Chapter 200: Mysterious Encounters

First love? Old flame?!

Xu Chen looked completely baffled.

Fang Jun showed no emotion as he twisted open a bottle of water and took a sip, then said seriously to Xu Chen:

“If that’s the case, watch out. If she has a kid with you, like a little brother or sister, they’d end up splitting the family assets.”

……

Xu Chen stared at the suddenly mysterious Fang Jun:

“Fang, where did that come from?”

Fang Jun paused, then explained:

“President Xu was supposed to leave tomorrow, but he changed his flight to the day after and even switched hotels for tomorrow night. He’s not staying with us anymore.

Yue Jie told me secretly.

“She said his schedule is all hush-hush—no one knows what he’s up to.”

She glanced at Xu Chen:

“Did you know about your dad rescheduling his flight?”

Xu Chen thought for a moment: “I had no idea. I thought he was leaving tomorrow.”

Fang Jun: “So, sneaking off to see a first love or old flame is one explanation.

And since he didn’t even tell you, that makes it twice as likely.”

Xu Chen pondered it:

“Hold on, if Dad didn’t tell anyone…

Then why did Yue Jie sneak and tell you?”

Fang Jun still looked expressionless: “Because Yue Jie and I are keeping an eye on things for you behind the scenes.”

Xu Chen: “??”

Fang Jun: “Yue Jie and I talked it over. You and President Xu are both capable, so the company should grow fine.

The biggest risk down the line is issues between you two.

But luckily, you get along great…

So the only potential problem left is if your dad has another kid, a brother or sister, and that splits the assets, tearing the company apart.”

Xu Chen: “……”

Xie Bingran listened intently, blinking her big eyes with a serious expression.

Xu Chen looked exasperated:

“Fang, do you read those female romance novels or palace intrigue dramas? You’re usually so rational and detached.”

Fang Jun grew more serious:

“Yue Jie and I are thinking about the company’s future. We hope you’ll take this seriously.”

Xu Chen: “……”

Well, that suddenly made him a bit touched.

Xu Chen thought for a second:

“That doesn’t seem right. Mom passed away early, and I’ve never heard about Dad having any first loves.

A couple of years back, he had a fling with an aunt from the factory, but she was dishonest, so Dad got rid of her.”

The aunt he meant was, of course, Aunt Lan.

Fang Jun: “Did your dad get rid of her by sending her to Yangcheng?”

Xu Chen: “I don’t know if she came to Yangcheng, but Dad definitely cut ties with her…

He values character above all. If he doesn’t trust someone, he won’t keep them around.”

He thought again:

“Though…

Him staying an extra day and not telling even me is pretty odd.”

Fang Jun: “Or maybe your dad has some special hobbies?”

Xu Chen chuckled:

“Nah, he just likes his drinks.

Plus, he’s been in business for years, dealt with all kinds of clients—what hasn’t he seen?

I know my old man; he’s always kept things clean.”

Xie Bingran frowned, not quite following.

Xu Chen: “Where’s the new hotel he booked?”

Fang Jun: “So you’re starting to worry now?”

Xu Chen: “I’m worried about his safety.”

He paused, then continued:

“Compared to some vague risk like fighting over inheritance, if something happens to Old Xu, that could really hit the company hard.

Yangcheng’s not the safest—got street racers, shady types. That’s why I had Li Rui tag along to watch his back…

Let’s keep Li Rui with him, but don’t let on—just have him follow quietly to make sure nothing goes wrong.”

Fang Jun: “I’ll go talk to Yue Jie and Li Rui about it.”

Xu Chen smiled: “And don’t tip him off.”

Fang Jun: “I’ve got it covered.”

Xu Chen: “You and Yue Jie must’ve run an underground railroad in a past life?”

……

……

Wu Feifei and Huang Qianqian stood off to the side, looking curious.

Maybe because Xu Chen, Xie Bingran, and Fang Jun had just come out, the two pretended they hadn’t noticed and started chatting about the nearby flowers and plants.

