The One True System

1.7

Gao Shen's eyes narrowed, and Xiao Yi could immediately feel the tension in the room.

"Explain," Gao Shen said tersely. Xiao Yi, hidden behind Gao Shen's broad back, shrunk further into himself. It didn't seem as if anyone had noticed him just yet.

His father huffed indignantly, "Gao Xi will have to inherit the company soon. It would be good to have a dependable wife by his side when he does. The Li family is in good standing and will make good business partners."

"You're too nice." Li Shu giggled. She turned to Gao Shen, and put on a wounded expression. "Brother Shen, you see, my family has been pressuring me to get married, but... the man they chose for me, he isn't..." She hesitated, letting the sentence trail off. "That's why, Mister Gao..." The implications were clear - she wanted to be pitied, and in exchange for saving the Shen patriarch's life, he had offered to allow her into his family through a mutually beneficial marriage.

"Is that so?" It was clear Gao Shen didn't believe her. Though Xiao Yi didn't think the two had ever met face to face, he certainly should have known who she was - after all, she was in the club that night, and surely he would have had surveillance cameras? "Does Gao Xi know?"

"That boy, I'll tell him when he visits," Gao Shen's father waved noncommittally. Gao Shen frowned.

"Miss Shu, you must be tired." Gao Shen's sudden topic change startled the woman. "I'm not sure what happened, but since you rescued my father, surely you didn't escape unscathed? Have you had a doctor look over you yet?"

"It's just a few scratches from where I fell when I pushed Mister Gao aside," she said, trying to act tough, but not denying the idea that she had put herself in danger, saving him. "I was more concerned for your father. I'm still young after all," she joked.

Mister Gao bought the act and laughed. "See, isn't she a good girl?"

"Even so, it wouldn't do to not have my father's savior still have injuries." Gao Shen explained. He turned around, and called out: "Secretary Lang, why don't you find a doctor for Miss Shu?"

Seeing the dismissal for what it was, Li Shu graciously stood up from the seat by the bed. "I- if you insist," she said, playing the part of an offended lady. "Then, Mister Gao, let's talk again soon."

"Gao Shen has no manners, but he's right. Go get yourself checked. Make sure you're not hurt."

Li Shu nodded, and gave polite nod to signal her good bye. As she made to walk out the door, she finally took notice of Xiao Yi, and her eyes widened in surprise. She frowned, and her eyebrows creased in a mix of confusion and annoyance, before she caught herself and schooled her features into that of a polite young lady. Xiao Yi couldn't believe her. 

The moment she left the room, Secretary Lang closing the door behind her, Xiao Yi breathed a sigh of relief. Unfortunately, there was still some tension - it seemed Gao Shen didn't buy her performance, but his father had, and he wasn't pleased with his son's actions.

"So? What do you want?" Mister Gao's harsh voice brought Xiao Yi into the present, and he was startled by how callous he sounded.

"At first, I merely wanted to check on your condition," Gao Shen said. "However, now I feel we must discuss Miss Shu's appearance."

"You don't approve? Hmph! As if you can go against my decisions. And who is this boy you've brought?" Gao Shen's father, seemingly finally noticing his existence, eyed him dubiously.

"He's a friend," Gao Shen said, placing a hand on the small of Xiao Yi's back to maneuver him forwards. "Feng Yi, this is my father, Gao Lou."

"Mister Gao, nice to meet you. I wish it could have been under better circumstances." Xiao Yi said with a bow.

"The Feng family, hm?" Gao Lou said, inspecting Xiao Yi. "Yes, a pleasure, I'm sure. Why did you bring him here, Shen?"

"We simply crossed paths just now," Gao Shen explained. "Coincidentally however, the matter regarding Li Shu concerns him as well."

"And what matter is this?" 

"I've been keeping watch over my little brother's business management, as you know. Some time ago, however, there was a complication involving Li Shu and a certain drug."

"What nonsense are you spouting? Accusing her of using drugs?" Gao Lou spat out.

"Not on herself," Gao Shen began, "but on others, without their consent."

"It's true!" Xiao Yi interrupted, feeling the need to say something to back up Gao Shen's claims. "If it hadn't been for Gao Xi, then my sister would have fallen victim to Li Shu's scheme, and after getting drugged, she would have-"

"You expect me to believe this? I've never met your sister, how do I know that she hadn't taken the drug willingly?"

"I've had my men look into them both, and Li Shu is the only one who came up dirty. She seems to have been colluding with various members involved in human and drug trafficking." Gao Shen said. "Likely that was how the drug entered our establishment in the first place."

"You want me to believe-"

"Not without proof, of course. But I will ensure Secretary Lang sends you the relevant information. For now, I just advise you to be careful around her."

Gao Lou snorted. "You're too young to be advising me." He said, and then waved a hand as if shooing him away. "You've wasted too much of my time. Tell that younger brother of yours to visit soon."

Gao Shen bowed his head in acquiescence, and turned to Xiao Yi. "After you," he said.

"Get well soon, Mister Gao." Xiao Yi said as a means of farewell, to which he received no reply. He left anyway, Gao Shen following behind him, shutting the door as he exited.

There was an awkward silence between them after they left the room that lasted for a moment before it was broken by Secretary Lang's arrival.

"Sir," he greeted.

"Good, you're back." Gao Shen said upon spotting him, seemingly relieved that the tension had been diffused, for the moment at least. "Send the files on Li Shu to my father." Gao Shen commanded, and then, turning to Xiao Yi, asked him, "have you had lunch yet?"

The change of topic caught Xiao Yi off guard, but he shook his head.

"Good, then I'll take you out as an apology for my father's behavior. Secretary Lang, call the driver too." 

Gao Shen's secretary conducted his duties with a grace Xiao Yi was impressed by, but he wasn't able to watch him for long, as Gao Shen had once again placed a hand on his back to guide him forwards.

"Do you have anything you'd like to eat?" Gao Shen asked, leading him down the corridor, away from his father's room.

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an. hi! this is late. the next chapter will probably take a while too, but thank you to everyone who left nice comments. it really motivated me to write! you can comment on this chapter too if you have anything to say! 

till next time!