CH 22

Zhang Yazhi came back and felt both happy and distressed when she heard that Chen Qizhao had won a jade necklace for her. “It costs money to win this thing. Don’t get such an expensive thing next time. Keep your own money for the next time you do business.”

Chen Qizhao thought in his heart that this thing might cost a lot but the value was high.

The Exquisite Full Green might look ordinary but it was actually a valuable item inherited by a big family in B City. It was lost during the turbulent years and ended up in Mr Xu Ziyun’s hands. Chen Qizhao didn’t know about this at first, but when he wanted to attack Lin Shizong in his last life, someone he knew at the time reminded him of one thing. It was related to this Exquisite Full Green.

Lin Shizong got this piece of jade jewelry at an auction in his early years and collected it for a long time. Later, he invited a person from B City to view his collection at home and that person accidentally saw the jade jewelry. He mentioned that his grandmother lost a similar necklace in her early years. The necklace was a very important token of love between his grandmother and grandfather. Lin Shizong gave this necklace to the person after learning about this. This allowed him to get on the boat of a bigshot and his business smoothly expanded in B City.

It took Chen Qizhao many years to bring down Lin Shizong. One reason was that he wasted a lot of time and energy due to the relationship with the bigshot. It had to be said that this was a reason why Lin Shizong was so difficult to deal with later. If he hadn’t come to participate in this auction, he wouldn’t have known that the beautiful relationship between Lin Shizong and the bigshot that had circulated in the business field was actually deliberately planned.

Zhang Yazhi talked for a while before asking Chen Qizhao to meet other uncles and aunts. Chen Qizhao was a bit tired so he rejected her. He went to rest and drink with Yan Kailin while waiting for the party to end to go home and sleep.

Chen Qizhao glanced around the area. The two people who just competed with him were no longer in their original positions. It wasn’t difficult to guess that with Lin Shizong’s sanctimonious nature, he wouldn’t be able to compete with a junior for a piece of jade jewelry. If he had planned it long ago then it was even less likely that he would obviously bid for this piece. It would make it too easy to reveal his purpose for this piece of jewelry and someone else might’ve bid for it and won it.

“Brother, will you continue looking?” Yan Kailin had just watched it and wanted to go to his brother Yan Kaiqi to get a card to bid, only to be blown back. “I will see if there are any necklaces later.”

Cheng Rong, Liu Kai and the others also came.

It was just after the incident so many people’s eyes fell on Chen Qizhao. They seemed to be curious. Then after observing, they found that a group of rich second generations came to his side so they didn’t approach.

They chatted and drank alcohol. The few glasses of champagne on the table quickly became empty.

Cheng Rong got up and planned to go to the wine table to get wine. Then he happened to see a waiter near their table and beckoned.

There were only a few people sitting on the sofa. Most of them were still at the front for the charity auction. The waiter with the tray was walking around and saw Cheng Rong beckoning. He immediately came over, put the prepared champagne tray on the table and removed the empty glasses.

“There are so many people tonight and I saw several acquaintances.” Liu Kai took the alcohol and said in a relaxed tone, “However, those people have nothing to do with us. We can’t play together. Oh yes, Qizhao, I also saw your cousin.”

“What does my cousin have to do with me?” Chen Qizhao had no feelings for the other relatives of the Chen family. During the time when the Chen family was brilliant, they gathered around one by one. Then when the Chen family fell, they hid far away. They usually relied on the Chen family for conveniences but once there was a real accident, none of them were helpful.

Apart from the New Year’s visit, they usually only came to the door to ask for something.

To put it in an exaggerated manner, Chen Qizhao didn’t even remember his cousin’s name now.

The waiter removed the empty glass in front of Chen Qizhao and placed a glass of champagne in front of him.

Liu Kai suddenly said, “Oh yes, Lin Zai, I just saw that person!”

Yan Kailin wondered, “Who? Don’t play dumb puzzles.”

Chen Qizhao’s gaze stayed on the champagne glass in front of him before sweeping over the waiter. The other person pulled back his hand.

He frowned slightly, picked up the champagne and shook it. Then he heard Liu Kai’s voice next to him.

Liu Kai took a sip of the champagne and cleared his throat. “Who else is it? It is Brother Shen you stayed with before! I just saw him in the garden and he was chatting with Shen Xuelan.”

Chen Qizhao saw Liu Kai drinking and took his eyes off the waiter.

He was the one who was thinking too much. This wasn’t his previous life and he didn’t have to be cautious everywhere.

He turned his attention to Liu Kai and asked, “Shen? Are you talking about Shen Yuhuai?”

Shen Yuhuai rarely participated in such activities. For Liu Kai, who often wandered around on various occasions, he had met 70-80% of most people in the circle. The Shen family was the object of attention of many people in S City, but the Shen family was low-key. The one talked about the most was Shen Xuelan, the outstanding strong woman of the Shen family. There were very few discussions about Shen Yuhuai.

