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Qi Xing received a WeChat message just as Ye Xingzhou was attending the bell-ringing ceremony for the listing of Xingneng Technology at the stock exchange in Huaicheng.
"Did my dad treat you well today?"
On stage, the founder of Xingneng was delivering a speech. Ye Xingzhou leaned comfortably in his seat and casually replied, "Just barely."
Qi Xing: "You helped him invest in projects that made him so much money, and it's just 'barely'?"
After several rounds of financing, Xingneng Technology officially went public today, and the capital market was optimistic, with promising returns expected in the future. Although Qi Ronghua was satisfied, he had no intention of treating Ye Xingzhou as one of his own.
Ye Xingzhou: "After all, I took his priceless treasure."
Qi Xing: "…Stop with the slick talk; it doesn't suit you."
Ye Xingzhou: "Mm."
Qi Ronghua was actually sitting right next to him. Aside from a forced smile and a brief greeting when he first sat down, the atmosphere was somewhat awkward—though it was awkward only on Qi Ronghua's side.
Ye Xingzhou, on the other hand, was quite at ease, exchanging messages with Qi Xing without making any effort to avoid Qi Ronghua.
Of course, Qi Ronghua wouldn't stoop to sneak a look at Ye Xingzhou's phone, but his eyesight was too good; he caught a glimpse of the chat background on Ye Xingzhou's screen. It was a photo he had casually taken of Qi Xing, who was half-naked and bending down to put on his pants.
Qi Ronghua: "…"
His face turned green as he instantly imagined his naive son being lured into a naked chat by some beast, conjuring up all sorts of inappropriate images.
He couldn't help but take another look and noticed that Ye Xingzhou had saved Qi Xing's WeChat contact as "Baby," which made him even more displeased.
"Baby? What baby? That's my child with his mother!"
When the ceremony ended, Ye Xingzhou took the initiative to stop Qi Ronghua and said, "Uncle Qi, I plan to attend Qi Xing's graduation ceremony next week."
His tone was not a question but a statement of decision, merely informing Qi Ronghua.
Qi Ronghua snorted coldly: "You’re not allowed to go early."
Ye Xingzhou: "Okay."
Out of sight, out of mind. Qi Ronghua had no desire to linger and chat with this guy, so he left directly.
…………
In the car, Qi Ronghua awkwardly asked his assistant, "Did you see that subordinate who came with Ye Xingzhou? He's so young; why is he by his side? He’s just got a decent face. Do you think he’s fooling around with him behind my back?"
Assistant: "…That seems to be Young Master Ye's secretary's assistant. Young Master Ye hasn't even spoken to him."
And if we're talking about looks, he’s far from their young master; it’s really not the case.
Qi Ronghua remained skeptical: "Last time I ran into him at a business dinner, he was chatting and laughing with other people, all men, and they were all good-looking young men."
The assistant helplessly replied, "That was probably business talk. If Young Master Ye was chatting with men, it’s not a big deal. But if he was chatting with women…"
"Women are also not okay," Qi Ronghua glared, "He’s a married man; can’t he be more careful?"
The assistant wisely fell silent.
Qi Ronghua felt deflated and leaned back in his seat while feeling a sense of sorrow that the cabbage he raised was ultimately going to be eaten by a pig.
The assistant glanced back at him and hesitated before saying, "I heard that the Ye family recently reached a strategic cooperation agreement with the Chaohai Group, and the news should be announced soon."
Upon hearing this, Qi Ronghua frowned: "Chaohai? Aren't they mainly in manufacturing? The Ye family is cooperating with them?"
But that wasn't the main point; the key was that Chaohai had previously had a deep cooperative relationship with Bosun. After Lin Hongfei was taken away by the Securities Regulatory Commission and the police for investigation and ended up in prison, Bosun collapsed, and Chaohai was severely affected, almost going bankrupt. They sought help from the Ye family, but Ye Xingzhou ignored them. Although they eventually pulled through, it was said that someone in the family died because of it, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they had a vendetta against Ye Xingzhou.
So Qi Ronghua had always thought of Ye Xingzhou as a troublemaker and having offended too many people and surrounded by enemies. But now the Ye family was actually cooperating with Chaohai?
The assistant said, "Wasn't there a major reshuffle in Chaohai's board recently? That was the result of their internal struggle. Young Master Ye probably had his sights set on more than just Bosun from the beginning; he was also eyeing Chaohai. The previous leader of Chaohai seemed quite arrogant and refused to lower his stance to seek cooperation with the Ye family. Young Master Ye simply supported others in the company to seize power. So when the new leader took office, he immediately partnered with the Ye family."
