The morning meeting, which started at 8:00, was an ordinary session. As usual, the routine matters were discussed and wrapped up by around 8:55. The people present began to pack up their materials, while the senior executives attending the online meeting were preparing to turn off their video feeds. However, they still hadn’t heard Ye Shanshan say “the meeting is adjourned.”
Everyone exchanged glances, unsure whether they should remind the “newcomer.”
Ye Shanshan was playing with the pen in his hand, making it spin between his fingers. With a sharp “snap,” it landed firmly on the wooden table. The previously restless atmosphere in the meeting room instantly fell silent.
Leaning back in his chair, Ye Shanshan spoke in a tone resembling Gong Yue’s, “Everyone, there’s no need to rush.”
His voice and expression were cold, as if a sudden snowstorm had broken through the window, flooding the room and dropping the pressure dramatically.
“I know that all of you here are full of ambition. Of course, Gong Yue appreciates ambitious people. But I think you all understand better than I do that sometimes, the line between ambition and foolishness is easily blurred.”
He swept his gaze over the faces of those present, feeling the timing was right. With a slight movement of his fingers, he pressed a button. Soon, two voices echoed in the quiet meeting room.
“…This is an opportunity. With Gong Yue seriously ill and the upper management unstable, the shareholders will definitely want to sell their stocks, unable to hold onto them. We just need to do a small thing to push things forward, and there might be unexpected results…” The voice was filled with excitement, sounding like the speaker had just taken a sip of wine. He continued, “Can you guarantee that you can handle such a huge transaction?”
Though the recorded voice was slightly distorted, everyone could immediately tell it was Carter. All eyes turned to him.
Carter’s face was as pale as death, and he suddenly stood up. The chair behind him toppled over with a loud crash. He slammed his fists onto the table, glaring fiercely at Ye Shanshan, his lips moved but no words came out.
Ye Shanshan glanced at him, “Since Mr. Carter doesn’t need a chair, then please remove it.”
A white bodyguard standing in the corner immediately followed his instructions and moved the chair away.
Ignoring the negative emotions in the room, Ye Shanshan spoke calmly, “Please stand steady.”
The voice on the recording continued. After Carter’s words, an older voice followed, “We know your position in Gong Corporation. When Gong Yue fell ill, the CEO position should have been temporarily taken by you, but unfortunately…”
The speaker sighed, “I originally thought Gong Yue was a wise decision-maker, but I didn’t expect that to maintain control, he would put someone without experience in charge. I’m very disappointed.”
Carter, with a fiery tone, eagerly agreed, seeking further assurance, which the other person provided without disappointment:
“Although it’s impossible to take everything, creating a crisis is enough. We just need an opportunity to slowly take a share. If you can facilitate this deal, the stock prices will surge quickly in the market. I think this huge buying and selling operation is our opportunity.”
The conversation continued with details of their scheme, many of which revealed commercial secrets only known to the people present, causing several to furrow their brows.
Ye Shanshan tapped the table with his fingers, the rhythm strong, in sync with the heartbeat. Qin Xuan, sitting nearby, noticed this and looked at Carter, who was sweating profusely. Several other people in the room also looked uneasy.
The recording played for a full seven minutes, and the whole room felt like it had turned into a cold front.
Ye Shanshan’s fingers stopped tapping, his gaze colder than ice.
“I know that some of you here have opinions about me, and I don’t care about any of them. Because this position I hold belongs to Gong Yue. It was his before, it is his now, and it will be his in the future. So, whatever schemes you have in mind, you can give up on them now.”
With these words, he looked at Carter, who was barely able to stand, and said, “There should be no problem now. Please patiently wait for the lawyer’s team to greet you.”
Ye Shanshan then stood up. “Meeting adjourned.”
By the time the meeting ended, it was already 9:15. Ye Shanshan didn’t return to his office but went straight to the underground garage with Chris and the bodyguards to meet Catherine as planned.
The car stopped in front of a building in the Upper East Side, a structure in the style of Baroque architecture. The ornate wrought-iron gates were opened, and the car drove in, finally stopping in front of the stairs.
Chris opened the back door, and as Ye Shanshan stepped out, he saw a middle-aged man dressed in a tailcoat, wearing white gloves, standing at the bottom of the stairs. The man respectfully bowed and greeted, “Welcome, Young Master Ye.”
“Hello.” Ye Shanshan nodded and followed the butler inside.
The interior was decorated in extreme luxury, with dark gold wallpaper, ancient patterns, relief paintings on the walls, and priceless oil paintings hanging around. The rich scarlet carpet beneath his feet made the space feel like stepping into a medieval palace.
