DASFAM_56
The Old Madam Shang's sandalwood Buddhist beads, worn for many years, suddenly snapped apart and scattered across the floor amid the sharp crack of a slap, the clattering sounds sending everyone present's hearts into a wild frenzy.
Bai Xu, uncharacteristically abandoning his usual composure while watching the drama unfold, instinctively turned his startled gaze toward Shang Yanxiao.
Shang Yanxiao noticed his stare and silently shook his head.
It was well known that the Old Madam Shang had a famously gentle temperament, always lenient and warm toward her children and grandchildren. Whenever the Old Master lost his temper, she was the type to stand by his side offering counsel and quietly lending her support.
For her to suddenly lose her temper now, even raising her hand to deliver a slap, was proof enough that her disappointment and heartache had reached their absolute limit.
Shang Yun felt the burning sting on his face and stood frozen in disbelief.
In all his years of living, this was the first time the Old Madam Shang had ever struck him across the face.
Shang Songming immediately panicked and stepped forward, "Grandmother, what are you doing?"
Shang Keyi was also startled by the sudden turn of events, and after a stunned two seconds she spoke up, "Mother, let's talk this through calmly. A' Yun and I..."
"You shut your mouth!"
The Old Madam Shang cut off Shang Keyi's defense, "If not for the fact that you're a girl, that slap I gave your brother would have landed on your face too!"
Shang Keyi heard the displeasure in the Old Madam's tone and her face instantly flushed hot.
Wu Wei had originally intended to step forward and speak up for his wife, but before he could even move, Shang Qishun, who had already read the situation, quietly stopped him, "Dad!"
Father and son exchanged glances, and the latter gave a subtle shake of his head, signaling him not to invite trouble upon himself.
Seeing this, Wu Wei instantly abandoned the thought.
Standing diagonally across the room, Bai Xu happened to catch their silent exchange, and a flicker of contempt rose in his heart.
This father and son pair had actually taken self-preservation to such a degree? How utterly heartless!
The Old Madam Shang's voice of reproach rang out, "Your father had only just met with an accident yesterday, and the very same night the two of you were already scheming to push forward the shareholders' meeting ahead of schedule. Don't think for a moment that I don't know what's going on in your heads!"
"Do you two still have any regard for your father? Or for me, your own mother?"
"All these years, has this family ever left you without enough to eat, without enough to spend, or ever left you short of funds? That you would be so desperately impatient to scheme for everything?"
"I can see that you can't wait for your father and me to both be gone from this world, so you can divide the entire group between yourselves clean!"
"How could this family have raised such ungrateful, heartless wretches like you two!"
Each reproach came sharper than the last, every single one directed squarely at the pair of siblings standing before her.
Shang Yun's face had already swollen up. He breathed heavily and said nothing in return.
Shang Keyi likewise could not bear the loss of face from the scolding, flushed with shame, "Mother, what are you saying? No matter what, we are still your own flesh and blood."
The Old Madam Shang laughed out of anger, "You know full well what's in your own heart!"
It was precisely because they were her own flesh and blood that she felt all the more chilled to the core right now.
All these years, the Old Master Shang had distributed project opportunities equally among each branch of the family, never once playing true favorites. It was simply that some had carried things out brilliantly, while others could only tear holes in everything they touched.
And yet, not a single one of them knew contentment.
Now, their own father's safety could not even outweigh the position of 'acting chairman,' could not even outweigh the assets and properties that would one day be divided among them regardless. How could parents not be heartbroken by this?
The atmosphere in the conference room carried an indescribable weight.
Bai Xu observed the expression on the Old Madam Shang's face and inconspicuously nudged Shang Queyan at his side.
Shang Queyan was briefly taken aback, but quickly understood.
He walked step by step toward the Old Madam Shang, the prosthetic leg beneath his suit trousers emitting a faint sound, "Grandmother, please calm down. Whatever it is, let's sit down and talk."
As he spoke, he also held out a bottle of mineral water.
Shang Yanxiao naturally followed up, "Grandmother, your heart has never been strong. Please, you must take care of yourself."
When the Old Madam Shang caught sight of the two brothers, the chill that had filled her heart finally warmed by a degree.
When the third son and his wife were still alive, they had never harbored such crooked intentions, and the children they raised were equally grounded and accomplished.
What a pity, that white-haired ones had to send off the black-haired.
As the Old Madam Shang thought of her son and daughter-in-law who had already passed, her eyes grew faintly sore. She had no inclination to drink the water, and simply turned her gaze back to the pair of children before her.
"You as parents may be blinded by greed, but don't you dare corrupt my grandchildren. Even if the Old Master never wakes up, I will guard everything he holds dear."
