DASFAM_34

The car pulled into the venue of the banquet—

The Fulida Five-Star Hotel, the tallest landmark building in the area.

Taking advantage of the brief moment while the car moved slowly, Xie Qi turned sideways to look at Shang Yanxiao, "Third Young Master, are you sure you want to go in together with Young Master Bai?"

Although they had successfully left the country, that didn't mean no one would recognize them.

After all, the Shang family's reputation was well known far and wide. What if someone at tonight's banquet recognized Shang Yanxiao? Wouldn't all their previous disguises have been for nothing?

"I know what I'm doing."

Shang Yanxiao responded almost imperceptibly, his eyes carrying an air of unquestionable authority, "Find somewhere nearby and wait. I'll contact you if anything comes up."

Seeing this, Xie Qi and Chen Yufei had no choice but to answer in unison, "Understood."

Bai Xu noticed that Shang Yanxiao had once again fully armored himself up, and couldn't help letting out a soft laugh.

Shang Yanxiao tilted his head to look at him, "What are you laughing at?"

Bai Xu shook his head, with a hint of teasing, "Nothing. I just think the personal bodyguard I brought along is a little too good-looking. The 'disguise' is in a precarious situation."

Shang Yanxiao felt helpless, yet was able to think about it calmly, "If it really can't be hidden, then so be it. Besides, I'm not in the capital right now—that group of people will probably be stepping up their 'moves'."

The moment his words fell, the car stopped in front of the hotel.

Shang Yanxiao adjusted his breathing almost imperceptibly and was the first to open the door and step out.

At the same time, the attending waiter at the entrance stepped forward. Xie Qi rolled down the car window and handed over the invitation that had already been prepared, "Zhouye Investment. Mr. Bai."

This was an invitation they had pulled strings to obtain at the last minute. Bai Xu's identity for tonight was simple—he was using his original role as the young master of the Bai family from China, though he was publicly presented as having independently founded an investment company.

Of course, the true capital behind this company was Shang Yanxiao.

Faced with an unfamiliar new guest he had never seen before, the waiter took the invitation with some skepticism, "I'm sorry, please wait a moment."

He cross-checked it against his phone back and forth for quite a while. Though he was thorough in his work, there was also a faint tinge of dismissive distrust to his manner.

Bai Xu rolled down the car window, "Done yet?"

His side-swept bangs fully revealed his refined features. His naturally soft and gentle quality was steeped into his brows and eyes, yet upon closer look, there was also a faint trace of quiet impatience.

With just a single upward glance, a pride that radiated from the inside out began to emanate from him.

The waiter confirmed his identity right at that moment. Sensing the emotion in that gaze, he immediately stepped forward, "Mr. Bai, I apologize for the discourtesy. Please allow me–"

He moved to reach out and help Bai Xu out of the car. But the next second, before his hand could even graze the hem of his clothes, his wrist was seized in a firm, forceful grip, "Our young master doesn't like being touched by strangers. I'll do it."

"......"

The waiter felt the unyielding force pressing down on his wrist and looked over.

The person was dressed in the most ordinary bodyguard uniform, yet his exceptionally upright height was difficult to contend with. The eyes hidden beneath the brim of his cap were cold and deep, so freezing that one did not dare to hold the gaze for long.

The waiter was firmly restrained by Shang Yanxiao for two seconds, tense enough that his throat visibly bobbed, "My apologies."

As he spoke, he stepped back to make room.

Shang Yanxiao leaned toward the car door and reached out to help Bai Xu, "Young Master, time to get out."

Bai Xu understood Shang Yanxiao's intent to take the initiative, and the corners of his lips curved upward. He took his hand cleanly and decisively.

The warmth of his palm wrapped around his hand just right, guiding him steadily out of the car.

Bai Xu quickly composed his expression and looked toward the waiter who had already stepped aside, "Done with the verification? Can I go in now?"

