Chapter 29

Time ticked. Curiosity peaked hall-wide.
Old Master Shang glanced at still doors—calm sip tea.
Old Madam read interest under his calm—spoke for him. “Bai Xu—what did Third House prepare? So mysterious?”
Bai Xu best obedient smile for elders—poured her tea. “Old Madam—don’t rush. One sip of water—they’ll arrive.”
Old Madam steady nature. “Good.”
Fang Yuhua saw their closeness—unhappy lip press. Hid behind husband low. “Third House loves the spotlight again.”
This short—and Old couple plus whole room on him!
Shang Yun heard wife’s sour—whisper ear. “Talk less! Chairman hears again—public lesson not enough?”
“……”
Fang Yuhua shut up.
First House including Qishun audited Bai Xu quiet—
Months overseas—but domestic news reached them.
Luck marriage was Second House’s trap—humiliation obvious.
Third House lost core—internal faction wobbling!
Rumor—month-end shareholder meeting—Old Master reallocates posts and projects.
First and Second fought at banquet for more “meat.”
Thought Third couldn’t control tonight—yet Yanxiao’s luck-marriage partner stepped up? Gift hype maxed!
Curiosity peak dropping—hall doors opened again—
Queyan in wheelchair led. One hand drive—one hand dragging a tray hard.
Xie Qi supporting an old man—slow steps—toward main table.
Bai Xu saw Queyan strain—quick. “I’ll take it.”
Queyan nod. “Okay.”
Bai Xu took tray—looked at Xie Qi and elder. “Xie Qi—help Master Hai slow. Fourth Young Master and I go first.”
“Yes.”
Before Old Master’s patience died—Bai Xu back with tray. “Chairman. Old Madam—Third House’s gift for you.”
Old Master eyes still on slow elder—blur surprise.
Guest urge. “Young Master Bai—stop teasing—what’s on the tray?”
Bai Xu public—lifted cover—
No jewels no luxury—center—a bowl of steaming yellow croaker noodles.
Songming first burst. Laugh. “Bai Xu—all that for one bowl noodles? Too much drama?”
Fang Yuhua chimed. “Chairman Old Madam your age—what haven’t you eaten? You—”
“Shut up!”
Old Master stopped them—rare excitement in brow. “What do you know?”
“……”
Fang Yuhua self-own—face hot.
Queyan wheelchair close—reminder. “Grandpa Grandma—try this seafood noodle? Still taste like back then?”
Xie Qi helped elder up close.
Near—Old Madam recognized first. “Master Hai?”
“Master Hai” looked at Old Master—not cautious like guests—old friend warmth and hope.
“Hong-ge—years apart—you still know me?”
“……”
Old Master stood fast—grabbed Master Hai’s hands. “You—you’re Peng Hai?”
“Me.”
Peng Hai pat back—looked Old Madam. “Nan-jie—decades—health okay?”
Old Madam friend joy. “Ah—doing fine.”
Bai Xu sharp—empty chair. “Master Hai—sit. Chairman—you sit and talk slow?”
Old Master smiled at Bai Xu—satisfaction open. “Mm.”
Keyi guard up—
Chairman mood low all day—even Qishun’s girlfriend and Songming’s gift—little joy.
Bai Xu one bowl one person—Chairman’s pleasure jumped several levels.
What is this?
Keyi synced eyes with son—asked. “Dad Mom—this master is?”
Same question every guest had.
Old Madam explain. “Master Peng Hai—friend from young. First business—we did seafood harvest and transport.”
“Knew nothing— apprenticed—got scammed—all savings gone—broke.”
Hardest times—Old Master couldn’t sleep—snuck dawn to port to vent.
---
“Winter year one cold—Master Hai had small stall at port—seafood noodles. Lucky we met him.”
Peng Hai few years younger than Shang Hong—earning early for family.
That dawn he saw Hong down—talked him up—free bowl—heard trouble—introduced another harvest master.
Friends from there.
“Later every return from sea—we ordered yellow croaker noodles at his stall.”
Old Madam pointed tray noodles. “This size—portion unchanged.”
“……”
Bai Xu good-boy quiet—split noodles into clean small bowls.
One fish—three parts.
Head tail Old Master—body bowl Old Madam.
Queyan invite. “Grandpa Grandma—try?”
Old couple saw Bai Xu’s touch—knowing smile.
Master Hai joked reveal. “Yeah—every time one bowl only—Hong-ge always best fish body for Nan-jie.”
