BF Chapter 9

At six o’clock in the afternoon, a knock sounded on the office door. Xu Shen’s head peeked out from a mountain of piled-up documents and materials: “Come in.”

Zhan Shili pushed the door open and entered, sitting down across from the desk: “Did you adjust well for your first day at work?”

Before Xu Shen could answer, someone else knocked on the door. His secretary rolled in two carts full of project materials, saying awkwardly: “These were also sent over by Manager Liao’s side.”

Xu Shen instructed, “Leave them there, you can clock off now since it’s time.”

The secretary let out a sigh of relief, quickly setting down the items and scurrying off.

Zhan Shili asked, “What are all these?”

Xu Shen said, “Didn’t you hear it just now? Manager Liao had people send over the document materials for all the projects in the Real Estate Development Department from the past ten years, these on my desk included.”

“He’s making you read all these?”

“How could that be? I was the one who asked him what projects the Real Estate Development Department is working on right now. He said he’d bring materials for me to read, and so sent all of these over to me. I’ve been flipping through them for a day; there aren’t any important documents, it’s all irrelevant stuff.”

Zhan Shili raised his chin slightly, “Then why are you still reading them?”

Xu Shen answered nonchalantly, “I have nothing else to do anyway, so I might as well read them since I have the time.”

Zhan Shili said: “Liao Zhihong is the Second Young Master’s person. You’re a newcomer who just arrived, so he isn’t taking you seriously and is just trying to intimidate you. Don’t care too much about it.”

Xu Shen wasn’t surprised in the least, “I guessed as much.”

Xu Zijie was dead, and Xu Ziren had just been promoted to CEO of the company and was taking advantage of the momentum. In comparison, he, an inexperienced novice, an illegitimate son who had just returned to the Xu Family, really didn’t amount to anything.

However, when all was said and done, he was still Xu Shiji’s son. For someone to dare to be so arrogant as to deny him face on his very first day at work? It can only be explained that he was backed by someone with power.

“What about you then?” Xu Shen asked, “My dad is semi-retired now, what are your plans?”

Zhan Shili looked at him. “The boss arranged for Assistant Liu to follow Second Young Master. As for me, he told me to keep an eye on your side of things in my spare time.”

Xu Shen found this intriguing: “My dad making such an arrangement… is it to have you guys help out, or does he not trust his sons and wants to send people to keep tabs on us? Not trusting me is one thing, but does he not even trust my second brother?”

Zhan Shili didn’t continue that line of thought, only saying, “The boss isn’t in good health right now—his mind may be willing, but his body isn’t.”

Xu Zijie’s death had shocked Xu Shiji into falling seriously ill, and although Zhong Zhihua had cleared his murder suspicions, he had ended up locked up for helping people launder money. Moreover, Xu Shiji had also been implicated for paying off that debt for his son before, being dragged through police summons and investigations for a long time. Now that the doctor repeatedly urged that he needed quiet rest, he was most likely not coming back unless something major occurred, leaving all official business to Xu Ziren.

Xu Shen didn’t quite like Zhan Shili’s tone: “Nic, don’t use the set of tricks you use to fool others to fool me.”

Zhan Shili reminded him, “There’s no need to waste your time looking at these things, the biggest project the Real Estate Development Department is currently pushing forward is Mong Kok’s Future New Town Plan. I have the materials you want over on my side, I’ll have someone send them over to you tomorrow.”

“Although the momentum of the real estate industry in recent years isn’t what it used to be, Zhaoqi made its fortune relying on this, and the boss letting you enter the Real Estate Development Department as deputy manager shows his intention to cultivate you. Take good advantage of the opportunity yourself.”

Xu Shen asked him, “Since you’re helping me so much, how should I repay you?”

Zhan Shili said, “There’s no need. It’s enough that Young Master Shen has this intention.”

A smile bloomed across the corners of Xu Shen’s eyes and brows: “Then how about I treat you to dinner? Right now, is Mr. Zhan willing to grace me with his presence?”

