Chapter 40
The moment he finished speaking, an S-class pheromone pressure naturally emanated.
The crowd was astonished, all turning their heads to look at the source of the pheromones.
The Alpha in the corner casually tossed the gemstone in his hand a couple of times. Sensing the fervent gazes of the crowd, he suddenly looked up, a sharp light flashing in his beautiful, slender eyes.
Magnificent lights streamed down from the crystal chandelier on the banquet hall’s ceiling. The newcomer was dressed in a wine-red suit, his features handsome and deep-set.
A smile played in his eyes. His appearance was seemingly gentle, but his pheromones exuded a sharp aura, his edge exposed, not to be underestimated.
The crowd spontaneously made way for him. A guest who recognized him was visibly shaken and lowered his voice to discuss with the person next to him.
Tap, tap, tap. The thin-soled leather shoes made a crisp sound on the marble floor. The Alpha nonchalantly strolled toward the center of the banquet hall.
When he reached Chen Peishan, he suddenly bowed respectfully, one hand behind his back, and took the hostess’s hand, placing a light kiss on it.
When he stood up again, the Alpha winked his right eye mischievously and chuckled. “It is my honor to receive my aunt’s gift.”
Chen Peishan smiled and tapped his forehead with her fingertip, feigning reproach. “You, still so unreliable.”
She took the newcomer’s hand and turned to the crowd in the banquet hall, announcing loudly, “Distinguished guests, this is my nephew, Yu Xuanying. Since the diamond is in his hands, I, Chen Peishan, am a woman of my word. From now on, he will inherit 20% of my Chen Corporation’s shares!”
Chen Peishan smiled. “Xuanying has been abroad for the past few years. He only returned to the country this year. I’ll have to trouble you all to take care of him in the future.”
Qin Bozong patted Yu Xuanying’s shoulder and nodded kindly. “Xuanying is outstanding. He established his own company while abroad. Now that he’s back, he will surely achieve great things in the future.”
The Alpha called Yu Xuanying smiled politely. “Uncle, you flatter me. Xuanying still has much to learn.”
Qin Chudong had no idea about this. He looked at the calm Wen Yue in alarm and composed himself. No matter how turbulent the storm in his heart, his face remained calm and unshakable.
The guests present were all sharp and discerning. How could they not understand Chen Peishan’s meaning? They all smiled and offered their congratulations.
Bai Yan, who had witnessed the whole thing, blinked in disbelief. It was too much of a coincidence, almost as if it had been rehearsed.
If someone else had chosen that diamond, would Auntie really have handed over the company she had worked so hard to build?
Chen Peishan raised her voice and continued, “Today is a great day for the Chen family. From now on, as long as you bring the gemstone from today to any jewelry store under the Chen family, our company will provide the most sincere design services for free.”
The Chen family had been in the industry for many years, and their jewelry company was well-recognized by the upper echelons of society. With Mrs. Qin’s statement, the smiles on the guests’ faces were now clearly more sincere.
Melodious piano music continued to flow in the magnificent banquet hall. There was no ballroom dancing segment tonight. Everyone raised their wine glasses and gathered in small groups to chat.
Bai Yan linked his arm with Pei Tingyu’s. He could feign indifference with his eyes, but he had to maintain a faint smile.
After a few rounds, he had already lost count of how many times he had heard compliments such as “Mrs. Pei is a young and talented man, a perfect match for Mr. Pei.”
Mr. Pei had told him he could go rest, but once he was free, the young man could see Jiang Zhiyi in the corner, chuckling and looking at him with mischievous intent.
Bai Yan had a strong feeling that it was nothing good, so he decided to stay by Mr. Pei’s side.
After finally seeing off another group of some company’s general manager, Bai Yan secretly lowered his head and rubbed his stiff face.
“Shall we go say hello to Uncle and Auntie and then leave?” Pei Tingyu timely noticed the young man’s action and said softly and considerately.
Bai Yan blinked. Just as he was about to say, “Alright—”
A pair of polished, black leather shoes suddenly appeared before him.
The young man instinctively looked up. The center of everyone’s attention had walked up to them at some point.
The Alpha’s camellia scent was strong. He wore a brand-new, wine-red suit. It was a flamboyant color, but with his alluring looks, it didn’t seem out of place at all.
Only the tie he wore was a slightly duller color, with obvious creases, as if it had been used many times, and it didn’t quite match his suit.
“I’ve long heard of Mr. Pei’s name. I wonder if I, Yu, might have the honor of making your acquaintance?”
A smile touched the man’s lips. He placed the whiskey in his hand on a waiter’s tray and extended his hand to Pei Tingyu first.
Pei Tingyu’s brow twitched. He gave his hand a light shake and then let go, saying coolly, “You’re too kind, CEO Yu. You are the rising star of tomorrow.”
“This must be Mrs. Pei. Seeing you today, I finally understand why Mr. Pei was willing to hide such a beauty away, keeping it such a secret.”
A lazy smile appeared in Yu Xuanying’s eyes. He suddenly bowed, about to raise his hand.
Pei Tingyu stepped in front of Bai Yan, blocking Yu Xuanying’s view, and said coolly, “I’m sorry. There’s no need to bring the customs you learned abroad back to our country, CEO Yu.”
