DASFAM_25

Night fell.

Bai Xu and Chen Yufei walked from the garage toward the main villa, and before the two of them even reached the door, muffled voices drifted out from inside— though not quite clear enough to make out.

Bai Xu was a little surprised, "Someone's here?"

Chen Yufei shook his head. No answer.

After the incident with the third branch of the family, Shang Queyan's temperament had become considerably steadier and more subdued. Xie Qi and Uncle Lin weren't the type to make a racket, and as for the 'head of the household' upstairs, he certainly had no time to be making this kind of noise.

Before the two of them could exchange a glance and work out an answer, the front door of the main house clicked and swung open from the inside.

"……"

Bai Xu's gaze sharpened, and he came face to face with the person who had opened the door.

The other person turned their head and called back into the house, "See, I told you! There were footsteps outside!"

Bai Xu stared at that particularly eye-catching head of brown curls. "Zhang Changning? What are you doing here?"

Zhang Changning answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "What? Am I not allowed to show up here? Bai Xu, I know this place just as well as you do."

Chen Yufei called out politely, "Young Master Ning, is Dr. Zhang here too?"

Zhang Changning answered as he headed further inside, "My brother brought his team to do Third Brother's routine check-up. I had nothing better to do, so I tagged along to see Queyan."

Bai Xu and Chen Yufei stepped in.

In the center of the first-floor living room, Shang Queyan was leaning back on the sofa with a game controller in his hands. "Zhang Changning, it's your own account, you play it yourself. If we lose this round, don't blame me."

He seemed to be pressing buttons at random, yet his eyes held an unmistakable hunger for victory.

Elsewhere, Uncle Lin and Auntie Zhuang were in the kitchen with the household staff, all busy together— clearly preparing an elaborate meal.

Zhang Changning scrambled back over, the little tuft of hair at the back of his head trembling as he ran. "I knew your hands would be too rusty– hey, left, go left, quick—"

GAME OVER!

"......"

The sound of a crushing defeat replaced all the earlier urgency.

Shang Queyan furrowed his brow and tossed the controller back to his friend.

Seeing him sulk in silence, Zhang Changning jabbed at him, "Shang Queyan, you're hopeless."

Then he turned to Bai Xu, who had just gotten home. "Bai Xu, am I right? I only let him sub in for a little while, and it was over just like that."

Shang Queyan ground his back teeth and refused to admit it. "I'm just rusty. Your game is terrible anyway."

"It's the latest overseas release! What do you mean terrible! I brought it back specially!"

"It's still terrible!"

"You just have no taste!"

"……"

Even though Bai Xu had long known the two of them had been friends since childhood, actually witnessing this little elementary-school squabble in person still made him laugh despite himself.

The sound of his laughter drew Zhang Changning's attention away. "Bai Xu, I just heard from Xie Qi that you're planning to open a ceramic studio?"

Bai Xu replied, "Yeah, still in the planning stages. Probably a soft opening around the end of June.. come show your support?"

Zhang Changning responded immediately, "Sure! I know quite a few people in the art scene from my time abroad. Want me to introduce some potential clients?"

Bai Xu accepted without hesitation. "I'd love nothing more."

Shang Queyan's gaze moved back and forth between Bai Xu and Zhang Changning, looking somewhat caught off guard. "Wait, since when do you two know each other? And that well?"

Zhang Changning didn't even bother rushing to start another round, just teased him. "Not telling you~"

Shang Queyan's brow twitched. Annoyed, but not quite daring to do anything about it. "Don't think just because your brother's here I won't sort you out."

As the youngest child in the Zhang family, his friend had been spoiled by everyone at home since he was small— especially his second brother, Zhang Changxu.

Zhang Changxu, who came across as cool and detached, seemingly indifferent to everything, was in reality boundlessly indulgent toward his younger brother Zhang Changning. He would not tolerate anyone 'picking on' him in the slightest.

Zhang Changning lifted his chin with a smug, bratty look. "You dare, and I'll call my brother down."

"......"

