Author Archives: sandy

Feiyang Auction House is the largest auction company in Jiang City. Every time a major auction is held, it attracts all the wealthy individuals from the city, and if there are good items, even wealthy people from other places come, making each event very lively.

Today, Fang Ziyang didn’t come alone. Accompanying him were Fang Qianhao, who was ostensibly there to “supervise,” and Zhou Jun and Zhao Jingyu. To successfully purchase the piece of land in the western suburbs under Fang Yandong’s watchful eye, Fang Ziyang needed the Zhou and Zhao families as cover. Otherwise, he couldn’t explain why he had so much money. The three of them were notorious in their circle for being “brainless” rich kids, so it wouldn’t seem unusual for them to impulsively buy a piece of worthless land.

To give Fang Yandong a “surprise,” Fang Ziyang had specially dressed up today. He wore the latest branded clothes and shoes, with every accessory, like cufflinks, collar buttons, and tie clips, adorned with diamonds. A flashy red diamond earring was a must-have to complete the look. The flashier, the better; the goal was to embarrass Fang Yandong as much as possible.

At the auction house entrance, seeing a row of waiting reporters, Fang Ziyang immediately shook off Fang Qianhao, who tried to stop him, and eagerly posed for photos with an excited expression. He was confident he’d be on the front page of every entertainment news outlet the next day!

Fang Qianhao was nearly driven mad with frustration. He finally understood why their father insisted he accompany his younger brother. This foolish sibling of his never missed a chance to act out and cause trouble!

“Fang Ziyang, what nonsense are you up to now? Are you out of your mind? We’re not public figures or celebrities; there’s no need to be in the spotlight, let alone striking poses for the cameras. Do you realize how embarrassing this is?” Fang Qianhao could already imagine the next day’s entertainment headlines about their family.

His foolish brother, however, seemed completely oblivious to his concern. “Embarrassing? Why would it be embarrassing? It’s rare for the young master of the Fang family to be in the spotlight. Didn’t our company’s image take a hit because of my live-streaming incident? I’m just making up for it, and you’re saying I’m embarrassing?”

Fang Ziyang looked at Fang Qianhao with disdain. “Fang Qianhao, if you don’t know how to help Dad with your studies, don’t cause trouble. You’re like a flower in an ivory tower, unaware of the hardships of the world.”

Fang Qianhao felt like he might pass out from anger. How could his ignorant brother accuse him of being unaware of hardships?

“Fang Ziyang, you’re hopeless! Do you have any idea how flashy you look right now? Your watch and accessories are blindingly shiny. Tomorrow, our family will definitely be the headline of entertainment gossip, and I can already think of the title: ‘Shocking! The world is never short of nouveau riche young masters!'”

Though the Fang family was wealthy, they had only been established for a few decades, and most of their connections were maintained through money. They were the epitome of nouveau riche. Fang Yandong loved face and despised such labels, so he had strict etiquette and public image standards for the family. Even though he wasn’t fond of his younger son, he still hired the best etiquette and public relations teachers to avoid public embarrassment. Fang Ziyang’s outfit today was somewhat flashy, but there wasn’t time for a makeover, so they had to deal with it. However, no one had anticipated that Fang Ziyang would accessorize with those diamond cufflinks, collar buttons, and tie clips after leaving the house.

“Fang Ziyang, take off those diamond cufflinks and tie clips right now, especially that red diamond earring. It doesn’t suit you!” Fang Qianhao demanded sternly.

But Fang Ziyang wasn’t about to listen to him. “Why doesn’t it suit me? It looks great. Are you jealous because you can’t afford these things and are picking a fight?”

“If I take off these accessories and walk in, people might think our family is going bankrupt, unable to afford even a few accessories. Then Dad would surely scold me for being inconsiderate… Wait!” Realizing something, Fang Ziyang became furious. “Fang Qianhao, I get it now. You’re trying to make me mess up so Dad will hate me more. You’re despicable! How could I have such a wicked brother? You’re really terrible.”

Fang Qianhao was stunned. When had he ever had such a “clever” thought?

By now, people had noticed their commotion and were looking over. Fang Qianhao wanted to argue back, but at that moment, Zhou Jun and Zhao Jingyu arrived, equally flashy and covered in shiny diamond accessories, excitedly running over.

“Ziyang, you got here so early! Your outfit looks great today. I didn’t manage to get this limited edition!” “Your watch and earring look fantastic. I spotted you as soon as I got out of the car!”

The Fang family, despite its wealth, had only risen to prominence in the past few decades. Most of their connections were maintained through money, making them the epitome of nouveau riche. Fang Yandong was extremely concerned about face and detested such labels. Thus, he imposed strict etiquette standards on the family, hiring the best etiquette teachers and public relations advisors for his younger son, even though he wasn’t particularly fond of him, to avoid embarrassment.

When leaving home today, Fang Ziyang wore well-known branded clothes instead of custom-made ones, which displeased Fang Yandong, but there wasn’t time for a makeover, so they had to make do. Fang Qianhao hadn’t noticed anything wrong either. However, Fang Ziyang had secretly adorned himself with diamond cufflinks, collar buttons, tie clips, and other flashy accessories while on the way.

As a result, Fang Qianhao couldn’t stop his brother from appearing in public like a gaudy peacock, reinforcing the nouveau riche image.

“Fang Ziyang, take off those diamond cufflinks and tie clips right now, especially that red diamond earring. It’s too flashy and doesn’t suit you!” Fang Qianhao demanded sternly.

But Fang Ziyang was unlikely to listen.

“Why doesn’t it suit me? It looks great. Are you jealous that I can afford these things while you’re too stingy and just finding fault?”

“If I take these off and walk in, people might think our family is going bankrupt, unable to afford even a few accessories. Then Dad will scold me for being inconsiderate… Wait!” Realizing something, Fang Ziyang became furious.

“Fang Qianhao, I get it now. You’re trying to make me mess up so Dad will hate me more. You’re despicable! How could I have such a wicked brother? You’re really terrible.”

Fang Qianhao was stunned. When had he ever had such a “clever” thought?

By now, people had noticed their commotion and were looking over. Fang Qianhao wanted to argue back, but at that moment, Zhou Jun and Zhao Jingyu arrived, equally flashy and covered in shiny diamond accessories, excitedly running over.

“Ziyang, you got here so early! Your outfit looks great today. I didn’t manage to get this limited edition!”

“Your watch and earring look fantastic. I spotted you as soon as I got out of the car!”

The two friends looked at each other’s outfits with happy, envious expressions on their faces, while those around them could barely suppress their reactions. Fang Qianhao felt the scorching gazes of onlookers and couldn’t bear the embarrassment of being associated with Fang Ziyang. He didn’t want to appear in the same tabloid photos as his foolish brother the next day!

Without saying another word of caution, Fang Qianhao turned and left in frustration, completely disregarding Fang Yandong’s instructions to keep an eye on Fang Ziyang. This was simply too humiliating and incomprehensible!

Once he was gone, Fang Ziyang and his friends Zhou Jun and Zhao Jingyu exchanged knowing glances and burst into laughter that only they understood. They then strutted into the auction hall with an air of unmatched arrogance, completely ignoring the varied reactions they provoked. Some were shocked, some amused, and some covered their mouths in disbelief. But the three of them acted as if they didn’t notice the mockery around them, even carrying themselves as if everyone was admiring their flamboyant display.

People who recognized them pulled Fang Qianhao aside for some gossip. Unable to brush them off, and already embarrassed, Fang Qianhao decided to play along and spoke candidly,

“You all know what my brother’s been like since he was young. My dad dotes on him the most. He lets him do as he pleases. What’s today’s little stunt compared to that? He’s got over two billion yuan to blow today, just to make him happy…”

“Oh, we heard he sold off some antique jade pieces for 2.3 billion yuan. Is your dad really letting him spend all that? Is he here to bid for the Hong family’s agency rights too?”

“No, even if he bids, the Hong family won’t sell. He’s after those jade rough stones. He wants to open a jewelry store. Just a heads up, don’t bid against him, or he’ll definitely hound you…”

With just a few sentences, Fang Qianhao deflected all the blame for Fang Ziyang’s embarrassing behavior, portraying him as a willful brat loved excessively by their father, and simultaneously gave a heads-up to those interested in the jade rough stones, ensuring no unexpected bidding wars.

Everyone took note of this. They couldn’t help but shake their heads at Fang Ziyang, seeing him as a foolish, spoiled rich kid. Fang Yandong’s indulgence of his youngest son seemed over the top.

As the murmurs of disapproval reached Fang Ziyang’s ears, he remained unconcerned, feeling rather pleased instead. Fang Qianhao was proving to be a perfect foolish teammate, unaware that his actions were setting the stage for the eventual downfall of Fang Yandong. When the truth about Fang Yandong’s manipulative indulgence was revealed, all of Fang Ziyang’s foolish behaviors would serve as undeniable evidence.

Although Fang Yandong wanted him to be useless, he didn’t want him to be too conspicuous. However, Fang Qianhao failed to grasp his father’s intentions completely.

The auction wouldn’t officially start until 8 PM.

Before the auction, everyone waited in the specially prepared buffet rest area, greeting acquaintances and checking the auction items list to ensure smoother bidding later.

By 7:40 PM, people began entering the auction hall. Although Fang Qianhao didn’t want to embarrass himself by staying with Fang Ziyang, the seating arrangements were predetermined and couldn’t be changed. Moreover, remembering his father’s instructions, he reluctantly returned to sit with them.

“Hmph!”

Having just had a quarrel, Fang Ziyang wasn’t in a good mood and only snorted at Fang Qianhao without saying much. Zhou Jun and Zhao Jingyu also showed their disdain, firmly standing by Fang Ziyang.

Fang Qianhao, feeling further provoked by Fang Ziyang’s attitude, fumed. Despite their poor relationship, as Fang Ziyang’s older brother, he felt it was disrespectful for Fang Ziyang to disregard him publicly. It was infuriating.

“Fang Ziyang, just wait. I’ll be telling Dad about your antics today!”

Before Fang Ziyang could retort, someone from the row behind them spoke up first.

“Sir, please be quiet. This isn’t your home.”

The sudden voice carried a strong authority, startling everyone.

Turning around, they saw that the speaker was a very handsome young man who appeared to be only around twenty years old. Despite his age, his demeanor and presence were far more impressive than Fang Qianhao’s, resembling a seasoned professional. A mere indifferent glance from him could unsettle those who lacked maturity and strong psychological resilience.

Fang Qianhao’s anger at being interrupted quickly dissipated under the young man’s cold gaze, leaving him with a dry throat and unable to respond.

However, when the young man looked at Fang Ziyang, there seemed to be a slight warmth in his otherwise cold eyes. He nodded at Fang Ziyang, a gesture of goodwill.

Fang Ziyang was momentarily taken aback but then smiled back courteously. “I apologize, sir. My brother isn’t very bright and has disturbed you…”

The not-so-bright Fang Qianhao nearly choked in anger.

