Bai Qingli's
There was only one person in this world I couldn't stand.
Long Cangyuan.
No, "couldn't stand" was putting it too lightly.
I wanted to beat him.
Not in a fistfight—although I wasn't completely against that idea—but in every ranking, every business deal, every auction, every project, and every headline that carried our names. If Long Group was first, then Bai Group had to become first. If he bought a company, I'd buy two. If he donated a billion, I'd donate one point five.
It wasn't about money.
It was about pride.
Unfortunately, fate seemed to enjoy watching me lose by the slimmest margin every single time.
I stared at the financial report in my hand, trying to convince myself that I wasn't annoyed.
I failed.
The page crumpled beneath my fingers.
Across the polished black desk sat my assistant, Lin Yan. He was pretending not to notice the increasingly dangerous smile on my face. A smart man. We'd worked together for nearly six years, and he knew that the wider I smiled, the worse my mood became.
"Say it," I said.
He hesitated.
"...President Bai."
"I won't fire you."
Another pause.
"...Long Group is ranked first again."
"I know."
"Their stock rose another eleven percent this morning."
"I know."
"They've secured the overseas energy project."
"I know."
"The business magazines are already calling President Long the most influential entrepreneur in Asia."
"..."
I slowly lowered the report onto my desk.
"Yan."
"Yes, President Bai?"
"Do I look like I enjoy hearing this?"
"...No."
"Then why do you keep talking?"
He immediately lowered his head.
"My apologies."
I sighed and leaned back against the leather chair.
Outside my office window, the city stretched toward the horizon. Glass skyscrapers reflected the morning sunlight, helicopters crossed the sky, and giant electronic billboards flashed advertisements every few seconds.
One of them displayed Bai Group's newest luxury jewelry campaign.
The next...
Long Group.
I narrowed my eyes.
Even the billboard companies were mocking me today.
"What is Long Group advertising this time?"
Lin Yan glanced at his tablet.
"Their new AI medical technology."
"..."
"And according to the reports, the project may save millions of lives."
I clicked my tongue.
"How irritating."
He blinked.
"...President Bai?"
"How am I supposed to criticize someone who's saving lives?"
Lin Yan wisely chose not to answer.
Silence settled over the office.
I tapped my fingers against the desk while staring at Long Cangyuan's face on the magazine cover lying beside the report.
Black hair.
Sharp features.
A perfectly tailored suit.
An expression so cold that I sometimes wondered if smiling was physically impossible for him.
I'd met him countless times over the years.
Corporate dinners.
International summits.
Charity galas.
Shareholder conferences.
Every encounter ended the same way.
He'd look at me with those unreadable golden eyes, nod once in greeting, and then proceed to ignore me as though I were another piece of furniture.
It was infuriating.
The worst part?
He never provoked me first.
I was always the one starting our arguments.
Because someone had to remind that arrogant dragon that the world didn't revolve around him.
"President Bai."
"Hm?"
"You have a board meeting in thirty minutes."
"I know."
"The directors are waiting."
"They can continue waiting."
"They've already been waiting for fifteen minutes."
"Then another fifteen won't kill them."
Lin Yan pressed his lips together.
Sometimes I wondered whether I was testing his patience or my own.
My phone buzzed on the desk.
A message appeared.
From: Grandpa
Don't embarrass the family today.
I snorted.
Too late.
Being second to Long Cangyuan every year was already embarrassing enough.
I typed a reply.
I'll embarrass someone else instead.
Three dots appeared almost immediately.
Then another message.
As long as it isn't the Dragon Clan.
My fingers froze over the screen.
The Dragon Clan.
Even after all these years, my grandfather still spoke those words with unmistakable caution.
Most people believed the Long family was simply another wealthy dynasty.
They were wrong.
Terribly wrong.
The Long family wasn't human.
Neither was mine.
Humans saw corporations.
Hidden beneath those corporations were ancient clans that had survived for thousands of years.
The Dragon Clan ruled strength.
The Phoenix Clan ruled rebirth.
The White Tiger Clan ruled war.
The Black Tortoise Clan ruled protection.
And my clan...
The Nine-Tailed Fox Clan.
Masters of illusion.
Masters of deception.
Masters of reading hearts that believed themselves impossible to understand.
It was an ability I'd possessed since childhood.
A smile could hide fear.
A handshake could conceal murderous intent.
A compliment could drip with jealousy.
Humans lied every day.
Their hearts never did.
Unfortunately...
Long Cangyuan was the only exception.
I had never been able to read him.
Not once.
Every time we met, his emotions felt like an endless abyss.
No fear.
No excitement.
No hatred.
No joy.
Nothing.
It was as though the Dragon Sovereign himself had buried every emotion beneath layers of ice.
Perhaps that was why I found him so irritating.
I couldn't predict him.
I couldn't outwit him.
And I certainly couldn't understand him.
A sharp knock interrupted my thoughts.
"Come in."
The office door opened, and another assistant hurried inside.
"President Bai."
"What happened?"
"The organizers of tonight's Global Business Charity Gala just called."
I raised an eyebrow.
"And?"
"They've confirmed the guest list."
"So?"
She swallowed.
"...President Long will be attending."
The room fell silent.
Lin Yan slowly looked at me.
The assistant looked at me.
I looked out the window.
Of course he'd be there.
Every year, the media turned our appearances into a battlefield.
Who arrived first.
Who donated more.
Who shook hands with foreign investors.
Who wore the better suit.
It was ridiculous.
And yet...
Every headline increased both our companies' market value.
I stood and adjusted the cuffs of my navy-blue suit.
A slow smile spread across my face.
"Yan."
"Yes?"
"Prepare my car."
"...You're leaving early?"
"No."