Shen Yuhuai wasn’t a person who liked lively occasions and he was immersed in academic research. There weren’t many discussions about things related to him. The fact that he came to participate in a party on this occasion should be the requirements of his family, not his own initiative.

Liu Kai replied, “Right right, doesn’t he rarely participate in S City’s activities? I was surprised when I saw him! I don’t know where he is now but I’m sure I didn’t recognize the wrong person!”

“Really?” Yan Kailin looked at him, stood up and started searching for someone. “F*k? My brother didn’t tell me about this. He actually didn’t go to the laboratory this week?”

There were many people who came to the party and it was difficult to find someone in the crowd. Chen Qizhao’s eyes swept in the direction of the garden entrance but he didn’t see Shen Yuhuai. he was about to withdraw his gaze when he saw a separate figure standing by another window. He froze slightly, only to see the man turn his head. The eyes of the two people suddenly met.

Shen Yuhuai seemed to notice him and nodded at him.

Chen Qizhao paused slightly. He lowered his head and took a sip of champagne. After a while, he raised his head again.

Shen Yuhuai’s gaze was already directed out the window.

Yan Kailin didn’t find anyone. The moment he looked down, he saw Chen Qizhao standing up.

Chen Qizhao told them, “You guys play.”

The others: “?”

None of them knew the reason. They watched Chen Qizhao get up and cross past them to the wine table. He put down the champagne in his hand while passing the waiter and took a glass of orange juice from the other person’s tray. Then he walked straight in a certain direction.

In Chen Qizhao’s memory, Shen Yuhuai didn’t come to such occasions very often.

The Shen family’s business in S City wasn’t small and it was very important. Even so, Shen Yuhuai rarely came out. In addition, his later career at the institute was secretive so it took a lot of effort to even see him.

It might be due to this that in Chen Qizhao’s early years, when he was arrogant and playful, he never remembered Shen Yuhuai, who rarely appeared. They didn’t know each other.

Later, he met Shen Yuhuai and they became friends. This made him regret that they didn’t know each other earlier.

Chen Qizhao withdrew from his thoughts and walked in Shen Yuhuai’s direction.

As a friend, it didn’t seem too abrupt to go directly to see Shen Yuhuai.

On the contrary, not greeting each other on such an occasion would make their relationship seem even more estranged.

The distance wasn’t that far. Chen Qizhao arrived and saw a familiar elder.

He restrained his bad temper, tried to make himself as polite as possible and greeted the other person.

Father Shen had just come over to talk to his son. He hadn’t managed to say anything when he saw the youngest son of the Chen family come over and greet him.

He looked at the other person with surprise and smiled. “Is it Qizhao?”

Chen Qizhao told him, “Hello, Uncle.’

The Chen family had a good relationship with the Shen family. This relationship was made due to the contact between Chen Jianhong and the Shen family in the early years, but there weren’t many exchanges between the two families. Perhaps it was because the business focus of the two families was different. The number of encounters in the business field wasn’t much. So until the Chen family went bankrupt, Chen Qizhao didn’t have a deep impression of the Shen family.

Apart from the Lin family, the one who helped the Chen family the most in his past life was the Shen family.

Chen Qizhao still remembered Uncle Shen wearing a black suit at his father’s funeral. As others were watching him with a lively attitude, it was only Uncle Shen who walked up to him and said something.

He said, ‘The Chen family can only rely on you now. You can’t retreat or fall.’

At that time, Chen Qizhao didn’t understand the meaning of this sentence. He only thought that the other person was just being polite and sympathetic at the funeral. He didn’t have a deep memory of the Shen family. Even if Uncle Shen showed kindness, he was more inclined to the Shen family. The Shen family extended a helping hand but he was bewitched by Lin Shizong and rejected an elder who was willing to provide real help.

Despite this, the Shen family provided help when he needed it the most.

Father Shen cared about the younger generation. After talking with Chen Qizhao for a few moments, he glanced at Shen Yuhuai and asked, “Are you here to find Xiao Huai?”

Chen Qizhao replied, “I saw Brother Huai over here and came over to say hello.”

“Then I won’t disturb you young people chatting.” Father Shen patted Chen Qizhao on the shoulder. He looked at Chen Jianhong in the distance and smiled. “I haven’t seen your father in a long time. I will go over and talk to him.”

Father Shen left and only Shen Yuhuai and Chen Qizhao remained.

Shen Yuhuai glanced at the orange juice in Chen Qizhao’s cup and politely praised him. “I just noticed you. This outfit suits you very well.”

Chen Qizhao paused slightly. “Brother Huai as well. This is the first time I’ve seen you wearing a suit.”