Old Master lifted bowl—mood good. “Saving money then. One bowl tastes better shared.”
Old Madam smiled—two bites. “Mm—memory flavor.”
First pot of gold earned in Ning City—this noodle their start taste.
Three years later—savings west—other business—grew—back Dijing settle.
Old era transport comms hard—lost touch with Peng Hai natural.
Keyi and Shang Yun never heard this—didn’t want Third House free advantage.
Sibling rare sync—asked one after another. “Mom—why never told us?”
“Right—how Bai Xu know? Move Master Hai?”
“……”
They rarely told outsiders.
Old Master woke from reunion high—looked Bai Xu. “Where’d you learn this?”
Bai Xu honest. “Chairman didn’t write it—I couldn’t ask around. I just know—you two missed this seafood noodle—long time.”
Old Master silent—Songming couldn’t hold. “Bai Xu—stop riddles and filler?”
Guest joked. “Mind reading?”
“No mind reading—doesn’t cost much—” Bai Xu glance Songming sour face—soft voice hard hit—“just need heart.”
Songming felt shade. “You!”
“Enough.”
Old Master mood still good—rare indulgence. “Bai Xu—explain proper.”
Bai Xu speech craft. “Nothing big—Yanxiao’s nightstand always had Chairman’s autobiography. Xie Qi said when free he’d read it.”
“……”
Huh? When did I say that?
Xie Qi blank—didn’t expect his scene.
Changxu watched—micro light in eyes. “He knows Yanxiao can’t attend—increases presence before Old couple.”
Not like he didn’t see Yanxiao’s room—no such book on nightstand.
Changning got brother hint—secret thumbs up. “Damn Bai Xu’s savage.”
Sure enough—Old Master brow eased. “My autobiography?”
Bai Xu real face. “Mm. Bored keeping Yanxiao company—I read once. Chairman—in Coastal chapter postscript you wrote—”
“Once revisited Ning City with Old Madam—craved that seafood noodle whole way—arrived port—stall gone.”
Pause. “So when home anniversary banquet came—I had this idea.”
Gifts yearly—heart matters.
Anyone makes yellow croaker noodles—taste and memory matter.
“……”
Old Master silent—touched.
Autobiography in every home—few finish.
One throwaway line at chapter end—Bai Xu remembered—quoted verbatim now.
Old Madam moved—pulled Bai Xu’s hand. “Child—you have heart.”
“Old Madam—heart not mine alone.”
Bai Xu credit Queyan. “I proposed—Queyan found Master Hai—ran confirm last week when news came.”
“You two worried for Third House—we don’t say—but hope you’re happy.”
“……”
Queyan heard the sweet talk—shy cough.
Master Hai natural. “Hong-ge—both kids fine—cared for me whole way—we old folks—just want young ones sincere?”
---
Old Master seen every mega project every treasure.
This noodle cheap—hit their hearts true.
Old Master laughed loud—rare direct praise at Bai Xu. “Yes—Third House kids all good—all!”
“……”
All our work for nothing?
First Second heard rare praise—each sour—no angle to poke.
They have the autobiography too—who remembers content?
Bai Xu blind cat dead mouse—pure luck!
Guests saw Chairman beaming—who cares First Second? Wind vane praise—
“Third House gift—heart priceless—perfect!”
“Yeah—Chairman Old Madam blessed!”
“……”
Yanxiao down—Bai Xu capable up? Queyan improving too—Third House “not doomed”!
Shang future drama—still loading!
Banquet ran near four hours—guests left in waves.
Old Master good mood rose—scan family at main table. “Don’t rush off—rare full house—short family meeting tonight.”
“Okay.”
“Got it Dad.”
Keyi Shang Yun etc could only agree.
Old Master glance at Bai Hui beside Qishun—polite. “Qishun—settle Miss Bai first then come.”
Family meeting—Bai Hui’s status can’t join yet.
Bai Xu watched—kept measure. “Chairman—then I leave?”
Old Master stop. “Family meeting—I said—where you going?”
“……”
Bai Xu blank.
Fang Yuhua couldn’t stand Bai Xu favored—sour nowhere to vent—pinch husband’s back.
Shang Yun pain—forced speak. “Dad—this family meeting…”
Old Master saw Second House calculus—cut in. “Wasn’t Second House who strung Yanxiao’s luck marriage?”
Shang Yun stuck.
