"The case is finally closed." After hanging up the phone, Xiao Fengtai’s face was as dark as the bottom of a pot, while Fang Zhixing stood by, clicking his tongue in amazement. "So, this is the 'White Moonlight' the boss has been pining for these past ten years."
He let out a mock-sorrowful sigh, imitating Xiao Fengtai’s voice: "Back then, you said mainland men were all the same when they turned cowardly—well, I don't know about mainland men, but President Xiao certainly has two different modes for flirting versus falling in love. When you're flirting, your IQ is 150; when you're in love, it drops to 50!"
The veins on Xiao Fengtai’s temples throbbed. He shot him a cold glare. "Your bonus for this year is gone."
Normally, Fang Zhixing would have folded immediately, begging for mercy without a shred of principle. But right now, he was angry—not just at the mess Xiao Fengtai had stumbled into, but even more so because Xiao Fengtai had kept him in the dark to pursue a private agenda, letting love go to his head.
Xiao Fengtai’s private life was usually a mess, and Fang Zhixing typically turned a blind eye, sometimes even covering for him in front of the Group’s people. He did this because he was certain Xiao Fengtai followed his loins rather than his heart, keeping work and emotions strictly partitioned. He hadn't expected this man to remain silent for so long only to startle everyone with such a bombshell. If Fang Zhixing hadn't been quick enough to nip the gossip in the bud, there was no telling how much chaos would have ensued.
"You’re the boss and I’m the subordinate; I have no right to meddle in your private life. But when it concerns Huayu, I can't play dumb anymore." As Xiao Fengtai pulled open the car door to get in, Fang Zhixing held it shut. "President Xiao, when I resolutely gave up offers in Hong Kong, Beijing, New York, and Shanghai to join your startup, it wasn't so I could play the supporting role while you act like King You of Zhou, lighting signal fires just to amuse a lover."
"You rose to Director in two years and ED in one, with a compensation package on par with foreign funds. Have I treated you poorly?" Xiao Fengtai yanked the door open with force and sat in the back seat. "Driver, move it. Don't wait for anyone else!"
While the driver was still hesitating, Fang Zhixing had already slipped around to the other side, pulled open the door, and sat down in one fluid motion, his mouth never stopping. "Am I doing this for myself? If I walked away right now, what kind of job couldn't I find? I’m doing this for Huayu!"
"If this gets out and people with agendas blow it up, do you think the other shareholders of Huaqing will let it slide? The price Huayu paid to enter was too low and the timing too perfect; there are already whispers outside. And here you are, rushing to hand people a knife to stab you with!"
"Even if things are fine on Huaqing’s end, what good will come of it if your family finds out?" Fang Zhixing felt like a weary high school dean catching students in a forbidden romance. "Let’s be honest between us: this fund is your first step in proving your ability to the Group. You’ve only just raised over a billion US dollars and you’re already causing this kind of trouble. How do you expect to be parachuted in as the successor later?"
Xiao Fengtai turned to look out the window, remaining silent. However, his aura had gradually weakened, revealing a sense of dejection. "My investment in Huaqing has nothing to do with him," he said softly.
"Right, nothing to do with him," Fang Zhixing said sarcastically. "You just happen to 'understand' Jiang Tong very well. If you ask me, you're being too modest. It’s not just understanding; it’s 'knowing his every root and branch' and 'soul-deep resonance'!"
Xiao Fengtai narrowed his eyes dangerously. "Don't think I won't actually do something to you."
"Still haven't had enough of playing the infatuated fool?" Fang Zhixing marveled. "I was halfway through meeting with investors this morning when I saw that video. I was putting out fires for you while simultaneously running a meeting. I haven't even had time for a sip of water all morning, and now you’re blaming me?"
He had started with mockery, but as he spoke, he actually began to feel aggrieved. "And you even comforted him, telling him not to worry. Sure, Huaqing doesn't need to worry because I'm doing all the worrying for them! It’s as if my heart was born two ounces heavier than everyone else's!"
