4 04

Half an hour ago.

The news of Songbai Xia calling off the race reached the VIP box.

Zhao Shen felt relieved: "Fortunately, Xia noticed it in time."

This matter could be trivial or serious. Even if the Lian family’s racehorse had an accident, at worst, it would just be compensated. But today was a meeting between the Lian and Shen families—could someone have deliberately sabotaged it?

Runwen Lian pondered deeply and agreed with Zhao Shen, "Songbai has always been sharp and perceptive."

Rong Lan, sitting nearby, suddenly chuckled.

Though in her forties, Rong Lan appeared no older than thirty, dressed in a finely tailored, costly skirt suit, with a necklace of emeralds adorning her neck. Outwardly, she and Runwen Lian treated each other politely, but their relationship had long since broken down. Only at public events did they appear together to maintain appearances.

Years of life as a socialite had made her elegant and beautiful, radiating a serene superiority. Yet at this moment, her words were bitter: "If she weren’t sharp, she wouldn’t have just happened to know Asheng."

Runwen Lian knew she disliked Songbai Xia but kept family matters private, pretending not to catch the implication: "Why say that?"

Rong Lan replied, "Why not? At gatherings like this, she just loves to show off."

Zhao Shen was about to interject when Tingzong Shen signaled the waiter: "Can I still place bets now?"

The waiter, serving in this exclusive box, was clever and quick: "The race hasn’t officially started yet, so of course you can. Sir, which number do you want to bet on?"

The assistant handed the checkbook to Tingzong Shen. He lowered his eyes slightly, wrote the amount, and signed his name with bold, spirited strokes.

Everyone looked at him, but he acted as if no one else were there, handing the check to the waiter with a calm tone: "Five million, on number seven—Songbai Xia to win."

Silence fell over the box; even Rong Lan, who often clashed with Runwen Lian, momentarily lost her words.

After a long pause, Rong Lan stiffly said, "I didn’t expect him to favor Mr. Shen so much."

Tingzong Shen just smiled: "Asheng owes the boy a favor; as his uncle, I’m just helping to repay it."

Rong Lan arrived later than the others and was unaware of how Songbai Xia had helped Zhao Shen. Seeing Tingzong Shen speak up for Songbai with such ease, she naturally changed her tone: "Songbai is indeed warm-hearted and always willing to help. I didn’t expect this time to be of help to Asheng. Mr. Shen, my child can’t just have you provide the funds; I’m not as generous as you, but I’ll put in a million as support for Songbai, to bring some good luck."

Runwen Lian quickly added, "In that case, I’ll put in another million."

Rong Lan, who usually disliked Songbai Xia, now had to contribute a million for his sake. It wasn’t that she couldn’t afford it; it felt like biting into a rotten peach—bitter and hard to spit out, so she endured it.

Hearing Runwen Lian’s casual offer to spend another million, Rong Lan took a deep breath and barely maintained her smile.

Money was a minor issue; it was the bitter feeling she couldn’t swallow.

Runwen Lian, not caring about his wife’s mood, seized the chance to chat more with Tingzong Shen.

But Tingzong Shen said, "The race is about to start."

Clearly, he didn’t want to talk further, and Runwen Lian understood.

Only after Songbai Xia won did Runwen Lian breathe a sigh of relief, evidently worried about him: "Songbai is truly a silent thunder, a stunning success. Thanks to Mr. Shen, our million has earned a fine return."

He suggested, "For the awards ceremony later, why not have Mr. Shen present the prize himself?"

Tingzong Shen reclined relaxedly in the main seat, the light falling behind him, casting a shadow over his high, stern brow and deep eye sockets, making it hard to discern his expression.

He replied with an unreadable tone, "Mr. Lian, you jest. The race is hosted by the Lian family; how could I steal the spotlight?"

Tingzong Shen was always busy and elusive; Runwen Lian had worked hard to arrange this meeting. He had hoped Tingzong Shen was interested in Songbai Xia, but hearing this, he felt no embarrassment—only a little regret.

Not to mention a daughter-in-law, even if it were his own son, if he could truly connect with Tingzong Shen, it wouldn’t be a loss.

