Novel Bin Chapter 37: Found a Handsome Man
Thank you bbe1989 for the kofi!
The relationships between people in higher society were really messy.
This was Song Xuanhe’s first thought.
Cousins had fallen in love with the same man, and yet, the book had never mentioned their relationship. That’s weird.
That was Song Xuanhe’s second thought.
Before Song Xuanhe’s third thought, Guan Zhi had turned the conversation onto him.
Guan Zhi: “Wei ge, who’s this?”
Wei Chen glanced at Song Xuanhe, who Guan Zhi was gesturing at with his chin. A flash of shock flickered through his eyes. His younger cousin had been thoroughly pampered while growing up. He wasn’t actually arrogant by nature. However, when he saw the other speak of Song Xuanhe with such undisguised discontent, he could tell that there seemed to be some kind of grudge between them.
However, he wanted to see how Song Xuanhe would fix this.
“This is Song Xuanhe.” There was a smile on Wei Chen’s lips. “One of the Song Group’s successors.”
Guan Zhi nodded slightly, glancing at Song Xuanhe askance.
Song Xuanhe didn’t bother looking up. He just sat there, playing with his phone.
Guan Zhi’s expression sank. He angrily grabbed a pastry and placed it in front of Song Xuanhe. Everyone thought that he was about to make things difficult for Song Xuanhe, but instead, he just said in a loud voice, “Is my hand shaking?”
Everyone in the lounge was taken aback. Wei Chen was also confused. Even Song Xuanhe’s finger paused for two seconds as he was playing his game. Afterwards, he couldn’t hold back his laughter as he recalled what had happened yesterday.
Because of Song Guochao’s scandal, the entire Song Group had been busy as of late. However, after everything had settled, most departments became very free.
Therefore, after looking at several documents in the morning, Song Xuanhe, who hadn’t eaten much at breakfast, couldn’t sit still. It had just so happened that their lunch break was also quickly approaching. Therefore, he had pushed away his pile of documents and left the company building. He then drove through downtown and went to a restaurant that Wei Chen over the phone had said was rather good.
The restaurant’s business was booming. When Song Xuanhe had entered, forget private rooms, even single table spots weren’t available. The waiter had noticed his expensive clothing and had nervously asked, “Sir, would you be willing to share a table? The gentleman at the window seat is dining alone. If you don’t mind, perhaps you could share a table with him.”
With regards to eating, Song Xuanhe was both very particular and not particular at all. As long as the food was tasty, he was willing to squat at the door with a bowl. Therefore, he didn’t hesitate to agree to the waiter’s suggestion.
The customer sitting at the mentioned window seat was a fashionable looking-youth, who had earbuds in. When he saw Song Xuanhe sit in front of him, he only glanced at him before continuing to eat his food.
Song Xuanhe had no interest in conversing with strangers. He ordered several of the restaurant’s signature dishes and then sat there quietly, waiting. He didn’t even take out his phone.
Shortly after, Song Xuanhe’s first dish arrived. This was the dish the restaurant was best known for: beef pancakes. Although it was a pancake, the dough was very thin, about as thin as the skin of a dumpling. However, it felt fluffy and sturdy like bread. It was a recipe that had been handed down through many generations of this shop.
Song Xuanhe wasn’t in a rush to eat it. He first sniffed the three different sauces provided and tasted each one with his chopsticks. He then grabbed a bowl and mixed the sauces together in different proportions. After stirring it all together, he even sprinkled some black pepper on it.
When he had finished mixing, he grabbed a pancake, scooped some sauce onto it, and then added cilantro and cucumber on top. Lastly, he placed a piece of beef on it before folding it closed and placing it in his mouth.
Song Xuanhe had a habit of chewing slowly and savouring the taste of his food. His actions had been very elegant, but this hadn’t affected his expression. His eyes had slightly curved just from eating this beef pancake. It made the person opposite of him think that the pancake he wrapped up must have tasted especially good.
“Why did you mix the sauces together?”
Halfway through the dish, a clear and melodious voice interrupted him. Song Xuanhe looked up and saw that the young man in front of him had taken off his earbuds at some point in time. He was currently staring at the beef pancake in his hands, unblinking.
Song Xuanhe moved the half-eaten beef pancake back and forth. Indeed, he saw that the young man’s gaze followed his action. He found this interesting, so he raised the corner of his lips and asked, “You want to eat it?”
The young man blinked and then nodded earnestly.
The smile on Song Xuanhe’s face grew. He took another bite and chewed it thoroughly before swallowing. He then met the young man’s gaze of anticipation with a wicked smile. “I won’t give you any.”
