After hearing the full story, Guo Yinlin furrowed his brow and pondered for a long time. He smoked two cigarettes before finally letting out a sigh. “First, apologize to Ye Ziwei and make it clear you won’t bother her again. Then, prepare some substantial gifts…”
“Yes, yes, yes! I’ll spend whatever it takes!” Yu Qiang wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and readily agreed.
“Master Jiang wouldn’t give those antique jades a second look!”
Tang Shaoze shook his head with absolute certainty. “I think your best bet is to get in touch with some of the major figures north of the river. Find out what Master Jiang actually needs. Cater to his preferences!”
“Of course, of course. As long as I can mend my relationship with Master Jiang, I’m willing to spend every last penny! You two have to help me!”
Yu Qiang looked like a drowning man clutching at a lifeline. His face was etched with desperation, and he hastily made his pledge.
…
“What? That brat Jiang Tian actually won a sports car from Young Master Yu?”
Inside the office of the Pharmaceutical King Group’s chairman, Jiang Qingfeng shot up from his leather chair in shock upon hearing the news.
“That’s right. An Aston Martin V8 Vantage, brand new. It’s a limited edition in China—that car was Yu Qiang’s pride and joy,” Jiang Chao said, shaking his head.
“Tch. He can’t accomplish anything, but he sure knows how to cause trouble!”
Jiang Qingfeng’s face twisted with rage. He slammed his palm against the desk repeatedly. “Isn’t offending one young master from Yanjing enough? Does he want to antagonize every influential figure in Nanjing? This is nothing short of dragging the Jiang family straight into the fire!”
He immediately instructed his secretary to contact Yu Qiang’s assistant and arrange an in-person apology—cleaning up the mess left behind by his useless cousin.
By the time Jiang Qingfeng and Jiang Chao arrived at the Six Dynasties Teahouse, Tang Shaoze, Guo Yinlin, and the others were already heading downstairs.
Jiang Qingfeng hurried over, bowing and scraping. “Young Master Yu, I am deeply sorry…”
He also repeatedly bowed toward Guo Yinlin, though he didn’t dare approach him directly. He simply didn’t have the standing to address Guo Yinlin face-to-face.
“President Jiang, it was a trivial matter. Don’t dwell on it…”
Yu Qiang forced a smile.
The title “President Jiang” instantly flattered Jiang Qingfeng. His face lit up with obsequious delight as he quickly responded,
“Regarding the jade gambling incident, I sincerely apologize. I’ll make sure he returns the car to you. He’s been banished from the family for over three years and hasn’t returned to Nanjing in a long time, so he may not have been aware of your status…”
“Not aware? Nonsense. He’s just been running wild without discipline since childhood, developing an arrogant personality with no sense of his place in the world!”
Jiang Chao curled his lip in contempt, as if by belittling Jiang Tian, his own standing within the Jiang family might somehow rise.
Watching this, Tang Shaoze and Guo Yinlin exchanged a meaningful glance. Yu Qiang, too, subtly furrowed his brow.
It seemed Master Jiang didn’t exactly enjoy a warm reception within his own family. And Jiang Qingfeng and Jiang Chao appeared to hold considerable prejudice against him.
Siblings vying for power, stepping on each other to climb higher—it was a scene men from prominent families like theirs had witnessed far too often.
“Let’s have dinner together this evening. Consider it my apology on behalf of my useless cousin.”
Jiang Qingfeng extended the invitation with exaggerated enthusiasm.
“Forget it. We still have matters to attend to. Some other time, perhaps.”
Yu Qiang’s expression turned frosty. Guo Yinlin and Tang Shaoze looked as if they were avoiding a plague. They promptly turned and left.
Originally, they had considered using this opportunity to build a connection with Jiang Qingfeng. Now, they were determined to keep as much distance as possible from these two oblivious fools—lest Master Jiang get the wrong idea.
“Young Master Yu, please don’t take this to heart! That guy is a complete idiot, always stirring up trouble!” Jiang Qingfeng chased after them, still apologizing.