The waiter dropped all traces of the dismissiveness he had shown earlier toward the unfamiliar name, and hurriedly said, "Of course. Right this way, please."

Only after watching Bai Xu and Shang Yanxiao step into the express elevator did he let out a relieved breath.

A fellow waiter on duty took advantage of the lull to approach him, asking curiously, "Devin, who were those two that just went up? You looked so tense. They seemed pretty unfamiliar."

Working reception at this five-star hotel was no new thing for them—without exaggerating, at least the better part of Singapore's celebrities, wealthy elites, and rising business figures were people they had seen and could recognize by sight.

The waiter called Devin felt the cold sweat on his back and let out a sigh, "They're from China. The young master of the Bai family. I suppose you're meant to call him Mr. Xiao Bai now?"

"Oh~"

His fellow waiter responded with interest, and said under his breath, "He's quite good-looking too. Gentle and well-behaved. Must have a pretty decent personality?"

At least he didn't seem like one of those spoiled young masters who threw their family's name around to bully people.

"......"

Well-behaved?

Devin disagreed and shot back, "You should've been the one doing reception just now, to get a firsthand feel of that young master's presence up close. He's probably not someone you'd want to mess with."

"By the way, did you notice the bodyguard standing beside him?"

His fellow waiter nodded, "You know, I've seen bodyguards accompanying all sorts of executives, madams, young masters, and heiresses, but that one's bearing was something else even from a distance."

"Something else is an understatement."

Devin wiped the lingering cold sweat from his forehead. He turned it over in his mind, but didn't dare say too much out loud—

That split-second reaction just now, grabbing his wrist and stopping him from touching Young Master Bai—where did that look anything like a bodyguard protecting his charge? It looked exactly like someone shielding their own lover.

...

The elevator was rising swiftly toward the top floor.

Bai Xu looked at Shang Yanxiao, who stood silently behind him, "That move you just pulled definitely scared that waiter."

Shang Yanxiao replied quietly, "That wasn't scaring him. You just need them to have a strong impression of you as a new face. Waiters at their level have dealt with more than enough celebrities and wealthy elites—they have their own private networks for information."

"A lot of the time, how others perceive you comes straight from their mouths."

Bai Xu understood what was at stake, "Then what do you think they're saying about me right now?"

Shang Yanxiao let him continue, "Mm?"

Bai Xu teased, "They'll probably say—that newly arrived young master named Bai Xu has a bodyguard following him around, and the bodyguard is absolutely freezing~"

Shang Yanxiao caught the jab in his tone. The corners of his mouth, hidden behind his mask, curved upward slightly, "Nervous? Once you're inside, it's all on you."

"Not nervous."

Bai Xu met Shang Yanxiao's eyes through the reflective surface of the elevator doors, keeping his confidence tucked beneath a calm exterior, "If something goes wrong, don't I still have you to fall back on? Though I do wonder whether Zhang Songyang, the decisive one, has arrived yet."

Shang Yanxiao answered, "Go in and look around, and you'll find out."

Ding dong!

The elevator gave its mechanical announcement, "Dear passenger, hello. You have arrived at the 59th floor. Please mind your safety when entering and exiting."

The elevator doors slid open, and a wave of atmosphere belonging entirely to elite evening banquets swept over them.

All the mingling scents of wine, fresh flowers, and countless perfumes drifted through the air. Small sculptures, fountains, and murals on the walls were visible everywhere, magnificent in their splendor. The crystal ceiling overhead swayed with shimmering light.

Everything, all of it, made it effortlessly easy to lose oneself and lose one's senses.

Bai Xu took in the expanse of the banquet hall, "Looks like they've opened up most of this half-floor? It's quite something."

Shang Yanxiao understood what he was getting at and was straightforward, "Ask someone."

"Mm."

Bai Xu casually picked up a glass of champagne from the outermost wine tower and flagged down a server, "Excuse me."

The server was politely attentive, "Hello, sir. How may I help you?"

