NOVEL NEXT Chapter 18:
Chapter 18: Dai Shuangcheng’s Respect! A Scene of Shock!:
The sound of the alarm clock rang out.
Lin Xian raised his hand and slapped the bedside table.
Smack!
All went quiet. The familiar wooden texture under his palm reassured him.
“Phew… this is definitely my home.”
Yesterday morning’s wake-up in a hotel room had been an unsettling surprise.
Lin Xian picked up his phone and searched for Dream of the Red Chamber.
The letter he had sent to Cao Xueqin had explained the loss of the latter 40 chapters of the book. If the author had indeed received the letter and taken precautions, history should have changed.
Opening Baidu, he browsed through the entries.
“Huh? It still says the original 40 chapters were lost and replaced by Gao E’s continuation?”
“Cao Xueqin, what’s wrong with you? Didn’t you get my letter?”
Lin Xian searched through more results, but none of them showed any changes. Everything was exactly as it had been the day before.
“Could it be… this mailbox doesn’t work for sending letters to ancient times? Or maybe there’s a time limit?”
As he brushed his teeth, Lin Xian pondered over the situation. He concluded that it was premature to assume Cao Xueqin hadn’t received the letter.
There were two possibilities:
The missing 40 chapters weren’t accidentally lost but were deliberately destroyed. Even if Cao Xueqin had been cautious, external forces might have ensured their destruction—possibly due to sensitive content in those chapters.
Cao Xueqin did receive the letter and followed Lin Xian’s instructions, burying the final chapters under a ginkgo tree. However, they remained undiscovered to this day.
“The second possibility seems more likely.”
Cao Xueqin’s former residence was in Beijing, while Lin Xian was in Donghai. He decided to investigate after a couple of days and request leave for the trip.
His phone chimed with a notification.
It was a WeChat message from Dai Chuchan:
“Good morning, Lin Xian senior!”
“Don’t be late for today’s award ceremony! I’ll be watching it live!”
Lin Xian casually replied with an emoji.
Dai Chuchan’s mention of “watching live” likely referred to the televised broadcast. The relevant authorities had already informed Lin Xian that today’s commendation and recognition event would begin at 10 a.m., with simultaneous coverage on television, the internet, and short video platforms.
After getting ready, Lin Xian put on a formal suit—one he hadn’t worn since his college hosting days, a gift from his father.
“Oh, right, the speech draft…”
Given the high profile of the event and the presence of numerous VIPs, forgetting his speech would not just embarrass himself but also tarnish the image of Donghai’s people.
When he stepped downstairs, he was surprised to find a car waiting for him.
It was a Volkswagen Passat with the license plate Dong A00006.
Just a glance at the car model and number was enough for anyone to understand its significance.
“Mr. Lin Xian, we’ve been waiting for you!”
A young man stepped forward to greet him with a handshake.
“I’m Secretary Song, here on behalf of Elder Song. He asked me to pick you up personally to avoid traffic delays.”
Elder Song?
Lin Xian’s eyebrows rose.
It seemed this ceremony was of even greater importance than he had imagined.
The secretary opened the car door, and Lin Xian sat in the back. Despite its Passat exterior, the car’s interior—leather seats and luxurious decor—was comparable to a high-end Mercedes-Benz S-Class.
The journey was smooth.
At every checkpoint, traffic officers, upon seeing the license plate, saluted and directed the way.
In no time, the car reached the back entrance of the Cultural Exhibition Center.
The secretary got out first, opened the door for Lin Xian, and apologized with a polite smile:
“Mr. Lin, I hope you understand. The front entrance is packed with reporters and flower-bearing crowds, so we’re entering through the back.”
He led Lin Xian through the rear entrance and into the grand conference hall.
Inside, the seats were nearly full except for the reserved first-row seats. Representatives from various industries, students, and media were already in place.
The media representatives here were clearly professionals. Unlike typical reporters, they maintained decorum and did not swarm Lin Xian. Still, dozens of cameras turned toward him the moment he walked in.
Suddenly, the main door of the hall opened.
A group of dignitaries entered, exuding authority and confidence, each impeccably dressed in suits.
The first-row seats, marked with nameplates, were reserved for them.
As they passed Lin Xian, most of them smiled and nodded in approval.
But among the leaders, one man stepped forward briskly. With a solemn expression, he bowed deeply and clasped Lin Xian’s hand with both of his. His voice, though low, was filled with gratitude:
“Mr. Lin Xian, I can never thank you enough for saving my daughter. Words cannot express my gratitude.”
It was Dai Shuangcheng.
Though his voice was soft, his respectful demeanor was visible to all.
The entire hall froze in shock.
This was Dai Shuangcheng, the president of Donghai’s Chamber of Commerce, a national representative, and the undisputed kingpin of Donghai’s underground world!
Why was he treating a 20-something-year-old with such deference?
Cameras captured every moment, ensuring this scene would make the headlines tomorrow.
The audience collectively held their breath, too stunned to comment.
Meanwhile, at the journalists’ section, reporters whispered in a frenzy:
“What’s going on? Why does President Dai seem so familiar with Lin Xian?”
“This is huge news! Could Lin Xian have an even greater background than the Dai family?”
“Hurry, dig deeper into this. Dai Shuangcheng has never shown such humility before!”
“Who exactly is Lin Xian? Could he be a prince consort or something?”
“Actually… that might not be far-fetched. Dai Shuangcheng does have a stunningly beautiful daughter, but isn’t she still in college? Could this mean Dai Shuangcheng has already chosen her fiancé?”