"I'm laying my words down here today."
"The two of you can put this to rest for the rest of your lives. I will absolutely never hand the group over to your hands. You had better conduct yourselves accordingly."
The implication was clear: for the group and all other assets going forward, she would sooner pass them directly to the grandchildren's generation than ever let them fall into the siblings' hands again.
Shang Yun stood in a daze, while Shang Keyi's face drained to a ghostly white in an instant.
Shang Songming, being one of the grandchildren, heard these words and his own expression was hardly any better.
Shang Qishun lightly adjusted his glasses and spoke up at the right moment, "Grandmother, we know we were wrong. Queyan and the others are right, you absolutely cannot let your anger harm your health."
"Visiting hours at the hospital are nearly up for today. Shall we send someone to take you back first?"
The Old Madam Shang thought of her husband still lying in the intensive care unit and finally gave a nod, "Yes."
"Grandmother, I'll accompany you back," Shang Yanxiao seized the opening without hesitation, unwilling to yield any opportunity to Shang Qishun.
The Old Madam Shang patted the back of his hand and returned to her gentle tone, "Alright."
She lowered her gaze to the Buddhist beads scattered across the floor, and a flicker of suppressed unease passed through the depths of her eyes, yet she still held back the thought of bending down to pick them up.
Shang Queyan remembered to say his farewell to his elder brother, "Brother, then I'll accompany Grandmother over first."
Shang Yanxiao gave a nod, "Alright, Bai Xu and I will drive over a little later."
The conference room door swung open once more, and Shang Queyan supported the old matriarch as they walked out.
Shang Songming watched the scene with reddened eyes, and moved closer to his father in unwilling frustration, "Dad!"
Shang Yun forcefully suppressed the emotions churning within him, "We'll talk when we get home."
With that, father and son paid no further attention to the others and hurried out.
Shang Keyi took a deep breath, then turned to face Shang Yanxiao and Bai Xu with cold eyes, "The third branch really does play a fine hand at scheming! Just you wait!"
With that, she shot a cutting glare at Wu Wei and strode quickly out on her heels.
Wu Wei noticed his wife's fury and hurried after her, "Honey, wait for me."
Shang Keyi turned on him sharply, "Were you and your father both struck mute just now? You couldn't even say a single word on my behalf!"
The voices of husband and wife grew more distant with each passing moment.
Shang Qishun paid not the slightest attention to his parents' quarreling. The gaze beneath his lenses landed squarely and unwaveringly on Shang Yanxiao's face.
Their eyes met, filled with open hostility, yet it dissolved without a trace in an instant.
Shang Qishun let out a short laugh, enunciating each word deliberately, "Congratulations, on your recovery and discharge."
Shang Yanxiao replied calmly, "I must congratulate Eldest Brother as well. Your engagement is next month."
Shang Qishun continued, "Singapore's climate really does suit people. You lay in bed in the capital for so long without waking, yet barely two months after arriving in Singapore, you woke up just like that?"
Shang Yanxiao returned the question, "Is Eldest Brother unhappy that I woke up?"
Shang Qishun played along smoothly, "Of course not. I was originally worried you wouldn't be around to toast at my engagement banquet with Xiao Hui. Now that's no longer a concern, you must drink a few extra cups when the time comes."
"But of course."
Bai Xu listened to the veiled blades flying back and forth beneath their words and quietly kept his mouth shut.
Unexpectedly, Shang Qishun suddenly shifted his attention onto him, "Oh, by the way, I heard from a friend a couple of days ago that there's been a new company in Singapore lately making quite a strong name for itself, called Zhouye Investment?"
"......"
"I wonder if Young Master Bai has heard of it?"
Bai Xu heard the deliberately feigned ignorance in the question and answered lightly, "Mm, I've heard of them too. Their boss has a particular dislike for people who beat around the bush with false refinement."
Shang Qishun had not expected such a reply from Bai Xu, and the practiced curve of his lips actually bent into something more genuine, "After not seeing each other for several months, Young Master Bai is still as fond of joking."
Bai Xu raised an eyebrow, "I prefer being called 'Mr. Bai' over 'Young Master Bai'."
Shang Qishun adjusted quickly, "Mr. Bai's way of conducting business is quite reminiscent of Yanxiao. I almost suspected this company was founded by the two of you together."
Bai Xu deflected it straight back, "No need for your concern. This company is purely something I started on a whim to keep my hands busy. As for my style of doing things..."
He smiled with a meaningful air, "Eldest Brother will have the chance to experience it firsthand in due time."