Xu Chen: “Looks like there’s a Peach Blossom Ravine or something up ahead, part of the Pearl Tower sights. Let’s check it out!”

Huang Qianqian beamed with excitement: “Yeah, let’s go!”

“Good, good!”

……

White Cloud Mountain wasn’t tall, and climbing it slowly didn’t feel tiring at all.

The park’s temperature felt a bit cooler than in the city.

Huang Qianqian was the happiest, snapping photos of every sight and odd flower she saw.

Fang Jun couldn’t help but tease: “Xu Chen, your family has a seedling company—you should think about hiring her.”

Xu Chen: “……”

Wu Feifei carried a compact Fujifilm camera, taking shots of the White Cloud Mountain scenery and plenty of group photos too.

Huang Qianqian chattered away, posing for a few solo shots with Bing Ge.

After Wu Feifei finished, she handed the camera to Fang Jun:

“Take one of me and Bing Ge…”

So, this heiress from a big family, usually so casual and bold, suddenly looked shy and delicate standing next to Bing Ge.

……

Around four o’clock, Xu Chen headed back with Xie Bingran.

“You all can keep wandering if you want—I’m dropping Bing Ge off.”

Wu Feifei: “We’ll come too; we’re tired of walking.”

Getting out was much quicker.

At the exit, Xu Chen looked at Fang Jun:

“Fang, did you pick up two boxes of pastries at Yangcheng Restaurant earlier?”

Fang Jun: “Yeah, for souvenirs.”

Xu Chen put on a sweet smile: “Can I have them? I’ll get you new ones tomorrow!”

Fang Jun didn’t react or speak, just took off his backpack.

So, Fang Jun’s two boxes of red tea cakes ended up in Xu Chen’s hands.

“What are you using them for? Not for yourself, right?” Fang Jun asked.

Xu Chen: “For Bing Ge’s coach. I forgot to get something.”

Fang Jun: “So even you slip up sometimes. I thought you planned everything perfectly.”

……

……

Yangcheng Sports Stadium sat right across from White Cloud Mountain’s west gate.

The National Athletics Team’s celebration was set in the stadium’s activity center.

To make Xie Bingran more willing to meet the ‘bureau bigwigs’, Xu Chen walked her right to the center’s door.

They stopped at the entrance, and Xu Chen prepared to message Coach Cheng Hong.

Xie Bingran kept her head slightly down, blinking her big eyes as she stole a glance at Xu Chen, looking like she didn’t want to part.

With just a few days of vacation, Bing Ge really cherished every moment.

Especially since Xu Chen would be busy with projects the next couple of days—it made her feel a bit down.

Though she was the fierce Bing Ge, around Xu Chen, she was just a young girl at heart.

She was, after all, just a young girl.

……

Coach Cheng Hong stepped out with a smile.

“Coach Cheng!” Xu Chen greeted politely.

“I’ve brought Bing Ge back!”

Cheng Hong smiled:

“I’ll return her after we’re done—probably around seven. We still have dinner plans…”

Xie Bingran frowned, looking reluctant.

Xu Chen winked at Xie Bingran, signaling her to behave.

Bing Ge said nothing and stepped forward, standing next to Cheng Hong.

Xu Chen pulled out the two boxes of pastries:

“Some local red tea cakes—I grabbed a couple for you and Coach Sun!”

Cheng Hong took them with a smile, looking pleased.

She thought this kid was pretty thoughtful…

Xu Chen: “Coach Cheng, about that celebration banquet in Tiancheng I mentioned this morning, you have to come!”

Cheng Hong: “Don’t worry, I have to now!

Your Bing Ge broke the National Games record—she’s become the team’s core asset. From now on, whenever she travels, I’ll be with her.”

Xu Chen: “That’s great. What about Coach Sun—does he have time?”

Coach Sun, of course, meant Xie Bingran’s main coach, Sun Mouping.