The handsome young man, on the other hand, adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses and smiled, as if he had heard something amusing.

The young man nodded with a good temper and a warm voice, “No problem. Given the circumstances, do you need my help? I happen to have a private doctor with me who has experience in neurology.”

“Pfft.”

Zhou Jun and Zhao Jingyu couldn’t hold back their laughter. Who was this guy, and how could his words be even more biting than Ziyang’s?

Fang Ziyang also couldn’t help but laugh. The young man in front of him was indeed quite interesting.

However, Fang Qianhao was completely furious. He stood up, glaring at the young man angrily, “Who are you? What business is it of yours when I’m talking to my brother? Mind your own business!”

As the eldest son of one of Jiang City’s top wealthy families, Fang Qianhao had never encountered someone who dared to speak to him so disrespectfully, especially in public. He had already endured a lot of frustration, and now an outsider was provoking him. His temper was bound to explode.

Despite Fang Qianhao’s good reputation in the circle as a model child often praised by elders, his temper was actually quite bad, even worse than some other rich second-generation heirs.

In the story, Fang Qianhao’s character was portrayed as a domineering prince, always cool and arrogant, effortlessly humiliating any minor characters. However, today he had met his match.

No matter how the story described the power of the Fang family’s eldest son, the reality was that this status only mattered within Jiang City. Outside of it, who knew or cared about the Fang family?

The handsome young man had no intention of arguing with Fang Qianhao. He calmly pressed the call button on the chair.

The security personnel responsible for maintaining order in the venue immediately came over, glaring at Fang Qianhao, “Sir, if you need anything, please let us know. Do not make a scene in the venue.”

Feiyang Auction House wasn’t just any auction house; it had a strong background. The Fang family’s influence alone wasn’t enough to disrupt the order here.

Fang Qianhao had no choice but to sit back down, glaring hatefully at the young man.

The handsome young man, however, remained unfazed by Fang Qianhao’s threats and anger, maintaining a calm demeanor that was infuriatingly indifferent.

Fang Ziyang withdrew his gaze, feeling a bit puzzled.

He didn’t know this person, so why was he helping him? Moreover, this person gave him a strange feeling—not bad, but rather particularly close and familiar.

Strange.

But seeing Fang Qianhao being put in his place, he was quite pleased.

…

Setting aside the earlier incident, the auction began promptly at eight.

Today’s auction items were numerous, including jewelry, antiques, artworks, land plots, and more. The quality and variety of the items attracted many wealthy attendees.

With the auctioneer skillfully driving up the atmosphere, one item after another was sold, each fetching impressive prices.

Soon, the auction reached the highlight of the event: several large jadeite rough stones. These stones were of considerable size and highly eye-catching. The auctioneer introduced them with great excitement:

“…What you see here are a few of the main highlights of today’s auction. These massive stones are not ordinary jadeite raw materials but have been excavated from a newly developed, two-year-old imperial jadeite mine in the southwest.”

“According to several professional evaluations, there is a 90% chance that these stones contain large imperial jadeite. Of course, there’s also a 10% chance they could be worthless, but as the saying goes, ‘one cut makes you poor, one cut makes you rich.’ That’s the nature of the jadeite game…”

“So, the owner of these rough stones has set a starting price of 1 billion. Interested buyers can start bidding now.”

The starting price wasn’t particularly high, given that no matter how skilled the experts were, there’s always a risk that the rough stones might turn out to be worthless once cut open.

While the attendees were wealthy and could afford to spend billions, they weren’t fools. They knew how to spend their money wisely.

Given what Fang Qianhao had said earlier, there weren’t many bidders.

“Just a few people, Zhou Jun, Jingyu. Looks like I’m going to get a bargain today…” Fang Ziyang couldn’t help but show a delighted smile, looking naive and excited about making a great deal.

Zhou Jun and Zhao Jingyu played along, “Yeah, quickly, Ziyang, bid 10 billion directly. Don’t let them waste time. I believe these rough stones will definitely have green inside, and we’ll hit it big.”

“Okay!”

Without thinking, Fang Ziyang raised his paddle, looking every bit the typical rich fool.

Seeing this, Fang Qianhao felt somewhat relieved. No matter how sharp Fang Ziyang’s tongue was, he was fundamentally a fool. Once he helped his father recover the money, he would ensure he received a proper reward from him.

Crossing his arms, Fang Qianhao watched with a leisurely expression.

The bidding for the rough stones continued.

After Fang Ziyang’s bid of 10 billion, the number of bids gradually decreased. When the price reached 12 billion, only Fang Ziyang and a middle-aged man were still bidding.

Fang Ziyang’s cheerful expression faded, replaced by one of annoyance and anger.

He grumbled, “Who is that old man? Is he deliberately trying to outbid me? He keeps increasing the bid by the minimum increment!”

Zhou Jun and Zhao Jingyu also looked angry, nodding, “He must be doing it on purpose, Ziyang. Maybe we should give up. Good rough stones aren’t only available here. We could always spend a bit more and buy already cut and high-quality jadeite directly.”

Although the rough stones were large and of excellent quality, the price had already reached 12 billion. Going any higher wouldn’t be worth it.

Fang Ziyang nodded, agreeing that it made sense to stop.

However, Fang Qianhao was shocked. These rough stones were specifically prepared for his foolish brother, and the middle-aged man bidding against him was a planted bidder. The plan was to drive up the price and reclaim the money from his foolish brother all at once.

There was no way they could just give up now, not when the price was only at 12 billion!

Fang Qianhao hurriedly intervened, even changing his tone of address, “No, we can’t stop now, little brother. If we give up now, others will definitely laugh at us. Our family has already been embarrassed enough today…”

“Why can’t we stop? If the price keeps going up and the stones turn out to be worthless, I’ll lose a lot of money.”

Fang Ziyang pouted angrily, “Fang Qianhao, are you just waiting to see me fail? Hoping I’ll buy worthless stones!”

“Little brother!”

Fang Qianhao was exasperated but had to coax him, “Little brother, even though we argue all the time and don’t get along, you’re still my brother. How could I stand by and watch you lose money? I’ve already checked; these stones are guaranteed to increase in value.”

“Really?”

Fang Ziyang was skeptical.

Fang Qianhao nodded repeatedly, thinking quickly, “Of course. Why else would I come with you today? Do you think I really came just because Dad told me to? You irritate me! If you’re worried about the cost, we can buy the stones together. You bid now, and I’ll reimburse you from my savings. But if we make a profit, you have to share half with me…”

It sounded like a reasonable plan.

Fang Ziyang gave him a disdainful look, “Ha, Fang Qianhao, you always call me a miser, but you’re no better. Fine, since you’re so insistent, I’ll buy the stones. But remember, you have to reimburse me later—this is a joint investment.”

“Absolutely, definitely.”

Fang Qianhao agreed quickly.

Fang Ziyang didn’t say any more and resumed bidding, now confidently and aggressively determined to win the stones.

The guests in the room watched in surprise.

The auctioneer was thrilled, “18 billion, 18 billion! This young gentleman has bid 18 billion. It seems he has great faith in these rough stones, and rightly so. These have been assessed by multiple experts with a 90% chance of yielding imperial jadeite. How could one not take a gamble on such a high chance of success!”

“Sir, would you like to bid higher? If not, you might miss out on these super emperor jade stones!” The auctioneer, whose job is to push the prices higher, encouraged them provocatively.

The middle-aged man who had been bidding against Fang Ziyang couldn’t stand such provocation, especially if he had the means and cared about his face.

Unsurprisingly, the middle-aged man seemed provoked and raised his paddle again, “19 billion!”

Boom.

The atmosphere in the auction hall reached a new climax with this number, and everyone watched the money duel with excitement.

“How infuriating, this guy is really determined to outbid me!” Fang Ziyang was furious, his breath unstable, his competitive spirit seemingly fully ignited.

Fang Qianhao was happy inside but pretended to be worried on the surface, “This… the price is so high. Little brother, should we give up? Even if these stones do have valuable jade inside, they might only be worth twenty billion or so. It’s not worth it.”

But would the young master of the Fang family listen to this?

Fang Ziyang glared angrily, “Fang Qianhao, you coward! You said we shouldn’t lose face, and now you’re telling me to stop. Are you playing games with me? You don’t care because it’s not your face, right? I must win these stones today, and no one is allowed to outbid me!”

With that, he raised his paddle again, “21 billion!”

“Oh my god, 21 billion! This young gentleman has bid 21 billion! Sir, what about you? Will you bid higher? If not, these stones will go to this young gentleman…” The auctioneer shouted excitedly.

Everyone looked at the middle-aged man, thousands of eyes burning into him.

The bidding had reached this point, and it was no longer just about the items but also about saving face.

Under the pressure of everyone’s gaze, the middle-aged man looked very displeased, glaring at Fang Ziyang with a provocative sneer, “22 billion!”

The auctioneer turned to Fang Ziyang again, repeating his provocation, “22 billion, young sir, will you bid higher? If you give up, these stones will belong to this gentleman…”

The air was thick with tension.

Fang Qianhao clenched his fists in excitement, breathing heavily.

Just a little more, just a bit more…

Everyone’s eyes were on Fang Ziyang, waiting for his response.

But then, Fang Ziyang made no move.

Hearts raced, and the middle-aged man gripped his chair nervously.

But Fang Ziyang remained silent.

Feeling something was wrong, Fang Qianhao nudged his brother’s arm, breathing heavily as he urged, “Little brother, say something. Everyone’s waiting for you…”

However, Fang Ziyang did not raise his paddle as Qianhao hoped.

Instead, he angrily shouted at the auctioneer on stage, “Why wait for me? I’m not bidding anymore! If he wants them, let him have them! They’re just a few jade stones. I’ll go to the old mine and pick a bunch!”

With those words, the middle-aged man turned pale, sweating profusely.

Fang Qianhao’s voice changed pitch, “Little brother, how can you stop bidding? We had an agreement!”

“What agreement? Just because we have money doesn’t mean we should waste it,” Fang Ziyang said with disdain. “Fang Qianhao, I think you’re getting stupider. Spending tens of billions for face? I’m not that foolish.”

Fang Qianhao: …

You didn’t say that earlier, brother!

xxx

Sandy: redid the whole chapter due to the feedback from readers that some paragraphs were missing. Hopefully everything’s good now. If not, please let me know 🥰

Previous TOC Next

Unexpectedly, both Father Zhou and Father Zhao chose to invest directly in the end.

Although borrowing money is safer, as business people, who can resist the temptation of profits? Although this decision carries enormous risks, risks and rewards go hand in hand. A businessman who doesn’t dare to take risks is not a good businessman!

Of course, they made this decision only after seeing Fang Ziyang’s acquisition plan for Dongsheng Pharmaceuticals.

After all, 2 billion is a substantial amount of capital for both of their families. If they hadn’t seen Fang Ziyang’s plan and confirmed his abilities, they wouldn’t have dared to make such a big decision.

Regardless of whether the plan was written by Fang Ziyang himself or by the talented individuals he gathered, they could all participate in this gamble.

