Gao Hongzhi had always prided himself on his keen eye.
Whether it was judging people or predicting trends, he rarely made a mistake.
Having spent years navigating the turbulent seas of the business world, he had seen too many blustering “smart” people and countless speculators who thought they were steering the ship while merely being swept along by the tide.
Therefore, when he truly showed admiration, it was never a passing whim.
The gaze he directed at Baek Jeong-hun was one of unmasked approval.
It gave him a surge of heroic spirit, as if they were legends of old discussing the world over green plum wine.
As they sat across from each other with raised glasses, it felt as though the only true heroes under heaven were Jeong-hun and Hongzhi.
“Old Bai, we really are too much alike.”
Gao Hongzhi raised his wine glass, his smile bright and open.
“Meeting someone like you is truly the luckiest thing that has happened to me this year.”
Inside the first-class cabin of the flight from Yanjing to Donghai, the lights were soft while clouds surged outside the window.
The two sat side by side, looking like old friends who had known each other for years.
“Cheers.”
Their glasses clinked softly.
The conversation unfolded naturally.
They discussed how the Asian semiconductor industry chain would be restructured under the technical blockades of the Western superpowers.
They talked about the evolution of the new energy vehicle market over the next ten years.
They spoke of the rhythm and windows of opportunity for the supply chain to return home after the capital winter.
“If we voluntarily compress profits in exchange for supply chain stability, do you think it’s worth it?”
Gao Hongzhi asked.
“It is,” Baek Jeong-hun answered without hesitation.
“Short-term pain is inevitable, but if we don’t adjust the structure now, it will hurt even more three years from now.”
“You’re giving me a lesson.”
“It’s just a different perspective.”
Gao Hongzhi nodded seriously.
“Many of your views have truly benefited me. This kind of frankness is rare.”
Later, the topic shifted from industry to machinery.
“A car’s engine is a man’s second heart,” Gao Hongzhi said suddenly, his tone carrying the obsession of a young boy.
“The straight-six.”
“Smooth as silk. The mechanical structure itself is elegant,” Baek Jeong-hun responded unhurriedly.
“A V8 might be aggressive, but the temperament of a straight-six is more sophisticated.”
“But the sound of a naturally aspirated V8 at high RPMs… I can never get tired of listening to it. New energy vehicles will never be able to imitate that; it is the breath of combustion.”
Gao Hongzhi laughed heartily.
“Well said!”
Ya Xinyao sat to the side, quietly watching her husband’s high spirits.
She felt that if they were left to their own devices, they could talk for a day and a night without a single dull moment.
A man’s romance often involved steel and roaring engines; she didn’t necessarily understand it, but seeing her husband laugh so much was enough for her.
Gradually, the topic finally turned toward family.
“Speaking of which, Old Bai, your daughter is currently living at Tomson Riviera as well, right?”
“Yes.”
“Have you decided on a school yet?”
“Not yet. Do you have any suggestions, Mr. Gao?”
“Don’t call me Mr. Gao.”
Gao Hongzhi waved his hand.
“Call me Old Gao or Hongzhi. Let’s talk about your daughter’s future plans.”
“Old Gao, my daughter plans to study abroad. If possible, I’d like her to attend an Ivy League school. However, I’ve just arrived in Donghai and I’m not familiar with the area yet. I’m still researching schools.”
“Then, Brother Bai, you must listen to me,” Gao Hongzhi said with certainty.
“Go to St. George’s International School.”
“My daughter studies there, and in a few days, my son will be enrolling as well.”
“The teaching staff at St. George’s is excellent. They use a dual-track system for IB and A-Levels. Their graduates move on to the G5 universities in the UK, the Ivy League, the Imperial Universities in Sakura Country, and top-tier European institutions.”
“I know the principal. He’s an old-fashioned, elegant English gentleman; he definitely won’t make things difficult for you.”
He paused, his tone becoming even more sincere.
“For your daughter’s sake, I truly recommend St. George’s.”
“Besides, I have a chauffeur. Every morning, he can pick up your daughter on the way and take her to school with my two children. What do you think?”
Baek Jeong-hun did not agree immediately.
“Would that be too much trouble for you?”
Gao Hongzhi laughed boisterously.
“Old Bai, I only regret meeting you so late in life. There aren’t many people in this world who can discuss Nietzsche and Schopenhauer with me. You don’t need to feel like you owe me anything; this is just what friends do.”
His gaze was sincere.
“And you said yourself that your daughter, Bai Xialin, is very talented. It would be a good thing if my daughter and son could become friends with a girl like her. Between friends, we don’t talk about trouble. I’ve always believed that friendship isn’t determined by how long you’ve known each other, but by the quality of the bond.”
“I treasure our friendship. Therefore, I hope our next generation can make this friendship last forever.”
“Cheers, Mr. Gao… no, Old Gao. Cheers!”
Their glasses clinked again.
Outside the window, the clouds rolled by.
Donghai was already waiting at the end of their flight path.
…
Baek Jeong-hun looked at Gao Hongzhi.
When this man spoke, his eyes were honest and his laughter was hearty.
Even when mentioning his daughter and son, his tone carried unmistakable pride and tenderness.
As Gao Hongzhi turned his face to look at the clouds outside the window, Baek Jeong-hun’s gaze did not shift.
His expression was vaguely dark and complicated.
‘If only I could truly become friends with this man under a pure identity,’ he thought.
Unfortunately, from the very beginning, all of this was just an act.
The seemingly hearty conversation in the first-class cabin, the moments of unspoken resonance, and the familiar names like “Old Bai” and “Old Gao” were nothing more than scenes that had to be completed according to a script.
A friendship between the next generation?
Gao Hongzhi spoke of it so naturally.
He acted as if three young people would stand side by side in the same school, forging a pure and bright bond harder and more brilliant than a diamond.
But Baek Jeong-hun knew better than anyone.
That wasn’t a friendship; it was a shura field that would arrive sooner or later.
It was a chaotic battle centered around a youth from Linchuan County.
Bai Xialin would not stand by as a spectator, nor would she give Gu Yebai and Gao Hongyi her blessings.
On the contrary, she would interfere and snatch him away.
Or, to use a more appropriate Japanese term, it was more like “Netori.”
The boy’s first night was already part of Bai Xialin’s plan and could not be changed.
Furthermore, back in Linchuan, when the Mistress used the identity of “Ai Lian,” she had already grown fond of Gu Yebai.
Even if she didn’t admit it, it couldn’t be hidden from the judgment of an artificial intelligence android.
Gao Hongzhi admired Baek Jeong-hun so much, yet Baek Jeong-hun would indirectly become an accomplice in destroying the relationship between Gao Hongyi and Gu Yebai.
That deep sense of guilt stimulated the life that was supported by electric currents instead of blood.
The plane arrived at its destination.
Baek Jeong-hun and the Gaos disembarked together.
They collected their luggage at the claim area and walked toward the terminal exit.
“Dad!”
Suddenly, the sound of familiar Korean caught Baek Jeong-hun’s attention.
A vibrant, beautiful young girl in sportswear was waving at him.
Bai Xialin ran toward him quickly.
It was a scene straight out of a youth idol drama.
Standing beside Baek Jeong-hun, Gao Hongzhi couldn’t help but sigh in admiration.
“What a beautiful girl.”