Bai Xu kept it brief, "Could you check whether Director Zhang Songyang from Juesheng Medical has arrived?"

At high-level banquets like this one, any invited guest who entered the hotel would be logged into the system—this was standard practice to keep track of attendance and avoid any oversights.

The server did not refuse Bai Xu's request, "One moment, sir."

He took out the handheld system device he carried with him, searched through it, and then said, "Sir, the banquet only opened an hour ago. Director Zhang has not arrived yet, but he is on the guest list. Would you like to head inside and wait?"

"Thank you."

Bai Xu stepped into the hall at a brisk pace, and Shang Yanxiao followed behind him without a word.

"Let's find a seat off to the side. No need to wander around."

Their goal for tonight was clear: find Zhang Songyang of Juesheng Medical, establish an initial connection, and then arrange a separate time to meet and talk business.

As for a banquet setting like this, with so many eyes around, given Shang Yanxiao's current situation, staying low-profile was the priority whenever possible.

"Sure."

...

The two made their way to a private lounge area nearby and found seats in the farthest corner.

Bai Xu swirled the champagne in his hand, just about to take a satisfied sip, when Shang Yanxiao stopped him with unerring precision, "Tonight, avoid alcohol if you can."

Bai Xu was disgruntled, "Not even one glass?"

Shang Yanxiao coaxed him gently, "Your allergy only cleared up less than a week ago. Better to be careful while we're out. Besides, I heard from Changxu that your alcohol tolerance is about on par with Changning's—neither of you can really hold your drink."

"......"

Bai Xu knew Shang Yanxiao meant well, but the second half of that sentence still made him grumble, "Bodyguard, I'd advise you to watch your wording."

Shang Yanxiao, unusually, didn't follow his train of thought, "What?"

Bai Xu said with conviction, "I'm perfectly capable. In every way."

Only then did Shang Yanxiao catch on. His eyes were instantly softened with amusement, "Mm."

Bai Xu narrowed his eyes, "That 'mm' sounded awfully perfunctory."

"It wasn't."

Shang Yanxiao denied it, then steered the conversation back to business, "You've gone through all the background material on Zhang Songyang and Juesheng Medical, right?"

"Of course."

Xie Qi had sent him all the background research as early as Tuesday morning.

Zhang Songyang's parents had immigrated from China to N City in Singapore years ago, and he himself had attended the medical school at N University. After completing his master's degree, he went to work at the university's affiliated hospital.

By all accounts, he had been one of the youngest lead surgeons at Singapore's medical school at the time, with a bright future ahead of him.

Ten years ago, Zhang Songyang was forced to suspend his practice following an incident involving a medical dispute. He also injured his hand. Disheartened, he ultimately chose to submit his resignation to the hospital once the dust had settled on the medical incident.

Three years after that, he and a friend co-founded Juesheng Medical, returning to the medical field under a new identity and in a new capacity.

In a later media interview, Zhang Songyang spoke with deep gratitude of his mentor, Academician Chen Zhen, saying that if not for the guidance and support the elderly man had given him during his lowest point, he would never have found the strength to start over.

In recent years, Juesheng Medical under Zhang Songyang's leadership had grown rapidly, already pushing its way to the forefront of Singapore's medical device industry.

If this acquisition of AW went smoothly, and its newly developed AI medical electronic instruments could be distributed on a deeper scale, Juesheng Medical would absolutely be able to climb to an even higher tier in Singapore!

Bai Xu briefly ran through the background on Zhang Songyang and remarked offhandedly, "Come to think of it, Director Zhang must be in his mid-forties by now."

Shang Yanxiao nodded, "Forty-seven or forty-eight. Why?"

Bai Xu said quietly, "The way you get along with business rivals and friends differs depending on their age group, and so do the negotiation techniques."

"Someone like Zhang Songyang, who comes from a medical background, probably values time above all else. It's like finding the precise point to make the cut and doing it in one clean stroke, rather than hovering with a scalpel and probing repeatedly."