The young man’s eyes widened. Obviously, he hadn’t expected that Song Xuanhe would refuse him. He was stupefied for a moment. He then became angry, looking like a kitten whose fur had puffed out. “I wouldn’t have eaten it even if you had given it to me!”
Song Xuanhe nodded and then put the last bit into his mouth. “Mn. I won’t give it to you.”
The young man stood up, huffing. He then snorted before sitting back down. He asked the waiter for another order of beef pancakes. When his pancakes had arrived, he followed the steps Song Xuanhe had just taken in making his sauce. He then gave Song Xuanhe a challenging glare before he bit into his pancake.
After that one bite though, he threw the pancake back onto his plate and frowned. “Disgusting.”
Song Xuanhe laughed. He handed the pancake he had just wrapped up over to the young man. “You lack experience.”
The young man hesitated for a moment. He thought of how Song Xuanhe had been eating with gusto just now. In the end, he couldn’t help but take it.
After taking a bite, his eyes widened. He finished the pancake in just two more bites before exclaiming, “We mixed the same sauces. How come yours taste so good?”
Song Xuanhe rested his chin on his hand. He raised a brow when he heard this. “If you let people with extremely different tastes use the same clothes to form an outfit, will their outfits come out looking the same?”
The young man shook his head, and then, his expression darkened. “Are you saying that my tastes suck?”
Song Xuanhe smiled indolently. “I’m laughing at you, because your hands were shaking.”
The young man gritted his teeth. A long time later, he spat out, “Your hands are shaking, your whole neighbourhood’s hands are shaking!”
Back to the present, when the young man saw Song Xuanhe laugh and not respond, his bright eyes lit up with fury. He raised his hand and waved it in front of the other as if proving himself. “Look, are my hands shaking?”
It was hard for Song Xuanhe to rescind his smile. He took the matcha dessert from Guan Zhi’s hands and took a bite. “It’s not shaking. The neighbourhood’s not shaking either.”
Guan Zhi had yet to get over the shock of having the dessert in his hand stolen away. His eyes met with the other’s smiling ones. It felt like a basin of water had been splashed over the flames of his anger. It had probably been hot water too, because his ears had redden.
Guan Zhi turned his head away, not looking at him anymore. “Even if your hands shook, mine wouldn’t.”
Song Xuanhe didn’t respond. He picked up the tea that went with the desserts. The faint flavour of tea counteracted the bitter taste of the matcha dessert, leaving a sweet aftertaste. The aromas of the matcha and flowering tea mixed together. He couldn’t help but take a few more sips.
Guan Zhi watched as the other drank the tea. He couldn’t help but recall when they had been eating beef pancakes yesterday. He also picked up a cup and took a sip. However, he didn’t notice anything special. He glanced at Song Xuanhe and then put the cup down.
At this moment, the spectators, who had watched this scene play out before them, realized that things weren’t exactly as they had thought. Guan Zhi did meet Song Xuanhe prior to today. However, he didn’t seem to loathe the other.
Wei Chen raised a brow. “You two know each other?”
“We had a meal together yesterday,” Guan Zhi said.
The others looked at Song Xuanhe. Therefore, he looked up and said in a dull voice, “There were no seats left, so we shared a table.”
Wei Chen took in Guan Zhi’s expression and smiled. “He went to the restaurant I recommended yesterday. I didn’t think that Xuanhe would also go there.”
“It was on the way,” Song Xuanhe said. He looked like he was still smiling, but he was actually examining Wei Chen. “I’m going to go bowl. You guys can stay here.”
Xiao Shenglin also stood up. He smiled and said, “I came here to ask you to play. Let’s go.”
Song Xuanhe nodded. He then passed by Wei Chen and Guan Zhi, leaving the lounge with Xiao Shenglin.
As soon as they were through the door, Xiao Shaoye said, “You know the youngest young master of the Guan Family?”
“Are you talking about Guan Zhi?” Faced with Xiao Shenglin, Song Xuanhe’s impatient tone eased up. “It was as I said just now. We just shared a table during a meal. I didn’t think we’d meet again.”
Xiao Shenglin seemed a bit worried. “I heard that Guan Zhi is the only legitimate grandson of the direct lineage in the Guan Family. His entire family is extremely protective of him. I wonder why he has suddenly come to China.”
When he heard Xiao Shenglin say this, Song Xuanhe recalled that one of the major eight financial groups in the book was the Guan Family. They had settled in Canada several years ago. They had even transferred their core headquarters to the Americas. They rarely set foot in China.
“Probably has to do with Wei Chen,” Song Xuanhe guessed.
