Chapter 20 Undercurrents Under the Negotiation Table
——＜An afternoon dividing line＞
The next afternoon, Mr. Zhao, the boss of Xinghui Technology, arrived early in the reception room, his forehead dripping with sweat, revealing his inner uneasiness. Su Yan, like a soulless porcelain doll, was placed by Huo Shen in a chair next to the main seat, his eyes downcast, trying to minimize his presence.
Just as the appointed time arrived, the door of the reception room was pushed open again. Su Chen walked in with his assistant.
For a moment, the air in the room seemed to freeze.
Su Chen's gaze immediately fell on Su Yan. Shock, heartache, disbelief, and finally a deep, reproachful coldness. What he saw was his brother sitting obediently, or perhaps numbly, beside the demon, wearing a necklace around his neck that symbolized belonging, as if he had completely accepted this identity.
Su Yan's heart ached at his brother's gaze. He subconsciously wanted to dodge, but he remembered Huo Shen's order of "just watch." He could only force himself to raise his head and meet Su Chen's gaze, trying to convey a hint of "I'm not volunteering." But in Su Chen's view, that look was only evasive and guilty.
Huo Shen took in the silent exchange between the two brothers, a faint smile on his face, as if he were enjoying a good show. He raised his hand gracefully and gestured "please," "Mr. Su, please take a seat."
Negotiations began, focusing on Starlight Technology's valuation and the ownership of its patented technology. Mr. Zhao, caught between two giants, was torn and sweating profusely.
Su Chen's words were sharp and he refused to give in, showing his strong business acumen. Huo Shen, on the other hand, remained calm and composed, as if he had everything under control. Every time he spoke, he hit the nail on the head, forcing Su Chen to respond with all his strength.
Su Yan sat off to the side, seemingly lost in thought, his ears catching every word. For the first time, he'd experienced the brutality of the business world, a battlefield, and witnessed his brother display such a dominant side in front of Huo Shen. He also keenly sensed that Huo Shen wasn't exerting his full strength during the negotiations, seemingly testing and draining Su Chen's energy.
Midway through, Su Chen's assistant handed him a supplementary document. As Su Chen looked through it, his brows furrowed, as if he had encountered a difficult data problem.
At this moment, Su Yan, who had been silent all the time, accidentally glanced at a rolled-up industry briefing in Huo Shen's hand. A keyword in the cover title was associated with the core variable of a data model that he instantly recalled and had caught a glimpse of while sorting out documents yesterday.
An idea flashed through his mind like lightning. Almost without thinking, while adding water to Huo Shen's bowl, he lightly tapped the title of the industry briefing on the table next to Huo Shen with his fingertips.
His movements were quick and stealthy, and no one noticed except Huo Shen.
Huo Shen's hand holding the cup paused imperceptibly, his eyes glancing at Su Yan's still-downcast brows, then glanced at the briefing. After a mere two-second pause, he spoke again, precisely citing a set of derived data based on that core variable, directly piercing through Su Chen's newly constructed argument.
Su Chen's expression instantly turned ugly. He raised his head abruptly, his eyes shooting towards Huo Shen like lightning, and then he glanced at Su Yan with deep doubt. He didn't believe this was a coincidence!
Huo Shen, however, acted as if he had done something insignificant. He leaned back in his chair calmly, and when he looked at Su Yan, the look in his eyes was no longer one of pure control or teasing. Instead, there was a very faint glimmer of something that was almost... admiration.
This kid was even more perceptive than he'd imagined. This silent, almost instinctive understanding gave him a strange sense of satisfaction, far greater than any deliberate flattery.
However, Huo Shen's fleeting admiration, combined with the misunderstanding he had fostered in Su Chen about Su Yan, cut into Su Yan's heart like two blunt knives. He had helped Huo Shen, only to have his brother loathe him even more. This torn feeling nearly drove him mad. The negotiations were far from over, but he was almost unable to hold on.
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