Chapter 103: Wang Xunfei Is Coming

Zhang Yong felt a sense of unease, uncertain of his father’s intentions. He had originally opposed this family dinner, not wanting neighbors to witness the connection between their family and the Jiang Hongs.

He had carefully timed his previous visit to the Jiang residence to drop off health supplements for Jiang Xiwen, making sure to arrive before noon to avoid suspicion. He had heard rumors that Jiang Hong was set to become the mayor of Yangning County and that the Jiang and Zhang families were long-time acquaintances. He wanted to distance himself, even though he knew many others were already currying favor with Jiang’s family, hoping to gain an advantage through his father.

His own political philosophy was one of low profile. He aimed to appear on good terms with everyone while avoiding deep entanglements. Within the high-level inner circles of the municipal committee, he held a secret nickname: "Taiji Zhang." If Jiang Xiwen knew this, he would find it fitting; even when his own daughter was in danger, Zhang Yong remained as steady as a mountain. To put it kindly, he was devoted to the public over the private; to put it harshly, he was so obsessed with power that he neglected his own family.

Old Master Zhang Song, however, was unbothered. Having been retired for years, he believed that no matter how many gifts people sent to Jiang Hong, Jiang would never dare ask him for a favor. As for Jiang Hong himself, if he were foolish enough to accept them, it only proved he was a minor player skilled only in playing with a pen.

Jiang Xiwen did not care for Zhang Yong’s style, but he did not think it was wrong. Everyone had their own way of handling affairs, each with its own strengths and weaknesses—much like emotion and logic, different situations required different traits. Jiang Xiwen had always felt himself to be overly emotional, or perhaps lacking in emotional intelligence; otherwise, he wouldn't have risked conflict with Old Master Zhang to interfere in their family matters.

Meanwhile, in her room, Zhang Ya was secretly preparing a surprise for her mother. She and her grandfather were planning to present a gift to thank her mother for all she had done for the family over the years. This was a simple strategy they had devised, as they both knew that Qin Shu was not an unreasonable person.

As Qin Shu tidied the kitchen, Zhang Yong sat in the living room, making small talk with Jiang Xiwen. It was mostly more expressions of gratitude. When Jiang Xiwen first met Zhang Yong, he had preferred talking to him over Zhang Song, but now, their conversations had dwindled. He attributed this to a clash of personalities.

Suddenly, voices in the study grew louder. Zhang Yong grew anxious, though Jiang Xiwen remained relaxed, forcing Zhang Yong to hide his concern. After a moment, the voices escalated into a heated argument. Zhang Yong stood up to investigate, and Zhang Ya emerged from her room, asking nervously, "Dad, what’s happening with Grandfather and Uncle Jiang? Should we go in and check?"

Before she could finish, the study door opened. Old Master Zhang walked out, beaming, followed by Jiang Hong, who looked equally delighted. The others exchanged confused glances; the old man and Jiang Hong seemed to share some mysterious understanding. Zhang Yong knew his father’s temperament well—he loved to act unpredictably, which had earned him remarkable political achievements in the past. Zhang Yong couldn't guess what his father was plotting, but he was certain his father wouldn't jeopardize his own career, provided he maintained his image of integrity.

"Xiwen, it’s getting late. We should head back. Deputy Mayor Zhang, Secretary Zhang, Ya... and Director Qin..." Jiang Hong offered his customary polite farewells.

"Old Jiang, don’t be so formal. Qin is busy inside; let’s meet again soon. Xiwen, come visit whenever you’re free," Zhang Yong said with a smile.

After a brief exchange, Jiang Hong left with Jiang Xiwen. As they departed, Zhang Ya gave Jiang Xiwen a wink, and he understood perfectly—she was thanking him for the advice he had given her.

Back home, Jiang Xiwen didn't ask what had happened in the study. Knowing that his father would certainly secure the position of Mayor of Yangning was enough for him.

Time passed quickly. By the Lantern Festival, Jiang Xiwen had been practicing martial arts alone, while Wang Wu stayed with his old company commander, finally feeling the warmth of a family home. Ever since retiring from the military, Ning Yu had been working undercover, only able to look after Wang Wu from a distance.

On the morning of the sixteenth, Jiang Xiwen went to Wang Wu’s place as agreed. No sooner had he stepped onto the platform than he was ambushed. The mid-air kick was powerful, but Jiang Xiwen reacted quickly, rolling to dodge it, though his movement was somewhat clumsy.

"Jiang Xiwen, such ugly moves, truly useless. Again!" A familiar, crisp voice reached his ears. Jiang Xiwen looked up to see Ning Yan standing nearby, staring at him with a cold expression, though the upturned corners of her mouth betrayed her; the young girl was smirking with triumph.

Jiang Xiwen scrambled up. "Well, Ning Yan, why are you here?"

"What, can't I come? Wang Wu is my senior brother. My father is too busy with work to teach me, so I’ll be coming here every week to learn from Brother Wang Wu."

"Xiwen!" Wang Wu walked over from the wooden dummy, a sincere smile on his face. "The old commander entrusted Ning Yan to me. I’ve sparred with her; her skills are excellent. You two can practice together often; you’ll improve quickly."

Jiang Xiwen looked at Wang Wu and then at Ning Yan, sighing inwardly. That kick had been real; dealing with her would be difficult, and hurting her would be even worse.

As he thought this, Ning Yan threw another punch. "Jiang Xiwen, take this! Let’s spar. My dad says you’re making fast progress, even better than he was back then. I don’t believe it, you scrawny..." She stopped mid-sentence, realizing that Jiang Xiwen was no longer the thin boy she remembered from their first year of middle school. He had grown much taller. While his frame remained lean, he possessed a resilient, sturdy air, much like Wang Wu.

