Chapter 51

Chapter 51

Seeing how haggard Patriarch Huang looked today, Xie Yunshen had initially felt a twinge of guilt. After all, he was the one who changed the book's plotline, causing the Huang family to face the fate originally meant for the Yan family—though the Huang family had its own issues in the first place.

If possible, he had even thought about finding an opportunity to ask Mr. Yan to help the Huang family out.

But with Patriarch Huang's passive-aggressive remarks, that tiny shred of guilt in Xie Yunshen's heart instantly vanished. He even felt like adding fuel to the fire.

"My apologies, Mr. Huang. We'll definitely leave." Xie Yunshen put down his chopsticks and stood up, pulling Lao Wu along.

Yi Wuyi was momentarily speechless at this display of "tea art."

"You don't need to leave."

Yan Shiqi turned to Patriarch Huang. "I forgot—Patriarch Huang probably isn't too pleased to see me today. Why don't you go eat at that table?"

Patriarch Huang stood there, stunned. "Wh-what?"

Yan Shiqi didn't even grant him a direct glance. He called over a nearby staff member and said a few words.

The staff member paused, taken aback, then shot a complicated look at Patriarch Huang.

Patriarch Huang just let out a contemptuous sneer. "Ridiculous..."

"Mr. Huang, please come to this table." The staff member actually extended a hand to guide him.

Patriarch Huang stiffened, feeling both humiliated and bewildered. His face fell as he slowly rose to his feet, his mind racing: This shouldn't be happening, it shouldn't...

Even if the Yan family was currently riding high, how could a few words get the seating chart changed and send him to another table?

Had the gap between his Huang family and the Yan family really gotten this terrifying?

It wasn't just Patriarch Huang who was incredulous; everyone at the table shared the sentiment.

Such a direct confrontation wasn't really Yan Shiqi's usual style.

And could seating arrangements really be altered so casually?

Patriarch Chen and Patriarch Bai exchanged a look, both thinking with relief: They had made the right choice by siding with the Yan family under pressure.

Xie Yunshen sat back down quietly. It seemed things had gotten a bit out of hand now.

He should just eat his food and keep his head down.

Yan Shiying stole a glance at Patriarch Huang over there.

Sure enough, he'd been given his own table, and the dishes served were a bit different.

Patriarch Huang's solitary figure stood out starkly amidst the lively banquet tables, looking utterly desolate.

Yan Shiying remarked, "He looks like his blood pressure is about to skyrocket from anger."

Yan Shiqi ignored the remark. "Let's eat."

"What? Yan Shiqi sent Patriarch Huang to another table with just one sentence?"

In Patriarch Bai's car, Lin Jin looked utterly confused.

He'd just come back from the hospital where he was helping with emergency rescue and immediately got an earful from Patriarch Bai about the tech forum, including the dinner incident.

"Yeah. It makes no sense. Could it be that the Yan family has found an even more formidable occult master secretly aiding them, someone more terrifying than Top Star Gate?"

"What occult stuff? I've told you before, Top Star Gate is a scam." Lin Jin was exasperated.

Patriarch Bai's expression turned grave and mysterious. "You don't know. A few days ago, I received a message from Yan Shiqi. He warned me about safety issues with our transport vehicles."

"Yan Shiqi warned you about the overload issue?"

"Yes. If I hadn't taken it seriously, our Bai family would've been dragged into the Nongbaoshan incident too. I suspect the Chen family received similar information from the Yan family, just like we did."

Lin Jin was dumbfounded for a long moment. The Yan family was indeed mysterious, seemingly cheating death every single time.

"And last time, at the third-phase construction site, they discovered explosives in advance. What kind of terrifying intelligence network is needed to avoid such a disaster?"

"In short, the people backing the Yan family must be even more frightening than Top Star Gate." Patriarch Bai said solemnly, "Lin Jin, from now on, we absolutely have to stay on good terms with the Yan family. I heard you're on good terms with that young man surnamed Xie. Keep that up!"

"Understood..."

So now it was his turn to curry favor with Xie Yunshen?

In the elevator on the way down after the meal, Yan Shiying couldn't help but ask.

"Big brother, why was Patriarch Huang moved just like that? What did you say to that staff member?"

Yan Shiqi said, "Mr. Huang wishes to pray for the speedy recovery of the injured from this accident. I requested a separate table of vegetarian dishes for him."

Yan Shiying's mouth fell open. "...That's it?"

"That's it."

No wonder all the dishes at that table were vegetarian.

"Patriarch Huang is going to rack his brains over this when he gets back." Yan Shiying said.

He had always thought his eldest brother was a stern, upright figure who should be admired from afar. He never expected him to be this devious too.

Yan Shiqi said, "More than that. He might even have a meltdown... He probably thinks the Yan family has some incredible connections now, which is why he didn't dare utter a word."

The polished elevator walls reflected Yan Shiqi's profile, as composed as ever. Xie Yunshen, standing behind him, was all puppy-dog eyes on the inside: Is this the relaxed confidence of a true big shot?

The elevator doors opened, and the group stepped out.

Xie Yunshen deliberately lagged behind a couple of steps and sighed with feeling. "Mr. Yan is too cool. Even though he's lost his sense of taste, he's still fighting to defend our right to eat, us little people (not really)."

