Chapter 158: Is This the Peak of My Life?

Song Jinxuan had already spotted Xu Yunzhou and Xu Nuo standing beside him.

She quickened her pace, her face breaking into a perfectly warm and respectful smile as she extended both hands toward Xu Nuo:

"Lord Nuo!"

Her voice was a pitch higher than usual, brimming with surprise and honor:

"What a great honor to have you grace us with your presence!"

"I had no idea you would be joining us tonight! If Jiaru had known you were coming earlier, she would have been even happier!"

As she spoke, she clasped Xu Nuo’s extended hand in both of hers, her enthusiasm a complete contrast to the usual ice-cold, eyes-on-her-forehead demeanor of this female demon.

"You should have given me a heads-up! I would have arranged a private car to pick you up! This is far too neglectful of me!"

Xu Nuo wore a faint smile, allowing her hands to be held, her voice calm:

"Chairman Song, you flatter me. You're too kind."

She glanced at Xu Yunzhou beside her, her tone natural:

"I came as a companion for... Mister Xu. And also to attend Teacher Song's concert. I hope I'm not intruding."

Song Jiaru quickly waved her hands, her smile bright and innocent:

"Not at all! Not at all! Having Lord Nuo here is our honor! We couldn't ask for more!"

It was only then that Song Jinxuan registered the intimacy between Xu Nuo and Xu Yunzhou, and a chill ran down her spine.

Wait...

This Xu Yunzhou...

Who the hell is he, really?

Isn't he just an ordinary programmer at an obscure investment subsidiary under my company?

Wasn't he just a few days ago worrying about his mortgage, getting cuckolded by his ex-girlfriend, and drowning his sorrows at a club?

And now, in the blink of an eye...

My cousin Lin Ruoxuan, a titan in the business world, is orbiting around him!

Let alone Song Jiaru—she's practically affectionate with him right in front of me, and doesn't even mind bringing him into a hotel!

Shen Mingyue, the top-tier young flower, publicly claimed she "longs for him but cannot have him," lowering herself to the dust!

The Xu family in Shanghai, with their deep background, treat him with utmost respect, calling him "Mister" repeatedly!

Even Academician Qin Shuyi, a Nobel laureate, was so moved upon seeing him that tears streamed down her face, exclaiming that the "god" had returned!

And now...

Even Lord Nuo, the helmswoman of a century-old overseas syndicate, has such a close relationship with him—even deferring to him as if he's the leading figure?

Has the world gone completely mad?

Or have I unknowingly... transmigrated into some twisted parallel universe?

Then, an even more absurd thought uncontrollably crept into her mind, one that almost made her laugh:

Could it be that the time I drunkenly forced a kiss on him a few days ago... will become the greatest, most boast-worthy achievement of my entire life—the highlight I'll brag about at every industry dinner party from now on?

Xu Yunzhou, standing nearby, was equally confused, his face full of bewilderment.

What's going on?

It was one thing for Wen Xi to know Xu Nuo, but how did Song Jiaru and Song Jinxuan... also know Xu Nuo?

And judging by Song Jinxuan's attitude—a mix of reverence and fawning enthusiasm—this was no ordinary acquaintance!

He couldn't help but wonder, leaning in to whisper to the beaming Song Jiaru beside him:

"How... do you know her?"

Song Jiaru turned, blinking her large, delicately made-up eyes:

"Oh, it was a few years ago when we went to the United States for our concert tour, during the Los Angeles stop."

She wrinkled her nose slightly, as if recalling something unpleasant:

"We were targeted by a local entertainment agency that supposedly had strong mafia connections. They tried to extort a sky-high protection fee from us, even wanted a cut of our box office and sponsorship revenue.

Their attitude was incredibly arrogant, and during negotiations, they brought a bunch of tattooed thugs to intimidate us."

Her tone lightened as she continued, her gaze at Xu Nuo filled with gratitude and admiration:

"We were abroad, unfamiliar with the place. Reporting to the police was slow, and the local network of the other side was deeply entrenched. We were really racking our brains over it."