Following the butler to the parlor, Ye Shanshan saw a woman with light golden hair sitting facing the door, a coffee set and delicate snacks placed before her.
Ye Shanshan walked up and greeted, “Good morning, Madam.” His etiquette was impeccable.
Catherine, though over forty, appeared much younger than her actual age. She made a “please” gesture and said, “I was surprised when I heard you wanted to meet me.”
In this situation, Ye Shanshan put into practice everything his etiquette teacher had taught him, “Sorry to intrude, Madam.”
He sat upright, striking a perfect pose, and took a sip of coffee. Ye Shanshan couldn’t help but feel a slight regret—unfortunately, Gong Yue had missed another chance to praise him.
Catherine picked up a small silver spoon and gently stirred. The two of them sat in silence, neither speaking.
As for patience, Ye Shanshan had never been afraid of anyone. He maintained his expression while letting his mind wander, trying to think of something pleasant.
He briefly thought about how many lollipops he would need to calm his nerves once Gong Yue woke up. Then his eyes drifted to the floral patterns on the tablecloth. He suddenly thought the gold color was quite nice and could consider changing the fur of Jingjing to gold.
He imagined the scene for a moment. It was dazzling and luxurious. He could name it “Golden Lion King.” When Gong Yue woke up and saw it, he would surely be pleasantly surprised.
Time passed, and Catherine placed the warm silver spoon on the bone china plate with a crisp sound. She finally spoke first, “Are you here to discuss Gong Yue?”
“Yes, Madam.”
“As far as I know, you’ve done very well, beyond most people’s expectations. At least the board members have praised you,” she said, her deep-set eyes and high nose giving her a sharp, decisive appearance. “So, what do you want me to help you with? Deal with that foolish Carter? Or the forces involved in trading with Carter?”
“Not that matter,” Ye Shanshan shook his head. “I can handle things at Gong Corporation for now.”
After denying this assumption, Ye Shanshan carefully observed Catherine’s subtle expressions and movements, noticing she seemed to be genuinely puzzled, with about eighty percent certainty.
“Then what is it?” Catherine, adding sugar cubes to her coffee, asked. “I used to have a good relationship with You Li. She was a good person, so I’m still patient.”
Although he knew it was risky, Ye Shanshan organized his thoughts and decided to take the first step. “I’d like to ask, on February 13th, when Gong Yue and I were at a remote airport in France, we saw your private jet. Was it you and Gong Ji on board at that time?”
“Yes,” Catherine remembered the incident. Gong Yue had sent someone to inform her, and after hesitating for a long time, she answered, thinking of her son, Gong Ji.
“Although I don’t know why you’re asking about this, it’s not something I can’t tell. You should know, my son Gong Ji has a serious illness that is difficult to treat. About a year ago, I found a doctor through some channels. He tried treating Gong Ji. While the effects weren’t very obvious, he was the only one among the people I’ve visited over the years who had any hope of treating him. This doctor is now retired and lives in a small town in southern France. But he loves to travel, so every now and then, I have to take Gong Ji with me to wherever he’s visiting.”
Ye Shanshan unconsciously ran his fingers over the surface of the chair beside him. He inquired calmly, “What’s the name of that town where the doctor lives?”
“It’s Imo Town. The scenery is beautiful there, and it’s a small place with very few people, making it ideal for recuperation.”
Flipping through the map in his mind, Ye Shanshan realized that Imo Town was only a half-hour drive from where Bernard lived.
“May I ask, what’s the doctor’s full name?”
“Vassille Dumont.” Catherine, who had picked up on something, slightly furrowed her brow. “Wait a second, what are you looking for? Or does it have something to do with Gong Yue’s condition?”
She looked at Ye Shanshan. “So, you’re not here to seek help with Gong Corporation, but because of Gong Yue’s condition?”
Not expecting an answer, Catherine continued, “You appeared at that remote airport, and it wasn’t by chance—you were looking for someone, weren’t you?” She paused for a long moment and softened her voice. “So, Gong Yue’s condition isn’t looking good, is it?”
Ye Shanshan didn’t answer. Instead, he allowed Catherine to speculate, then changed the subject. “I have a request.”
“Go ahead.”
“I want to meet Gong Ji.”
As Ye Shanshan had expected, although Catherine didn’t express obvious anger or directly refuse, her eyes immediately changed, and her voice carried a note of warning. “The only reason I’m sitting here talking to you is because I owe You Li a favor. Don’t take advantage of that.”
She resembled a lioness, quietly bristling with a protective stance, guarding her territory.
Ye Shanshan remained unaffected. He met her gaze directly. “For so many years, your investments in pharmaceutical factories and laboratories have yielded no results.”
“Have you been investigating me?”
