Chapter 12 The Big Shot.

On the weekend at the end of June, Ye Peixiu returned to his old house in Xishan.

His father was also rarely home.

Ye Peixiu got out of the car and saw the old man drinking tea under the pavilion at the other end of the lawn. His mother Pei Yaxian was sitting with him. Even from such a distance, he could tell that his father seemed to be scolding her.

The Pei family has been in business for generations, with a long history of fame and recognition. In modern times, they have donated a considerable amount of wealth to the country's development and have always been a respected family.

In the past two years, the Pei family has changed its head. The new head seems to be very ambitious and has been very active. Pei Yaxian is also remotely controlled to help with operations in Beijing. Ye Peixiu knows this very well.

Her father was away on business recently, but he's had some free time these past few days, so he'll probably have to settle the accounts with her carefully.

Ye Peixiu didn't go over to greet them, and went straight to the main house.

In July, as usual, Grandpa was leaving Beijing for Beidaihe to recuperate, and Grandma Cheng Fei was personally packing his clothes.

The old man said, "Just leave it there. Zheng Ma can clean it up later."

“That won’t do,” Cheng Fei said reproachfully. “If I go with you and you don’t dress well, you’ll embarrass me.”

That's a fresh way of putting it.

The old man laughed and said, "At my age, I wear the same clothes no matter what I wear."

“Of course it’s different,” Cheng Fei said with a cheerful smile, hands on her hips and tilting her head. “I think the summer outfits we made this year are very nice. Grandpa, come and try them on.”

Just then, Ye Peixiu walked in from outside, and the old man said, "Put it aside for now, I want to say something to Peixiu."

The grandfather and grandson went to the study.

After chatting for a while and admiring a new calligraphy and painting the old man had acquired, he finally asked, "Is your grandma okay?"

"Everything else is fine, but my legs and feet are not as good as before."

The old man nodded and said nothing more.

The topic of grandmother between grandfather and grandson is always touched upon but not discussed, with a sense of unspoken taboo.

After having lunch at the old house and talking with his father, Ye Peixiu left.

In the afternoon, I met Sheng Junchi at a club in the alley to have tea.

This clubhouse was a place Ye Peixiu often visited. Beiguanfang Hutong was a frequent haunt of his group of disciples in the early years, but in recent years, it had also hosted some high-profile business banquets in the backyard of the other courtyard, and the crowds had gradually become mixed, so many disciples no longer liked to go there.

This club remains as secretive as ever.

I don’t know what clever idea they used, but even in the hottest days of summer, without turning on the air conditioner, there was a cool breeze coming in through the window under the eaves.

As soon as he sat down, Sheng Junchi said with a smile, "What was the sudden emergency last time? I heard from the waiter in Hutong that you had arrived, but you suddenly changed your route and left."

It was referring to the time when there was a torrential downpour.

Ye Peixiu originally went to Beiguanfang Hutong to find Sheng Junchi, but he encountered Xia Qingwan when he arrived at the Chuihua Gate.

"I met a little girl who was getting rained on, and I did a good deed."

"You still have the time?"

Sheng Junchi laughed, then realized what he meant, "...It wouldn't be the one you asked me to inquire about back in April, would it?"

In April, Sheng Junchi held a birthday banquet in Beiguanfang Hutong. Ye Peixiu showed up at the banquet, but later called him and asked him to check who was in the hutong that night.

At the time, Sheng Junchi thought someone had offended him and rushed to investigate. The alley manager explained that in addition to his birthday party, there were two business banquets in the back courtyard, and a few businessmen's children were drinking and playing cards in the side hall.

It took a lot of effort to find out that the person Ye Peixiu asked him to find was the sister of a child who was drinking and playing cards in the side hall at the time. Her surname was Xia.

Ye Peixiu raised an eyebrow.

"Then I forgive you for standing me up," Sheng Junchi said with a smile, "Looking at the situation, this girl often goes to the alley. If I run into her in the future, I will definitely meet her for a while."

Ye Peixiu was bored, "Don't bother her anymore."

"What, is this girl shy?"

"More than that."

Ye Peixiu drank his tea lazily and said nothing more.

-

On this day, Sheng Junchi hosted a banquet for several distinguished guests who had come from the south in Beiguanfang Hutong. During the banquet, he invited some newly popular celebrities to accompany him. The atmosphere was lively and bustling with toasts and laughter.

After being forced to drink several cups, Sheng Junchi went outside for some fresh air.

Strolling into the courtyard, I saw several young men and women gathered in the side hall through the mahogany window, drinking, playing cards, and making a ruckus. A short-haired girl walked to the window, pushed it open, smoothed her hair, pressed a few buttons on her phone screen, and then held it to her ear.

He remembered this girl. Her name seemed to be Lin Xiangyu. She had no family background and usually hung out with the other young ladies. She had short, cold brown hair that reached her shoulders, was tall and slender, and had sharp eyes. She seemed casual and sharp-tongued, yet somehow she had been won over by Xia Changping's foolish son.

Sheng Junchi lit a cigarette, absentmindedly glancing at it occasionally.

