DASFAM_CH 10
Knock knock.
The butler knocked on the door from outside.
After a long and exhausting struggle, Shang Queyan had managed to dress himself. He turned his wheelchair and said, “Come in.”
After receiving permission, Butler Lin opened the door, “Fourth Young Master, the car is waiting outside. We can leave soon.”
The Shang family held a monthly family dinner, scheduled for 5:30 PM. Old Master Shang, the head of the family, was very punctual, and no one dared to be late for such occasions.
Shang Queyan glanced at the time and let out a small sigh, “Well, let’s go.”
As they left the bedroom, Butler Lin’s gaze instinctively turned to the second floor. “Fourth Young Master, Mr. Xiao Bai hasn’t come down yet. Should I go call him?”
“No need.”
Shang Queyan raised his gaze slightly and then let it drop again.
The marriage between Bai Xu and his own brother was clearly a ploy from the second branch to cause trouble. If Bai Xu attended the family dinner with them, the second branch would definitely use it to subtly humiliate Shang Yanxiao!
Shang Queyan was unwilling to let this happen and directly turned his wheelchair towards the door, “Let’s go.”
Butler Lin hesitated for a moment but still followed Shang Queyan out.
Three minutes later, the car carrying Shang Queyan and Butler Lin drove off, leaving Bai Xu behind.
“......”
Shang Yanxiao secretly observed the scene from upstairs and sighed helplessly.
He glanced at the burn scars on his arm, which hadn't completely faded, and instructed, “Xie Qi, go check on what Bai Xu is doing. Tell him to hurry up and arrange for the house car to pick him up.”
Since Bai Xu was new here, he might not even know his way to the main house. If he’s late to an event like the family dinner, he’s bound to leave a bad impression on Old Master Shang.
A hint of barely noticeable surprise flashed across Xie Qi’s face, but he quickly responded, “Understood, Third Young Master. I’ll go right away.”
“Wait.”
Shang Yanxiao stopped him and, after thinking for a moment, he added, “You go with him.”
Xie Qi was stunned, “Me?”
Shang Yanxiao nodded, feeling a vague premonition in his heart—
This was the first family dinner since the third branch’s incident, and both Shang Queyan and Bai Xu were likely to become prime targets for the others' sarcastic remarks.
Wasn't deliberately provoking them just another form of oppression?
Shang Yanxiao understood the cunning nature of everyone in the family, “Keep an eye on the second branch and report back to me with the details.”
Xie Qi replied, “Understood.”
…
The largest building on the manor is the residence of the Shang couple, a nearly four-and-a-half-story duplex, which also serves as the venue for the monthly family dinners.
When the car arrived at the main house entrance again, there were only ten minutes left until the scheduled start of the dinner.
Bai Xu and Xie Qi got out of the car, and the latter was the first to notice something, “Mr. Xiao Bai, Fourth Young Master and the others haven’t gone in yet.”
Bai Xu didn’t respond but followed Xie Qi’s gaze—
Near the fountain in the garden ahead, Shang Queyan sat quietly in his wheelchair, staring blankly at the cascading water, while the butler, Butler Lin, silently stood behind him.
Xie Qi hesitated, “Should we call them?”
Bai Xu seemed to understand and raised his eyebrows slightly, “No, give him a moment.”
This was Shang Queyan’s first time facing the rest of the Shang family after his accident. He had likely become anxious at the doorstep of the main house, needing some time to process and overcome his hesitation.
Just as he finished speaking, a loud and deliberately provocative voice came from nearby, "Oh, isn’t this our genius champion racer, Queyan?”
“......”
Bringing up what shouldn't be mentioned.
Poking at someone’s sore spot on purpose, how despicable.
Bai Xu couldn't help but frown in disgust, and soon the owner of the voice entered his view—
The person wore a casual open-collar suit, his hair meticulously styled, but a first glance at his features brought to mind the phrase ‘plain and unremarkable’.