Moreover, Fang Ziyang had invested 4.6 billion himself. If he didn’t have a certain degree of confidence, how could he dare to enter the game?

Just based on the fact that Fang Ziyang was able to swindle money from Fang Yandong, they weren’t afraid to take a gamble. Even if they failed, their children could still strive on their own. After all, they still had connections and wouldn’t collapse just because of some lost money.

Everyone happily applauded and cooperated, spending the whole afternoon negotiating and signing the contract.

When they left Zhao’s house, it was already evening. Fang Ziyang casually left the contract in his own villa and returned to the Fang family as if nothing had happened.

At this time, Fang Yandong and Fang Qianhao had also returned from the company and school, respectively.

Seeing Fang Ziyang return and sitting on the sofa, watching the news while waiting for dinner to be served, Fang Yandong immediately put on his habitual fatherly smile.

“Ziyang, you’re back? I heard you went to Zhao Jingyu’s house to do homework today?”

Although he was extremely angry about the antique jade incident earlier, when he calmed down, Fang Yandong’s acting skills were still impeccable. After all, he had been doing this for over ten years, and it had become a natural habit.

On the other hand, Fang Qianhao, being young and hot-headed, couldn’t calm down after experiencing a series of setbacks. As soon as he saw his brother, he couldn’t maintain his composure.

Without a doubt, they started with sarcastic remarks as soon as they met.

“Huh, Fang Ziyang, I didn’t expect you to become so diligent and hardworking. You’re even doing homework now? You’re a small tycoon in our Jiang City. You have more money than you can spend. Do you still need to study hard for the college entrance examination? Isn’t Grandfather’s inheritance and Mom’s shares enough for you?”

Fang Qianhao couldn’t swallow the fact that he lost the inheritance rights to their grandfather’s estate. Every time they met recently, he couldn’t help but vent his frustration and sarcasm.

He also wanted to remind Fang Yandong that he had taken away the inheritance rights, but the authorization for the shares had not been signed yet!

However, what Fang Qianhao didn’t know…

His behavior was completely brainless and childish. Although it achieved its goal, Fang Yandong was starting to resent his eldest son.

A man at Fang Yandong’s level basically cared a lot about his reputation.

Who was to blame for the failure of the share authorization? Although Fang Yandong had a bit of responsibility himself, the biggest reason was still because of this impulsive son of his!

Fang Qianhao not only lacked self-awareness but also constantly brought it up with a tone of blame.

Every time he mentioned it, it served as a reminder to Fang Yandong of how impulsive and foolish his eldest son was…

Seeing Fang Yandong’s expression change again, Fang Ziyang couldn’t help but laugh.

He had always known that Fang Qianhao was the most brainless and impulsive one in Yan Tong’s harem. In his past life, every time he dealt with Yan Tong and the others, he used Fang Qianhao as his weapon.

But now it seemed that he had underestimated Fang Qianhao. If it wasn’t for the blood test, he wouldn’t have believed that this was Fang Yandong’s seed.

Giving a provocative glance at Fang Qianhao’s sarcastic remarks, Fang Ziyang raised his chin and retorted without hesitation, “Why do you care whether I study hard or have money? Why are you bothered about how I spend the shares and inheritance left by Mom? I went to a classmate’s house to do homework, and it offended you? If you provoke me again, I’ll find someone to teach Yan Tong a lesson tomorrow. Do you believe it?”

Hitting the snake on its vulnerable spot and scolding someone where it hurts.

Fang Qianhao was infuriated once again.

Fang Ziyang raised his chin and smiled provocatively. “What’s wrong, Fang Qianhao? Don’t you dare to fight me? We’ve fought before.”

Don’t let his slender and weak appearance deceive you. He used to fight with Fang Qianhao frequently. To vent his anger, he even hired people to teach him how to fight until Fang Qianhao was beaten down.

And Fang Qianhao, most of his energy was spent on studying under Fang Yandong’s demands, so he couldn’t really beat him in a fight.

This was also one of the painful spots for Fang Qianhao over the years. How could the older brother not win in a fight against the younger brother? But that’s what happened!

With just a few words, Fang Qianhao was infuriated and wanted to rush forward.

But Fang Yandong stopped him and sternly rebuked his eldest son. Then he looked at his younger son with a casual tone and inquired, “Alright, your brother has a hot temper. Don’t provoke him anymore. Come and sit down. How was it going at Zhao’s house today? I didn’t know that my son, who always hated doing homework, suddenly became so diligent. Is it because you want me to reward you for getting good grades in the college entrance examination?”

“Yes, Dad, how did you know?!” Fang Ziyang acted as if he hadn’t caught the underlying meaning and widened his eyes in astonishment, just like an ordinary student whose thoughts were guessed by their parent.

Fang Yandong was relieved and smiled gracefully, “You’re my son. How can I not know you? Speak up, tell me what you want, and I’ll buy it for you. You didn’t work hard for three years in high school, but it’s not a problem to go to university with me by your side. You’ve always liked playing the piano, right? I’ve already contacted a school for you. You can go to the piano department at South University in the capital city. Just pass the academic requirements, and it’ll be fine.”

“Really? Dad has already contacted them for me, the piano department at South University in the capital city?!”

Fang Ziyang showed a pleasantly surprised expression.

But deep inside, he sneered. Indeed, whether in his past life or this life, Fang Yandong’s intentions and plans never changed.

And Fang Yandong didn’t disappoint him. He continued, “Entering the piano department at South University is not easy. Although I put in a lot of effort and they agreed to accept you, if your piano skills aren’t good enough, there is a possibility of being eliminated. So you must promise Dad and start preparing from now on.”

“…As for the investment matter you mentioned earlier, stop fooling around. If you really want to try investing, why not put that capital into our company’s new project and try it out? It will also be convenient for you to access internal information and learn.”

This was a solution that Fang Yandong came up with after thinking for several days. He had to recover the 2.3 billion funds from the antique jade.

Not to mention that if he couldn’t retrieve the money, all his efforts over the years would be in vain. Currently, he was preparing to suppress Dongsheng Pharmaceuticals in one fell swoop, but without the 2 billion, how could the plan proceed? The shareholders in the company would definitely use this to suppress his power.

Speaking up to this point, Fang Yandong continued, “By the way, Dad has a good proposal recently, but the board of directors has been suppressing it and hasn’t agreed. Yangyang, Dad needs your help. Regarding the share authorization issue, I hope you won’t be stubborn anymore. As for your engagement with Xie Wenxu, Dad will slowly negotiate it for you, alright?”

Share authorization and the 2.3 billion funds.

He planned to recover them all at once, and he couldn’t let his younger son mess things up.

Fang Qianhao, feeling delighted at Fang Yandong’s words, chimed in, “That’s right, younger brother. You can be willful in ordinary times, but in such a crucial moment, you can’t let us down. I’ve already agreed to authorize the shares. You don’t want to keep them, right? Before, you were just fooling and deceiving Dad, weren’t you?”

Of course, he couldn’t agree to authorize his shares to his father. However, he could cooperate and use false claims to deceive his younger brother into giving up his shares, thereby resolving the issue of him losing the inheritance rights to their grandfather’s estate. He wouldn’t rest until Fang Ziyang was trapped.

The father and son echoed each other.

Fang Ziyang stared at their shameless faces for a while, then a brilliant smile appeared on his face, even brighter than before.

“Sure, why would I let you down in a crucial moment? If Dad really needs it, I will authorize the shares to him. We can sign the contract tonight. But…”

“But what?”

“But as for the investment matter, I will handle it myself.”

Fang Ziyang’s expression turned serious. “I know Dad cares about me, but Dad can’t protect me forever, and I don’t want to keep embarrassing you. So I must learn to invest. Failure is the mother of success. Without failure, how can I remember the lessons of success? I have to try it independently; otherwise, I’ll never grow up.”

“So, Dad, I must handle the 2.3 billion myself. I can’t rely on you forever.”

“But…” The goal was only halfway achieved, and Fang Yandong wasn’t satisfied.

However, Fang Ziyang wouldn’t budge.

“No ‘buts,’ Dad. In a few days, there will be an auction in Jiang City, and there will be several imperial-level rough stones up for auction. I love playing with antique jade, and I’m good at it. I’m planning to open a jewelry company, and when I auction those items, they’ll be the centerpiece. The business will definitely flourish!”

Fang Yandong and Fang Qianhao’s mouths twitched.

Their foolish son/brother, who had been buying fake goods for five or six years, was the best at playing with antique jade? And the business would flourish? It sounded like a recipe for bankruptcy.

But Fang Ziyang appeared confident.

“In any case, I’ve made up my mind. I will definitely win all those rough stones at the auction. With 2.3 billion in funds, let’s see who can outbid me!”

Young Master Fang had spoken to this extent; there was absolutely no room for further discussion.

If someone tried to undermine his confidence at this time, they would immediately turn hostile.

“Fine, since Yangyang is sensible, I support you…”

Fang Yandong believed that he understood his younger son well. Seeing Fang Ziyang’s appearance, he didn’t dare to say anything more, only smiling and agreeing.

Otherwise, if he said something wrong and provoked his emotionally unstable younger son again, he might really get angry to the point of no return.

He signaled to his eldest son with his eyes, and the topic was finally over.

…

However, after dinner, when Fang Ziyang returned to his room, the scheming father and son went to the study together.

“Dad, did you really agree to him like that? That’s 2.3 billion! Money taken directly from you! Look at the way he is, he will definitely squander it all at the auction. Why did you agree to him?”

Fang Qianhao couldn’t bear it anymore, his temper still extremely impulsive.

Fang Yandong couldn’t stand his hot-headed character now. He used to think it was youthful energy, but now he truly felt that it was just plain stupidity. He couldn’t handle any setbacks or provocations.

“Fool, all you know is to get angry when something happens. I really doubt if you’re my son. You have no brain…”

Fang Yandong scolded him fiercely, clearly displeased.

Fang Qianhao was unwilling. “Dad, that’s 2.3 billion. How can I stay calm with that much money?”

This argument had some truth.

Fang Yandong didn’t want to argue with his son over such a pointless matter. He took out his phone, found a number in his contacts, copied it, and sent it to Fang Qianhao via WeChat before speaking.

“Since your younger brother wants to buy rough stones at the auction, let him buy them. This phone number belongs to the person in charge of Feiyang Auction House. Contact him and arrange for ‘good items’ for your younger brother. Then we can arrange someone to compete and bid…”

“Dad, what do you mean?” Fang Qianhao’s eyes lit up.

“Retrieve the money the same way it was lost before.”

Fang Yandong smiled faintly, confident as if he held the power of life and death like an emperor.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

Meanwhile, in another room, Fang Ziyang sat in front of the computer, looking at the surveillance footage. He took off his headphones and smirked.

It feels great to be underestimated by everyone.

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More importantly, they were loyal and devoted friends who had helped him countless times, secretly supporting him against the pressures from Yan Tong and his group in their previous lives.

