Chapter 73: A Private Conversation

After the seminar concluded, Guo Lei had arranged for everyone to dine together, but at this point, no one cared much about eating. The attendees remained clustered in small groups, continuing their discussions. This alone proved the success of the seminar.

Chen Jingming and Ling Xuan, in particular, felt a swirl of complex emotions. At the same time, a faint expectation welled up within them. Xiao Kaitian, returned from Japan, had undergone a drastic transformation compared to before. Perhaps the large-scale film investment he spoke of was not empty talk after all! Confirming the eagerness in each other’s eyes, both found their breaths growing tense—the film project would have to pick up pace.

Xiao Kaitian had no mind for these matters. As soon as the seminar ended and Bai Kou started to wheel Zhao Qi Xi away, Xiao Kaitian moved ahead of them, smiling as he stepped forward to intercept. Bai Kou, observing this, let a subtle curve lift her lips.

“Hello,” Xiao Kaitian nodded slightly. “You don’t seem like students of Jiaotong University.”

“Your eye is sharp, we’re indeed not,” Bai Kou replied, quite unlike the always-downcast Zhao Qi Xi. “We happened to hear about this seminar and became interested at the last minute. Or are you saying we’re not welcome?”

“Unwelcome? Not at all,” Xiao Kaitian’s divine source swept over Zhao Qi Xi, confirming she had the rare constitution capable of connecting to higher dimensions. His divine source was instantly absorbed: “Would you be willing to have a chat?”

Zhao Qi Xi sensed a surge of energy entering her body. Her extremely weak state found temporary relief—an unprecedented sensation. She couldn’t help but look up, meeting Xiao Kaitian’s penetrating gaze.

Bai Kou immediately sensed something was amiss. Her face darkened, and she projected a force to block Xiao Kaitian: “Sorry, we have other matters to attend to.”

Xiao Kaitian could certainly feel Bai Kou’s hostility. Not to mention, he was far from being a match for Bai Kou, whose combat power was an astounding 517. Yet he harbored no ill intentions. “What if it concerns her health?”

Like a bolt from the blue, Bai Kou’s eyes flashed sharply as she stared him down. “What do you mean?”

“Her physical condition—you both know it well,” Xiao Kaitian replied solemnly. The girl before him might be linked to the Central Axis Universe; he didn’t want to miss the chance. “If left unchecked, she doesn’t have much time.”

Bai Kou bit her cheek and rested her hand lightly on Zhao Qi Xi’s shoulder, awaiting her response.

Zhao Qi Xi slowly lowered her head, her voice gentle: “Bai Kou, let’s go…”

“Qi Xi,” Bai Kou’s expression was grim. The fact that Xiao Kaitian could speak so directly about Zhao Qi Xi’s condition meant he might have a solution, regardless of how he knew. Zhao Qi Xi’s health had plagued the Zhao family for over twenty years; she didn’t want to miss any opportunity.

“Bai Kou, let’s go…” Zhao Qi Xi repeated softly.

A sigh slipped through Bai Kou’s heart. Zhao Qi Xi’s health had always been taboo. Though they were nominally “engaged,” Zhao Qi Xi showed no inclination to broach the subject. Bai Kou hesitated briefly, then pushed the wheelchair forward, striding out.

This time, Xiao Kaitian didn’t try to stop them. He watched the pair depart, only turning away when they entered the elevator. At the last moment before the doors closed, he distinctly felt Zhao Qi Xi’s gaze upon him.

“Qi Xi,” Bai Kou sighed, “your temperament is truly peculiar. Xiao Kaitian is nothing like his reputation, and he seems to know a lot about your condition. Why not let him help?”

“After all, you two are meant to be husband and wife one day.”

Zhao Qi Xi kept her head down, hands resting on her thighs, slowly clenching: “No rush… If fate allows… we’ll meet again.”

Bai Kou shook her head. With that temperament, there was no saving it.

The brief encounter scattered Xiao Kaitian’s focus, and he began to regard the world anew.

He’d always believed he was a “special” case of dimensional descent into this world, but now it seemed more complicated. The girl in the wheelchair clearly possessed both original and divine sources, directly communicating with the Central Axis Universe.

Yet her divine source was feeble, and thus her body so frail. It could barely keep her alive; if it couldn’t sustain itself or lacked external supplementation, she wouldn’t survive for many more years.

Xiao Kaitian propped his chin, pondering who could have exiled an existence from the Central Axis Universe to be born here. Did his own arrival mean it wasn’t mere chance?

Or perhaps the entire universe was inherently unpredictable, filled with uncertainties.

Xiao Kaitian’s frequent distraction made the atmosphere at the evening’s celebratory banquet rather awkward. Around the table, glances were exchanged, all waiting for Xiao Kaitian to speak.

Unconsciously, he had already managed to “convince” everyone present, the core of leadership beginning to coalesce.

“My apologies,” realizing his lapse, Xiao Kaitian licked his lips and raised a goblet filled with Mouton wine. “Everyone has worked hard. The structure of Qixi Media Consulting will continue as it is for now. Guo, you can adjust the details as you see fit—I trust you.”

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and the mood around the table finally lightened.

Xiao Kaitian took a sip, the Bordeaux wine flowing across his palate and down his chest, restoring his composure.

That night, in another private, nameless club in Haidu, three men in suits puffed on cigars. The usual hostesses were nowhere to be seen—a confidential conversation was underway.

A bald, portly middle-aged man spoke first: “The Xiao family from the capital has reached out. The reason I invited you both tonight is to discuss this matter.”

“Xiao Kaitian is presently in our Haidu.” He leaned forward, tapping the table with his fingers. “Should we offer him some ‘extra attention’?”

This man was Xue Rong, current head of the Xue family—one of Haidu’s three great clans. His gaze shifted to the elder seated at the center: Du Yangming, head of the Du family, the most prominent of the three.

Du Yangming narrowed his eyes and smiled slightly. “Xue, everyone knows your connections up top rely on Xiao Zhengze. Now that the tea has gone cold, you’re switching allegiance to Xiao Zhenglu so soon?”

“Heh,” Xue Rong brushed cigarette ash from his trousers and settled comfortably into the sofa. “Whoever it is, it’s still the Xiao family. As for their internal affairs, that’s not my concern. Du, surely the Bian family backing you in the capital has been notified as well?”

“Hahaha,” Du Yangming laughed, his wrinkles bunching together. “Tang, you’re the youngest and most forward-thinking among our three houses. What do you make of this?”

From the shadowy corner, a man slowly set his wineglass on the table. A gentle voice sounded: “Our Tang family has no intention of getting involved in this matter.”

The words dropped, and the room’s warmth seemed to plunge into an icy pit, the temperature instantly falling.