DASFAM_47

The nights by the seaside are always filled with the sound of wind mingled with waves, not exactly quiet.

Shang Yanxiao had prepared thoroughly for this, not overlooking earplugs and an eye mask. Thanks to his meticulous care, Bai Xu slept soundly through the entire night.

In that half-asleep, half-awake state, Bai Xu noticed movement beside him and instinctively pulled off his eye mask.

In an instant, strong light stung his eyes.

"Mmm."

"Wait a moment."

Almost at the same time, Shang Yanxiao’s warm palm covered them, "Don’t open your eyes yet."

The transparent cover on the tent roof had been left open, allowing the slanting sunlight to stream in—a bit harsh for someone just waking up.

Still dazed, Bai Xu’s mind hadn’t fully caught up, and he obediently let Shang Yanxiao cover his eyes for a while.

Only after gradually adapting to the light through the gaps between the fingers did his awareness start to return, "What time is it?"

Shang Yanxiao replied, "Almost eleven o'clock."

"...What?"

Bai Xu jolted awake in shock, quickly removing his earplugs to confirm, "Eleven o’clock?"

Only then did he notice that Shang Yanxiao was already dressed in everyday clothes, clearly having woken up much earlier than him.

Bai Xu shook his head, trying to shake off the last traces of sleepiness, "Did I oversleep? Why didn’t you wake me earlier?"

If they were at home, it wouldn’t matter—waking up naturally or lazing in bed was fine. But now they were attending an industry team-building event. Oversleeping here was quite awkward.

Shang Yanxiao knew what he was worried aabout, "It's fine. I asked the person in charge. They thought the executives might not adjust well to sleeping in tents—sleeping soundly and waking up late—so they deliberately didn’t schedule any activities this morning."

Bai Xu breathed a slight sigh of relief, "Is everyone else awake?"

Shang Yanxiao replied, "They're all awake."

"......"

So he was still the latest.

Though Bai Xu knew perfectly well he had overslept, when he met Shang Yanxiao's gaze, he couldn't help but grumble, "You should have woken me up earlier."

Shang Yanxiao noticed the faint red marks left on his face by the pillow and found it adorable, "I tried waking you once, but you just mumbled, acted like you didn’t hear, tucked yourself back under the blanket, and went on sleeping—like a lazy cat."

Seeing Bai Xu sleeping so soundly, he couldn't bring himself to try waking him a second time.

"Who's a lazy cat? I genuinely didn’t hear you."

Bai Xu refused to admit it, slapping the high-quality earplugs back into Shang Yanxiao's palm, "Alright, I'll hurry up and change to go wash up."

Shang Yanxiao nodded, "Okay, I'll wait for you outside then."

...

Bai Xu finished washing up quickly and returned to the gathering spot by the beach. Fortunately, he wasn’t the only one who had 'overslept'—Chu Yate had also just ambled out slowly.

The association had prepared a buffet, with a decent variety of options.

The two each took some food and looked for an empty seat at the long table.

Shang Yanxiao, who had arrived earlier, had deliberately saved a spot for Bai Xu and gestured for him to sit there.

Chu Yate simply took a seat diagonally across from the two. Taking a sip of coffee, he casually joined the idle chat among the group, "Morning, everyone."

Cheng Ye said, "Second Young Master Chu, the sun is almost directly overhead. Can’t really call it ‘morning’ anymore."

Mr. Qiu, sitting beside him, chimed in, "You young folks really sleep well. Not like us, couldn’t sleep in the tents and woke up as soon as the sky began to lighten."

Another executive agreed, "Same here. I’m a light sleeper to begin with, and today I woke up even earlier."

Chu Yate took a couple more gulps of coffee, "I had terrible insomnia last night and only managed to sleep a little after six. Just now while washing up, I felt like my dark circles were about to hit the floor."

As he spoke, he glanced at the bright-eyed, energetic Bai Xu across from him, "Young Master Bai, you rested quite well last night, didn’t you?"

"......"

Bai Xu took a bite of his sandwich, feeling an inexplicable sense of guilt, "Not bad."

Shang Yanxiao spoke up for him, "Young Master Bai wasn’t feeling well from seasickness yesterday, so he went to sleep early."

