Chapter 12 – Losing Business

Jiang Ruo was certain that Xi Yufeng couldn’t possibly ignore such a direct provocation right in his face.

But he hadn’t thought about an escape route. When he tried to retreat and found himself immobile, with an arm wrapped around his waist from behind, Jiang Ruo felt a momentary panic.

The hand on his shoulder turned into a push, a subconscious action that, in Xi Yufeng’s eyes, seemed like an invitation with a hint of resistance.

He reminded Jiang Ruo, “Stand steady, don’t fall again.”

Then he released his hold, allowing Jiang Ruo to step back two paces.

As the distance widened, Jiang Ruo suddenly became lucid, annoyed at his previous loss of composure. He immediately sought to regain the upper hand. “That was just acting, Mr. Xi wouldn’t confuse acting with reality, would he?”

Xi Yufeng didn’t answer, only gazing at him quietly, his deep pupils showing no ripples.

It was as though the suggestive words spoken earlier hadn’t come from his mouth. Once he let go, he broke free from the playboy persona, returning to the extreme coldness.

Without a word, he demonstrated through action how to distinguish between acting and reality.

A familiar chill struck Jiang Ruo’s heart, leaving him unable to smile.

Still, he managed to tug at the corner of his mouth, intending to make up for it, but it came across more as petulance.

He could ridicule and mock ten thousand times without repeating himself, but when the other party didn’t take it to heart, the verbal sparring held no joy.

Before setting out, Xi Yufeng pulled a cigarette from his pocket and lit it by spinning the lighter.

Just as he put it to his lips, it was snatched away by Jiang Ruo and stuffed into his own mouth.

“Thanks for the hospitality these past two days, Mr. Xi.” This time, it was a genuine farewell, and Jiang Ruo was relaxed. “I’m very satisfied, see you next time.”

With those words, he turned his back and walked forward, his steps quicker than before.

Jiang Ruo didn’t know how to smoke. Drawing in a breath sharply, the intense tobacco flavor invaded his lungs, choking him. This was followed by a violent cough, nearly bringing tears to his eyes.

Something that had seemed so alluring from a distance was unexpectedly repulsive in his mouth.

Thus, Xi Yufeng, already seated in the car, caught a glimpse of Jiang Ruo tossing a cigarette that had barely burned a third of its length into the trash bin as the car turned around.

The flickering flame instantly extinguished, the slender silhouette sank into the darkness, disappearing in an instant.

For the following week, Xi Yufeng shuttled between various conference tables, handling stacks of documents that piled up like mountains, hardly having a moment to spare.

During this time, Xi Chengli visited the company twice. One visit was to clean up after Xi Wangchen, dealing with the mess left behind by a failed collaboration. The other visit was to find Xi Yufeng, also conveniently cleaning up after Xi Wangchen.

In business, Xi Yufeng never mixed personal feelings, and because their goals were aligned, their conversation was harmonious.

At the end, Xi Chengli veered off topic, almost cautiously, “If you don’t have any engagements tonight, come home for dinner.”

Home referred to the main house on South Mountain. Since the last unpleasant departure, Xi Yufeng hadn’t been back for over a month.

He still didn’t plan on returning today. Xi Yufeng said, “Tonight, I’m going to the Meng family’s place; Aunt Meng has just been discharged from the hospital.”

Meng Chao’s mother had spent five days in the hospital but was recovering well. Meng Chao invited Xi Yufeng for dinner, saying that the elders at home wanted to thank him for finding a contact at the hospital to help out.

Hearing that Xi Yufeng was going to the Meng family’s place, Xi Chengli nodded. “Then go ahead, you can return home another day.”

At least, it confirmed that Xi Yufeng still maintained ties with the Meng family, and there was no need to worry about the relationship between the two families.

After finishing work for the day, while descending in the elevator, Xi Yufeng encountered Xi Wangchen in the underground parking lot.

Apparently waiting specifically here, Xi Wangchen quickly approached Xi Yufeng’s side, walking alongside him. “Brother, you’re really a good person.”

