Jiang He has been preparing to topple Shao Yanxi for a while now. The moment Shao Yanxi moved he immediately notices, and not only secured his family businessâ funding gap immediately, but also make a decisive counterattack on his own.
He first reported Hengâan to the police, then quickly release all the âblack materialsâ heâs prepared over the years against Hengâan. And most damaging of all is that he had Shao Yanxiâs siblings record a video talking about how cruel and heartless Shao Yanxi was going after them.
And they hurt where it is the most painful â by implying but not explicitly stating that Shao Yanxiâs hospitals are all secretly exploitative of patients and even experiments on them.
With the Jiang family that is in the entertainment and media business pushing it, suddenly the Internet is full of these abhorring stories of Hengâan.
As the stock market opened the next day, Hengâan hits the limit down in less than half an hour.
Of course, Shao Yanxi has been readying himself against the showdown with the Jiang family since transmigrating back. The result is that Jiang family business isnât doing any better. The indices are all seeing massive losses. Billions are being wiped off the market.
The most unfortunate ones are the innocent casual investors. While the dalaos engage in a fistfight, theyâve wept and bawled and then some more as all their money goes poof in front of their very eyes.
Shao Yanxi is also understandably extremely busy during this period. So Liu Yuâan focuses on getting all the night scenes of the movie done first while Shao Yanxi has made a home of his office.
He only told Liu Yuâan he was busy without the part about the Jiang family making moves against him that seemed even fiercer than it was the last time he experienced it. Liu Yuâan only realised the extent of the damage when even the entertainment news he usually browses is also filled with the wails and fears of a collapsing economy in the comments.
As soon as he did, Liu Yuâan immediately called Shao Yanxi, who decides to tell him everything at this point.
Liu Yuâan canât just stand idly by, of course. He immediately asks the director for an extended holiday and to push his parts further down the schedule.
The director is also aware of the difficulties Hengâan is facing recently. Of course, he trusts the established Hengâan more than its competitor, plus, Liu Yuâan is not just Shao Yanxiâs lover, but also the Liu familyâs younger master, and lets him go to do what he needs to.
After he leaves the studio building, Liu Yuâan has an immediate flight to the capital instead of heading for Shao Yanxi. Heâs going for his maternal relatives instead.
From the novel, Liu Yuâan knows that Shao Yanxi has materials for a game-changing strike against the Jiang family, but it will be suppressed if released as-is as it would trigger the supporter behind the Jiang family. Obviously, with the massive earthquake in the financial sector ongoing, the fight has already escalated to the powers-that-be behind-the-scenes.
Shao Yanxiâs political support is not enough to be able to hold the powers behind the Jiang family hostage while he deals with them; thankfully, since the elder of the Hao family is still alive, and the Hao family is still kind of hanging there, Liu Yuâan is sure theyâll take the opportunity to knock that power down a peg for their own benefit.
Liu Yuâan tells the guard guarding the door to the elderâs room to tell the elder that heâs Shao Yanxi, his grandsonâs boyfriend.
He stands idly at the door as the guard goes in; while the old man looked like he did regret his actions in the end, but heâs not sure if it is enough for him to agree to see him. He still came though, just to see if it might go through.
Even without the Hao family, he will be able to ensure that Shao Yanxi wins against Jiang He, but it will be pretty troublesome.
Then the guard comes back out, and moves out of the way, saying, âgo in.â
âThank you.â
Inside, the first word the old man utters is âxiao-Xi.â
Liu Yuâan ââŚâ
Great, he must have misheard the guard and thought he was Shao Yanxi instead.
Liu Yuâan walks closer and greets him loudly, âgreetings Mr. Hao! I am Yanxiâs boyfriend!â Then, since he looks pretty conscious today, he goes straight to the heart of the matter and explains concisely the trouble Shao Yanxi is in to him. Even the guard outside can hear his voice faintly despite the insulated room.
The elder reacts after a while, and calls the guard outside in, to call Hao Jun here.
Hao Jun is surprised to see Liu Yuâan here, but quickly gets what he came here for. Liu Yuâan immediately tells him what he wants, and then mentions the word âearthquakeâ offhandedly a few times.
Hao Jun was still trying to calculate the pros and cons and thought about calling for a family meeting, but then he immediately relents and greets.
Liu Yuâan gives him a more genuine business smile, saying, âthank you Mr. Hao. Iâll make sure itâs worth your trouble.â
After reaching a deal of sorts, Liu Yuâan heads back to Lai. Itâs another three hours, and itâs already dark outside. At home, the house is also completely dark. Liu Yuâan thinks for a second before driving to Hengâan, which turns out to still be lit through and through. Liu Yuâan heads up for Shao Yanxi when the security personnel tell him that Shao Yanxi has gone off to a business gathering and isnât back yet.
And after talking a bit more, Liu Yuâan realises that it sounds like Shao Yanxi has been sleeping at the company instead. After being reaffirmed, Liu Yuâan goes quite mad indeed.
No wonder he didnât video chat with him these days. He probably didnât want him to see him sleep at the company until it was busted today.
Damn itâŚ
Liu Yuâan is chortling, perhaps at himself, feeling a bit bitter and defeated still; even though Shao Yanxi knows what he could do, but he didnât even think to ask when something this big is happening.
When he takes out his phone to call Shao Yanxi, his car has turned up downstairs.
Liu Yuâan pauses, and instead puts his phone back in, and walks to the entrance.
The driver stops on his way to the parking lot seeing Liu Yuâan, who knocks on the glass window. The driver opens the door for him, and Liu Yuâan can smell the alcohol there. Shao Yanxi is sleeping at the backseats with a document in his hand.
Liu Yuâanâs anger canât help but dissipate seeing him look so pitiful like that. He gets on as the driver gets off himself, having read the mood. When Liu Yuâan tries to take his document to put it away, he realises Shao Yanxi is holding it extremely tightly. As soon as Liu Yuâan pulls on it he is spooked awake; his expression wary and tired, lined with red veins on the white of the eyes.
It feels as if a needle has been poked into Liu Yuâanâs heart.
When he is about to speak, Shao Yanxiâs expression has already turned into surprise. He turns a bit to hug Liu Yuâanâs waist and put his head onto his leg. He sounds pleasantly surprised, âdidnât you say youâll be back after a few more days?â
Heâs been tired. So tired. Itâs a godsend to see Liu Yuâan right here, right now.
Itâs rare to see Shao Yanxi smile. Even though itâs not a big or cheery smile, Liu Yuâan still canât help but feel dazzled by the brightness. He sighs softly, and helps massage Shao Yanxiâs temple gently. He does not answer Shao Yanxiâs question though, instead, he asks, âwhy didnât you say anything.â
âYou were busy,â then Shao Yanxi nuzzles his head on Liu Yuâanâs tummy, and murmurs, âitâs so good to see you⌠Iâm tired. I want to sleep a bit.â
Heâs been so busy with work these days and hasnât had a good nightâs sleep for a long time. Heâs even intoxicated today, and after feeling safe from seeing Liu Yuâan, he is even more sleepy.
âLetâs sleep back home, ok?â Liu Yuâan asks, but finds that the person on his lap has already closed his eyes, and fallen asleep.