“Possibly.” Xiao Shenglin thought the same. “Just now, I noticed that although Guan Zhi is a bit childish, he’s not really overbearing. He didn’t hold any malice towards you just now.”
“I know.” Song Xuanhe laughed. “He’s a kid. I won’t bicker with him over this.”
With that, Xiao Shenglin was reassured. He didn’t say anything more.
This was why Song Xuanhe liked Xiao Shenglin’s personality. Even when he was worried, he would only do this much. He would never meddle in other people’s lives. Even when giving others warning, the way he said it made it really easy to accept. How could it not feel comfortable, interacting with someone like this?
*
Xiao Yuanmu got a call from an unknown number.
From the other side came a young voice. He hesitated.
“Is this Yuanmu gege
?” A girl’s voice asked timidly. Xiao Yuanmu recalled that this was the girl who had called for them the day Song Xuanhe had him move out of the orphanage.Xiao Yuanmu’s voice softened, although it wasn’t obvious. “What’s wrong?”
The girl seemed like she had finally found a pillar to hold onto when she heard his voice. She sobbed, “Yuanmu gege, can you come back to the orphanage? Director Granny is sick. She won’t go to the hospital. We’re really scared.”
Xiao Yuanmu was startled. He suddenly recalled that around this time had been when the Director had passed away in his first life. At that time, it had been the first time he had asked Song Xuanhe for help. However, all he had gotten in return was ridicule. Shortly after, the Director died.
That had been the reason why he had decided to destroy the Song Group. He hadn’t expected that after so long, he’d get a chance to make up for his regrets.
When Xiao Yuanmu reached the orphanage, the old Director’s door was already surrounded by many people.
Seeing him arrive, the children all made way. It was probably because they knew that only he had enough money to help. There was no fear towards him anymore, only anticipation. One of the boys even tugged on his clothes and cried. “Yuanmu gege, will you please save Director Granny?”
Xiao Yuanmu didn’t really care about these children. Seeing them like this, he only nodded coolly. “Don’t worry. I’ll go take a look.”
Several employees were inside the Director’s room. When they saw Xiao Yuanmu walk in, their eyes lit up. They all knew that Xiao Yuanmu had a good job and that he had a high level of education. Even if there was hope left for the Director, only Xiao Yuanmu could help her now.
“Yuanmu, you’ve come.” A middle-aged woman wearing simple and plain clothes gave up her seat. She said to him, “Quickly go persuade your Director Granny. She fell so badly but still refuses to go to the hospital!”
Xiao Yuanmu walked over to the bed, gaze falling on the elderly woman in the bed. It had been a long time since he last saw her, so long that she felt a bit unfamiliar now. The elderly woman’s face fused together with the kindly face in his memories. A flicker of warmth flashed through his eyes.
After his rebirth, he had invested all his money in the stock market. Recently, he had donated some of his earnings from those investments to the orphanage. Because of many reasons, it hadn’t been appropriate for him to come back to the orphanage. Therefore, he had never returned until now. He had almost forgotten about the elderly woman’s death.
“Granny, I’ll take you to the hospital.”
When the elderly lady heard Xiao Yuanmu’s voice, she slowly opened her eyes and flashed him a kindly smile. “Yuanmu, ah, you’re so busy with work. Why are you back? Granny is fine. You don’t have to be worried with them for no reason.”
The voice from his memories sounded in his ears again. Xiao Yuanmu’s jaw tightened. He lowered his gaze and pursed his lips slightly. “Recently, the company has introduced a benefit that pays for company employees’ family members’ health checkups. I’ve been meaning to take you all this time. We might as well go now.”
The elderly woman was startled. She then smiled. “You don’t have to take an oldie like me. It’s a waste. Take your Auntie Wang. She’s been talking about how her elbow hasn’t been feeling well. Take her to have that checked up.”
When he heard the elderly woman say ‘Auntie Wang’, Xiao Yuanmu’s eyes darkened slightly. However, a smile appeared on his lips. “I’ll take you first. There’s no hurry with getting Auntie Wang’s issue looked at. The vehicle’s already waiting for you outside. It isn’t good to make them wait any longer.”
“What vehicle?” The elderly woman asked, shocked.
However, before Xiao Yuanmu could say anything, from outside came the energetic voices of the children. “It’s the ambulance! The doctors are here!”
The old woman was surprised. “Why did you call the ambulance? Granny is fine.”
The corner of Xiao Yuanmu’s lips rose slightly. He had the paramedics lift the elderly woman onto a gurney and into the ambulance.