Zhan Shili’s gaze lingered on his bright eyes and nodded, “Sure.”

When getting into the car, Zhan Shili received a message sent by Xu Zikang, who was also inviting him to have dinner together. Zhan Shili replied [I have to work overtime, how about next time] before shutting off his phone.

Xu Shen in the passenger seat beside him caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye and said: “He just recovered from a cold and happens to need someone to comfort him. With you being so perfunctory, aren’t you afraid he’ll get unhappy and dump you?”

Zhan Shili calmly started the car: “He won’t.”

“That’s true,” Xu Shen said, “If it were me, I wouldn’t bear to dump you either.”

Zhan Shili couldn’t be bothered to contribute to such talk, but Xu Shen suddenly leaned over, getting close to him and sniffing: “The scent on you today is a bit different.”

Zhan Shili went along with it and asked, “How is it different?”

“A bit sweet,” Xu Shen said after thinking it over, “Did you eat candy?”

Zhan Shili glanced at him sideways without explaining: “Sit properly.”

The dining location was chosen by Zhan Shili, a sky garden restaurant near the company.

While Xu Shen was flipping through the menu, laughter suddenly drifted over from the other side of the greenery partition behind him: “…Just an illegitimate child born to a prostitute. After all, he’s a bastard—no one will really take him seriously, and with Second Young Master around, there’s no need to worry about these things.”

Zhan Shili raised his eyes and looked over; at another table a dozen meters away sat Liao Zhihong and two contractors who worked with the company year-round, chatting merrily and laughing loudly.

With their line of sight blocked by the partition, those people didn’t notice that the main subject of their discussion was right next to them.

Xu Shen flipped to another page of the menu in his hand, as if he hadn’t heard a thing.

Zhan Shili asked him, “Do you want to switch restaurants?”

“The food here looks pretty good,” Xu Shen said without raising his eyes. “Why switch places?”

The voices speaking over there came through intermittently, discussing everything from the internal affairs of the Xu Family to company projects without any restraint.

When Xu Shen and Zhan Shili were halfway through their meal, those people finally paid the bill and left.

Zhan Shili said, “Liao Zhihong has very close ties with those few contractors, often making appointments to eat and play golf together.”

Xu Shen said, “Well, that’s normal.”

Zhan Shili nodded and continued, “His wife took their children and emigrated to Canada where they drive sports cars and live in luxury mansions, living very lavishly, not quite matching Liao Zhihong’s income.”

Xu Shen asked, “Nic, what are you trying to say?”

“In recent years when the company’s engineering projects went out for bidding, the ones who won the bids in the end were almost always those two firms,” Zhan Shili said, “It’s hard to say if there are shady dealings between them, but now that you’ve entered the Real Estate Development Department, you should keep an eye out on him.”

Interest arose in Xu Shen’s eyes: “Are you saying he’s taking kickbacks from these contractors? Does my second brother know?”

Zhan Shili didn’t answer directly. “Second Young Master has always been protective of his own subordinates. As long as it’s not a particularly severe matter he would always turn a blind eye. There are many in the company who are loyal to him.”

Xu Shen wondered, “Then having just entered the company, shouldn’t I keep a low profile? It wouldn’t be good to make trouble for others as soon as I join, and besides, isn’t this obviously making things difficult for my second brother?”

Zhan Shili looked at him for two seconds: “Do whatever you want.”

Xu Shen asked curiously, “Then what’s the point of telling me all this?”

Zhan Shili replied, “Just a heads-up.”

Xu Shen looked at him and suddenly grinned: “Nic, is it really such a coincidence that we came here to eat and happened to bump into them, or did you bring me here on purpose? You telling me all this, do you actually want to help me? Or do you want to wield me as a weapon to deal with my second brother?

Not a hint of shame was visible in Zhan Shili’s calm expression. Meeting Xu Shen’s gaze, he spoke after a moment of silence: “It’s whatever you think it is.”

Xu Shen said, “I don’t know what it is. If you won’t say then forget it; you’re just taking advantage of the fact that I can’t bear to dump you either.”