Runwen Lian then asked, "Should I have the winnings cashed and turned into a check for you?"

Tingzong Shen glanced at the screen showing Songbai Xia.

The rain was growing heavier. Mounted on his horse, drenched from head to toe, he should have looked miserable, yet surrounded by flowers and cheers, his face washed clear by the rain, lips red and skin glowing like light itself.

Tingzong Shen’s gaze lingered briefly on Songbai Xia’s face, then said, "No need. Consider it a lucky charm. Please pass it to Mr. Xia for me."

—

The prize money inexplicably rose from one million to ten million, increasing tenfold. For the first time, Songbai Xia understood what it meant for fortune to fall from the sky.

—

But this fortune came with uneasy feelings.

In the original story, Sheng Lian was the protagonist and dominant figure—unstoppable and supreme. After his family opposed his relationship with Ning Qing, he left the Lian family, started his own business, and in just a few years built a commercial empire, becoming a total winner, a classic “overpowered hero.”

But the author suddenly went mad, introducing a major villain in the last chapters, without explaining his background or motives, only lightly describing how he crushed Sheng Lian’s empire. If not for the last two chapters where the villain was forcibly killed off in a plane crash, Sheng Lian would have gone bankrupt.

That villain was Tingzong Shen.

Anyone who could cause Sheng Lian trouble was someone Songbai Xia highly regarded. One big reason he chose to court Zhao Shen was because of this uncle, Tingzong Shen.

So as soon as Songbai Xia transmigrated here, he immediately researched who Tingzong Shen truly was.

On the surface, the Shen family was an old Hong Kong aristocratic lineage, tracing back to the Ming and Qing dynasties. Tingzong Shen was the second son; his elder brother, Tingjun Shen, died in a plane crash over a decade ago with his wife, leaving behind a son—Zhao Shen.

After inheriting the family, Tingzong Shen ruthlessly eliminated those who opposed or sabotaged him, then solidly took control of Hong Kong’s business world. It was said he could command fortunes with a flick of his hand.

Yet mysteriously, a few years ago, Tingzong Shen withdrew from the public eye, his once dominant style vanished almost entirely.

Though he left the scene, his legend lived on.

When Songbai Xia asked his finance teacher about Tingzong Shen, the teacher warned him to behave and never try to get close to Tingzong Shen.

Even with some courage, Songbai Xia dared not provoke the ultimate villain boss.

As a minor character, his priority was simply to survive quietly until the end.

If he could choose, Songbai Xia hoped to stay far from all main characters in the story. Even with Zhao Shen, after the original plot unfolded, Songbai Xia would likely part peacefully and leave forever.

Songbai Xia’s mind was clear. Though he understood Runwen Lian’s hint that he should cozy up to Tingzong Shen, he feigned ignorance and slipped away right after the awards ceremony.

—

After returning home and showering, Songbai Xia saw a message from Zhao Shen on WeChat.

[Z7]: “Are you home already? I wanted to congratulate you in person.”

His business hours were over.

He had planned to scroll through short videos for two hours before sleeping, but thinking of that ten-million check, Songbai Xia dutifully replied.

[Xia Certain]: “I got soaked in the rain during the race, so I came home early.”

He added an apologetic emoticon.

As soon as he sent it, Zhao Shen replied instantly.

[Z7]: “Did you catch a cold?”

[Xia Certain]: “I’ve already taken a hot shower.”

He swiped and sent a cute cat kneading gif.

His tone wasn’t particularly warm, but he used emojis and emoticons skillfully—very endearing.

Zhao Shen smiled at his phone but remembered Runwen Lian mentioning Songbai Xia’s engagement. His smile faded as he refreshed the chat a couple of times, but no new message came. He tossed the phone aside, only to pick it up again a few seconds later, screen facing up, hoping to catch any new alerts immediately.

Unfortunately, Songbai Xia had tossed his phone aside and was now happily engrossed in his tablet.

An hour later, as Songbai Xia put down the tablet to sleep, he saw a new message from Zhao Shen sent forty minutes earlier.

[z7]: “Are you engaged to Sheng Lian?”

