Rules of Civility - Chapter 10

With such torrential rain, it was nearly impossible to remain completely unaffected, especially considering that Shao Yiqing had deliberately avoided having Deng Su pull the car up right in front of the hotel entrance.

Having walked a stretch of the way over, not only his trouser legs but also his top and strands of hair were somewhat damp. The heavy traces of battling wind and rain, paired with his earlier declaration that the Lingrui contract must not be signed, made him look sufficiently anxious and sincere.

“Sir, I am very sorry, I couldn’t find your silk scarf.” The waiter hurried back empty-handed, his expression eager. When he re-entered the lobby, he found that another person had joined them. Upon catching sight of Sheng Tingzhou’s face, the waiter gasped in shock, “President Sheng! I am sorry, this is…”

Shao Yiqing slowly turned his face, looking at Sheng Tingzhou with a heavily theatrical performance of surprise: “You must be President Sheng?”

Sheng Tingzhou did not bother publicizing his own identity. Giving the waiter not even a second of his attention, he openly admired the performance of the person before him: “Didn’t you say you had an appointment with me? Don’t tell me you forgot?”

Shao Yiqing’s falsehood had been exposed. Facing the Alpha, he remained composed and steady as a mountain, his tone completely unruffled, showing neither the displeasure of being deceived nor the smugness of having his trick called out.

He was like a master dramatist; no matter how tearful or desperate an actor’s performance on stage might be, it could never truly startle such an opponent.

Suddenly, Shao Yiqing found the whole thing rather pointless.

“Can you spare me the favor?” Shao Yiqing maintained a smile, the inner sense of desolation clashing not at all with the calm facade he presented. “President Sheng.”

In the past, Sheng Tingzhou would never have bothered entertaining such a person.

Far too many people came to him crying, pleading, protesting their innocence, or trying to strike up a casual conversation, and Sheng Tingzhou could see right through their intentions at a glance. Having never shown the slightest mercy even when dealing with his father’s capable right-hand men, he consistently valued time above all else. Anyone who could not become a mutual beneficiary or bring a definite advantage was simply a waste of time.

He treasured time beyond measure.

Because in this world, time was the only thing that could never be reclaimed once it slipped away.

A person could not control time, but they could control how much of it belonged to them.

“Find a room,” Sheng Tingzhou instructed the waiter with an indifferent expression. It was a decision made almost instantaneously, though he had deliberately dragged it out for a short moment before giving his answer. Yet the person before him did not thank him, nor did he look surprised, acting precisely as though he knew for certain that his nonsense would be heard out.

Sheng Tingzhou was curious to see where that confidence came from, and what profound insights would tumble from such an alluring mouth. If it failed to amuse him, he could always dispose of him afterward.

The waiter found them an empty room.

“Five minutes,” Sheng Tingzhou said coldly upon entering, glancing down at his wristwatch.

Shao Yiqing placed the documents in his hands right in front of Sheng Tingzhou, a faint, light smile curving the corners of his lips. “Three minutes will be enough.”

From the moment he stepped into this room, he had already won the bet.

Sheng Tingzhou picked up the documents on the table and began flipping through them. His expression remained entirely unchanged throughout; maintaining a poker face with emotions hidden beneath the surface was the norm for people of his social stratum. Shao Yiqing was used to it. As long as the other party was willing to read on, it meant the issues detailed in the documents were of critical importance.

“Shall I have some dishes served?” The waiter, not daring to disturb Sheng Tingzhou while he reviewed the files, looked up to seek an answer from Shao Yiqing, having already mistaken him for Sheng Tingzhou’s friend.

Shao Yiqing flicked his wrist slightly to indicate that it wasn’t necessary. Understanding immediately, the waiter slipped out quietly and considerately pulled the door shut behind him.

“There are so many illegal transactions involving Lingrui. I imagine some of these things never even surfaced during your due diligence investigation, right?” Shao Yiqing said. “I had a hard time procuring this file for you, President Sheng. To blindly sign a contract and acquire a company riddled with problems is hardly a smart choice.”