Chu Yate smiled but didn’t argue—

Late at night, when he went to the temporary restroom, he had passed by their tent and overheard two unexpected, leaked sounds. Adhering to the principle of not eavesdropping on others' privacy, he had scurried away as fast as the wind.

Not feeling well? So he went to bed early? Who would believe that?

Might as well say you two lovebirds are used to each other's embrace and scent, so you can sleep just as well anywhere.

The person in charge, seeing that everyone had arrived, stepped forward to outline today’s activities, "Everyone, dinner tonight will not be provided. You will need to earn it through your own labor."

"In a moment, we’ll have three options for collective labor. First, sea fishing. We have fishing gear and boats arranged for going out to sea."

"Second, diving. There are plenty of lobsters and crabs in the waters below. You’ll also need to bring nets to catch them."

"Third, foraging. In the mountain woods behind us, there are edible mushrooms, wild vegetables, and so on."

"For all the activities above, we’ve already registered with the relevant authorities and arranged for the most professional guides to accompany you. Please rest assured, and please make your choices as soon as possible."

Zhou Yangfan, being a sea fishing enthusiast, naturally chose the first option, "I'll go with the sea fishing group."

Another executive chimed in, "I'll join the sea fishing group too. Both diving and foraging require too much effort. I don't think my physique is up for it."

Taking advantage of the enthusiastic discussion among the group, Shang Yanxiao whispered to Bai Xu, "You get seasick, so better not push yourself with sea fishing. Since Mr. Zhou is going, I'll join him, perfect timing."

Bai Xu, recalling how awful the seasickness felt yesterday, immediately ruled out the first option, "Alright."

The two of them had already made a bet, so Shang Yanxiao naturally wouldn’t miss this chance to get closer to Zhou Yangfan. As for the other person—

Bai Xu subtly shifted his gaze toward Cheng Ye, "What do you think Mr. Cheng will choose?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Cheng Ye announced his own answer, "How come no one is picking diving? I think catching lobsters sounds quite fun."

Bai Xu smoothly picked up the thread, "Then, Mr. Cheng, shall I team up with you? Might as well give it a try."

Cheng Ye agreed readily, "Sure thing."

Chu Yate also had his own preference, "I'll go diving too. The three of us together?"

"Alright."

The activity groupings were quickly finalized.

Once the boat for heading out to sea arrived, the sea fishing group set off first.

The diving group received their wetsuits and walked together to the temporarily set up, simple changing area. As Bai Xu changed, he started a conversation, "Mr. Cheng, have you had any diving experience before?"

Cheng Ye chuckled, "I have a diving certificate, professional level."

"Impressive, Mr. Cheng," Chu Yate chimed in, glancing at Bai Xu, "So when we head into the water later to catch lobsters, Young Master Bai and I will just follow your lead?"

Bai Xu said, "Wherever Mr. Cheng points, that's where we'll go."

Cheng Ye pulled on his wetsuit and asked with a smile, "You young folks are still willing to listen to me? I thought we'd be competing among the three of us."

Bai Xu caught the nuance in his words and responded lightly, "Mr. Cheng chose diving because you're professional, Second Young Master Chu because it sounds fun, and my reason is even simpler. I get seasick, so I can't go fishing, and I've already tried mountain climbing—"

"Even though I'm a beginner at diving, you have to try everything once."

He looked at Cheng Ye, expressing his stance casually, "Besides, as the saying goes, 'cooperation leads to mutual success'. Shouldn't our diving team aim to outdo their fishing team?"

Cheng Ye gave him a meaningful glance and replied, "Indeed, there are benefits to cooperation."

...

This small-scale fishing activity had been approved by the relevant authorities. Accompanied by professional divers, the three of them descended into the seabed.

The marine ecosystem around Xisheng Island was well-preserved. Sunlight filtered into the sapphire-blue sea, shimmering with ripples of light. Fish and shrimp darted among the vibrant reefs and corals, truly a breathtaking sight.

After a brief period of adjustment and admiration, the three of them began their fishing activity. Following Cheng Ye’s directions, Bai Xu and Chu Yate worked together to search the bases of reefs where lobsters might be hiding.

After an hour and a half of effort, they actually managed to net quite a few lobsters.