Nearby, Gu Siyu let out a cold, silent sneer. Her gaze was steeped in contempt. “How ironic. A leaf before the eye, blind to Mount Tai. The true master stands right beside them, and they haven’t the faintest clue…”
…
Meanwhile, Jiang Tian drove the Aston Martin through the city streets in full display, turning more than a few heads. Beside him sat his stunning wife, Zhao Xueqing. Together, they made an eye-catching pair all the way home.
Getting out of the car, Jiang Tian said, “This one’s for you. I still have a Rolls-Royce Phantom back at my place.”
Ye Ziwei, however, remained uneasy. Frowning, she said, “Jiang Tian, you should return the car. I’m afraid Qingfeng and the others will make a huge fuss over this.”
“Let them fuss. If they don’t court disaster, they won’t meet it. But if they insist on seeking death, then they’ll find it.” Jiang Tian waved a dismissive hand.
“Sigh…”
Ye Ziwei understood the nature of her uncle’s family all too well, but Jiang Tian was adamant. All she could do was sigh in resignation.
Back home, Ye Ziwei noticed that Jiang Zhixing’s expression wasn’t great. Zhang Wanqing, however, seemed relatively composed.
“Mom, Dad, we’re back,” Jiang Tian greeted them casually, as if nothing was amiss.
“Did you find anything?” Jiang Zhixing asked, frowning.
“Not really. Everything there was far too inferior. But don’t worry, Mom and Dad. I’ve already prepared a gift. Grandpa will be more than satisfied.” Jiang Tian offered a faint smile.
“I heard you went jade gambling?” Jiang Zhixing’s tone grew heavy.
Ye Ziwei’s heart skipped a beat. Quickly, she forced a smile and tried to smooth things over. “Mom, Dad, please don’t blame Jiang Tian. He won the bet—he got himself an Emperor Green glass-grade jade!”
“Even if he’d won a billion, it wouldn’t change the fact that it’s not a good thing.”
Jiang Zhixing’s face was grim. He stared at Jiang Tian and shook his head with disappointment. “They say nine out of ten gambles end in loss. It’s been years, and you still can’t shake this reckless habit!”
“Dad, Jiang Tian never gambled when we were in Linzhou. Today, I was the one who wanted to try it out. He only went in because of me…” Qing’er also spoke up in Jiang Tian’s defense.
“Don’t make excuses for him!”
Jiang Zhixing slammed the table. “And I heard you bet with Yu Qiang and won a sports car!”
“Yes.”
“Do you have any idea his father is Secretary Yu of the Politics and Law Commission? How could we possibly afford to offend someone like that? Jiang Tian, you’ve disappointed me. You’re twenty-five years old. Can you not grasp the severity of your actions?” Jiang Zhixing’s face had gone pale with anger.
“Zhixing, how is this Jiang Tian’s fault? A bet’s a bet. What did our son do wrong?” Zhang Wanqing, who had always doted on Jiang Tian, immediately pushed back.
Seeing his parents on the verge of an argument, Jiang Tian raised his hands in surrender. “Alright, enough. I’ll return the car to them in a few days.”
Jiang Zhixing let out a few weary sighs. He seemed to want to say more but stopped himself. Finally, fuming, he retreated to his room.
“Xiao Tian, don’t take your father’s words to heart. He’s just stubborn. How could he possibly understand the aggressive, competitive nature of young people today?” Zhang Wanqing took Jiang Tian’s hand and spoke gently.
“I’m not upset…” Jiang Tian smiled.
His father simply didn’t know his true capabilities and was only worried he might suffer for it. After all, the deeper the love, the harsher the reproach.
They rested a while. Evening came.
Zhang Wanqing walked into Jiang Tian’s room and let out a sigh. “Your uncles want us to go to a restaurant to discuss your grandfather’s birthday celebration. They specifically asked for you to come.”
“Sure, let’s go.” Jiang Tian rose cheerfully.
“They’ll definitely bring up the jade gambling incident. When they do, just admit fault and keep a conciliatory tone.”
Zhang Wanqing gave him one last piece of advice before calling for Jiang Zhixing and Qing’er to head out.
Ye Ziwei had never been fond of spending time with the Jiang family. Claiming she had to work overtime, she went straight to the company instead.