Bai Xu smiled along and stepped closer to explain. "Changning thought you might go to the banquet and was worried you'd get picked on alone, so he went. That's how we met."

It was brief and to the point, but it preserved the good intentions behind Zhang Changning's decision to attend the banquet that night.

Sure enough, hearing the first part of it, Shang Queyan's brow immediately relaxed and his tone softened. "Who could possibly pick on me? You're the one with those little twigs for arms and legs, just make sure nobody picks on you."

Zhang Changning gave a smug little huff and steered the conversation elsewhere. "Right, and Bai Xu and I even went out for drinks that night."

Bringing it up made him glance over at Bai Xu again. "Bai Xu, you were okay after that, right? That liquor really did hit hard. I woke up the next day with a headache that lasted all day."

Bai Xu shook his head, but his mind involuntarily surfaced certain images:

That night, riding the courage of the alcohol, he had been reckless with Shang Yanxiao— and Shang Yanxiao had apparently taken it upon himself to carry him back to the bedroom.

What he had originally assumed were fragments of a dream were coming back clearer and more vivid each time.

A faint light passed through Bai Xu's eyes, a quiet pleasure he himself hadn't even noticed. "Yeah, I was fine. Just needed to sleep it off the next day."

Tap, tap, tap.

Footsteps sounded on the stairs.

The three of them on the sofa turned to look at the same moment. Zhang Changxu, coming downstairs, was suddenly met with three pairs of eyes all fixed on him at once, and paused for just a beat— a rare thing for him.

Zhang Changning called out first. "Second Brother!"

Zhang Changxu shifted his attention over, and a moment later heard another greeting. "Dr. Zhang, we meet again."

It was Bai Xu.

Their gazes met in the air. Bai Xu asked, knowing the answer. "How is Third Young Master doing?"

Zhang Changxu, having already been filled in on the truth by his friend, answered without missing a beat. "All his indicators are quite stable, and I think he's starting to respond to sounds from the outside. He just can't wake up yet."

"I'll be reaching out to neurological specialists abroad. In a while, we'll see if we can bring in the relevant medical equipment for some external stimulation assistance. It might help."

"......"

No wonder he was the most important male supporting character in the original story. When this 'doctor friend' played along and put on a performance, he could genuinely leave outsiders completely bewildered.

Bai Xu's brow arched almost imperceptibly. "That's good to hear. With Dr. Zhang around, it really does put people at ease."

Zhang Changxu caught the undertone in his words and responded with composure. "Is that so? With Young Master Bai helping to look after Yanxiao day to day, that puts people at ease as well."

Zhang Changning cut in. "Second Brother, Bai Xu, what are you two doing? Why do you both sound so... alike when you talk?"

Zhang Changxu's gaze drifted back to him with ease. "Nothing much. I just think Young Master Bai looks familiar, so I wanted to chat a little more."

And 'a little more' was exactly what it amounted to— just those two exchanges.

Uncle Lin came out from the kitchen carrying a clay pot, and seeing that everyone was more or less gathered, said, "Perfect timing. Why don't you all come and sit down? The food is nearly all on the table."

The Zhang and Shang families had always been close. Whether it was Shang Yanxiao and Zhang Changxu, or Shang Queyan and Zhang Changning, they were all friends who had grown up together, and sharing a meal under the same roof was nothing out of the ordinary.

Shang Queyan stepped into the role of 'head of the household' and took it upon himself to play host. "Second Brother, you've worked hard today, please, sit."

As he spoke, he carefully shifted to the edge of the sofa and reached over for the wheelchair beside him. Bai Xu and Zhang Changning exchanged a glance and, by unspoken agreement, 'hardened their hearts' and offered no help whatsoever.

Only once Shang Queyan had gotten himself into the wheelchair on his own did Zhang Changning grab his brother's arm and pull him eagerly toward the dining table. "Uncle Lin, my brother and I have been craving your fried fish clay pot!"

Zhang Changxu said, "Just you."

Uncle Lin laughed warmly. "If the two young masters enjoy it, eat plenty tonight."

Bai Xu listened to the lively chatter around the table, his gaze drifting unconsciously toward the second floor.