—Splash!

The three surfaced one after another, removing their oxygen masks.

Cheng Ye knew when to call it quits, "That should be enough. Let's head back to shore for a break."

Chu Yate also felt somewhat tired, "Alright."

Bai Xu seemed to think of something, "Mr. Cheng, Second Young Master Chu, you two go ahead first. I'll dive for a little longer and come back shortly."

Cheng Ye didn't stop him, "Alright, we'll head back first and arrange for the boat to pick you up later."

It wasn't far from the coastal shore, and with a professional accompanying him, Bai Xu's safety underwater was assured.

"Okay, no problem."

Bai Xu watched the two board the boat and depart before securely putting his oxygen mask back on. Signaling to the safety personnel beside him, he took a determined breath and dove back down.

...

The sun was gradually setting, and a new wave of commotion finally rose from the campsite beach.

Bai Xu, who had been waiting, heard the noise and immediately stepped out of the tent—

The sea fishing group returned excitedly with their trophies. Zhou Yangfan and Shang Yanxiao walked at the very back of the group. The former was talking about something, gesturing and speaking with endless enthusiasm.

In his excitement, he even patted Shang Yanxiao’s shoulder.

Seeing this, Bai Xu was secretly amazed:

How long had it taken? And he's already gotten this close to Zhou Yangfan?

Lost in thought, Bai Xu walked up, "Mr. Zhou, what are you talking about? You seem to be in such high spirits."

Zhou Yangfan didn’t hold back his praise, "Young Master Bai, you wouldn’t know. Mr. Yan's sea fishing skills are incredible. He caught a forty- or fifty-pound yellowfin for us."

Bai Xu was equally astonished, "Really?"

Zhou Yangfan said, "How could that be fake? It’s still on the boat with oxygen running, and we’ll bring it up in a bit to make sashimi!"

Shang Yanxiao modestly replied, "The captain mentioned there were yellowfin in the nearby waters, so I thought I’d give it a try. Just got lucky."

As a sea fishing enthusiast, Zhou Yangfan knew that this wasn’t just about luck, "Mr. Yan, don’t be so modest. With you joining the sea fishing group today, we really hit the jackpot."

Not only that, but everyone in the sea fishing group had taken photos with the yellowfin. As for the purpose, it was naturally to show off on their social media.

Zhou Yangfan beamed and made a request, "By the way, let’s exchange contact info later. If there’s a chance, we can go out to sea again sometime?"

Shang Yanxiao replied, "No problem at all. Mr. Zhou, just say the word."

Zhou Yangfan, content, said, "I’ll go change clothes first. We’ll talk more later."

"Alright."

Bai Xu watched as Zhou Yangfan walked step by step toward the tents before shifting his gaze back to Shang Yanxiao.

He deliberately looked the other up and down, teasingly saying, "Not bad at all, Mr.~ Yan~"

Shang Yanxiao accepted this public form of address, "I made a bet with Young Master Bai last night. I don’t want to lose."

Bai Xu asked in a low voice, "Confident about the partnership?"

Shang Yanxiao thought for a moment, opting for caution, "Still need to give it another push. We’ll find a chance to get Mr. Cheng and Mr. Zhou together."

The two were both competitors in the industry, but also friends privately.

Some partnership matters, if brought up openly and discussed together, could stimulate and influence each other—perhaps making negotiations smoother.

Bai Xu understood Shang Yanxiao’s meaning, "That shouldn’t be too hard. I’ll ask Second Young Master Chu to arrange it."

"Hmm."

As they chatted, the two walked into the tent. Bai Xu pulled the tent flap closed, "Shang Yanxiao."

"Hm?"

Shang Yanxiao was about to change his clothes but turned back upon hearing this, "What’s up?"

Bai Xu felt his pocket again, "Open your hand. I’ll give you something."

Noticing this familiar gesture, a flicker of interest appeared in Shang Yanxiao’s eyes, "What? Did you find little golden beans on the island this time?"

"Not this time—"

Bai Xu’s clenched right hand hovered over Shang Yanxiao’s palm, then slowly opened, "Look."

In just a few seconds, colorful mini seashells scattered across Shang Yanxiao’s palm.