Zhan Shili softened his voice: “Be careful. Others are out in the open while you are in the dark, there’s no need to be too reckless.”

“How are you so sure that I’ll actually listen to you?” Xu Shen said disapprovingly, “I really can’t stand that Manager Liao, and I’m the type of person who never lets a grudge go. He insulted me, so I absolutely cannot make life easy for him, but there’s more than one way to get revenge. Personally, I prefer the simplest and most direct method.”

Zhan Shili raised an eyebrow slightly: “For example?”

Xu Shen didn’t elaborate. “You’ll see in a bit.”

By the time they finished their meal, it was already past eight in the evening, and the sky was getting dark.

Zhan Shili’s car was parked at the entrance of a dark alley filled with trash in an old neighborhood with the car window rolled down. Miserable shrieks echoed out from the alley from time to time.

“Who are you people? I have money, I’ll give you money, just let me go…”

Liao Zhihong was stuffed in a gunny sack and pinned to the ground by several thugs as he was beaten with wooden bats, rolling around desperately trying to dodge, weeping and begging for mercy.

Zhan Shili only glanced at him once before turning his gaze to the person beside him.

Xu Shen had lit a cigarette and was slowly smoking it with drooping eyelids. His face amidst the blur of smoke remained emotionless and indifferent, as though the situation outside was a common sight to him.

Dealing with Xu Zikang was like this, and dealing with others was like this too.

Zhan Shili wasn’t surprised. It seemed like his first impression of Xu Shen was just like this: an essence of a person just like him, only hidden under a pure and harmless facade.

“Why do you keep looking at me?” Xu Shen turned his head and blinked at him, “Is the show outside not good to watch?”

Zhan Shili asked, “Where did you find these people?”

Xu Shen’s gaze paused, and he uttered the sentence he had said twice before: “No comment.”

Zhan Shili reached over, took the cigarette from his hand, took a deep drag, snuffed it out in the ashtray, and rolled up the car window.

“No smoking in my car. I don’t like the smell.”

Xu Shen complained: “Nic, you’re so domineering.”

Zhan Shili started the car, fished out a piece of candy from the armrest compartment, and tossed it to him.

“Eat this.”

Xu Shen was slightly surprised, slowly peeling open the wrapper and bringing the candy into his mouth with a bite—it was indeed the taste he had faintly smelled earlier: a fresh and fruity aroma, very sweet, a sweetness that didn’t match Zhan Shili’s personality.

“Is this your candy? Or did someone else leave it in your car?” he asked.

Zhan Shili didn’t look back and said, “I don’t let other people leave things in my car.”

Xu Shen was satisfied, leaning back into the seat with the candy in his mouth, licking and sucking with the tip of his tongue, as if tasting the other person’s scent.

Zhan Shili drove him back to the Xu Family mansion, stopping the car outside the main gate.

Before pushing open the car door, Xu Shen asked: “That candy just now, is there any more of it?”

Zhan Shili glanced at him, opened the armrest compartment, and grabbed a handful of candy to give him.

Xu Shen couldn’t hold back a smile: “You really made me see you in a new light.”

Zhan Shili asked, “Do you want any more?”

“It’s enough,” Xu Shen stuffed the candy into his pants pocket, “I’ll ask you for more next time.”

He got out of the car, bent down after shutting the door to knock on the car window.

Zhan Shili rolled down the window and looked at him: “Is there anything else?”

Xu Shen stared into his eyes, and after a moment, raised a finger to his lips, making the exact same gesture he had made that night when he teased this man, lightly tapping his own lips.

“Nic, see you next time.”

Inside the car, Zhan Shili’s gaze deepened and darkened, sliding down from his smiling eyes to his lips and then back down, saying nothing as he rolled up the car window, stepped on the accelerator, and drove off in a flamboyant manner.

Xu Shen watched the car drive away into the distance, peeled another piece of candy, and popped it into his mouth.

It really was very sweet.

He was getting a bit addicted.

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