Xi Yufeng glanced at him.

“Dad didn’t scold me today, I knew you must have been speaking well of me in front of him,” Xi Wangchen said with a grin.

Xi Yufeng asked, “Why would I speak ill of you?”

“Just to drag me down with you, Dad is that kind of person, who’s been a leader all his life, feeling uncomfortable if he doesn’t find someone to berate every day.” At this point, Xi Wangchen’s expression fell. “You have no idea how harshly I’ve been scolded during your absence at home.”

Xi Yufeng indeed didn’t know and didn’t want to know. His younger brother was loose-lipped, his words always laced with a mix of jokes and calculations. But limited by his insufficient intelligence, the methods he employed weren’t particularly sophisticated, and Xi Yufeng didn’t take him seriously at all.

“So?” he responded half-heartedly. “Then why don’t you try harder, achieve something to shut his mouth.”

“Hmph, sounds easy, if I had half of your abilities, I wouldn’t be…” Xi Wangchen began making exaggerated facial expressions, clearly hinting, “How about you help me with the Rongsheng project? We’ll split the profit fifty-fifty.”

His face was practically screaming “test”.

Xi Yufeng played along, considering it. “Let me think about it. Originally, I shouldn’t agree, but I’m short on cash recently, every penny earned counts.”

Upon arriving at the Meng family’s place, Xi Yufeng simplified this conversation for Meng Chao, who laughed so hard he slapped his thigh. “Your lie is too far-fetched, who doesn’t know that Little Chairman Xi holds twenty percent of the original shares, plus what your mother left you, it’s probably over thirty percent, right? How could you be short on money?”

“Who doesn’t know I recently took up someone?” Xi Yufeng said.

The experienced Meng Chao immediately understood. “Also true, keeping someone is quite expensive, especially when it includes grooming.”

An image of that silhouette sinking into the night spontaneously surfaced in front of his eyes, along with the person’s repeated questioning, which could be interpreted as ungrateful. Xi Yufeng lightly touched the cigarette with his index finger, flicking the ashes into the ashtray.

Then he chuckled for no apparent reason.

Such banter among the rich and idle was not brought to the dining table.

The Meng family had a scholarly background in earlier years, with several generations of ancestors being intellectuals. Even counting those who served as university professors in the extended family, there were quite a few.

Perhaps due to the blessings accumulated from teaching and nurturing others, their business endeavors had been smooth sailing ever since. As a result, although the Meng family had abandoned literature for commerce, they still retained some of the refined elegance of literati, with ancient calligraphy and paintings visible everywhere in the house. Their collection of books and classics was so extensive that a separate room had to be designated for their storage.

Aunt Meng had been discharged from the hospital yesterday, and her complexion appeared fine today. Laughter and warmth filled the atmosphere during the meal.

Speaking of how Xi Yufeng used to always run over here when he was young, Aunt Meng smiled. “Our family’s books, our own family members didn’t love reading them, but Xiao Feng flipped through them all.”

Meng Chao interjected at the right moment. “Come to think of it, I wonder why you always ran to my house back then?”

Xi Yufeng replied, “It’s quiet here.”

“No wonder whenever I tried to play with you, you always had a sour face, couldn’t even talk properly, only telling me to shut up.”

“You were noisier back then than you are now.”

“Hey, now you’re denying everything? You’re a different person now.”

…

A simple family dinner, everyone tacitly avoided mentioning memories related to that incident.

Only a small incident occurred near the end of the meal when Meng Lan returned.

As the Meng family’s only daughter, Meng Lan inherited her parents’ good looks but was otherwise completely different from the Meng family.

Entering the house, Meng Lan kicked off her high heels, rushed to the dining table, hugged her mother to show affection, and as she raised her head, her gaze swept across the entire table, settling on Xi Yufeng. She raised an eyebrow. “Turns out you’re here too.”

After sitting for a while after the meal, playing a game of chess with Father Meng, Xi Yufeng went up to the top floor of the villa, effortlessly pushing open the door to the balcony.

