DASFAM_49
The afterglow of the sunset filtered through the glass, scattering across the office.
Xie Qi submitted the final version of the electronic bid to the official tender department of ‘Eaglet Cinema’ Only when the words ‘confirmed delivered’ appeared on the screen did he let out a long sigh of relief, "Done."
An employee craned their neck to ask, "Assistant Xie, was the submission successful?"
Xie Qi nodded and immediately looked toward Bai Xu and Shang Yanxiao, who were still in the office, "All set."
After qualifying for the initial round of bidding, they had refined the details of the tender documents within the officially permitted scope.
Although there were still three days before the formal on-site bidding and the submission deadline, submitting early meant easing the burden sooner. Once everyone confirmed the work was completed, they collectively sighed in relief.
Because the project team was established late, the time left for them was extremely tight—nearly three months.
Whether it was the bosses, Bai Xu and Shang Yanxiao, or the employees like Xie Qi and Kai Ling, everyone had invested tremendous effort. As the deadline approached, working late into the night and pulling all-nighters became common occurrences.
For everyone at this moment, it felt like a preliminary ‘liberation’!
Bai Xu glanced at Shang Yanxiao and spoke on behalf of both, "Everyone has worked hard during this period. Regardless of the final outcome, both Shang and I are very grateful for your efforts. Overtime pay and bonuses owed to everyone will be fully paid without any deductions."
"How about this; Tonight, Mr. Shang and I will treat everyone to dinner to celebrate our project's successful bid in advance! If we win the bid, the entire project team's bonus will be increased!"
Although Bai Xu was strict when it came to work, his approach to employee benefits was impeccable. His words both motivated and boosted morale.
The project team members were all energized, applauding and responding enthusiastically—
"Great! Thank you, Young Master Bai!"
"Long live Young Master Bai!"
Kai Ling took the initiative to suggest, "I know a great restaurant. Should I call to reserve a private room now?"
Bai Xu had no objections, "Sure, go ahead."
...
It was already time to get off work, and everyone started packing up their things, preparing to go for dinner together.
Xie Qi tidied up his own briefcase and looked at Su Yang, who was still zoning out at his workstation, "Su Yang, what are you thinking about? Hurry up and pack, we're going to eat together."
Su Yang was one of the six employees they had recruited later. He was also from China, and his academic records and work performance had both been excellent.
Three years ago, Su Yang and his girlfriend came to Singapore together to start a business. Unfortunately, the young couple's investment failed, and they even lost the money they had saved to buy a house.
Left with no choice, the two returned to their respective familiar workplaces.
Before joining Zhouye Investment, Su Yang had just been laid off from his previous company. So, after being exceptionally allowed to skip the internship and directly join this project team, he appeared particularly diligent and committed.
"...Oh."
Su Yang quickly turned off his phone screen, a flicker of hesitation crossing his expression.
Xie Qi's gaze sharpened behind his glasses, "What's wrong?"
"Assistant Xie, I might skip the dinner gathering for now," Su Yang pursed his lips, looking somewhat troubled, "My girlfriend and I have been arguing lately. We scheduled time to talk things out properly tonight."
Xie Qi asked with concern, "Nothing serious happened, right?"
Su Yang shook his head, "It's fine. We've been together for many years, and it's not our first argument. We'll sort it out."
"Alright then, we'll head off first. Contact me by phone if anything comes up?"
"Okay."
Xie Qi lightly adjusted his glasses, refrained from pressing further, and followed the others as they strode out.
Su Yang watched as all his colleagues from the company departed, subtly easing his breath. He entered the password and unlocked his phone again—
On the screen was the address and room number of an upscale restaurant, along with the scheduled meeting time for that evening.
"......"
Su Yang stared at it for a while, then hesitantly lost himself in thought once more.
...
Underground parking garage.
The team members got into cars in small groups, planning to head to the restaurant Kai Ling had booked.
Xie Qi quickly approached the vehicle where his bosses were, but instead of getting in right away, he knocked on the rear window, "Third Young Master, Young Master Bai."
Bai Xu rolled down the window, "Why aren't you getting in?"
Xie Qi glanced at Shang Yanxiao, who was in the same row, and spoke in a volume only those inside the car could hear, "Su Yang isn't coming tonight. He said he has something to sort out with his girlfriend."
"......"
Bai Xu immediately looked at Shang Yanxiao, raising a questioning brow, "Quite a coincidence, isn't it?"
Shang Yanxiao understood the underlying meaning, "At this critical juncture, it is indeed quite a coincidence."
