Rules of Civility - Chapter 2

This was Xu Mingfu’s third time coming to Jiachuang.

Two months ago, he was still the untouchable crown prince of the tech industry, greeted with warmth and flattery wherever he went. Now, he stood completely alone, with only the biting autumn wind accompanying his gaze toward the predatory Jiachuang building.

“Is that the Xu family’s…”

“Why is he here?”

“I think he’s been here a few times already…”

“Shh, let’s go.”

In an era of rapid technological advancement, whoever mastered the cutting-edge technology held the dominant position in the market. Xu Mingfu’s father had led Ruirui to reign supreme over Xiangjiang for thirty years. Whenever the older man set his sights on a talent or a technology, no one dared to challenge him, let alone meddle. When it came to playing the tech game in this region, Ruirui was an undisputed local tyrant.

And Xu Mingfu, as the crown prince of Ruirui, had been born with a silver spoon in his mouth. From his toddler years to his recent entrance onto the grand stage of society, every industry he touched had been smooth sailing. Whatever object he desired required only a glance, and it would magically appear before him. Whatever he loathed didn’t even need to be mentioned; the very next second, that eyesore would vanish from his sight.

Consequently, he had been a man of few words since childhood. Whatever he thought or needed was anticipated and provided by others; all he had to do was shut his ears to the outside world and focus entirely on his studies. His parents’ greatest expectation was for him to become a genuine, top-tier scholar. They didn’t need to buy his credentials or fabricate his background. They just wanted him to have real substance, to erase the family’s regret of never producing a proper scholar.

Xu Mingfu had always worked hard toward this goal. Just two days after completing his studies, as he was preparing to go abroad for further education, Ruirui ran into disaster.

Such a massive local tyrant could never be brought down by a single brick; the rot had to start from within to deliver a fatal blow.

In the brightly lit, pitch-black night, Xu Mingfu looked up at the towering skyscrapers. The bitterly cold mega-buildings stared down like giants at his humiliation. These towers were no less glorious than Ruirui’s headquarters; once upon a time, he had been the center of attention in buildings just like this. Wherever he walked in the past, he was bound to be surrounded by throngs of people. But now, with the Xu family fallen, silence enveloped his side. The flattering faces were completely gone, and even the pretense of politeness had vanished. Where had all those people who swore to be his dogs for life gone?

Xu Mingfu let out a cold laugh, laughing at the fickleness of society, and laughing at himself for still being unable to stop his heart from aching at this moment, despite having long seen through the insincere masks of those people.

Lifting his feet, Xu Mingfu walked into Jiashi.

Several figures flashed past his eyes. Night had already fallen, and employees from various departments were trickling down, whispering among themselves while casting collective glances toward a man at the front desk.

Although Xu Mingfu wasn’t an apex Alpha, his aura was hardly inferior to one. Because of his lifelong devotion to books, he carried a refined, scholarly air about him, as if one could still catch a faint trace of fresh ink. Word had it that the Xu crown prince’s pheromone smelled like paper and ink, but because he wore a scent blocker, it couldn’t be verified for the moment.

Xu Mingfu knew countless pairs of eyes were sizing him up from behind, but he paid them no mind. He inquired at the front desk about Shao Yiqing, his one and only lifeline, only to be told that Shao was not in. Xu Mingfu frowned, clearly disbelieving the receptionist’s excuse.

“What did you say?” Due to his sudden drop in status, Xu Mingfu had grown acutely sensitive. He felt as though everyone was just waiting for a chance to kick him while he was down, including this receptionist who was lying to his face.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Xu,” the receptionist said, handing him a business card. “President Shao went out at four this afternoon. However, knowing you would come, he specifically instructed me to give this to you.”

Xu Mingfu took the card from the receptionist’s hand. It didn’t bear Shao Yiqing’s number, but rather a stranger’s phone number and address. Judging by the name of the address, it was a club. Xu Mingfu flipped the card over and over again, completely failing to understand what Shao Yiqing was playing at.