Sheng Tingzhou did not reply. His fingertips turned the pages as he read with deep absorption.

“Naturally, a corporation as massive as the Sheng Group surely has ways to keep Lingrui afloat. However, cleaning up the mess will still cost a considerable amount of manpower and resources. Xu Daoquan colluded with government officials, engaged in foreign exchange smuggling, and manufactured illegal munitions. From high-ranking government officials all the way down to black-market profit pipelines, who was he working for, and just how much filth Lingrui has accumulated is hard to say.”

Whispers and rumors concerning Lingrui’s ties to the black market and various illegal dealings had circulated for a long time, but reporting on such matters in Xiangjiang was practically courting death, which kept the coverage sparse. In the past, Shao Yiqing had paid little attention to such tabloid gossip, merely glancing through it casually. Now, with this concrete dossier laid out before him, he realized the media hadn’t been entirely fabricating stories.

A conglomerate of this scale was bound to be tainted by something behind the scenes; even the pharmaceutical company his own father ran back in Beijing could not claim absolute cleanliness and purity. Large corporations invariably hid a few dirty rags out of sight.

“Where did this document come from?” Sheng Tingzhou’s emotions remained stable, giving away neither his thoughts nor his intentions. He leaned back in his chair, his thumb pressing against the corner of the folder.

The scale of the illegal transactions was immense, down to meticulous details. The blue-chip index was composed of fifty large, highly liquid stocks from the Xiangjiang A-share market, backed primarily by the most influential leading companies in Xiangjiang. Many of these corporations shared complex financial ties with Lingrui. What would happen to the holders of these shares once Lingrui collapsed, and whether they would support a Lingrui flying the Sheng Group banner, remained entirely unpredictable.

“Provided by Xu Daoquan’s wife, Xu Wenhui,” Shao Yiqing made no attempt to conceal it. “Does President Sheng doubt her?”

Sheng Tingzhou spoke in a magnetic timbre: “I can believe it. I am simply curious why she didn’t bring this document to me herself instead of going through your hands. Does she trust you that much? And what exactly is your relationship with Lingrui?”

Shao Yiqing sat down in the single-sofa chair beside Sheng Tingzhou. His trouser legs and clothes were soaked through, feeling sticky and thoroughly uncomfortable; right now, all he wanted was a hot bath.

“Xu Daoquan is about to be imprisoned, and Xu Wenhui never intended to surrender this document. She even wanted to deal a fatal blow at the very last moment. I was the one who told her not to throw her life away, so she handed it to me. As for my relationship with Lingrui,” Shao Yiqing propped his chin on his hand, a look of playful intrigue in his eyes, “their young master is quite nice. I am rather fond of him.”

The room fell silent for ten seconds.

Shao Yiqing’s remark sounded like the impulsive words of an adolescent experiencing their first romance, except that those seductive, fox-like eyes were anything but naive, making the statement feel thoroughly insincere.

“Is he your boyfriend?” Sheng Tingzhou asked a question entirely detached from the matter at hand, feeling remarkably out of place in the face of such crucial intelligence.

Shao Yiqing had long since grown accustomed to all manner of unexpected turns. He raised his gaze to meet Sheng Tingzhou’s eyes in a glaring, direct stare. Neither of their gazes could be called pure or innocent; one was calculating, poised, and utterly seasoned, while the other was full of falsehoods and brimming with trickery.

“If it helps you better understand my implicated standing in all this, you may view it that way.” Shao Yiqing didn’t consider those people boyfriends, but why bother splitting hairs? Whether it could be clearly explained or not was hardly the explanation required by the man before him. There was no need; time was precious.

Sheng Tingzhou chose not to pursue the matter further, keeping a clear boundary.

He set the document in his hands down on the table and returned to the core issue: “What does Xu Wenhui want?”

“Lingrui is Xu Daoquan’s life’s work. They want the signing ceremony postponed until after Xu Daoquan goes to prison.”

“How long?”

“One week.”