Even though their help was within their limited capabilities, it was significant given the circumstances of their previous lives. They were truly loyal friends.

And the parents who raised such children, Zhou Jun and Zhao Jingyu’s fathers, were indeed honorable people.

Because of their good relationship with Zhou Jun and Zhao Jingyu, Fang Ziyang often met their parents and was quite familiar with them.

When they heard that Fang Ziyang, the least academically inclined child, wanted to study with their children, Mr. Zhou and Mr. Zhao were surprised and interested. Even without Fang Ziyang’s explicit reminder, they were curious to see how things would turn out.

After all, from an outsider’s perspective, Fang Ziyang’s recent actions seemed to be the result of being mentally disturbed. However, from their children’s accounts, they heard about a clever youngster who was able to manipulate the situation.

So, when Fang Ziyang asked the question about their relationship, Father Zhou and Father Zhao were taken aback and exchanged glances without answering immediately.

But Zhou Jun and Zhao Jingyu, being more composed, laughed and said: “Why ask? The three of us are like the legendary iron triangle, inseparable friends!”

Zhou Jun and Zhao Jingyu hooked their arms around each other’s shoulders, smiling with the camaraderie and loyalty of young brothers.

Seeing this, Father Zhou and Father Zhao couldn’t help but feel helpless.

They could tell that they had raised two foolish sons, the kind of kids who were particularly naive and immature.

Fang Ziyang smiled warmly, feeling warm inside, letting them continue to embrace each other and speak.

“Uncle Zhou, Uncle Zhao, you’ve seen our relationship with Zhou Jun and Jingyu. They are my best friends and currently the only people I can trust.”

“Now, I have some information. If this information is handled well, we can make several billion overnight. If you agree, I want to bring them along. What do you think?”

“What information?” Father Zhou and Father Zhao were startled and sat up straight, their bodies tense.

Good character doesn’t mean they don’t want to get rich. The idea of making several billion overnight sounded like a fairy tale!

Fang Ziyang didn’t rush to speak. He took out two sets of documents from his backpack and placed them on the table before speaking again.

“I know that in a few days, there will be an auction in Jiang City for a piece of land in the western suburbs.”

“…This piece of land doesn’t look impressive on the surface, and even if it is well operated, it may not make much money. It’s like a tasteless dish that you want to abandon. It has failed to sell several times already.”

The piece of land in the western suburbs, which surprised everyone in my previous life, was also a big opportunity that Fang Yandong stumbled upon by sheer luck.

He remembered that in his previous life, the land in the western suburbs was considered useless because of its remote location and large area. The surrounding area was designated for industrial development by the government, making it difficult to generate profits from the land. It remained unsold despite multiple attempts.

However, due to a betrayal from one of Fang Yandong’s trusted subordinates, the land was bought by the opposing party, almost driving Fang Yandong to the brink of despair.

But who could have known that not long after, the government acquired the land, turning it into a valuable asset overnight. Fang Yandong made several tens of billions of profit out of thin air. The envy and jealousy from the people of Jiang City knew no bounds, and he basked in his glory.

This time, Fang Ziyang couldn’t just stand by and let the other party take advantage once again. The funds he currently lacked could be supplemented by acquiring the land.

“Based on the information I’ve obtained, the government is planning to relocate the industrial zone, and the western suburbs will be redeveloped for other purposes. In other words, the abandoned land in the western suburbs will no longer be worthless but will become a valuable asset that will appreciate in value.”

“I currently have a total of 4.6 billion in funds. If Uncle Zhou and Uncle Zhao each contribute 2 billion, with the current attitude towards this land, we will have more than enough to acquire it for over 8 billion.”

“Of course, there are risks involved, and I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information 100%. I understand that both of you may have concerns. So, I have another proposal. That is, if both of you are unwilling to invest immediately, could you each lend me 2 billion? If I fail and incur losses, by the time I turn 20 and can access the inheritance left by my grandfather, both of you won’t have to worry about losing this money…”

“These two documents are pre-drafted loan contracts.”

With his grandfather’s inheritance, borrowing money from them posed no risk of him being unable to repay it.

After finishing his explanation, Father Zhou and Father Zhao remained silent, deep in thought. Meanwhile, Zhou Jun and Zhao Jingyu stared wide-eyed at Fang Ziyang, as if they had never seen him before.

Although they knew their friend was wealthy and had yet to divide his family’s wealth, they didn’t expect it to be this much! His nonchalant expression when talking about several tens of billions made it seem like he was talking about a few thousand bucks. How much money did he usually have on hand to remain so calm?

They looked at him with an expression that said, “You’ve betrayed our little group.”

Feeling a bit embarrassed by their gaze, Fang Ziyang rubbed his nose and couldn’t help but explain, “Maybe I never told you, but all these years, I used my mom’s dividend from the family’s shares to buy antique jade stones. But my dad tricked me; all those antique jade stones turned out to be fakes.”

“But you know, I hate being deceived. Since my dad treated me like that, I had no reason to hold back. So, I recently held an antique jade stone exhibition, and he was worried about exposure, so he temporarily borrowed a batch of genuine antiques to make up the numbers. And…”

The rest didn’t need to be said.

Now, everyone in Jiang City’s social circles knew that the young master of the Fang family wanted to “improve himself.” He sold his 2.3 billion worth of antique jade collection, and on a whim, he was preparing to make investments and indulge in a new game.

“So, you not only deceived your dad out of the 2.3 billion he tricked you out of, but you also tricked him out of another batch of antiques worth 2.3 billion? Your 4.6 billion came from that?” Zhou Jun and Zhao Jingyu widened their eyes in disbelief.

Fang Ziyang shook his head with a hint of regret in his tone. “He’s not dead yet. He stayed in the hospital for two days, but his mental resilience is better than I imagined… But I’ll redouble my efforts.”

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

The regret in his expression was evident.

Zhou Jun and Zhao Jingyu couldn’t help but burst into laughter. It felt like a new door had opened in their lives.

Father Zhou and Father Zhao were shocked and looked at Fang Ziyang with a new perspective. If they had only thought of him as a clever young man who might not be as useless as rumored, they were now genuinely amazed.

Tricking Fang Yandong might sound easy, but if he could be easily tricked like that, the Fang family wouldn’t be one of Jiang City’s top-tier wealthy families. The details he needed to handle were something only extraordinary people could achieve.

After exchanging glances, Father Zhou picked up the water glass on the table and took a sip, calming his startled heart. His tone became more serious.

“Yangyang, if Uncle Zhao and I choose to invest directly, tell us how you plan to involve Jun and Jingyu.”

“If both of you trust me, within three years, I will help Zhou Jun and Zhao Jingyu multiply this money at least threefold…”

Fang Ziyang’s voice remained calm.

He then took out another document from his backpack. “This is the strategic plan I’ve prepared for acquiring Dongsheng Pharmaceuticals. Uncle Zhou and Uncle Zhao, why don’t you take a look?”

He was willing to help the Zhou and Zhao families, but whether or not they had the courage to take the risk would depend on them.

With the secret button in the Lu family’s hands, tripling the investment was a conservative estimate.

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After giving the photo of the mysterious woman to Xie Zheng, Fang Ziyang originally planned to quietly investigate along the leads provided by Xie Zheng. After all, Xie Zheng’s strong reaction upon seeing the photo seemed to indicate that he knew something.

However, Fang Ziyang underestimated Xie Zheng’s power. Being able to rise to the position of the head of a century-old prestigious family, Xie Zheng certainly had his own capabilities. It was not something that Fang Ziyang could easily challenge on his own.

Moreover, Xie Zheng couldn’t be idle all the time and just focus on this matter.

In the end, Fang Ziyang had no choice but to give up and wait for news. His intuition told him that Xie Zheng wouldn’t harm him.

He had always trusted his intuition. After all, ever since he was expelled from the Fang family in his previous life, whenever he disliked someone, that person would inevitably bring him trouble. It had proven true time and time again.

The investigation into the photo didn’t yield any immediate results, but there was news from Xie Wenxu in the meantime.

On the third day after leaving the coffee shop, Fang Ziyang didn’t know what Xie Zheng had done, but he heard rumors that Xie Wenxu had been grounded by his family.

As for the progress on their engagement issue, there hadn’t been any developments yet. However, based on the current situation, Fang Ziyang had a good idea. He believed that Xie Zheng would definitely give him a satisfactory outcome.

But every time he thought about it, he felt regretful.

If he had known in his previous life that Xie Zheng, this “kind-hearted” person, would actually favor him and Xie Wenxu in their affairs, he would have already sided with Xie Zheng. With Xie Zheng’s help, maybe he wouldn’t have ended up in such a miserable situation later on.

Unfortunately, hindsight is 20/20! He had bad luck, and Xie Zheng’s fate was filled with twists and turns, dying in a car accident at a young age.

By the way, when did Xie Zheng’s car accident happen in his previous life? It seemed to be shortly after his college entrance examination.

Since Xie Zheng had helped him so much this time, he also needed to give something in return. He would help Xie Zheng avoid a disaster when the time came, a fair trade where no one owed anyone, a perfect plan.

…

With a determined mind, Fang Ziyang no longer worried about Xie Zheng’s side and continued to focus his energy on preparing for the college entrance examination and raising funds.

His time was limited. Once Yan Tong entered the Fang family, relying on his knowledge of the world’s plot, he would provide great assistance to Fang Yandong’s career, and Fang Yandong’s assets would rapidly increase.

Therefore, he had to quickly establish his own team and plan before that. Otherwise, if he was too slow, he would be left behind!

After careful consideration during this period, Fang Ziyang set his sights on “Dongsheng Pharmaceutical Group.”

Although he started out as someone who lacked academic ability in his previous life, after leaving the Fang family, he devoted a lot of effort to learning and studying again in order to seek revenge. He studied and researched the companies that Fang Yandong and Yan Tong had ruined, drawing lessons and gaining experience to strengthen himself.

Dongsheng Pharmaceutical was one of the companies he had carefully studied before.

In the previous life, Dongsheng Pharmaceutical was also a thriving presence, an established pharmaceutical company in Jiang City.

However, due to internal family disputes and the rise of the Fang family, the company began to decline and is currently in a very bad situation.

But a camel that starves to death is still bigger than a horse. It was not easy for the Fang family to directly take down Dongsheng Pharmaceutical. The main reason Dongsheng Pharmaceutical went bankrupt in the first place was because Yan Tong had stolen the golden finger from him.

The contents of the space button left by the ancestors of the Lu family were enough to change the entire world’s medical and technological landscape.

At the beginning of his rebirth, Fang Ziyang had thought about how to deal with the golden finger.

It wasn’t realistic to hide it. Yan Tong was well aware of the existence of his golden finger and even tried to steal it. If he hid it, he would basically be telling Yan Tong that he had something to hide, which would undoubtedly raise her suspicions.

However, upon careful recollection of the contents of the golden book, he found that there were areas where he could operate. Before Yan Tong stole his golden finger, it seemed that he didn’t have a complete understanding of the specifics. He only knew that there were advanced technological materials hidden in the space button, but he knew nothing about the formulas for those nutrient solutions.

