DASFAM_53
Late night.
Capital International Airport.
Bai Xu had just gotten off the plane when he felt the cold air hitting him head-on. He took a light breath, "Sure enough, it's colder back home."
Shang Yanxiao seemed to have anticipated this, pulling a jacket out of his travel backpack, "Put this on quick."
Bai Xu took it and threw it on casually, "Did Queyan send someone to pick us up?"
Shang Yanxiao gave a nod, his expression showing no sign of relaxation.
That afternoon, they had suddenly received an international call from Shang Queyan. The Old Master Shang had suffered a sudden heart attack and was being rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment.
When the life and death of a loved one hangs in the balance, all pretenses become insignificant.
Shang Queyan had contacted Shang Yanxiao at the first opportunity, and both Shang Yanxiao and Bai Xu had immediately made the decision to return home.
They bought tickets for the next available flight, and right up until they boarded, Old Master Shang was still undergoing continuous emergency treatment.
Shang Yanxiao spent those six or seven hours on edge with worry. Fortunately, the moment they landed, he received a message from Shang Queyan:
Old Master Shang had been pulled back from the brink for the time being, but was not yet out of danger.
Shang Yanxiao looked at the newly arrived message in the chat window, put his mask and cap back on, "Let's go, Level B2, D121."
"Okay."
The two had returned in such a hurry that they had no checked luggage with them.
They took the elevator straight down to the parking garage on Level B2. Before they even began searching for the specific location of that parking spot, a long-missed, familiar voice rang out from beside the elevator:
"Brother!"
Shang Yanxiao quickly turned toward the source of the voice, and the tension gathered in his eyes dissolved in an instant.
Shang Queyan was standing right by the elevator doors, still in his formal wear with no time to change, his previously loose hair now combed into a neat side part, every strand in place.
Four or five months since they last saw each other, the pessimism and negativity that once marked his face had completely vanished. The proud, youthful spirit in his brow and eyes had transformed into steadiness, as though he had suddenly become a different person entirely.
Most importantly, he stood there before the two of them, straight and steady.
Shang Yanxiao's eyes flickered, "Queyan."
Shang Queyan walked toward the two of them step by step. Knowing what his elder brother cared about most, he lifted both his feet with particular ease, then calmly revealed the prosthetics hidden beneath his suit trousers.
"Brother, look. I'm fine now."
A simple few words, turning over all the heartache and pain of the past half year.
"......"
Shang Yanxiao was silent for two seconds, then stepped forward and pulled his younger brother into a firm, steady embrace, "Good. As long as you're fine."
Shang Queyan looked over at Bai Xu beside them. Gone was the awkward arrogance of before, "Bai Xu, long time no see."
Although he had long known from the book that the 'male lead' Shang Queyan would successfully rehabilitate and emerge even more accomplished, seeing it with his own eyes, Bai Xu still felt genuinely happy for him from the bottom of his heart.
"Long time no see."
He responded with a smile, his gaze sweeping back and forth between the two brothers, "I used to think you two didn't look much alike, but now, the more I look, the more I see the resemblance."
Shang Queyan said, "What brothers don't look alike? I've always looked like my brother."
In just that one line, you could still faintly catch a glimpse of that former proud, brother-obsessed side of him.
Bai Xu gave a light laugh and said nothing to contradict him.
Shang Queyan asked in return, "What about Xie Qi and the others? They didn't come back with you?"
Bai Xu explained, "It happened so suddenly. There are still projects to prepare for on the Singapore side. They'll come back once the handover is done in a few days."
The matter of Chu Yate taking over as chairman of the group was all but certain. The subsequent launch of Eaglet Cinema would proceed according to the contract and be completed jointly by both parties.
After all, the Chu Group had a stronger foothold locally in Singapore, making them better suited to handle the preparations.
Faced with Bai Xu's explanation, Shang Yanxiao simply gave a nod.
His thoughts were fixed on Old Master Shang's condition. He turned to the matter at hand, "How is Grandfather doing? How did he suddenly have a heart attack?"
Shang Queyan's expression turned serious, "Let's talk in the car."
"Alright."
The car door closed.
Shang Queyan, seated in the front passenger seat, signaled his assistant to drive, then turned to speak to the two in the back, recounting what had happened, "Grandfather collapsed in his study in the afternoon..."
Shang Yanxiao cast a wary glance at the unfamiliar assistant in the front seat and made no move to take off his mask.
Shang Queyan understood the silent implication in his look, "A' Quan is one of us. He can be trusted."
"......"
A' Quan?
Bai Xu immediately connected the name to 'Guo Wangquan' from the book.
