DASFAM_108

Ding, ding, ding

As quitting time drew near, an international call notification suddenly chimed from the computer screen.

Bai Xu glanced over, casually pressed the answer key, "Hello."

"Oh, Young Master Bai is so free today? You picked up much faster than I expected."

On the other end of the screen appeared the face and figure of Chu Yate. Not having seen each other for several months, his hair had grown a bit longer, casually tied into a small short braid draped to the side, and the shirt he wore was still flashy and loud.

Clearly already the chairman of a conglomerate, yet he still looked like a carefree playboy.

Bai Xu let out a laugh, "Second Chu, you didn't call just to banter and chat with me, did you? It's almost quitting time over here in China, if there's something to say, say it quickly."

"Tsk tsk, that heartless face of yours, the batch of steel from Chairman Chun at the start of the year. I helped out quite a bit with that."

Chu Yate picked up a glass of whiskey and cut to the chase, "Alright, I have three things to tell you."

Bai Xu raised an eyebrow, "First?"

Chu Yate gestured, "First, the cooperation between Chu Group and Sun Miaochun's side has concluded smoothly. Does that settle the favor I owe you and Shang Yanxiao?"

Bai Xu's lips curved slightly upward, "The favor is settled, but the friendship remains, thank you."

"That, I like to hear."

Chu Yate took a sip of his drink and continued, "This second point, you haven't forgotten that you invested money in my friend's film and television company, have you?"

Bai Xu paused for two seconds, belatedly remembering the matter, "Mm."

It had originally been invested just for fun, and after returning to the country he had completely forgotten about it.

Chu Yate said, "When my friend came to me just now, he mentioned this matter in passing, said the company has two big-budget internationally co-produced films in the second half of the year."

"The specific film proposals have already been sent to your email, does Young Master Bai have time to take a look? You'd best also move your fingers and exercise your shareholder decision-making rights."

Bai Xu nodded, "Understood. Then what's the last matter?"

Chu Yate raised his glass toward the computer camera, "Based on the first point, I'll be making a trip to China sometime soon, Young Master Bai should know what to do, right?"

"Sure, I'll definitely fulfill my duties as host when the time comes."

Bai Xu agreed readily, casually picking up the water glass beside him and tapping it toward the camera, "Second Chu, let's leave it here for now, I'm about to get off work."

Chu Yate asked offhandedly, "What's the rush to get off work for?"

"Of course it's to get home sooner."

Bai Xu paused for two seconds, with a hint of deliberate showing off, "Oh, right, never mind, I know you wouldn't understand."

"……"

Chu Yate hadn't expected to receive a face full of second-hand affection even through a screen, and hung up the call without a word.

Bai Xu let out a laugh, and immediately heard his assistant Yan Cheng knock on the door, "Mr. Bai, the car is ready."

"Good."

Five minutes later, Bai Xu got into the car heading home.

He recalled what Chu Yate had mentioned during the video call, and casually opened the unread messages in his private email, sure enough, he found a proposal related to the film and television company.

He didn't care whether his investment in the entertainment sector turned a profit or a loss, but he still seized this brief window to read through it carefully.

The first project of the second half of the year was the China-Singapore co-produced mystery franchise IP, "The Bell Ringer," with a dual male lead setup, the well-known Chinese-descent actor Song Li was preliminarily set for one role, while the other was preliminarily set for a rising popular young actor in China—

"…Ye Zhen?"

Bai Xu muttered the name casually.

The driver in the front seat, who had not been on the job long, instantly took interest at this and seized on the opportunity, "Mr. Bai, you know Ye Zhen too? He's gotten really popular these past two years."

"My daughter never used to follow any celebrities, but starting from last year she became completely obsessed with Ye Zhen, bought a lot of products he endorses."

"Oh?"

Bai Xu didn't know much about this male actor, "Is that so? What dramas has he acted in?"

Yan Cheng, seated in the front passenger seat, had heard something of him, but out of consideration for accuracy he swiftly searched online, "Mr. Bai, Ye Zhen is an artist under Qingfeng Film and Television, he's been in the industry for less than five years."