At the hospital, the doctor gave the old woman a checkup and sighed. “It’s fortunate that you brought her here in time. There’s a clot in her brain, because she hit her head. If you were even a little late, it would have become very difficult to save her. We have to be careful of every bump and fall when it comes to people in their advanced age. If they fall, you can only be reassured after getting a checkup at the hospital. You did well.”
Xiao Yuanmu sighed slightly in relief. The doctor continued, “It’s not ideal to perform surgery because of her advanced age. I recommend letting her stay at the hospital to receive treatment. What do you think?”
“Sure.”
The doctor looked at Xiao Yuanmu and saw that his expression was steady, and his clothes were of high quality. He, thus, knew that this person probably didn’t lack money. Therefore, he smiled and said, “Alright. She should be fine once treatment is underway. All you have to do is pay for the treatment downstairs.”
After leaving the doctor’s office, Xiao Yuanmu directly headed to the payment hall. Halfway there, his steps paused. He then pulled out his phone and made a call.
When Song Xuanhe got Xiao Yuanmu’s call, he was five to four against Wei Chen. Shortly after he and Xiao Shenglin had come out of the lounge, Zhou Nan, Wei Chen, and the rest had also followed them out. They then dispersed and played for a while. Zhou Nan had then separated them into teams and proposed they have a competition They would have ten rounds. Right now, it was him against Wei Chen.
“I have to take a call.”
When he saw the caller’s name, Song Xuanhe was surprised. When he found out what had happened from the System, he placed the bowling ball down.
Wei Chen took in Song Xuanhe’s furrowed brows and said, “I’ll wait for you to finish taking your call.”
Walking past the spectators, Song Xuanhe walked outside towards the garden. The caller had already hung up, so he dialed back.
Song Xuanhe: “What’s the matter?”
“Something happened to the director of the orphanage. Can I borrow some money from you?” Xiao Yuanmu’s gaze was downcast. He repeated the words that he had said in his last life. “I’ll return the money to you as soon as possible.”
Song Xuanhe looked at the moths circling the lamp outside. He was silent for a while before he recited his lines in an insipid tone. “What will you use to repay me?”
Xiao Yuanmu’s eyes darkened slightly. He recalled what he had been thinking when this had happened in his last life.
Back then, Song Xuanhe had also been silent for a long time. In the other’s silence, he had thought of many things.
He had thought that, if Song Xuanhe had helped him this once, then he would abandon attacking the Song Group. He had also thought that, as long as Song Xuanhe had been willing to lend him the money so that the old Director could undergo surgery, he would forget all the humiliation he had suffered under the other.
However, Song Xuanhe hadn’t agreed back then. Just like how he hadn’t agreed just now.
Xiao Yuanmu’s lips curled into a slight, cold smile. However, his voice softened. “What do you want?”
When Song Xuanhe heard these lines that matched the lines in the book perfectly, he picked a bench by the flowers. He pursed his lips and said, “You can’t give me what I want.”
Xiao Yuanmu looked up. All around him were the doctors coming and going in their white lab coats and the cold light of the hospital. His face turned cold and heavy. “How do you know that I can’t give it to you if you don’t tell me?”
“You’re a pauper without parents. Aside from your face, you have nothing.” Song Xuanhe sat down on the bench, his eyes on the beautiful flowers that were shaded by the night sky. He said in an indifferent tone, “Besides, I’m just about tired with that face of yours. What can you offer me? I’m busy. Don’t bother me.”
Song Xuanhe hung up. He placed the phone on the bench and stretched his legs, leaning against the back of the bench. His hands covered his eyes.
【This scene shouldn’t have happened now. It wasn’t supposed to happen until later.】The System glanced at Song Xuanhe’s expression, its voice cautious：【But, the lines were right. So, it’ll still be considered completed.】
【What a f*cking lousy plot.】Song Xuanhe dropped his hands：【The earlier we get this done, the earlier I can go back.】
The System was taken aback and fell silent.
Song Xuanhe sat there for a long time before he picked his phone back up and made another call. “Assistant Zhang, donate two million yuan to the Qing City Orphanage tomorrow.”
Assistant Zhang on the other side was startled. He then recalled the relationship between Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu and quickly replied. “Okay. If it’s emergency funds, I can send it over today.”
“No need,” Song Xuanhe said plainly, “Send it over tomorrow morning after ten o’clock. Don’t take too long. Also, don’t include my name. Just make up some identity. Make up a rich merchant from a different city.”
Zhang Chao didn’t get it, but he didn’t ask anything more. He agreed. “Okay. Don’t worry.”
Song Xuanhe stared at his phone screen that had already turned off. He then got up and was about to go back inside. However, as soon as he stood up, he saw that there was someone standing underneath a tree a few steps away.