Chen Yufei, sitting in the driver's seat, also had a general idea of the situation. He turned around and asked, "Third Young Master, why don't you go ahead to the restaurant for the dinner? I'll go upstairs and discreetly follow Su Yang? If there really is something else going on, I'll notify you?"
"No need. Following someone isn't really a good thing; if discovered, it could easily damage the employee's trust."
Bai Xu maintained the due respect for the staff he had hired himself. His eyes flickered slightly as he came up with a common excuse, "I left something in the office. I'll go back up for a moment. Wait for me."
Shang Yanxiao understood his intention and instructed in a low voice, "Keep your phone call connected."
On one hand, it would allow them to ensure Bai Xu's safety at any time; on the other hand, the recorded conversation could serve as evidence at certain crucial moments.
Bai Xu was uncharacteristically obedient, "En, I'll listen to Mr. Shang."
...
The last desk lamp went out, plunging the spacious office hall into darkness.
Su Yang walked out feeling his way, his hurried steps carrying an indescribable tension. Just as he was about to push open the outermost glass door, with a click—
The overhead fluorescent light suddenly turned on, and the entire office hall was restored to full brightness.
"......"
Su Yang quickly turned to look toward the main switch and was instantly startled, "Y-Young Master Bai, you... how are you here?"
At that moment, Bai Xu was leaning against the wall by the switch.
Meeting Su Yang's clearly guilty gaze, he pretended not to notice, "Su Yang, what are you up to?"
Su Yang's heart skipped a beat, "What?"
Bai Xu stared at him unblinkingly, the smile on his face lacking any real warmth, "I came back to the office to get something. You seemed a bit too focused just now, you didn't notice me coming."
Su Yang struggled to maintain his composure, "Sorry, Young Master Bai, I didn't hear you."
"It's fine. Xie Qi already told me. If you can't make it to the dinner tonight, there's always next time."
Bai Xu didn't voice any suspicion; on the contrary, his words were filled with concern, "Don't delay important matters with your girlfriend. If you're really facing difficulties, just tell me."
"Thank you, Young Master Bai. I'll head off then."
Su Yang nodded repeatedly and pushed open the company's outermost glass door to leave.
"......"
Bai Xu caught a glimpse of his hastily retreating figure, the chill in his eyes gradually sharpening. Before he could take any further action, the company's glass door unexpectedly opened again.
For some unknown reason, Su Yang had circled back. He looked at him with an expression that seemed hesitant to speak.
Bai Xu's gaze shifted slightly, "What? Did you forget something too?"
Faced with his boss's question, Su Yang remained silent for a long time before finally managing to utter a sentence, "Young Master Bai, I... I have something to tell you."
...
The decorative art clock on the wall swung to 6:30.
The assistant, barely suppressing the discomfort from the smoke, addressed Chu Yuncheng on the sofa in the private room, "Mr. Chu, it's already past the agreed time. Could it be they've changed their mind?"
As soon as the words fell, a knock sounded outside the private room.
Chu Yuncheng exhaled a plume of smoke, "What's the hurry? They're here, aren't they? Let them in."
The assistant opened the private room door. Sure enough, standing outside was Su Yang, looking nervous.
Su Yang clutched the strap of his backpack, masking his inner unease, "I'm here to see Mr. Chu. I have a meeting scheduled."
The assistant tried hard to conceal the trace of disdain in his eyes, "Mr. Chu has been waiting for you. Come in."
The private room door closed once more.
Su Yang looked at Chu Yuncheng on the sofa, cautiously reconfirming, "Mr. Chu, if I give you the item, will you really give me the 200,000 as agreed beforehand?"
"Of course. Do I look like someone short on money?"
Chu Yuncheng spread his hands open, then pointed at Su Yang with the hand holding the cigarette, "As long as you've handled things properly, not a single cent of the money owed to you will be missing."
There was a sense of condescending arrogance in the way he looked at Su Yang, "If I remember correctly, your girlfriend should be waiting for this money for a down payment on a house, right?"
"......"
Su Yang didn't respond, only handing over the memory card he had been clutching tightly in his palm, "Everything I could get is on the card."
"The project team's division of labor is very clear. Each section's content is finally consolidated by Team Leader Xie. Some things weren't within my access; I couldn't photograph them."
"Couldn't photograph them?"
Chu Yuncheng frowned in dissatisfaction, signaling his assistant to check the contents.
"I know what you need most. I peeked at it—" Su Yang forcefully suppressed the guilt on his face, speaking word by word, "The various quote sheets and the final bid price line. I memorized them. They're in there too."
