When Jiang Yuan emerged from the meeting room, Secretary Fang was still there to lead the way.
Jiang Yuan was lost in thought. It wasn't until they had turned several corners and reached the elevators that he realized they weren't headed back toward the banquet hall.
He stopped in his tracks, his expression guarded as he looked at the man in front of him. "This isn't the way back to the banquet hall, Secretary Fang."
Secretary Fang turned around and bowed slightly, his attitude respectful. "The Chairman asked me to take you to see someone."
"Who?" Jiang Yuan frowned.
"An acquaintance," Secretary Fang said simply, offering no further details. "The Chairman said you would understand once you see them."
Jiang Yuan said nothing more and stepped into the elevator.
Secretary Fang had always been a dutiful mouthpiece; if he said it was Jiang Kunbo’s wish, then it certainly was. This only made Jiang Yuan more curious about who his father would specifically arrange for him to meet.
***
After Jiang Yuan left, Xie Chengnan remained standing to the left of the banquet hall entrance to wait for him. It was a conspicuous spot; as long as a waiter cracked the door open, anyone standing outside could see him at a glance.
Xie Chengnan had originally thought that few people would recognize him on an occasion like this. To his surprise, people had been approaching him for conversation since the moment he walked in. The business cards Jiang Yuan had insisted he bring were already gone.
When Jiang Hao approached with a wine glass to greet him, Xie Chengnan was surrounded by several investors asking if Nanyuan Technology had any recent financing plans. It wasn't until the two of them clinked glasses and drank that Xie Chengnan realized who this person was.
The last time Xie Chengnan had rushed to the bar, Jiang Hao’s face had been covered in blood from Jiang Yuan’s beating. Combined with the dim lighting of the club, Xie Chengnan’s ability to recognize faces wasn't sharp enough to remember him.
However, the person whose conversation had been interrupted recognized Jiang Hao and said politely, "Does Little Manager Jiang also have investment intentions?"
Jiang Hao’s status was awkward. Although everyone in the circle knew he was Jiang Kunbo’s illegitimate son, Jiang Kunbo had never officially acknowledged him. The official line was that he was a child Li Yan had brought into the family after her marriage.
Consequently, once Jiang Hao took a position in the company, people in the circle tactfully called him "Little Manager Jiang," while they reserved the title "Young Master Jiang" for Jiang Yuan.
Xie Chengnan didn't know the intricacies of these social nuances, but he at least understood who the man before him was. His previously mild expression instantly turned cold. "Has Mr. Jiang’s injury healed?"
Jiang Hao’s teeth itched with hatred at the jab, yet he maintained a smile as warm as a spring breeze. "Why is my 'sister-in-law' all alone? Didn't A-Yuan accompany you to meet the uncles and elders?"
Xie Chengnan arched an eyebrow, finding the form of address quite novel.
He wasn't particularly embarrassed, but the people around them were. Although Jiang Yuan and Xie Chengnan’s coming out had been sensational, no one was foolish enough to bring it up at the Jiang Corporation’s annual gala. They hadn't expected a member of the Jiang family to be the one to open that door.
Jiang Hao certainly hadn't come to chat about family matters. He looked around with exaggerated movements and said pointedly, "Has A-Yuan still not come down from upstairs? That Second Young Master Qiao is really something—how could he not restrain himself on such an important occasion tonight? If A-Yuan can't get out of bed in a while, what will we do? That would be far too rude."
The surrounding investors looked on in shock. No matter how slow they were, they could hear the malice in his words. They exchanged glances and immediately made excuses to scatter.
Xie Chengnan’s brow twitched at the remark. He didn't ask Jiang Hao what he meant; instead, he pulled out his phone and called Jiang Yuan. He tried several times, but Jiang Yuan didn't pick up.
Jiang Hao swirled the wine in his glass, his face wearing a "just as I thought" expression. "My younger brother might not have other talents, but his ability to hook men is top-tier. I heard Second Young Master Qiao used a major project to strike a deal with my father, just so he could enjoy A-Yuan's favors tonight."
At this, Jiang Hao looked momentarily chagrined. "Oh dear, did I use the wrong idiom? My brother isn't a woman, though since they're both the ones getting fucked, I suppose it's not that different." He leaned in and whispered to Xie Chengnan, "How far do you think they've gotten by now? I've heard Second Young Master Qiao is quite the deviant in bed. I wonder if my brother’s thin arms and legs can take it."