"It won't happen again," Xiao Fengtai said flatly.
Fang Zhixing was startled. "You’re breaking up?"
Having vented his anger, he now began to hesitate, speaking up for Jiang Tong instead. "Wait... you and Jiang Tong aren't idol stars with a bunch of little girls screaming and crying to stop you from marrying. You should be able to date. It’s just that things are tense these few days. Everyone has a pile of their own messes to deal with right now; once this passes, who will even remember the two of you?"
"Just learn from this and don't let love go to your head next time," Fang Zhixing muttered. "I know... you really like him."
Xiao Fengtai curled his lips into a faint smile but said nothing.
Was he sad? Actually, he was fine; everything was within expectations. It was just that he had harbored some misplaced, childish fantasies. When those fantasies fell through, it was inevitable to feel disappointed.
Unaware of the deeper context, Fang Zhixing continued to comfort him persistently. "It’s fine. By this afternoon at the latest, that video will be scrubbed from the entire internet. Tomorrow morning, the sun will rise as usual!"
While Fang Zhixing was thumping his chest and giving Xiao Fengtai guarantees, he didn't know that a few kilometers away, someone was playing the video frame by frame on a computer screen. His motive was simple: to ensure that neither Jiang Tong nor anyone on the same boat as him would see the sun rise tomorrow.
To be fair, Lu Wei didn't feel he had done anything particularly wrong to Jiang Tong.
Back then, when Jiang Tong had fallen out with the American pharmaceutical company over Lily’s clinical accident and returned to a university lab, it was Lu Wei who had extended an olive branch to bring him back to China. This wasn't the last century; returning scientists were like leeks, growing in endless crops. Without Jiang Tong, there would have been a Zhao Tong or a Wang Tong. If it hadn't been for Lu Wei’s keen eye for talent, Jiang Tong would still be fishing in Western America.
After returning to China, Jiang Tong had been single-mindedly focused on research, ignoring everything else. It was Lu Wei who used his previous connections to pull in investment, assemble the team, and run between hospitals. During the hardest times, Lu Wei had even put up his own marriage savings. He would drink himself into a stupor every night and wake up the next day with a splitting headache, only to put on a suit and tie to hustle everywhere. Lu Wei truly believed that without him, there would be no Huaqing.
Even when Yongping first approached them, he had wanted to take Jiang Tong along to strike it rich. What was wrong with letting Yongping buy Huaqing? Everyone would have achieved financial freedom, and Jiang Tong would have been transferred to Yongping’s R&D headquarters, leading over a hundred scientists—far better than toiling away in a small company.
If Jiang Tong didn't know what was good for him, he had to face the consequences. Lu Wei felt he had already been quite merciful. The money for Huaqing’s Angel and Series A rounds had all been brought in by him. If he had fanned the flames a bit more when he left, those investors would have sold more than just a third of their shares, and Huaqing would have ceased to exist long ago.
But how did Jiang Tong treat him! Lu Wei sneered. When Lu Wei went to see him, Jiang Tong acted all virtuous and incorruptible, but it turned out he was just waiting for Zhang Yuan to come knocking.
Lu Wei’s support for Yongping’s "Deposed Crown Prince" and his friction with the "Eldest Princess" were public knowledge, but he had been confident in his own value. He held the clinical data for several major projects, and Zhang Yuan, wary of damaging the assets, wouldn't move against him easily. Being crudely swept out the door by Zhang Yuan had been a heavy blow that left him reeling for days. For over a decade, Lu Wei hadn't expected to re-experience the helpless uncertainty of having his fate controlled by others, just like when he first graduated. The more panicked he felt inside, the more hyperactive he became, scurrying around like a headless fly, desperate to figure out how he had been suddenly struck out when he was playing the game so well.
Only by identifying the mastermind could he plan his revenge.
