DASFAM_22

In the opulent pavilion, the fragrance of tea drifted through the air.

Fang Xu looked around at the décor and various ornaments, and couldn't help but smile, "Master Song, what exquisite taste."

Song Zhiqing worked a string of beads in his hand and said modestly, "These are all just common things. It's kind of you to think so highly of them."

Fang Xu leaned in a little closer to the tea table, his eyes carrying the shrewdness of someone who saw through everything, "Why stand on ceremony with me? What are we to each other, after all?"

In the eyes of outsiders, Song Zhiqing was a celebrated master of ceramic arts, holding the title of ceramics professor at the Capital University. Over the years he had mentored countless students, and was known as a warm and honest man who had never let money or fame corrupt him.

Only a handful of people, Fang Xu among them, knew the false benevolence and unbridled greed that Song Zhiqing concealed beneath the title of 'Master'.

Just look at the porcelain, calligraphy, paintings, and ceramic pieces filling this pavilion— pick any one of them, and it would fetch tens of thousands on its own.

Although Song Zhiqing ordinarily lived in the faculty apartment provided by Capital University, the properties registered in his name were too many to count on one hand. In a place like the capital, where land was worth its weight in gold, the total value went without saying.

Because he carried the dual identity of 'ceramics master' and 'Capital University professor,' Song Zhiqing could not openly engage in commercial ventures, so he invested through intermediaries—people like Fang Xu acting as his hands.

Studios like Taojing, where he held a silent stake, were likely not the only ones.

Whenever a project bearing his name won an award, or a large batch of business orders came in, the one who invariably reaped both fame and fortune was Song Zhiqing and no one else.

Fang Xu saw the man for what he was, yet was still happy to cultivate the connection. The reason was simple—

In this world, interest and status were what mattered most!

As long as Song Zhiqing didn't fall, there would always be something in it for him. And even if someone knew the truth about the man, who would dare expose him openly? In the end, the only one who'd suffer for it would be themselves.

Faced with Fang Xu's declaration that they were 'in the same boat,' Song Zhiqing only smiled and said nothing.

He lifted a cup of freshly brewed tea with a tea pick and nudged it across, not even willing to make the gesture of handing it over himself, "You've been talking for so long, Mr. Fang. You must be thirsty. Try this new tea I just got my hands on."

Fang Xu didn't notice the contempt hidden in the gesture, and accepted it with a cheerful smile.

He took two small sips, then suddenly remembered something, "Master Song, that Bai Xu, he's not going to be a problem, is he? Lately he's been using the project as an excuse and not showing up at the studio on time. I'd hate to think he's had ideas."

Bai Xu was his cheapest and most useful employee. If the man had truly developed thoughts of bolting, that would be a costly loss.

Song Zhiqing raised his teacup, unhurried and composed, "He won't. He doesn't have the nerve."

Right when Bai Xu had first entered university, Song Zhiqing had looked into him quietly—

The man was an adopted orphan. Though his adoptive family was reasonably well-off, they were no real backing for him, otherwise he wouldn't have been working part-time jobs to put himself through school.

Bai Xu had always been meek and mild, the kind of soft target that was easiest to handle, and could even be called spineless and contemptible— yet somehow a man like that had a certain gift for ceramic design.

In their line of work, it was all about that spark of inspiration.

Song Zhiqing's own inspiration had been slowly running dry over the years. To maintain his reputation and standing, he had taken to passing off his students' work as his own originals, and the one least likely to ever object was Bai Xu.

Song Zhiqing was confident; Bai Xu didn't have the spine to turn on him. After all, he had more than enough ways to make sure a guileless person like that could never find their footing in the industry.

"Don't worry. I'll send him another message to push him along shortly."

Fang Xu was immediately satisfied, "Good. The registration deadline is in the next day or two, we can't afford any slip-ups."

The words had barely left his mouth when the phone on the table buzzed.

Fang Xu glanced at it and picked it up casually, "Hello?"

"Boss!"

The secretary's voice came out in a frantic rush, "Something's happened!"

Fang Xu's smile stiffened, "What is it?"

"......"

The person on the other end laid out the situation as quickly as they could, and the ease on Fang Xu's face vanished entirely, replaced by a flash of anger he could no longer hold back, "Who gave him the nerve?"

He glanced across at Song Zhiqing, a flicker of displeasure rising in the depths of his eyes, "Got it. We'll talk when I'm back!"

Song Zhiqing apparently hadn't grasped the gravity of things and was still raising his cup to drink, "What happened?"

"Master Song."

Fang Xu let out a short, pointed huff and came straight out with it, "Didn't you say Bai Xu wasn't a problem? Didn't you say he didn't have the nerve to go against you?"

"He's hired a professional lawyer. He's suing us, suing Taojing, for long-term unauthorized alteration of the credited authorship on his original works, misappropriation, and copyright infringement. And on top of that..."

Fang Xu was too furious to finish, and simply slammed his phone down on Song Zhiqing's table.

A sharp crack rang out.