"......."

Shang Yanxiao was taken aback.

Bai Xu patted his wrist, prompting him, "Make a fist, hold them in, don't let go."

Shang Yanxiao didn't understand immediately but still obediently followed the instruction, "Where did you pick these up? What's the meaning?"

"You don't get it, do you?"

Bai Xu recalled something his late grandmother, Madam Bai, had told him when he was young, "I heard from the older generation that seashells symbolize wealth and also protect safety. Holding seashells means grasping wealth and guarding safety, it's a good omen."

"I picked these up from the seabed when I was diving this afternoon. They're tiny little shells, quite pretty."

Shang Yanxiao was hearing this for the first time, "Really?"

"Believe it if you want, or don't if you don't."

Bai Xu, seeing Shang Yanxiao still obediently clutching his fist, suddenly felt like his own behavior resembled teasing a kindergarten child.

He patted the back of the person's hand in front of him and laughed, "Alright, I was just messing around. Just idly trying to bring a good omen, that's all. If you don't believe it, you can toss them. They're not worth anything."

"I believe it."

Shang Yanxiao opened his palm but didn’t have the heart to throw them away, "I'll keep them. Let's hope they help us secure the 'Eaglet Cinema' project."

Bai Xu hadn’t expected such a childish thing to earn Shang Yanxiao’s response. He froze for two seconds, then an unstoppable wave of joy welled up inside him.

"En, just wait and see. I’m sure we will."

...

Thanks to everyone’s efforts, dinner was plentiful, and after the meal, it was free time.

Bai Xu and Shang Yanxiao were in their tent when Chu Yate’s voice sounded outside, "Young Master Bai, are you free?"

Bai Xu signaled, "I’m free, come in."

Chu Yate lifted the flap but didn’t rush in, "Bai Xu, do you know how to play mahjong?"

Bai Xu noticed Cheng Ye and Zhou Yangfan standing behind him, "Mahjong? Where did it come from?"

Chu Yate gave him a quick wink, "The association person brought it for everyone’s entertainment. The other executives have already formed groups to play. If you and Mr. Yan know how, want to join us for a few rounds?"

Compared to more high-end activities like golf, the mahjong table is also a good way to relax.

In the interplay of tiles, some intentions might just come to an agreement.

Bai Xu understood this was an opportunity his friend had created and naturally wouldn’t miss it, "Sure, but it’s been a while since I played. I’ll need to get familiar again."

Cheng Ye chimed in, "As long as you know how, it’ll come back to you once you start."

Zhou Yangfan followed up, "Mr. Yan, do you know how?"

Shang Yanxiao really hadn’t played mahjong before, but he wasn’t nervous, "I haven’t played before, so I’ll just watch from the sidelines first and learn along the way."

"Alright, how about coming to my place? I have a folding table, it’ll do."

"Sure!"

...

—Swish!

Another round of mahjong tiles was pushed aside and scattered, colliding with a pleasant sound.

Chu Yate pretended to stretch and gave up his seat to Shang Yanxiao, "Mr. Yan, how's the learning going? Want to give it a try?"

Shang Yanxiao had watched a few rounds and understood the rules, "I’ll give it a try."

Chu Yate stood up, subtly exchanging a knowing glance with Bai Xu, "My head’s getting dizzy and my eyes are strained. You guys play first. I’ll step out for some fresh air and be back in a bit."

Cheng Ye slowly arranged his tiles, "Alright."

The tent flap lifted and fell, letting in just a wisp of the night breeze.

Bai Xu gestured, "Mr. Cheng, you go first."

Cheng Ye drew a tile and then casually discarded one that was useless to him.

His gaze seemed fixed on the tiles, but his thoughts were directed at Bai Xu, "Young Master Bai, I heard your Zhouye Investments also plans to bid for the 'Eaglet Cinema' project?"

"......"

Bai Xu hadn’t expected Cheng Ye to be the one to bring up this topic first. He paused while drawing a tile but didn’t deny it, "That’s right."

Zhou Yangfan understood the real purpose of this mahjong game. He followed Bai Xu’s lead and discarded a 'West Wind', probing, "Young Master Bai, that’s quite an appetite. There aren’t many companies in the entire city that can take on a project of this scale."

