22: Chapter 23 Yang Junyi and the alluring Su Man

Su Man seemed completely unaware of the "accident" from just a moment ago. With a smile as bright as ever, she turned her gaze toward Yang Junyi and teased, "Young Master Yang, your summit is all well and good, but our Tianxue is currently busy with Yu Bo on the big affairs of 'Listening to the Waves,' and she simply cannot be in two places at once. If you're truly sincere, wait until they're through this busy stretch and then organize a gathering at your club to have a proper chat. Wouldn't that be better than rushing off to New York?"

Yang Junyi, smoothed over by Su Man's intervention, could no longer vent the displeasure he felt from Yu Bo's soft rebuff. He had to take the out she offered and smiled, "Sister Man is right. I didn't consider it thoroughly."

"That's more like it." Su Man smiled like a flower and raised her wine glass. "Come, for Tianxue and Yu Bo's 'Listening to the Waves,' and for Young Master Yang's grand plans after returning to the country, shall we clink glasses?"

The group clinked glasses politely. Yang Junyi exchanged a few more pleasantries and then left with his followers. As he turned, his gaze lingered on Yu Bo for an extra moment, its meaning unreadable.

Once they were far away, Su Man let out a sigh of relief, patted her chest, and whispered to Yin Tianxue, "That Yang Junyi is still the same, with his eyes at the top of his head. Tianxue, don't take it to heart." She then looked at Yu Bo with admiration and a hint of subtle scrutiny. "Yu Bo, you performed well just now, neither humble nor pushy. But the Yang Family has deep roots in Jiangzhou, and he's a man who holds grudges. Be careful in the future."

Yin Tianxue felt conflicted. She was grateful for Su Man's help in resolving the situation, but Su Man's overly natural and familiar tone with Yu Bo felt like a small thorn in her heart. She pulled her hand back from Su Man's arm and said coolly, "Thanks, Older Female Cousin. We know what we're doing."

Su Man didn't seem to notice the distance in her tone and remained smiling. "Don't be so polite with me. Alright, I won't disturb your world of two. I'll go chat with Mrs. Li over there for a while." After saying that, she nodded to Yu Bo and gently patted Yin Tianxue's shoulder before turning to walk away swaying gracefully.

Watching Su Man's back as she merged into the crowd, Yin Tianxue remained silent. Yu Bo's hand on her shoulder tightened slightly as he whispered, "Let's go. It's a bit stuffy here. Want to go to the terrace for some air?"

Yin Tianxue nodded and leaned against him, letting him lead her toward a less crowded area. Although the clash at the cocktail party had temporarily settled, Yang Junyi's hostility and Su Man's unsettling "closeness" left her feeling a wave of exhaustion and a faint sense of unease.

The night breeze on the terrace was cool, dispersing the noise and stale air of the party. Yin Tianxue leaned against the railing, looking at the brilliant city lights below in silence.

Yu Bo stood beside her, his arm loosely around her waist. He didn't speak, simply accompanying her quietly.

After a long while, Yin Tianxue spoke softly, "Yu Bo, I'm a bit tired."

"Then let's go home," Yu Bo said immediately.

"It's not physical exhaustion." Yin Tianxue shook her head and turned to face him, her eyes reflecting a hint of confusion and weariness. "It's my heart that's tired... I feel as if countless eyes are watching us, waiting for us to make a mistake, or... waiting to tear us apart."

Yu Bo raised his hand and gently stroked her cheek, his fingertips warm. "I know. But as long as we're together, nothing can separate us. Whether it's Yang Junyi or anyone else, what they think or do doesn't matter. What matters is us."

"But I don't want you to endure this pointless hostility and trouble because of me." Yin Tianxue looked at him with a serious gaze. "'Listening to the Waves' has only just begun. I don't want it to lose its wings before it even takes flight because of my relationship."

"It won't," Yu Bo said firmly, taking her hand. "'Listening to the Waves' relies on vision and strength, not anyone's connections. Moreover, precisely because of these troubles, I need to build 'Listening to the Waves' even faster and make it good enough to make everyone shut up."

He lowered his head, pressing his forehead against hers, his voice deep and full of strength. "Tianxue, trust me. And trust yourself. We'll walk the path we've chosen together. Whoever stands in our way, we'll crush them."

