An Introduction That Sets the Imagination Afloat

Before Xiao Yao could respond, Qin Huali interjected, “If you feel that calling Mr. Xiao is too formal, then just call him Brother Xiao. Even an old man like me addresses him as Mr. Xiao out of respect. Though you may be a bit older than Mr. Xiao, as you said, we’re all young here, so age doesn’t really matter. I think what’s more important is the identity and status of those involved; it can’t be judged solely by age. What do you think, Little Guan?”

Qin Huali’s words echoed exactly what Xiao Yao was thinking. They were not well acquainted, and he had no intention of suddenly gaining a new ‘brother’ for no reason.

Guan Yonggang felt slightly embarrassed; what Qin Huali had said was nothing new to him. He only thought that since Xiao Yao was also young, perhaps he wouldn’t care about such details of address, and maybe this would make it easier for them to get along.

But judging by Xiao Yao’s reaction and Qin Huali’s response, it was clear his plan had failed.

He could only find himself a way out, trying to make amends. “When my father was alive, he always said I wasn’t steady enough and that I was too rough around the edges. Unfortunately, I’ve never been able to change that habit. Meeting you today, Brother Xiao, I felt an instant camaraderie, and in my excitement, I got carried away and spoke without thinking. Please don’t take offense.”

“I’m only twenty-two, not as old-fashioned as you imagine. You can address me however you like. If you don’t mind, I’ll call you Da Gang from now on,” Xiao Yao replied lightly.

“That sounds much better. Having you call me that, Brother Xiao, feels much more natural,” Guan Yonggang said, though in his heart he was grumbling. This Xiao Yao looked young, but he certainly didn’t lose out in conversation. He claimed to be easy-going about forms of address, yet with a single sentence, he’d permanently fixed how they should address each other. Guan Yonggang was more than a decade older than Xiao Yao, but now he would have to call him Brother Xiao, and just with a few words, he’d somehow become the younger man’s junior. There was no way to reason with that.

Despite his inner bitterness, he didn’t dare argue. Qin Huali was right—if someone of Qin’s status addressed him as Mr. Xiao, then his own attempt at familiarity was ill-advised. If he didn’t call him Brother Xiao today, he’d not only offend the young man, but likely face a public rebuke from Qin Huali for his lack of manners.

If Qin Huali hadn’t cared so much about this, he would never have interrupted.

Though calling him Brother Xiao didn’t sit well with Guan Yonggang, judging from Qin Huali’s attitude, it was clear that this young man’s status was anything but ordinary. If that could be proven, perhaps he could accept it more easily.

Guan Yonggang was not the only one curious about Xiao Yao’s background. Everyone present was eager to know more about today’s young guest of honor. Only after understanding Xiao Yao’s origins could they decide how to treat him in the future.

If Xiao Yao were just an ordinary person, they wouldn’t be so interested—none of them had the time or interest to learn about the average man.

But the way Qin Huali treated Xiao Yao—calling it respect was almost inadequate, bordering on deference—meant that they had no choice but to take him seriously. What sort of young man could command such reverence, even humility, from a figure as renowned and wealthy as Qin Huali? It was beyond their imagination.

The greater their curiosity, the more they longed to know.

Since Qin Huali had invited them to this gathering, he surely wouldn’t keep everything hidden. Among the guests, Ding Songqing was the eldest, and his words carried far more weight than the younger Guan Yonggang.

Unlike Guan Yonggang, Ding Songqing was straightforward. “Chairman Qin, it’s an honor for us to meet someone as outstanding as Mr. Xiao today, but he’s been so modest that, despite being local figures ourselves, we know nothing about him—not even what field he’s in. Please, could you give us an introduction?”

A few years ago, Qin Huali had made several investments in Hanzhou City and had close dealings with everyone present. His purpose in inviting them today was to give them an opportunity.

When Elder Zhao was alive, he was both low-key and proud; only people of considerable wealth or influence could know him. Those invited today would not have qualified to meet Elder Zhao. If this dinner were for Elder Zhao, he would never have called these people together, nor would he introduce strangers to him without permission.

But Xiao Yao was different. He hadn’t refused when Qin Huali suggested inviting a few friends, clearly open to meeting the city’s true elites.

In private, Qin Huali had considered that Xiao Yao’s strength and innate pride were no less than Elder Zhao’s. Yet, being young, he didn’t yet have the astonishing network Elder Zhao had possessed. It was still necessary for him to get to know some of the local notables.

Judging by Xiao Yao’s conduct today, Qin Huali believed his assessment was correct.

Since Xiao Yao wished to broaden his local connections, some basic information about him could not be kept a secret.

Having thought this through, Qin Huali said, “You are all quite fortunate. If you weren’t from Hanzhou City and didn’t share a hometown with Mr. Xiao, I would never have dared to introduce you to him. In today’s impatient society, people often measure status by wealth. By that standard, even if we pooled all our resources, it would amount to a mere drop in the bucket compared to Mr. Xiao.”

“But Mr. Xiao cannot be judged by such worldly standards. There are always some people who look down upon the teeming masses of ordinary society, though we mere mortals rarely meet them. To get to know Mr. Xiao is a rare stroke of fortune—whether you can seize this chance depends on whether you gain his approval.” Though Qin Huali’s words sounded exaggerated, his tone was earnest and unmistakably serious.

Everyone present was shrewd enough to glean two meanings from what he said.

First, Xiao Yao was extremely wealthy—richer, even, than all of them combined. That might be an exaggeration, but there was no doubt the young man was a super-rich individual.

Second, and more enigmatic, was the talk of “looking down upon the common world” and “a fateful encounter with an immortal”—words that sounded fanciful. If they didn’t know Qin Huali so well, they would have suspected he’d been duped by some so-called ‘master’.