As Shang Queyan's executive assistant, his outstanding abilities were a match for Xie Qi's. He had always been utterly loyal to the original male lead, with no divided allegiances.
With that in mind, Bai Xu went ahead and asked, "Who was the first to find him? Who had Grandfather seen before the incident?"
Shang Queyan answered honestly, "Grandmother was the one who found him first."
Shang Yanxiao immediately thought of something, "What about Butler Sun?"
The man was not only the head butler of the estate but also the Old Master's personal life assistant. Ever since the latter had gotten on in years, the head steward had kept close by his side nearly every waking hour of the day.
How had he not been the first to notice?
When Shang Queyan had been at the hospital earlier, he had made a point of pressing the butler on this very matter, "The head butler said that, at Old Master's request, he had gone to the adjoining tea room to brew a pot of herbal tea, so he had stepped away for a short while."
"He only came back after hearing Grandmother's frantic cries for help."
Since both of the elderly Shangs were getting on in years, the household had made special arrangements for a private physician, allowing for emergency medical assistance to be provided on the spot.
It was only when the ambulance arrived that Old Master Shang was taken to the hospital.
"The butler said that before the Old Master had his accident, he met with Second Uncle and then Uncle-in-law, one after the other separately. As for what was specifically discussed, he didn't know."
"Shang Yun and Wu Wei?"
Bai Xu quickly matched the two titles to their names, glancing at Shang Yanxiao, "What a coincidence, one from the second branch, one from the first branch."
A trace of suspicion settled in Shang Yanxiao's heart. He continued asking, "And Grandfather, what exactly is his condition right now?"
Shang Queyan's expression was far from relaxed, "Acute myocardial infarction, and a cerebral hemorrhage."
Bai Xu was startled, "Cerebral hemorrhage?"
In the original novel, it only said that Old Master Zhang had a heart attack and was hospitalized. It never once mentioned a cerebral hemorrhage!
Shang Queyan nodded with a worried look, "According to the doctors, it was likely because he was caught off guard when he collapsed and hit the back of his head on the study chair."
"Although the surgery was successful, he hasn't passed the critical period yet. It all depends on whether he can pull through these next few days."
"......"
Hearing about the Old Master's critical condition, Shang Yanxiao's breathing suddenly grew heavier.
Bai Xu sensed his suppressed anxiety and worry, and patted the back of his hand in comfort, "The Old Master is a man of good fortune, he will... be fine."
But by the time those last few words came out, he himself was no longer so sure.
Although the real situation and the timeline had shifted slightly, Old Master Shang had still fallen ill just as the story had unfolded in the book. If things continued down this path, wouldn't that mean...
Bai Xu didn't dare let his thoughts go any further, but the hand resting on the back of Shang Yanxiao's hand clenched involuntarily.
Shang Yanxiao seemed to sense his sudden unease and reached back to take his hand, "Yeah, he'll be fine."
For a moment, Bai Xu forgot to pull away. The warmth and pressure from their joined hands felt like a mutual anchor and comfort for them both.
"......"
Shang Queyan noticed the scene, his eyes widening ever so slightly before returning to normal.
Shang Yanxiao didn't catch his younger brother's brief flicker of emotion, "Are we driving to the hospital now? I want to go see Grandfather."
Before the words had even fully left his mouth, Shang Queyan shot it down, "Brother, you can't go right now."
Shang Yanxiao fell silent.
Shang Queyan spoke plainly, "Setting aside the fact that Grandfather is still in the ICU and it's not yet visiting hours for family, both the first branch and the second branch have people taking turns standing guard. The moment you show up, the cover you've kept for the past half year will be completely blown."
Shang Yanxiao let out a helpless sigh, "Do you really think that during all this time I've been abroad, the first branch and the second branch haven't noticed anything off?"
Shang Queyan replied, "Even if they have, the senior shareholders still don't know."
Bai Xu picked up on something wrong, "Have the other two branches already made their move?"
Shang Queyan looked at Shang Yanxiao and emphasized, "The news of Grandfather's serious illness has been kept under wraps for now and hasn't leaked to the outside world."
Old Master Shang was, after all, the one who held power over the Shang family and served as the group's chairman. Once news of his life-or-death situation got out, it would inevitably send the group's stock price into turmoil.
"But the first branch and the second branch have joined forces to push the shareholders' meeting, which was originally scheduled for the end of the month, to this afternoon."
Shang Queyan glanced at his phone screen, where the time had already ticked past midnight, and corrected himself, "To be precise, today at two in the afternoon."
