SABA Chapter 66

Jiang Tiao is a doer who wants to put things into action as soon as he decides. It’s better to do it now than to choose a day, just as Chu Yunhao said, tonight’s banquet is indeed an opportunity.

Huo Shen found Jiang Tiao’s behavior strange. Didn’t he go to comfort Chu Yunhao? What did the two of them talk about? How did they end up with such fighting spirit?

The light poured down like a waterfall from the high dome, shattering into countless stars that sprinkled on the luxuriously dressed guests. Chu Hongzhen had changed into a perfectly tailored sapphire velvet suit, with dark crane orchid embroidery subtly floating along the lapel edges, making him look dignified and noble. He showed no sign of his earlier distress or the recent argument.

On the main stage, a three-dimensional holographic screen was playing a video chronicling Chu’s father’s glorious life, from obscurity to becoming the chairman of ELEGANT. The video was well-edited, capturing every moment of Chu’s father’s past glory. It made him look like he had founded ELEGANT himself and built it into the most influential fashion magazine in the country.

Jiang Tiao had attended Chu’s father’s birthday banquets many times since he was young; this was one of the annual rituals. However, the content featuring Chu’s mother in the video had been decreasing year by year, and this year’s video completely omitted her presence.

Those in the know were aware that the true founder and the person who brought ELEGANT to its current status was Chu’s mother, Ji Yuxin. However, human perception is collective. Even when knowing something is wrong, constant repetition from those around and the media can slowly lead to self-doubt and incorrect perceptions.

Over the years, Chu’s father had been downplaying Chu’s mother’s contributions both internally and externally. He wanted to shed Chu’s mother’s aura and attribute all achievements to himself.

Jiang Tiao looked worriedly at Chu Qingchao, who was sitting at another table not far away.

The dazzling lights from the dome poured down, and Chu Qingchao looked up, feeling a needle-like sting spread across his pupils. Before him was a video that had erased all traces of his mother’s existence, and not far away, Chu Hongzhen, the instigator, was beaming and accepting compliments from guests. Yes, how could he not feel satisfied? This was, after all, his proudest accomplishment.

Perhaps because he hadn’t eaten, Chu Qingchao felt his stomach clenching and churning, making him feel nauseous.

Chu Xu and Chu Qingchao sat at the same table, and Chu Xu’s seat had been personally arranged by Chu’s father. Chu Hongzhen’s intention in seating him at the Chu family’s table was obvious.

Tonight would be a significant turning point in his life. After more than twenty years of hard work, he had finally reached this position. From now on, he would have the qualifications to contend for many things. He had never felt so high up before; the view from the top was so beautiful. However, he would not be satisfied with this. He would use this ladder to reach higher and go further, to step on everyone, and to make those who once looked down on him crawl at his feet like ants, gazing up at him.

He saw Chu Qingchao’s pale face, on which was an unconcealable smugness. He hadn’t expected that the usually arrogant Chu Qingchao would also be afraid. Was he afraid of his identity being recognized? Or was he afraid that after he entered ELEGANT, Chu Qingchao would have nowhere to hide and would be driven away like a stray dog?

How wonderful. Just thinking about these scenes made him feel utterly comfortable.

Chu Xu feigned concern and asked, “Big Brother, are you alright? You look unwell. Is something bothering your health?”

Chu Yunhao, already worried about Chu Qingchao, almost lost control and flipped the table onto Chu Xu’s face upon hearing Chu Xu’s deliberately offensive address.

Chu Qingchao’s gaze slowly landed on Chu Xu. In fact, if he hadn’t known what kind of person Chu Xu truly was, he might have been deceived by Chu Xu. He had to admit that Chu Xu was very good at putting on a show. Even if he harbored a thousand wicked thoughts, he could outwardly appear respectful, humble, and polite.

Chu Qingchao stopped Chu Yunhao, who was about to explode, saying, “My stomach is a little uncomfortable. Can you go to the car and get me some medicine?”