Shen Yuhuai’s body was tall and straight. He looked completely different when he wore a black suit and glasses.

“I haven’t congratulated you yet.” Shen Yuhuai clinked his wine glass with Chen Qizhao’s cup. “Congratulations, you got your wish.”

Chen Qizhao paused for a moment before realizing why Shen Yuhuai was congratulating him.

He expressed his thanks while his mind started thinking about whether he showed an abrupt performance. Fortunately, he had some restraint when he followed Zhang Yazhi to meet people today. At most, he only performed in front of Lin Shizong.

There were so many people at the scene and Shen Yuhuai shouldn’t have been able to notice him. It shouldn’t be too bad.

At most, he was a bit arrogant during the auction…? Still, it was fine.

“Do you like jade?” Shen Yuhuai asked casually.

Chen Qizhao explained, “No, I took it for my mother.”

The two of them stood by the window, away from the lively crowd. Chen Qizhao sipped the orange juice while thinking about the next topic somewhat absent-mindedly. He was just about to open his mouth when he saw Shen Yuhuai reaching out to him. Shen Yuhuai slightly grabbed his shoulders and pulled him two steps forward.

A passing lady accidentally stumbled and poured champagne at Chen Qizhao’s feet.

If it wasn’t for Shen Yuhuai’s hand just now, the champagne would’ve splashed on Chen Qizhao.

“I’m very sorry,” the lady said.,

Chen Qizhao said it was fine and the other person quickly left. She seemed to be going to the bathroom to tidy up her appearance.

Thanks to this interruption, Chen Qizhao was a bit closer to Shen Yuhuai and could smell Shen Yuhuai’s body.

It was still the familiar mint smell.

He often went in and out of the laboratory and removed various chemical agents so Shen Yuhuai’s body mostly had the smell of disinfectant. The second was the smell of mint. Perhaps it should be called a mint deodorant. This was used to cover up the abrupt smell of medicine on his body.

He felt calm.

In his previous life, it could be said that he had no friends at first.

The rich second generation friends he played well with on weekends avoided him like snakes. His classmates in school became estranged after half a month. The relationships built up with money were that fragile. During the most difficult time of the Chen family, there was almost no one around him and he had no one to complain to. Even Yan Kailin, whom he had a good relationship with, was driven abroad and had contact cut off due to trouble. During his darkest period, he was bombarded by the shareholders of the group every day, suppressed quarrels from the family, scolding from all directions and the never ending pressure of being called trash.

At that time, he still retained the last light of innocence until he was pushed out the door.

He greeted the lights of the media and ushered in the darkest day of his light. From then on, his life was out of control until he met Shen Yuhuai.

Just as he was about to be engulfed by darkness, Shen Yuhuai held out a hand to him and the tidal wave of emotions found a breakthrough.

Therefore, he liked chatting with Shen Yuhuai very much. Even if it was just one or two meaningless sentences, Shen Yuhuai didn’t care about his nonsense but seriously replied to every nonsensical message.

Chen Qizhao didn’t think he liked the smell of mint before. Even in his early years, he couldn’t feel the freshness brought by mint. He felt that the smell was too pungent and he didn’t like it at all. It wasn’t until after Shen Yuhuai’s death that he subtly noticed the change and replaced his shower gel with a mint smell in a vain attempt to use the scent to numb himself and seek a moment of peace.

Suddenly, all types of scenes appeared in Chen Qizhao’s mind and a strange coldness seemed to climb up from the bottom of his feet.

It was wrong… something was wrong. The scene of the waiter at the wine table who had been avoiding his gaze came to mind.

Shen Yuhuai caught a glimpse of the lady walking away. Once he withdrew his gaze, he happened to see Yan Kailin and the others sneaking around in the distance. He just wanted to remind Chen Qizhao that there were people waiting for him when he noticed Chen Qizhao standing in front of him with a lowered head. The skin on the side of his ear was tinged with a strange red.

Did he drink too much?

Shen Yuhuai frowned slightly and asked, “Are you uncomfortable?”

Chen Qizhao suddenly grabbed his wrist. He blinked and looked down at the patterned floor tiles on the ground that were like kaleidoscopes layered on top of each other. In an instant, he seemed to see wide open fangs. His ears were filled with unobstructed insults and he smelled the smell of rotten and disgusting eggs.

Shen Yuhuai instantly noticed the strangeness and his expression changed directly. He said in a deep voice, “Chen Qizhao, can you hear me?”

The cascading fantasies in front of Chen Qizhao’s eyes stimulated his brain. Some scenes overlapped excessively and realistically with his previous life.

He tried his best to remain calm. He ignored his tinnitus and appealed to Shen Yuhuai, “Please help me find a quiet place. I drank the wrong thing.”