Fourteen Fourteen

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14
Quan Shaobo’s voice was standard Mandarin, tinged with a casual Beijing accent, sounding lazy and unhurried. Paired with his devilishly handsome face, even his offhand remarks carried a teasing charm.
Director Sun smiled and said, “That’s him. A senior in the Finance Department, engaged to Young Master Lian.”
“Lian Sheng?”
Quan Shaobo looked at Xia Songbai with interest.
Having overheard the conversation between Xia Songbai and Sun Zhe, he initially thought Xia Songbai was some fool obsessed with love. But upon closer observation, he found Xia Songbai was quite different from what he imagined.
While Quan Shaobo spoke with Sun Zhe, Xia Songbai stood quietly to the side, eyes lowered, his gentle face glowing softly under the warm sunlight, exuding a calm and tender air.
From Quan Shaobo’s perspective, Xia Songbai’s pointed chin resembled a crescent moon, his hair jet black and surely as smooth as silk when running fingers through it.
Fiancé of Lian Sheng?
Quan Shaobo smiled faintly. “I remember the Xia family was in shipping?”
The Xia family had once ridden on a powerful back and tasted a slice of the shipping business, but after that backer fell, the Xia family declined sharply. Their shipping business was taken over in bits and pieces and barely left anything.
Quan Shaobo could still recall this; those playing major roles indeed have sharp memories.
Xia Songbai smiled shyly.
Quan Shaobo didn’t press further and walked over to Director Sun. “Since we’ve met, let’s go together.”
Director Sun was naturally willing and seemed quite familiar with Quan Shaobo. After a brief chat, Quan Shaobo suddenly asked Xia Songbai, “What’s your WeChat?”
Xia Songbai: “Huh?”
Quan Shaobo: “Add me. Next time you post on Moments, I’ll give you a like.”
Before Xia Songbai could answer, Quan Shaobo had already pulled out his phone and opened the QR code page.
Seeing Xia Songbai hesitate, Quan Shaobo smiled and glanced at him. “Scan it.”
His fingers were long and slender, veins pronounced on the back of his hand, radiating strength and tension, contrasting sharply with the simple Buddhist beads he wore.
The original text mentioned his mother was a devout Buddhist, raising him amidst ancient lamps and scriptures. A master said he had a Buddha nature and a connection to Buddha. When the master tried to save him, he refused but accepted to be a registered disciple instead.
Xia Songbai, barely noticeable, glanced at Quan Shaobo’s thick hair and took out his own phone, scanning the code and sending a friend request.
Quan Shaobo immediately accepted the request in front of him, glanced at his WeChat name, and smiled: “Xia Ci Yi Ding? Looks like you get a lot of invites.”
How did he come to that conclusion?
Xia Songbai chuckled awkwardly, “Just a random name.”
Quan Shaobo said, “Then I’ll change your remark.”
[Fa Hai patted ‘Xiao Qing’.]
Fa Hai?
Xiao Qing?
Xia Songbai almost worshipped Quan Shaobo’s naming creativity.
The most ridiculous part was that Quan Shaobo’s WeChat avatar was actually a still of Fa Hai from “The Legend of the White Snake”!
Quan Shaobo asked him, “Not bad, huh?”
Xia Songbai paused, then said, “Better than being Bai Suzhen.”
He didn’t want to be trapped under Leifeng Pagoda.
Quan Shaobo also paused, then laughed aloud.
His laugh was pleasant, a lazy low tone that caught the ear. Looking into Xia Songbai’s eyes, it was filled with amusement: “Don’t worry, I won’t catch you.”
Even if he did, he wouldn’t use the pagoda.
That would be far too wasteful.
Director Sun, who had been gossiping earlier, now listened quietly to the chat between Quan Shaobo and Xia Songbai, without interrupting, smiling warmly as he led them into the banquet hall and up to a private room on the second floor.
There weren’t many people inside, and everyone stood to greet Quan Shaobo as he entered.
Quan Shaobo sat down and said to Xia Songbai, “Your school has good Cantonese chefs. The crispy pigeon and pomfret are authentic.”
Xia Songbai replied slowly, “Then I’ll eat a bit more later.”
Quan Shaobo smiled again, “You’re quite interesting.”
That remark was a little hard to read, so Xia Songbai could only respond with a smile. Quan Shaobo called a waiter and ordered a bowl of fresh fruit with bird’s nest. Xia Songbai was inwardly surprised that Quan Shaobo liked sweets, but when the dish arrived, Quan Shaobo motioned for it to be placed in front of Xia Songbai.