The assistant quickly checked and then handed the tablet to Chu Yuncheng, "Mr. Chu, there is indeed data inside."
Chu Yuncheng held the cigarette and looked at the most crucial pricing data.
Although it was somewhat lower than expected, he understood in his heart that this data was likely eighty or ninety percent accurate.
Even so, Chu Yuncheng deliberately feigned doubt, "How do I know you're not trying to scam me?"
Su Yang choked back his words, "Mr. Chu, I want the money. What good would scamming you do me? And if I've done this, and if word ever gets out, what company would dare hire me? Why would I even come here?"
Chu Yuncheng chuckled, "Just joking, don't get mad."
He handed the tablet back to his assistant, instructing, "Alright, transfer him a 20,000 deposit first."
Hearing this amount, Su Yang's eyes immediately widened, "Mr. Chu, what do you mean by this?"
Twenty thousand and two hundred thousand—the difference isn't just trivial!
Confidential core data like this isn't something that can be measured by money in the first place!
"I have no other meaning, but doing business isn't charity."
Chu Yuncheng took another drag of his cigarette, leisurely exhaling smoke, "I need to confirm the authenticity of what you've provided after the on-site bid prices and the winning results are announced in three days."
"As long as they match, I'll have someone send you the remaining balance."
Su Yang's chest heaved for a moment, his face flushing with suppressed anger, "Mr. Chu, you're going back on your word! I need this money for the down payment on my wedding home! You can't screw me over like this!"
Money in exchange for the bidding data—that's what was agreed upon from the start!
He and his girlfriend have known each other since university, long past the age to discuss marriage. Deep down, he wanted to give her the best of everything, which is why he took this risk for the money!
Faced with Su Yang's angry accusations, Chu Yuncheng remained unmoved.
He slowly stood up, exhaling a cloud of smoke contemptuously toward his face, "In my game, I make the rules. Either you take the deposit and leave quietly, and I'll transfer the money after the deal is done."
"Or, after the deal is done, I'll make sure you can't survive anywhere in all of Singapore."
"......"
Su Yang choked on the smoke, his entire face turning a sickly green.
"Of course, you can also choose to tell Bai Xu about this, and then have the project team work overnight to revise the data and quotes because of your mistake. Let's see if they can still tolerate you?"
Given Bai Xu's temperament, Su Yang probably wouldn't dare to make a fuss after doing this.
Chu Yuncheng stubbed out the cigarette butt, "Two choices. Pick one."
Su Yang had no other choice, "Option one."
"Tsk, why not just agree earlier? Why make a fuss like a desperate beggar?"
Chu Yuncheng tossed the cigarette butt at his feet, discarding him after use, "Alright, you can go now. The deposit will be transferred to your account."
"......"
Su Yang saw clearly the despicable face of Chu Yuncheng, the ‘capitalist’, and choked until his neck flushed red. Unfortunately, an ordinary worker like him had absolutely no means to fight back!
Even with unwillingness in his heart, Su Yang still walked out without saying a word.
The private room door closed once more.
The assistant silently transferred the money to Su Yang using a different private account before seeking Chu Yuncheng's instruction, "Mr. Chu, can we trust this?"
"Whether we trust it or not, our original quote already has an advantage over theirs."
Chu Yuncheng chuckled coldly, "Whether it's Bai Xu or Chu Yate, they all act so confident, but in the end, their real capability is just this, isn't it?"
Just looking at this quote, their profit margin probably can't be squeezed any further.
Chu Yuncheng downed the last mouthful of red wine, "By the way, what time did we arrange with Mr. Sweet from the tendering party?"
The assistant answered truthfully, "Seven-thirty."
He knew Chu Yuncheng's real intention for meeting the other party and couldn't help asking further, "Mr. Chu, haven't we already obtained Zhouye Investment's bidding documents? At this critical moment, is it really necessary to arrange a meeting with Mr. Sweet?"
Before the formal bidding process begins, it's not permitted for the tendering party and bidders to meet privately; that's an unwritten industry rule.
If their private meeting involves undisclosed financial transactions, it would be an illegal act of malicious bidding!
"What do you understand? Our Chu Group isn't just competing against Bai Xu's company alone."
Besides Zhouye Investment, there's also a foreign-funded enterprise making aggressive moves, making it impossible not to guard against them!
The ‘Eaglet Cinema’ project is related to the future position of the chairman of the Chu Group. No matter what means are used or how much money is spent, he must ensure he can secure it!