“Yes,” Ye Shanshan didn’t hide it, his tone firm. “Our goals are likely the same.” Their eyes met. “Now that there’s an opportunity, will you seize it?”
Silence settled between them.
Ye Shanshan looked away and slowly stirred his coffee with the spoon. His fingers, holding the silver spoon, were perfect, almost like a work of art, as he patiently waited for her response.
After four minutes, Catherine finally reached up to smooth her light golden hair. “I’ll agree to your request. I can take you to see him.”
***
When Catherine personally led Ye Shanshan to the third floor, she lowered her voice. “When you meet Gong Ji, control your expression and tone. I’m sure you understand what I mean.”
Ye Shanshan nodded in agreement. “Understood.”
Standing in front of the door, Catherine pressed down on the bronze-colored door handle and opened the wooden door.
Inside was very spacious with good natural light. The room was filled with all sorts of items, and Ye Shanshan even noticed sculptures from five hundred years ago, as well as precious oil paintings that were said to have not been seen for over a century.
It could be called a bedroom, but it resembled more of a collection room. Avoiding the items scattered on the floor, Ye Shanshan followed Catherine into the inner room. The first thing that caught his eye was a four-poster bed, simple in color, soft, and comfortable. A person who appeared to be a young man was lying on the bed, struggling slightly to turn his head. “Mom,” his voice was not very clear.
Catherine quickly walked over. The expression on her face changed instantly, and she gently grasped Gong Ji’s raised hand, smiling as she spoke. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m fine,” Gong Ji replied, holding his mother’s hand back, and smiled slightly before turning to look at Ye Shanshan. “I know you. You’ve always been by my older brother’s side. Is there something you need from me?”
At this moment, although Catherine was standing by the bed, she did not assert control over the conversation. It was clear she left all the decision-making to Gong Ji.
Before Ye Shanshan could speak, Gong Ji said, “I guess you’re here because of my older brother’s previous coma, right?” He waved for Ye Shanshan to come closer. “Come a little closer.”
As Ye Shanshan stepped closer, Gong Ji smiled slightly. “I have memories from a young age. My older brother always took care of me. Every time I was punished by the tutors, I would go to my older brother for help, and those tutors were afraid of him. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen him, though.”
His eyes carried a hint of nostalgia. After he finished speaking, he tightly grasped the corner of his blanket. “It might make you uncomfortable, but please don’t let me know.”
Ye Shanshan nodded, and saw Gong Ji directly lift his blanket.
Under the blanket, Gong Ji’s legs were unnaturally pale, stiff, with no visible ankle joints, and the knees were gone as well. The lack of skin color and the pores that should have been present made them look more like unfinished, unknown materials rather than human flesh.
“My illness is a hereditary progressive muscular ossification. From when I was young, my toes started to stiffen and couldn’t bend, then the muscles in my feet became rigid. Eventually, the condition spread upward and now it’s reached my pelvis. My mother and father have tried many treatments, but none have worked because the cause of the disease is difficult to pinpoint.”
Ye Shanshan was silent and gently covered Gong Ji back up with the blanket. Gong Ji then said, “May I hold your hand? I haven’t touched anyone for a long time.” He spread his hands. “After all, my appearance might be a bit frightening.”
Upon hearing the latter part, Catherine’s eyes immediately turned red, and she turned away.
When their gazes met, Ye Shanshan strangely understood Gong Ji’s thoughts and intentions. Without hesitation, he extended his hand toward Gong Ji.
Gong Ji smiled and carefully took Ye Shanshan’s hand, holding it for a while before letting go. He then spoke to Catherine, who had regained her composure. “Mom, please see him out. I’m a bit tired.” He added, “It was really nice to meet you today.”
Following Catherine back to the reception room, the cold coffee had been replaced. Catherine resumed her dignified composure as a lady of high society. “I hope you can keep this secret.”
For all these years, Catherine had kept Gong Ji tightly protected—although Gong Ji always comforted her, smiled at her, and never spoke of giving up, as a mother, Catherine could not be unaware of how terrified and insecure Gong Ji felt deep down.
“I will, thank you. If there’s any news, I will make sure to tell you.” Ye Shanshan stood to take his leave, but before turning around, he suddenly asked, “May I ask, does Gong Ji have any hobbies?”
“Hobbies?” Catherine was taken aback by the question, but she still answered. “He likes listening to classical music.”
—
Author’s note: Today, Gong Ge is still asleep. Little fairy boy, Ye Shanshan, has decided to temporarily fall into the demon world to protect his own Great Demon King, allowing him to peacefully pass through the tribulation.
1You can support me if you like my translations by leaving a comment below, or by sending me a Ko-fi. Thank you and Enjoy reading! ❤️ -TL: Ysiad