"Then, somehow, news got out. Within two days, the other party personally came with their people, carrying gifts, to apologize. They said it was all a misunderstanding, didn't ask for a single cent, and even guaranteed absolute safety for our remaining concerts."

"Later, we asked around through many connections, making seven or eight twists and turns, and finally learned a bit from some elderly local Chinese..."

Lowering her voice, she shared the secret with excitement:

"It was Lord Nuo who put out the word."

"I heard that the underworld over there—regardless of race or background—is especially afraid of... uh, I mean, especially respectful toward Lord Nuo. One word from Lord Nuo on the West Coast is more effective than an FBI warrant!"

"Mhm! Since then, Lord Nuo and I have slowly gotten to know each other. We occasionally exchange emails, check in on each other.

When she's in East Asia or I'm in North America, we sometimes meet for tea and chat. Lord Nuo is incredibly knowledgeable—I always learn so much from every conversation!"

Song Jiaru paused, seeming to recall something. She looked from Xu Yunzhou to Xu Nuo, a knowing smile spreading across her face:

"Oh... I see now!"

She had always vaguely wondered back then: was Lord Nuo's intervention also at the behest of Big Brother, just like Granny Wu Xiuyun?

She had tried to probe indirectly, but at the time, Xu Nuo would always smile faintly and brush it off with excuses like "Teacher Song is a pride of us Sichuanese; how could I stand by and do nothing?" and refuse to say anything more, leaving her unable to confirm.

Now, seeing Xu Nuo and Xu Yunzhou standing side by side in that unspoken harmony...

The truth was crystal clear!

So she was also one of them!

Case closed!

Listening to Song Jiaru's vivid account, Xu Yunzhou was momentarily speechless.

His heart churned with a complex mix of emotions.

So...

During all those years when he was ignorant and naive, running around on a 996 schedule, tearing his hair out over mortgages, betrothal gifts, and project bugs...

Xu Nuo had silently grown to such a remarkable, even awe-inspiring, level.

Her influence had already crossed oceans, reaching into the world of the people around him, silently holding up an invisible umbrella for those he cared about in corners he never saw.

She hadn't become the paranoid, dangerous "troublemaker" he subconsciously feared—instead, she had been quietly protecting the people he cherished.

And he had actually had that absurd nightmare about her going on a killing spree at the concert...

He deserved a slap for that.

But seeing Song Jiaru's adorable expression—that "I've figured it all out, come praise my cleverness" look—Xu Yunzhou's mischievous side couldn't help but surface.

He rubbed his nose and cleared his throat:

"Ah... Teacher Song, let me tell you a secret."

He paused, successfully capturing all of Song Jiaru's attention. Her big eyes sparkled with curiosity:

"Actually, back in early 2015, you and Lord Nuo... had already met."

Song Jiaru: "Huh? Really?"

Her eyes were filled with bewilderment as she tried to recall.

Early 2015... at that time, "Big Brother" was still by her side, accompanying and guiding her in that special way.

How could she not remember meeting such a uniquely impressive "Lord Nuo" back then?

She naturally had no way of knowing that the shy, skinny girl in that matcha ice cream shop in Kyoto—who, upon seeing her approach, had lowered her head like a startled deer and almost fled in panic—was the same person as the composed, commanding Lord Nuo, the Lantern Bearer of the Incense Gang, standing before her now.

Xu Nuo, hearing this, curled the corner of her mouth almost imperceptibly, revealing a knowing yet helpless smile.

She picked up the thread, her tone calm, covering for Xu Yunzhou:

"Mister Xu is right."

She looked at Song Jiaru, her gaze gentle:

"When I was even younger, before I left the country, I had the privilege of hearing Teacher Song's songs from afar at a public event."

She paused, brushing it off lightly with a perfectly reasonable explanation:

"But at that time, the crowd was enormous, and I was quite inconspicuous. It's perfectly natural that Teacher Song doesn't remember."

As she spoke, the hand hanging at her side stealthily reached over to Xu Yunzhou's waist and gave it a subtle but firm pinch!

A warning.

Telling him to shut up and not bring up her embarrassing past.