Chu Yunhao knew that Chu Qingchao didn’t want him to conflict with Chu Xu in public. He gave Chu Xu a displeased glare but ultimately worried more about Chu Qingchao’s health. Reluctantly, he obediently got up.

Chu Xu looked at Chu Qingchao and Chu Yunhao, and for some reason, he let out a cold, mocking laugh in his heart. What a picture of brotherly affection.

“Big Brother…”

Chu Qingchao crossed his arms, leaning back in his chair with ease, and let out a sneer, “There’s no one else here, so there’s no need to pretend. Isn’t it disgusting?”

Chu Xu smiled, his expression unchanged, but he readily switched his address, “Alright, President Chu. Actually, I’ve always wanted to know, why do you treat me so differently from Chu Yunhao, when we are both your brothers?”

Compared to Chu Yunhao, that incompetent scoundrel who only caused trouble, he felt that he was more presentable in every way.

“Is it just because I’m an illegitimate child, and not born of the same mother as you? Actually, you know, I respected you very much when I was little, and I genuinely hoped you would accept me.”

Chu Qingchao found it somewhat amusing. He felt that Chu Xu’s current demeanor was very much like those characters in movies who, after defeating their opponents and being on the verge of success, would inexplicably pause and start narrating their tragic past.

Chu Xu ignored the sarcasm in Chu Qingchao’s eyes, immersing himself in the impending joy. And who would be more suitable to share this joy with than Chu Qingchao, who had always tried to stop him but ultimately failed?

“Being an illegitimate child was not my choice; I am also an innocent person. You resent me and my mother for disrupting your family, but who should I resent for my lack of fatherly companionship since childhood? You’ve suppressed me for years out of resentment, and I haven’t held it against you. There’s no need to carry over the grievances of the previous generation to us. I genuinely hope you can accept me, and I sincerely wish for us to coexist peacefully.”

Chu Qingchao laughed, “I never thought I’d see someone as hypocritical and shameless as Chu Hongzhen one day.”

“Yes, illegitimate children are innocent,” Chu Qingchao’s gaze towards Chu Xu was as cold as ice, “But you are not innocent. You and your mother are of the same breed of venomous malice.”

“When my mother was pregnant, your mother brought you to our home multiple times, and the last time, she deliberately pulled on her.”

This caused his mother to slip and fall, leading to premature labor.

“I believe you wouldn’t forget, would you?”

Chu Xu feigned dejection and lowered his eyelids, “I cannot defend the mistakes my mother made, but as a son, I cannot denounce her as you do. Because I know the reason she did that was fundamentally because she was afraid of being abandoned. As a mother, she just wanted to do her best to secure a future for me. I always knew she was wrong, but I was too young back then, I couldn’t stop her.”

What filial piety.

“I must say, you are truly the most like Chu Hongzhen.”

No matter what he thought in his heart, the words he spoke were always pleasant; no matter the facts, he could always make himself appear innocent and pitiable.

Chu Qingchao’s eyes were icy and chillingly sharp, like a keen sword, shattering Chu Xu’s carefully woven lies, “You portray yourself as so innocent. Was it also someone forcing you when you secretly sneaked into the hospital where my mother was recovering?”

Chu Xu’s face went blank for a moment. Back then, relying on the fact that he was a child and no one was wary of him, he had sneaked into the hospital where Chu’s mother was in confinement. When Chu’s mother was disheartened, he had delivered the final push that led to her death.

But how could Chu Qingchao know? Back then, only he and Chu’s mother should have known about those events. Would Chu’s mother have told Chu Qingchao these things?

In fact, Chu Qingchao still didn’t know what Chu Xu had said back then that suddenly plunged his mother into despair. If he hadn’t been suspicious after his mother’s death and obtained the surveillance footage, he wouldn’t even have known that Chu Xu had visited his mother back then.

“But I should thank you,” Chu Qingchao elegantly sipped his wine and deliberately said, “If you hadn’t gone to see my mother, she wouldn’t have regained her spirits before her death, making all the necessary preparations and arrangements to ensure that the shares she held would only fall into the hands of us and Chu Yunhao. Otherwise, given my relationship with Chu Hongzhen later on, we might have been kicked out long ago. And you, you might have gotten what you wanted much earlier.”

