At this moment, Jiang Tian, accompanied by Lin Monong, had arrived at a standalone office on the fifth floor of the Traditional Chinese Medicine College’s administrative building.
The office was huge, over a hundred square meters, luxuriously decorated, spotlessly clean, and fully equipped with all kinds of office facilities.
“Professor Lin, do you still remember Huang Linger?”
Jiang Tian sat down on the sofa and asked casually.
“Of course.”
Lin Monong’s expression flickered with a hint of surprise, looking a bit unnatural. She forced a smile and said, “She’s the daughter of Associate Professor Huang Zhihui. Back when she was studying at the Pharmaceutical University, I taught her several courses!”
“How is she doing now?” Jiang Tian asked.
“After that incident, she took a year off from school due to depression. Now she’s back studying again; she’s a senior!”
Lin Monong sighed.
“Here’s a small gift. Give it to her. Don’t mention it’s from me…”
Jiang Tian took out a protective jade amulet and said.
“It’s rare that you still have this kind of thoughtfulness…”
Lin Monong took it, hesitated for a moment, then probed, “Are you thinking of rekindling things with her?”
“How could that be.” Jiang Tian smiled faintly. “I’m already married!”
“Ah? You’re already married!”
Lin Monong felt a sudden pang of disappointment, then forced a smile and said, “Well, that’s… that’s good too. This way, it won’t hurt her.”
Jiang Tian’s course at the Pharmaceutical University was held once a week, open to all students, whether undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral.
Actually, Jiang Tian also wanted to use the teaching process to discover some talented individuals.
And so, Jiang Tian’s teaching position at the Pharmaceutical University was confirmed.
Jiang Tian also took all of Huang Zhihui’s papers and experimental data, starting to research how his academic achievements in the modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine could be integrated with his own knowledge of alchemy and medicine-making.
…
Leaving Jinling University.
Jiang Tian started driving a Passat he got from his mom, wandering around Jinling, looking for a suitable medicinal field for large-scale cultivation of spiritual herbs.
In reality, the Shennong Sect had a Spirit Gathering Array and could provide quite a few herbs, but for some core herbs, Jiang Tian still wanted to cultivate them himself.
As he searched, Jiang Tian made his way to Fulong Mountain, near Tangshan Hot Springs, about three kilometers west of Jinling. He felt a slight stir in his heart.
“Concealed wind, gathered water, warm like spring all year round, with earthly vein spiritual energy hidden beneath… this place has great potential!”
Standing atop Fulong Mountain, Jiang Tian squinted, carefully surveying the terrain’s rises and falls.
The spiritual energy here was so abundant it even surpassed that of the King No.1 Villa near Lion Peak and Embroidery Lake. The area covered by the earthly vein spiritual energy spanned several hundred acres, definitely suitable for setting up a grand array and a medicinal field.
Returning to the villa, Jiang Tian saw his mom and immediately said, “Mom, can we buy that plot of land on Fuhu Mountain?”
After returning to Jinling, Jiang Tian stayed at his mom’s villa. Ye Ziwei also lived there for work convenience.
“Why buy that? Our family isn’t in real estate!”
Zhang Wanqing asked, puzzled.
“I want to turn it into a medicinal field,” Jiang Tian said. “As a base for our Pharmaceutical King Group.”
“That piece of land is a real hot potato!” Zhang Wanqing smiled wryly. “Do you know that Nie Changhai, the big tycoon in Jinling, also has his eye on that land?”
Tangshan Hot Springs is, after all, one of the four major hot spring sanatoriums in China. Since the Southern Dynasties, successive generations of high-ranking officials and nobles have loved building villas there for sightseeing and bathing.
Legend has it that during the Liang Dynasty of the Southern and Northern Dynasties, an empress dowager cured her skin disease using the hot spring water, leading the emperor to declare it a sacred spring.
In modern times, Chiang Kai-shek cherished this place, building the “Taolu” villa, a private hot spring villa for him and Madame Soong Mei-ling.
Even now, countless people are eyeing this land. Whether for building luxury villas or commercial complexes, it would surely be immensely profitable.
“It seems I really am fated with the Nie family…”
Jiang Tian’s eyes narrowed slightly, a flicker of killing intent in them.
Besides the Chen and Sun families, the two culprits who attacked the Jiang family back then, the Nie family was the third.
In his past life, Nie Mingyuan, Nie Changhai’s son, had gone to great lengths to get close to Ye Ziwei and pry out business secrets, which became the most vicious weapons used against the Jiang family.
The Nie family could be considered the most deeply hidden enemy. For a long time, Nie Mingyuan had appeared merely as Ye Ziwei’s suitor.
Who would have thought that from the very beginning, he harbored the ambition to swallow up the Pharmaceutical King Group?
Combined with the information Jiang Tian had gathered in this life, he finally understood.
It turned out that Nie Feng, who had assaulted Huang Linger, was the younger brother of Nie Changhai’s youngest son, Nie Mingyuan.
Truly, enemies are bound to meet…
“Yes, Nie Changhai is very powerful. He ranks in the top five in Jinling and overshadows the Wang Chao Real Estate Sun family and the Bai Cao Tang Chen family!”
Zhang Wanqing said gently, “Moreover, he has good relationships with the Chen and Sun families. The three have formed a business alliance. He and Sun Lingyun, the head of the Sun family, are even brothers-in-law!”
“The Sun family controls Qingyun Society, one of Jinling’s top organizations, but in the final analysis, they just work for Nie Changhai!”
