Chapter 234: Chapter 234: Officially Famous (Part 1)

As Don stepped out of the changing area, he was greeted by a line of guards forming a barrier between him and the rowdy crowd of reporters. As soon as he stepped out, the reporters' questions grew louder.

One of the guards nearest him, maintaining a respectful tone, gestured him forward. "This way, Mr. Bright."

Don nodded, stepping into the aisle they'd created as the guards began to lead him away. Cameras flashed rapidly, and the questions grew more urgent.

"Mr. Bright, what do you think of Starboy's reaction to your victory?"

"Do you think Apex could have performed better?"

"Were you expecting to win against a prototype?"

He ignored the barrage of questions, keeping his gaze forward as he followed the guards through the hallway.

Around the corner, a larger crowd had gathered—reporters and fans alike. The guards in front lifted a velvet rope, allowing Don to pass through toward the VIP section. He caught glimpses of the fans pressing in, eager for a picture or autograph, but the guards held firm, keeping the path clear.

After a few turns, a short stairwell, and a quiet elevator ride, Don arrived at the VIP area.

The elevator doors slid open with a quiet

**ding**

, and he was greeted by the sight of Miss Claire, standing with her usual composed expression, and Mr. Xiao, a tall, imposing figure who almost entirely blocked the shorter Dean Sanchez, who stood behind him.

Stepping into the lavish VIP lounge, Don could feel the looks of several eyes on him. The room was filled with many elites, their gazes ranging from curious to appraising. But none dared approach, holding back as if waiting for Mr. Xiao to make the first move.

Don's gaze met Mr. Xiao's just as the man broke into a smile, his sharp eyes gleaming as he extended his hand. "Congratulations, Mr. Don Bright," he said smoothly.

Don stepped forward, extending his hand to shake the man's. As their hands clasped, he gave Miss Claire a brief glance, silently conveying his curiosity. She caught his look, and with a subtle nod, prepared to introduce Mr. Xiao.

"This is Mr. William Xiao," she said, keeping her voice even, "the chairman of the SHU board of directors."

Don took in Mr. Xiao's appearance carefully—tall, well-dressed, and exuding a silent authority that would make most hesitate. 'He's definitely intimidating,' Don admitted to himself. Outwardly, he gave a polite nod and replied, "Nice to meet you, sir."

Mr. Xiao laughed, the sound as charming as it was practiced. "Just William is fine," he said with a small wave of his hand. "I'm not that old." He chuckled again, the corners of his eyes crinkling in a way that didn't quite reach the rest of his face.

Don, catching onto the man's attempt at humor, played along. "Sure thing," he replied, his tone light, though his eyes moved subtly toward Miss Claire again. "By the way, Miss Claire, do you have my phone? And are the negotiations all set?"

Before Miss Claire could answer, Mr. Xiao's voice cut in. "Ah, we were just about to get to that. After all," he added with a smile, "we couldn't very well start without the star of the day, now could we?"

Miss Claire, noticing the direction this was taking, merely handed Don his phone with a calm, "Here you go." She then continued, this time her words directed at Mr. Xiao "My client has already gone over everything he wants with me, Mr. Xiao. I'll handle the negotiations from here."

But Mr. Xiao kept his focus on Don, the smile on his face not wavering as he tried to persuade him. "You know, Mr. Bright, these talks might be more fruitful with you in the room. Sometimes, things just get resolved more quickly that way, and I'd hate to have any misunderstanding."

Don didn't hesitate to respond bluntly. "It doesn't matter," he replied simply, slipping his phone into his pocket. "If it's a must for me to be there, I'm fine with skipping negotiations altogether."

For a brief moment, the smile on Mr. Xiao's face became strained. But he recovered quickly, his expression softening as he gave a slight nod. "I see. Then we'll proceed as you wish."

Don turned his attention back to Miss Claire and she offered him a reassuring nod, and Don felt certain she'd handle things from here.

Whatever Mr. Xiao's interest, Don didn't feel compelled to get involved directly. Today, he had made his impression. Now, he would let the rest play out.

But before Don could leave, Mr. Xiao said to him, "I advise you to wait a little bit before heading down Mr. Bright, at least until the guards clear out the pesky reporters and fans. Don't you agree?"

Don paused mid turn before looking back at Mr. Xiao, who still had a fairly stiff smile on his face. For a moment, Don couldn't help but wonder if Mr. Xiao was just saying this to keep him here or what.

Regardless of the intent, Don wasn't about to linger around. He didn't show how he was feeling and instead just smiled and nodded at Mr. Xiao's words as if he took them to heart.

"Oh? In that case I guess I'll just use the time to make a few calls while I wait downstairs. Thanks again." After saying this, Don walked toward the elevator and pressed the button to open the doors.

Once inside, he turned to close the doors and could see Mr. Xiao still looking at him with the same stiff smile.

"I do hope we'll have you join us at SHU Mr. Bright. It would be a shame for the 20 million credit reward to be lost." He said while shifting his expression as if to show genuine regret at the idea.

With the doors closing, Don didn't even look the least bit fazed by the statement. "Well that's a shame. Then I can only hope we come to an agreement."

Don could be seen giving a little light shrug just as the doors fully closed with a subtle

**ding~**

Mr. Xiao was left smiling stiffly but for a moment his eyes seemed to twitch as he turned away from facing the elevator while saying to Miss Claire, "shall we get on with negotiations?" seaʀᴄh thё novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Miss Claire showed a brief smile while still facing the elevator, but it faded as soon as she turned to follow Mr. Xiao, nodding in agreement at his suggestion. "Of course."

———

After exiting the elevator and making his way back down, Don found that Mr. Xiao was right.

What welcomed him was a scene of the many guards he left pushing and shoving fans and reporters away.

'I guess the creepy rich guy had a point,'

Don thought, remembering how unsettling Mr. Xiao's smile and gaze were.

But despite the subtle strange nature of Mr. Xiao, Don wasn't too surprised by it.

Back in his world, not a single month would pass without a controversial story surrounding some celebrity or prominent figure.

From a kids television legend being a paedophile to a beloved singer running a weird sex ring.

Because of things like that, Don wanted his freedom guaranteed even if it meant losing out on many benefits.

He sighed and shook his head before taking out his phone.

'Well, might as well call Samantha as I wait for this crowd to thin out.'