Song Zhiqing's hand gave a faint tremor, and two drops of tea sloshed over the rim of his cup.

On the phone screen was the electronic legal notice sent by the secretary—black text on white paper, stamped in red—every word of it attesting to the reality of what was happening.

"And take a look at this. What does it say now, that our studio has withheld the bonuses, performance pay, and commissions owed to him?" Whatever good mood Fang Xu had carried in was completely gone. He ground out his words through clenched teeth, "Oh, and that international exhibition competition, he submitted his entry this morning, under his own name!"

Unable to contain the fury burning inside him, he twisted the knife deliberately, "And this is the student you taught? Master Song, your star pupil is really doing wonders for your reputation, isn't he?"

"......"

In just those few words, Song Zhiqing had no trouble hearing the mockery.

His gaze locked onto the electronic legal notice on the screen, and a long-unfamiliar sensation surged up from somewhere deep—the stinging shame of being stabbed in the back—scorching through him from the inside out.

Crack!

Song Zhiqing set his teacup down on the table with a bang. The habitually 'warm and honest' expression he always wore finally cracked, and a sharp, vicious edge broke through— his true face, at last beginning to show.

"Do you think I don't know exactly what he's worth? He spends a little money on a legal notice and that's enough to rattle you, Mr. Fang?"

"......"

Fang Xu drew a sharp breath and kept his tone carefully courteous, "I'm no match for you, Master Song. So tell me, what do you think we should do?"

It was true that quite a few of the better craft projects at Taojing Studio had come from Bai Xu's hands, and there were also award-winning ceramic designs whose credited authorship they had reassigned.

If these accusations held up, it would inevitably drag the studio's future interests down with it.

"The tea is fine tea, no question. But if it scalds the wrong person—"

Song Zhiqing looked at the tea stains on the table, then reached over and picked up a cloth, wiped them away in one motion, and tossed it into the bin, "Then it has to go."

...

Knock, knock.

A rap at the door.

Bai Xu was leaning back in the swivel chair at his desk and didn't turn around, "It's unlocked. Come in."

Xie Qi pushed the door open and stepped inside, "Young Master Bai."

Bai Xu spun around, chair and all, and tossed him a USB drive he'd just finished copying, "...There's a lot in this backup of my work from the past few years— screenshots with saved timestamps, long video recordings too. Could you pass all of it along to Lawyer Zhang and the team for me?"

Xie Qi caught it, "Of course. Taojing Studio should already know what's happening by now?"

He paused, then voiced his concern, "I'm worried that once they know you're filing suit, they might try to get ahead of it?"

Bai Xu was unfazed, "That's a given."

This time around, Bai Xu had openly provoked Song Zhiqing and Fang Xu. To protect their future name and profit, those two—sitting high and mighty as they imagined themselves to be—would want to throw mud at him?

That would be the easiest thing in the world for them.

Xie Qi frowned, "Then should I..."

Bai Xu cut him off calmly, "It's fine. One thing at a time. The lawsuit is what matters right now. As for everything else, I've already made preparations. No rush."

If this had been back when Bai Xu had first come into this life, Xie Qi might still have had his doubts hearing the words 'already made preparations'. But after the time they'd spent together—

Xie Qi had come to trust in the ability that lay beneath Bai Xu's outward appearance, "Understood, Young Master Bai. I'll take my leave then?"

"Wait."

Bai Xu stopped him, "Shang Yanxiao really hasn't shown any signs of waking up?"

Xie Qi gave his glasses a small push and answered as if this were perfectly routine, "Young Master Bai, you've been asking that rather frequently these past two days. I do very much hope the Third Young Master wakes up soon, but he truly has shown no signs of regaining consciousness."

"......"

Bai Xu's brow furrowed slightly, a lingering doubt still turning over in his mind.

Even now, that 'dream' felt far too real to him.

Still, the most pressing matter at hand was the battle with Song Zhiqing and Fang Xu. As for Shang Yanxiao— that could wait until after this was settled.

Bai Xu exhaled quietly, almost imperceptibly, "Alright then. Please keep in close contact with Lawyer Zhang on my behalf. You're pulling double duty on your own right now, so I'll pay your salary too. It won't be a cent less than what Shang Yanxiao was giving you."

Since when did salaries have to be compared like that?

Xie Qi stifled a smile, "You're too kind, Young Master Bai."

The door clicked shut again. Bai Xu picked up his phone and opened his WeChat Moments—

The posts the original host had set to visible only to himself, he hadn't deleted a single word of any of them.

"Bai Xu?"

He seemed to be calling out to himself, and yet it was as if he were calling to someone else through himself, "I'm sorry."

I don't know how to leave this place. Once I've finished what needs to be done for you, I hope you'll have a little less to regret.

...

Just as Bai Xu had anticipated, less than three hours after the legal notice was sent, Song Zhiqing made his move.

He published a lengthy post in his Moment, a rare occurrence, and every line of it was a charge leveled against Bai Xu:

Song Zhiqing claimed that Bai Xu, a student under him, had repeatedly plagiarized and passed off others' work as his own during his time at university. When Song Zhiqing had confronted him about it, Bai Xu had used his 'difficult family circumstances' as a plea for leniency.

