DASFAM_CH 18
The crowd turned their heads toward the source of the sound. At the entrance of the banquet hall, a young man in a white suit strode in confidently.
Among the guests, someone immediately recognized him, “Young Master Zhang?”
“…...”
Young Master Zhang? Zhang Changning?
Hearing this form of address, Bai Xu couldn’t help but shift his attention to the newcomer.
The young man had deep brown, naturally curly hair and delicate features, paired with a babyface that easily brought to mind the image of a Ragdoll cat figurine in a display window, truly deserving of the word 'beautiful'.
Seizing the opportunity, Song Qiancheng scrambled out of the danger zone, rolling and crawling as he went. He clutched his uninjured neck, gasping for breath with lingering fear.
The residual pain from his forehead reminded him of the earlier impact. Though there was no bleeding, the sharp sting was enough to make him bare his teeth in frustration.
“Bai Xu, everyone saw what happened today. I swear, this isn’t over between us!”
"......"
Bai Xu shifted his gaze back, letting out a cold laugh as he flung—
The jagged, broken handle of the glass traced a sharp arc through the air before landing right at Song Qiancheng’s feet. Startled, Song Qiancheng instinctively staggered back half a step.
“What a coincidence. If we don’t settle this today, I’m not letting it go either!”
The little madman act he had just put on was enough to make him the center of attention. Now, it was time to start settling the score—one by one.
Just as he finished speaking, Zhang Changning stepped forward.
Bai Xu met his gaze, silently questioning him.
Zhang Changning, with a natural ease, tilted his head slightly and murmured, “Don't worry, you can consider me an ally. Besides, if there’s one thing I can’t stand...”
He paused, then, with a bold grin, pointed straight at Song Qiancheng.
“It’s people who think having a bit of family money makes them superior, who treat others like playthings, and who constantly resort to disgusting, underhanded tricks! What kind of dumbass behavior is that?”
Even with a couple of curse words thrown in, the way Zhang Changning delivered them made his words feel especially sharp and full of energy.
Bai Xu’s lips curled into a slight smirk, while across from him, Song Qiancheng was fuming, “Zhang Changning, who the hell are you cursing at?”
Zhang Changning shrugged, “Isn’t it obvious? You.”
“You—”
At that moment, Mr. Song strode over to his son’s side, “Qiancheng!”
Song Qiancheng, unable to swallow his anger, snapped, “Dad!”
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Mr. Song was unwilling to lose face by arguing with a group of young people, but at the same time, he wasn’t about to let this slide.
So, with a stern expression, he forcefully asserted himself, “Young Master Zhang, while the Song family may not be as powerful as the Zhang family, we still hold some influence in the Imperial Capital’s elite circle! Publicly insulting my son like this, don’t you think that’s a bit too disrespectful?”
As he spoke, he shifted his sharp gaze toward Bai Xu, “And you…”
“Don’t think that just because you have the backing of the Shang family’s third branch, you can do whatever you want. Smashing a glass and threatening my son in public, you're clearly in the wrong!”
Since the downfall of the Shang family’s third branch, they had remained out of the public eye. Even though there were rumors that the old Master Shang had pledged his support for them, it wasn’t certain whether that support extended to Bai Xu.
Who was Bai Xu, really? What background did he have? And yet, he dared to discipline his son in public and embarrass the Song family?
If word of this got out, where would that leave his reputation? Where would that leave the dignity of the Song family?
Thinking about the potential consequences, Mr. Song raised his voice, “Everyone, I, Song Liwei, know very well the kind of son I’ve raised. While Qiancheng may be playful and mischievous at times, he would never do anything truly disgraceful!”
Bai Xu raised an eyebrow slightly, “Mr. Song, from the beginning until now, I haven’t mentioned the Shang family even once. Yet, you seem particularly concerned about it. Could it be that you’re well aware of the gap between the Song and Shang families? That you know your family can’t afford to offend mine?”
"......"
The harsh reality was exposed, causing Mr. Song's expression to stiffen..
Countless gazes turned toward him, while Bai Xu remained completely at ease, “Song Qiancheng drugged my drink, so I ‘returned the favor’ in my personal capacity. I hit him because he deserved it.”
“Exactly! He deserved it!”
Zhang Changning nodded in agreement, “Mr. Song, I’d advise you not to speak too boldly in public. After all, there’s an old saying... when a child misbehaves, the father is to blame.”
Just as his words fell, the banquet hall’s central control screen suddenly flickered to life, broadcasting a secretly recorded video for all to see.
On the screen, Song Qiancheng stood with one hand in his pocket and the other holding an e-cigarette, his expression filled with arrogance and impatience.
Opposite him, a waiter stammered as he pleaded, “Y-Young Master Song, I beg you, I can’t do this. This is illegal!”
Song Qiancheng exhaled a puff of smoke directly into the waiter’s face in a humiliating manner, “Cut the crap. Just do as you’re told.”
Beside him, one of his friends handed over a small pill, “Just drop it in the drink and swap it with Bai Xu’s. Don’t worry, we’ve got the dosage under control. Just a little fun.”
