C11 You're Courting Death

Wang had a lot on his mind, while Yaoting was mingling with the crowd of businesspeople. Nowadays, nearly every company has some machinery, and for that, talents like Yaoting are indispensable. He scanned the room but didn’t see any of his family members. With a quick glance, he realized they were probably waiting for him at home.

Family? The word felt foreign to Yaoting, as if he hadn’t thought about it in ages.

“Mr. Rong!” Yaoting snapped back to reality and saw a man in a brown suit smiling warmly at him from a short distance away, raising his glass in greeting. The man was like a steadfast pine tree standing against the wind, or a refreshing breeze through a mountain pass, instantly likable.

Yaoting walked over with a smile. “Mr. Rong? Schoch, shouldn’t you be calling me uncle by now?”

Schoch chuckled helplessly at Yaoting’s words. He was two years younger than Yaoting but a generation apart. As for intelligence... well, that was a sore topic best left untouched.

Yaoting suddenly thought of Yiting, and his gaze toward Schoch turned a bit peculiar.

Seeing Yaoting’s expression, Schoch understood immediately, and his smile faded, replaced by a sudden pang of bitterness.

“Uncle Rong, I know what you’re going to say. I love her, but I can’t marry her.”

Yaoting wasn’t angry. He simply patted Schoch on the shoulder. “I should thank you on behalf of Miss Lu.”

“Huh?”

“Thank you for not marrying her!”

Schoch was taken aback, then his face darkened. “Do you think Huo Jun will treat her well?”

Yaoting nodded. “When we were kids, the Rong and Huo families weren’t close, so I didn’t see much of him. But now that I’ve met him, he seems like a good guy.”

Thinking about the recent confrontation and how his niece relaxed around Huo Jun, Yaoting couldn’t help but smile.

He looked at Schoch, a man of integrity from a prominent family. However, Schoch valued his family too much to ever choose Lu Yiting over them. In that regard, Huo Jun had already surpassed him by defying everyone to marry Lu Yiting.

"But..." Schoch's eyes flickered slightly, "My sister likes him!"

Rong Yaoting shrugged. "I don't care who likes him. Now that he's my nephew-in-law, I can't let anyone else take advantage of him!"

Schoch looked into Rong Yaoting's eyes, which, despite the smile, held a certain ruthlessness. A deep sense of defeat washed over him. He knew this man was different; opposing him would only lead to ruin.

"I understand. I'll talk to Xiaoxiao," he said, though he knew that feelings couldn't be controlled. Just like his own long-standing affection for Lu Yiting.

"Mr. Rong, Schoch, what are you discussing?" A warm voice suddenly broke the silence between Schoch and Rong Yaoting. Both men glanced up to see a man in a white tuxedo approaching them with a glass of champagne. His suit was impeccably tailored, likely custom-made, and his face bore a gentle smile, though the flicker in his eyes suggested he was not as simple as he seemed.

Rong Yaoting's lips pressed into a thin line. This man, Wu Miao, was somewhat connected to him now. Wu Miao's aunt was Huo Jun's mother, making Huo Jun and Wu Miao cousins. And since Huo Jun was his nephew-in-law, that made Wu Miao a relative of sorts.

Wu Miao was the heir of the Wu family, a prominent name in B City, known for their immense wealth. While they could easily claim the title of the richest family, they preferred to keep a low profile, showcasing their assets in more subtle ways than others.

Wu Miao might not look extraordinary at first glance, but his presence is enough to leave many in awe.

"Hey, Miao."

"Young Master Miao!"

Rong Yaoting called out calmly, waiting for Wu Miao to respond.

"Uncle Rong, I've been waiting for your return. You're a real pride for us on the world stage now."

Hearing this, Rong Yaoting's eyes flickered. It had been years since they last met, and just as he imagined, this man had grown to be just like his father, Wu Xiong.

Wu Xiong had built a successful empire, thanks to his intelligence and courage. But even when Rong Yaoting was just twelve, he had remarked that Wu Xiong was too ruthless, predicting that his son, Wu Miao, would be the same.

Because of this comment, most people back then avoided playing with Wu Miao. Rong Yaoting still remembered the hatred in Young Master Miao's eyes from those days.

Looking at the man before him now, smiling as warmly as a spring breeze, Rong Yaoting sighed inwardly. It seemed that Wu Miao hadn't forgotten but had truly learned to conceal his emotions.

Rong Yaoting wasn't worried, though. While these kids were still in school having fun, he had already been playing with mechanical cannons. Trying to outsmart him would be a fool's errand.