This gave him a significant amount of maneuvering space.

Since it would take a considerable amount of time to fully understand the technological materials inside the golden finger and derive results from them, he decided to keep it for now and use the formula for the nutrient solutions, trying not to arouse Yan Tong’s suspicion and vigilance. The main industries of the Fang Group were real estate and pharmaceuticals.

Now that Dongsheng Pharmaceutical was being squeezed to the brink of bankruptcy by the Fang family, it was the perfect opportunity for him to acquire it and establish a foundation. This time, Fang Yandong wouldn’t be able to kill Dongsheng Pharmaceutical, and Fang Ziyang would make sure that Dongsheng Pharmaceutical took a big bite out of Fang Yandong!

However, the plan was good, but there was a problem with funding.

Fang Ziyang assessed his assets, and although he had a considerable amount, he couldn’t currently use his grandfather’s inheritance. The only funds he could mobilize were the 2.3 billion from selling software and the 2.3 billion he had swindled back from Fang Yandong, totaling 4.6 billion.

This amount wasn’t enough to acquire Dongsheng Pharmaceutical.

If he borrowed money, although Zhou Jun and Zhao Jingyu could help, their lending capacity was limited and far from enough.

After careful consideration, Fang Ziyang realized that there was only one quick way to make money: continue fleecing Fang Yandong.

Since it was Fang Yandong, he felt no psychological pressure and even found it very enjoyable!

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

After dealing with the sudden impact caused by the previous company’s plane crash, Fang Yandong, who had just settled down, once again focused his attention on Fang Ziyang, thinking about how to retrieve the funds he had been swindled out of.

In this case, as a good son, how could Fang Ziyang not fulfill his father’s wishes?

On a weekend, he packed a few exercise books and went to Zhao Jingyu’s house under the pretense of studying with his classmates.

He also called Zhou Jun and asked him to bring his father along when he came.

Although the Zhou family and the Zhao family were both engaged in the construction business and supermarket business, respectively, their companies were not too large in Jiang City, worth only a few billion. They couldn’t be compared to conglomerates like the Fang family.

However, both families had strong backgrounds within the Jiang City circle.

The Zhou family had relatives in the municipal government, while the Zhao family had connections with the police. The video that went viral recently involving a criminal case was handled quickly and resulted in severe punishment because Zhou Jun and Zhao Jingyu were able to intervene and expedite the process.

Moreover, what Fang Ziyang valued most was the good family values of the Zhou and Zhao families. They placed great emphasis on the moral education of their children.

Despite Zhou Jun and Zhao Jingyu’s love for indulgence, partying, and showing off, they were actually very good students. They weren’t top students, but they were definitely among the best. However, their unconventional appearance and behavior often made people overlook their excellent qualities.

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Moreover, he was very familiar with her. Wasn’t she Tang Xun’s mother…

Xie Zheng suddenly understood why both he and Rick couldn’t understand why Tang Xun treated Fang Ziyang so well.

It was because Tang Xun was Fang Ziyang’s brother!

Regardless of whether they were full siblings or half-siblings with the same father but different mothers, it could explain Tang Xun’s behavior all these years.

However, they needed to investigate in detail to determine the exact relationship.

The situation might not be as simple as Fang Ziyang speculated.

With a serious expression, Xie Zheng took out his phone and snapped a photo of the picture. He nodded and agreed to help.

“Alright, I’ll investigate the woman in the photo for you. But you have to promise me not to act recklessly until we have the results. This matter may be more complicated than you imagine…”

“Yeah, I understand.”

Fang Ziyang looked at Xie Zheng, whose expression changed several times, and he had a bottom line in his heart.

It seemed that even if Xie Zheng didn’t help, he had a new direction for investigation.

His guess was correct. Yan Tong would never do anything without purpose. By uncovering the secret of this photo, he might find some unexpected surprises.

“Rick, go to the research building now and bring Tang Xun back home. I’ll come over and talk to both of you. I have something to discuss with Tang Xun.”

“Huh? What’s so urgent that you can’t say it over the phone?”

“It’s about Tang Xun’s background. I suspect that Aunt Zheng is not Tang Xun’s mother. Tang Xun is actually Fang Ziyang’s older brother, his full-blooded brother.”

“…”

Leaving the coffee shop, Xie Zheng instructed his secretary to cancel the upcoming meetings. He got in the car and rushed to the villa where Tang Xun and Rick lived.

Although he didn’t fully believe Fang Ziyang’s words, he believed about 70 to 80 percent of it.

In fact, some people had noticed the situation in the Fang family. Fang Yandong had been hiding the fact that he was raising his younger son, but he couldn’t hide it from Xie Zheng, Tang Xun, and Rick, who had been paying close attention to Fang Ziyang.

However, they didn’t think too deeply about it. They thought that Fang Yandong was deliberately cultivating a son to prevent internal conflicts within the family, even if it was cruel. It was understandable because there were too many struggles within the wealthy families. As a father, he didn’t want to see his sons fighting each other. If there was anyone to blame, it could only be Fang Ziyang’s unfortunate luck for being abandoned.

Although Tang Xun wanted to help Fang Ziyang, his reach was limited, and he couldn’t interfere in the internal affairs of the Fang family. He could only privately take care of Fang Ziyang, so he wouldn’t end up in a bad state…

However, hearing Fang Ziyang’s words today made Xie Zheng realize that the situation had become much more serious.

Fang Ziyang’s two speculations leaned more towards the latter.

If Aunt Zheng was really the true love of Fang Yandong, who had been planning to bring back his beloved woman and son, then why didn’t they have any contact for so many years? Why didn’t Fang Yandong care about Tang Xun at all?

When Xie Zheng met Tang Xun, Tang Xun and his mother were living a difficult life abroad.

If it wasn’t for Xie Zheng’s support, Tang Xun wouldn’t even have had the opportunity to go to school, let alone have enough to eat. Therefore, the speculation that Fang Yandong had been planning to adopt his beloved woman and son from outside could be completely ruled out.

In that case, only the second speculation remained.

Tang Xun was the true young master of the Fang family, while Fang Qianhao was the illegitimate child, and their identities had been swapped. That was why Fang Yandong treated his two sons so differently, and he completely ignored Tang Xun, who was living outside.

But then, another question arose!

If Fang Yandong genuinely loved his older son and his mother, it meant that he truly liked Fang Qianhao’s mother. In that case, why did he tolerate his beloved woman suffering outside for so many years without any contact? Why did he not care about Tang Xun at all?

After all, when Xie Zheng met Tang Xun, Tang Xun and his mother were not living well overseas.

If it weren’t for Xie Zheng’s support, Tang Xun wouldn’t have had the opportunity to go to school, and even basic sustenance would have been a problem. Therefore, this speculation about Fang Yandong planning to bring back his beloved woman and son from outside could be completely ruled out.

If that was the case, then what was the reason behind it?

Xie Zheng felt heavy-hearted.

He had known Tang Xun for many years, and to outsiders, they seemed to have a good relationship as boss and subordinate, but in reality, they were close friends.

Everyone saw him as someone with infinite power as the head of the Xie family, but no one knew about the difficulties and dangers he faced in private, such as the consecutive “accidental” deaths of his fiancées and the constant accidents involving his friends.

He had reached his current position with great effort, and Tang Xun had played a significant role, shielding him from countless dangers.

The sponsorship he had initially offered out of impulse unexpectedly resulted in such a deep friendship.

Tang Xun was a person who valued relationships greatly, and he didn’t want anyone to harm each other in this matter. The revelations today were truly shocking…

Xie Zheng arrived at the suburban villa with a heavy heart.

Rick had already brought Tang Xun back. Although their phone conversation was brief, it was enough to change their expressions.

Tang Xun’s face was pale, and when he saw Xie Zheng, he immediately stood up anxiously.

He seemed to have been greatly struck by something, and his emotions were on the verge of collapsing. “Boss, is what you and Rick said true? Am I really the biological brother of Fang Ziyang? His full-blooded brother?”

“Tang, calm down and let Xie sit down and explain slowly,” Rick tried to comfort him, worried.

But at this moment, Tang Xun’s emotions were too close to the edge of breaking, and he couldn’t listen. He shouted loudly as if stimulated, “I can’t calm down! Rick, you don’t know… I can’t calm down! You don’t know what this news means to me!”

“If this is true, then I’m a fucking idiot! I’ve been watching my biological brother being ruined step by step! I’ve been filial to the woman who took everything from my biological mother!”

Normally mild-tempered Tang Xun, for the first time, lost control and spoke rudely in front of others.

The sudden revelation was just too difficult to accept. It was as if his entire world had collapsed.

“You guys say, if this is all true, am I an idiot? I’ve been watching my brother turn into a waste, and I thought I was protecting him well… I’ve been filial to the enemy of my biological mother…”

“She definitely knew! She definitely knew that our identities were switched! She didn’t want me to treat the brothers from the Fang family well; she wanted me to treat Fang Qianhao well! She deceived me like a fool, took away my identity, and still wanted me to treat her biological son well!”

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

Tang Xun’s anger was on the verge of exploding.

“No wonder, no wonder, even though I respected her, I couldn’t feel that close bond between a mother and son. I thought it was because I resembled Fang Yandong too much that she treated me with such coldness. It turns out it was all Zheng Yaxue’s lies!”

He didn’t want to make such speculations, but all the doubts pointed to this cruel truth, forcing him to think this way.

Xie Zheng and Rick were also filled with anger if Tang Xun’s speculations were true. Zheng Yaxue was truly despicable!

Did she think she was kind after leaving Fang Yandong?

If Zheng Yaxue truly had any self-awareness and felt guilty towards Fang Yandong’s wife, she wouldn’t have returned to become Fang Yandong’s mistress after their breakup. If she genuinely felt guilty towards Fang Yandong’s wife, she shouldn’t have selfishly watched as the two children were switched.

If she had a conscience, she shouldn’t have brainwashed Tang Xun, burdening him with guilt and self-doubt from a young age, and expected him to treat her biological son well!

“Fuck! I want to kill her!”

Rick was so enraged that he smashed the cup on the table and stood up, wanting to kill.

Xie Zheng grabbed his arm and stopped him firmly.

“Calm down, Rick! There’s still another question we must clarify before we take action.”

“What question?”

“It’s what I said earlier. If Zheng Yaxue knew everything, why did she choose to separate from her son and live a miserable life abroad, even though she knew Fang Yandong had deep feelings for her and their children? Why didn’t she directly marry into the Fang family after Fang’s wife passed away?”

“This doesn’t align with normal human behavior logic. Either Zheng Yaxue truly wanted to leave or… there’s a significant and compelling reason behind all this.”

Clearly, Zheng Yaxue couldn’t be the former.

Tang Xun clenched his fist.

Rick also calmed down and squinted his eyes. “I’ll contact M Country immediately to investigate.”

“As for the Fang family in China, let me handle it.”