Xie Chengnan, unable to get through on the phone, had already darkened his expression. Without waiting for Jiang Hao to finish, he turned and strode out of the banquet hall.
He had no time to worry about Jiang Hao watching for a laugh behind his back. His mind was filled with questions: Where was Jiang Yuan? Why wasn't he answering? Was he really with Qiao Song? Was he truly in danger?
"Jason," Xie Chengnan said, irritably tugging his tie loose, his voice thick with anxiety. "Infiltrate the hotel's surveillance system. Screen all footage from the last thirty minutes. Find A-Yuan for me!"
[Nan, that is an illegal act.]
"I am authorizing you to breach the system. I will take responsibility for any issues." Xie Chengnan couldn't care less about the law right now. He only wanted to find Jiang Yuan as quickly as possible and confirm he was safe.
[Screening started. Do you require a forced activation of A-Yuan’s camera?]
Xie Chengnan hesitated for only a second before making the decision. "Open it!"
The feed was transmitted to Xie Chengnan’s phone. The screen was pitch black; evidently, the phone was still in Jiang Yuan’s pocket.
The darkness made Xie Chengnan even more uneasy. He felt his heart pounding harder than ever before, the veins in his temples throbbing. He was going frantic.
[A-Yuan located. Entered Room 3201 on the 32nd floor fifteen minutes ago.]
As the elevator ascended, Xie Chengnan heard Jason’s follow-up sentence.
[The person who brought him in came out alone. He is currently standing guard at the door.]
Xie Chengnan glanced at the surveillance still on his phone. The person guarding the door was Secretary Fang, the man who had taken Jiang Yuan away.
***
Jiang Yuan hadn't expected the person waiting in the presidential suite to be Qiao Song.
Since their unpleasant parting on Christmas Eve, he and Qiao Song hadn't seen each other for nearly a month. Partly because Jiang Yuan was intentionally avoiding him, and partly because Qiao Song had been away on a business trip.
"Finished talking with your father?" Qiao Song’s tone was casual, as if he had been expecting him all along.
Jiang Yuan heard the door close behind him. Secretary Fang had withdrawn, leaving only the two of them in the massive suite.
Standing just inside the entrance, Jiang Yuan realized he had been sold out by his own father. He felt a chill run through his limbs. "Since when?"
Qiao Song knew he was asking when he and Jiang Kunbo had connected and set this trap.
He explained calmly, "After you hit Jiang Hao on Christmas Eve, your father suddenly invited me for a meeting."
Jiang Yuan could already guess what Jiang Hao had said—that he liked men, and that the Second Young Master of the Qiao family liked him. In Jiang Kunbo’s eyes, wasn't this just a lucrative deal delivered to his doorstep?
Qiao Song looked at Jiang Yuan from a distance of three or four meters. Seeing the boy’s total defensiveness and vigilance, he gave a self-deprecating smile. He retreated to the sofa, opened a bottle of wine, and said somewhat helplessly, "I just wanted to have a proper talk with you."
Jiang Yuan slowly calmed down. Knowing Qiao Song wouldn't make a move on him for the moment, he eventually walked over and sat on the sofa. He was intensely curious about what kind of deal Qiao Song and Jiang Kunbo had made that would lead Jiang Kunbo to pimp out his own son.
Jiang Yuan leaned his head on one hand, looking at Qiao Song lazily with that same nonchalant air he always had. "How much am I worth? Let's hear it."
Seeing him relax, Qiao Song hesitated before sitting on the opposite sofa and pushing a glass of wine toward him. "I promised him that we would jointly develop three real estate projects in the capital."
"The capital?" Jiang Yuan arched an eyebrow. "You’re certainly willing to pay." He knew how many connections Qiao Song had used last year to secure those plots of land. Jiang Kunbo had long wanted a piece of that pie; no wonder he sold his son so decisively.
"A-Yuan..." Qiao Song’s gaze was deep. "You know I can't let you go..."
"And then?" Jiang Yuan sneered, crossing his arms and looking at him through half-lidded eyes. "Are you planning to force yourself on me?"
Qiao Song’s jaw tightened, and he said nothing. After a long standoff, he finally gave a bitter laugh. "Is that really what you think of me?"
