Chapter 24 Business Forum
At the International Conference Center in the city's west district, the vast glass curtain wall reflects a cool glow in the sunlight. Elites in suits and ties mill about, whispering about partnerships worth hundreds of millions of dollars and technological innovations that could revolutionize the industry.
Chu Yan followed Chu Yu half a step behind as they entered the main venue. Chu Yu's presence reduced the chatter of greetings. He walked straight to the reserved seats in the front row, his gaze fixed on the audience. Chu Yan, like a silent shadow, blended perfectly into Chu Yu's powerful presence. An impeccable smile graced his face, his eyes calmly observing his surroundings.
After they sat down, several important figures soon came over to chat with Chu Yu. Chu Yu's attitude remained cold, but Chu Yan always managed to pick up the conversation at the right time, using precise and professional language to supplement Chu Yu's concise response, or skillfully guide the topic to resolve any possible awkward silence.
He spoke in a calm tone, with clear logic and a convincing sincerity that easily put people down. The gazes of the several big men lingered on Chu Yan for longer and longer, with undisguised admiration.
"Mr. Chu, who is this...?" A white-haired old man looked at Chu Yan with sharp eyes.
"Chu Yan. My younger brother." Chu Yu spoke briefly and to the point, with a sense of belonging in his tone, as if Chu Yan was an indispensable part of the host family.
Chu Yan bowed and smiled at the right moment: "Hello, Mr. Zhang, I have long heard of you. The article on the intelligent supply chain that you published in "Economic Observer" last month was insightful and very beneficial to me." He accurately pointed out the other party's recent masterpiece, and his humble and polite attitude instantly won the other party's favor.
Chu Yu watched Chu Yan maneuver effortlessly among these old foxes, a hint of satisfaction flickering across his eyes. This collateral cousin's abilities, skills, and character far exceeded his expectations; he was indeed very handy.
The forum entered its intermission. Crowds streamed toward the tea break area. Chu Yu was surrounded by several key partners, while Chu Yan stood quietly a little further out, scanning the venue.
At this moment, Gu Xu's figure passed through the crowd and walked towards Chu Yan with a clear goal. The moment his eyes met Chu Yan, a warm smile appeared on his face, which was different from the one he gave to others.
"Ah Yan." Gu's voice was quiet, but it pierced through the surrounding noise, carrying an undisguised intimacy and familiarity. He walked up to Chu Yan, much closer than the usual social distance, almost feeling their body temperature.
His gaze was fixed intently on Chu Yan's face, as if everyone around him had become a blurry background. "Your speech at the technical forum just now was as brilliant as ever." His praise was filled with genuine admiration, even a subtle hint of pride, as if Chu Yan's outstanding performance was also his own pride.
Chu Yan met his burning and focused gaze, and the corners of his lips naturally curved up into a more genuine arc than when facing other people, without that deliberate alienation: "Mr. Gu, you are too kind. I am just relaying some of Brother Yu's ideas." He spoke modestly, but his eyes briefly met with Gu Yu's, conveying a tacit understanding that only the two of them understood - behind those "ideas", there may be sparks from their private exchanges, or even more intimacy that cannot be told to outsiders.
Gu Xu chuckled softly and raised his hand naturally. His fingertips expertly brushed across a barely perceptible wrinkle on the front of Chu Yan's suit, his gesture as intimate as if it were his most treasured personal possession. "With me, there's no need to be modest on behalf of Mr. Chu." He turned his gaze to Chu Yu, who was surrounded by a crowd a few steps away but had clearly noticed the interaction. His posture remained respectful, but the warmth in his smile instantly faded, returning to the standard smile of a business elite. He nodded slightly, "Mr. Chu."
Chu Yu's sharp gaze swept across Gu Xu's overly affectionate fingers resting on Chu Yan's chest, then to the still-present, almost indulgent smile on Chu Yan's face. His brows furrowed imperceptibly, and the pressure around him suddenly dropped. He nodded slightly in response, his voice as cold as winter: "Mr. Gu."
Gu Xu seemed to be unconcerned with Chu Yu's cold warning. His attention immediately returned to Chu Yan, and he leaned slightly towards him. He lowered his voice, with a familiarity that only the two of them could hear, like a lover's whisper: "A Yan, this party ends early tonight. Will you stay with me tonight?" His tone was full of temptation, and the ending tone rose slightly, with obvious intimacy.
The smile on Chu Yan's face did not change, but when Gu Xu approached and made an invitation, his eyelashes drooped slightly. When he looked up at Gu Xu again, there was just the right amount of apology and a hint of comfort in his eyes.