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Quan Shaobo: “This is good too, try it.”
Xia Songbai suspiciously took a spoonful and found it indeed delicious.
If only Quan Shaobo wouldn’t prop his chin up and keep staring at him.
Quan Shaobo’s gaze was familiar. Xia Songbai thought for a moment and finally recalled.
When he fed kittens and puppies, Quan Shaobo’s look was exactly the same—full of tenderness!
Xia Songbai: …
Endure.
Suddenly, the private room door opened. The principal entered first, and everyone stood up. Xia Songbai also rose and saw Shen Tingzong behind the principal.
Surrounded by many, Shen Tingzong still stood out like a crane among chickens, sharply contrasting with the crowd.
This was the difference between a major antagonist and an extra.
Xia Songbai smiled at him.
Though he wasn’t sure if Shen Tingzong noticed, he wanted to make a good impression, even if no one appreciated it.
Quan Shaobo lagged behind the others and only lazily stood up as Shen Tingzong entered.
The principal was approachable both on and off stage, smiling warmly: “Please, have a seat.”
Then to Shen Tingzong, “Mr. Shen, please.”
Shen Tingzong took his seat without ceremony. The head position was empty, but he sat to the left of the main seat.
The principal was about to invite him to the main seat, but Shen Tingzong looked at Xia Songbai: “Xia, come over.”
Xia Songbai had been sitting beside Quan Shaobo, who was next to the right of the main seat—after the principal and Shen Tingzong, he was the highest-ranking person at the table.
But now Shen Tingzong had arrived.
When he spoke, Xia Songbai glanced at Quan Shaobo, then obediently stood and sat beside Shen Tingzong.
Quan Shaobo’s expression barely changed, only casually playing with his Buddhist beads, turning each bead slowly.
He’s angry!
In the original, Quan Shaobo was known for unpredictable moods, but his true feelings were hard to read. When angry, he only fiddled with his beads but kept grudges deeply in his heart—a handsome man with a ruthless heart.
Is this angry?
They barely knew each other. Obviously, Director Sun brought him here because of Shen Tingzong. So it was natural for Xia Songbai to sit beside Shen Tingzong.
Xia Songbai couldn’t understand.
Perhaps this was the difference between a big shot and a minor player like himself.
The principal glanced between Shen Tingzong, Quan Shaobo, and Xia Songbai, smiled as if he thought of something, and didn’t press Shen Tingzong further, then sat in the main seat himself.
Today’s banquet honored only Shen Tingzong and Quan Shaobo as guests of distinction; everyone else was company. There was none of the usual boisterous toasting and drinking culture.
—Who would dare force those two to drink?
Without drinking, the atmosphere was more refined, and the conversation was all business.
Xia Songbai listened carefully and understood: officially, the school was witnessing and facilitating cooperation between Chonghe and Quan Shaobo.
In reality, the three represented three parties: Quan Shaobo represented a central SOE from Beijing, the school represented the local government in the port area, and Shen Tingzong represented a local financial consortium.
The Hong Kong government mediated this cooperation between the central SOE and Chonghe. Such a deal was not mere business; it required state-level approval. If successful, government-tilted resources would far surpass ordinary commercial cooperation.
Xia Songbai knew his place and didn’t speak, focusing on eating.
No wonder Quan Shaobo praised the chefs by name—the dishes were indeed delicious, each a masterful creation, with no pre-made shortcuts.
There were many dishes on the table, but few diners. Xia Songbai stared at a plate of silverfish tofu slowly rotating toward him, feeling conflicted.
Should he eat it? It looked awkward to pick up. If he missed, it would be embarrassing as the table rotated away.
He looked twice but decided not to eat it.
Beside him, Shen Tingzong was chatting with the principal but seemed to have eyes in the back of his head. He casually pressed on the rotating tray, an electric turntable, and the plate stopped directly in front of Xia Songbai.
?
Xia Songbai looked at Shen Tingzong. Since he did nothing, Shen Tingzong switched to using serving chopsticks, picked up the tofu, and placed it on Xia Songbai’s plate.
The whole process was smooth, and the tofu remained intact.
!
A worthy big boss! Even serving the dish was done with excellence.

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Xia Songbai whispered, “Thank you.”
Shen Tingzong smiled and continued talking with the principal, his demeanor as if helping Xia Songbai serve food was the most natural thing in the world.
Suddenly, Director Sun stood up, startling Xia Songbai, who feared he might be accused of being a freeloader.
