Gu Ke-Wen spoke loudly, attracting many eyes and starting discussions.

An employee of Nice Moves carried an automatic surfboard to stand before Liang Si-Yao and put it down on the floor next to Thunder Horse Manufacturing’s automatic skateboard for a comparison.

Gu Ke-Wen’s face was a mask of anger. “See that? It’s our company’s patented product. Give me an explanation for this!”

Xia Lei smirked. “Your company’s patented product? I recall that it’s Madam Liu Ying’s patented product. You dare speak to me like this when it’s something you’ve robbed from another?”

Hu Hou walked over and said in displeasure, “What happened? Can you two not fight here today? Please remember that you’re representing Hai-Zhu City’s businesses.”

“Do not involve yourself in this matter, Mayor Hu. I am going to sue him. I will make him compensate my company for our losses and stop him from infringing on our rights immediately!” She looked back at Lin Ya-Ru behind her and said, “Ya-Ru, call our lawyer and tell him to come here, now.”

Lin Ya-Ru took out her mobile phone and she looked at Xia Lei with schadenfreude while she waited for the call to connect.

Hu Hou looked at the automatic surfboard on the floor and looked at the automatic skateboard beneath Liang Si-Yao’s feet. He wrinkled his brows - they were both board-shaped sports equipment. It was difficult to say for sure when Gu Ke-Wen was insisting that Xia Lei’s automatic skateboard was infringing on the rights of her automatic surfboard.

Liang Si-Yao seemed to have picked up on Hu Hou’s thoughts. She stepped off the automatic skateboard and went straight to Thunder Horse Manufacturing’s booth to take a doc.u.ment envelope, right in front of everyone, and back to Xia Lei’s side.

Lin Ya-Ru finished her call just then and all that was left was to wait for the lawyer.

Gu Ke-Wen sneered, “I don’t know if you’re stupid or clever, Xia Lei. You seem smart since you were able to copy our company’s product but you actually ignored copyright laws and brought your copied product to an exhibition like this - this makes you look stupid. Let me tell you that I’ll make sure you pay, and pay with everything you’ve got!”

Lin Ya-Ru added, “Some people are just not educated enough and don’t know the rules of business. Not knowing the law is also quite normal.”

“Are you done talking? Then get out of the way. Don’t squawk about in front of me,” said Xia Lei disinterestedly.

“I want you to remove your copies right now!” shouted Gu Ke-Wen at Xia Lei, “Now!”

Liang Si-Yao sneered, “Who do you think you are? The queen? A princess?” She opened the envelope and took out a patent certificate. She handed it to Hu Hou. “Mayor Hu, this is our company’s patent certificate. It’s a patent approved by the National Patent Administration.”

Hu Hou saw it clearly - it was indeed a patent certificate approved by the National Patent Administration in black and white, complete with seals and signatures. He let out an internal sigh of relief when he saw the seals and signatures on the certificate and smiled as he said, “Miss Gu, please stop making a fuss. Thunder Horse Manufacturing has a patent certificate and it’s by the National Patent Administration too. If you’re accusing Thunder Horse Manufacturing of copying your company’s product, you have to first go to the National Patent Administration to check the situation and listen to their explanation, if they are willing to explain it.”

This was an implicit suggestion. Would the National Patent Administration give Gu Ke-Wen an explanation? Do not court a rebuff!

Gu Ke-Wen also looked closely at the patent certificate in Liang Si-Yao’s hand. Every word on that certificate was like a fly, buzzing about before her eyes and disgusting her with every word she read.

Liang Si-Yao raised her voice, “Our company’s automatic surfboard did not infringe upon the product of Nice Moves Sports Equipment Company. She is jealous of our company’s excellent product. Think about this, everyone - one is a product which is used on the sea and the other on land. How can there be infringement? Our company’s automatic skateboard has four wheels - does Nice Moves’ automatic surfboard have wheels? If you say that using electronics to make it automatic is infringing on rights, then won’t the electric scooters and electric cars all over China’s roads be infringing on those rights? Isn’t this too tyrannical?”

The surrounding tourists and merchants started buzzing with discussions again.

“That’s right. One is a product used on the sea when there’s waves and the other is a product that rolls on land - how can it be a copy? A skateboard is a normal thing and it’s been around for a long time but this innovation is new,” said a merchant.

“This long-legged woman said it well and said it right - if an automatic skateboard like this is infringing on that sort of automatic surfboard then the streets full of electric scooters and cars would be in violation. Isn’t this too overbearing?” said someone.

The public was on Thunder Horse Manufacturing’s side.

Xia Lei looked at Liang Si-Yao and felt like he really was destined to be with this ‘housekeeper’. She kept the company in good order, was able to speak well and fight well if anything happened and had a boldness and skill which ordinary women lacked. Liang Si-Yao was the best, the most amazing person to him.

Gu Ke-Wen’s face darkened further. She had not expected Xia Lei to have a patent too and a patent from the National Patent Administration at that. She actually knew about the National Patent Administration because the patent she had s.n.a.t.c.hed from Liu Ying had also come from them. Xia Lei being able to bypa.s.s the local patent office and go straight to the National Patent Administration meant that he had someone on the inside. Wouldn’t it be asking for a snub if she went and asked for an explanation?