Xie Zheng’s gaze was equally sharp.

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Fang Ziyang was speechless and felt a bit inexplicably guilty. He never expected that the powerful and domineering figure in the Xie family would turn out to be such a pure person!

Didn’t he just give the other person a little nibble? It couldn’t be considered a real kiss. Although it was normal for men to marry men nowadays, it didn’t mean they had to maintain a distance as if they were between men and women.

He just took a bite, a mere touch of the lips. It shouldn’t be a big deal, right? Why did it seem like it left such a huge shadow on the other person?

It was truly unimaginable that someone like Xie Zheng, with his personality, could still exist in this open-minded era. A person who had experienced society, yet was more shy than a virgin!

What kind of rare specimen was this incredibly sheltered and aloof man…

Suddenly, Fang Ziyang felt a sense of guilt, as if he had tarnished something pure and aloof. He quietly withdrew his hand.

Looking at the man in front of him, whose serious image had been shattered, Fang Ziyang couldn’t help but smile sincerely from the bottom of his heart, teasingly saying, “Uncle Xie, do I look like a ferocious beast? Why do you seem so afraid of me?”

Embarrassed by being directly exposed, Xie Zheng’s normally stoic face couldn’t help but turn red.

Could he not be afraid? He had never encountered someone like Fang Ziyang, someone he couldn’t find words to describe. Although there had been people who had tried to approach and seduce him before, no one had the audacity of Fang Ziyang.

In the past, anyone who tried to cling to him would be frozen and driven away with a single glance from him. After the rumors of him being a doomed lone star spread, his surroundings became peaceful.

However, Fang Ziyang was an exception. He was completely fearless of Xie Zheng’s imposing aura and the rumors of being a lone star.

During their last encounter, Fang Ziyang initiated a kiss, and now he seemed even more relentless. Xie Zheng couldn’t help but think that Fang Ziyang had a secret crush on him! If this logic continued, would their next meeting involve dragging him onto a bed?!

For Xie Zheng, who had a severe case of emotional cleanliness, it was truly unimaginable. It was terrifying…

His lips twitched.

Facing Fang Ziyang’s teasing smile, it took Xie Zheng a long time to force out a sentence, “Although I’m only ten years older than you, I’m still your elder. It’s not good for you to act this way. Do you have any other questions? If not, I need to attend a meeting.”

The best way to deal with an impudent little imp was to simply keep your distance.

After so many years, Xie Zheng had never felt so helpless and headache-inducing because of a person.

And Fang Ziyang, for the first time in his life, encountered such a pure and aloof man.

Taking a deep breath, he felt a bit guilty about tormenting this pure and aloof flower.

“Okay, Uncle Xie, whatever you say goes. I promise to be a well-behaved and obedient child from now on. Since you’re so kind and willing to take care of me, how about helping me with one more thing?”

Fang Ziyang reluctantly nodded, taking out his phone as he spoke.

He showed the backup of the photo he obtained from Yan Tong to Xie Zheng and asked, “Uncle Xie, with your vast capabilities, can you help me investigate this woman on the left side of the photo?”

Asking for Xie Zheng’s help in investigating the mysterious woman in the photo was a spur-of-the-moment decision for Fang Ziyang.

During this period, he had been trying to find someone to investigate, but he was afraid of attracting Fang Yandong’s attention, so he couldn’t make any significant moves. Moreover, the events from twenty years ago had been deliberately concealed, and it was not something an ordinary detective could uncover. Although his hacking skills were good, they were not omnipotent. After all, back then, the internet in China was not as widespread as it is now, and many records couldn’t be found on computers.

However, when he met Xie Zheng again today and discovered Xie Zheng’s special attitude towards him, Fang Ziyang suddenly had an idea.

Xie Zheng’s power and abilities were obviously formidable, and if he was willing to help, many things would become much simpler.

Although it was a bit reckless.

But deep down, Fang Ziyang had an intuition that he could trust Xie Zheng.

He handed the phone to Xie Zheng.

Xie Zheng didn’t immediately refuse and naturally took a look. If it didn’t involve his bottom line, he didn’t mind helping.

However, as he looked at the photo…

Xie Zheng’s expression suddenly changed, and his pupils constricted.

Raising his head again to look at Fang Ziyang, his expression became serious, and a hint of imperceptible wariness and coldness crept into his previously calm voice.

“Why are you investigating this? What’s your relationship with this woman in the photo?”

Although Xie Zheng’s facial expression changed quickly, Fang Ziyang still noticed it. After all, even though his body was only eighteen years old, his soul was still twenty-eight, and he had experienced so much that his abilities in certain aspects weren’t much worse than Xie Zheng’s.

Calmly noting Xie Zheng’s abnormality, Fang Ziyang didn’t hide anything and said directly, “From the photo, you should be able to tell that this woman was probably friends with my mother in the past. However, recently, I received some information suggesting that she might not only be my mother’s friend but also my father’s lover. The child she’s holding might be my father’s illegitimate child…”

Xie Zheng’s face changed.

Fang Ziyang continued speaking, half-truths mixed with half-lies, “In the past, I was foolish and always thought that my father loved me dearly. It wasn’t until the incident with the viral video that I realized I had been living in a lie. His kindness towards me was just an act of buttering me up. For all these years, he hasn’t married not because he deeply loves my mother.”

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

“A while ago, he even persuaded me and my older brother to transfer our shares of the company to him, so I reasonably suspect that everything he has done all these years is to secure the assets of the Fang family, waiting for the day he can bring back his ‘true love’ and son…”

Listening without saying a word, Xie Zheng’s expression kept changing.

Observing the other’s reaction, Fang Ziyang continued, “Of course, there’s another possibility.”

“What possibility?”

Perhaps the news was too shocking, Xie Zheng couldn’t maintain his composure. He quickly responded, clearly denying the previous speculations.

“There’s another possibility that the child in the photo is actually my biological brother…”

Fang Ziyang analyzed, “Although it sounds absurd, I have carefully considered this suspicion. My father treated me and my brother very differently. Even though he wanted my brother’s shares, he didn’t dote on my brother as much as he pampered me.”

“When I was younger, I thought my father liked me more, but now it seems like I was just self-centered.”

“Furthermore, our relationship has never been good from childhood to adulthood. Fang Qianhao never treated me like a younger brother, and I never felt close to him.”

“So, based on this, I have a bold suspicion that my father swapped his illegitimate child with my real brother… In doing so, his truly beloved son can openly become the young master of the Fang family and inherit the vast fortune left by my grandfather.”

The speculation that even without Uncle Liu and Aunt Zhang’s testimony, one could guess is because Fang Yandong’s attitude towards Fang Ziyang and Fang Qianhao is too confusing. Why is there such extreme favoritism toward two children born to the same mother?

“But there are still some questions I can’t figure out, so I can only ask Uncle Xie to help investigate. If I don’t figure out the truth, I’m afraid I won’t even know how I’ll die someday…”

At the end, Fang Ziyang’s lips curled into a mocking smile.

In his previous life, he didn’t know the truth until he died. He was manipulated and used as a stepping stone, only to discover it in this life.

In the high society, these melodramatic conflicts were common.

Xie Zheng’s temperament wouldn’t be greatly shaken by such secret matters. However, what Fang Ziyang revealed at this moment caused significant fluctuations in his emotions.

Because the woman in the photo was someone he knew.

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“It is related to the termination of the engagement. If he voluntarily proposed the termination, he would immediately lose his position as the heir of the Xie family and be struck off from my household registration.”

“Of course, I won’t deny that I also had a selfish motive. You should know that I don’t actually want Xie Wenxu as my son. His existence constantly reminds me that I may die prematurely. This agreement might be a good opportunity.”

However, apart from that, there was another reason, and it was because of Tang Xun.

If it wasn’t for Tang Xun, Xie Zheng wouldn’t have had the energy to consider so much for a stranger. Xie Wenxu’s romantic affairs were none of his business, and what he disliked the most was hearing about the affairs of the second household.

Xie Zheng maintained a serious expression internally.

Fang Ziyang, on the other hand, was surprised to hear this.

So that’s why!

No wonder Xie Wenxu resorted to such ruthless means to scheme against him in his previous life. Xie Wenxu couldn’t terminate the engagement himself, and at that time, Fang Ziyang was still in love with him and reluctant to break up.

To secure his position as the heir, Xie Wenxu had no choice but to take drastic actions against him!

However…

If Xie Wenxu had talked to him at that time and explained the pros and cons, with his pride and feelings for Xie Wenxu, there could have been room for negotiation regarding the termination of the engagement.

Although he really liked Xie Wenxu at that time, he wasn’t the type of person to cling onto a relationship.

But Xie Wenxu never considered it for a moment and directly resorted to harming him…

Thinking about everything from his previous life, Fang Ziyang couldn’t suppress his hatred.

However, this news was excellent, truly excellent!

Fang Ziyang took a deep breath, forced himself to stabilize his emotions, and smiled.

“Uncle Xie, thank you for sharing such good news with me. As a token of my gratitude, how about we cooperate?”

Xie Zheng’s deep gaze focused on him, as if he wasn’t surprised by Fang Ziyang’s reaction.

“You want to use me to retaliate against Xie Wenxu.”

It was a statement, not a question.

Although he hadn’t figured out the exact reasons behind Fang Ziyang’s deep hatred for Xie Wenxu, Xie Zheng could clearly sense Fang Ziyang’s emotional fluctuations and the smile that had no trace of affection, but rather the smile born out of extreme hatred.

Xie Zheng asked a question that had been on his mind for a long time.

“It seems that you hate Xie Wenxu a lot. You don’t have to deny it. Although you hide it well, you can’t deceive my eyes. You even… want to kill him, don’t you?”

Fang Ziyang’s face changed slightly.

Seeing this, Xie Zheng’s serious expression finally revealed a sense of gravity, as if an elder had discovered a younger generation’s misguided path.

“Fang Ziyang, although I don’t know what happened between you and Xie Wenxu that made you hate him so much, your current state is not right…”

“I’m not advising you against dealing with Xie Wenxu. In fact, I dislike him too. His actions have indeed caused you a great deal of harm, and it’s normal for you to hate him. But don’t lose yourself in the process.”

Xie Zheng sat upright, with square shoulders and proper posture, exuding a solemn aura even in the relaxed ambiance of the coffee shop.

The neon lights outside shone through the glass, illuminating his face, accentuating his handsome and dignified features.

His high nose bridge and thick eyebrows gave him a charismatic appearance.

His eyes were wise and profound, as if they could see through all hearts. However, the pure rationality with which he approached matters prevented anyone from feeling offended by being seen through.

Some people would only feel self-conscious when their thoughts were exposed.

“I understand.”

Fang Ziyang interrupted Xie Zheng’s words and took a deep breath. “I know what you want to say. You want to tell me not to let hatred blind my eyes, not to let hatred control me to the point where I lose control, right?”

“Do you understand?”

Xie Zheng didn’t get angry because he was interrupted; he nodded.