At the same time, Xie Qi recognized the man and whispered, “It’s Second Young Master.”
The Shang family had a large business and many members. The elderly couple had four children—
The eldest daughter, Shang Keyi, married into the family when her husband became part of the Shang household. After marriage, they had a son, the eldest grandson, Shang Qishun.
The eldest son, Shang Yun, was married to Fang Yuhua. They had a son and a daughter, their son being the man before them, Second Young Master Shang Songming, and their daughter being Fifth Miss Shang Leer.
The second son, Shang Qi, was married to Chi Li, who were the biological parents of Shang Yanxiao and Shang Queyan.
The youngest daughter, Shang Keshu, was the ‘late-born child’ of the Shang family. Spoiled by her parents and siblings from a young age, she was also an advocate of not getting married and hardly ever came home throughout the year.
The original story of the book clearly described the Shang family members, and Bai Xu immediately recognized the name, “So this is Shang Songming?”
Xie Qi nodded, “Yes.”
During the short conversation, Shang Songming had already walked to Shang Queyan's side and looked down at him with undisguised schadenfreude in his eyes.
“This is the first time I look at you like this. Still trying to get used to it.”
“……”
Shang Queyan suddenly gripped the arms of his wheelchair tightly, his face stiffening.
The butler, Uncle Lin, noticed Shang Songming’s malicious intent and tried to control his temper, “Second Young Master, please watch your words.”
Although they were cousins, they had always been rivals, competing openly and covertly. In the past, they could at least put on a facade when they met. But now, with the third branch in such ruins, with some dead and others severely injured, and no longer a threat, Shang Songming had the audacity to directly poke at old wounds!
Shang Songming ignored Butler Lin and smiled falsely, “What did I say? It’s been a while since Xiao Yan and I last saw each other. It’s just that I’m not quite used to you being so…”
He stretched out his hand to compare the height, and then lowered it, “Suddenly, you're so much shorter than me.”
Shang Queyan’s eyes reddened with anger, “Shang Songming, don’t go too far!”
“Oh, come on, I’m just joking. I’ve been thinking about you and Yanxiao this whole time. But the old man gave orders for everyone to stop bothering you two.”
“……”
A joke? Thinking about them?
What a bullshit!
Shang Queyan didn’t want to waste any more time on someone like this, "Uncle Lin, let's go."
But in the next second, Shang Songming easily blocked his path, “Look at that temper of yours, no need to get upset. I heard you were attending the family dinner tonight, so I bought a bottle of champagne I got for you two months ago.”
Shang Queyan's thoughts froze as something clicked in his mind.
Then, he heard Shang Songming’s voice, laced with a cruel smile, “To celebrate your first, and probably last, championship trophy.”
“……”
Shang Queyan’s breath caught, and a surge of rage overwhelmed him. He was on the verge of launching himself at Shang Songming, ready to go all out, when a familiar voice suddenly cut through the tension—
“Fourth Young Master, Uncle Lin, so this is where you are.”
“……”
The explosive atmosphere seemed to freeze in an instant. It took Shang Queyan several seconds to lift his gaze.
Bai Xu had already walked up to them, his expression no longer as distant as it had been by the lake yesterday. Instead, he wore a soft, shy smile, with a hint of curiosity in his gentle demeanor as he looked at Shang Songming.
Before Shang Qieyan could react, Bai Xu turned to Shang Songming, a rather ordinary-looking person, and expressed his ‘curiosity’, “Uncle Lin, is this person also the butler of the manor?”
“……”
His question was soft and polite, innocent in tone, yet the more polite it was, the more humiliating it felt.
Shang Songming’s already forced smile froze on his face, “What did you say?”
Bai Xu pretended not to notice the stiffness of his tone, and his doubts became stronger, “You, you're not a butler? I thought your outfit suggested that. My apologies.”