“You can go find him here,” the receptionist said, offering a professional, plastered smile that betrayed no schadenfreude over Xu Mingfu’s current plight. She lifted her wrist, speaking in a polite, formal tone: “President Shao will be waiting for you there.”

Shao Yiqing knew he would come looking for him?

This man.

As expected.

Two months ago, at a Ruirui banquet, that parting remark—”I’ll make you come running to see me of your own accord”—hadn’t just been empty boasting. Could it be that he had foreseen Ruirui’s downfall two months ago? Or was he somehow specially connected to Ruirui’s current crisis?

At this thought, a chill ran down Xu Mingfu’s spine. Unwilling to dwell on it further, he strode out of Jiashi, clutched the card the receptionist had passed along, got back into his car, and instructed the driver, “Wuge Club.”

The car glided forward.

Unbidden, a bewitching face flashed across Xu Mingfu’s mind. That pair of eyes was capable of making people’s hearts race with a single glance, paired with such calculated, unshakeable confidence.

Shao Yiqing, that notorious, dissolute top-tier Omega. He had given birth to a child at nineteen, rocked local headlines at twenty-seven with a messy divorce scandal, and seized custody through dirty tactics, earning quite a legendary reputation in Xiangjiang. Even after his divorce, his romantic entanglements never ceased. He was extravagant, decadent, and utterly unrestrained. He was condemned as the disgrace of Omegas, yet hailed as the absolute pinnacle among them.

His rumors and gossip could not be exhausted in a single breath.

Colluding with a man like this was Xu Mingfu’s greatest misfortune, yet simultaneously his greatest stroke of luck among countless misfortunes.

For such a man happened to be his only savior.

Upon arriving at Wuge, Xu Mingfu stepped out of the car and hesitated at the entrance for a long time. The driver asked cautiously, “Would you like me to accompany you?”

“No,” Xu Mingfu pushed the car door shut. The gorgeous club entrance radiated an inexplicable sense of danger. Xu Mingfu took a deep breath. “I’ll go by myself.”

He walked into Wuge, feeling as if he were marching to his execution.

Sitting in the car, the driver watched him go and sighed softly, as though he already knew what hardships his pampered young master was about to face.

Inside Wuge, Xu Mingfu stood under the lights and glanced down at the business card in his hand. Just as he was hesitating whether to dial the number printed on it, a voice called out:

“Young Master Xu?”

Xu Mingfu looked up. A burly man dressed in uninhibited fashion was holding a cigarette and looking right at him. The man’s gaze probed him for a moment before offering a smile: “I’ve been waiting for you for a long time.”

Xu Mingfu lowered the business card: “Who are you?”

He searched his memory for this face, but he didn’t recognize the man.

The man raised his wrist slightly: “Isn’t the proof of my identity right in your hand?”

Only then did Xu Mingfu lift his hand and check the name on the card: “Sun Rong?”

“Precisely,” Sun Rong said, an appreciative gaze drifting over Xu Mingfu’s figure. “I’ve long heard that Young Master Xu possesses extraordinary bearing, standing out as the cream of the crop among Alphas. Seeing you today, I’ve truly broadened my horizons.”

“If you had flattered me like that two months ago, I would have believed you. But now, it just sounds like sarcasm,” Xu Mingfu said bluntly. “Where is Shao Yiqing?”

“No rush,” Sun Rong’s gaze was still sizing Xu Mingfu up. “Young Master Xu is so eager to see President Shao. Are you two close?”

“That depends on whether tonight goes smoothly,” Xu Mingfu had heavy matters weighing on his shoulders and had no patience to spar with Sun Rong. “Please lead the way, Mr. Sun.”

Sun Rong spread his hands: “Gladly.”

Sun Rong was well aware of the young master’s current predicament.

The secretary most favored by Xu Mingfu’s father had seduced a competitor two months ago, providing them with Ruirui’s latest project plans and leaking confidential progress data. A corporate conspiracy meant to drag Ruirui down with them had thus begun. Coupled with the Xu family’s overbearing and tyrannical conduct over the years, they had already made plenty of enemies. Even their allies were backstabbers keeping a backup plan in reserve. Today, with Ruirui facing a hostile takeover, Xu Mingfu was the only one who could salvage the situation.

