Chapter 29 Side Effects

Chapter 29 Side Effects

During He Shengyuan's speech, everyone returned to the main banquet hall, except for Zhao Shengge and Felipe, whose identities made it inconvenient for them to be exposed to media cameras. The VIP lounge was set up just for them.

He Shengyuan was not one to waste words, and his entire speech lasted only a few minutes.

But when a big figure speaks, even a few short sentences carry significant weight.

The people below had their own interpretations.

"If Minglong and Baisheng really plan to expand their operations in Northern Europe, that would be Yao family's opportunity."

Though the Yao family isn't among the top in Haishi, they are one of the earliest families to immigrate to Europe, with deep roots overseas. If they can align with the Zhao and He families, it wouldn't be long before they regain their glory in Haishi.

"Baisheng is generally open to third-party investments, but Minglong is harder to predict."

Ultimately, it's Zhao Shengge who is hard to predict.

"Ah—Mr. Zhao and Xiao Nan have a close bond, you know. Back in the day, during competitions, Mr. Zhao always had Xiao Nan with him."

Someone who wanted to curry favor with the Yao family chimed in, "I remember Mr. Zhao even taught Xiao Nan how to ski, right?"

—If you count Zhao Shengge, as the ski club president, leading a two-day training for newcomers as teaching.

Yao Jianan said modestly, "It was the captain taking care of me."

Chen Wan set down his glass, took a work call, and after saying goodbye to Zhuo Zhixuan, he left early.

Since he'd been drinking, his driver was waiting in the villa's back parking lot.

As he walked out, a striking young woman passed by him.

"Chen Wan?"

Chen Wan paused, nodded slightly, and politely asked the boldly dressed woman, "May I know who you are?"

She smiled and extended her hand, "Xu Enyi, your mother might have mentioned me."

"...Hello," Chen Wan remembered, keeping his cool as he shook her hand—an arranged marriage that never happened—"I didn't expect to see you here."

Xu Enyi said cheerfully, "Ming is my classmate in German class, and we were also alumni abroad."

They'd never met, and Chen Wan wasn't sure how she recognized him, but he smiled slightly, "What a coincidence."

Xu Enyi, tired of the dull party, was also heading to the parking lot, so she walked with him, "I've seen your photo, Mr. Chen—you're easy to spot."

Chen Wan wondered how much Song Qingmiao had shared about him, sighed inwardly, and politely said, "It's Miss Xu's sharp eye."

Xu Enyi laughed warmly.

After He Shengyuan's speech, Zhao Shengge accompanied Felipe to discuss business with him, as a favor to He Shengyuan.

Afterward, he returned alone to the quieter second floor, where Zhuo Zhixuan had already moved on.

Zhao Shengge walked to the railing, glanced downstairs, and then headed back to the VIP lounge for his wine.

The Queen of Palma.

His wine didn't need to follow the rules, it didn't participate in the exchange, nor did it leave the fate of sharing to the one percent of mysticism. Who to share it with was entirely up to his discretion.

The attendant outside the VIP room knocked and came in to ask, "Mr. Zhao, there is a gentleman outside asking if you have a moment to meet him."

Zhao Shengge was looking at the wine label, not even lifting his head, and indifferently said, "Don’t allow him in."

The attendant replied, "Yes, sir."

Zhao Shengge closed the ice cabinet and prepared to go downstairs.

The VIP room opened onto a terrace. The second floor was low, and the floor-to-ceiling windows were large. Zhao Shengge saw Chen Wan and a young lady walking towards the open-air parking lot, engaged in a lively conversation.

The lady was dressed in an extravagant outfit, with a long gown that made walking in high heels difficult. She stumbled, and Chen Wan gallantly helped her steady herself as she adjusted her gown.

They both laughed at something they said.

The pair vanished into the night, and Zhao Shengge placed the Palma Queen back into the ice cabinet. The cold condensation on the bottle wet his hands, dripping onto the carpet.

The door was knocked on again, still the attendant: "Mr. Zhao, the wine label you asked for is here. Where should I place it?"

The ribbon, meant to be taken with the Chardonnay under the spotlight, faded in the light. Zhao Shengge softly said, "Never mind, take it back, thanks."

The attendant, accustomed to such whimsical requests from guests, replied naturally, "Got it, I’ll put it back—"

"Forget it, give it to me."

The day after the banquet, Chen Wan had a follow-up appointment. He had been diligent about taking his medication and resting as the doctor ordered—except for unavoidable overtime and social engagements.

Monica said his condition was quite stable, but during his emotional tests, she found that Zhao Shengge had a major impact.

Chen Wan found the description amusing and laughed, "He’s not a drug."