Jiang Xiwen sidestepped and shouted, "Ning Yan, a gentleman doesn't fight a woman..." and ran to the other side of the platform.

Ning Yan wouldn't let up, chasing him with a flurry of strikes. Wang Wu stood by, calmly guiding Jiang Xiwen on how to use footwork to evade. Jiang Xiwen’s mind was sharp; while his initial dodges were labored, they soon became graceful. He teased her, "Don't keep chasing me, Ning Yan. Are you falling in love with me?"

"You brat, stop talking nonsense, I’ll tear your mouth off!" Enraged, Ning Yan retorted while continuing her pursuit, but the more anxious she became, the harder it was to land a hit. She stopped, standing in the middle of the platform, huffing: "Wang Wu, this senior brother of yours is cheating! He’s only teaching Jiang Xiwen, not me. How am I supposed to catch him?"

Wang Wu replied steadily, "The commander said that growth in adversity is the best training. You are the commander’s daughter, so I must be even stricter with you."

"You!" Facing Wang Wu, Ning Yan was speechless. Jiang Xiwen laughed so hard his sides ached.

Ning Yan suddenly calmed down, standing perfectly still with a solemn expression. After a few seconds, she launched a surprise attack that forced Jiang Xiwen to fight back. Once engaged, he couldn't break away and had to keep sparring with her.

After a morning of training, both were surprised by the other's abilities. Ning Yan was particularly struck by how much Jiang Xiwen had improved; today, it seemed like a draw, but she felt he was still holding back.

As she left, Ning Yan warned, "Jiang Xiwen, next week, I’ll make sure you suffer."

Jiang Xiwen rolled his eyes. "Ning Yan, what exactly do you like about me? I’ll change it, I promise!"

"You jerk, what did you say?!" By the time she reacted, she only saw Jiang Xiwen’s retreating back as he sprinted away.

Meanwhile, Fang Sixiang had been on pins and needles. Since Liu Dashan was imprisoned, he had been waiting for the police. He had taken bribes during the school building project to help Liu’s Zhengfeng Group win the bid, but even after the Lantern Festival, no police had arrived.

Nearly broken by the mental strain, he had someone investigate, only to discover that Liu Dashan hadn't implicated him after all. He finally breathed a sigh of relief. His wife, the "Extinction Wen," had returned from her parents' home, and seeing her refined husband, she remained oblivious to his misdeeds.

Upon returning, she resumed her petty ways. "Sixiang, are we just going to let that brat Jiang Xiwen go?" she asked, clearly unwilling to give up.

"Of course! Liu Dashan is finished, what more do you want? Xiao Zhu, haven't we suffered enough for this?" Fang Sixiang was so annoyed he nearly laughed.

"Husband, what about those photos from last time? The ones where Jiang Xiwen and Zhang Ya were chatting so intimately?"

"Destroyed!" Fang Sixiang snapped.

Just as Zhu Wen was about to continue, the phone rang. It was Gao Jie. "Old Fang, why isn't the Jiang Xiwen matter settled yet? Do you need me to come down there myself?"

Fang Sixiang felt conflicted. Gao Jie was just like his wife, obsessing over trivial matters. He couldn't afford to offend either side: the provincial education director or the granddaughter of the former provincial party secretary.

He took the safest route, explaining the situation. Gao Jie, with his typical entitled attitude, scoffed, "Who is Zhang Song? He’s a relic of the past! And didn't you say you had photos? We’ll just leak them quietly. The deputy mayor’s daughter having a puppy love affair—that’s a huge headline!"

Listening to Gao Jie’s smug tone, Fang Sixiang realized that unless it involved chasing women, Gao Jie’s intelligence was practically zero. He stalled, unwilling to offend Zhang Song for the sake of the director's son. Besides, he knew the director, Gao Feng, would never allow his son to act so recklessly. Gao Jie was an idiot, but his father certainly wasn't; otherwise, Fang Sixiang would never have reached his current position.

After hanging up, Zhu Wen pestered him for details. He repeated what Gao Jie had said, then warned his wife to be smarter and stop acting as foolishly as that "second-generation" brat. Zhu Wen nodded thoughtfully, though her eyes betrayed that she was already plotting something else.

Over the winter break, Jiang Xiwen’s *Legend of the Ethereal* had reached 700,000 words. *Immortal Rhyme*, the novel designed for a comic adaptation, had yet to receive any word from Inaba Light or the Taiwanese publisher, so he had put it aside.

The 1.6 million from Tian Weidong had arrived in full. The lawyer, Gao Wen, who had helped with the contract, also accepted another task: signing the KTV investment contract with Yang Wei in Modu, with Yang Wei handling operations. After careful calculation, Jiang Xiwen invested 300,000 RMB, covering everything from venue rental and renovations to staff salaries and two years of working capital.

Additionally, Jiang Xiwen gave 10,000 RMB to Yang Wei to pass on to Luo Xiaoyin. Two days later, Luo Xiaoyin boarded a train north, beginning his musical journey.

With these matters settled, school began. When Fat Qi heard they had earned 1.6 million, he was ecstatic. Jiang Xiwen told him to put everything else aside and start preparing a small game, followed by setting up a game studio.

For Qi Huanchang, his interest in games was only slightly less than his passion for studying viruses, so he was more than happy to comply. He also brought Jiang Xiwen the news he had been waiting for: Wang Xunfei was coming. He had quit his job to visit Qi Huanchang in Yangjiang, and according to their phone call, he intended to start a business and wanted to collaborate with his Nanshen University buddy.