“Half of Jinling’s real estate projects are invested in by Nie Changhai’s Changhai Properties. The Sun family’s Wang Chao Real Estate is just responsible for construction and contracting.”
The Jinling municipal government had auctioned this land through a public bidding process. Countless wealthy individuals and capital groups had their eyes on it, with bids once reaching a sky-high price of one hundred thousand per square meter.
However, Nie Changhai was unwilling to pay a high price in the bidding and instead suppressed all the wealthy contenders, to the point where now no one dared to bid.
The Jinling municipal government, unwilling to sell it cheaply to Nie Changhai, left the land in limbo, at an impasse.
After explaining all this, Zhang Wanqing said, “I know you have the support of many wealthy and powerful people now and aren’t short on money, but the Jiang family has just stabilized. It’s better not to be so aggressive in expanding just yet. We need to avoid a counterattack. Nie Changhai is difficult to deal with, and so are his two sons. Nie Mingyuan is cunning and strategic, while Nie Feng is the Vice President of Qingyun Society, ruthless and willing to use any means to destroy his opponents…”
“Mom, if we want to revive the Pharmaceutical King Group as quickly as possible, we have to secure this land,” Jiang Tian said.
How could Jiang Tian consider someone like Nie Changhai a threat? He scoffed, “If two billion isn’t enough, I’ll transfer more funds from Lingnan! Just buy it. Nie Changhai might be someone in the eyes of ordinary people, but in my view, he’s nothing but an ant.”
Jiang Tian’s simple words ignited a fire in Zhang Wanqing’s heart.
Her phoenix eyes flashed with determination, and she broke into a smile. “Alright, Xiaotian, we’ll do as you say! Now that you have support from central leadership, why fear a mere Nie Changhai? If he dares to act rashly, he’s asking for death!”
“But Mom, you’re right. Nie Mingyuan is cunning and treacherous. I should still find time to warn Sister Ziwei, to prevent her from falling into an inescapable trap.”
Jiang Tian sighed with a long, thoughtful gaze.
…
The next few days passed quietly for Jiang Tian.
He had obtained the survey data for Fulong Mountain and was contemplating the plan for setting up the array.
Sometimes he would meet with Huang Zhihui, and they would talk late into the night. Jiang Tian laid out his design concepts for the alchemy furnace, asking Huang Zhihui to use modern materials to create a “reactor.”
Meanwhile, undercurrents were stirring at Jinling Pharmaceutical University, all because Jiang Tian’s first public class was about to begin.
With Luo Wen stirring the pot, news about the counterfeit professor Jiang Tian was spreading throughout the entire university.
Many students who had chosen this course, after finding out about Jiang Tian’s background, were complaining bitterly and regretting their decision.
But the strongest reactions came from professors, teachers, and scholars. Each of them was secretly harboring resentment, determined to embarrass Jiang Tian.
“Jiabi, I didn’t even sign up for this course. Why are you insisting I come listen?”
Huang Linger, dressed in a short red windbreaker, asked dejectedly along the tree-lined path beside the lecture hall.
Though she was only nineteen, Huang Linger already appeared mature, possessing a captivating charm.
She was tall and slender, a tight sweater outlining her delicate curves. Her cute, playful bun made her neck look exceptionally long and fair.
Without makeup, her fair, delicate face looked even more pure and translucent. Her features were lively, her aura so innocent she seemed almost ethereal.
A hint of perennial melancholy lingered between her brows, reminiscent of Lin Daiyu from the Grand View Garden—timid, fragile, and endearing, unforgettable and pitiable at first glance.
“I heard this professor is very young and quite famous, so I brought you to check it out!”
Ding Jiabi was twenty-six years old and had been working for three years. She dressed more maturely, with delicate makeup, exuding an enchanting charm.
As the two women walked together, they were the most stunning sight on campus, attracting the attention of countless male students. Many boys were so busy turning to stare at them that they walked straight into trees.
“You’re lying to me. This is clearly his class!” A flutter of unease stirred in Huang Linger’s heart.
As much as she hated, so much had she loved.
Huang Linger didn’t understand why Jiang Tian had suddenly reappeared and contacted her father.
Did he still want to continue keeping her as a mistress?
Perhaps her initial motives for being with Jiang Tian hadn’t been entirely pure, but it had still been her first real relationship.
That Christmas Eve night… at the time, it had seemed so wonderful, but in hindsight, it had been so cruel…
Soon, they reached the large lecture hall. Several boys in the front row immediately brightened up and offered their seats. Girls like them were always treated with a certain indulgence and kindness in daily life.
After sitting down, Huang Linger glanced to the back and asked in surprise, “Why are there so many people? Even Professor Lin Fengmian and Professor Li Linxuan, the academic heavyweights, are here!”
The lecture hall, which could seat five hundred, was filled with students, including quite a few graduate and doctoral students.
Even in the back rows sat some renowned senior professors and college administrators.
“Hmph…” Ding Jiabi sneered inwardly. “Weren’t you always thinking about him? This time, I’ll show you exactly what kind of worthless garbage he really is.”
A charming smile appeared on her face as she said, “Maybe he’s really skilled. Everyone wants to learn from him.”
“Sigh, he’s going to be in trouble. It would have been fine if he just invested in the lab, but why become a visiting professor? The students and teachers here are not easy to deal with!”
A flicker of worry crossed Huang Linger’s mind.