Shang Queyan noticed he still hadn't sat down. "Bai Xu? Aren't you eating?"

A thought flashed through Bai Xu's mind. "Uncle Lin, could you set aside a separate portion for me? I'll bring it upstairs. I haven't seen Yanxiao all day, might as well keep him company."

At those words, everyone at the table turned to look at him.

Bai Xu felt not the slightest trace of embarrassment. "What are you all looking at me for? Isn't keeping someone company exactly why the Old Madam brought me into this house, to 'bring good fortune'? It's my duty."

There were other household staff still busy nearby. Some things could not be said too plainly.

"Oh, and I'm quite hungry, so please set aside a generous portion."

"……"

Shang Queyan and the others who knew the truth stared at one another, wide-eyed. Only Zhang Changxu took it entirely in stride. "What Yanxiao needs right now is intermittent stimulation from the outside world— it can be sound, or it can be scent."

He looked toward Bai Xu, his expression carrying a deeper meaning. "It being dinnertime, it's quite good of Mr. Bai to be willing to sit with him."

A subtle curve came to the corner of Bai Xu's lips. "Is that right? You can never go wrong following Dr. Zhang's advice."

...

The bedroom door opened, then locked again.

Bai Xu smiled at the figure still lying in bed pretending to be unconscious. "It's me. You can stop acting."

Shang Yanxiao slowly opened his eyes and sat up. He looked at the laden tray in Bai Xu's hands and, unusually for him, showed a flicker of surprise. "Why did you..."

"I just thought, everyone downstairs is lively and warm around the dining table, yet someone has to sit here starving, hiding away in the master bedroom like a ghost. That's honestly a little too pitiful~"

The trailing lilt in his voice made the teasing plain as day.

Shang Yanxiao did not show any flustered annoyance at being ribbed. He simply watched as Bai Xu laid out each dish one by one on the desk in the middle room. "You're planning to eat in front of me?"

Auntie Zhuang's cooking had always been excellent. Just the smell alone was enough to make him feel genuinely hungry.

Bai Xu turned the question back on him. "Would that be a problem?"

Shang Yanxiao had no answer to that. "No."

"All joking aside, think of it as a little thoughtful gesture from me to my ally—"

Bai Xu set aside the teasing and extended a simple invitation. "Nobody from outside should be coming up at this hour. Do you want to come over and eat together?"

Shang Yanxiao glanced at the locked door and simply got out of bed.

The two of them sat across from each other at the desk. Bai Xu passed over a clean set of utensils. "You're playing this role under such miserable conditions. There's nowhere you can go."

Most people would never be able to tolerate restrictions like these.

Shang Yanxiao dipped his spoon and took a small sip of the soup. "When you're not watching, I keep myself busy."

Bai Xu thought for a moment. "I heard from Xie Qi that after the incident with the third branch, none of the subsidiaries or projects have run into any serious trouble. That must be your doing behind the scenes?"

Shang Yanxiao didn't deny it. He only said, "The subsidiaries each manage their own affairs, really. Even without new project developments in the short term, the existing ones can carry things along for a while."

Bai Xu nodded. "True. The real headache is the group itself."

The larger the conglomerate, the more tangled and severe the internal factional struggles. If the third branch remained absent for an extended period with no one to fill the gap, their network of influence within the group would inevitably be picked apart and eaten away from all sides.

Bai Xu asked, "Have your younger brother step up?"

Even though Shang Queyan had not previously been involved in the group's affairs, with Shang Yanxiao guiding him from behind the scenes, it shouldn't cause any major problems.

Besides, the male lead grew quickly in the original novel. Though he faced difficult obstacles after joining the group's management, everything was ultimately resolved perfectly.

Shang Yanxiao answered, "There's no rush."

Bai Xu frowned. "No rush?"

"Queyan's priority right now is his recovery. As for the group, I do intend to have him step up, but there's no need to push him to be a hundred percent perfect right away."

With anyone else, they might have been left dizzy by the layered meaning in those words. But Bai Xu not only knew how the original story unfolded, he also understood the twists and calculations that ran beneath the surface of corporate warfare.