Saving lives in urgent situations, and identifying the right project to bring in investment—the logic was more or less the same.

Shang Yanxiao understood the extended implication behind Bai Xu's words and didn't argue, "It seems the young master knows quite a bit about business negotiation."

"I get by." Bai Xu gave a noncommittal hum and stood up, "While Director Zhang hasn't arrived yet, I'll make a quick trip to the restroom."

Shang Yanxiao's gaze followed his movement. Bai Xu seemed to sense what was coming and cut it off right away, "Hey, you stay here and keep an eye out for when Zhang Songyang arrives."

"......"

"We agreed. Tonight, everything goes by my word~"

Bai Xu held the upper hand over Shang Yanxiao. He pointed first at his own brooch and then at his ear, hinting, "Come if something happens."

Shang Yanxiao had no recourse, "Fine."

...

The restroom and a separate lounge area had been arranged on the other side of the elevator.

Bai Xu finished up and was making his way back at an unhurried pace. He had just tossed the damp hand towel into the waste bin in the corridor when, the moment he turned the corner, someone crashed headlong into him without warning.

"......"

Bai Xu stepped back twice before barely managing to steady himself.

An overwhelmingly sweet perfume rushed into his nose, making him knit his brows in discomfort. He lowered his gaze and looked down.

At that moment, a young woman with delicate features was slumped against him, her state clearly not right.

Their eyes met. The other person seemed to have grabbed onto a lifeline and clutched him tightly, refusing to let go, "Sir, please, save me. Save me!"

"......"

Had she been drugged?

Out of instinctive wariness toward strangers, Bai Xu wanted to push the young woman away and deal with the situation from there.

But before he could act, a young man with an unsavory appearance came chasing around the corner of the corridor. Upon seeing Bai Xu's unfamiliar face, his expression froze for a brief moment.

The young woman heard the commotion and turned her head. At the sight of that man, she grew even more terrified and held on to Bai Xu more desperately, "I didn't want this. I was tricked into coming here. Save me. Please, save me."

Bai Xu kept his composure and maintained his distance, "Miss, please let go first."

The unsavory man seemed to sense Bai Xu's reluctance to cooperate, and his confidence surged at once, "Qiao Xin, let me tell you—Mr. Chu taking a liking to you is your good fortune!"

"Stop pretending to be some innocent little girl. Among actresses like you, how many aren't selling themselves out there?"

"......"

Bai Xu heard the crude and degrading words, and a flicker of disgust crossed his brow.

The young actress had clearly been given something dirty. She held on to Bai Xu for only a short while before going limp and collapsing to the floor. Tears streamed down her face, her expression hollow with despair.

Knowing full well she was trapped with no way out, she still seemed to be trying to crawl forward and save herself.

The unsavory man knew his prey wasn't getting away and laughed with smug satisfaction. He even tried to draw Bai Xu to his side, "Am I right, sir? What woman doesn't get..."

Bai Xu had reached his limit, "Shut your filthy mouth."

Truthfully, as an outsider, he had no real reason to get involved in these sordid dealings that belonged in the shadows. But the stench coming out of this man's mouth was simply unbearable.

Bai Xu never considered himself the type to help anyone at the drop of a hat, but being a decent person required at minimum a basic sense of morality and justice.

"Too filthy. I don't want my ears contaminated."

Bai Xu stepped around the young actress lying on the floor in a way that looked like he was moving away, but he was actually positioning himself to shield her behind him.

The unsavory man heard Bai Xu's mockery and his expression shifted, "Sir, I'd advise you not to stick your nose where it doesn't belong! Some things, even when you see them, are better handled by looking the other way."

Bai Xu responded with deliberate obtuseness, "What are you talking about? What have I gotten involved in?"

"......"

"There's no sign with your name on it in this corridor. I found the banquet hall too noisy, so I'm standing here to get some air. Is that a problem?"