He shook his head slightly, and refused in a gentle but clear voice, even with a hint of coaxing: "I promised to accompany Brother Yu to deal with some things in the evening." As he spoke, his body naturally turned towards Chu Yu, with an intimate posture, as if he was seeking his brother's approval, and as if he was hinting to Gu Xu - there were outsiders around, so it was inconvenient to say more.
Chu Yu's gaze flickered back and forth between the two of them, taking in Chu Yan's subtle sideways movement, the fleeting gloom in Gu Xu's eyes, and the almost tangible, ambiguous atmosphere between them. He gave a blank "hmm," his voice even colder than before, offering a firm endorsement of Chu Yan's statement. It also served as an invisible wall of ice, completely blocking Gu Xu from getting any closer.
Gu Xu glanced at Chu Yan, then at Chu Yu who gave off an air of keeping strangers away, and put on his impeccable business smile again: "I understand." His eyes were glued to Chu Yan's face again, with a hint of profound meaning and unfulfilled possessiveness, "Then let's make an appointment next time, Ah Yan can't stand me up again." There was an intimacy in his tone that only Chu Yan could understand.
Chu Yan met his gaze, raised the corners of his lips slightly, and agreed directly: "Okay." Gu Xu stopped pestering and nodded appropriately to Chu Yu and Chu Yan again, then turned around and joined the other people talking.
Chu Yu watched Gu Xu's departing figure, then glanced at Chu Yan, who looked calm beside him, without asking any more questions. However, the cold aura around him did not subside.
The forum ended and the lights were already on. Chu Yu drove Chu Yan away from the venue himself.
"Where are we going?" Chu Yu gripped the steering wheel, his eyes fixed on the river of cars flowing ahead. "I know a private restaurant. It's a bit out of the way, but the chef is very skilled and the ingredients are exquisite. Should we give it a try?" Chu Yan suggested.
Chu Yu glanced at him in the rearview mirror and said nothing, which was considered as tacit consent.
The car twisted and turned, finally stopping at the entrance of a quiet alley in the old city. The unassuming facade revealed a different world. An elegant courtyard, a gurgling stream, and the few private rooms exuded a sense of antiquity and privacy. The owner, clearly acquainted with Chu Yan, enthusiastically and discreetly ushered the two to the best room.
Several exquisite home-cooked dishes were quickly served. They weren't ostentatiously presented, but they were fragrant and cooked to perfection. Chu Yu took a few bites, and his frown finally relaxed a little, evidently satisfied with Chu Yan's recommendation.
The two chatted over their meal, their topics ranging from technical trends discussed at the forum to the next steps in the project. The atmosphere was much more relaxed and harmonious than at the conference, giving it a genuinely casual, brotherly feel.
Chu Yu watched Chu Yan's thick, long eyelashes droop as he lowered his head to sip his soup, and the confident glint in his eyes as he spoke freely, his admiration growing stronger. This cousin's talent, character, and appearance were all top-notch. Considering his youth, and recalling Gu Xu's clearly purposeful approach, Chu Yu's sliver of protectiveness, akin to a "brother," suddenly surfaced—even though he'd never had that kind of patience for the legitimate younger brothers of the main family.
He put down his chopsticks, picked up a hot towel and wiped his hands. He spoke casually, but his voice was filled with a subtle caution: "How did you and Gu Xu know each other?"
Chu Yan paused in his action of picking up the food and looked up at Chu Yu. Under the light, Chu Yu's cold eyebrows and eyes looked particularly deep, with a seriousness that did not allow for perfunctory treatment.
Chu Yan put down his chopsticks, a look of reminiscence on his face, and his tone was slightly modified in a relaxed manner: "Oh, I met him by chance when I went to the bar before. We chatted for a few minutes and found that we got along well." He deliberately emphasized the words "chance encounter" and "get along well".
Chu Yu's brow furrowed again. A chance encounter? A hit it off? A man like Gu Xu, who wouldn't do anything without a profit, why would he be so enthusiastic about a young man he'd met "by chance" for no apparent reason, even going so far as to chase Chu Yu up to ask him out?
"Did he know your identity at that time?" Chu Yu asked, his eyes as sharp as an eagle.
Chu Yan shook his head frankly: "He probably doesn't know. I had just transferred to Shenghua at that time and was very low-key." He was telling the truth.
Chu Yu's brow furrowed even deeper. He didn't know his identity? That made him even more suspicious. If he wasn't coming for the Chu family, then what was he coming for? His eyes subconsciously swept over Chu Yan's impeccably handsome face—his features were picturesque, his temperament was outstanding, and especially his eyes, which were like a deep pool when they were still, yet carried an unconscious allure when they smiled.