I picked up the invitation lying on my desk, my reflection briefly flashing across its golden surface.
"I'm going to remind Long Cangyuan that being ranked first doesn't make him untouchable."
Lin Yan's expression shifted into one I knew all too well.
Pity.
He pitied me.
"I know that look," I said as I buttoned my suit jacket.
He quickly lowered his head. "President Bai, I didn't—"
"You did."
"..."
"You think I'm going to embarrass myself."
"I would never."
"You absolutely would."
He sighed in defeat before following me out of the office.
The private elevator carried us down from the top floor in complete silence. The mirrored walls reflected my appearance from every angle, and I straightened the cuff of my navy-blue suit out of habit. Appearance mattered in the business world. One wrinkle could become tomorrow's gossip if the wrong reporter caught it.
Not that I cared.
Well...
Maybe I cared a little.
Tonight's Global Business Charity Gala wasn't just another social event. It was where the world's wealthiest entrepreneurs, politicians, celebrities, and investors gathered under one roof. Cameras would be everywhere.
And unfortunately...
So would Long Cangyuan.
The thought alone soured my mood.
The elevator doors slid open.
"President Bai."
Every employee in the lobby stopped what they were doing and bowed respectfully.
I smiled and waved at them.
"Work hard."
"Yes, President!"
Their voices echoed through the marble lobby as I stepped outside.
My car was already waiting.
The driver opened the door.
"The Imperial Hotel, President Bai?"
"Let's go."
...
Night had already settled over the city by the time we arrived.
The Imperial Hotel glittered beneath thousands of lights, its entrance lined with luxury cars worth more than most people would earn in several lifetimes. Reporters crowded behind security barriers, their cameras flashing endlessly as famous guests walked across the red carpet.
I hated red carpets.
Too many questions.
Too many fake smiles.
Too many people pretending to enjoy each other's company.
The moment I stepped out of the car, microphones were shoved toward me.
"President Bai! Over here!"
"President Bai, is it true Bai Group will be entering the European market?"
"President Bai! Are the rumors about your new luxury resort project true?"
"President Bai, have you prepared a larger donation than Long Group this year?"
I stopped walking.
The reporter who asked the last question immediately realized his mistake.
I smiled sweetly.
"Why?"
He swallowed.
"...Because Long Group has always—"
"Don't compare me to him."
My smile never faltered.
"I have no interest in competing with reptiles."
Several reporters gasped.
Others laughed nervously.
By tomorrow morning, every financial news outlet would have that quote plastered across their front pages.
Perfect.
I adjusted my tie and walked into the hotel before anyone could ask another question.
The ballroom was breathtaking.
Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling like frozen waterfalls. Classical music drifted softly through the hall while waiters moved between elegantly dressed guests carrying trays of champagne.
Humans saw wealth.
I saw something else entirely.
Golden spiritual energy surrounded a few guests.
Crimson flames flickered around another.
Silver-white auras shimmered near the far corner.
Members of the hidden clans.
They blended in so perfectly that an ordinary human would never notice them.
I picked up a glass of champagne from a passing waiter.
Then...
A scent drifted through the air.
Cold.
Ancient.
Like snow falling over a mountain that had existed before history itself.
I froze.
"...Dragon."
Only one dragon carried a scent like that.
Only one.
The conversations around me faded into the background as my eyes instinctively searched the ballroom.
Then I found him.
Standing near the grand staircase, surrounded by executives and politicians, was the last person I wanted to see.
Long Cangyuan.
He wore a perfectly tailored black suit that made him look even taller than I remembered. His posture was effortless, his expression unreadable.
People smiled as they spoke to him.
He simply nodded.
No unnecessary words.
No fake charm.
Just that infuriating calm that made everyone else seem insignificant.
As if sensing my gaze, he slowly turned his head.
Our eyes met across the ballroom.
Golden eyes.
The same eyes that had annoyed me for years.
I clicked my tongue.
"Still pretending to be an iceberg..."
Without realizing it, my feet had already started moving.
Guests stepped aside instinctively as I crossed the ballroom.
Some recognized the inevitable collision about to happen.
Others simply sensed the pressure filling the air.
By the time I stopped in front of him, the conversations around us had almost completely died.
Long Cangyuan looked down at me without a hint of surprise.
As though he'd expected this.
As though he always expected me.
I leaned forward just enough that only he could hear.
"...Dragons."
I wrinkled my nose dramatically.
"I hate your smell."
For the first time that evening, those golden eyes lingered on me for a heartbeat longer than usual.
Then he spoke.
"So do I."
...
I blinked.
Excuse me?
My eyebrow shot up.
"You hate your own smell?"
His expression remained perfectly blank.
"I hate foxes."
"..."
"...Especially noisy ones."
I scoffed.
"And here I thought dragons were born without a sense of humor."
"They are."
"So you're naturally this boring?"
"I've never had a reason to be otherwise."
"Tch."
There it was again.
That emotionless voice.
I honestly wanted to know if anything in this world could make Long Cangyuan lose his composure.
Just once.
Just a tiny crack in that perfectly carved mask.
Was that really too much to ask?
Around us, the guests awkwardly pretended not to listen while very obviously listening.
A few executives had quietly taken two steps backward.
Smart people.
Long Cangyuan's gaze shifted to the untouched champagne in my hand.
"You haven't taken a sip."
"I don't drink champagne."
"Then why take it?"
"To stop people from talking to me."
"..."
His eyes moved back to mine.
"It isn't working."
I smiled.
"It worked until you showed up."
For a fraction of a second...
I could have sworn the corner of his mouth moved.
Not quite a smile.
More like he was resisting the urge to sigh.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Before I could investigate further, the host's voice echoed through the ballroom.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Global Business Charity Gala..."