The evening gathering took place at a private kitchen restaurant inside the Health Department’s residential compound. It was tucked away, quiet and secluded, nearly resembling an estate. Inside were artificial rockeries, unusual stones, waterside pavilions, and winding bridges.
Around a small square pond, landscape lights scattered colorful reflections across the water. Plump fish swam lazily below. A few withering lotus stems stood here and there.
They entered a large private room. Everyone was present except the old man himself.
There was the eldest uncle, Jiang Shouren, and his family; the second uncle, Jiang Yangming, and his family; the eldest aunt, Jiang Dingxiang, and her family; and the youngest aunt, Jiang Baizhi, and her family.
The old man had a peculiar habit of naming his daughters after traditional Chinese medicinal herbs—a clear sign of his deep affection for herbal medicine and traditional Chinese healing arts.
Jiang Changgeng had three sons and two daughters. Jiang Zhixing was the third child, with two older brothers and two younger sisters. Jiang Qingfeng was the son of the eldest uncle, Jiang Shouren.
Each family brought along their own offspring, filling the fifty or sixty-square-meter private room to the brim. It was, by any measure, a full gathering of the clan.
Jiang Tian surveyed them coolly, his expression detached.
A family like this—never mind comparing them to the Zhang family in Yanjing—couldn’t even measure up to families like the Tangs or Bais of Lingnan. No wonder his mother’s family had opposed her marriage to his father so vehemently.
As Jiang Tian studied the others, they looked back at him with complex expressions. Some held envy; others, barely concealed contempt.
In their eyes, Jiang Tian was an uneducated ne’er-do-well who had assaulted a young master from Yanjing and brought catastrophic trouble upon the family. He had no right to return.
Yet, to their disbelief, the old man had not only allowed him back but had even inquired about him repeatedly—an obvious display of favoritism.
“That kid dared to offend Yu Qiang and still has the nerve to show his face? Isn’t he afraid people will tear him apart?”
Jiang Qingfeng and Jiang Chao curled their lips in disdain, their contempt for Jiang Tian barely restrained.
“Zhixing, have a seat.”
Jiang Shouren, seated at the head of the table and nearing fifty, gestured with his hand.
As the saying goes, the eldest brother is like a father. With the old man absent, Jiang Shouren clearly held the reins.
Moreover, Jiang Shouren currently held the position of Deputy Inspector at the Health Department—a deputy departmental-level cadre, the highest official rank in the family. Since the old man’s retirement, it was Jiang Shouren who had shouldered the Jiang family’s standing in the official arena.
“Elder Brother, Sister-in-law, Second Brother, Second Sister-in-law…” Jiang Zhixing, accompanied by Zhang Wanqing, exchanged greetings with each family member in turn.
Zhao Xueqing followed suit, addressing them politely.
But Jiang Tian stood coldly to the side, hands at his back, unwilling to speak. Disdain and a simmering anger churned within him.
These elders, frankly, weren’t even worth comparing to his cousin Jiang Lin.
Back when the Jiang family was on the verge of collapse, most of the elders—including his uncles—had been focused on carving up the family assets and going their separate ways.
Only Jiang Lin and Ye Ziwei, an adopted daughter with no blood ties, had stood by his mother and fought until the very end.
Amid the crowd, many shot Jiang Tian looks of displeasure, offended by his lack of courtesy.
Jiang Lin sat silently in the corner. After having her position completely stripped away by Jiang Qingfeng, she didn’t dare speak a word to Jiang Tian.
“Cousin Jiang Tian, did you bring me a gift?”
Only Jiang Wan’er, the young daughter of his eldest aunt, piped up in her soft, childish voice.
She was just four or five years old and completely unaware of the animosity surrounding Jiang Tian. All she remembered was that this cousin had always been fond of her, pressing a few hundred yuan into her palm every Spring Festival as lucky money.
“Wan’er, come here. Sit next to your cousin.”
Jiang Tian sat down, scooped Wan’er up, and settled her beside him. Then he pressed a thick red envelope into her small hand.
Once Jiang Tian’s family was seated, Jiang Shouren smiled and said, “Now, Qingfeng is spearheading bold reforms at the Pharmaceutical King Group. Turning over a new leaf, bringing fresh energy and new achievements. Of course, none of this would be possible without everyone’s support…”