Shang Qishun ran his fingers along the rim of his glasses, his eyes growing more intrigued, "Is that so? Then I'm quite looking forward to it."
Shang Yanxiao inconspicuously narrowed his eyes and cut in at the right moment, "It's about time. Bai Xu, we should head to the hospital. Will elder brother be joining?"
"No."
Shang Qishun declined graciously, "I have other matters to attend to. Please go ahead."
With that, he turned and walked out of the conference room.
The moment the private elevator doors closed, the hollow smile on his lips vanished without a trace, and the viciousness lurking in the depths of his eyes broke through all at once.
The elevator chimed.
The doors opened at the parking level. Special Assistant Xiao had been waiting for some time and stepped forward, "Young master."
Shang Qishun walked out a few steps with a dark, oppressive air, then stopped.
The assistant noticed the shift in his mood and immediately apologized, "Young Master, I'm sorry. I failed to monitor the movements of those two at the earliest opportunity!"
A month prior, they had gained complete control over Shang Yanxiao's movements in Singapore. Shang Qishun had guessed that the other party might carry a lingering fear of car accidents, and so had 'thoughtfully' arranged a generous gift.
What a pity that the driver had second thoughts at the last moment and lacked the nerve to follow through, resulting in a car accident with negligible consequences.
In the better part of a year that Shang Yanxiao had been absent from the group, the first branch had long since begun winning people over through every means available.
The Old Master Shang's sudden critical illness had been unexpected, but it was an opportunity they had waited a long time for. They had originally intended to seize the moment and take control of the group under the title of 'acting chairman,' yet had not anticipated that Shang Yanxiao would return to the country with such speed, and together with Bai Xu throw the shareholders' meeting into complete disarray.
Having reached the end of his patience, Shang Qishun drove his fist into a stone pillar, "All of it was completely wasted!"
The knuckles that bore the impact split open instantly, bleeding at once.
The assistant had never witnessed Shang Qishun lose control to such a degree and froze in shock, breath catching in his throat.
The seconds ticked by one after another, and the vast parking garage felt suffocatingly small in that moment.
Shang Qishun lowered his gaze to fix on his right knuckles, now stained red with blood. He let out a cold laugh and pressed the pad of his left index finger hard against the wound as if he felt no pain whatsoever, "Let's go."
"Young Master? Where to?"
"What time was the appointment with that woman?"
She was his girlfriend in name, his soon-to-be fiancée next month, yet in his mouth she was nothing more than a breezy 'that woman'.
The assistant caught on, "Miss Bai Hui made an appointment with you at five-thirty. She said she wanted to personally select the engagement gifts. As per your prior instructions, I have already sent flowers and a gift in your name."
"What a nuisance."
Shang Qishun impatiently took out his phone and photographed his bloodied right knuckles, then sent the image swiftly to Bai Hui.
"Baby, I've had a minor mishap on my end and got a little hurt. How about you go ahead and pick tonight? I'll wrap things up here and come keep you company a little later, alright?"
An utterly doting tone, yet his expression was one of complete and contrasting indifference.
The assistant had long grown accustomed to Shang Qishun's ability to switch faces in an instant and opened the car door for him without batting an eye, "Young Master, please."
Shang Qishun had already pulled himself free from the brief, fleeting loss of control, "Right, let's go."
The car drove off, and the VIP private elevator doors nearby opened once more.
Bai Xu was the first to step out, "It looks like Shang Qishun has long known about your 'act'. So why hasn't he exposed you?"
Shang Yanxiao replied with the mindset of someone sizing up a rival, "If he exposes my act, doesn't that mean I might return to the group and keep clashing with the first branch indefinitely?"
Bai Xu thought it over, "Fair enough. They'd sooner have you never set foot in the group again."
Shang Yanxiao held him back with a gesture, "Wait here a moment. I had the group arrange a car to pick us up."
They had only returned to the country in the early hours of the morning, so there was no car readily available for them to drive themselves.
Bai Xu gave a slight nod, then suddenly felt a warmth in his palm.
Shang Yanxiao had reached over and taken his hand, "Are you tired?"
Bai Xu's breathing slowed for a moment and he gave a noncommittal hum in response, "Shang Yanxiao, let go."
"Why should I?"
"We're not, we're not that kind of... that kind of relationship."
"Friends with benefits can't hold hands?"
"Why would friends with benefits hold hands?"
"You said before that friends with benefits don't need to kiss either, and yet in the end..."
"Alright, stop talking!"
Bai Xu's face flushed red all at once, cutting off their pointless exchange. He gave up struggling and let Shang Yanxiao hold his hand firmly, "So dumb."
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