Jiang Yuan’s expression was playful. "Don't you have any idea of the things you've done?"
Qiao Song naturally remembered his past absurdities. "But with you, I have never been absurd..."
"I'm an adult, A-Yuan. I have needs too." Qiao Song opened up about it for the first time. "The person I like doesn't like me back. Because we're the same gender, I didn't even have the courage to struggle. What was I supposed to do?"
Jiang Yuan pursed his lips, realizing he truly had no standing to condemn Qiao Song. He was the one who had given hints and hope but had never given a shred of genuine affection. Meanwhile, Qiao Song had spent so much effort on him; if he had truly wanted to take advantage of him, those times Jiang Yuan was drunk would have been the perfect opportunities.
"It won't happen again," Qiao Song said suddenly. "I've already come out to my family, and I've broken my engagement with Lin Fei."
Jiang Yuan was momentarily stunned. When he regained his senses, he finally understood the meaning behind Jiang Kunbo’s words. *I don't mind if you spend your life with a man, so I've picked a business marriage partner who fits your orientation.* What a considerate father.
Within seconds, Jiang Yuan had already imagined how the PR department would write the press releases: *A cross-gender romance between two conglomerate heirs, a marriage that defies social norms but receives the family's blessing.* The news value of such a story, combined with the profits from a Jiang-Qiao alliance, was enough for those two old foxes to reach a private agreement.
They were all shrewd players. Trading an illegitimate son’s happiness for the legitimate heir’s future while furthering the family's business interests—it was no wonder the Qiao patriarch had suddenly become so open-minded.
In any case, both he and Jiang Kunbo had other sons. If all else failed, there was always IVF. So-called "carrying on the family line" wasn't a real issue anymore.
Having untangled the logic, Jiang Yuan could only marvel at the speed of Jiang Kunbo’s calculations, yet he found it incredibly hilarious.
He tilted his eyes at Qiao Song. "What makes you all think I'd be willing?"
Qiao Song pressed his lips together. After a long silence, he said deeply, "You're still young." He paused. "I'm willing to wait."
Jiang Yuan raised an eyebrow in surprise, then gave a knowing smile. "Wait for us to play around for a few years and then get married?"
Qiao Song looked at him intensely. "I promise you there will be no one else. When you leave Xie Chengnan, we will get married."
Jiang Yuan fell silent instantly. He had to admit, he hadn't expected such a response from Qiao Song.
He had always thought Qiao Song’s interest in him was limited to the physical level—that Qiao Song could be good to him while maintaining bed partners on the side, like having appetizers before a main course.
He hadn't expected that when a real possibility of being together arose, Qiao Song would make such a commitment.
Jiang Yuan felt it necessary to be clearer. He said seriously, "I will not break up with Xie Chengnan. I am going to marry him."
Qiao Song didn't seem to want to argue. He simply repeated, "You're still young. I can wait."
The conversation ended there. Jiang Yuan didn't know what else to say, so he stood up, buttoned his formal jacket, and said coldly, "Suit yourself. My boyfriend is waiting for me downstairs. Excuse me."
Qiao Song followed him to the door in silence. "I'll walk you down."
"No need." Jiang Yuan’s hand was already on the doorknob. He looked back at him with a cold gaze. "My boyfriend wouldn't want to see me appearing with you."
Jiang Yuan expected Qiao Song to get angry or try to stop him from leaving. Instead, the man stood still, looking at him with an endured, somewhat wounded expression. This version of Qiao Song was very unfamiliar to Jiang Yuan.
***
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
---|---|---
南沅科技 | Nanyuan Technology | The company owned by Jiang Yuan and Xie Chengnan.
小江总 | Little Manager Jiang | A title used for Jiang Hao to distinguish him from the legitimate heir.
江少爷 | Young Master Jiang | The title used specifically for Jiang Yuan as the legitimate heir.
一亲芳泽 | To enjoy one's favors | A literary/archaic term meaning to get close to or enjoy the company of a beautiful person.
通稿 | Press release / Media draft | Standardized news copy sent to multiple media outlets.
京市 | The Capital | Referring to Beijing.
出柜 | Come out | To reveal one's sexual orientation.
拉皮条 | Pimping | Acting as a procurer for sexual services; used here metaphorically for the father's deal.