Unexpectedly, someone was standing by the railing, occupying the prime spot.

Gripping the doorknob, Xi Yufeng was about to retreat when Meng Lan said, “Come on, it’s pretty lonely here.”

Xi Yufeng stepped forward, standing at the other end of the railing.

Glancing at the distance between them, Meng Lan giggled. “I was wrong, you coming makes it even lonelier.”

Meng Lan had just taken a shower, replacing her overly revealing skirt with soft and comfortable loungewear. Her long hair was left loose, giving her an unusual air of tranquility.

She asked, “Where’s my brother?”

“He went out to play.”

“With that boy he just picked up?”

“I don’t know.”

“Why didn’t you go with him?”

“Not interested.”

Meng Lan sighed. “It’s really difficult talking to you.”

Xi Yufeng looked up to see Meng Lan gesturing up and down at him. “Look, where is there a single bit of human warmth about you?”

He knew that the “human warmth” Meng Lan mentioned wasn’t the common understanding of popularity, but the literal meaning — the breath, temperature, and heartbeat that comprised a person’s aura.

Meng Lan was afraid he wouldn’t understand, so she explained, “Cold and detached, rigid and boring, no wonder no one dares to pursue you despite your looks.”

Xi Yufeng showed no reaction to this. People around him had conveyed similar messages to him more or less, politely referring to it as having a sense of distance, or bluntly as being cold-blooded and heartless.

He had long grown accustomed to it, even finding it tiresome to hear.

Meng Lan finished her critique, retracted her arm, and propped it against the railing, supporting her cheek as she gazed into the distance.

“But you’re doing pretty well this way, not caring about anything. Even if your life suddenly turns upside down, you won’t panic, and you won’t feel sad.”

Silence lingered for a moment before Xi Yufeng spoke. “There’s no need to revisit things that have already happened.”

“Should I look forward to the future then? Like imagining married life with you?”

“If you’re unwilling, I can withdraw from this arranged marriage.”

“And then what?”

“You can marry Xi Wangchen.”

Regardless, it was an interest-based marriage. After the wedding, they would enjoy individual freedom without interfering with each other, maintaining only the surface-level relationship to bind the two surnames tightly together.

This should be an unspoken agreement between the families, and as the bonds of interest, the two should be even clearer.

But for some reason, Meng Lan’s expression changed abruptly, her teeth clenching and unclenching. When she spoke again, there was an indescribable sense of helplessness. “You, why are you nothing like Aunt Qiao?”

Xi Yufeng’s face visibly darkened.

Aunt Qiao referred to his biological mother, Qiao Jiamue.

Meng Lan straightened up, leaning against the railing, facing the other side. Any desire to confide that had accumulated vanished.

Looking at Xi Yufeng, her eyes slightly quivering, she asked, “Is it true that even if someone shows you kindness, says they like you, you assume they have ulterior motives?”

His brows furrowed, Xi Yufeng was about to ask what she was ranting about when his phone suddenly vibrated in his pocket.

It was a call from Meng Chao. As soon as he answered, he heard a teasing tone. “I told you to come with me, but you refused.”

Xi Yufeng had no time to beat around the bush. “What’s the matter?”

“Your little actor is here too, sitting at a large table… Hey, he’s getting drunk, what’s going on, do you want me to help rescue — ”

Xi Yufeng hung up the call.

On the other end, Meng Chao was dumbfounded, hurriedly sending a message to confirm.

Fortunately, it went through, he hadn’t been blocked.

After a while, curiosity got the better of him: Aren’t you coming to take a look?

Five minutes later, he received a reply: On the way.

Meng Chao looked at these two words, shaking his head with a smile, thinking to himself, I knew it.

I knew this little actor wasn’t ordinary, luring this perennial iceberg into saying it’s mutual exploitation, yet he’s engaged in losing business tirelessly, not minding getting personally involved and lowering his status.

Glancing at the boisterous scene over there, Meng Chao thought mischievously, in the future, whoever says Little Chairman Xi is heartless and ruthless, I’ll be the first to object.