Chapter 280 - 228: You Were Once a Youth

Chapter 280: Chapter 228: You Were Once a Youth

As a stream of Sound Wave’s top singers took the stage to perform, the atmosphere grew increasingly electric. The crowd’s surging passion was like a volcano on the verge of eruption, slowly building its power as it waited for the stroke of midnight.

Gu Heng walked toward the S1 booth, carrying Xu Mo in one arm. Weighing less than a hundred pounds, she was no burden at all for Gu Heng, who had always kept up with his strength training.

With the crowd parting for him, Gu Heng had an unobstructed path to the central area.

But just as Gu Heng was passing the S2 booth, he seemed to sense something and turned his head toward its center. His gaze instantly met Lu Ziang’s.

’Hm?’

’Who is this guy?’

’Why is he looking at me with such bitter hatred?’

’Did I sleep with his wife or something?’

’I don’t even know him!’

Gu Heng’s eyebrow twitched as he wondered to himself.

Not until his gaze shifted and he saw Xia Siyao beside Lu Ziang did his expression show a hint of surprise, and he stopped in his tracks.

"Chairman Gu, what a coincidence."

Seeing him stop, Xia Siyao immediately stood up from the sofa.

"You’re here, too."

She was his legal assistant, after all, and they interacted frequently, so it was only natural to exchange a few words upon meeting.

"Yes."

"I came with some friends to enjoy the atmosphere."

Xia Siyao held her wine glass, her expression full of respect.

This scene secretly shocked the others at the S2 booth. Some even instinctively gripped their glasses, half-rising from their seats.

They knew exactly who Xia Siyao was. As the "eldest princess" of Jun Cheng Law Firm, her status was top-tier in all of Ji Province.

In all the years they had known her, they had never seen Xia Siyao treat a peer with such deference.

"How do you think Sound Wave’s atmosphere tonight compares to before?"

Gu Heng glanced again at Lu Ziang, who was sitting beside Xia Siyao. The man had already retracted his hostile gaze and was now looking down, making small talk with the person next to him.

"It’s excellent!"

"There’s no comparison between before and now!"

"Both the atmosphere and the entertainment value are much stronger than before!"

Others might not know Gu Heng’s identity, but of course, Xia Siyao did.

She had been the one to accompany Gu Heng to Xingchuan International Group the day he assumed his new post. She was also privy to the inside information about the group’s plans for business restructuring, so she knew exactly why he was asking.

"Mm..."

Gu Heng nodded slightly. "Well, you all carry on. I’ll be right over there. You can come over for a drink later."

With that, Gu Heng continued on his way. Xia Siyao watched until he and his group were seated at the S1 booth before she sat back down.

...

After arriving at the S1 booth, Gu Heng sat in the center with Xu Mo in his lap.

As the best seat in the house, it was in a direct line with the T-shaped stage. When a singer stood at the front of the stage, watching from this spot felt as if they were performing a private concert just for you.

"Honey..."

"How much did you drink just now?"

Xu Mo sniffed lightly, asking as she nestled in Gu Heng’s arms.

"One glass after another. I’ve lost count."

Gu Heng smiled. "Probably about a pint of baijiu."

"That much!"

Xu Mo’s eyes widened slightly, a look of concern filling them. "Don’t you feel awful? Why don’t you stop drinking for tonight? You could have a soft drink or some juice."

"I’m fine."

"It’s New Year’s Eve, I’m celebrating."

Gu Heng reached out and squeezed Xu Mo’s fair, delicate cheek. Then, with a smile playing on his lips, he brought his mouth close to her ear. "Don’t worry, I know my limits. It won’t get in the way of our important business when we get home."

"Then I’ll drink with you~"

Xu Mo knew exactly what "important business" Gu Heng was talking about. A hint of shyness flickered in her eyes, and her flushed cheeks made her look exceptionally cute.

"You didn’t drink with your friends just now?"

Gu Heng asked with a smile.

"No."

"I’ve just been drinking juice."

"They wanted me to drink, but I told them I’d wait for you."

Xu Mo shook her head and answered honestly.

"Such a good girl~"

Gu Heng reached up and patted her head. "Have you ever had a drink before?"

"No."

Xu Mo blinked.

Hearing this, Gu Heng couldn’t help but chuckle. "If you’ve never had a drink, then just have some champagne later. We wouldn’t want you getting drunk and holding up our important business~"

"Okay!"

Her clear, bright eyes seemed to sparkle like stars.

Just as the two were whispering intimately to each other, Xu Mo’s friends—Hu Xiaoxuan, Deng Sixin, Luo Zixuan, and Shi Yiyang—also made their way over.

Looking at the burly men in black standing like statues around the booth, and the plainclothes security personnel scattered in every corner with their gazes constantly fixed on this spot, they all felt inexplicably intimidated.

Gu Heng’s attire tonight, in particular, was incredibly imposing.