“Mayor Hu, the law is the law, no matter who applied for this sort of patent. How can the Gu clan not sue, especially when it’s a small company like this?” said a male voice from beyond the group of onlookers.

A path was made through the crowd and bodyguards flanked the way as Gu Ke-Wu strolled leisurely forward. Behind him came two heavyweights - Dong Wu and Qin Qi. These two stared darkly at Xia Lei the moment they turned up and looked ready to tear him to pieces. They had suffered great humiliation during the martial arts seminar and this hatred was not just going to go away like that.

Hu Hou seemed to have sensed something and he smiled wryly. “Never mind, you fight it out. I have no way to mediate this.”

Gu Ke-Wu walked to Xia Lei and Liang Si-Yao and glanced dismissively at the patent certificate in Liang Si-Yao’s hand. He sneered, “Xia Lei, even if you have the patent, it doesn’t erase the fact that you’ve infringed on our copyright. The Gu clan will get the best lawyers in China to fight this case and apply for a restraining order at the same time to prohibit the production and sale of this pirated product. I’d like to see how arrogant you can get. By the way - do you have the money to go up against me?”

Comparing wealth? If money were dirt, the Gu clan would be a mountain while Xia Lei was just a small dirt pile; they were miles apart.

Connections? If connections were lines of rope, the Gu clan would have a huge trawling net while Xia Lei would have a little handkerchief; they were still on different levels.

If things really came to court case and they had to use their money and connections, Xia Lei would not be able to pay for it and he would be the loser no matter what the outcome was.

Xia Lei was not shaken by Gu Ke-Wu’s threat. He maintained his calm and confident demeanour and said disdainfully, “Gu Ke-Wu, you’ve said big words to me several times but have you ever succeeded? No? Thank your own thick skin because I would have made a detour and slunk off in shame if I were you.”

Gu Ke-Wu did not get riled up either and put a smile on his face. “Half an hour. I’ll have the Industry and Commerce people come and close down your operations. Just you wait. Half an hour.” He took out his phone and got ready to dial.

“Gu Ke-Wu!” A familiar voice called his name.

Xia Lei looked in the direction of the voice to see Shentu Tian-Yin and Fu Ming-Mei walk over from inside Hall One.

Gu Ke-Wen put on a smile when she saw Shentu Tian-Yin. “You’re here, Tian-Yin. I was about to go look for you.”

Xia Lei suddenly felt like the Great Wall was not enough to compare with Gu Ke-Wen’s thick skin; the thickness of her skin had exceeded the width of the Earth’s crust.

“Gu Ke-Wu, when did you start using money and connections to threaten others?” Shentu Tian-Yin did not hold back against Gu Ke-Wu. “You want to go to court with Xia Lei? Fine. I will provide all resources, man and material, for him. I’d like to see who will be able to afford it - you or me.”

Gu Ke-Wu frowned. He could hear the resolve in Shentu Tian-Yin’s words and her meaning was clear - the Shentu clan would make sure that Xia Lei would be protected!

Gu Ke-Wen spoke in dissatisfaction, “Big Sister Tian-Yin, my brother likes you and only you - why are you always at loggerheads with him? I know you like this punk but what’s so good about him?”

Shentu Tian-Yin and Liang Si-Yao’s gazes met and they spoke wordlessly and concisely with their eyes.

“I shall leave it at that. Do what you will.” Shentu Tian-Yin walked towards Xia Lei.

Xia Lei looked at her, his heart full of grat.i.tude but there was no need to say thanks to her.

Shentu Tian-Yin stopped before Xia Lei and spoke casually, “If he continues to pester you just give me a call. I will get you what you need, anytime.”

Before Xia Lei could reply, Liang Si-Yao cut in, “Thanks but we don’t need it. We can solve this problem on our own.”

Xia Lei was extremely embarra.s.sed in that instant. He understood why Liang Si-Yao would say that because no woman would like her man to accept ‘G.o.d-sent’ help like this from another woman. However, he also thought that she should not have said it to Shentu Tian-Yin’s face; he was a man after all and a man had his dignity.

Shentu Tian-Yin glanced at Liang Si-Yao and smiled wryly. “Sure, suit yourselves. I’m off. Lei, come visit my father when you have time.”

Gu Ke-Wu suddenly started laughing happily. “So it’s like that, huh? So it’s like that.”

What he said was head-scratching to others but Shentu Tian-Yin and Xia Lei knew what he meant. Gu Ke-Wu had seen through it - Shentu Tian-Yin and Xia Lei were in a fake relations.h.i.+p and Liang Si-Yao was the real girlfriend.

Xia Lei was not a real love rival at all to Gu Ke-Wu and this was a good thing that was worthy of celebration with champagne.

Shentu Tian-Yin left without looking back.

Xia Lei felt disappointed for some inexplicable reason.

“Big Brother, I’ll call the Industry and Commerce people to come over,” sneered Gu Ke-Wen, “Shentu Tian-Yin wanted to help but his girlfriend’s plucky. We’ll have a show to watch.”

“Make the call. I don’t believe that Tian-Yin will go all out and make war with our clan for a punk like this. He’s not worth it,” said Gu Ke-Wu with a smirk.