Bai Xu kept his eyes on the tile Shang Yanxiao played, his tone relaxed as he answered the question, "Mr. Zhou, you’re not the first person to say I have a big appetite."

"Oh? Who else has said that?"

"Zhang Songyang, Chairman Zhang of Juesheng Medical."

Bai Xu mentioned it as if by chance, "At that time, I was very interested in the AI medical project Chairman Zhang had, but the competitor was Chu Yuncheng from the Chu Group."

"......"

"......"

Cheng Ye and Zhou Yangfan exchanged a look, their expressions turning somewhat subtle.

Bai Xu pretended not to notice, "As a new company, Zhouye Investments might indeed seem to have little chance of winning compared to the Chu Group. Even Chu Yuncheng himself warned me not to touch projects he had his eyes on."

"But I don’t buy that. What’s wrong with being a small company? Who didn’t start from being a small company and grow step by step?"

Bai Xu glanced at each of them left and right, "Mr. Cheng, Mr. Zhou, wouldn’t you agree?"

Zhou Yangfan, hearing this, felt a strong resonance, "Of course. Our Yuansheng Steel started from an unknown small factory and grew step by step."

It was Shang Yanxiao’s turn to draw a tile again.

His brow twitched slightly, and based on his guess, he played a six of circles.

Sure enough, Cheng Ye, who had been silent until now, suddenly perked up, "Eat!"

With that, he took Shang Yanxiao's six of circles into his already forming sequence. The tiles fell into place a bit more, and his mood immediately lifted.

Cheng Ye’s lips curved slightly as he spoke frankly, "Chu Yuncheng relies on the empire old Chairman Chu fought to build. He’s never experienced the hardships of starting from scratch or hitting various walls, so his words naturally carry an air of arrogance."

Inside and out, no one knows how many people he’s offended.

Everyone only tolerates it out of respect for old Chairman Chu.

Thinking of this, Cheng Ye simply laid it out plainly, "Young Master Bai, you plan to compete with the Chu Group for that project? That might be a bit tough."

"Of course. But how would I know without trying?"

Seeing the topic already steering in this direction, Bai Xu spoke openly, "I know both of you are unwilling to offend the Chu Group, which is why you declined our company. But I still want to ask both of you—"

"If the Chu Group wins the bid, would they choose to cooperate with either of your companies?"

Zhou Yangfan, looking at his less-than-ideal hand, shook his head helplessly, "The Chu Group has plenty of projects, but their prices are also driven down."

With larger-scale projects, suppliers like them have to compete by offering lower margins, and even then, there’s no guarantee they’ll win.

Bai Xu noticed Shang Yanxiao was feeding tiles to Cheng Ye, and conveniently gave Zhou Yangfan a three of characters, "In that case, why don’t both of you try switching to a different partner?"

"Chu Yuncheng is the young master of the Chu family, but isn’t Second Young Master Chu also? Some positions, it’s not certain who will come out on top."

Cheng Ye caught on, "Young Master Bai, you mean…"

Bai Xu stopped just short of elaborating on the internal strife within the Chu Group and steered the conversation back to the project, "What I mean is, I’m willing to give up an additional point."

"Zhouye Investments needs a large-scale project to rapidly expand, develop, and build its reputation. Maximizing profit isn’t our primary goal at this stage. If we end up winning, then it’ll be a win-win collaboration for all three of us."

Zhou Yangfan still had some reservations, "But if we end up losing…"

The tent flap lifted once more.

Chu Yate walked back in, timing it perfectly, and proactively promised, "If we end up losing, I, Chu Yate, can guarantee that other project orders will still find their way to both of you."

"Chu Yuncheng wants to block your paths to profit, but I’m not like that."

Cheng Ye was slightly swayed, but a final hint of scrutiny remained in his expression.

Bai Xu wasn’t in any hurry for the two to decide, simply stating his position, "The 'Eaglet' bid may look like a clash between a rookie shrimp and a seasoned big fish, but who’s to say who will win and who will lose?"

As soon as the words fell, Shang Yanxiao, who had been silent for a long time, overturned the tiles, "Mahjong."

"......"

"......"

"......"

The gazes of the other four people simultaneously fell upon it.