“Heh, isn’t this a case of lifting a rock only to drop it on your own feet?”

A hint of gloom flashed in Chu Xu’s eyes, but he quickly concealed it. “Whether you believe it or not, I went back then to apologize on behalf of my mother. We lived in constant insecurity, always on the verge of being abandoned. My mother made such a mistake, and I was terrified at the time, which is why I thought of seeing your mother. It was your mother who initiated the conversation, and I ended up telling her so much. I didn’t expect those words to stimulate her.”

Chu Qingchao could no longer tolerate it. He could no longer bear to deal with hypocritical people like Chu Xu. “Stop putting on that wronged look to disgust me. Although Chu Hongzhen is a scumbag, he has always been generous with his actions; otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to manage so smoothly for so many years. I’ve checked his accounts. Besides cars and houses, the living expenses he provides for you and your mother are over a million yuan annually. Don’t let your ambition fester in the dregs of a tragic melodrama, pretending that the circumstances forced you into this. Even maggots in the gutter are more transparent than you. You want it both ways, and it’s sickening to watch.”

On stage, the video detailing Chu Hongzhen’s glorious life was nearing its end. The spotlight shone on Chu Hongzhen, who wore a discreetly luxurious haute couture suit and leaned on a finely crafted copper cane inlaid with gemstones, looking like an old-world nobleman. He stood on stage, delivering his birthday speech, thanking the guests. His face, sculpted by time, was filled with pride and radiance.

Chu Qingchao’s ruthless words completely tore apart the justifications Chu Xu had fabricated for his actions. He was like a parasite stripped bare in the sunlight, vile and dirty. He shed his pretense of humble deference and his amiable facade, his face darkening, a poisoned dagger hidden in his eyes.

What right did Chu Qingchao have to be so arrogant in front of him? Why was Chu Qingchao always so proud and contemptuous of him since childhood?

“Actually, your mother never told you, did she? Do you know why your mother lost all hope back then?” Chu Xu’s lips curved into a vicious smile. “Because she knew Chu Hongzhen deliberately approached her back then knowing her family background and her status as an only child. Everything Chu Hongzhen told her was laced with lies; he never truly loved her.”

Chu Qingchao’s hand holding the wine glass paused. His gaze fell lightly on Chu Xu, like the overcast and heavy sky before a storm.

“Heh, do you know when Chu Hongzhen and my mother met? Do you think they met later?” Chu Xu’s expression was triumphant and arrogant. For years, he had countless times imagined how he would casually reveal the truth to Chu Qingchao after his success, and then condescendingly appreciate his self-righteous belief in the truth crumbling in front of him, just as he had seen in Chu’s mother’s eyes back then.

“They were together when they were about ten years old. They were childhood sweethearts. If it weren’t for your mother, they would have been a happy couple. You always think that my mother and I ruined your family, but you don’t realize that the real disruptor was your mother. If we go by who was first, your mother was the third party inserting herself into the relationship.”

Chu Qingchao crushed the wine glass in his hand. The Bordeaux red wine splashed onto his hand, like stains of blood. He finally understood why his mother had lost all hope back then, causing her cancer cells to spread rapidly. It was as if her life had become a joke, all her tender affections and vows of love were lies.

In all the vastness of the world, I have three loves: the sun, the moon, and you. The sun is for the morning, the moon is for the night, and you are for my every morning and night.

How ridiculous. No wonder his mother had looked at him with such sadness and unspoken words before she died.

“You and your mother are equally pathetic,” Chu Xu savored the change in Chu Qingchao’s pupils, as spectacular and grand as an avalanche. He had seen such scenes in Chu’s mother’s eyes before.

“Your mother clearly had a premonition about Chu Hongzhen’s infidelity, but because she was lost in that bit of romance, she deceived herself again and again, choosing to believe him. And you, even though you clearly know what kind of person Chu Hongzhen is, you cling to the false image of Chu Hongzhen as a loving father from your childhood. No matter how disharmonious your interactions were or how harsh your words were, you never truly did anything to him.”