Chu Yuncheng shot a sidelong glance at his assistant, "Focus on doing your job properly. Don't ask unnecessary questions. When I succeed, your promotion and raise won't be far off either."
A small shadow fell over the assistant's eyelids as he replied flatly, "Yes, Mr. Chu. Shall I call the driver now?"
"Mm."
...
In the blink of an eye, it was Tuesday afternoon.
As the largest foreign-funded project tender in Singapore in recent years, the ‘Eaglet Cinema’ bid has attracted significant attention from the Singaporean public from the very beginning.
The tender meeting was arranged at the Grand Hotel, inviting not only leaders from relevant departments and reporters from major media outlets but also many people from inside and outside the industry who came voluntarily to follow the final outcome.
In the elevator, Shang Yanxiao put on a black mask again.
Although this tender meeting wasn't broadcast live, the on-site recording cameras could still capture the audience seating.
In such circumstances, it was still necessary for him to be cautious.
Shang Yanxiao looked at the rising floor numbers, "Today, it all depends on you."
Due to his real identity, which still couldn't be fully disclosed for the time being, Shang Yanxiao couldn't conveniently take the main seat for ‘Zhouye Investment’ and could only blend into the crowd at the back of the venue.
This tender was attended by Bai Xu, Xie Qi, and Kai Ling together. The most crucial project presentation and representative speech were entirely handled by the first.
Taking advantage of there being no third person in the elevator, Bai Xu lightly patted the back of Shang Yanxiao's hand, "Leave it to me. You've already put in enough effort in the early stages; it's my turn for the final wrap-up. You trust me, right?"
Shang Yanxiao looked at his calm and composed demeanor and let out a hint of a smile, "Of course, I trust you."
Ding dong!
The elevator door opened with a sound.
The tiered hall on the tenth floor of the hotel was already filled with no less than a hundred people, and the scene did carry an indescribable imposing air.
Bai Xu walked to the check-in desk and signed his name with flair and efficiency.
"Young Master Bai."
Xie Qi and Kai Ling immediately approached, both deliberately skipping any address for Shang Yanxiao.
Bai Xu looked at his two capable employees, cautiously scanning the surroundings, "All set?"
Xie Qi and Kai Ling had an important mission and arrived two hours early.
In response to Bai Xu's question, Xie Qi deliberately lowered his voice, "All set. As you instructed, we re-submitted some of the bidding documents in the last half-hour before the deadline."
Bai Xu smiled satisfactorily, "Good. Have people from the Chu Group arrived?"
As soon as the words fell, a familiar yet tiresome voice rang out, "Young Master Bai, long time no see."
Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.
Bai Xu and the others turned simultaneously, meeting Chu Yuncheng's smug expression, "I heard Zhouye Investment has been exceptionally busy these past two months for this tender."
Bai Xu remained unruffled, "Same here."
"Though, it makes sense—"
Chu Yuncheng still held no good attitude towards Bai Xu and spoke without hesitation, "It's not easy to enter this tender. Just think of it as getting some exposure. For a small company like yours, it's a win-win anyway, right?"
Faced with such thinly veiled sarcasm, Xie Qi and Kai Ling were the first to find it unbearable.
Who didn't start from a small company and grow bit by bit?
If it weren't for your family background, Chu Yuncheng, could you have achieved everything you have today so easily?
Before they could voice their rebuttals, Chu Yate stepped out of the elevator wearing an especially eye-catching red suit, "Well, well, everyone's gathered at the entrance? Looks like I've arrived just in time."
Chu Yuncheng caught sight of the approaching figure, finding the red particularly glaring.
The relaxed expression on his face instantly twisted into one of disgust, "What are you doing here again?"
Ever since their argument in the group office last time, neither had spoken to the other.
Most crucially, Chu Tian had publicly announced he would step down from his position as group chairman by the end of the year, intensifying the overt and covert struggle between the two brothers.
Chu Yate gave Bai Xu a meaningful smile, then turned his focus back to Chu Yuncheng, "Big Brother, that's an interesting thing to say. This is a public tender venue. Isn't it perfectly normal for me, as someone in the industry who cares about this matter, to come and observe?"
Chu Yuncheng was displeased, "I'm warning you, on an occasion like today, you better not stir up trouble for our Chu Group!"
Chu Yate maintained his usual carefree and nonchalant demeanor, "On an occasion like today, of course I've come to watch a good show."
The last few words seemed to carry a hint of malice, uttered with particular emphasis.
"......"
Chu Yuncheng disdained to respond.