“If you do it, there’s money in it for you. If you don’t, you’ll have bigger problems to deal with.”
The waiter hesitated, reluctantly taking the pill, “But if he notices, I…”
Song Qiancheng cut him off, “Him? That coward? He’s spineless.”
His companion chuckled, “Yeah, Young Master Song and I have messed with him plenty of times. He falls for it every time and never says a word. Just do it already, stop whining.”
The video ended, but the evidence was undeniable.
Bai Xu immediately glanced at Zhang Changning, who responded with his signature shrug and a casual remark, “Well, I just so happened to be passing by, just so happened to witness it, and then... oops, just so happened to have it broadcast.”
For once, Bai Xu let a hint of amusement slip onto his face, “Thanks for your ‘happenstance’.”
Then, his gaze shifted to the waiter at the main table, who now stood frozen like a puppet. In an instant, Bai Xu’s aura turned cold again, “I’ve still got some of the wine left. I can send it for drug testing. Once the results come back, whether you’re the mastermind or just an accomplice, it doesn’t matter. No one’s getting away with this.”
"......"
The last half of Bai Xu’s sentence seemed to jolt the waiter awake.
He rushed forward and blurted out in a panic, “M-Mr. Bai, please, I beg you, let me off this time! I’m sorry, I didn’t want to do this! You all saw it! It was Young Master Song and his friends who threatened me to drug you!”
“They gave me the pill! I never thought they’d actually carry something like this around with them!”
His words struck like a thunderclap, shattering the truth wide open.
The guests quickly put the pieces together, turning to look at the Song father and son with expressions ranging from disdain to outright disgust.
The wealthy always had their little 'hobbies' and 'preferences' behind closed doors, but rarely were such things exposed in public.
Trying to embarrass Bai Xu was one thing, but carrying this kind of thing around? That was a whole new level of disgrace.
Someone among the guests couldn’t help but mutter, “Carrying that kind of ‘party favor’ around… Could it be that someone’s not performing too well?”
Zhang Changning burst into laughter with absolutely no intention of sparing their dignity, “Song Qiancheng, what’s going on? You having some… issues?”
Bai Xu followed up smoothly, his tone dripping with mockery, “Mr. Song, is this the fine son you’ve raised? Truly an eye-opener.”
"......"
"......"
The back-to-back taunts hit like a thousand slaps landing at once.
Song Qiancheng’s face turned bright red with humiliation, yet he couldn’t utter a single word in rebuttal. He had never imagined—
That everything had spiraled completely out of his control. The one being publicly humiliated and ridiculed now was himself!
Mr. Song, who had been so confident just moments ago, was now equally livid. He had always been proud of his son, thinking of him as talented and respectable—yet now, he was realizing what kind of disgrace he truly was. The sheer humiliation made his blood boil.
He almost wanted to slap Song Qiancheng across the face right then and there, just to vent his frustration.
“Mr. Song, what do you have to say for yourself?”
“Exactly. Do you even realize what kind of occasion this is? This is completely out of line.”
People in the crowd began to voice their support for Bai Xu, demanding an explanation.
At this point, trying to argue was pointless.
Mr. Song forced himself to remain composed, barely managing to steady his voice. “It is my failure as a father. We admit our mistake. Mr. Bai… how do you want to settle this?”
Bai Xu met the father and son’s gaze head-on, “Simple. Song Qiancheng takes another pill, mixes it with a drink, and consumes it right here in front of everyone. We wait for the effects to kick in. Only then will this matter be settled.”
“……”
The guests exchanged glances, suddenly seeing Bai Xu in a whole new light—
If he was ruthless, he was only using the same methods that had been used against him. If he wasn’t ruthless, then this approach was still sharp enough to strike right at the Song father and son’s weakest point.
Song Qiancheng’s eyes widened in disbelief, while Mr. Song was so stunned he nearly choked on his own breath, “Mr. Bai, isn’t this going too far?”
“Too far?”
Back when Song Qiancheng and his friends constantly mocked and humiliated the original Bai Xu, did anyone ever call that going too far?
The coldness Bai Xu had been suppressing completely broke free, his naturally soft features sharpening with an imposing presence, “Since Mr. Song cares so much about his son, why don’t you take his place and apologize to me in the same way?”
"......"
The atmosphere instantly dropped to freezing point.
No one present dared to speak up in defense of the Song father and son.
Bai Xu’s gaze flickered slightly as he silently calculated the timing, he had already caused this much of a scene. By now, the host of the event should be making an appearance.
“Apologies, everyone, I’m a bit late.”
Sure enough, a voice cut in at just the right moment.
The banquet’s host, Sun Miaochun, arrived fashionably late, accompanied by her chief assistant. She glanced at the gathered crowd and feigned ignorance despite clearly understanding the situation, “What’s going on here? Looks quite lively.”
“Director Chun.”
“Hello, Director Chun.”
The guests, all seasoned socialites, greeted her at the perfect moment, subtly breaking the tense atmosphere that had just gripped the room.
Sun Miaochun approached Bai Xu, her smiling gaze carrying a hint of appreciation, “Mr. Bai, a pleasure to meet you.”