A warning was hidden in the man’s icy gaze, and his pheromones exuded an extremely dangerous aura.
Yu Xuanying slowly straightened up and calmly met the man’s gaze.
Their gazes met, and the sharp orange blossom and camellia pheromones clashed silently in the air.
The pressure of the high-level pheromones made the glass wine glasses on the side tremble slightly, but the surrounding guests were all talking and laughing, and no one noticed.
Even Bai Yan, behind Pei Tingyu, only blinked blankly and peeked curiously from behind the man’s arm.
The clash was fleeting. In the end, it was the camellia that took a step back first.
“Is that so,” the Alpha shrugged regretfully, pouting childishly. “What a pity.”
“The hand-kiss is a gesture of friendship. I felt an instant connection with Mrs. Pei and thought we could be friends.”
The young man’s eyes suddenly widened, his pupils trembling. He instinctively took a step back.
Only then did he realize what Yu Xuanying had meant by bowing. If Mr. Pei hadn’t reacted quickly, this Mr. Yu would have kissed his hand!
Yu Xuanying chuckled. “Since you two are leaving, I won’t disturb you any longer. But I think you and I will have many opportunities to meet in the future.”
He waved his hand freely and even winked at Bai Yan before leaving.
Bai Yan’s breath caught. This Mr. Yu, even if you’re used to being abroad, you can’t do things that would cause misunderstandings.
Are all you rich people so unconventional?
But, the young man thought, stroking his chin, that tie of Mr. Yu’s looks very familiar. I feel like I’ve seen it somewhere before.
Where was it?
Bai Yan was lost in thought when he heard the man beside him seem to say something.
The Omega was busy trying to recall all his memories related to the tie and didn’t hear clearly. He tugged on the man’s sleeve and looked up blankly, asking, “Ah, Mr. Pei, can you say that again?”
Pei Tingyu’s face had been dark as he watched Yu Xuanying, like a social butterfly, moving with ease in the social setting.
Hearing Bai Yan’s innocent words, he shook his head, thinking to himself that he was overthinking things.
The messy affairs of the Yu family had nothing to do with Bai Yan. No matter how much they schemed, it was impossible for it to affect the young man.
When he looked down again, the frost on the man’s face had completely dissipated, and a gentle smile appeared in his eyes.
He raised his hand and naturally took the young man’s hand. “It’s nothing. Let’s go. We’re going home.”
“Okay.” The “Mrs. Pei,” who could finally “get off work,” suppressed the smile on his lips, lifted his chin reservedly, and walked with Mr. Pei toward Chen Peishan’s family.
Finally, the banquet was over. Sitting in the familiar back seat of the Bentley again, letting the cool night breeze of spring blow on his face, the young man’s mood improved considerably.
Tonight had been full of drama, even more exciting than a TV show. Although it was tiring, it was also quite interesting.
Bai Yan had been watching the night view of the mountain road for a long time. He finally couldn’t hold back his curiosity and asked the question that had been on his mind.
“Mr. Pei, if someone else had gotten that diamond tonight, would Auntie have given him 20% of the Chen Corporation?”
Pei Tingyu rested one hand on the armrest and asked in return, “What do you think?”
The cool night breeze allowed his stagnant thoughts to flow again. Bai Yan frowned and thought for a moment, then said, “I don’t think so. It was too much of a coincidence tonight. Everything was just right, as if it had been designed in advance.”
“It feels like,” Bai Yan paused and continued, “even if Mr. Yu hadn’t gotten that diamond, Auntie would have used some other excuse to let him smoothly inherit the shares.”
Pei Tingyu nodded in approval and said meaningfully, “Even if Yu Xuanying had any other gemstone, Auntie would have drawn the other one to match the one in his hand.”
Bai Yan blinked in surprise. Can you do that?
Then tonight’s banquet was just a share succession ceremony specially prepared for Mr. Yu by Auntie.
Even if Auntie had already decided he was the heir, why go to such great lengths to deliberately prepare this game in front of everyone?
The young man’s eyes were filled with confusion. The Alpha, who had long been accustomed to the schemes of the business world, was now unprecedentedly patient and explained in a warm voice:
“What’s important is not the result, but that Auntie was willing to take the trouble to announce this result on a day like today.”
A flash of inspiration struck Bai Yan. His eyes lit up as he said, “Then Auntie wanted to use this to tell all the guests that she cares a lot about her nephew, Mr. Yu!”
“Mm,” Pei Tingyu said. “The Chen family started with jewelry. It was founded by Auntie’s sister, Ms. Chen Meiyun. After she married into a family in the capital, the power of the Chen family fell into Auntie’s hands.”
“With tonight’s share transfer, Auntie has also returned the property to its original owner.”
Of course, there was no need to tell the young man about the more complicated details, such as Chen Meiyun’s non-accidental death, Mr. Yu’s second marriage, and the exile of the eldest son.
Old Mr. Yu was on his deathbed, and the fight for the Yu family’s inheritance was growing more and more intense. For Chen Peishan to hand over the shares at this time was to publicly take a side for Yu Xuanying.