“Guan Zhi.”
“Who were you talking to just now?” Guan Zhi walked over and asked.
Song Xuanhe furrowed his brows slightly. “None of your business.”
“You called the second person to give money to the first person?”
“I told you, it’s none of your business.” Song Xuanhe was already in a bad mood, so there was a tone of impatience suppressed in his voice. “Move.”
“Since you were planning on giving that person money anyway, why didn’t you just give it to them?” Guan Zhi didn’t move. He stared at Song Xuanhe stubbornly as if he wouldn’t let it go until he got an answer.
Song Xuanhe’s eyebrows furrowed tightly, and his voice turned cold. “I don’t want to say it again. Move.”
“What if I don’t move? What are you going to do?” Guan Zhi folded his arms and raised his chin. However, there was a sliver of hurt and apprehension in his eyes.
Song Xuanhe had already extended a hand out, but upon seeing this expression, he held back some of his strength. But, he still pushed the other to the side before walking past him.
Zhou Nan was still bowling. When he saw Song Xuanhe walk over with a heavy expression, he exchanged glances with Xiao Shenglin. Neither of them said anything.
The youth who had been sitting next to Guan Zhi earlier asked, “Song shao, did something happen?”
Wei Chen turned around. When he noticed Song Xuanhe’s expression, he paused and then said, “If something’s wrong, you can head back first.”
Song Xuanhe shook his head. He then took a bowling ball with him to the other side and played by himself.
Everyone exchanged glances. Zhou Nan frowned. “This is the first time I’ve seen that kind of expression on him.”
Xiao Shenglin was also worried. He was about to say something when he saw Guan Zhi walk in. His expression was hardly any different from Song Xuanhe’s. With a wooden expression on his face, which seemed to still hold some baby fat, he headed in Song Xuanhe’s direction.
They were all taken aback and quickly followed after.
“I’ll face you.” Guan Zhi walked over to Song Xuanhe’s side, expression taut.
Song Xuanhe gave him an indifferent glance. He didn’t speak.
Guan Zhi’s lips were pulled into a tight line. He wasn’t good at bowling. Just now, he hadn’t played a lot. He would only hit two pins when he threw the ball. It was too tragic to bear seeing his score on the screen.
He said, “If I lose ten times, you won’t be angry anymore, okay?”
Song Xuanhe was startled. He turned to look at Guan Zhi.
The other stood beside him, bowling ball in hand. His gaze was evasive as he awkwardly said in a quiet voice, “I didn’t mean to pry into your affairs. Sorry.”
“I’m not angry at you.” Song Xuanhe shook his head, his tone easing up. “You don’t have to apologize.”
“After I lose to you ten times, you have to accept my apology.” Guan Zhi looked up, meeting Song Xuanhe’s eyes.
Song Xuanhe was unmoved by this, but his voice regained its usual lazy tone. “You didn’t do anything wrong. I’m the one who should apologize.”
“Then instead, when I want to eat with you, you’ll say yes, right?”
Song Xuanhe’s mind blanked. He then suddenly recalled why Guan Zhi had fallen for Xiao Yuanmu, and his mood brightened. He nodded, “Sure.”
The other people were confused, hearing their conversation. Although they didn’t know what had happened, they had all been shocked to see Guan Zhi apologize, especially Wei Chen. It was probably a Guan Family tradition—since they had been young, whether it was Wei Chen, his mother, or Guan Zhi, none of them had ever been one to apologize and admit their wrongs.
His mother didn’t apologize, because his father spoiled her. He wasn’t one to apologize either, because he had never done anything that he had thought he had to apologize for. As for Guan Zhi, with his identity, he just never had to apologize.
Both his and Guan Zhi’s first apologies had just so happened to have been given to Song Xuanhe.
Wei Chen narrowed his eyes. His pursed lips slowly raised into a smile. He seemed to be examining Song Xuanhe carefully.
Eve: Isn’t Guan Zhi so sweet ToT. He’s such a precious baby. And my heartaches for Xuanhe, having to say such things. He’s such a sweetie afterwards, telling his assistant to donate because his heart just couldn’t take it.
Kara: Ahahahaha, Guan Zhi is such an awkward baby! He’s my favorite rival love interest so far. I’m also heartbroken after that phone call though!!（ ＴДＴ）Stupid system!! Why are you always trying to split my babies apart?! However, knowing XY, I don’t think he’ll be mad for too long, hopefully. Please Mumu, forgive Xuanhe, he didn’t mean it!!ヽ(´□｀。)ﾉ