Morning. LARUE High-End Beauty Emerging Brand Salon.
The walls were a soft sand color, adorned with a few minimalist contemporary ink wash paintings. A massive raw wood table occupied the center of the room. The air was filled with a faint scent of cedar that was crisp and refreshing.
This event was organized by LARUE, a renowned channel consultancy firm, to select promising high-end emerging brands and recommend them as a package to their top-tier retail partners. For the brands involved, this was a vital springboard to accessing premium markets.
A man in his forties, dressed in a sharp suit with meticulously groomed hair, sat at the center of the long table. His scrutinizing gaze swept across the representatives of the participating brands, a smile on his lips that never reached his eyes.
As a senior partner at LARUE, Song Mingyi was notoriously difficult to please. Those who were diplomatic described him as having a “discerning eye and high standards,” while those who had endured his condescending critiques understood his true nature: he fawned over the powerful and looked down on the weak.
Among the brands participating today, some had already established significant fame and consumer bases, while others were industry newcomers. Toward the latter, Song Mingyi usually did not bother sparing a single glance.
However, he felt compelled to listen to the person currently speaking.
Shi Jingyan. The brand he founded, “Bensu,” had risen to a respectable position in the beauty industry in a very short time and showed a steady upward trajectory. According to established practice, “Bensu” would be the first brand to receive a recommendation to high-end channels after this event.
Yet, Song Mingyi stared at Shi Jingyan on the stage with dark and calculating eyes.
Coincidentally, he happened to be on good terms with Shi Jingyan’s nominal younger brother, Shi Yuqiang. Moreover, Shi Yuqiang had explicitly told him beforehand that this opportunity must not fall into Shi Jingyan’s hands.
Once Shi Jingyan finished his presentation, Song Mingyi led the applause and offered a few perfunctory compliments.
“Splendid. A very solid technical demonstration. In terms of research in this field, Director Shi indeed possesses profound expertise.”
Then, his tone shifted as he leaned back.
“However, Director Shi,” Song Mingyi drawled, “the purpose of today’s meeting is, after all, commercial networking. In today’s market, especially the high-end sector, consumers are not just buying the product itself; they are buying a feeling, an identity, a story.”
His gaze returned to Shi Jingyan, carrying a trace of subtle disdain. “And, if I may be blunt, I admire your brand’s resolve in refusing to raise prices or engage in excessive marketing. But the commercial reality is that even the finest wine can be lost in a deep alley. Especially here in China, consumers look for channels, endorsements, and atmosphere. You have the technical strength, but you lack the key to opening a larger market.”
He sighed, appearing heartbroken. “Director Shi, I am saying this only because I truly believe in the foundation of your products. The era of ‘good wine needs no bush’ is over. Especially when you want to enter truly top-tier channels.”
Song Mingyi paused. “According to our latest intelligence, Huanya Group is about to launch a new commercial district project in the west of the city. I am sure everyone has heard that the foot traffic and turnover of Huanya’s malls are incomparable to any first-tier shopping center. They are the absolute peak of commercial districts. And you, Director Shi, if you are not willing to use marketing and price hikes to package yourself and elevate your consumer positioning, there is absolutely no way Huanya will ever look at you.”
Song Mingyi stared at Shi Jingyan, whose expression remained entirely unchanged. His words were devoid of politeness, as if he were deliberately trying to provoke a reaction of resentment or indignation.
Shi Jingyan spoke calmly, “Consultant Song, thank you for your advice and pointers.”
His voice was devoid of emotion. “But I believe that stooping to bottomless pandering and trend-following is not the only way to join high-end platforms as you described. As for Huanya, failing to collaborate with Huanya may not necessarily be our loss.”
His words were poised and firm, effectively rebuffing the vanity-driven Song Mingyi in front of everyone. Having finished, Shi Jingyan turned and left the stage. Song Mingyi stared at his retreating back, his face turning slightly red with suppressed rage.
As long as he sat in this position, he thought, Shi Jingyan and his brand could forget about ever connecting with Huanya.
Shi Jingyan returned to his seat, showing no reaction to the sideways glances from those around him.
Huanya.
He remembered from the original plot that Shi Yuqiang had used various methods to get close to the “Crown Prince” of Huanya Century, using that connection to make Shi Jingyan’s eventual downfall even more humiliating.
His words today were not just to spite the snobbish Consultant Song. He truly had no desire to provoke or have any interaction with that untouchable conglomerate or its mysterious heir.
Outside the window, the glass curtain wall of the Huanya Century building gleamed brilliantly in the sunlight, almost blindingly bright.
Night fell like ink, with neon lights flickering in dazzling ribbons.
The roar of an engine tore through the silence of the suburban wilderness. A scarlet supercar shrieked up the winding mountain road, followed closely by several other sports cars. The violent wind they kicked up caused the roadside vegetation to sway wildly, and the friction of tires against the pavement emitted sharp bursts of sound.
“Woo-hoo! This is amazing, Brother Yan! Go faster!”
Inside the scarlet supercar, the girl in the passenger seat shouted excitedly. Her short black skirt highlighted her perfect figure, and a Brunello Cucinelli cashmere cardigan was draped casually over her shoulders. She gripped her seatbelt with one hand while waving the other in excitement.
She was Ling Lu, the only daughter of the Ling family.
“Heh.”