Lin Xiangyu leaned against the windowsill and said to the person on the other end of the phone with a smile, "Qingwan."

"I didn't have time to talk to you on your birthday. Are you free now? Come and play with me?"

That's quite a coincidence.

She seems to have a good relationship with that Miss Xia.

"It's just your brother and a few of my friends. There's no one like Second Young Master Qiao, so you can come without worry."

Lin Xiangyu explained with a smile.

"Okay, we'll wait for you."

Lin Xiangyu hung up the phone and only then noticed Sheng Junchi standing at the smoking area not far from the window. She nodded and smiled politely.

Sheng Junchi nodded in response.

After Lin Xiangyu left the window and returned to the card table, he took out his phone and dialed Ye Peixiu's number.

"What are you doing?"

“Feed the fish.”

"Come and have a drink."

Sheng Junchi said with a smile, "I have a distinguished guest coming over later."

Ye Peixiu didn't respond, "If there's nothing important, I'll hang up."

"Hey, hey, hey," Sheng Junchi stopped her repeatedly with a playful smile, "No matter whether you come or not, I'm going to meet your Miss Xia today."

There was a pause on the other end of the phone, and Ye Peixiu asked indifferently, "...Where are you?"

"It's over here in Beiguanfang Hutong. Miss Xia is coming here to look for her brother's girlfriend."

Ye Peixiu lowered his eyes.

Yes, Xia Qingwan told him that she was actually closer to Xia Mingzhou’s girlfriend.

Sheng Junchi put out his half-smoked cigarette and returned to the main hall.

Seeing that he was looking a little drunk, the guests tactfully exchanged glances with each other and stood up to say goodbye.

Sheng Junchi personally escorted everyone to their cars one by one. As they drove away one after another, he returned to the main hall alone, called over the boss, and asked casually, "Who's in the side hall right now?"

The boss lowered his brows and replied, "Are these businessmen's children too noisy? I'll ask them to tone it down."

"Don't be in a hurry," Sheng Junchi said with a smile, "I have a few bottles of good wine left here. I'm in a good mood today, so let's open them all at once. No matter who they are, let them all come over and have a drink."

The boss looked up and smiled apologetically, "Okay, I'll go call them."

In the side hall, Xia Mingzhou and Lin Xiangyu were playing cards enthusiastically. The boss pushed the door open and said something out of the blue. They were all stunned.

"Don't just sit there like an idiot! Mr. Sheng is in a good mood and wants to treat us. Why don't you hurry over?"

Look at the boss's smug expression, as if he were an ancient eunuch going to the inner palace to announce that a certain concubine would be serving him in bed, with a face that said: What a great blessing! What are you standing there for, my lady? Hurry up and get ready to receive the emperor!

Lin Xiangyu couldn't help but chuckle, then whispered it to one of her girlfriends, and the two of them burst into laughter.

Xia Mingzhou was still a little dizzy, but he smiled and repeatedly agreed, "Coming right away, coming right away, boss. Please go and let us know first, we'll be right there."

"Okay, don't keep Mr. Sheng waiting too long."

The boss said a few words and hurried toward the main hall.

Xia Mingzhou and Lin Xiangyu huddled together, whispering for a while. A friend nearby said with a smile, "These two are going to formulate a battle plan."

"That's it. Don't get too excited. Just stay calm."

Lin Xiangyu said.

Xia Mingzhou nodded, "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

Several people left the side hall and came to the main hall.

Sheng Junchi was sitting on the sofa, lighting a cigarette. Seeing them, he smiled and said, "Come on, don't be shy, sit anywhere." He raised his chin and gestured, "Mingzhou, right? Open the bottle of wine."

"Okay, thank you, Brother Sheng."

Xia Mingzhou acted very well.

He went over to open the wine. The rest of the people were a little reserved. Only Lin Xiangyu sat down as he was told and looked out the window bored.

Seeing that someone had taken the lead, the others slowly found places to sit down.

Sheng Junchi looked at Lin Xiangyu with a smile, "You seem to have a good alcohol tolerance."

Lin Xiangyu chuckled, "That's what everyone says."

"What about the reality?"

"Actually, I do have a pretty good alcohol tolerance."

Lin Xiangyu smiled brightly.

Sheng Junchi also laughed, "It just so happens that I haven't had enough fun today. When your boyfriend comes later, you have to fill up your glasses. You two can drink with me for a while longer."

Xia Mingzhou and the waiter opened a few bottles of wine.

Sheng Junchi was brought up in the foreign world, so he naturally had his own set of rules when dealing with a group of young people. In addition, these boys and girls all showed their support, so the atmosphere quickly became lively.

About half an hour later, Lin Xiangyu's cell phone rang.

She answered the phone, instinctively glancing out the window. "Qingwan, have you arrived?"

Across the low table, Sheng Junchi said to her, "Are there any friends coming?"

"...Ah, yes."

Lin Xiangyu was distracted and answered him, and was about to stand up. Sheng Junchi smiled and said, "No matter who it is, let them come here and have a drink together."

"...Okay, I'll go out and meet her."