Chu Yu instantly felt that he had found the answer.
He snorted inwardly, looking at Chu Yan, seemingly oblivious and even a bit innocent, and a sense of responsibility welled up in his heart: "My child is too talented and too innocent to be targeted by bad people." No matter how smart and capable Chu Yan was, he was still young and probably didn't understand the sinister nature of those people's minds and their ulterior motives.
Chu Yu suddenly felt the burden on his shoulders heavier, and his voice became deeper, with the warning of a brother: "Gu Yan is a man with a deep mind and complicated methods. It may not be a good thing for him to get close to you. You should be more careful." He wanted to speak more harshly, but when he saw Chu Yan's clear eyes, he softened his words.
Chu Yan looked at the undisguised worry and warning in Chu Yu's eyes, and immediately put on an appearance of being taught a lesson, nodding seriously: "Thank you, Brother Yu, for reminding me. I'll remember it. I'll pay attention."
Seeing his upright attitude, Chu Yu's expression brightened slightly: "Well. Let's eat."
After dinner, Chu Yu drove Chu Yan to the downstairs of his apartment building. The black luxury car, like a dormant beast in the night, stopped silently by the roadside.
"Brother Yu, I'm here, thank you." Chu Yan unbuckled his seat belt and prepared to get out of the car.
"Okay. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about the project." Chu Yu looked straight ahead, his voice still flat.
"Okay." Chu Yan pushed open the car door, got out of the car, stood on the side of the road and waved to Chu Yu in the car.
The car window slowly rose, blocking out Chu Yu's profile. The car slid smoothly into the night.
Chu Yan turned around and was about to walk into the apartment building, but his eyes subconsciously raised towards his own balcony.
On the sixteenth-floor balcony, a familiar figure stood there, quietly gazing at him from a distance and through the hazy night. It was Gu Ye.
Chu Yan's footsteps paused almost imperceptibly. From such a distance, he couldn't see the expression on Gu Ye's face, but he could clearly feel the gaze on him. Just now, Chu Yu's conspicuous car was parked downstairs, and Gu Ye must have seen it.
He walked into the building as usual, swiped his card, and took the elevator upstairs.
When he opened the door, the living room was lit by a warm yellow floor lamp. Gu Ye had already returned from the balcony and was sitting cross-legged on the sofa, holding the remote control in his hand, absentmindedly changing channels on the TV. He turned his head when he heard the door open, forcing a nonchalant smile on his face: "Are you back?"
"Yeah." Chu Yan took off his coat and hung it up, changed into slippers and walked in. His eyes swept across the flickering image on the TV screen. "What are you watching?"
"Nothing, just watching." Gu Ye quickly turned the channel to a noisy variety show and turned up the volume a little loud, trying to cover up something.
He stood up, his movements seeming somewhat deliberately relaxed, "Are you hungry? I cooked some noodles for a midnight snack, do you want to eat together?" He pointed in the direction of the kitchen, but his eyes were a little vague, not daring to look directly at Chu Yan.
Chu Yan didn't expose her, but just smiled and walked towards the kitchen: "Okay, it just so happens that I didn't have enough to eat tonight."
The simple aroma of chopped scallion noodles wafted through the kitchen. Gu Ye hurriedly scooped out two bowls of noodles and placed them on the dining table. The two sat down opposite each other and ate in silence. The atmosphere was subtly quiet, broken only by the exaggerated laughter from the TV and the sound of slurping noodles.
Chu Yan took a few bites, put down his chopsticks, and looked at Gu Ye, who was looking down at him, almost burying his face in the bowl. He suddenly said, "By the way, I'm free this weekend at the go-kart track that Aliang mentioned. Should we go together?"
Gu Ye suddenly looked up, a few noodles still in his mouth, his eyes widening slightly in surprise. He almost thought he had misheard. Chu Yan took the initiative to bring up the weekend? And agreed?
"Ah? Oh! Okay! Okay!" Gu Ye reacted and quickly slurped down the noodles, nearly choking. "Then it's a deal! I'll tell Aliang and the others tomorrow!"
"Yeah." Chu Yan looked at his eyes that lit up instantly and his brilliant smile, a faint smile also appeared in his eyes. He picked up the chopsticks again, "Eat quickly, the noodles are clumping."
Gu Ye nodded vigorously and buried his head in eating noodles. He felt that this ordinary bowl of chopped green onion noodles was even more fragrant than delicacies from land and sea! The gloom and uneasiness in his heart caused by the sight of the luxury car were completely dispelled by Chu Yan's light invitation.
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