At the time, Song Zhiqing said, he had taken Bai Xu's young age into account and been willing to give him a chance to reform, keeping him close and nurturing him carefully, even going out of his way to speak on his behalf and arrange a position for him after graduation.

Yet it turned out that Bai Xu's nature was impossible to change. He had once again displayed a negative attitude at work, and Song Zhiqing had recently discovered him falling into old habits all over again.

Bai Xu had plagiarized and stolen others' work, passed it off as his own original ideas, and on top of that had misappropriated team projects from Taojing Studio— forcibly registering them under his own name and entering them in competitions. His conduct was utterly reprehensible.

Song Zhiqing claimed he had already submitted the relevant issues concerning Bai Xu's graduation project to Capital University, and that pending verification, Bai Xu's degree certificate and academic records would be revoked.

He said he was not very skilled with social media, and so had no choice but to sincerely ask his fellow alumni and colleagues to help share and spread the post widely— so that people would keep their eyes open going forward, and never allow someone of Bai Xu's character to remain in the industry.

The post went on at considerable length, every line dripping with disappointment and outrage toward Bai Xu, and carrying the righteous indignation of a man who was a standard-bearer of the field.

Song Zhiqing had always maintained the image of a 'dedicated mentor and trusted friend' in public, and had almost never been seen losing his temper or making open accusations.

Sure enough, less than half an hour after the post went up, a stream of replies from Capital University alumni had already gathered beneath it.

— "Wait, is this the Bai Xu I know? Master Song, please don't upset yourself."

— "How many Bai Xus can there be in that program at Capital University? He always seemed so quiet back in school. I never would have thought he was like this behind closed doors."

— "I stand with Master Song! People like this only poison the culture of the whole industry."

— "It's rare to see Master Song this angry. He must have been pushed past his limit. I'll share this to the school forum for you!"

The original host hadn't added many WeChat friends during his time at university, and now the handful of mutual contacts he had were all leaving comments like these, entirely one-sided.

Bai Xu read every word, and the chill settling in his chest only grew colder:

The wrongdoer strikes first. Song Zhiqing was no clueless relic, he knew exactly how to play public opinion.

Even without a shred of evidence to back up any of the claims above, he was determined to turn the tables by force, using the connections and standing he had built up over the years in the industry to cut off every last avenue of retreat.

Too bad for him— the harder Song Zhiqing pressed his attack right now, the more devastating the reversal would be when it came.

...

A faint aroma of food drifted through the air, mealtimes in this household had always kept to a fixed schedule.

Bai Xu simply put his phone away and headed downstairs.

Shang Queyan was already at the dining table in his wheelchair, with Xie Qi and Chen Yufei seated as well. All three looked up at the sound of his approach.

"Why are you all staring at me?"

Bai Xu's expression was relaxed, and he had enough leisure to sweep his gaze across the spread of dishes on the table, "Tonight's food looks really good."

Shang Queyan's brow knitted slightly, "How can you be so calm? Haven't you seen how many people are tearing you apart on the Capital University forum?"

Bai Xu took the seat beside the head of the table and raised an eyebrow, "Little brother-in-law, why are you paying such close attention to me?"

"What's it to me? Xie Qi was the one who mentioned it."

Shang Queyan spoke one thing but meant another, "You're part of the third branch now too. J- just don't embarrass my brother or cause any trouble. If you need help, say so directly. Hiring a PR team isn't beyond what our family can afford."

Xie Qi looked toward Bai Xu and explained the situation, "Young Master Bai, Song Zhiqing's post has already appeared on the Capital University forum. I've been keeping an eye on the comments, public opinion is already tilting to one side."

"And some influencer accounts have shared it across to other social platforms as well."

It was obvious someone had paid to amplify the spread. Even if the accusations were false, prolonged exposure would inevitably damage Bai Xu's reputation.

Bai Xu unhurriedly ladled himself a spoonful of fish soup, "No rush. The bigger this blows up, the better."

Given what Song Zhiqing truly was, this approach of his was nothing short of digging his own grave.

Xie Qi and Shang Queyan exchanged a glance. The latter couldn't hold back a furrowed brow, "Bai Xu, what exactly are you planning to do?"

The words had barely left his mouth when the phone sitting on the table lit up with an incoming call. The screen showed two characters: "Sister Qiu."

"Hold on."

A glimmer of knowing lit up in Bai Xu's eyes. He answered the call in front of everyone, "Hello, Senior."

He called her 'senior', the more familiar term, rather than 'Sister Qiu'.

On the other end, Qiu Yi was happy to accept the address and got straight to the point, "Bai Xu, I just saw the post on the school forum. And the people you asked me to track down a while back, I've contacted all of them."

Qiu Yi had known Bai Xu's plan earlier than anyone else. She asked carefully, "When are you planning to make your move?"

Bai Xu ladled another spoonful of fish soup and unhurriedly blew away the steam, "Tomorrow evening."

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