He even forgot to deny being a dog!"
"Wait, no—why am I excited that sixth brother is angry? Isn't he temporarily on my side?"
"Eh, whatever, it doesn't matter. Fight, fight!"
For some reason, Fan Jianhui wasn't as angry anymore. He smirked. "Sixth Young Master, I'm just stating facts too. Why are you in such a hurry?"
Meng Shuping thought Fan Jianhui wasn't entirely stupid. "Well, that's not wrong either! If you can sneak in personal attacks, why can't I? Who isn't as annoying as the other?"
Meng Shuyang and Fan Jianhui both glared furiously at Meng Shuping. Enough! Could he just shut up? The most annoying person here was Meng Shuping!
Under their venomous stares, Meng Shuping looked baffled. "Whoa! Why are they both looking at me like that? Is it because they're into me?"
"Stop it! Don't fight over me anymore!"
"Eww—so creepy! I'm getting the ick. Forget it, forget it!"
Meng Shuyang and Fan Jianhui withdrew their gazes, at a loss for words. Bah! They weren't fighting over Meng Shuping! They were fighting over... over...
Well, they were indeed fighting over Meng Shuping! If it weren't for him, would the two of them even be clashing?
At this realization, both their faces darkened.
Seeing them finally stop, Dou Sen breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully, no fight broke out—that would've been messy.
Worried they might start again, he quickly tried to mediate. "Master Fan, Young Master Meng, why don't you both stop arguing? The banquet is about to start. How about taking your seats?"
Only then did Fan Jianhui remember his original goal was to boot Meng Shuping out. How did he end up arguing with Meng Shuyang? He threw a dirty look at Meng Shuping. It was all his fault!
This Meng Shuping was too cunning—hiding behind others while they fought for him! But hadn't he heard that Meng Shuping beat up Meng Shuyang? Why was Meng Shuyang helping him? Was Meng Shuyang off his rocker?
Without overthinking Meng Shuyang's issues, Fan Jianhui brought up his original point again. "Young Master Dou, didn't we agree earlier to get rid of that guy?"
Dou Sen looked uncomfortable. "Master Fan, isn't this a misunderstanding? Fifth Young Master Meng doesn't seem... crazy like you said."
Besides, with Meng Shuchun and his brother having Meng Shuping's back so fiercely, it was clear they wouldn't let anyone kick him out.
"If he said he'd kill us, how is that a misunderstanding?" Fan Jianhui said hotly, pointing to his buddies. "If you don't believe me, ask them. They were there too."
His buddies quickly nodded. "It's true!"
Meng Shuping found it nuts. "When did I say I would kill them? At most, I scared them a little. If they got spooked, that's their problem. Why pin it on me?"
Dou Sen also found it hard to buy. "Really?"
It seemed to him Fifth Young Master Meng was pretty honest. Since arriving, he had kept to himself and hadn't said a word. How does that add up to murder?
Fan Jianhui insisted, "Young Master Dou, would all of us really gang up to lie to you?"
Meng Shuchun was totally baffled. "Master Fan, are you saying my fifth brother was trying to kill all of you?"
Fan Jianhui shot back, "Of course! Otherwise, why would we insist on having him thrown out for no reason?"
Meng Shuchun looked at him as if he were a fool. "He alone tried to kill five or six of you?"
Meng Shuping was cracking up. "Hahahaha, isn't that just hilarious! Are they idiots? Would they just stand there and let me kill them?"
"If he had even a little more brains, he wouldn't come up with this crap!"
At this point, Fan Jianhui also saw how weak their story sounded, but heaven knew they weren't lying!
Others had enough too and began criticizing Fan Jianhui and his group. "Master Fan, if you're going to make up lies, at least make them believable! Fifth Young Master Meng is so scrawny—how could he possibly take down five or six of you alone?"
"Are you saying five or six of you couldn't even handle Fifth Young Master Meng by yourselves?"
"Hahaha, have you all been too indulgent in wine and women, messing up your health?"
"It seems to me you're just messing with him because he seems honest and unfamiliar!"
"Have you no shame? Bullying others is one thing, but lying to Young Master Dou and mocking him—is that fun?"
...
Fan Jianhui was pissed. He was telling the truth, so why did no one believe him? But he couldn't say that Meng Shuping had thought about killing them—others would just think he was crazy.
So he shot back, "Did you all know he's been to prison?"
Seeing the surprised looks on everyone's faces, Fan Jianhui felt a bit more assured and continued, "He told us himself—he stabbed someone years ago and spent several years in prison! And he even contracted tuberculosis there!"
His companions quickly nodded in agreement. "Yes, yes! We heard it too!"
Meng Shuping looked at them as if they were idiots. "Yes, yes, not only do I love killing people, but I'm also a psychopath. Before killing them, I torture them mercilessly, making them beg for death. After killing them, I mess with the corpses, then kill them again, mess with them again, kill once more, mess with them once more, and finally dismember them!"
"Hehehe, these guys better watch out. If they cross me, I'll make them regret ever being born!"
"After all, I don't have many years left. Might as well take a few down with me—some company for the road to hell! Hehehe!"
"Hahaha! This is ridiculous!"
Meng Shuchun gave Meng Shuping a helpless look. If he hadn't just called a doctor before coming out, he might have believed it. Fifth Brother's nonsense sounded quite convincing.
Fan Jianhui was creeped out by Meng Shuping's words and shuddered violently. He secretly decided to get more security once he returned, just in case Meng Shuping sought revenge.
But seeing their reactions, Fan Jianhui became even more convinced it was true. Didn't Meng Shuchun look like he'd been cornered and had no way out?
Thinking this, Fan Jianhui felt somewhat smug. He refused to believe that, after all this, others wouldn't throw Meng Shuping out. After all, tuberculosis was contagious—who wouldn't panic upon hearing that? And on top of that, Meng Shuping was a psycho killer!
At this point, he no longer cared about ruining Marquis Cheng'en's birthday banquet. Exposing this was a good deed, and even if the banquet was disrupted, it wouldn't be his fault—it would all be on Meng Shuping!