"You want Queyan to be able to hide his strengths and make it look like the third branch is only in decline, so that certain people lurking in the shadows will seize the chance and show their hand?"

As Bai Xu said this, something suddenly came back to him—

The original novel was written from the male lead Shang Queyan's perspective. Shang Yanxiao's early coma was covered in only a handful of scenes, and never once hinted at any pretense.

Now, shifting to what was actually happening, if Shang Yanxiao was faking the coma, there had to be a reason behind it.

Bai Xu set down his utensils and looked at Shang Yanxiao again. "You started pretending to be in a coma right after the car accident. Does that mean you suspect someone has been orchestrating things from the shadows? The first branch, or the second? And what are you planning to do next?"

Bai Xu knew the general direction and ending of the novel 'The Abyss', and had gone through all of the early and middle portions. It was only the later core storyline, the property disputes and the corporate warfare, where things became less clear to him.

For instance, Bai Xu knew the third branch's car accident had been deliberately arranged, but as for who was truly behind it, he had transmigrated into the story before he could finish reading.

"……"

Faced with Bai Xu's suddenly pointed questions, Shang Yanxiao quietly redirected the conversation. "Are you full? Why aren't you eating the shrimp?"

He regarded the person in front of him as a short-term ally, but that did not mean he trusted them a hundred percent. The damage from the car accident had been too severe. Without a hundred percent certainty in the evidence, he would not casually reveal his plans to anyone.

Bai Xu could see the deflection and did not press. "I like them, but peeling the shells is a bother. I don't want to get my hands dirty."

At those words, Shang Yanxiao found himself unconsciously studying Bai Xu's hands—

Fair and slender, the fingertips carrying faint calluses tinged with a light rosy hue, effortlessly conjuring to mind the soft, tingling warmth they would leave against skin.

Hands like those truly were not meant for peeling shrimp shells.

Bai Xu was still lost in his own thoughts, unaware of Shang Yanxiao's brief scrutiny. "I heard from Xie Qi that the first branch is all abroad?"

Shang Yanxiao withdrew his gaze and picked up the damp cloth beside him to wipe his hands. "Yes. Not long after the third branch's accident, Shang Qishun took over a Shang Group overseas construction project."

That project had originally been handled and prepared by Shang Yanxiao himself.

Bai Xu let out a scoffing laugh. "So the first branch swooped in and snatched it midway? Not exactly gracious of them."

Shang Yanxiao picked up a shrimp and began peeling the shell with a calm expression. "That overseas project has always been negotiated through relevant departments of two countries. It's important, the Shang Group cannot afford any mistakes."

Looking across the entire group, aside from Shang Yanxiao, Shang Qishun was the only suitable person to take it over. It was not unreasonable for the Old Master Shang to agree to let the latter step in.

The pity was that Shang Qishun could not tolerate his people.

The very first thing the man did after taking over was disband the project team Shang Yanxiao had already put together, causing Xie Qi and the rest of the staff to see all their hard work come to nothing— handed over to someone else for free.

Bai Xu heard the broad picture from him. "No wonder."

Back when Xie Qi had first mentioned the first branch to him, his expression hadn't been particularly pleasant.

Bai Xu swirled the water glass beside him. "How long is that overseas project supposed to run? Is Shang Qishun not planning to come back anytime soon?"

Shang Yanxiao's hand paused in the middle of peeling a shrimp. He looked up. "You're very curious about him?"

Bai Xu nodded. "Quite curious, yes."

After all, in the way the original novel had portrayed him, Shang Qishun was an opponent who could hold his own against the male lead Shang Queyan— and had quietly caused the third branch a great deal of trouble behind the scenes.

"……"

Hearing that answer, Shang Yanxiao's gaze gradually deepened.

He and Shang Qishun had been rivals since childhood. In front of the patriarch they kept up a veneer of brotherly respect, but privately there was almost no contact between them at all. The two were more like natural enemies by nature.