Tonight’s jewelry was a gift on the surface, but a cooperation opportunity in secret. Even if the Yu family in the capital was not as powerful as before, a skinny camel was still bigger than a horse. If the heir was capable, it was not impossible for them to regain their former glory in the future.
The two gemstones she had given Bai Yan were also not just gemstones.
In the past, Pei Corporation’s chairman, Ji Qingya, had been good friends with Chen Peishan and had supported the Chen family when they were in difficulty.
When the Chen family had overcome their difficulties and wanted to repay her, Ji Qingya had generously said that there was no need. The shares would remain with the Chen family for the time being, as a gift for her future daughter-in-law.
Who knew that so many years would pass? His mother had been gone for many years, and he had finally brought his lover to his aunt.
These shares, if the young man was willing, would be the legitimate property of the Pei Corporation’s chairman’s partner. If the young man was not willing, then it would be the compensation after the contract ended.
In any case, he wanted to give them to his precious.
Only to his precious.
The man’s thoughts drifted far away. When he came back to his senses, he found that the Omega beside him was silent, staring at him.
Pei Tingyu turned to look. Under the soft overhead light, the young man’s snow-white, cicada-wing-like lashes trembled slightly, his gaze incredibly soft.
The Omega seemed to have given himself a mental pep talk. He suddenly gathered his courage, raised his hand to pat Pei Tingyu’s shoulder, and said softly, “Mr. Pei, you’ve worked hard.”
A faint scent of jasmine pheromones in the car enveloped Pei Tingyu, as if taking the place of its owner, gently embracing the Alpha.
He had always thought that upper-class, wealthy people like Mr. Pei would have no worries in their daily lives. He hadn’t expected them to have a side of scheming and backstabbing.
He had only been in contact with it for one day and was already overwhelmed, completely unable to handle it. Mr. Pei lived in it every day. Wouldn’t it be even harder?
At least Mr. Qin had his parents.
Mr. Pei had been alone for so many years. He must have been very tired.
The touch on his shoulder was so unfamiliar. Pei Tingyu was used to being as steady as a mountain in front of outsiders.
Since his mother passed away, no one had ever said to his face, “You’ve worked hard.”
Hard?
It had been almost ten years since he had taken over the crumbling corporation from his mother at the age of nineteen and had, against all odds, brought it to its current scale.
He believed that in these ten years, he had been diligent and had never slacked off for a single day for the sake of the Pei Corporation. He had a clear conscience.
But was it hard? He asked himself.
Responsibility and rights were intertwined. Perhaps he had long since grown accustomed to it, and he himself couldn’t say for sure.
Pei Tingyu was silent for a long time, so long that Bai Yan almost thought he had said something wrong.
The young man closed his eyes in embarrassment.
Oh my god, I really shouldn’t have said it.
“Hard”? He wasn’t Mr. Pei’s elder. How could he say that?
But seeing the dim and lonely look in Mr. Pei’s eyes, a fine, stinging pain rose in his heart.
His brain hadn’t even reacted before he had blurted it out.
Perhaps subconsciously, he just didn’t want the elegant and noble Mr. Pei to show that lonely expression.
Bai Yan unconsciously bit his lip and was about to withdraw his hand when the man suddenly caught it and gently placed it on the Alpha’s lap.
A familiar scent of orange blossom floated in the car. He didn’t know if it was his imagination, but the warm orange blossom scent seemed to have lost a bit of its softness in the dark night, appearing a little sharp.
Pei Tingyu’s gaze was incredibly dark, his magnetic voice slightly hoarse.
“If I say it’s hard, can Yanyan give me a family hug?”
“Ah,” the young man’s cherry-pink eyes widened. He opened his mouth for a long time before coming back to his senses and asking slowly, “Now, now?”
“Mm.” The Alpha lowered his gaze, his dark pupils as deep and still as a quiet sea.
Bai Yan blinked in a fluster and, at a loss, reached out his arms to Pei Tingyu.
Before he could react, he was pulled into the man’s embrace. The Alpha’s chest was broad and warm, and the scent of orange blossom instantly filled his senses and lungs.
Bai Yan leaned against this chest, at a loss, his lashes trembling as he gently placed his hand on the man’s shoulder.
Pei Tingyu’s broad, large hands wrapped around Bai Yan’s waist, clasped behind his back. He rested his chin on the top of his head and nuzzled him gently.
Bai Yan froze.
This action—the young man’s ears quietly turned a shade of crimson. When he hugged Oz, he also liked to nuzzle the dog’s fluffy head…
After a moment, the Alpha’s dark, hoarse voice fell on the top of his head. “Yanyan, thank you.”
Thank you for being willing to come to my side.
Thump—thump—
The two were pressed tightly together. The high-frequency heartbeat made it impossible for Bai Yan to tell whose it was.
A scorching heat came from Mr. Pei’s body. The young man blinked, at a loss, and said in a small voice, “You’re welcome. You said we’re family, didn’t you?”
The man chuckled. “Right.”
But he let out a sigh in his heart.
My precious, don’t let your guard down around me anymore.
If this continues, I’m afraid I really won’t be able to let go.