Bai Xu let out a scornful laugh, "They're really that desperate to fight over the chairman's seat?"
After hiding for so long, the fox had finally shown its tail, the snake had finally flicked out its tongue.
Shang Queyan was equally contemptuous, "The polite way to put it is acting chairman. The harsher way is that even if Grandfather truly..."
He hesitated before continuing, "Truly doesn't make it, whoever manages to secure that position will have their hand greatly strengthened."
Guo Wanquan, who had been silently driving this whole time, suddenly spoke up, "The reason they're pushing so hard to convene it so quickly is probably because they're betting that the Third Young Master won't be able to make it back in time."
Abruptly moving the shareholders' meeting forward was a decision the two branches made out of nowhere at seven that evening. Going by the available flight schedules from Singapore with direct routes to capital—
It was no coincidence at all. It was perfectly timed to cut off Shang Yanxiao's window to fly back.
If Shang Queyan hadn't called the moment the accident happened, if Shang Yanxiao and Bai Xu hadn't swiftly decided to return to the country, they would likely have missed this whole show entirely.
If Shang Yanxiao missed it, he would lose his voice in the matter.
No matter how quickly Shang Queyan had grown and matured, how would that group of profit-driven senior shareholders ever easily trust in his abilities? Fighting alone would make it all too easy to lose the upper hand.
"Brother, listen to my plan just this once."
"Don't go back to the estate tonight. Better to be safe. Since you'll have to drop that disguise sooner or later, save it for the critical moment tomorrow and catch them completely off guard!"
Shang Yanxiao's capabilities, as he had demonstrated within the group over the years, were plain for all to see. Many had even privately acknowledged him as the likely heir to the Shang family group.
As long as he could show up at tomorrow's shareholders' meeting, the third branch was not without a chance of winning!
Shang Yanxiao was silent for a long while, but in the end he followed his younger brother's arrangement, "Alright."
...
To avoid tipping anyone off, Shang Queyan had long since arranged a private apartment for them. Assistant Guo passed Shang Yanxiao a slip of paper with the unit number and door code.
"Third Young Master, Young Master Bai, everything in the apartment is fully stocked. You can take the elevator on the left side straight up."
Shang Yanxiao nodded and looked at his younger brother, "It's getting late. Head home and get some rest."
Shang Queyan knew they had been exhausted from the long flight, "Alright, you two rest well. I'll contact you right away if anything comes up."
"One more thing."
Before getting out of the car, Bai Xu added, "Queyan, we should still arrange our own people at the hospital. Better safe than sorry."
Shang Yanxiao followed up in perfect understanding, "Get your Second Brother."
The hospital where Old Master Shang was currently staying was the same one where Zhang Changxu worked.
Shang Queyan agreed, "Alright."
...
The apartment door closed.
Bai Xu looked around at the layout, "Not bad. Your brother really knows how to pick a place."
No familiar response came from behind him. Bai Xu turned around and found Shang Yanxiao still standing by the entrance cabinet, unexpectedly lost in thought.
Bai Xu called out softly, "Yanxiao?"
"Hm?"
Shang Yanxiao snapped back to the present and handed Bai Xu a pair of disposable cotton slippers from the cabinet, "Winter's almost here and it's getting cold. Put these on first."
"Okay."
Bai Xu did as he was told.
He studied Shang Yanxiao's expression, noticing the faint heaviness in his eyes that refused to lift, "Something's been off about your mood since earlier. What are you thinking about?"
Shang Yanxiao paused for two seconds, then smiled, "I can't hide anything from you at all anymore, can I?"
As he spoke, he took out a pair of slippers for himself and switched into them.
Bai Xu raised an eyebrow slightly, "Spend enough time with someone and you naturally figure out the Third Young Master's temperament."
Shang Yanxiao gestured for him to head inside, "Then can you guess what I'm thinking right now?"
Bai Xu made a show of displeasure, "Tch. I was the one who asked you first. How did it turn into you quizzing me?"
Shang Yanxiao set his carry-on luggage beside the coffee table and chose to be straightforward, "I just feel that Grandfather has only just had his accident and hasn't even passed the critical period yet, and the first branch and second branch are already rushing to move the shareholders' meeting forward. What schemes they'll have at tomorrow's meeting couldn't be more obvious."
"If Grandfather were still conscious, I wonder how heartbroken he would be to see this."
Of everyone in the entire Shang family, how many had ever truly cared about his wellbeing? And how many had been secretly hoping, behind closed doors, that he would simply be gone?
"A' Xu, I don't want the first branch or the second branch to take that seat. But I also don't want to be the one who takes it this way, as a replacement under these circumstances."