Bai Xu saw through the faint contempt Shang Yanxiao kept hidden beneath his cool exterior and continued telling the truth. "I've heard people outside say that among all the young masters and misses of the Shang family, only the eldest and the third have what it takes to be a successor."

Bai Xu swept a slow, unhurried gaze over Shang Yanxiao, open appreciation in his eyes. "Someone who can measure up to you, I really would like to meet him."

"......"

Shang Yanxiao said nothing in return, but the coldness between his brows eased just slightly.

Bai Xu caught the shift in his mood and broke into a smile. "Don't worry. Everyone outside knows I'm your marriage partner, a part of the third branch. This ally of yours has absolutely no way to defect~"

Shang Yanxiao looked back at him, and for once allowed himself a touch of deliberate wit. "True. Even if you were to 'go over' to Shang Qishun, there's no guarantee he'd dare trust you."

Bai Xu mulled it over and matched his straight-faced tone. "True. He'd only suspect I was a mole you planted. He'd probably spend every day tiptoeing around me, hardly the kind of arrangement where we'd be sitting across from each other sharing a meal like this."

The moment the words landed, the two of them looked at each other and smiled.

Having an ally who could follow along no matter what was said, and pick up the thread right on cue— it was actually a rather good feeling.

Shang Yanxiao picked up the damp cloth again and wiped his hands. "Don't worry. The overseas project has already gotten on track. They won't be staying away much longer."

Bai Xu caught the implication. "The overseas project is quite a tempting morsel, but the main group is a piece of meat you can't afford to let go of either."

At that, a flicker of chill passed through Shang Yanxiao's eyes. "So, we wait and see."

He had kept up the pretense for long enough. Some people should be lowering their guard by now, beginning to make their real moves. A fox will always show its tail eventually. A venomous snake will always flick its tongue.

Shang Yanxiao brought the subject to a close himself and casually slid a small plate of peeled shrimp across to Bai Xu. "Here."

Bai Xu was surprised. "For me?"

He had assumed Shang Yanxiao had been peeling for so long because he intended to eat them all at once.

Shang Yanxiao said, "I don't care for shrimp. You have them, no point wasting them."

They had been talking for so long that Bai Xu had genuinely not gotten around to eating his fill. He accepted without ceremony. "Thank you. Honestly I've been eyeing them since a while ago."

Shang Yanxiao let out a brief laugh, and then came a knock at the door.

"It's me."

Zhang Changxu's voice came from outside, promptly setting both of them at ease.

Shang Yanxiao glanced at Bai Xu, then rose to open the door himself.

Zhang Changxu was careful by nature and had not let anyone follow him up. He came face to face with Shang Yanxiao, but his gaze moved past his friend and into the room—

At the desk in the middle room, Bai Xu was still working through the shrimp on the plate, while a sizable pile of shells had accumulated on the dishes across from him— clearly Shang Yanxiao's side of the table.

Shang Yanxiao asked, "Something the matter? Come in and say it?"

"Nothing much. Dinner's mostly wrapped up. Just stopping by to say goodbye. I'll be taking Xiao Ning and heading off."

Zhang Changxu shifted his gaze back and said simply, "This act of yours still needs a deadline. The longer it drags on, the more likely it is to slip. You might want to find some 'treatment' pretext and go away for a while longer."

Shang Yanxiao knew what he was doing. "Understood. I'll reach out if I need your help."

"Right."

Zhang Changxu gave a nod, but made no move to leave.

Shang Yanxiao's hand paused on the door before he could close it. "What is it?"

Zhang Changxu couldn't help himself. He leaned in and clapped his friend on the shoulder with a meaningful look. "So this is what you called—"

"Not. Worth. Minding?"

How much time had even passed? Not only had the pretense slipped so easily, but he'd gone and peeled shrimp for the person himself?

"……"

Shang Yanxiao was briefly mortified. "What are you thinking? I'm not seeing you out."

Zhang Changxu hid his smile. "I'm going."

Click.

The bedroom door shut again.

Only this time, Shang Yanxiao closed it with a noticeably heavier hand than usual.

Bai Xu swallowed the last bite of shrimp and asked, somewhat muffled, "Something wrong?"