That was indeed his intention.

Although he had some prejudice against Fang Ziyang because of Tang Xun, considering him to be a troublemaker, it didn’t affect his evaluation of Fang Ziyang. Fang Ziyang was just a slightly willful child, not a bad person.

He didn’t want Fang Ziyang to take a wrong path because of some twists and turns and lose himself.

However, he had underestimated the extent of Fang Ziyang’s experiences and the accumulation of hatred within him. Some things couldn’t be prevented just by not wanting them to happen or by controlling oneself.

Fang Ziyang suddenly smiled.

“Uncle Xie, I truly appreciate your kindness, and I can see that you are a good person. I agree with what you said, and I am actually very aware of my own state. But… I can’t control it.”

Xie Zheng didn’t say anything, but a trace of concern appeared in his deep eyes.

“I have been able to survive because of hatred.”

“I have lived until now because of the power of hatred.”

“Until this day, it has become my obsession. I don’t mind being controlled by it. I have already lost too much, and until I fulfill this obsession, I can’t spare any attention. As long as I can achieve my goal, I don’t care.”

“Even if the final outcome is mutual destruction, I would still be happy.”

Fang Ziyang smiled, unwavering in his conviction.

Even if it appeared wrong to others.

Xie Zheng’s expression became even more solemn. “What exactly did Xie Wenxu do to you?”

Fang Ziyang paused for a moment, not saying anything.

His hand clenched tightly under the table, nails digging into his palm.

After a while, he smiled again, his gaze scrutinizing the handsome man in front of him, a smile that seemed both genuine and sarcastic.

“Uncle Xie, although I call you ‘uncle,’ it’s just a polite term. If we really calculate it, you’re only ten years older than me. You always speak like an old man, I guarantee you will never find a wife your whole life. After all, my taste is quite mainstream, representing the majority of ordinary people.”

Xie Zheng, the old man who can’t find a wife:…

The old man Xie Zheng felt that the little demon was up to something again.

And sure enough.

Fang Ziyang propped his chin up and smiled playfully.

“Or should I say, Uncle Xie, you actually like me. In the past, because I was Xie Wenxu’s boyfriend, you could only silently love me and protect me. Now that Xie Wenxu and I have broken up, you conveniently use my emotional turmoil as an excuse to care and console me. Then we can have deep conversations, and eventually, I will fall in love and depend on you, and you can take advantage of the situation?”

“Uncle Xie, I didn’t expect you to be so scheming and sly.”

Scheming… and sly.

Xie Zheng was stunned by this evaluation. But then he realized what Fang Ziyang had said, and his ears turned bright red, shocked beyond belief.

His serious image was instantly shattered.

And Fang Ziyang continued his nonsensical rambling.

“If you don’t like me, Uncle Xie, why didn’t you get angry when you heard the things I said to Xie Wenxu earlier? Instead, you consoled me.”

“If you don’t like me, Uncle Xie, why do you care so much about the things that hurt me regarding Xie Wenxu?”

“So, Uncle Xie, if you don’t like me, why suddenly meddle and treat me so well?”

Fang Ziyang blinked, as if saying, ‘Don’t pretend anymore, I’ve figured you out.’

Xie Zheng:…

Xie Zheng felt like running away.

But if he fled now, according to the logical thinking of the beautiful young man in front of him, would he take it as his acceptance? Would he be seen as too afraid to answer and be concluded that he really liked him, so one day when he felt like it, he would directly pounce on him and take advantage of him on the spot?

Considering his previous experience when he was frightened by a forceful kiss, it was quite possible!

Young people these days were really terrifying!

Xie Zheng positioned his legs under the table, ready to run at any moment, while keeping his upper body composed, trying hard to maintain a poker face.

“I don’t like to meddle. I said so much because I have a friend who has always been concerned about you…”

“Oh, you have a friend~”

Fang Ziyang nodded, continuing to show a suggestive expression as if he understood everything.

Even though Xie Zheng was a bit old-fashioned, he occasionally surfed the internet:…

That expression!

He really did have a friend!

This conversation was going nowhere.

Xie Zheng took a deep breath and decided to end the topic.

“Alright, don’t persuade others to be good when they haven’t experienced hardship. I’ve already said what I wanted to say. Since you’ve made up your mind, I won’t say anything more. But there’s one thing I still want to tell you. Even though you say you’ve lost a lot, there are still people who care about you. So, in the future, when you consider extreme actions, I hope you’ll think more about your own safety.”

“As for the matter of your engagement with Xie Wenxu, I’ll handle it for you. Don’t worry, he won’t bother you again.”

After saying that, Xie Zheng prepared to get up and leave.

However, at the moment he stood up, a fair and cold hand grabbed his wrist.

Xie Zheng’s body trembled, and the kiss from their previous encounter almost came to mind. He instinctively moved away, turned around in a panic, and exclaimed,

“What are you trying to do?!”

He had a look as if he were about to lose his innocence!

Fang Ziyang:…

Did he really look like a pervert?

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Xie Wenxu was on the verge of going crazy.

After knowing each other for so many years, he had never realized that Fang Ziyang’s words could be so venomous!

They say not to hit someone in the face or expose their weaknesses when scolding them.

But this person, he not only hit people in the face but also exposed their weaknesses. It seemed like he wouldn’t be satisfied unless he completely offended someone, without any regard for consequences.

“Fang Ziyang, are you really going to take things to such extremes?”

Xie Wenxu tried to breathe and restrain himself from the urge to physically attack Fang Ziyang in public. It was truly infuriating.

However, Fang Ziyang also wished he could just kill Xie Wenxu right now.

Seeing that Xie Wenxu still hadn’t fully grasped the reality, Fang Ziyang gave up completely. This person was beyond redemption, foolish, arrogant, and self-deceptive. It seemed like even a blow to the head wouldn’t necessarily make him sober.

“Even if I don’t go to such extremes, would you spare me?”

Fang Ziyang stared directly into Xie Wenxu’s eyes. “Xie Wenxu, don’t pretend to be so noble. You won’t spare me. Even if I give in, as long as Yan Tong is around, you won’t let me go. If Yan Tong doesn’t approve, you will mercilessly destroy me…”

Just like in their past life.

No matter how much he gave in, how much he endured and swallowed his grievances in order to leave, as long as Yan Tong said a word or expressed unhappiness, these people would use blades to harm him.

Back then, he had been so obedient to Xie Wenxu, never doing anything to harm him. But what did Xie Wenxu do to cancel the engagement? He completely ruined his entire life just to protect his own interests and Yan Tong’s reputation.

Because he no longer liked him, he could recklessly sacrifice him.

“Xie Wenxu, do you know that whenever I think of the love I once had for you, I feel stupid and blind. Because your so-called love was truly too fake and cheap.”

Fang Ziyang lowered his head, suppressing the hatred in his eyes.

“I won’t help you with the cancellation of the engagement. If you have the ability, let’s see who can outlast the other…”

After speaking, Fang Ziyang remained silent, his attitude clear.

Xie Wenxu was trembling with anger. Looking at Fang Ziyang’s gaze, which had turned from coldness to deep hatred, he said, “Fine, Fang Ziyang, you’re amazing. I can’t argue with you. Since that’s the case, don’t regret it in the future. If you think you can bind me with such provocative tactics, let me tell you, it will only make me despise you even more!”

Angry, he grabbed his car keys.

Finally, Xie Wenxu slammed the chair and left. The anger surrounding him could have killed ten thousand enemies.

After Xie Wenxu had completely left the coffee shop.

Fang Ziyang finally raised his head. There was no expression on his face as he sat there quietly, holding his coffee cup and slowly savoring the bitter yet fragrant liquid.

He didn’t want to become the prickly person he was now.

But if raising prickles on his body like a hedgehog was the only way to survive, then what did it matter?

Did Xie Wenxu really think that his disdainful words could hurt him? He had such a thick skin.

These people, why were they so amusing?

…

After setting down the empty coffee cup, Fang Ziyang revealed his smile again and stood up to leave.

However, as he turned his head…

He saw an unexpected person.

Xie Zheng!

And judging by the expression and posture, he probably didn’t even know how long Xie Zheng had been standing behind him!

Fang Ziyang’s smile immediately became a bit stiff.

“Uncle Xie, why are you here?”

To be honest, despite his previous display of power, intimidating everyone, he was actually quite apprehensive of Xie Zheng.

In fact, almost everyone was intimidated by Xie Zheng. This man seemed like a born king, exuding an aura that commanded respect. Combined with his notorious stern temperament, there were very few people who could feel at ease in his presence.

During their previous encounter, the reason Fang Ziyang was able to intimidate him was not because he was particularly brave. In hindsight, he realized how terrifying it was.

At that time, he appeared so impressive mainly because he had just been reborn, filled with intense hatred, fearless and unstoppable. Even if it was Xie Zheng himself or the emperor, Fang Ziyang probably would have dared to confront them.

But looking back now, he was filled with cold sweat.

Oh my god, he actually threatened Xie Zheng!

Oh my god, he actually kissed Xie Zheng!

Oh my god, was he insane back then?

Whenever he thought of his grand actions from back then, Fang Ziyang felt the urge to die clean. Countless legends about Xie Zheng flooded his mind.

Legends like Xie Zheng being a natural-born jinx who could kill anyone he disliked…

Legends like Xie Zheng being incredibly ruthless, needing to drink a glass of red wine mixed with human blood before he could sleep…

Legends like a business associate who said something offensive to Xie Zheng and ended up having his tongue cut off…

Although these legends were highly exaggerated and differed greatly from the impression he had formed after meeting Xie Zheng a few times, where the person seemed like a 28-year-old maiden who still held onto his first kiss, it was undeniable that Xie Zheng was indeed a fearsome and intimidating figure.

He just died too early in his previous life.

Why did he encounter this person again? Wasn’t Xie Zheng the one in charge of the Xie family, always busy with meetings and contracts to the point of not even going home, making it nearly impossible for a regular person to meet him? Yet Fang Ziyang had bumped into him twice this month alone!

Fang Ziyang tried hard to maintain his strained smile while his mind was roaring.

And there was Xie Zheng, who had walked over without an invitation and rearranged the scattered chair meticulously, furrowing his brows with a precise movement before sitting down.

Then he spoke up.

“Is Xie Wenxu always like this toward you?”

Xie Zheng’s voice was very pleasant, with a low and magnetic tone.

But due to his long-standing high position, his voice inherently carried a sense of authority and seriousness, making it easy to overlook its pleasant qualities and instead feel the pressure and tension.

That was exactly how Fang Ziyang felt.

He had a strange feeling as if he was being scolded by the headmaster…

However, Xie Zheng’s tone didn’t seem accusatory or questioning. It was just a normal and serious inquiry.

This made Fang Ziyang feel a little bolder and he tentatively replied, “Did Uncle Xie hear our conversation just now?”

“Mhmm.”

Xie Zheng didn’t deny it and showed no embarrassment about accidentally overhearing their conversation.