That said, seeing the unsavory man advance, Bai Xu adjusted his footing and stepped in front of him again, "Excuse me, could you move? You're in my way."

"Who exactly is in whose way?!"

The unsavory man flew into a rage, practically jabbing a finger at Bai Xu's forehead, "Where did some pretty boy like you crawl out from? You actually dare to interfere with someone Mr. Chu has his eye on? Let me warn you..."

The threat wasn't even finished before the hand he had pointed at Bai Xu was wrenched back hard.

"Ahh!"

A cry of pain rang out.

Shang Yanxiao shoved the unsavory man forcefully in the direction of the waste bin.

Bai Xu caught a glimpse of the figure who had arrived, and the cold light that had gathered in his eyes instantly dissolved, "That's more like it. Trash belongs in the bin."

Shang Yanxiao immediately turned back and scanned Bai Xu from head to toe, "Are you alright?"

His voice was a little muffled through the mask, but the concern was unmistakable.

Bai Xu shook his head, "Fine. Good timing too, now I didn't have to do it myself. But let me just say in advance..."

He trailed off and let his expression say the rest, a look of helplessness that conveyed: there was nothing he could do, he hadn't gone looking for trouble.

Shang Yanxiao looked at the young woman on the floor, and combined with what he had heard through the transmitter, he already understood exactly what had happened.

He had no intention of blaming Bai Xu for getting involved. Instead, he reassured him, "I know. You did well."

Bai Xu heard the tone—the kind one might use to praise a child—and a faint, peculiar flutter stirred at the tip of his heart. Before he could even register that feeling, the unsavory man had already picked himself up off the ground, "You, you two..."

Shang Yanxiao turned to look at him coldly from the side, not willing to hear another word.

"Get lost."

"......"

An imposing presence that needed no anger instantly subdued the unsavory man.

The throbbing pain in his wrist hadn't let up, reminding him of just how wide the gap in strength between them was.

The unsavory man's eyes darted around as he hesitated for a few seconds. Knowing he was no match for the person in front of him, he spat out, "Just you wait! For interfering with Mr. Chu's business, you'll pay for this sooner or later!"

The threat carried no weight whatsoever. He turned and fled at remarkable speed.

"......"

Seeing that, the young actress felt the tightly wound strings of her nerves finally begin to loosen. She dragged herself with great effort to lean against the wall, breathing hard, "Tha- thank you."

Bai Xu noticed how completely drained and disheveled she looked, and offered out of genuine concern, "You're not going to make it like this. Should I have the hotel send a female server over to help you? As for what comes next, you'll have to figure that out yourself."

They were strangers who had crossed paths by chance. Helping this much was already quite a lot.

"Mm. I, I can manage on my own. Thank you."

Five minutes later, the young woman was escorted safely away by the hotel manager.

Only then did Bai Xu pull his gaze back and look toward Shang Yanxiao, who had been waiting to the side the whole time, "Let's go."

"Hold on, your tie is crooked." Shang Yanxiao glanced down and reminded him, then asked as though in passing, "Did she throw herself into your arms just now?"

Bai Xu checked his collar from the corner of his eye and straightened it casually, "That wasn't exactly throwing herself, she just ran into me while trying to get away. Wait, how did you know?"

By the time Shang Yanxiao had rushed over, Bai Xu had already put some distance between himself and the young woman.

Shang Yanxiao said, "The perfume on you right now is too cloying. It doesn't smell good."

He said the last two words lightly, but the distaste was plain.

Bai Xu lowered his head to check, not entirely convinced, "It can't be that strong. Are you some kind of dog? You could smell it through the mask?"

Shang Yanxiao saw that he had completely missed the point of what he was saying, and bit down almost imperceptibly on his back teeth, "Let's go. Don't forget what we came here for."

"Mm."

The moment the two of them returned to the main banquet hall, the familiar server immediately came over, "Sir, I was just looking for you. Director Zhang from Juesheng Medical has arrived."