Yi Wuyi said calmly, "Could you please stop being so... sensual all the time, everywhere..."

"It's 'sensitive,' not 'sensual'..." Xie Yunshen shot him a dead-fish stare.

On the way back, Xie Yunshen received a message from Lin Jin.

—Congrats, big hero, you're trending again!

It was followed by a gleeful meme.

Xie Yunshen had a bad feeling. He opened a news website. A headline was blazing to the top.

["Black Impermanence" Reappears, Yang Qingxi Kidnapped.]

"Speculation on the True Identity of Black Impermanence."

“What is the official reward for information on Black Impermanence?”

…

Seeing this headline, Xie Yunshen immediately frowned and clicked on the news article.

“Yesterday, a video was uploaded online. The uploader claimed to be the ‘Black Impermanence’ who recently went viral. In the video, a man calling himself ‘Black Impermanence’ was flogging a victim. After official verification, the victim is likely Yang Zhongxu’s illegitimate son abroad, Yang Qingxi.”

In the video clip, a man dressed in a black hoodie and mask, wearing goggles, was a full replica of Black Impermanence’s getup. Another person knelt on the ground, clearly already punished, covered in whip marks.

Xie Yunshen furrowed his brows. Who exactly is this guy? He’s really pulling off the look.

He was certain it wasn’t that guy Lin Jin.

Xie Yunshen clicked on the comments section.

“That man, he’s finally appeared!”

“No way this is Black Impermanence. Many details are wrong.”

“Look at his hands. Even if he replicated the anti-callus finger guards, they’re not the same as Black Impermanence’s.”

“Look at the curve of his back when he bends over. It’s not as graceful as Black Impermanence’s either!”

“I bet fifty cents this is Black Impermanence’s die-hard fan—Bai Le Bai!”

“The comment above has a point.”

Who is Bai Le Bai?

Xie Yunshen’s lips twitched: Also, what kind of description is that? What does “the curve of his back isn’t graceful enough” mean…

He had to admit, today's netizens really have an unbeatable eye for detail.

He himself hadn’t noticed so many details.

Xie Yunshen had originally wanted the name “Black Impermanence” to fade from memory over time.

But now, it was sure to attract official attention again.

At that moment, the news was also playing on the car’s divider screen, and Yan Shiqi was watching it.

“Next up is about the recent internet sensation…”

“Mr. Yan!” Xie Yunshen suddenly grabbed Yan Shiqi’s shoulder, blocking his view, and simultaneously pressed the touchscreen to turn off the news. The host’s voice abruptly stopped.

The news was cut off.

Xie Yunshen pretty much used his face to block Yan Shiqi’s line of sight.

Because he was so close, Xie Yunshen could even see his own reflection in Yan Shiqi’s pupils.

The big shot’s deep eyes were looking at him, seemingly waiting for an explanation.

“I… meant, this kind of news isn’t really worth watching…”

Yan Shiqi was about to narrow his eyes in suspicion.

Xie Yunshen feigned surprise and said, “Mr. Yan, I’ve noticed your eyes are really different from other people’s.”

Yan Shiqi: “…How are they different?”

Actually, this was a question he had always wondered about.

Individually, both Yan Shiying and Yan Shizhou were imposing figures with strong presence. Yet, whenever Yan Shiqi appeared, even though he was half a head shorter, his aura completely overshadowed both of his younger brothers.

Yan Shiqi said, “If I had to say… since I was young, I discovered a trick to command respect.”

“What trick?” Xie Yunshen immediately chimed in. Was he about to be let in on the real secret?

“Don’t blink.”

“Okay, I won’t blink.” Xie Yunshen used two fingers to hold his upper and lower eyelids apart, widening his eyes.

Yan Shiqi was taken aback for a moment. His usually stern face suddenly broke into a smile, and the look in his eyes softened as he gazed at him.

“Huh?” Xie Yunshen didn’t understand.

Yan Shiqi said, “I’m done.”

“…” Xie Yunshen belatedly realized he had done something incredibly foolish!

He slowly lowered his hands: “Oh, I see…”

So, the trick Yan Shiqi mentioned was simply not blinking…

What on earth was wrong with his brain? He even stupidly held his own eyelids open.

Did he think Mr. Yan was going to perform a magic trick for him?

He was embarrassed enough for his ears to catch fire.

But upon careful thought, that was true. In his memory, he rarely saw Yan Shiqi blink.

Whether reading documents, conversing, or even during meals—even when drinking water—those eyes always remained firmly fixed on the target in front of him.

Only when he looked up or shifted his gaze would the skin of his eyelids relax accordingly.

Like now, he was looking directly at him, his gaze still carrying a hint of amusement, very… gentle.

Xie Yunshen’s heart stirred. These eyes made his heart race more than any thrilling moment.

He retreated a little, putting some distance between himself and those intense, heart-racing eyes.

“But, wouldn’t that easily lead to dry eye syndrome?”

Yan Shiqi said, “…So far, there haven’t been any side effects.”

“But I don’t think it’s that simple, Mr. Yan.”

For example, Old Fifth also didn’t blink much, but their auras were completely different.

“A-Shen.” Yan Shiqi suddenly called him.

“What?”

“Just now, you were a bit cuter than a goldfish.”

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Author’s Note: People in love probably just find each other cute, right? [Owl][Owl]