BF Chapter 45

Xu Zikang kept his eyes down and said nothing. Zhan Shili’s voice was cold: “Let’s go.”

 

In the end, Xu Zikang did not refuse. Without a word, he followed him out of the venue.

 

Xu Shen caught sight of their retreating figures, motioned for his secretary to pack everything up, and rose to his feet as well.

 

Cai Lihao, who had left ahead of them, called him: “Hey, what happened? Stumbled right before the finish line… Why did that Third Brother of yours suddenly switch sides? You didn’t manage to get him under control?”

 

“Something went wrong,” Xu Shen said, not wanting to elaborate. “I let my guard down.”

 

Cai Lihao asked, “What now? What are you planning to do next?”

 

Xu Shen thought for a moment before saying, “About what we discussed before, getting you onto the board—we’ll do it another way. Start with Xu Ziren.”

 

Cai Lihao sounded rather surprised: “You sure?”

 

“I’m sure,” Xu Shen said.

 

After leaving the venue and reaching a deserted spot, Xu Zikang stopped and spoke first: “Whatever you want to talk about, let’s talk here.”

 

Zhan Shili looked at him, almost as though scrutinizing him, but did not immediately speak.

 

Under Zhan Shili’s gaze, Xu Zikang lowered his head. He felt that he ought to be more assertive and confident, yet the truth was that he felt awful.

 

“Why did you change your mind at the last moment and vote against it?” Zhan Shili finally asked.

 

Xu Zikang was silent for a while before asking hoarsely, “Are you angry because I didn’t listen to you and voted against it?”

 

“Why?” Zhan Shili pressed.

 

Xu Zikang faltered: “There’s no particular reason…”

 

“Whenever you lie, you don’t dare look me in the eye,” Zhan Shili exposed him. “Do you think I’d believe you?”

 

Xu Zikang’s eyes slowly reddened. At last, he raised his head: “Nic, are you this angry because I didn’t help my Fourth Brother and made his plan fail? You said you were helping me, but the person you actually wanted to help was him. What exactly is your relationship with him?”

 

So that was it.

 

The moment Xu Zikang had cast his opposing vote earlier, Zhan Shili had already sensed something.

 

He and Xu Shen had indeed grown too complacent and reckless, letting someone pick up on their true colors.

 

Still, he showed no panic: “What are you trying to say?”

 

Xu Zikang wanted to hear the answer directly from him: “Can’t you say it? What exactly is your relationship with him?”

 

But Zhan Shili said, “You already know. Why bother asking?”

 

He did not even try to deny it, simply admitting it outright, an attitude that made it even harder for Xu Zikang to accept.

 

“…So you admit it,” Xu Zikang grew agitated. “Have you really been deceiving me all this time? I saw you with my own eyes, going to the yacht club to meet him. You hugged him, kissed him… you probably slept with him too, didn’t you? He never had a girlfriend named Nicky. That person was you, Nic. You’ve both been playing me like a fool this entire time. Was it fun?”

 

Zhan Shili frowned, irritation rising within him, though he managed to force it down: “So what?”

 

“You—”

 

“Getting rid of your Second Brother the way Young Master Shen wanted would have benefited him, you, and me. It was good for all of us. Why did you have to refuse to listen and act so willfully?”

 

Zhan Shili continued to cut Xu Zikang off, turning the accusation back on him: “What good does what you did today bring you, other than making your Second Brother happy?”

 

Xu Zikang looked as though he might crumble on the spot: “I’m the one being willful? With the two of you having this kind of relationship, was I supposed to keep pretending to be an idiot, act like I knew nothing, and let the two of you lie to me and toy with me?”

 

“It was just playing along with him,” Zhan Shili said impatiently. “Young Master Shen likes to play games, so I play along. How else am I supposed to make him trust me?”

 

Xu Zikang asked in disbelief, “You’re just… playing with him?”

 

“What did you think it was?” What Zhan Shili said was certainly not the truth, but was also not entirely a lie: “He’s capable. In such a short time, he managed to earn the boss’s favor and become Zhaoqi’s acting chairman. Of course I have to keep him satisfied.”

 

Xu Zikang almost thought he had misheard: “If you’re only playing with him, then what about me? Are you playing with me too? Because I’m a major shareholder of Zhaoqi, you pretend to care about me and sweet-talk me? Nic, is this really the kind of person you are?”

 

Zhan Shili asked, “What kind of person do you think I am?”

 

Xu Zikang instantly fell silent.

 

There was something in Zhan Shili’s eyes that he could not understand: “Third Young Master, are you only realizing it now? I’ve always been this kind of person.”

 

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After the shareholders’ meeting ended, Xu Shen went to the hospital, as Xu Shiji had specifically instructed him to do the day before.

 

Xu Shiji had already learned the result of the vote. He gestured for Xu Shen to sit and asked, “Do you know where you lost?”

 

“I underestimated them,” Xu Shen admitted frankly. “I didn’t expect Sister-in-law to support Second Brother, and I didn’t expect Third Brother to go back on his promise to help me and switch sides at the last moment.”

 

Xu Shiji asked again, “Have you thought about why they did it?”