Qi Ronghua was speechless.
He had thought Ye Xingzhou would tone down his style, but instead, over the past year, he had become even more aggressive.
In the past, he would at least pretend to be modest in public, but now he was outright declaring that those who followed him would prosper, while those who opposed him would perish. He was also adept at shifting blame, like with Chaohai, turning his enemies' hatred into internal conflicts and letting them fight among themselves—that was his way of solving problems.
This wasn't the first time Ye Xingzhou had done such a thing. Although Qi Ronghua didn't show it on the surface, he had been keeping an eye on his "son-in-law" and had seen Ye Xingzhou dealing with this and that. Now, not only did everyone in the Ye family fear him, but he had also become a tyrant in Huaicheng, surpassing even his father. Every time Qi Ronghua heard about it, he couldn't help but glance sideways.
Previously, he had worriedly gone to complain to Old Chen, but Old Chen had laughed and said, "While patience, retreat, and low-key work are the paths to success for most people, if someone truly has the ability to go against the grain, being high-profile enough that most people are willing to flatter him, and the rest fear him even if they don't respect him, that’s also a valid approach."
Qi Ronghua thought to himself that Old Chen hadn't said that to him back in the day. He felt a bit displeased, as if he had been outdone by Ye Xingzhou in front of Old Chen. But he thought better of it; at his age, he shouldn't be playing the tyrant.
In the end, Qi Ronghua weakly waved his hand at the assistant: "Forget it, let him be."
That kid probably really had the ability to do what he couldn't back in the day; he could see that much.
After work in the afternoon, Ye Xingzhou went to the hospital. His uncle had suffered a stroke a few days ago and was still lying in the hospital.
The ward was crowded with relatives from the Ye family and already arguing over the inheritance, even though the person on the hospital bed was still alive.
As Ye Xingzhou entered, everyone in the ward fell silent, each with their own thoughts while cautiously glancing at him.
Ye Xingzhou was now like a living king of hell, especially among the Ye family; no one dared to cross him.
He walked in while ignoring everyone, and went straight to the bedside to check on his uncle. The man was awake but had a crooked mouth and drooling, and was unable to speak. He was only able to make "ah ah ah" sounds, not that anyone cared.
Ye Xingzhou was equally uninterested in this half-dead uncle. He sat down on the sofa before arrogantly raising his chin, and gestured to his uncle's eldest son, his cousin: "Did you discuss my previous proposal with them? What are they considering?"
Everyone in the ward had different expressions, and no one spoke first.
Their uncle was the chairman of the Ye family foundation, and most of the family relied on monthly allowances from the foundation for their living expenses and having no shares in the company. The uncle held power in the Ye family mainly because of this, but aside from being older and having a higher status, his abilities were quite limited. Under his management, the foundation had not only failed to grow its assets over the years but was also nearing insolvency.
Now that he was lying down, someone else would have to take over the foundation. Ye Xingzhou only offered them two options: either dissolve the foundation and split the remaining assets, or he would take over the foundation and find someone else to manage it, with no guarantee of how much money each person would receive in the future, or if they would receive anything at all.
Of course, the Ye family members were unwilling; they wanted to take control of the foundation. But Ye Xingzhou wouldn't give them that opportunity.
In fact, Ye Xingzhou didn't care about the foundation itself. The family members' shares in the company had already been diluted to almost nothing by him through various means. Letting these people lie around and receive some money each month didn't affect him at all. He simply despised the name "Ye family." Once the foundation was gone, these people would quickly become a scattered mess, and the Ye family would cease to exist.
Though he said it was a choice between two options, he would only give them one real option.
"…Did you know that Ye Wanyao died in a fight in a prison in the United States?" someone bravely asked.
Ye Xingzhou looked up indifferently: "Is that so?"
His tone and demeanor were extremely cold, making it impossible for anyone to discern anything. Whether he knew or how much he knew, or whether he was the one behind it, no one dared to draw conclusions.
But the more inscrutable he was, the more it instilled fear and trepidation in people. With Ye Wanyao's precedent, anyone who dared to offend Ye Xingzhou would face dire consequences.
After leaving the hospital, it was raining outside, and the sky was overcast.
The relentless rain was annoying until Qi Xing's WeChat message came in: "I'm up."
Ye Xingzhou replied: "Did you stay up late again? Did you only sleep for a few hours?"