In the driver’s seat, Yu Yanzhuo held the steering wheel with one hand. His sunglasses were pushed up into his wine-red hair, and his phoenix eyes shimmered with an almost bewitching golden light in the dark. His black-and-red biker jacket was wide open, revealing a V-neck undershirt that plunged nearly to his abdomen, showing off pale skin and well-defined muscles.
Hearing the girl’s words, he let out a light chuckle and floored the accelerator. The car surged to a new height of speed, leaving the other supercars far behind.
Finally, the car reached the summit and came to a stop on a wide platform with a beautiful drift. Yu Yanzhuo unbuckled his seatbelt with crisp efficiency and stepped out. The trailing cars finally caught up, parking not far behind him.
“That was so cool, Brother Yan! I love you so much!”
The girl hopped out of the car and skipped over to him, grabbing his arm and pressing her body against his. She wore a bright smile, and the scent of expensive perfume immediately enveloped him.
She looked up, meeting his eyes directly. Even though she was used to his looks, facing those bewitching eyes at such close range without any barrier caused her heart to skip a beat. She composed herself, her long lashes fluttering as she said in a sweet tone, “Brother Yan, can I sit in the passenger seat next time too?”
Yu Yanzhuo, long accustomed to this, smiled lazily. “That is not a guarantee. The line of people waiting for that seat is two months long. Why do you not go talk to them and see who is willing to give up their spot?”
“Oh, you!”
The girl laughed and gave him a playful swat, not dwelling on the matter. She turned to the men and women getting out of the other cars. “What is the plan for later, everyone?”
A silver-haired young man ran a hand through his wind-swept hair. “I am down for whatever. As long as we are hanging out with Brother Yan. You decide, Sister Lu.”
The others echoed the sentiment.
Ling Lu turned back to Yu Yanzhuo with a grin. “Brother Yan, where do you want to go play next?”
Yu Yanzhuo thought for a moment. “Let us find a place for a few drinks. Somewhere lively.”
“Perfect!” the girl beamed. “Let us go to ‘PULSE’! I heard they booked that DJ who just got back from Sweden tonight. He is incredibly hard to get!”
Yu Yanzhuo had been to that club a few times and liked the vibe, so he nodded. “Let us go.”
“Yay!” Ling Lu squeezed his arm happily as they headed back to the car.
Suddenly remembering something, Yu Yanzhuo turned and gestured to the silver-haired boy. “Huan Lian.”
The boy walked over and spoke before Yu Yanzhuo could. “Everything has been checked. I just sent it to your phone, Brother Yan.”
“Checking who?” Ling Lu raised an eyebrow. Seeing that Yu Yanzhuo had no intention of explaining, she complained, “Brother Yan, do you have a new flame already?”
Huan Lian laughed. “What ‘new flame’? Our Brother Yan is the type to walk through a thousand flowers without a single leaf sticking to him.”
Yu Yanzhuo did not reply. With a smirk, he pulled out his phone, opened the file Huan Lian had sent, and glanced at the name at the top.
Shi Jingyan. So, that was his name.
After tonight was over, he would have to go settle the score regarding being deleted as a friend.
The roar of engines approached and finally died down in front of the club.
This club operated on a membership basis, catering only to high-status clients, yet many passers-by still gathered at the entrance to take photos.
The car doors swung upward. Yu Yanzhuo stepped out with his hands in his pockets, his legs appearing long and straight in slim-fit black trousers. The other socialites followed. A crowd had already formed, their eyes filled with envy and curiosity; many were frantically taking photos of the luxury cars.
Before Yu Yanzhuo could say a word, Ling Lu naturally linked her arm with his and smiled. “Let us go, Brother Yan.”
The group moved toward the entrance, the crowd parting like the Red Sea to create a clear path. Yu Yanzhuo was used to the attention and even found the time to wink at someone nearby whose face had turned bright red, prompting a chorus of sharp intakes of breath.
Inside, the manager greeted them respectfully. As they looked around, Ling Lu pouted, looking a bit dissatisfied.
“We came late tonight; it is a bit crowded.”
Yu Yanzhuo glanced inside. “What, do you want to clear the place? Just say the word to the manager.”
At this, the manager’s face broke into an even wider, more fawning smile. Everyone knew Young Master Yu was generous; the cost of clearing the club was no small sum and it could easily cover the entire night’s revenue.
“Forget it, no need. It is too lonely if there are not enough people,” Ling Lu said, then turned to the manager. “Give us a booth on the second floor. I want the best view. If it is occupied, tell them I will pay extra for them to get lost.”
“Right away! Please follow me!” The manager bowed and scraped as he led them upstairs.
The best booth on the second floor featured one-way glass facing the floor below. From the inside, one could clearly see the scene downstairs, while those outside could not see in.
Ling Lu pulled Yu Yanzhuo down to sit and waved her hand, telling the manager to bring up several of the most expensive bottles of liquor.
Yu Yanzhuo leaned back against the sofa, his gaze wandering casually toward the floor below through the one-way glass.
Suddenly, his gaze froze. His brow twitched upward.
Even though the crowd below was dense, he easily picked out that familiar figure. Aside from that sweet fragrance he remembered, the undeniable curves beneath the man’s shirt certainly helped him stand out.
Yu Yanzhuo’s lips curled into a smirk.