Chapter 44 [VIP]
Jiang Zhuochen glanced at his bloated, round face with suspicion. "I don't even know you, what's there to talk about?"
“Mr. Jiang is young and promising, and is deeply favored by President Xu. He must be an extremely outstanding and intelligent person.” President Zhang pushed over the handsome young man who had been waiting to the side.
“Mr. Jiang, this is Xiao Lin, a top student from the Film Academy. He greatly admires Mr. Xu and has been hoping for an opportunity to meet him and say hello.” Mr. Zhang lowered his voice and leaned forward. “You see, you and Mr. Xu are so close, could you… put in a good word for us with Mr. Xu and make a simple introduction? As long as Mr. Xu is willing to give our company a chance to cooperate, anything is negotiable!”
Kobayashi's words were like sticky syrup: "You must be Mr. Koji, I've heard so much about you."
Jiang Zhuochen couldn't fully grasp the deeper logic behind the word "introduction" in this context; he only felt that the scene was too strange.
Seeing that he didn't immediately refuse, Mr. Zhang thought he had a chance and, with naked desire and calculation, added, "Mr. Jiang, don't worry, Xiao Lin is very sensible and knows his limits. He would never upset you. When the time comes... if Mr. Xu likes it, the two of you can keep him company. Wouldn't that be more lively and considerate? A man like Mr. Xu deserves more people to serve him!"
He rubbed his hands together, his eyes gleaming. "As for your share of the benefits, there will be no shortage! How about this amount?"
He made a rather exaggerated gesture, "Or... what do you want? Resources? Or... Kobayashi is actually quite willing to make friends with you first."
Jiang Zhuochen was completely bewildered by these words. Why was he worried about whether Xiaolin was sensible, when he was supposed to be serving Xu Xing? Xu Xing's family had a bunch of housekeepers coming to their door every few days, so he didn't have to do any work; he was overjoyed.
Besides, it's just a referral; they're giving money and resources. Does that mean he can't be friends with Xiaolin after the referral? What kind of logic is that?
Jiang Zhuochen bit his lip, lost in thought, momentarily speechless, his face showing only a conflicted bewilderment. This brief silence could easily be misinterpreted by different people as hesitation and weighing of options, waiting for the right price.
At that very moment, the light at the entrance to the terrace suddenly dimmed.
Xu Xing stood there, his face hidden between light and shadow, making it impossible to discern his expression. However, the chill emanating from him almost froze the air in the area, indicating that he had not just arrived.
His sharp gaze first swept over General Manager Zhang and Xiao Lin, who were sweating profusely, and then fixed firmly on Jiang Zhuochen's bewildered face.
Especially the other party's ambiguous attitude of not immediately refuting or scolding them.
An unnamed fire surged within Xu Xing, and he let out a short, cold laugh from his throat, a nonchalant smile curving his lips.
He slowly walked forward, each step feeling like it was treading on Mr. Zhang's wildly beating heart. The immense pressure made Mr. Zhang's legs go weak, and he almost lost his balance.
“Mr. Zhang,” Xu Xing said, his voice as usual. “You’ve really gone to great lengths. You’ve even gone to the trouble of arranging so many people around me for me.”
"Mr. Xu! You've misunderstood! That's not what I meant. I was just... just joking, chatting with Mr. Jiang..." Mr. Zhang stammered, shaking his head so hard it was almost blurry.
"A joke?" Xu Xing raised an eyebrow, his gaze falling on the trembling Xiao Lin. A single glance was enough to make the latter collapse involuntarily. "My people—when did it become your place to joke about them? And even to make decisions for me?"
Jiang Zhuochen shrank back and looked left and right. Wait, how did they start arguing? He tentatively tugged at Xu Xing's sleeve and was glared at by Xu Xing.
He reluctantly withdrew his hand, "If you don't want it, you don't have to, why are you being so fierce..."
"Mr. Zhang, you'd better take care of yourself."
These words were like a final blow. Mr. Zhang's face turned ashen, his lips trembled, and he couldn't utter a single word. He only knew that it was all over, completely over.
Xu Xing didn't bother to look at them again, and grabbed Jiang Zhuochen's wrist with a force that was so great that it was almost like dragging him away from the corner and back into the main hall.
They remained silent the entire way.
Xu Xing's jawline was taut, his lips pressed into a thin line, and the oppressive aura emanating from him made several people nearby who wanted to greet him involuntarily retreat. He gripped Jiang Zhuochen's wrist tightly, as if venting some unspeakable anger.
Jiang Zhuochen staggered as he was dragged along, a clear pain shooting through his wrist. His brow furrowed involuntarily, but he was intimidated by Xu Xing's terrifying silence and chilling aura, and dared not utter a word.
He was increasingly confused. It wasn't like he couldn't afford to pay, so why did hiring someone cause such a scene?
Back in their original seating area, Xu Xing pulled him forward and threw him into the soft sofa. He then stood in front of him, looking down at him without saying a word, but his gaze was as dark and terrifying as the sky before a storm.
Just as he was about to ask, someone appeared behind Xu Xing. Old He, leaning on his cane, asked with a puzzled look, "Xiao Xing, has something happened?"
Jiang Zhuochen hesitated, then shut his mouth. He could see the veins bulging on Xu Xing's forehead. Xu Xing's Adam's apple bobbed violently as he leaned down and whispered in his ear, "I'll settle the score with you when we get back."
As soon as he finished speaking, Jiang Zhuochen felt a sharp pain in his earlobe. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Xu Xing slowly withdrawing his hand. He looked up and saw that the other person had already composed himself and turned to attend to other matters.