Bai Xu and Shang Yanxiao heard the emphasis in Chu Yate's final words and exchanged a knowing glance.
It seemed there was a ‘good show’ about to happen today that they weren't aware of?
Fortunately, a ‘final five minutes’ countdown announcement echoed in the hall, promptly halting this barbed exchange.
Bai Xu and Chu Yuncheng each led their subordinates to their designated seats at the front of the hall, while Shang Yanxiao and Chu Yate, acting as spectators, spontaneously paired up and found empty seats in the back row.
The tender meeting started promptly at 2:00 PM.
Following the prescribed procedure, representatives from all major companies participating in this tender had to stand and give brief speeches, starting with the Chu Group, first on the list, one after another, with Zhouye Investment coming last.
Due to the size of the tender hall, the organizers had thoughtfully prepared a large projection screen, allowing for a real-time display of the front-row scene.
When it was Bai Xu's turn to stand and speak, a ripple of quiet discussion arose from the crowd in the back row—
"What exactly is the background of this Zhouye Investment? Haven't seen them before."
"Probably just here to make up the numbers? I'm still more optimistic about local enterprises like the Chu Group this time."
"I heard it's a small company from China, but the registered capital listed on their official website is quite high. Not sure if there's other backing behind them."
"Who knows? Might just be a shell company used to launder some shady assets."
All sorts of comments, anything and everything.
Then another onlooker in the back row chimed in, "But this boss looks quite young, doesn't he? His delivery is pretty steady, though."
"Hey, this Mr. Bai is young and talented, and quite handsome. I wonder if he's seeing anyone? My niece is still single, maybe they could get acquainted?"
"......"
Hearing this, a slight ripple disturbed the calm in Shang Yanxiao's eyes.
He turned to the two company executives who had been murmuring and said abruptly, "He's married."
The two people sitting diagonally behind him didn't expect to be caught and awkwardly dropped the subject.
Chu Yate saw Shang Yanxiao's sky-high possessiveness and shook his head with a quiet laugh.
However, he still leaned over to speak up for his ally, "Indeed, Young Master Bai is my friend. I can vouch for that."
"Second Young Master Chu is here too?"
The two executives recognized Chu Yate and could only say, "Being married is good too. Settle down first, then establish a career."
Only after seeing them abandon any inappropriate thoughts did Shang Yanxiao expressionlessly turn back around, continuing to focus on the situation at the front.
The main process of the tender was predetermined and could even be described as tedious.
As competitors in the same arena, Bai Xu and the others had to concentrate fully, recording the various values presented at the meeting and conducting a small portion of the public bid opening. It was a mentally taxing task.
Time passed minute by minute.
Finally, Mr. Sweet, seated in the position responsible for the tender, was the first to rise, "Everyone, please take a ten-minute break now."
He announced on behalf of his other colleagues in the bidding team, "We will proceed with the final bid opening shortly. Thank you."
Sweet's gaze swept downwards, exchanging a subtle glance with Chu Yuncheng seated in the front row before quickly looking away and heading backstage with a pile of documentation.
Bai Xu caught the subtle exchange between the two and frowned sharply, "Something's wrong."
Xie Qi was startled, "What's wrong?"
Kai Ling grew tense as well, lowering her voice, "Young Master Bai, what's going on? Didn't you anticipate the Chu Group's underhanded tactics already?"
Moreover, they had already taken necessary precautions. Could there still be a loophole?
"......"
Bai Xu didn't rashly voice his speculations. His wary gaze involuntarily shifted toward the table diagonally across from them.
As luck would have it, Chu Yuncheng happened to stand up to stretch his limbs and also looked over.
Their gazes met across the distance. After three seconds, Chu Yuncheng actually took the initiative to close the distance.
He walked over to Bai Xu and tapped on their table with an incredibly arrogant and confident gesture, "Young Master Bai, why don't you all leave early? To avoid being displeased with the results later."
He was parading his power, afraid no one would know he viewed the project as already in his pocket.
Bai Xu's smile faded, "Is Mr. Chu that confident?"
Chu Yuncheng slowly leaned down, his arrogance growing, "Bai Xu, I remember telling you more than once, don't even think about touching what I have my eye on."
Bai Xu's competitive spirit ignited, "You did say that. But it was useless, even laughable."
"You...!"
Chu Yuncheng gritted his teeth, then swallowed back his unnecessary anger, "Fine. The results will be out soon. I'd love to see the expression on your face when you lose the bid."
Bai Xu's aura remained unyielding, "Really? I'm looking forward to it too."
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