"The television drama he starred in during the second half of last year was quite popular, and a New Year's film he appeared in this past Spring Festival also received a solid response."

The driver added, "My daughter says Ye Zhen does a lot of charity work, when the production crew isn't filming he even goes to remote mountain areas to volunteer-teach. I've seen his photos, he seems like a fine young man."

Bai Xu was not particularly interested, "Is that so? I don't really know much about him."

Yan Cheng noticed that Bai Xu's interest was low, and perceptively steered the conversation away at just the right moment.

Bai Xu read through the film and television proposal from beginning to end in broad strokes, and had just gotten ready to reply to the email saying it was fine, when the car came to a stop at the entrance of the villa.

"Mr. Bai, we've arrived."

"Okay."

Bai Xu thought that replying to the email could wait over the weekend, and put his phone away decisively, got out of the car and walked briskly into the house.

Shang Yanxiao was sitting on the sofa, and looked up to greet him the moment he entered, "You're back?"

Bai Xu loosened his tie, smiling, "How did you get back earlier than me today?"

"Came back an hour early to grab some personal items."

Shang Yanxiao glanced at his wristwatch and stood up, "There's a situation at the Haishi branch, I have an 8:40 flight later, I need to head over."

Bai Xu was surprised, "This sudden?"

Shang Yanxiao reached out and touched the side of his lover's neck, rubbing it gently with his fingertip, "Mm, I have to go in person, after all, it's still not convenient for Queyan."

Bai Xu didn't argue, "Alright, then go."

Shang Yanxiao brought up another matter, "By the way, there's also a charity gala tomorrow evening, seems there's an auction segment."

Old Master Shang had loved doing charitable work during his lifetime and was generous with money in that regard, so for galas like this, the Shang family had always been a regular invited guest.

"The season is changing and Grandmother isn't feeling well, Little Aunt doesn't plan to let her go out." Shang Yanxiao kept it brief, but respected his lover's wishes, "If you're interested and free tomorrow evening, you can go take a look."

"Me go?"

"Mm. You can go have some fun, however you're comfortable. If there's an auction item you fancy, feel free to swipe my card."

Bai Xu laughed, "Swipe freely? Third Young Master is really generous."

Shang Yanxiao kissed him on the lips, "The person is already yours, what does a little money matter? If you think it's no fun going alone, then ask Changning to accompany you, he loves joining in on the excitement anyway."

With the Zhang family's status and standing, they would likewise be invited guests at the charity gala.

"Alright, I got it."

Bai Xu responded lightly, and then thinking of Shang Yanxiao, "It's getting late, hurry to the airport, don't miss your time. Do you need me to take you?"

"No need, don't trouble yourself, stay home and eat in peace."

"Alright then, safe travels. Call me when you get to Haishi."

"Mm, I'll be back tomorrow."

"Good, I'll wait for you to come back."

...

Perhaps it was because the two had been together for so long, accustomed to each other's embrace and warmth, with Shang Yanxiao suddenly not there to sleep beside him, Bai Xu unexpectedly found himself somewhat sleepless.

But fortunately it was a Saturday, with no trouble of having to rise early for the office, and Bai Xu still slept comfortably until he woke on his own, then handled the remaining approval documents.

In the blink of an eye, it was five in the evening.

The charity gala was set to begin at half past six, and only when Bai Xu saw that the time was about right did he get up and start getting ready.

The walk-in wardrobe, not a small one, was filled with privately tailored haute couture pieces, ever since he and Shang Yanxiao had gotten together, the other party had required the design team to bring double the amount of clothes for him each time.

So it was that there were so many clothes he rather couldn't choose.

Bai Xu stared into the wardrobe and felt the difficulty, "A charity gala… should I dress more understated?"

With that thought in mind, Bai Xu rummaged from a corner and pulled out a private-label piece with understated craftsmanship to change into, then leisurely headed out right on time.

—Buzz buzz.