It could be said that the hopes of his entire family rested on Xu Mingfu’s shoulders. All that aloof pride of his would cease to exist the moment he stepped foot into this club tonight.

Sun Rong walked ahead, guiding Xu Mingfu. After taking only a few steps, Sun Rong couldn’t help praising, “Young Master Xu is truly a man of exceptional talent. I’ve seen countless Alphas, yet not a single one has your bearing.”

The news of Ruirui’s collapse was known to everyone in the city, yet Sun Rong didn’t mention a single half-word of it, happily tossing out flattery to stroke his ego instead. Xu Mingfu didn’t act petty; instead, he steered the conversation back to the purpose of his trip: “Since you know someone like Shao Yiqing, do you still find anyone else impressive?”

At the mention of that name, Xu Mingfu’s mind grew chaotic once more, conjuring up that bewitching face.

He paused for a fraction of a second before continuing forward.

“President Shao is indeed the cream of the crop. No matter the Alpha or the Omega, regardless of how high their rank, they’d all feel inferior in comparison. There’s no argument about that,” Sun Rong said with a smile, turning his head back. “Still, Young Master Xu isn’t bad yourself, or you wouldn’t have caught his eye.”

Xu Mingfu’s footsteps halted.

Noticing his reaction, Sun Rong stopped as well, turning around to offer some advice: “Young Master Xu, don’t look like you’re walking to your execution. If I were in your shoes, I’d only be overjoyed. That saying about making the honor roll pale in comparison, to me, it doesn’t hold a candle to spending a passionate night with Shao Yiqing. As for why, well, you know.”

A look of unmasked hostility crossed Xu Mingfu’s eyes; he could actually see a trace of envy in Sun Rong’s expression.

“That’s you. For me, nothing compares to the significance of making the honor roll.”

Sun Rong let out a leisurely chuckle and resumed walking, seemingly paying no mind to the other’s rebuttal. “Ah, Young Master Xu, you’re still too young. After tonight, you’ll realize just how dull your life used to be.”

His evaluation of Shao Yiqing left Xu Mingfu feeling both uneasy and secretly curious.

Two months ago, Xu Mingfu had met Shao Yiqing. How could he possibly be unaware of this Omega’s charm? A grown man past thirty, divorced, with a child old enough to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with him. Why did so many people still flock to him like moths to a flame? What kind of stunning beauties could those powerful figures not get? Yet they drooled over a divorced, childed man who wasn’t even all that young. Even his own father frequently brought up this name at the dinner table. Xu Mingfu hadn’t understood it back then, until he saw Shao Yiqing in person two months ago.

The entire banquet had been instantly eclipsed, as if every spotlight in the room had shifted to lock onto a single spot. Shao Yiqing stood beneath that dazzling spotlight and said to him in an even tone, “Young Master, I like your pheromones.”

The look in his eyes back then seemed intensely interested, yet simultaneously completely indifferent. That was Shao Yiqing’s charm. Clearly, he was the one expressing affection, yet he could instantly throw the other person into complete disarray, leaving their legs weak and their mind spinning.

Sun Rong pushed open a door.

Xu Mingfu snapped out of his swaying thoughts and looked up. Sitting inside the room were several predatory-looking men. Their fingertips pinched wine glasses, their faces half-hidden in the dim light, half-manifest. Bold laughter drifted out from within, and several scantily clad Omegas swayed their hips as they draped themselves over the men’s laps to fawn and flirt.

Every single one of these men was a prominent figure locally.

Sun Rong stepped inside first and whispered a few words into the ear of a particular man. Xu Mingfu recognized him. He was surnamed Wei, someone who had dealings with his father in the past.

The two of them stared fixedly at Xu Mingfu by the doorway for a long moment. Then, that man stood up, walked right over to Xu Mingfu, looked him up and down, and spoke in a deeply meaningful tone: “Young Master Xu, long time no see.”