He wore a navy-blue dress shirt with a tie and a suit vest. If an ordinary person wore such an outfit in a place like this, people might think they were just being pretentious.

But on Gu Heng, neither Hu Xiaoxuan and her friends nor the other regular customers in the club felt it was out of place. On the contrary, their subconscious told them this was exactly how he should be dressed.

Just by sitting there, he exuded an inexplicable aura of being in complete control.

The four of them had just sat down and hadn’t even said a word when they saw dozens of waiters approaching. Some held up glowing signs, while others held aloft expensive bottles of famous liquor worth over ten thousand yuan each. The entire procession looked like a shimmering yellow dragon, moving majestically toward Gu Heng’s booth.

As the yellow dragon surged forward, the singers on the T-shaped stage, who were supposed to perform in turns, all appeared at once.

All eight of them were top singers from Xingchuan International Group. Like Liu Yurou, each had an impressive background of their own. Usually, they were scattered across different venues; only a special occasion like tonight would bring them all together.

Rousing music began to play, and the stage lights flared to life.

...

Sometimes

You miss the days of the past

But when innocence left

You didn’t say a single word

You just waved your hand

Like tossing away scrap paper

Saying it’s a necessary part of life

...

The eight singers stood in a line, and Liu Yurou stepped forward to begin the song.

At the same time, on the massive, glasses-free 3D screen behind them—an extravagant investment—the song’s title slowly appeared: You Were Once a Youth.

Amidst the singing, bottle after bottle of imported liquor and champagne, each worth over ten thousand yuan, were neatly arranged on the table in front of Gu Heng, along with glowing platters of imported fruits and an assortment of Sound Wave’s specialty snacks.

Sitting in the booth, Hu Xiaoxuan and her three friends watched the scene unfold, completely overwhelmed. It felt as if their blood was pounding in their veins.

However, just when they thought the waiters would stop once the table was full, the long, yellow-dragon-like procession continued unabated, seemingly without end.

Once the table was full, they began stocking the rolling bar cart.

A single bottle of that liquor was likely worth more than an entire month’s salary for a family of three in Beichun.

Yet here, there were too many to count. A scene like this was shocking enough for Hu Xiaoxuan and the other three college freshmen, but even the wealthy young men in the other four booths in the central area felt their scalps tingle as they watched.

...

Many years ago

You had a pair of clear eyes

When you ran

You were like a bolt of spring lightning

Wanting to see the whole world

To go to the farthest of far-off places

...

As the chorus began, all eight singers on stage sang in unison.

They walked slowly from the main stage to the secondary one. Liu Yurou stood at the very front, with the other seven singers fanning out to her sides. They occasionally interacted with the surrounding customers, but for the most part, they were all facing Gu Heng.

Someone once said:

Music is the natural expression of the human soul!

At this very moment, in this very scene.

Already feeling the alcohol and with his emotions running high, Gu Heng listened to the singers perform You Were Once a Youth in unison, and his eyes inexplicably grew moist.

Three years ago, he had arrived in Beichun alone, like a stray dog caught in a downpour.

He, too, had once, as the lyrics sang, "sworn to become someone great." But life had worn down his sharp edges, gradually extinguishing all the light in his eyes.

Until—

Six months ago, on a night of torrential rain, he was given the chance to defy fate and change his life.

Countless heartaches, countless hardships, countless tears...

...had finally brought about his rebirth!

...

Many years ago

You were a simple youth

Believing love would be eternal

Believing in every stranger

Believing you would become the person you most wanted to be

...

With the end of the chorus, the instrumental bridge began.

Liu Yurou took a step forward, microphone in her right hand, her left hand raised high above her head.

At the same time, the seven singers behind her mirrored her pose, their bodies all turned toward Gu Heng.

"The entire staff of the Xingchuan International Group Artist Management Department, together with the entire staff of the Xingchuan International Group Sound Wave Brand Division, wish—"

At this, all the performers and staff members in the entire venue spoke in unison.

"Chairman Gu, may you achieve great things in the New Year and begin a new Chapter in the Year of the Dragon!"

"May everything exceed your expectations!"

"A future of limitless possibilities!"

"Peace and good health!"

"Blessings and warmth in every season!"

As their voices faded, Liu Yurou and the others on stage, who had been holding their left hands high, all brought them to their chests, placed their right hands behind their backs, and executed a perfect ninety-degree bow toward Gu Heng’s S1 booth.

It wasn’t just Liu Yurou and the singers. All the staff scattered throughout Sound Wave, no matter what they were doing, stopped their work and bowed in Gu Heng’s direction.

The sight left everyone in the venue utterly stunned.

In that moment, the concept of "power," which usually only existed on paper, became tangible before their very eyes.

In response, Gu Heng simply raised a hand toward someone behind him.

"Chairman Gu, your orders..."

The manager, Liang Chengyu, immediately stepped forward.

"Reward them!"