The first reluctance was out of fear that the other two branches would use the chairman's position to deliberately suppress the third branch. The second was because he hoped Old Master Shang would wake up safely.
"To me, the position of group chairman is not what matters most right now."
Shang Yanxiao had the ambition to fight for it and the ability to hold it, but what he wanted more was for Old Master Shang to wake up himself and announce the future successor of the company.
As the elder he respected most, Shang Yanxiao genuinely hoped Old Master Shang would safely make it through this ordeal.
Shang Yanxiao took a deep breath, "But reality is right in front of us. I have no choice but to fight for the third branch's sake. There's no way out."
The arrow was already nocked. There was no pulling it back.
Bai Xu understood the filial devotion hidden beneath Shang Yanxiao's ambition, and something suddenly came to him, "Yanxiao, actually we're not without a way out."
Shang Yanxiao looked at him, "What?"
Within just a few seconds, Bai Xu had already formed a complete and fully shaped idea, "I have a plan that might be able to hold the current situation in check after the Old Master's collapse. Do you want to hear it?"
Shang Yanxiao's expression shifted slightly, "Go ahead."
Bai Xu pulled him down to sit on the edge of the sofa and laid out the plan he had just thought through, word by word.
...
Shang Group. Office building.
Fifteen minutes before the afternoon work shift, a few employees had gathered at the end of the corridor, chatting idly.
"You all saw the notice on the company intranet, right? Why did the end-of-month shareholders' meeting suddenly get moved up by nearly half a month?"
"Right? I just rode the elevator and ran into a few shareholders. Goodness, every single one of the executives had their faces pulled tight. I was so scared I could barely breathe, just shrinking into the corner of the elevator."
"Why do I keep feeling like something big is going to happen today?"
"Hey, let me share a little rumor. Just don't go spreading it around."
"What?"
"The old chairman had an accident yesterday afternoon. Probably doesn't have long left. That's why they rushed to call the shareholders' meeting, to figure out what to do."
"No way. Is that actually true?"
"All these years, the old chairman has given everything to this group. Has he ever missed a shareholders' meeting? But nobody's seen a trace of him today. Don't you find that strange?"
"Oh my goodness. So who's going to take over the chairman's seat? I..."
The door to the safety stairwell nearby suddenly swung open with a click, startling everyone into silence mid-sentence.
One of the employees recognized the person who stepped out, "S- Special Assistant Xiao."
The newcomer was Shang Qishun's administrative assistant. But why would he be coming out of the stairwell?
Special Assistant Xiao scanned the group and spoke coldly, "Do your own jobs. Don't go believing every rumor you hear and standing around here wagging your tongues."
The employee who had started spreading the news looked embarrassed, "U- Understood."
Special Assistant Xiao paid the group no further mind and walked straight toward the elevator bay.
Ding dong.
The private elevator doors opened, coming face to face with Shang Qishun, who was heading upstairs at the same moment.
Special Assistant Xiao greeted him respectfully, "Eldest Young Master."
The trace of gentle refinement Shang Qishun showed in public was gone. His eyes were sharp and venomous, "How did it go?"
Even though there was no third person in the elevator, Special Assistant Xiao still cautiously lowered his voice, "I've already spoken with Director Qi and Director Song."
Shang Qishun gave a slight nod.
Special Assistant Xiao continued, "Director Qi and Director Song both fought their way up alongside the old chairman from the very beginning. They carry considerable influence. As long as they stand on our side, the smaller shareholders will surely follow."
All that was needed later was to push the meeting to a vote. Based on the combined shareholding during the vote, the first branch securing the position of acting chairman would be in the bag.
Shang Qishun remained very calm, "Don't get complacent. The second branch will no doubt be making noise. The tallest tree catches the wind first. Let them speak up later, and we'll watch how it plays out."
Special Assistant Xiao asked, "And the third branch..."
Before the question could be finished, the elevator arrived at the nineteenth floor.
Shang Qishun quickly switched back to his polished, gentlemanly manner, "Let's go. I know what I'm doing."
"Yes."
The conference room doors opened. It was already almost full inside.
Shang Keyi spotted her son and gestured, "Qishun, over here."
Shang Qishun was in no hurry at all. Instead he went around the conference room greeting the shareholders big and small one by one with a smile, the picture of perfect courtesy.
Shang Songming, seated across from him, watched this performance with undisguised contempt, "What a damn good actor."
The words had barely left his mouth when one of the shareholders spoke up, "Everyone's just about here, aren't they? It's almost two o'clock."