 

Xu Shen said, “I trusted them too much. I’m the one who came later, after all. I can understand why they would support Second Brother instead of me.”

 

Xu Shiji said, “You’re still a little inexperienced. No matter how certain something seems, there will always be variables until everything is truly settled.”

 

Xu Shen accepted the lesson. This time, he genuinely agreed. Lately, he had been too caught up in his love affair and had indeed grown less cautious compared to before.

 

“Forget it this time. Give some more thought as to what you’re going to do next.” Xu Shiji was actually rather pleased with this outcome. Although he was furious over what Xu Ziren had done, he did not want to see things go too smoothly for Xu Shen either. Otherwise, he would start to feel that this son of his was a little too capable and become wary of him.

 

Xu Shen had expected precisely this reaction and merely said, “I understand.”

 

Xu Shiji also took the opportunity to ask about Cai Lihao: “Old Huang sold his shares to him. Why didn’t any news of it leak out beforehand?”

 

“I’m not too sure either,” Xu Shen answered. “You’d probably have to ask Second Brother about that.”

 

Huang Dexing was one of Xu Ziren’s people. For him to suddenly resign, sell his shares, and emigrate—and to sell those shares to Cai Lihao, who had triad connections, no less—made it difficult not to read more into the situation.

 

With that single sentence, Xu Shen redirected the suspicion toward Xu Ziren. Better for Xu Shiji to suspect him than Xu Shen.

 

Xu Shiji frowned. Whatever came to mind, his expression predictably darkened.

 

Xu Shen reassured him, “He doesn’t hold that many shares anyway. We can find a way to buy them back later. It shouldn’t cause much trouble.”

 

Xu Shiji said, “What worries me is that your Second Brother has ulterior motives and is trying to bring someone with such a complicated background to his side. Zhaoqi is a legitimate business; we can’t let them run wild.”

 

“I’ll keep an eye on Second Brother,” Xu Shen said without batting an eye. “I won’t let him get his way.”

 

Before evening, Xu Shen returned to the Xu family mansion. The moment he stepped inside, he encountered Xu Zikang sitting by the floor-to-ceiling doors of the sitting room, staring blankly into space.

 

Hearing his footsteps, Xu Zikang looked over. Xu Shen casually nodded to him and was about to head upstairs when Xu Zikang called out to him.

 

“Can we talk for a minute?”

 

Xu Shen stopped and walked over, perching lazily against the arm of the sofa: “What would Third Brother like to talk about?”

 

Xu Zikang drew in a deep breath and asked bluntly, “What is your relationship with Nic?”

 

Understanding dawned on Xu Shen’s face: “You know.”

 

“So you admit it,” Xu Zikang clenched his teeth, keeping his voice down. “You knew about my relationship with him. Why would you still do this? Were you the one who made the first move?”

 

“I didn’t want this either,” Xu Shen looked at him, his voice soft and feathery light. “Seeing how gentle and considerate he was with you, Third Brother, I was genuinely envious. It was my fault that I couldn’t control myself, but when I made the first move, he didn’t reject me. He accepted me. I’m really happy when I’m with him, and I’m sorry for making you so upset, Third Brother.”

 

Xu Zikang was instantly enraged: “You think a simple ‘sorry’ means you can just brush everything aside as though none of it ever happened? You knew how much I liked him. Why did you have to do this?!”

 

Xu Shen said aggrievedly, “Third Brother, I’m not like you. In this family, I’m nothing more than a pawn Father happens to find useful. He can take the acting chairman position back from me whenever he wants, but you’re different. You’re Zhaoqi’s second-largest shareholder. No one can take that away from you. You already have everything, can’t you take pity on me and let me have Nic?”

 

“No! Never!”

 

Xu Zikang was pushed too far, and the words Zhan Shili had said, that he had “always been this kind of person,” came back to him. His expression twisted almost beyond recognition: “Do you actually think Nic has feelings for you? You said it yourself that you made the first move and that he didn’t turn you down, and he told me himself that he was only playing along with you!”

 

“Really?” Xu Shen softly repeated. “Playing along, hmm?”

 

“What else?” Xu Zikang said bitterly. “Do you seriously think he likes you?! How could he?! He sees you as nothing more than some cheap thing throwing yourself at him, and you don’t even have the decency to be ashamed! What the hell are you? You’re nothing but the bastard son of some whore he slept with outside. What gives you the right to compete with me? Where do you even get the nerve to ask me to give him to you?!”

 

The hand Xu Shen had tucked into his pocket slowly stroked his gold coin, eyelids lowered as he let Xu Zikang rant hysterically at him. A moment later, he straightened up, voice turning flat: “Have you ever slept with him?”

 

The expression on Xu Zikang’s face froze, his features contorting into a grimace.

 

“Then I guess that’s a no.” Mockery filled Xu Shen’s eyes: “Why should I be disgusted with myself? Third Brother, he’s willing to sleep with me but not serve you. Even if he’s only playing along, it still seems like he likes me more, doesn’t it? So what if I’m some whore’s bastard son? I’m smarter than you, better educated than you, and better-looking than you. Even Father values me more now. More importantly, I’m healthy enough to have a good time in bed with Nic. Can you?”