The phone vibrated, it was a text from Shang Yanxiao: "About to take off. Flight time is two and a half hours. What about you?"

Bai Xu's lips curved into a smile he himself hadn't even noticed, and typed back: "Third Young Master, no need to be so precise as to even tell me the flight time, I'm almost at the hotel where the gala is being held. Are you coming over later?"

"I'll go if I can make it in time."

"Alright, safe takeoff and landing."

Just then, the driver in the front seat announced, "Mr. Bai, we've arrived."

Bai Xu responded, and the car came smoothly to a stop at the Xinlai Mansion Hotel. The red carpet stretched from the hotel entrance all the way down, covering the steps and laid out beneath the car door.

A attendant stepped forward and proactively opened the car door for Bai Xu, "Welcome, honored guest. Please present your invitation."

Bai Xu handed the invitation over.

The attendant confirmed it without issue and immediately invited Bai Xu inside, "Good evening, sir. Please follow me."

"Sure."

Only after stepping out of the car did Bai Xu notice that barriers had been set up along both sides of the red carpet, and outside the barriers stood quite a number of young people carrying large-lens cameras and holding up light boards and banners.

Bai Xu was somewhat puzzled, "What is this?"

The attendant led Bai Xu into the hotel while explaining, "It's like this, tonight's gala has also invited some actors and entertainers, hoping to expand the charitable publicity through the star effect."

And the auction segment would be livestreamed online as well, also to broaden the public welfare campaign's online exposure.

"Those fans are all waiting for the actors they like, so the organizers specially laid out the red carpet, just as a formality."

Bai Xu's brow furrowed slightly, with a vague thought forming in his mind—

Using celebrities' fame to expand charitable exposure was perhaps a good thing, but how had tonight's charity affair come to involve yet another circle?

Had he known it would be like this, he wouldn't have come to join in the excitement.

But Bai Xu was not one to retreat at the last moment, he smiled, "Understood."

The words had barely fallen when the crowd of fans at the hotel entrance erupted into fervent cheering, it was unclear which high-popularity celebrity had arrived on the scene.

The venue for the gala was on the fifth floor, divided into two halls on the left and right.

The left hall was used for the exhibition of charity photographs and displays, as well as for guests to mingle and dine, while the right hall was set up for the charity auction beginning at half past seven.

The Zhang family villa was far from the hotel, and Zhang Changning was still caught in traffic at this point.

Bai Xu stood leisurely by the champagne tower, chatting through WeChat with his tardy friend.

"Just one more traffic light and I'll be there, no really, why is this road unusually congested today?"

"Heard the gala invited entertainment industry celebrities, probably fans who got wind of the news all rushing over here, so the foot traffic is a bit heavier."

Bai Xu picked up a glass of champagne and swirled it in his hand, casually joking with his friend, "I'm telling you, you'd be better off getting out of the car and running a few steps, rather than crawling along like a snail—"

He turned around absentmindedly, and unexpectedly ran straight into two figures.

Even though Bai Xu had noticed in time and stopped himself, the champagne in his hand still splashed out a few drops from the collision.

—Splash.

The haute couture white suit was stained with liquor.

Bai Xu's brow furrowed slightly, the apology on the tip of his tongue hadn't yet had a chance to be spoken before the other party struck first, "What's wrong with you? Do you not know how to watch where you—"

The young man in the white suit cut him off in time, "Xiao Xin!"

The assistant who had been about to make things difficult promptly stopped, and with an unpleasant expression produced a tissue from his person.

Bai Xu, setting aside the few drops of liquor on the back of his own hand, said out of courtesy, "I'm sorry, I didn't notice someone approaching from behind just now. White suits stained with liquor can be rather difficult to deal with, so how about this—"

He thought for a moment and offered a relatively sensible solution, "I'll have an attendant find a new suit for you first? As for the subsequent cleaning or compensation costs, I'll cover them?"

"Easy for you to say."

The assistant frowned while dabbing at the stain, muttering in both worry and irritation, "This is the brand's latest season haute couture suit, can you even afford to compensate for it?"

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