Shang Qishun said, "Director Chen, please wait a moment. My fourth brother isn't here yet."
Shang Songming let out a quiet scoff, "His legs are useless anyway. Being late is only natural."
Shang Yun, seeing that his mouth had no filter whatsoever, warned him, "Enough. Mind yourself. Sit up straight."
"......"
Shang Songming, aware of how important today's meeting was, for once cooperated and sat up straight.
The conference room doors were pushed open again.
Shang Queyan walked in with his assistant, "Apologies everyone, I'm late."
One of the shareholders said, "Fourth Young Master, you're not late. You're right on time."
Shang Yun made a point of bringing up his inconvenience, "Queyan, you have trouble with your legs. Go ahead and sit down, don't tire yourself out."
"I'm still young. I'm fine."
Shang Queyan smiled calmly and walked steadily to his seat.
Shang Yun looked away and was the first to turn on the microphone in front of him, "Fellow shareholders, thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules. I'm sure everyone is already aware that my father was hospitalized yesterday afternoon following a cerebral hemorrhage, and the situation is currently not looking hopeful."
Old Master Shang's condition had been kept from the outside world for now, but it was no secret to the shareholders who had been invited.
"The group is about to carry out its final quarter work projects of the year. As a large conglomerate spanning many industries, someone must lead the important decisions going forward. So I consulted with my elder sister and we agreed that before my father recovers and resumes control of the group, the shareholders should vote together to elect an acting chairman to temporarily take over. What does everyone think?"
"......"
What does it mean to make something ugly sound beautiful? This was exactly that.
Hearing these high-sounding words, Shang Queyan lowered his eyes to conceal the cold light in them.
As the shareholders voiced their agreement one after another, Shang Keyi cut in concisely, "Everyone, are there any candidates you would like to recommend?"
It was a formality everyone knew the script to. But all those present understood perfectly well that this so-called vote for an acting chairman was nothing more than the Shang family fighting among themselves.
Before long, shareholders who had already picked their side made their pretend recommendations, one putting forward Shang Qishun of the first branch, another putting forward Shang Yun of the second branch.
As for Shang Queyan, the only candidate from the third branch, he had given no indication whatsoever beforehand.
The shareholders who supported the third branch exchanged glances, unable to hold back, "In that case, I would like to recommend the Fourth Young Master."
"Indeed, the AI medical project that the Fourth Young Master took on recently was even praised by the Old Chairman."
Shang Songming, never one to hold back, jabbed, "Fourth brother has been handling group affairs for less than half a year. He's still lacking in experience. Better to choose my eldest brother."
The first half dismissed Shang Queyan. The second half was an attempt to draw resentment toward Shang Qishun.
Shang Qishun smiled faintly, "Queyan has the ability. I recommend him as well."
Shang Songming forced a stiff smile, "Eldest Brother really has such a gracious manner."
Shang Keyi answered on behalf of her son, "Qishun, I think you have what it takes to hold your own against your father too. This group's future ultimately belongs to you young people."
Shang Songming was stumped and said nothing more.
Shang Queyan waited for them to settle down, then pressed the microphone in front of him, "Fellow shareholders, I am aware of my own limitations, so I will not be putting myself forward in this election."
The moment those words left his mouth, all eyes in the room turned to him.
The few shareholders who had aligned with the third branch could not hide their disappointment, "Fourth Young Master, are you sure you've thought this through?"
Just like that, stepping aside without a fight? How can a young man get anywhere without some backbone? If it were the Third Young Master, he would never back down like this.
The father and son of the second branch exchanged a glance, inwardly stunned.
He gave up that easily? They had expected him to fight for the third branch no matter what. Turned out he really was a coward.
Seated across from him, Shang Qishun heard his decision and a flicker of something dark passed through his otherwise gentle eyes, "This is bad."
Those beside him, including Shang Keyi, caught his quiet murmur and couldn't help turning to look, "What do you mean, bad?"
Before the words had settled, Shang Queyan spoke up again, "However, since everyone present has the right to make a recommendation, I would like to put forward someone else."
Someone pressed, "Who?"
"My brother."
"What?"
A single stone sent a thousand ripples across the water.
Shang Queyan's gaze swept slowly across the entire conference room, word by word, "Former general manager of Shang Group's Venture Capital Division. Shang Yanxiao."
As though the timing had been calculated deliberately, the tightly shut conference room doors suddenly swung open.
The restless crowd caught sight of the long-absent figure in the doorway. Without exception, every face in the room shifted. A silence born of shock spread into every corner.
"......"
Now the Shang Group was truly about to descend into chaos.
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