Songbai Xia curled his lips, glanced at the screen casually, then looked away.

There was a knock at the door; Shu Qin Wei asked, “Are you asleep?”

Songbai Xia said nothing as the door opened.

Shu Qin Wei held a key, unlocked the door, and frowned: “I told you not to lock the door at home—why lock it again?”

With such a controlling mother, no wonder the original owner was brainwashed.

Songbai Xia stood, folding his hands obediently: “I was just showering.”

The room still carried the strawberry scent of shower gel. Songbai Xia’s pale cheeks flushed slightly, resembling a ripe, juicy strawberry—beautiful and tempting.

Shu Qin Wei nodded approvingly: “Mr. Lian just called to praise you for winning the race.”

Songbai Xia remained silent. As expected, Shu Qin Wei didn’t need a response and continued, “Mr. Lian asked why you came back so early. He wanted to introduce you to some elders. Didn’t I teach you? At times like this, you’re supposed to stay close to the elders and socialize, not sneak away alone to be lazy.”

Her satisfaction with Songbai Xia’s looks matched her frustration at his lack of understanding.

After her reproach, Songbai Xia slowly said, “I felt unwell after getting rained on, so I came back early.”

Without hesitation, Shu Qin Wei said, “If you catch a cold, just take two pills. Meeting the Lian family elders is the real priority.”

Songbai Xia said nothing, pursed his lips, and stared at his toes.

He had just said the same excuse to Zhao Shen, who cared if he caught a cold, but Shu Qin Wei only cared whether he had offended Runwen Lian.

Realizing she might have been too harsh, she softened her tone: “It’s not that your health isn’t important. It’s just...”

“Just that things have different priorities,” Songbai Xia cut in, gently coughing. “I won’t be willful next time.”

His attitude was just like the original owner’s. Shu Qin Wei believed him and reminded him to apologize to Runwen Lian, then left.

The door closed again. Songbai Xia locked it securely, stared at the lock for a moment, but reluctantly looked away.

Even if he locked the door tight to keep Shu Qin Wei out, it was only a temporary fix.

As long as he remained in this house, he would be controlled—a puppet for the Xia family and Shu Qin Wei.

Turning back to his phone, Songbai Xia thought for a moment and decided to message Zhao Shen first.

—

That night, Zhao Shen was distracted during a game with friends, making basic mistakes. His friends scolded, “Are you still half asleep?”

Zhao Shen apologized kindly, and his friends relegated him to support role only.

He played silently for a while when his phone vibrated.

He instinctively checked and saw Songbai Xia had finally replied, sending a voice message.

[Xia Certain]: “I just fell asleep and dreamed someone messaged me. Didn’t expect it to be you.”

Songbai Xia’s soft, half-asleep voice lingered at the end like a little hook—gentle yet teasing.

Zhao Shen’s heart skipped; he listened three times but wasn’t sure how to reply when another message came.

[Xia Certain]: “Are you free tomorrow?”

Without hesitation, Zhao Shen replied, “Yes. Want to grab a coffee?”

[Xia Certain]: “I don’t like coffee, it’s bitter.”

[Xia Certain]: “I want to eat cake, is that okay?”

He sent a gif of a cat bowing with the words “Please” above it.

…Too cute.

Especially imagining Songbai Xia’s face, the gif’s charm doubled.

[Z7]: “Okay!”

[Z7]: “I know a few good places. I’ll take you there tomorrow.”

Zhao Shen didn’t even recall Songbai Xia’s engagement as he planned which cake shop to visit and worried his reply might seem stiff, so he sent a gif back.

[Z7]: “Puppy wagging tail.gif”

Watching the happy dog wag its tail on the screen, Songbai Xia raised an eyebrow.

The plan was going too smoothly.

This golden son-in-law was falling for the bait much faster than he expected.

Songbai Xia’s first time as a bad guy seducing someone wasn’t so effortless; he felt some guilt over Zhao Shen’s innocent reaction.

But people were driven to this.

When the original plot ended, he would definitely find Zhao Shen, humble himself, and apologize.

At that point, he could endure any punishment—after all, it couldn’t be worse than being a doormat!