“Is that enough?” Sheng Tingzhou glanced over. “There are far too many secrets tied to Xu Daoquan; investigating him is not a matter of a day or two. If someone is willing to step forward to bail him out, he might not even be convicted in the end. It seems to me that what Xu Wenhui wants is not simply a delayed signing ceremony. Her true objective is to preserve this so-called life’s work of Xu Daoquan. Delaying it by a single day gives them another day to seek assistance, because there are still plenty of people who do not want to see Xu Daoquan fall.”

Interests were far purer and more solid than human affection. As long as there were endless profits to extract, even if it were only scraps, people would always be willing to lend a hand.

Shao Yiqing remarked, “Perhaps. Still, postponing the signing ceremony doesn’t do the Sheng Group any harm, does it? With a supply chain this complex, unless you can guarantee that Lingrui can completely disentangle itself, it will just end up an empty shell that won’t last long.”

If the accounts weren’t cleared properly, even if Lingrui fell under the Sheng Group’s umbrella, future troubles would be endless. Swallowing an elephant whole was never an easy feat, and whether the Sheng Group could digest Lingrui had to be carefully weighed before taking the plunge.

“I cannot guarantee whether this report is exhaustive, as I am not a member of the Xu family. Xu Wenhui maintains a certain level of guard against me; I can only be considered a negotiator representing her sincerity.” Shao Yiqing was well aware that Xu Wenhui would hold back a trump card. Someone who could stand beside Xu Daoquan and overlook Xiangjiang for decades could hardly be simple.

Besides, should he, Shao Yiqing, ever double-cross them, the Xu family would truly be done for.

Such a risky venture was something Xu Wenhui’s foolish, inexperienced Alpha son might attempt, but not that shrewd, gorgeous woman who understood the stakes.

Sheng Tingzhou remained silent for a long time, seemingly pondering a win-win solution. Deeply familiar with his own mission, Shao Yiqing knew he could not afford to stay silent at this moment: “President Sheng, you look very young and perhaps have not experienced a similar crisis. Would you care to hear the thoughts of an outsider?”

Sheng Tingzhou looked over without interrupting, which constituted consent.

Shao Yiqing continued, “Once Lingrui falls, the Sheng Group becomes the industry leader. If I were you, I wouldn’t fear any obstruction from parties previously linked to Lingrui’s interests. When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter; finding a new towering tree to shelter under is the smart person’s choice. Without a doubt, the Sheng Group is poised to become the primary shelter against the wind and rain. You simply need to wait for those monkeys to jump onto you on their own. This concern can be entirely cast aside.”

Shao Yiqing paused slightly: “Do you like it?”

He noticed Sheng Tingzhou’s gaze repeatedly locking onto his neck, so he touched his rose-shaped collar accessory to inquire.

Sheng Tingzhou did not answer directly: “Go on.”

Shao Yiqing withdrew his hand and continued: “The true trouble for the Sheng Group is Lingrui itself. Xu Wenhui’s willingness to provide this file shows her inner inclination not to make an enemy of you. Take this document and talk to Xu Wenhui, letting them clean house themselves before the signing. That way, the forces behind the scenes won’t treat the Sheng Group as an enemy. Xu Wenhui can step forward on Xu Daoquan’s behalf to sever those illegal relational networks. That is an internal matter for Lingrui to handle themselves, rather than taking everything upon yourself and locking horns with those underground organizations under the Sheng banner after acquiring them. What does President Sheng think?”

This was far from unfeasible; it could be called a foolproof strategy. Shao Yiqing wasn’t acting as Sheng Tingzhou’s opponent, but rather more like an ally, with both sides seeking a workable outcome.

Sheng Tingzhou did not lift his gaze, so Shao Yiqing could not yet pin down his thoughts or judge whether his proposal was well-received. However, the solution he offered was practical, which kept him calm.

After pondering for nearly two full minutes, Sheng Tingzhou finally stopped the fingertips that had been resting on the documents. With a tone of lingering regret, he said, “It is acceptable, except that it is far too lenient.”

Pushing the files aside, Sheng Tingzhou directed his deep, penetrating gaze toward the alluring Omega sitting before him, asking in an even voice: “Is there a version of this where we leave no survivors?”

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