Yin Tianxue looked into his eyes, which were close enough to touch and filled with determination and sincerity. The unease and exhaustion in her heart were strangely mostly dispelled. She nodded, reached out to hug his neck, and buried her face in the crook of his shoulder. "Mm, together."

The two embraced quietly on the terrace, enjoying this moment of peace. The city lights flowed behind them like a silent galaxy.

Meanwhile, in a relatively quiet lounge on the other side of the cocktail party.

Yang Junyi leaned back on the sofa, swirling the wine in his glass. His face appeared somewhat dark under the dim lighting. The soft rebuff he had received from Yu Bo and Yin Tianxue, along with Su Man's biased "mediation," had left him fuming.

Beside him, Zhang Chi—the follower who had mocked Yu Bo earlier—leaned in and whispered, "Brother Yi, I think that kid Yu is just arrogant because he has Yin Tianxue backing him up. He doesn't know what's good for him. Should we... cause some trouble for him?"

Yang Junyi glanced at him. "Cause trouble? How?"

Zhang Chi smirked with a hint of flattery. "I have a childhood friend who's a clerk in the Market Supervision Section of the District Industry and Commerce Bureau. For a newly registered small company like 'Listening to the Waves,' finding faults is easy. Business scope, paid-in registered capital, compliance of the office address... a random check would throw them into turmoil for a while. Even if no major problems are found, being invited for 'tea' every few days is enough to give that kid a lot to deal with. Let's see how he can still put on an act in front of Yin Tianxue then."

Yang Junyi drank his wine in silence, saying nothing.

Another follower, Wang Jun, also chimed in, "Exactly, Brother Yi. That kid is clearly a peasant with no roots. Scare him a bit and let him know who's boss, and he'll naturally behave in front of you. As for Miss Yin, seeing how useless he is, she might just..."

"Idiots," Yang Junyi finally spoke, interrupting Wang Jun in a cold tone.

Zhang Chi and Wang Jun were stunned.

"Trouble from Industry and Commerce?" Yang Junyi sneered and set down his wine glass, his eyes dark. "That's the lowest level of tactics. It startles the snake by beating the grass and provides others with a pretext. Yin Tianxue isn't stupid. If Yu Bo were really a good-for-nothing, would she like him? We haven't even figured out his background or his methods yet."

He paused, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest of the sofa. "Besides, do we really need to use such shady little tricks to deal with him? It would only dirty our hands."

"Then Brother Yi, you mean..." Zhang Chi asked cautiously.

A calculating glint flashed in Yang Junyi's eyes. "Doesn't he run an investment firm? Doesn't he want to invest in Hard Tech? Fine, then let him. Let him show off his 'vision' and 'ability' to his heart's content."

He looked at the two followers and said slowly, "Zhang Chi, have that childhood friend of yours at the Industry and Commerce Bureau 'show more concern' for this newly-minted CEO Yu and 'Tinglan Capital.' If there's any policy support, industrial park discounts, or activities suitable for startup enterprises, have him 'communicate' more with CEO Yu to show our local businesses' 'support' for young entrepreneurs."

Zhang Chi and Wang Jun looked at each other, not quite understanding.

A cold smile curled on Yang Junyi's lips. "Prop him up high and put him in the spotlight. When he invests real money and the project either stagnates or... when it blows up, the fall will hurt much more. When that time comes, we won't even need to act; the market and investors will naturally teach him a lesson. Yin Tianxue will lose face completely as well."

He leaned forward, his voice dropping lower with a hint of cruel playfulness. "And don't you think that watching an ignorant poor kid jump hopefully into a trap prepared for him—one that looks full of opportunity—only to be crushed to pieces, is much more interesting than strangling him at the very beginning?"

Zhang Chi and Wang Jun suddenly understood, their faces showing expressions of excitement mixed with a bit of fear.

"Brilliant, truly brilliant! Brother Yi, I understand!" Zhang Chi nodded repeatedly. "I'll tell my childhood friend right away to 'take good care' of CEO Yu!"

"Remember," Yang Junyi picked up his wine glass and leaned back on the sofa, resuming his persona of an elegant young gentleman, though his eyes remained ice-cold. "It's 'care.' We are to be 'friends,' enthusiastic supporters of young entrepreneurs. Understand?"

"Understood! Understood!" the two quickly replied.

Yang Junyi stopped speaking, his gaze piercing through the glass as if he could see the two figures embracing on the terrace. The smile on his lips deepened, growing even colder.