“Do you think Chu Hongzhen truly loves you as a son? If you hadn’t happened to inherit your mother’s talent in art, if you couldn’t have led ELEGANT to greater heights, if you didn’t hold shares in ELEGANT, would he have had the patience to play the role of a willful, rebellious son and a helpless father with you?”

Chu Xu’s lips curled into a malicious and satisfied smile. Chu Qingchao and his mother had very similar eyes; they looked resilient and resolute, but were actually affectionate and sensitive. Even their pupils were the same light brown color, like fragile amber, which made the avalanche moment look even more beautiful. Chu Xu felt he had never felt so exhilarated, as if the pent-up frustration of being inferior for years had finally been relieved.

“For years you’ve been in charge at ELEGANT, and you’ve had countless opportunities to bring Chu Hongzhen down. But you were soft-hearted, which gave him the chance to find someone to replace you now. It’s laughable that you worked tirelessly for so many years, even pushing yourself to the point of gastric bleeding a few times, only to end up doing all the work for someone else.”

“Bang—”

As Chu Xu was speaking animatedly, he suddenly felt his chair being kicked from behind. If he hadn’t quickly maintained his balance, he would have almost overturned the cutlery on the table.

Who among those attending this banquet was not someone of some standing? Who would do something as rude as kicking a chair? Chu Xu’s brows furrowed into deep lines. He turned his head and saw Jiang Mingyan standing behind him, looking nonchalant.

“Give up your seat,” Jiang Mingyan’s tone was like he was ordering around some low-class follower, “Move aside, I’m taking this spot.”

Chu Xu’s face darkened. He ground his back molars, forcing himself to suppress his anger. At this occasion, the person Chu Xu least wanted to conflict with was Jiang Mingyan. Everyone else, to some extent, would consider their status, dignity, and the occasion, but Jiang Mingyan acted completely on impulse. If he was in a bad mood, he would disregard his status and argue with third-rate tabloid reporters online. In the end, their company’s public relations department gave up on damage control and issued a statement saying it was the boss’s personal behavior and asking everyone not to associate it with the company.

Jiang Mingyan didn’t care about his reputation, but he was a public figure in the entertainment industry and needed to maintain his image. If he got into a conflict with Jiang Mingyan here, it would not only delay his plans but also damage his image. He would be the one at a disadvantage no matter what.

Chu Xu gnashed his back molars and resentfully gave up his seat, moving one position to the side.

Jiang Mingyan sat down brazenly, “What are you guys talking about, so engrossed? Are you asking President Chu to be merciful and let you off the hook, perhaps awarding you an endorsement?”

Chu Xu’s sore spot was hit, and his face turned ashen as if it could drip water, “President Jiang, you must be joking…”

However, before Chu Xu could finish speaking, he was rudely interrupted by Jiang Mingyan.

“Whether I’m joking or not doesn’t change the fact that you used my stupid little brother back then, begging me for resources like a lapdog.”

Chu Xu’s face turned purple with anger, “You!”

It was Jiang Tiao who had chased after him, begging him for resources!

Jiang Mingyan: “Let’s not talk about you, me, him, or her. When I came in, I saw your fat-headed agent outside, looking frantic like a crab, trying to find you. What’s going on? Did you do all sorts of bad things, and the King of Hell has come to notify you in advance?”

Xiong Qi? Chu Xu frowned deeply and ignored Jiang Mingyan’s mockery. He quickly turned his phone to silent mode—it showed dozens of missed calls and messages.

[Something happened!]

[Where are you?]

[Are you at the Chu family’s?]

…

[Check the trending searches. What should we do now? This can’t keep escalating.]

…

[Answer the phone!!!!!]

…

The consecutive messages and Xiong Qi’s series of exclamation marks made Chu Xu unable to wait for Chu’s father to potentially call him on stage. He immediately opened the trending searches. The list of trending topics was filled with words like “hot” or “explosive,” indicating a level of activity not seen in months.