 

Before he provoked Xu Zikang into having a heart attack on the spot, Xu Shen decided to quit while he was ahead.

 

Xu Zikang was no longer of any use to him, but as long as he kept him around, Xu Shen could take his time playing with him. He wanted to torment Xu Zikang psychologically, make him watch with his own eyes as Xu Shen took Zhan Shili away from him, leaving him with nothing.

 

Xu Shen went upstairs to his room. He had just stepped inside when Zhan Shili called.

 

“You’re back from the hospital? What did the boss say?”

 

“What could he say?” Xu Shen shut the door behind him and said sarcastically, “Same as always. Told me to figure out what to do myself. In any case, he won’t interfere.”

 

Zhan Shili asked, “What are you planning to do? Now that the Second Young Master has kept his seat on the board, if Xu Zikang insists on siding with him, you might not even have as much support on the board as he does.”

 

In other words, Xu Ziren could render Xu Shen, the acting chairman, powerless.

 

“Nic, this is your fault for handling things poorly, making all my previous efforts go to waste,” Xu Shen’s tone sounded almost petulant. “So what do you think we should do?”

 

Zhan Shili paused slightly: “Is Young Master Shen trying to hold me accountable?”

 

“Shouldn’t I?” Xu Shen deflected. “When Xu Zikang cast that opposing vote, for a moment I thought even you had switched sides with him and decided to help my Second Brother.”

 

“You really thought that?” Zhan Shili asked. “You thought I would?”

 

“Who can say for sure?” Xu Shen’s voice was half-serious, half-sarcastic. “After all, we’re only playing along with each other. Who knows what you’re really thinking, Mr. Zhan?”

 

Zhan Shili ignored the question entirely: “Aren’t you planning to put your godbrother on the board of directors? You’ll need to find a suitable excuse.”

 

“No need to worry about that,” Xu Shen said. “I don’t even have to come up with one. Just watch. Xu Ziren will personally invite him onto the board.”

 

“As long as you have a plan.” Zhan Shili did not ask further. Xu Shen always had a way. “What happened today was indeed an oversight on my part, but Young Master Shen, you bear some responsibility too. What he discovered was the relationship between the two of us, and neither of us can distance ourselves from that.”

 

“What relationship?” Xu Shen asked. “Nic, there isn’t really anything between us, is there?”

 

Zhan Shili went quiet on the other end of the line before asking, “Do you care about those words that much?”

 

Xu Shen scoffed: “I’m just curious. Are you still planning to string him along? He already knows about us, will he even listen to you?”

 

Zhan Shili did not answer directly: “Since you managed to hear those words from his own mouth, what do you think?”

 

Xu Shen understood. The more hysterical Xu Zikang became, the more it proved that he still could not let go. Even after discovering what kind of person Zhan Shili truly was, he would probably remain hopelessly obsessed, perhaps even more so than before.

 

“You really have mastered this skill of yours; who could ever beat you at it? I probably couldn’t either.”

 

Zhan Shili, however, did think so. When it came to Xu Shen, he had never believed himself to be capable of gaining the upper hand.

 

“You have that little confidence in yourself?”

 

Xu Shen collapsed onto the bed and, and for a rare moment, he was lost in thought.

 

In truth, he had been in a terrible mood all day. He had been unhappy ever since the shareholders’ meeting ended, and all the emotions he had been forcing himself to suppress finally reached a breaking point at this moment: “Forget it.”

 

Zhan Shili caught the edge in his voice: “Seren, are you angry?”

 

For a second, Xu Shen didn’t know what to say.

 

“Do you really care that much?” Zhan Shili asked, as if testing him, pressing him little by little.

 

This time, Xu Shen remained silent. It was rare for him to hesitate like this. Zhan Shili’s voice came through the phone slightly muffled and distorted, leaving him strangely dazed.

 

His mind was a jumble of chaotic thoughts, all knotted together like a tangled mess.

 

The phrase “playing along” wasn’t exactly false, but he didn’t like it. And yet, he lacked the confidence to say that he didn’t like them out loud; that was very unlike him.

 

That few brief seconds of silence seemed to stretch on endlessly before Xu Shen said again, “Forget it.”

 

Taking out the gold coin, Xu Shen haphazardly tossed it into the air before catching it firmly in his hand. He closed his eyes and let his arm fall to his side, ultimately choosing not to look at the answer in his palm.

 

Zhan Shili lowered his eyes to the phone screen after the call disconnected, wanting to say something more to Xu Shen.

 

He opened their chat, typed a few words, deleted them, rewrote them, then eventually just deleted everything.

 

His brows drew together, an inexplicable irritation surging within him.

 

He had decided from the very beginning what he intended to do, but the additional variable known as Xu Shen had appeared and made things uncertain, bringing one complication after another.

 

He truly had indulged himself and failed to resist temptation.

 

And now that hesitation had taken root in his heart, it spread like wild vines, impossible to tear away. Perhaps, in the end, he would be the one truly tamed by Xu Shen, and he was definitely not mistaken.

 

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t/n: I smell conflict…

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