"Nothing."

Shang Yanxiao glanced at the nearly empty small plate in his hands. "Full? Leave the dishes. I'll have someone come clear them later."

Bai Xu set down his chopsticks and plate. "Alright. Mind if I use your bathroom to wash my hands."

The sound of running water started, then stopped.

By the time Bai Xu came back out of the bathroom, Shang Yanxiao had already settled back onto the bed. The tablet in his hands was displaying what appeared to be some document— not easy to make out from a distance.

Bai Xu laughed inwardly. "Third Young Master, at this rate of spending all day 'not exercising,' your abs are going to disappear before long."

"……"

Shang Yanxiao thought of his unrestrained behavior on those previous two occasions. "Plenty of chances to get them back later. It's not difficult."

Hearing that completely unbothered tone, Bai Xu felt a rare pang of envy and pressed his lips together.

Were abs really that easy to get?

Never mind his current slight and slender frame— even back in the real world, all his effort at working out had only ever produced the faintest hint of definition. Clearly it was anything but easy.

"Oh, right. I have something for you."

Bai Xu remembered this important matter and reached into his pocket.

Shang Yanxiao noticed the movement, and a faint trace of curiosity settled between his brows. "What is it?"

Before the words had even fully landed, something came flying from Bai Xu's hand. "Catch!"

—Whoosh!

Shang Yanxiao caught it one-handed with a quick, sharp reflex. He looked closely and found it was nothing more than an ordinary little plastic miniature bottle.

Inside sat a tiny gold nugget, glinting with an inviting golden gleam.

Bai Xu saw the rare puzzled look on Shang Yanxiao's face and broke into a smile. "What do you think? I went out of my way to buy it at the mall, a solid gold five-gram mini nugget, just for you. Consider it a thank-you to Third Young Master for his contribution to my studio."

Shang Yanxiao found it novel and turned the question back on him. "A whole villa in exchange for one little gold nugget? Young Master Bai, that's quite the business sense. Feels like I got the short end of the deal."

"That's where you're wrong."

Bai Xu raised a finger and wagged it. "The value of this gold nugget in my books can't be measured in money. This is a genuine favor owed."

Shang Yanxiao understood. "So you're saying— whenever I need something in the future, I can bring out this little gold nugget and ask for your help?"

"Exactly, redeemable at any time~" Bai Xu's tone lifted as he added, "And if I end up owing you another favor and can't think of a gift, I'll just send another one of these little nuggets."

Someone like Shang Yanxiao had seen every fine thing the world had to offer.

Something symbolic was worth far more than that. When the time came and it was useful, both sides would naturally have to honor it.

Shang Yanxiao considered for a moment. "Alright then. I'll take it."

Seeing him agree, Bai Xu's expression shifted back to something more earnest. "Don't worry, a favor is a favor, and rent is rent. They're two separate things. I'll make up the back payments."

Shang Yanxiao caught the firm line Bai Xu was holding in those words, and something brightened faintly in his eyes. "It's fine. Since I've accepted this gold nugget from you, one thing for another, no one's losing out."

Bai Xu smiled. "Third Young Master really is generous. Then I'll head off. You rest well too."

"Alright. Good night."

...

Not long after Bai Xu left the master bedroom, Xie Qi stepped back in.

"Third Young Master."

"Mm?"

Shang Yanxiao answered absently, his gaze still fixed on the newly received gift.

Xie Qi made out what was inside the bottle and looked curious. "Third Young Master, why are you holding onto such a little thing? Where did it come from?"

Given Shang Yanxiao's standing, a tiny gold nugget like this seemed hardly worth a second glance.

Shang Yanxiao gave it an interested little shake. "Bai Xu gave it to me."

The small gold nugget knocked against the plastic walls of the bottle, producing a surprisingly pleasant little sound.

Xie Qi heard the name of the giver and paused.

"You wouldn't understand. This is no small thing."

"…Hm?"

Before Xie Qi could figure out how to respond, Shang Yanxiao murmured to himself, "This little nugget has quite a lot of room to appreciate in value. It belongs in the safe."

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