Old Master’s rule. “He’s Yanxiao’s nominal partner—Third House member. I say he qualifies—he qualifies.”
“……”
Keyi smart—didn’t join—covert look to husband.
Years together—Wu Wei got it. “Dad’s right—family meeting means family together.”
“……”
Shang Yun swallowed teeth. “Yes.”
Back when he “convinced” Old Madam on luck marriage—Old Master opposed—treated Bai Xu invisible early.
Now favor? Dug pit for Third—got Second House a stumbling block!
Bai Xu enjoyed Second House choke—happy to stay. “Thanks Chairman. I’ll listen—leave with Queyan later.”
“Mm.”
…
Small meeting room door shut—air instant serious.
Old Master main seat—direct. “Full house today—advance notice—month-end shareholder meeting. Several key H2 projects—lead vote by top brass.”
“Personally—I want family holding them.”
First Second—abacus minds same beat.
Old Master looked back row Bai Xu and Queyan—no hide. “Since Third House crash—seats Yanxiao and his father held—empty too long—can’t continue—I think—”
“Grandpa.”
Queyan soft voice—under table blanket off—prosthetic legs fitted long ago.
Bai Xu startled—guessed instantly.
Queyan hands on table—hidden force to stand.
Healed stumps wore raw from rehab—long sit changed center—simple “stand up” brutal hard.
Bai Xu saw the pain—cruel no help.
He knew—Queyan must prove himself.
Public—Queyan grit stood. Deep breath—voice shake. “Grandpa—I—I can take my brother’s seat.”
Branch or Group—Third House positions—won’t give away!
Old Master saw legless grandson fight to stand—hard eyes softened. “Queyan—you sure?”
Queyan firm. “Yes Grandpa—I’ll learn from zero.”
Careful release table hands—double meaning. “Not that hard—right?”
Old Master affirm. “Not hard—Shang people—nothing hard. Sit—I’ll arrange step-by-step Group training.”
Qishun heard—cold flash behind glasses—fake adjust. “Queyan—Group questions anytime—ask me.”
---
“……”
Oh?
That generous?
Bai Xu side glance—locked eyes with Qishun—he smiled polite back.
Bai Xu looked away—fast caught wobbling Queyan. “Slow—sit first.”
Queyan glance. “Thanks.”
Vs First House calm—Second House jittery.
They eyed Third House ongoing projects—wanted skim—duck grew wings again.
Songming. “Queyan—slow steps—Group messy—can’t swallow whole cow.”
Bai Xu for Queyan. “Fourth Young Master young—learns fast—big appetite—digests fast.”
Songming snapped. “Bai Xu—country bumpkin—never in our Group—never studied business management—what do you know?”
“Enough! Needles in every word!”
Old Master slammed table—temper instant. “Worry Queyan—worry yourself! I hear your AI medical investment lost money again?”
“You’re in Group—studied management—any results these years?”
“……”
Songming red—nowhere to hide shame.
Shang Yun soothe. “Dad—Songming young—needs polish.”
Keyi dark laugh—pivot Third House. “Second Brother biased your son—I recall Yanxiao took Island City fish port project early twenties?”
“That was Second House lead originally right?”
Second House data hole at filing—project near kill—Yanxiao emergency takeover saved it.
Second House faces ugly.
Bai Xu heard Keyi fire-stoking—no yield. “I hear First House overseas project also ‘taken’ from Yanxiao?”
“Taken”—bite clear.
Keyi face stiff. “You—”
Bai Xu no gap—to Chairman. “All Shang projects—profit to Group—family—why split so sharp?”
Fang Yuhua full of bile today—mask off. “Qishun got girlfriend—engagement H2—Sister planning split family?”
Old Master tea up—loaded. “Both branches capable—go independent anytime—don’t gossip in my house.”
“……”
Keyi didn’t expect joint counter—Old Master darkening—smart silence.
Bai Xu victory eyes down—turned black ring.
Old Master sip—pressed chest anger down.
Group and home—decades iron rule—kids’ minds livelier each year.
Split family?
Split assets—nobody respects old man left.
Loneliness flicker—remembered tonight’s sincere yellow croaker noodle—looked Bai Xu—
Others tense—Bai Xu like random audience pulled in.
Still played with black ring—leisure vs room—sharp contrast.
Old Master saw relaxed Bai Xu—called. “Bai Xu?”
Bai Xu up. “Mm?”
Old Master public—test or order. “Want try Group too? I’ll assign you project manager?”