Director Sun said, “Almost forgot, Young Master Lian is here today too. I’ll go fetch him.”
Right, wasn’t Lian Sheng supposed to discuss matters with the principal today?
Xia Songbai had completely forgotten about his fiancé and was now curious where Lian Sheng had been.
–
Outside the banquet hall, Lian Sheng was on the phone, looking frustrated.
The call went unanswered, and with a furrowed brow, he dialed another number. “Still no sign of your brother?”
The other end was Ning Qing’s younger brother, Ning Lang.
Ning Qing was from mainland China, their family from the Fujian coast. Ning Lang spoke with a heavy accent, making it hard for Lian Sheng to understand him. He finally caught, “Brother said he went out to clear his mind. We looked in all the places he usually goes, still no sign.”
Yesterday, after talking with Ning Qing and promising never to see him again, today Ning Qing disappeared.
It was as if he was threatening Lian Sheng.
Lian Sheng knew he should despise Ning Qing’s behavior, but his heart couldn’t help but leap with excitement.
Ning Qing wasn’t as cold as he appeared on the surface; he couldn’t let go of him either!
Ning Qing’s family background was even more dismal than Xia Songbai’s—remember, the Xia family was already Lian Sheng’s limit.
The tough men that night were debt collectors sent by the Ning family’s creditors. Ning Qing’s father was a gambler, sinking into high-interest loans piling up endlessly. Ning Qing’s lifetime earnings by Lady Lian barely filled the bottomless pit.
Lian Sheng could pay off the debts and even arrange for someone to watch over Ning Qing’s irresponsible father. But such a family was unacceptable even to ordinary people, let alone the Lian family.
Rationally, Lian Sheng knew he should stay away from Ning Qing. After all, he already had Xia Songbai, and Ning Qing’s family mess wasn’t presentable.
But deep inside, some dormant emotion urged him not to miss Ning Qing—this might be the only time in his life he truly felt a heartbeat.
Almost without thinking, Lian Sheng said, “I’ll come right away…”
Behind him, Director Sun’s voice came: “Nephew, why are you here? The principal is free now. Let’s go in together.”
Lian Sheng paused. On the phone, Ning Lang asked if he was coming.
Director Sun approached with a smile.
Lian Runwen’s illegitimate sons had grown up. If this time he couldn’t satisfy Lian Runwen, his position in the Lian family would be precarious.
Lian Sheng hesitated, then said, “I’ll send someone to help you look. If anything happens, call me immediately.”
Director Sun was unaware of the internal struggle Lian Sheng had gone through. Having almost forgotten him, he now treated him especially kindly: “Nephew, you don’t know how busy it is today. If I hadn’t found the chance to tell the principal, he might not have had time to see you.”
Lian Sheng hung up and forced a smile. “Thanks, Uncle Sun.”
Director Sun laughed heartily and led Lian Sheng inside, telling him who was present. Lian Sheng was surprised Shen Tingzong attended such an event; if Lian Runwen knew, he would surely come personally.
As for Quan Shaobo, Lian Sheng had dealt with him and found him difficult, but since he was the most outstanding in the Quan family, reputed as the head of the Beijing elite, even the government’s trade business was entrusted to him. Though close in age to Lian Sheng, he was already a powerful figure capable of handling things independently.
With these two present, no wonder Sun Zhe treated him coldly.
Lian Sheng’s expression remained unchanged, but he noted Sun Zhe’s behavior today and planned to repay it when the opportunity arose.
Director Sun opened the door, glanced inside, and said, “Nephew, you’re a bit late. Look where you can sit.”
There was still a seat at the table, but seating order mattered. When it came to business, Lian Sheng was flexible: “I’ll sit here.”
He took the seat directly opposite the main seat—usually for attendants or runners to easily serve dishes. Had he come earlier, he wouldn’t have taken such a seat. But now everyone was seated, making a special arrangement for him would be too deliberate.
Director Sun smiled, “Then you’ll have to endure a bit, nephew.”
Lian Sheng smiled faintly, but his eyes were cold with no humor. His gaze suddenly caught a familiar figure.
Xia Songbai was sitting beside the main guest, his position far superior to Lian Sheng’s.
Lian Sheng thought he must be mistaken until he saw Shen Tingzong beside Xia Songbai, familiarly picking up a piece of steamed grouper and placing it onto Xia Songbai’s plate.
Lian Sheng: …
He must be seeing things.
Who’s serving whom?!