The banquet lasted until late at night. After several high-ranking elders left, Xu Xing took Jiang Zhuochen home without saying a word.
The engine hummed all the way, the accelerator pedal pressed against the speed limit. The pent-up frustration of several hours finally reached its breaking point once I returned to the villa, completely shutting out the outside world's glitz and noise.
Xu Xing released his grip, leaving a glaring red mark on Jiang Zhuochen's fair wrist. He turned to face Jiang Zhuochen, his voice as cold as if pulled from an ice cellar: "What were you standing there for? Didn't I tell you to stay put and not wander off?"
Jiang Zhuochen rubbed his wrist, still trying to sort out his tangled thoughts, when he was taken aback by the sharp and stern question.
This only fueled Xu Xing's anger. He loosened his tie, propped himself up on the sofa with one hand, and forced the other man to look up at him.
"Why didn't you immediately reject that filthy offer? You're usually so capable, but now you're going to take advantage of having someone back you up and slap him across the face? What's that expression on your face? Hmm? You're actually considering the benefits he offered?"
I really want to slap you right now.
If it weren't for your face...
Jiang Zhuochen didn't take his harsh words to heart. He was a beat slow to realize that there was a misunderstanding between him and these people, but he didn't want to ask what the difference was because of their aggressive attitude.
He turned his head and leaned back, deforming the soft sofa under his weight. This action annoyed Xu Xing, who clicked his tongue impatiently, reached out and pressed down on the other man's neck, while using his other hand to grab his chin to restrict his movements.
"say."
Jiang Zhuochen gave a sudden push, but surprisingly couldn't budge him. He hesitated for a second, then gave up using his spiritual power and began to struggle. In the chaos, he opened his mouth and bit the other's tiger's mouth with the same force as when he had pushed him. He could feel the other's fingers tremble for a moment, and then they obediently let him bite them.
He slapped Xu Xing's hand away, pursed his lips, picked up the cushion next to him and threw it over, covering Xu Xing's face before preparing to leave from the side.
A long, slender arm wrapped around his waist and pulled him backward. In the moment of weightlessness, he vaguely heard a sigh, and then he was held tightly in a hug, unable to move.
Xu Xing pressed his head against his shoulder and said helplessly, "You might as well make me angry to death."
"You were the one who yelled at me first," Jiang Zhuochen said in a barely audible voice.
The hot breath he exhaled landed on his collarbone, causing a slight tickling sensation. Xu Xing could only rub the back of his neck to relieve it, and said gently, "I shouldn't have scolded you when you were disobedient?"
Jiang Zhuochen pouted, "But you won't listen to my explanation..."
"It's clearly you who won't say anything." Xu Xing gritted his teeth. He was so angry that he wanted to go to Zhang's headquarters and blow it up, but this guy just kept him hanging without saying a word, and ran away without hesitation when he got annoyed. How could he be angry? In the end, he still had to chase after him and coax him.
"What are you saying?" Jiang Zhuochen's lips were pressed against his suit jacket as he mumbled, "I don't know why you're angry. I didn't understand a single word they said. If you think it's inconvenient for another person to come and take care of you, just say so. I really don't see anything dirty or sordid going on here..."
He paused briefly, then asked with a sudden realization, "Is it because they are a competitor that we can't use the person they recommend?"
Xu Xing was stunned by this astonishing remark and didn't know whether to laugh or cry. How could he forget that this person was not a local and that foreign culture had not had such a profound impact on him?
He breathed a sigh of relief, feeling a mix of emotions. He belatedly realized he had overreacted. But in that situation, with the person practically shoved into his arms and the other person remaining unmoved, it was hard for him not to be angry.
"No... never mind, it's my fault, I shouldn't have yelled at you."
Xu Xing slightly raised his upper body, looked down at a pair of sore eyes, gently stroked them, and said softly, "Crying again?"
Jiang Zhuochen glared at him and said fiercely, "You're the one who cried! Stop changing the subject, or I'll..."
After racking his brains for a while without coming up with a solution, he looked around and then pretended to be angry and said, "Just let me go."
That would be fatal. These words struck Xu Xing's heart, and he couldn't help but hug her tighter.
"Hey, I'm warning you, don't push your luck..."
Xu Xing whispered in his ear, "Don't you know the difference between serving and taking care of?"
Jiang Zhuochen's ear was numb. The deep, slightly hoarse voice was running wildly in his mind like fireworks, making his thoughts confused.
Xu Xing stared at his flushed face, his eyes surging with emotion. He barely managed to suppress his impulse, cupping the other's cheek in his hand before slowly sliding it down. "Or do you want me to demonstrate for you myself?"
Jiang Zhuochen trembled all over from being touched and instinctively tried to jump up. Xu Xing opened his hand and pressed down on his ribs, guessing that the other party was about to scratch him, so he stopped while he was ahead and said seriously, "Stay away from those kinds of people in the future, do you hear me? If anyone with ulterior motives comes over, don't be polite, just chase them away or call me immediately."
Xu Xing's actions left Jiang Zhuochen feeling utterly lost, as if he were repeatedly hitting walls in a maze. Unable to shake it off, his mind and attention were completely suspended, with nowhere to settle. After a long while, stimulated by his cerebral cortex, he mechanically replied, "I understand, I'll tell you to send him away..."
This was the answer he most wanted to hear.
Xu Xing gently stroked his hair, each stroke carrying a soothing force.
The villa fell silent, with only the sound of their heartbeats and breaths mingling in their tight embrace.
Xu Xing gazed at the person who had relaxed and fallen asleep unguarded in his arms, then leaned down and placed a kiss on the corner of the other's mouth.
A note from the author:
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