As soon as he heard that Jiang Tong had dined with Zhang Yuan, Lu Wei had an epiphany. No wonder Zhang Yuan had kicked him out so decisively; it turned out Jiang Tong was waiting to take his place! Once Yongping successfully acquired Huaqing and turned it into their biological drug R&D center, Lu Wei and his people would naturally lose their utility, left to be molded or crushed at Zhang Yuan’s whim.
How could it be that easy! Lu Wei had also stepped over others to reach his current position. That bitch Zhang Yuan hadn't left him a shred of leeway—did she really think he was a pushover? Did she think he wouldn't strike back?
He immediately called a press conference, timed just before Jiang Tong went to ASCO to announce clinical data, and dumped all the "dirt" he had on Huaqing. As expected, the market was in an uproar. Lu Wei had originally sat at home with his feet up, waiting for Jiang Tong to face a storm of condemnation at the conference and eventually be voted out by the shareholders. However, the news from America shocked him—not only had Jiang Tong successfully controlled the situation, but he had even managed to hook up with Silver Cedar.
One Yongping wasn't enough? Lu Wei was truly stunned by Jiang Tong’s appetite.
The unexpected failure left Lu Wei despondent. Claiming he needed to rest for a while, he uninstalled WeChat, removed his SIM card, and stayed behind closed doors, slumped at home playing games and eating takeout. His days and nights were flipped, and he gained five pounds in a week.
But a blessing often comes in disguise. He only saw that video thanks to his chaotic schedule. It was another day of fierce gaming until dawn. Lu Wei played until he saw stars and his back ached before he finally had to go offline. As he crawled into bed, a wave of sleepiness hit him. He leaned against his pillow, idly scrolling through his phone, when his gaze was caught by a reposted video.
The moment he recognized Jiang Tong, Lu Wei’s heart skipped a beat. He instinctively leaned closer to the screen, his pupils dilating and his nostrils flaring as an unconscious, excited smile spread across his face. He knew his chance had come.
He recognized the man beside Jiang Tong—a scion of a Singaporean Chinese conglomerate. He had played hard when he was younger but had mellowed out recently. He was known to be bisexual with very heavy tastes. Lu Wei just hadn't expected him to take a liking to Jiang Tong. What was this? After a lifetime of gourmet banquets, he wanted a sweet potato to cleanse his palate?
Consider it his bad luck to run into a "sprouting" old potato like Jiang Tong. Whether it tasted good was one thing, but a trip to the hospital for food poisoning was guaranteed.
Lu Wei scrambled out of bed, plugged his SIM card back into his phone, and re-installed WeChat. He hadn't slept all night, but he felt refreshed and sharp-eyed, ready to make a big move and catch Jiang Tong off guard.
Thinking he could kick Lu Wei aside and board the great ship of Yongping to gain both fame and fortune? Let him keep dreaming!
Lu Wei logged into WeChat, and as the new message boxes popped up one after another, he let out a cold sneer.
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 白月光 | White Moonlight | A Chinese internet slang term for an unattainable ideal or a first love that one constantly pines for. |
| 周幽王 | King You of Zhou | The last king of the Western Zhou dynasty, famous for lighting signal fires to trick his nobles just to make his concubine smile, leading to his downfall. |
| 烽火戏诸侯 | Lighting signal fires to toy with the nobles | The idiom referring to King You of Zhou's folly. |
| 华毓 | Huayu | The name of Xiao Fengtai's investment fund/firm. |
| 永平 | Yongping | The large pharmaceutical company (Yongping Pharmaceuticals) that Lu Wei and Zhang Yuan are associated with. |
| 废太子 | Deposed Crown Prince | A metaphorical term used here to describe a high-ranking male executive (likely Zhang Yuan's rival) at Yongping. |
| 长公主 | Eldest Princess | A metaphorical term used here to describe a powerful female executive (Zhang Yuan) at Yongping. |
| 投鼠忌器 | Wary of breaking the vase to catch the rat | An idiom meaning to be cautious of taking action against an evil-doer for fear of damaging something precious nearby. |
| ASCO | ASCO | American Society of Clinical Oncology. |