She figured that Sheng Junchi was just having a whim, and given the temperament of those young masters, he would probably make them disperse soon. Besides, there were many people present, so it wouldn't interfere with her conversation with Xia Qingwan.

The thought flashed through her mind quickly as Lin Xiangyu walked outside while still on the phone.

Xia Qingwan stood outside the window of the side hall, looking out.

"Qingwan, here."

Looking back at the sound, Lin Xiangyu was coming from the direction of the main hall.

He approached her and whispered the whole story in her ear, “...I don’t know what’s wrong with Mr. Sheng. He seems to be in a good mood and wants us to drink with him.” He added, “There are quite a few people in the room, so it won’t interfere with our conversation.”

Xia Qingwan didn't know who Mr. Sheng was, but since Lin Xiangyu said it wouldn't be a problem, she followed him toward the main hall.

I thought I could go in quietly and walk around a screen with a pattern of birds paying homage to the phoenix, but the people sitting or standing in the room in groups of three or four all looked over at me.

Xia Qingwan smiled and nodded.

Sheng Junchi beckoned with his finger, "Xiang Yu's friend? Come have a drink with us."

Lin Xiangyu then led her over to greet them and introduced them. Xia Qingwan felt that Sheng Junchi looked familiar, as if she had glimpsed him briefly at this club.

He seems easygoing and casual.

Sheng Junchi placed a glass of wine on the table in front of Xia Qingwan, and Lin Xiangyu said, "Qingwan doesn't drink."

After speaking, Lin Xiangyu kept a close eye on Sheng Junchi's expression, afraid that he would be in a difficult position. She had prepared a lot of words to continue arguing, but Sheng Junchi smiled gently and raised his hand to beckon a waiter, "Bring some juice."

The juice was served quickly. Xia Qingwan took a sip, and the two of them chatted with Sheng Junchi for a while before Lin Xiangyu made an excuse to take Xia Qingwan to the window.

Lin Xiangyu said with a smile, "What's going on lately? It's so hard for us to even say a word."

Xia Qingwan smiled too, her eyes crinkling.

The two talked about the party on Lin Xiangyu's birthday night and some trivial matters in recent days.

"You're leaving at the beginning of next month, aren't you?"

"Um."

"Professor Zhang thinks highly of you. Do a good job and learn something from him."

Xia Qingwan smiled and said, "I think so too."

Xia Mingzhou came over and chatted with the two of them for a few minutes, then Sheng Junchi called him over for drinks.

Seeing Xia Mingzhou's face flushed with alcohol, Xia Qingwan couldn't help but think that Lin Xiangyu and Xia Mingzhou were two completely different people. Although they both had a casual side, Lin Xiangyu was proud and loyal, and had a leadership style among the girls, while Xia Mingzhou was used to being lazy, showing off, and squandering money. No matter how you looked at it, he was just an ordinary rich kid.

Lin Xiangyu had previously talked to her about why she agreed to be with Xia Mingzhou.

At that time, Xia Qingwan asked seriously, "Are you moved by his pursuit?"

"I just think he's actually a very sincere and simple person."

Lin Xiangyu said this.

After they got together, Lin Xiangyu would often give Xia Mingzhou advice and help him gather intelligence. The two of them were quite like a young couple who had started from scratch.

Lin Xiangyu followed her gaze and couldn't help but laugh, "Judging from your brother's appearance, I reckon he'll fall asleep soon."

Mr. Sheng patted Xia Mingzhou on the shoulder, answered a phone call, stood up, and walked out.

Lin Xiangyu said, "Oh, it seems that Mr. Sheng has other things to do, so the party should be over soon."

After a while, Mr. Sheng returned to the main hall, but there was a man beside him.

Lin Xiangyu's eyes widened. "Damn it, what happened today?"

One big shot after another.

Xia Qingwan's heart skipped a beat.

That's Ye Peixiu.

He was wearing a gunmetal gray shirt today, with the sleeves loosely rolled up, his hands in his pockets, and his gaze casually sweeping around the room.

His gaze fell on her face, paused for a moment, and then quickly looked away.

Sheng Junchi said, "I don't need to introduce you any further."

The people in the room, who had been holding their breath for a while, obediently got up and went to greet Mr. Ye one by one.

Ye Peixiu seemed to have no interest in small talk and gave a perfunctory nod.

He had already sat down on the single sofa, and the waiter quickly opened a new bottle of wine, poured a thin glass and handed it to him.

It seems that it was opened specifically for him, probably to store his wine.

Lin Xiangyu suggested, "Why don't we go ask him?"

Before Xia Qingwan could speak, Sheng Junchi called out to them from afar, "Miss Lin, what's going on? I got your boyfriend drunk, why aren't you here yet?"

Lin Xiangyu gave a forced smile and pulled Xia Qingwan over.

Walking up to Mr. Ye first, Lin Xiangyu nodded respectfully, "Hello, Mr. Ye."

"Um."

Xia Qingwan lowered her eyes slightly and said, "Good evening, Mr. Ye."

After she finished speaking, she waited quietly for three to five seconds before hearing Ye Peixiu say, "Miss Xia, good evening."

A note from the author:

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