Cheng Hong: “Coach Sun’s schedule is up in the air, but I’ve already filed the report. It depends on his availability and the team’s plans.”

Xu Chen: “One more thing—I wanted to ask your advice on something from this morning.”

Cheng Hong waited for him to continue.

Xu Chen: “A local company in Tiancheng signed an endorsement deal with Xie Bingran before she joined the national team.

I know the national team and the bureau have strict controls on athletes’ commercial deals, so I wanted to check in advance…”

Xie Bingran’s endorsement had some potential risks, and Xu Chen knew it well.

After acquiring Bright Factory, he consulted their legal expert, Si Daqing, on the details.

Legally, the contract was solid—it was signed before she joined the team and was completely voluntary.

The contract itself held up.

The only risk was whether the team or the bureau might restrict her future competitions or other activities because of it…

After all, that deal meant certain departments or people couldn’t get a cut from Xie Bingran’s commercial value.

It could discount her future earning potential for some.

From Xu Chen’s past experiences, athletes’ commercial deals often involved tangled interests, and mishandling could create problems.

He’d been looking for the right time to discuss it with the national team.

But that ‘right time’ was tricky.

Discussing it too early might affect Xie Bingran’s access to training or competition resources.

In the domestic system, events at home or abroad were managed by authorities, and in extreme cases, they could even block an athlete’s participation.

Xu Chen wouldn’t let that happen to Xie Bingran…

Delaying the discussion too long might disrupt Chenfeng Electric Vehicles’ launch timeline.

Now that Xie Bingran had won the National Games gold and solidified her status as China’s top in the event—even Asia’s elite…

The timing was perfect.

In this situation, anyone trying to ‘control’ her future would have to think twice.

After all, the seventeen-year-old Xie Bingran was a prime prospect for national honors in short-track events, possibly even the Olympics.

That meant future glory for the country.

No one would dare put up barriers.

And that was Xu Chen’s strongest leverage.

……

……

Cheng Hong listened to Xu Chen and grew more serious.

“This is complicated…

As the team’s lead coach, I’m not in charge of the commercial side, but I know the mess behind it.”

Cheng Hong paused, then said:

“The national team invests a lot in each athlete, and they factor in commercial returns.

It’s not just about endorsement fees…

Athletes’ deals, especially for national team members, represent the country’s image to some extent.”

Xu Chen: “We get the complexity, so we’re checking in early.

To be upfront, Coach, this company is my father’s.

I’m bringing this up to sort things out and avoid future headaches.

Whatever the team or authorities need, our company will cooperate fully.”

Cheng Hong thought for a moment and replied:

“Got it. I’ll handle the internal discussions.

What product and category did you sign for?”

Xu Chen: “Electric bikes and sportswear.

I’ll send you the contract details later.”

Cheng Hong nodded and added:

“As Xie Bingran’s lead coach, I’ll protect her interests…

But in extreme cases, could you give up some commercial value?”

She hesitated:

“Let me be straight—they want to make money…

Though Xie Bingran’s popularity hasn’t peaked yet, it’s foreseeable.

Mainly, she’s beautiful and has a personality that draws fans in—she’s got strong commercial appeal.

The team might not see someone like that for years…”

Xu Chen considered it: “We have an ad agency that could line up other endorsements for her.”

Cheng Hong nodded:

“Alright, I understand.

I’ll start the talks. It might get messy, so wait for my update!”

Xu Chen smiled: “Thanks so much, Coach Cheng!”

Xie Bingran had been quietly listening.

Xu Chen glanced at her and saw her eyes ice-cold.

He smiled gently:

“Don’t worry about this—it’s business, and I’ll handle it.”

Cheng Hong: “Xu Chen’s right. Just listen to him and focus on training…”

She turned to Xu Chen:

“I’ll talk to Coach Sun first—his word carries weight!”

Xu Chen: “We’re so grateful, Coach Cheng!”