Honestly, Chen Wan had never seen him as a treatment or cure.

Monica didn’t laugh and sighed, saying she’d help Chen Wan find a sustainable alternative before he quit.

They both knew the current stability wouldn’t last.

Chen Wan nodded, then shook his head; Zhao Shengge was irreplaceable, and he probably didn’t need a substitute.

Chen Wan still stubbornly believed he could control his feelings and emotions.

Monica sighed but didn’t argue, just re-prescribed the medication.

In early August, the exchange rate rose, and the city’s economy was strong in the second quarter.

In a storm, it’s the small players who suffer; the big players stay safe.

TCB extensively reported on He Shengyuan’s banquet the day before, and the alliance between He and Zhao was already a done deal.

Having secured He Shengyuan, Minglong Group was not to be outdone, seizing the moment to announce the launch and groundbreaking ceremony of the Baoli Bay terminal.

Chen Wan was somewhat surprised when he received the invitation.

His small company, politely called a tech newcomer, was unknown to the old money.

However, seeing that the invitation was not from Minglong Group but from a very remote subsidiary under its group, Chen Wan didn’t think much of it.

Kexiang had indeed had some business dealings with them, but the subsidiary Tianqing was not well-known, and the contract documents did not bear the name of Minglong, so many people didn’t know it was backed by Minglong.

Even Minglong might not always remember having such a forgotten "young son."

Zhuo Zhixuan stared at the gilded invitation, giving him a sideways glance: "You're not planning to skip it, are you?"

"Why wouldn’t I?" Chen Wan was puzzled.

"..." Zhuo Zhixuan could no longer predict his thoughts and actions. "Who knows with you." After all, he usually declined most invitations sent in Zhao Shengge's name.

"I’m going." Chen Wan carefully put away the invitation.

Technically, this was a business matter. Tianqing was their partner, and Kexiang wasn’t just his own project. Chen Wan wouldn’t let personal feelings interfere with business; he had to think about the whole company.

The banquet took place at Baoli Bay.

Since the area wasn’t fully developed yet, the dark coastal road near the mountains was lit up by the headlights of arriving cars.

The person hosting the banquet and giving a speech was a senior Zhao family member and Minglong director—one of the few capable younger members of the family.

On occasions like this, Zhao Shengge usually didn’t speak, just showed up at most.

He and Shen Zongnian, who also avoided crowds, sat drinking in an inconspicuous corner by the curtains on the second floor, overlooking the bustling scene below.

From their spot, they had a clear view—who was chatting with whom, who was exchanging glances.

Zhao Shengge absentmindedly twirled the metal ring on his finger.

Shen Zongnian took a sip of his wine: "Why’d you start wearing that?"

The ring bore the Zhao family emblem, symbolizing the highest authority in Minglong. Zhao Shengge had never used it to flaunt his status or intimidate others in business, even when he was just starting out.

Zhao Shengge said: "It’s not the day to send someone to the hospital."

"..." At that, Shen Zongnian immediately understood.

Zhao Maozheng had asked him to wear it. This was arguably Minglong’s biggest project in the past decade, involving not just the Shen, Tan, and Xu families but also a major red-headed tender. At such a high-profile event, the family’s honor had to be represented.

If Zhao Shengge didn’t wear this ‘tight curse,’ the old man might throw a fit and call for a doctor, and the ever-nosy paparazzi would likely jump on the chance to speculate and exaggerate.

The two of them looked down at the crowd below, everyone masked, wearing identical smiles, busy with mingling and small talk.

At such a grand event, Zhao Shengge and Shen Zongnian sat completely relaxed. If someone passed by, they might think they were discussing a billion-dollar deal, but really, they were just gossiping about the people below.

Soon after, Tan Youming and Zhuo Zhixuan came up with drinks.

"Have you seen Chen Wan around?" Zhuo Zhixuan asked.

Tan Youming didn’t think much of it, but Shen Zongnian took his phone back and casually asked Zhao Shengge, "Did you invite Chen Wan?"

This wasn’t one of those usual private gatherings.

Though he respected Chen Wan’s skills, to be blunt, Kexiang wasn’t close to making Minglong’s guest list.

Zhao Shengge remained expressionless, saying he wasn’t sure.

"Since when does Minglong's guest list fall under my jurisdiction?"

"..."

It was Zhuo Zhixuan who stepped in to explain: "No, it was a business invitation from Tianqing Company. They worked together on the Tingquan Bay project before."

Shen Zongnian had almost forgotten that Minglong had a Tianqing under it. He glanced at Zhao Shengge and didn’t ask further.

Tan Youming said: "Give him another call, see where he is?"

"He didn't answer. He said he left two hours ago."

It’s at most an hour and a half from the city to here.