Qi Xing: "Mind your own business."
Ye Xingzhou had originally planned to stop by the company but went straight home instead. Upon entering, he initiated a video call, and Qi Xing sluggishly answered with his face close to the camera and looking tired as he called out to him: "Ye Xingzhou…"
Ye Xingzhou: "You passed your thesis defense, so why do you still look so listless?"
"Don't mention it. I thought I was free, but last night the professor sent an email saying there will be a final forum in two days, and we need to form groups and come up with a theme that’s innovative and creative. I can't think of anything."
Qi Xing was so frustrated he almost wanted to facepalm, but Ye Xingzhou laughed.
"What are you laughing at?" Qi Xing glared at him in anger.
Ye Xingzhou: "Nothing. Didn't you say a couple of days ago that your internship, exam results, and thesis were all excellent, and you were invincible? How can a single event theme stump you?"
"Can’t I brag a little?" Qi Xing huffed. "I thought of it; let’s just call the theme 'The Phenomenon of Pretentiousness in Modern Corporate Culture and Its Transmission.'"
Ye Xingzhou: "Suit yourself."
Qi Xing: "You're just waiting to see me make a fool of myself."
Ye Xingzhou: "Do you want me to help you?"
"No need," Qi Xing leaned closer to the camera, "I'll think of something myself; it’s the last time after all. Ye Xingzhou, what did my dad say to you today?"
"We didn't say much. I mentioned going to your graduation ceremony next week, and he agreed," Ye Xingzhou replied.
Qi Xing was a bit skeptical. Could his dad really be that easy to talk to? But as long as Ye Xingzhou could come, that was enough.
Counting down, there were only five days until they would see each other, and his previous gloom was instantly swept away.
"When you come, we’ll have a three-day battle."
Ye Xingzhou reminded him: "Your parents will be there too."
Qi Xing: "I don't care about them."
He finally got to see Ye Xingzhou, and if he had to hold back; he felt like he was going to burst.
Ye Xingzhou nodded nonchalantly: "Mm."
Seeing his lazy and arrogant demeanor made Qi Xing itch with impatience; he felt he couldn't wait those five days: "Ye Xingzhou—"
Ye Xingzhou raised an eyebrow: "Mm?"
"Stop 'mm'-ing," Qi Xing's gaze wandered, "Go back to your room…"
Ye Xingzhou: "Now?"
Qi Xing urged him: "Go back."
The dim light in the room on a rainy evening made it even darker. As Ye Xingzhou pulled the curtains, Qi Xing softly said, "It's raining here too."
Ye Xingzhou: "I heard."
Qi Xing watched his movements as Ye Xingzhou began to undress and slowly unbuttoned his shirt, then finally revealing his well-defined chest and abs. Qi Xing's voice rolled in his throat, and when he finally spoke, it was somewhat slurred: "I want to touch you."
Ye Xingzhou leisurely pulled off his belt and his deliberately lowered voice sounded particularly sexy: "Touch where?"
Qi Xing: "Your body."
Ye Xingzhou chuckled softly: "Close your eyes and feel."
Qi Xing reluctantly closed his eyes and tried to recall the warmth and sensations he had felt every time he embraced Ye Xingzhou. Unfortunately, it had been too long, and no matter how many times he tried to remember, it never felt enough. No memory could compare to the real touch, leaving him frustrated.
"Qi Xing," Ye Xingzhou's voice was deeper than before, "What do you feel?"
Qi Xing licked his lips. Even though his feelings were vague, just hearing Ye Xingzhou's voice was enough to ignite his blood and gradually awakening those bodily memories: "Your lower abdomen, it's very hard."
Ye Xingzhou's throat moved: "What else?"
Qi Xing: "Also… hard."
Those two words were like a murmur, but Ye Xingzhou heard them clearly, and his low, husky laughter grew more pleasant.
Qi Xing found it hard to endure his laughter and open his eyes to glance over while his gaze filled with shyness and allure.
Ye Xingzhou lit a cigarette and reclined naked on the sofa. He watched him as he exhaled smoke while the desire in his eyes for Qi Xing was unmistakable, looking particularly wicked.
The muscles in his shoulders and arms moved, hinting at what his other hand was doing. The scene before Qi Xing made him so excited that he could hardly breathe, yet he couldn't tear his eyes away.
Ye Xingzhou spoke: "Baby, come do it with me."
"Mm…"
Qi Xing's voice had also turned hoarse as he leaned back in his chair before gently unbuttoning his jeans.