Collaboration I

Guan Gao Huan was full of polite smiles as he was surrounded by a crowd of people.

A lot of them were guests who wanted to be acquainted with Guan Family and its Empire. Some were the elders with their granddaughters who wanted him to be their in-laws. 

No one could blame them. Guan Gao Huan was akin to a prince. His looks could make the woman swoon. Like a dashing prince with his gentle smile and polite words. Aside from his handsome bearing, Guan Gao Huan was a genius that made the Old Guan proud.

It was said that his IQ was high and he could skip grades. Like Xiong Zhi, aside from preschool, he was homeschooled. But because of Old Guan's decision that he went here in China to study high school. They don't know the reason why a young man like him who had the knowledge that surpassed the college students would suddenly study here for highschool, nevertheless, they were happy that the youngest grandson of Guan family was here. They could make a connection between him and them for future business prospects. As Old Guan favored this young man, it was very likely that he would become the heir of the Guan Empire.

So now, while he was green, they would take advantage of it to curry his favor.

That's what all the guests had in mind while smiling, praising, and exchanging words with Gao Huan.

(A/n: remember all the guests were a rich and wealthy businessman. No mediocre here. However, in front of Xiongs and Guans, they were slightly inferior. But if you displayed them (guests) outside the world, people would recognize them as big shots and legendaries rich businessmen.)

Gao Huan like a crown prince he was, entertained them and respond to their every request. Which made them like him more.

But no one could notice the slight wandering of his eyes to the path to the comfort room.

He focused his eyes again to the people who wanted to curry his favor. No one knew this, but the polite smile he was showing was a mocking smile. These people wanted to use him, but they don't know that they just delivered their selves to his door, for him to use them. With this in mind, his smile got deeper.

However, when his eyes caught the pathway to the comfort room, the image of a girl in white-blue hanfu came to his mind.

He had met all kinds of the lady before. Schemers, gold diggers, lovestruck fool, naive, shy and arrogant ladies. He knew one once he met one. However, that girl, the young miss of Xiong, did not fall any in those categories. The girl did not even give him a look that he always saw in the lady's eyes- bashful and admiration. Instead, it was a look that he saw once before, the look that he hates yet gives him satisfaction - a frightened look.

The girl's eyes clearly looked afraid. Afraid of him? Why? He only met her once.

He planned all night to talk to that girl since he had a suspicion that that girl was his fiance that his grandfather told him to find out.

Who else could stand equally with the Guans here in this event? Only Xiong. Besides, his grandfather initiated to attend the Xiong's Empire Anniversary with him. Since the Old Guan was a teenager he already had a connection with the Old Xiong. It could be said that they were 'frenemies'. They started out as a rival but became friends when they both stand at the peak of the business industry. For that long year of friendship, Old Guan never attended the Xiong Empire's Anniversary even when Old Xiong inherited the Xiong Empire when he was in twenties.

So when his grandfather asked him to accompany him to attend the Xiong's anniversary he was surprised. He, who meticulously investigated everyone including his own grandfather, he naturally knows that his grandfather would not attend the Xiong's anniversary just to congratulate them or give them face. There must be a reason. And since Old Guan purposely asked him to come, it was no doubt related to him. And when he saw Xiong Zhi, the young miss of Xiong, who he heard of never leave the house came to attend this anniversary, his doubt has instantly vanished.

When he attended the TIHS, the school his grandfather chose for him, he knew it was related to his fiance that his grandfather talked in passing. He investigated the richest families that attended the said school. The three families that could rival Guan's family were only three: Lu's, Tang's, and Xiong's. The Lu's only has two masters. The Tang's has two miss. And the Xiong has one miss.

(A/n: miss/masters that were referring here were the heir in line. Like Xiong Zhi, they came from the main family.)

So he only guessed from the Tang and Xiong. He hasn't encountered the Tang's. Since the older sister was in another country, and the other one, was isolated for its coming competition. He only heard that the younger of Tang's miss liked music.

And the young miss of Xiong, even the girl attended the same school he hasn't made any move to meet her. Since he was also busy in his own way. Now coming here, when Old Guan showed his excited face in front of that Xiong girl, his doubt was immediately gone.

If it's about the Xiong girl becoming his fiance, he had no objections. The girl was beautiful, her looks and unique aura was exceptional. As a man, having a beautiful fiance was a good thing. She was also intelligent. When he watched her earlier when she performed, he knew this girl was not timid and naive as she was in the rumor. If one looks closely her moves to gain the elder's favor were really thoughtful and can make people speechless. He admits it, this Xiong girl was a good choice. She could stand beside him. As he had many ambitions and goals, he knew he would become one of the legendary figures in the business world. So naturally, his wife would be exceptional and could make every man envy him.

However, he had not given a chance to talk to her.

' Maybe I should wait outside the comfort room.'

He was about to excuse himself when he heard a coquettish voice.

"Third Young Master Gao Huan, you really give face to us Xiong Family by coming here. I, as, a descendant of Xiong would like to give you a toast-" the crowd immediately give path to the seductive girl in pink hanfu.

Xiong Wuyue slightly bowed to give a greeting to Gao Huan.

Her slender white nape made the men gulped as she lowered her head.

Gao Huan smiled at Xiong Wuyue.

"It is the miss of the Xiong. I did not give a face to the Xiong, it is a must to attend this wonderful banquet. I deeply apologized for I, as a Guan, haven't attended any banquet of Xiong before this. But as I am here in China, I must not let go of this opportunity." Gao Huan also bowed as an apology and a greeting to Wuyue.

The crowd was amazed as the two mighty families bowed to another to express humility. No one tried to act mightier than the other. The crowd had a good impression of Wuyue, even though she was not the heiress of the Xiong, she still managed to carry the almightiness of the Xiong family in front of Guans in a humble manner. And Gao Huan gained another fan as he humbly apologized to the Xiong family, even from a second branch at that. This shows he was not a haughty person but a man with principles.

However, no one saw the slight glint of sly in Gao Huan's eyes.

Apologizing in front of the second branch of the Xiong? Humbling himself in front of the Xiong family? Only fools would believe it.

However, Wuyue who played with this game since young, noticed something was wrong in Gao Huan's answer.

A Guan apologizing to the Xiong for not attending the banquet? Did not Old Guan purposely not attend the Xiong's anniversary ever since? What's there to apologize for?

' And why lowering himself to me...? '

A second branch greeting the main Guan was a must. But Guan greeting the second branch even it was a Xiong was not in the unwritten law of the business world. If you let the bigger fish greet you, you will get eaten by it in the end. 

Wuyue caught immediately the dangerous situation she was in. One word from her would seal her fate and her father's fate.

' This Gao Huan was not simple...is he telling me he will not be used by me? '

Wuyue gritted her teeth and said alarmingly.

"Third master Gao Huan is really humble! This Wuyue from the second branch would not dare to accept your apology! Young master Gao Huan did not offend us Xiong-" Wuyue got wide-eyed and covered her mouth from saying more. She was taught well how to play with words. And what she said by the slip of her tongue would make any elders had disapproval impression of her.

She immediately looked around and found the two almighty Old Guan and Old Xiong still in conversation from afar. The elders were speaking to their grandchildren.

Wuyue sighed in relief.  Probably no one would notice the play in their words.  But if one of the elders or worst the Old Xiong who knew the rules within the Xiong family heard what she said, they would undoubtedly punish her. The second branch of Xiong was taking the role of the main Xiong was like a rebellion in front of the Old Xiong.

She wouldn't want that.