Bai Xu perked up, "He's here?"

The server indicated the direction with a glance, "Over there. The gentleman in the dark blue vest."

"Thank you."

Bai Xu locked onto his target and turned to exchange a knowing look with Shang Yanxiao, "I'll head over first."

At a business banquet centered around mingling, even if bodyguards and assistants were permitted inside, they couldn't stay right at their charge's side the whole time.

Shang Yanxiao gave a slight nod, "I'll wait for you in the lounge. Take your time. Just get acquainted first."

"Mm."

Bai Xu composed his expression, casually picked up another glass of champagne, and walked over at a steady pace.

As he drew closer, Zhang Songyang noticed him approaching.

Their eyes met briefly. Bai Xu stepped forward without a hint of hesitation, "Director Zhang, I've long heard of your name. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise."

Zhang Songyang was a little surprised to be greeted by such an unfamiliar face, but chose to respond politely all the same, "And this young gentleman is?"

He had a refined and cultured look about him, completely free of the money-chasing sharpness often associated with businessmen. He gave off an approachable air.

Bai Xu's gaze shifted slightly, and he noticed a long, jagged scar running across Zhang Songyang's right hand, stretching from between his fingers all the way up his arm. It had most likely been left behind from that medical dispute incident years ago.

Bai Xu didn't let himself stare and redirected his gaze promptly, "Director Zhang, it's our first meeting, so it's perfectly natural that you wouldn't know me. I'm Bai Xu from Zhouye Investment."

Bai Xu handed over his name card, which Xie Qi had specifically prepared for him before they set out.

Zhang Songyang took it and gave it a careful look, his expression carrying both surprise and acknowledgment, "Mr. Xiao Bai looks quite young. You've already founded an asset management company at this age?"

Bai Xu replied with modest deflection, "I have my family to thank for that. The business is only just getting started, so I thought I'd come and learn a thing or two and find some stable projects to work with. And as it turns out, Director Zhang was the first person I set eyes on."

Zhang Songyang caught the implication in Bai Xu's words and smiled along, "Mr. Xiao Bai, what's your main area of focus?"

Ginger gets spicier with age. He had cut straight to the point with a single question.

Bai Xu enjoyed talking to someone sharp. It was equal parts a probe and a declaration, "AI-assisted medical devices. What does Director Zhang think?"

"......"

Zhang Songyang immediately understood the purpose of Bai Xu's visit, "Mr. Xiao Bai is quite young, yet his appetite is rather considerable."

Bai Xu raised his champagne glass and replied with a light jest, "Young people tend to be a little bolder. I've long heard that Juesheng Medical under Director Zhang's leadership is a leader in the field. If there's a suitable project, why not let me in on it?"

"My appetite is big, and I can handle it."

The last few words carried an effortless, understated sense of command.

Zhang Songyang's gaze toward Bai Xu deepened, "Is that so?"

Bai Xu extended the invitation without any hesitation or roundabout maneuvering, "Of course. If Director Zhang is willing to give me the chance, we could arrange a separate time to talk things through in detail."

The clean and direct invitation from the person before him far surpassed all those who came with elaborate, winding tactics.

Though it was their first meeting, Zhang Songyang's impression of Bai Xu was not unfavorable. A hint of interest crossed his brow and eyes, when he suddenly heard a voice from beside them.

"Director Zhang, when did you arrive? How could you come without letting me know?"

The tone sounded respectful and courteous, yet beneath it lay the arrogance of someone accustomed to being above others.

Zhang Songyang recognized the newcomer immediately, "Mr. Chu."

"......"

Mr. Chu?

Bai Xu heard that title again, and his thoughts stilled.

At the same time, Shang Yanxiao, sitting in the lounge area, also sensed something.

Despite the distance between them, the two seemed to share an instinctive understanding, and almost simultaneously fixed their gaze on this so-called Mr. Chu.

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