[Star Chart Information Technology Malicious Competition]

[Pornographic Images]

[Chu Xu, Actual Controller of Star Chart Information Technology]

[Chu Xu Workday Statement]

[Reversal]

[Chu Xu Shameless]

[First Time Seeing Such a Quick Comeuppance]

…

The new event timeline feature on Weibo was very convenient, allowing those who had missed the real-time development of the situation to immediately understand the cause and effect.

The incident began when someone posted a lengthy essay on Weibo, claiming that Chu Xu’s Star Chart Information Technology had used malicious competition tactics in the past, placing pornographic images on their APP and then reporting it to the regulators. While their APP was suspended for operation and review, they quickly allowed their own APP to dominate the market.

Fans are always more available than their idols to follow social media trends. When Chu Xu’s fans saw someone slandering their idol, they couldn’t tolerate it. On one hand, they demanded an explanation from the studio, and on the other hand, they rushed to the poster’s Weibo account without question, accusing him of slander and demanding he provide evidence or delete his post and apologize.

The poster, on one hand, argued with netizens, drawing fans into arguments with him, and on the other hand, refused to provide crucial evidence, further provoking the fans to mock him. Thus, the topic was pushed to the trending searches.

Chu Xu’s studio originally didn’t want to pay attention to such baseless accusations, but once it hit the trending searches, they were forced to respond.

If there was evidence, why wasn’t it released earlier or provided to the regulatory authorities? Xiong Qi, who understood the whole situation, observed the public sentiment for a while and felt that the poster was simply seeking publicity. Therefore, he instructed the PR personnel to issue a statement under the studio’s name, severely condemning the act, stating that they had reported it to the police, would resolutely defend their rights, and apologized for occupying public resources.

Chu Xu’s fans, as if they had received a court verdict, aggressively posted their responses under various platforms. Spectators, those who hadn’t seen the drama, also gained some understanding of the matter. The second wave of popularity was once again ignited.

As if sensing that the popularity had reached its peak, the long-silent poster reappeared and published a new, lengthy post. It was clearly structured, with a definite timeline, and even included recorded conversations with the former CTO of Star Chart Information Technology as evidence.

Xiong Qi finally began to panic. Wang Yuan, the former technical director of Star Chart Information Technology, was a founding member of the company. The entire technical management system of the company was built by him. Chu Xu, finding him stubborn and not obedient enough, had kicked him out after making full use of him. Although he had smoothed things over and signed a non-disclosure agreement, the departure process was not entirely pleasant.

How did he end up associating with people from Xingzhi Technology?

Xiong Qi began to suspect that they had been set up by someone with ulterior motives, but his reaction was too late; public opinion had already spun out of control. He couldn’t stop the fans who were charging forward, arguing with passersby and haters, and demanding that the poster provide evidence, nor could he stop the poster from slowly releasing evidence when asked.

Countless passersby or haters flooded their APP, retaliating by posting all sorts of unpublishable content, paralyzing the review department.

Public opinion was overwhelmingly one-sided. People on various platforms were scolding Chu Xu, demanding that he come out and give an explanation.

Back then, in order to quickly gain traffic and attention, they had never concealed the fact that the actual controller of Star Chart Information Technology was Chu Xu on any platform. Now that there was trouble, the boomerang of traffic was striking back. How could he possibly separate Chu Xu and Star Chart Information Technology in the public eye?

Moreover, he had only invested a small amount in Star Chart Information Technology and was not involved in its actual operations. Now, he was completely clueless. He couldn’t contact Chu Xu, and he didn’t even know who was behind the manipulation, or whether the target was Chu Xu or Star Chart Information Technology!

…

Chu Xu’s face was grim, and the atmospheric pressure seemed to drop as if dark clouds were gathering. He looked up from his phone towards another table not far away, where someone was leisurely enjoying themselves. He gritted his teeth, a blazing fire of rage seemingly burning in his eyes.

Huo Shen!

…