Xu Mingfu’s goal was clear. Ignoring the man entirely, he reiterated to Sun Rong beside him: “I want to see Shao Yiqing.”

“President Shao went out,” Wei Xu glanced him over. “However, he asked me to look after you first.”

Unsure whether the sentiment was genuine, Xu Mingfu didn’t care. Whoever stood before him right now, nothing could surprise him anymore. He asked in an icy tone, “When did President Wei hook up with Shao Yiqing?”

Wei Xu chuckled, giving him a look as if viewing a child, not taking offense in the slightest. “What do you mean, hook up? We’re all in the same circle; getting acquainted is only a matter of time.”

“Oh, so when did you climb into Shao Yiqing’s bed?” Xu Mingfu pressed bluntly. Over the past two months of crisis, he had tried contacting Wei Xu to no avail, never expecting to cross paths in a setting like this. “Today? Yesterday? Or two months ago?”

He was desperate to punish the disloyal dog on his father’s behalf.

Wei Xu’s expression darkened instantly, though playing a role was second nature to everyone in this place. He quickly regulated his emotions, realizing from that single sentence that the local tyrant’s son wasn’t someone easily pushed around either. But a local tyrant was still a local tyrant. Even half-dead, they would force themselves to stand tall.

“Young Master Xu is truly majestic. Even with your parents about to enter police custody, you’re still mighty enough to lecture me,” Wei Xu said with a smile on his face, though his words carried hidden barbs. “Quite the imposing style.”

“You flatter me. Compared to you, I’m just a drop in the bucket.”

Just as their war of words was about to escalate further, Sun Rong lowered his voice and chimed in: “Yiqing is here.”

Wei Xu shot Xu Mingfu one last vicious glare before stepping away from him.

About ten minutes later, Shao Yiqing appeared.

From the moment he entered, he didn’t spare Xu Mingfu a single glance. Yet Xu Mingfu had been yearning for him with all his heart. The room was only so big; completely ignoring each other was simply impossible.

Shao Yiqing seemingly noticed Xu Mingfu’s presence with a hint of hesitation, only to sweep past him with a completely expressionless look. This reminded Xu Mingfu of that night two months ago, the fiery intensity in Shao Yiqing’s eyes. By comparison, today’s Shao Yiqing was remarkably cold. He glanced sidelong at him before walking over to the sofa and sitting down.

Though Xu Mingfu didn’t frequently circulate in circles like this, he understood the mentality of men of this caliber. In their eyes, there was no such thing as genuine affection, only fleeting interest. Two months had passed. Xu Mingfu couldn’t guarantee that Shao Yiqing was still infatuated with him.

At a loss and feeling completely out of place, he saw Sun Rong leaning in close toward him.

Inviting him over.

“Whether things succeed tonight depends entirely on Young Master Xu’s own performance,” Sun Rong said. “I can only help you this much.”

With that, Sun Rong walked away.

Xu Mingfu looked back toward Shao Yiqing. The man had just sat down, and a nearby server was pouring him a drink. Wei Xu was speaking to him with enthusiastic familiarity, the very expression of a weasel paying respects to a chicken, sly and cunning, mixed with a hint of ambiguous, burning eagerness.

His attitude was a stark contrast to how he had treated Xu Mingfu just moments ago.

Yet there was nothing to mourn in that. What they worshipped after all was power, beauty, and their own unspeakable desires.

Thinking of his family’s predicament, Xu Mingfu cast away his reservations. He took a bold stride forward, coming right up to Shao Yiqing. One second, he was still high and mighty; the next, he trampled his own pride into the dust.

Amidst the laughing and chatting of the crowd, a dull thud echoed out as Xu Mingfu dropped to both knees on the floor. Clenching his fists tightly, his gaze burned with desperation as he spoke:

“President Shao, do you still like me?”

His voice was loud and clear, just as Wei Xu had praised, daringly, impeccably bold.

In an instant, it silenced the bustling room, seizing the attention of everyone present, including Shao Yiqing.

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