“Director Chun.”
Bai Xu knew full well that she had chosen this exact moment to appear on purpose. After all, if his standoff with the Song family continued, the banquet was bound to end in an ugly spectacle.
“Looks like there’s been a bit of a disagreement?”
Feigning curiosity, Sun Miaochun signaled for her assistant to bring over a few glasses of champagne, “As the host, it seems I haven’t done a good job of ensuring everyone enjoys themselves. Allow me to apologize first. Now, Mr. Bai, Mr. Song, how about a drink on my behalf?”
Mr. Song quickly seized the opportunity to step down from the confrontation, picking up his glass of champagne.
Sun Miaochun then turned to Bai Xu, “Mr. Bai?”
Bai Xu let out a soft chuckle, “Director Chun, is this drink out of respect for Old Master Shang, or for the third branch of the Shang family, or perhaps… for me?”
At such a grand banquet, an underhanded trick like this would have inevitably reached Sun Miaochun’s ears.
She had known something was going to happen to him, yet she deliberately delayed her appearance under the guise of being unaware. Most likely, she had been watching from the sidelines all along, using this incident to test the waters—
First, to see how things would unfold if the drug took effect, gauging the crowd’s reaction to determine their true stance on the Shang family and calculating where alliances lay.
Second, to step in and 'smooth things over' after his downfall. By doing so, Sun Miaochun could do the Shang family a favor and establish a connection. The value of that favor would, in turn, reveal how much importance Old Master Shang placed on Bai Xu and the third branch.
After all, no matter what happened, she wasn’t the one who had drugged him.
Unfortunately for her, Bai Xu was no easy target, he wouldn’t be manipulated, nor would he fall into this trap.
"......"
Sun Miaochun caught the hidden meaning in Bai Xu's words and did not deny it, "Mr. Bai, you're quite young, yet you seem to see a lot. The only question is, would you be willing to do me a favor?"
As she spoke, she signaled her assistant to offer the champagne forward.
Bai Xu had guessed correctly, and Sun Miaochun herself hadn't anticipated this—
Not only had he noticed the deception in the drink, but he had also effortlessly countered it, stopping the Song father and son in their tracks and escalating the situation to the point where she had to step in to handle it properly.
Of course, the outcome was already decided. She had no choice but to side with Bai Xu.
The Song father and son had lost all dignity, and everyone present had seen clearly who was in the right. After this banquet, it was likely that the Song family wouldn't be able to show their faces in public for some time.
Bai Xu knew exactly what he wanted, so he leisurely accepted the champagne and said, "Naturally, I must give due respect to Director Chun. However, I’d like to take this opportunity to say a few words."
Sun Miaochun regarded him with even greater appreciation, the corners of her lips lifting slightly, "Go ahead."
Bai Xu swept his gaze around the room and openly declared, "Everyone, I know what you're thinking. Yes, Shang Yanxiao and I are indeed in a marriage alliance, but that does not mean I have become a mere appendage of the Shang family's third branch."
"No matter how you've seen me in the past, from today onward, I, Bai Xu, do not need the Shang family as a crutch to support my actions. At the same time, I do not need them to bear the consequences of my choices!"
"If anyone is trying to gauge the current situation of the third branch through me, sorry, but you've got the wrong person."
Some shameless tricks and probing attempts would be best kept away from him!
A guest couldn't help but ask, “Mr. Bai, what exactly is going on with Third Young Master right now? Since you're already in a marriage alliance with him, could you at least give us a straight answer?”
“The Shang family is a massive business empire, and even its subsidiaries operate independently. Third Young Master used to oversee so many company affairs. Someone has to take over, right?”
“I heard that Third Young Master still hasn’t woken up. Fourth Young Master never involved himself in business before, and now… now he’s not in a position to do so. If someone takes advantage of the situation to stir up trouble, what happens then?”
They didn’t dare to voice their concerns more bluntly—
Who knew how the power struggle would unfold?
If the third branch of the Shang family truly collapsed, those who had business ties with them would need to realign themselves and choose the right side as soon as possible.
Bai Xu raised a hand to quiet the murmurs and didn’t deny the truth, “The third branch did face some setbacks recently and needs time to stabilize.”
He paused for a moment before shifting the tone, “But everyone here has seen Third Young Master’s capabilities firsthand. The companies and projects he managed continue to run smoothly, even now.”
This was something Bai Xu had learned from Xie Qi before coming—
Shang Yanxiao’s business acumen and execution skills had always been exceptional. The management teams he had built and mentored operated in a structured, self-regulating system, where executives oversaw different areas while keeping checks and balances in place. During this period, they had been handling company affairs in an orderly fashion.
It was a management style strikingly similar to Bai Xu’s own in the real world.
Bai Xu countered the growing whispers with a sharp rhetorical question, “Who is the one spreading the malicious rumor that the third branch is on the verge of collapse? Gossiping about Third and Fourth Young Masters all day, aren’t you afraid of your words coming back to haunt you?”
“Exactly!”
Zhang Changning immediately chimed in, cutting straight to the point, “Besides, Old Master Shang is still around. Who would dare make a move?”
–
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