“……”
Butler Lin immediately grasped the hidden intent behind Bai Xu’s words. He discreetly patted Shang Queyan on the back, offering a superficial bit of comfort, before half-heartedly reminding Bai Xu, "Mr. Xiao Bai, this is the Second Young Master."
“Ah?”
Bai Xu exaggeratedly glanced up and down at Shang Songming, as if in disbelief, frowning slightly.
Shang Songming, clearly provoked by his reaction, started, “You—”
“I’m sorry.”
Bai Xu quickly cut him off with a well-timed apology.
With a sincere expression, he explained, “I’m new here and haven’t met most of the family yet. I just thought, since Third and Fourth Young Masters are so good-looking…”
Bai Xu paused, biting his lip and purposely mumbling his words a little, though just loud enough for everyone nearby to hear his murmur.
“You don’t look much like them. I must’ve mistaken you for someone else. My apologies, really.”
There's an old saying; comparison creates differences.
Anyone could see that Shang Queyan had a striking and handsome appearance, while Shang Yanxiao, despite being bedridden, was renowned for his exceptional looks, known as the most handsome young master in the capital circle.
As for their cousin Shang Songming, his looks were entirely ordinary looks and lacks a distinctive presence.
Shang Queyan, having broken free from his momentary rage, let out a mocking laugh, completely unbothered, “No wonder you didn’t recognize him. Our Second Brother’s looks don’t quite match the rest of the Shang family.”
The final blow hit perfectly, right where it hurt.
"Shang Queyan! What do you mean?!"
Shang Songming's face darkened, and his throat tightened with anger. Among the four cousins in their generation of the Shang family, only he had the least remarkable looks and stature. He wasn’t like Shang Yanxiao, who both resembled their grandfather, Old Mr. Shang, in his youth with outstanding looks and abilities.
Old Mr. Shang had always favored the third branch. He was pleased with everything about Shang Yanxiao and even had a soft spot for the youngest grandson, Shang Queyan.
Growing up, whenever the brothers appeared together at public events, Shang Songming was always the one overlooked, the one underestimated. No one understood the feeling of being inferior better than he did!
Shang Songming resented Shang Queyan, but he despised Shang Yanxiao even more!
When he learned about the tragedy that had befallen the third branch overseas, a secret, almost uncontrollable sense of glee had welled up inside him. After repeatedly confirming that one brother was in a coma and the other was permanently disabled, Shang Songming thought his moment to shine had finally arrived.
He had wanted to provoke Shang Queyan today and force him to make some noise at a family dinner to upset the old man, but Bai Xu showed up halfway.
The Second Young Master of the Shang family being mistaken for a butler? Was that not a blatant insult? If word of this got out, he’d be the laughingstock of the family!
Feeling a sting of humiliation, Shang Songming gritted his teeth and glared at Bai Xu, the cause of his frustration, "Bai Xu, right? I’ll remember you!"
What a pointless intrusion?
Just as the rumors said, he's really annoying!!
“......”
Whether it was in the original story or during their first encounter in reality, Bai Xu had bad impressions of Shang Songming and no patience for him from the bottom of his heart.
In response to Shang Songming’s warning, Bai Xu replied with an absurd seriousness, “No need to remember me. I’m not interested in you, I prefer the Third Young Master.”
Shang Songming choked, “What did you just say?”
Shang Queyan couldn't help but stifle a laugh, the urge to tease bubbling up within him.
The next second, Bai Xu met his gaze, delivering yet another subtle jab, “Your brother is much more handsome~”
Shang Queyan, seeing the frustrated look on Shang Songming’s face, felt all his pent-up frustration dissolve. “Of course, my brother’s looks are unmatched.”
Seeing the two of them banter so casually, Shang Songming gritted his teeth in fury. “You—!”
But before he could explode, an authoritative voice cut through the tension, demanding, “Why are you two brothers still lingering outside?”
The brothers need our mc !! 😂
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