Zhou Yangfan confirmed that the tiles were valid and clicked his tongue in amazement. "Mr. Yan, you win on your very first hand as a beginner?"

Shang Yanxiao looked at Bai Xu across from him, "Maybe spending time with Young Master Bai has rubbed off some luck on me. Ever since I’ve known him, it seems like he hasn’t lost a single 'bet'."

He smiled and added, "Didn’t Young Master Bai win when competing with Chu Yuncheng for the Juesheng Medical project last time?"

Bai Xu responded confidently, "Yes, and it was a smooth win."

At this point, what more was there for Cheng Ye and Zhou Yangfan to not understand?

The two exchanged looks, and the former was the first to make a decision, "In that case, I’ll take a gamble with Young Master Bai too. Mr. Zhou, want to give it a try?"

Zhou Yangfan thought for a moment, then made up his mind, "If Mr. Cheng is willing to try, why wouldn’t I dare?"

...

The mahjong game ended while the going was good.

Bai Xu and Shang Yanxiao left Zhou Yangfan’s tent together.

Only after they had walked some distance did Bai Xu curiously ask, "Shang Yanxiao, did you really never play mahjong before?"

"No. The Old Master was strict and forbade anyone in the family from touching any kind of card or board games."

Although mahjong is a national treasure, once money gets involved and addiction sets in, anyone who isn’t firm-willed can easily lose their way.

Shang Yanxiao gave a simple explanation, then turned the question back, "Don’t you believe this was my first time playing?"

"No, it’s just that watching you at the table, you played quite well. I think you learn things quickly."

Bai Xu offered his praise readily, then asked, "But earlier, you were clearly feeding tiles to Cheng Ye the whole time. How did you manage to win first?"

A subtle gleam flickered in Shang Yanxiao’s eyes as he replied, "Feeding him tiles showed I understood what he needed and was willing to extend goodwill for the sake of cooperation. But that doesn’t mean I’d give up the tiles I need myself."

In other words, cooperation in the business world isn't just about sacrificing one's own interests.

They do need to cooperate with Cheng Ye and Zhou Yangfan, but if the other side is unwilling or makes excessive demands, Shang Yanxiao would absolutely not keep dragging it out.

Bai Xu simplified the understanding, "Keep your trump cards, still want your own chances of winning to be bigger, right?"

Shang Yanxiao turned the question back, "Don’t you?"

Bai Xu didn’t hide his competitive spirit in the slightest, "Of course I do. That's why we’re going to win this project together."

Shang Yanxiao has never lacked strength or confidence, "We will."

...

The two returned to their tent.

Bai Xu picked up his change of sleepwear, "I just saw there’s one shower spot still free. I’ll go wash up first, and then it’ll be your turn, okay?"

Shang Yanxiao nodded, "Alright."

The uninhabited island didn’t have such high-standard facilities. The shower area was a small, temporarily set-up cubicle, with hot water pre-boiled and stored in buckets—only manual washing was possible.

Bai Xu gave himself a quick rinse and returned to the tent.

Shang Yanxiao was standing by the simple folding table. He had somehow found a small transparent bag and was patiently placing the seashells he received in the evening into it, one by one.

Bai Xu, drying his hair, approached, "Where did you get the little bag?"

"Asked the person in charge for it."

Shang Yanxiao shook the bag, making the mini seashells inside rattle. He seemed in a very good mood, "I just looked up the meaning of seashells online and found they do indeed represent 'wealth and safety'."

Bai Xu raised an eyebrow, "Hmm, being so thorough?"

Shang Yanxiao continued, "But I found out that giving someone seashells has another meaning too."

Bai Xu had never heard of so many different interpretations, "What else?"

The interest in Shang Yanxiao’s eyes deepened. Even though he knew it was just something made up online, he still said word by word, "I heard that giving someone seashells also means wanting to pursue them."

"......?"

Bai Xu froze in place for a good while before responding, "You believe things from the internet? How childish."

Shang Yanxiao leaned in closer, still teasing him with this line, "So, do you actually want to pursue me or not?"

Bai Xu avoided the intensity of his gaze, but his ears flushed with an unusual redness, "...No."

–

TL: Muji

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