But after nodding, it seemed like he realized something and continued, “I didn’t intentionally eavesdrop. Your voices were just too loud, and I happened to be next door… So, does Xie Wenxu always treat you this way?”

He briefly explained, and then asked the question again.

His expression didn’t look particularly good; his brows were furrowed, making his already serious face even more intimidating.

Although Fang Ziyang could sense that Xie Zheng’s emotions were not directed at him but rather at Xie Wenxu, he couldn’t help feeling surprised and puzzled.

If Xie Zheng really heard what he had said earlier, openly stating that if he was to get married, he would make Xie Wenxu wear a green hat and use Xie family’s money to live a carefree life with a gigolo, considering Xie Zheng’s character as the patriarch of the Xie family, he shouldn’t be angry…

It was as if the sun was rising from the west, or maybe Xie Zheng’s mind was going haywire?

Fang Ziyang’s expression was too obvious.

Even if he hadn’t said anything, Xie Zheng could see from his face what he was thinking, and it reminded him of the consequences of inadvertently provoking him during their previous encounter…

Unable to control himself, Xie Zheng subtly moved his body back a little, just in case.

Then he maintained his poker face and explained again, “I didn’t mean to blame you. Although Xie Wenxu is my supposed son, I won’t cover up his actions. I have said before that if there is anything wrong with Xie Wenxu, you can tell me.”

He had always thought that Xie Wenxu and Fang Ziyang had a good relationship, with only a recent conflict. But now, it seemed that things were different, and Xie Wenxu’s attitude towards Fang Ziyang was truly terrible.

At this moment, Fang Ziyang still didn’t understand why Xie Zheng’s attitude towards him suddenly became so favorable.

It didn’t seem sudden, though.

In fact, during their previous meeting, Xie Zheng’s attitude towards him wasn’t bad. Despite Fang Ziyang’s resentment towards the Xie family due to his past life, Xie Zheng, who saw him as a stranger, was already quite good by explicitly stating that if Fang Ziyang were to be bullied, the Xie family would fairly stand on his side.

And today, it seemed like Xie Zheng was still willing to stand on his side and support him.

Fang Ziyang found it very strange.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

He was an outsider to the Xie family, so why would Xie Zheng support him like this?

Something abnormal must be afoot!

Fang Ziyang had always maintained a deep hostility towards the Xie family. After all, no matter what, Xie Wenxu had the Xie surname, while he was an outsider. He didn’t believe that the Xie family would truly treat him impartially and favor him over their own family members.

Fang Ziyang felt wary and maintained a distant smile.

“Uncle Xie, I appreciate your kind intentions, but I am already an adult. It’s not really appropriate to involve parents in such matters. If Uncle Xie is truly interested in the situation between me and Xie Wenxu, why not ask him directly? Besides, it seems like no one would believe what I say anyway.”

Although there were rumors that Xie Zheng was a decent person and his current attitude was good, Fang Ziyang wasn’t foolish enough to believe that Xie Zheng would intervene on his behalf.

Xie Zheng also sensed the distance and lack of trust from Fang Ziyang.

Given their positions and perspectives, such a reaction was normal. However, Xie Zheng felt that it would be best to have a proper conversation with Fang Ziyang today, as Fang Ziyang’s current attitude was not conducive to productive discussions.

After some thought, Xie Zheng decided to say, “Do you want to know why Xie Wenxu insisted on having you speak up for the termination of the engagement?”

Of course, he wanted to know.

He definitely wanted to know.

Fang Ziyang wanted to understand why Xie Wenxu had shown such abnormal behavior regarding the termination of the engagement. Knowing the reason would give him an advantage in dealing with Xie Wenxu.

But would Xie Zheng really tell him so easily? Without any demands?

As it turned out, that was indeed the case. Xie Zheng continued, “Because when he proposed the engagement with you, I didn’t have a favorable view of your relationship. Therefore, I had him write a guarantee agreement, and one of the clauses was …”

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Xie Wenxu felt guilty and angry, wanting to argue.

However, Fang Ziyang interrupted him directly. He had run out of patience and spoke coldly.

“Xie Wenxu, I don’t want to waste any more words with you. If you called me here today just to argue, then let me warn you. If you waste my time, you will pay the price.”

His emotionless tone silenced Xie Wenxu just as he was about to make a sound with his throat.

He looked at the cold gaze of the young man in front of him, and in that instant, he felt a freezing sensation, as if the young man in front of him wanted to kill him. There was a hidden fear in that icy gaze.

…

Fang Ziyang’s appearance was far from a joke.

He couldn’t help but tense up his body.

After a while, Xie Wenxu managed to suppress the inexplicable emotions in his heart. He no longer acted so domineering and didn’t maintain the deliberate air of superiority. He spoke in a firm tone.

“Fine, I don’t want to argue with you anymore. I called you here today to discuss canceling our engagement…”

“Oh, how do you want to handle it?”

Fang Ziyang picked up the coffee on the table and took a sip, looking at the other person nonchalantly.

He was curious to see what “perfect” solution Xie Wenxu had come up with after being quiet for so many days.

Well, Xie Wenxu didn’t disappoint him.

Although he was momentarily overwhelmed by Fang Ziyang’s aura, he, as a shrewd fiancé, wouldn’t let himself be taken advantage of when it came to canceling the engagement.

Xie Wenxu placed a contract on the table.

His expression was that of persuasion, but his tone still carried a condescending air.

“Ziyang, I think you should be able to feel that there may not be any feelings left between us. I admit that I do have some affection for Yan Tong, but between him and me, there is indeed nothing impure. I haven’t done anything to betray you.”

“As for the incident with the viral video, it’s not like I deliberately ignored you. I was just considering the state of our relationship at the time, which is why I didn’t intervene. By the time I realized it, you had already taken care of the situation yourself…”

Xie Wenxu didn’t completely dismiss the guilt in his heart, but it didn’t stop him from offering justifications.

Fang Ziyang didn’t interrupt; he simply watched quietly, listening to him speak.

Xie Wenxu felt a bit weak under Fang Ziyang’s emotionless gaze.

But he still wouldn’t let his own future and his current “true love” bear the consequences of his actions.

Xie Wenxu reassured himself in his mind that he hadn’t done anything wrong, that he hadn’t betrayed Fang Ziyang.

He couldn’t be solely blamed for reaching this point. Yes, he had been at fault for changing his heart, but didn’t Fang Ziyang have any responsibility? It was because Fang Ziyang was too capricious and always embarrassed him that his patience and affection were worn thin.

Comforting himself in this way, Xie Wenxu felt more and more confident as he spoke.

“I did genuinely like you at first, liked your cheerfulness and innocence, liked your pride combined with kindness… But I don’t know when you changed into who you are now. We both have our share of responsibility for reaching this point.”

“Considering my family’s situation, I can’t cancel the engagement; it has to be you who speaks up. As compensation, once I inherit the shares of the Xie family, I can give you a 1% stake in Xie Corporation. I believe you don’t want to continue this engagement, do you?”

“Fang Ziyang, although you’re not very smart, you should understand what a 1% stake in Xie Corporation represents…”

Even if it was only 1% of the shares, it was still something that Fang family couldn’t compare to.

If it wasn’t for the fear of leaving himself vulnerable to exploitation, Xie Wenxu genuinely wouldn’t want to give it up. A stake in a century-old family wasn’t something that could be casually given away.

But in order to minimize the impact of canceling the engagement, he had no choice but to do so.

It pained Xie Wenxu to think about it.

Originally, he thought that after the incident with Fang Ziyang’s outburst, it would be a simple matter to cancel the engagement. For the sake of the Xie family’s reputation, they would surely agree. However, when he expressed his thoughts upon returning home, he received a slap from his grandmother in anger!

Mrs. Zhou pointed at him and scolded furiously,

“You think canceling the engagement is such a simple matter? Fool! I told you not to act impulsively, but you insisted on getting engaged to the Fang family without being the heir. Now you regret it? It’s too late!”

“Go and take out the guarantee letter that Xie Zheng had you write and see what’s written on it! You have no right to cancel this engagement. If you want to cancel it, it can only be done if Fang Ziyang initiates it!”

“…I don’t know what’s wrong with that brat Xie Zheng. He’s so protective of the Fang family. If you want to cancel the engagement yourself, then be prepared to lose everything!”

“Think carefully about how you obtained your position as the heir. Do you really think that by having your name on Xie Zheng’s household register, everything will be fine?”

Although he felt reluctant, after carefully examining the contents of the guarantee agreement he had signed back then, Xie Wenxu couldn’t help but regret his impulsiveness.

In Xie Zheng’s eyes, he was not just a favored son but an enemy as well. Even though he had always been respectful, Xie Zheng never forgot how he had obtained his position as the favored son…

It seemed that Xie Zheng had anticipated his regret from the beginning, which was why he included the punishment of stripping away everything in the agreement if he took the initiative to cancel the engagement!

Overall, Xie Wenxu was filled with regret and helplessness.

He could only employ both soft and hard tactics and, in the end, play the emotional card. “Ziyang, after all, we did have happy times together. I really don’t want us to become enemies because of this.”

Thinking about the contents of the guarantee agreement at home, Xie Wenxu forgot about all his guilt and uneasiness.

“Is that all you have to say?”

Fang Ziyang looked at the man sitting across from him, hypocritical and shameless. Suddenly, he smiled, a brilliant smile like a refreshing breeze and a bright moon.

He didn’t know why their lives had turned out like this, where their reputations and pride had been lost, yet Xie Wenxu still wouldn’t take the initiative to cancel the engagement. He still wanted Fang Ziyang to handle the matter.

But from Xie Wenxu’s expression, it was clear that he was only concerned about interests, and nothing more.

What was Xie Wenxu worried about? What was he afraid of?

Perhaps… their engagement was not as simple on the surface and involved some things that Fang Ziyang didn’t know.

Although he didn’t know what those things were, they should be beneficial to him.

Holding the coffee cup in his hands, Fang Ziyang felt like he had once again obtained an ace. He looked at the person in front of him.

“Xie Wenxu, what did I do to give you the impression that you could treat me like this? Why should I obediently listen to you? Why would I still like you?”

“Do you have to be so heartless?”

No matter how much Xie Wenxu tried to reason with him, his suppressed anger began to rise.

Fang Ziyang showed no signs of wavering, his beautiful eyes filled with a smile that didn’t reach the depths.

“While I also want to cancel this engagement, I won’t preserve my dignity for someone who hurt me and take the responsibility upon myself. Whoever made the mistake should bear it. If we can’t truly cancel it, it doesn’t matter to me…”

“Even if we can’t break this engagement, my loss wouldn’t be significant. At most, after we get married, I’ll treat you as if you don’t exist. My quality of life won’t be affected. It’s not hard to find a man or a woman in this day and age when one is in need.”

“Fang Ziyang, how dare you say such things in front of me, implying that you’ll cuckold me in the future.”

Before Xie Wenxu could finish his sentence, he was interrupted again.

“What ‘you’? I haven’t finished speaking, listen!”

“If you talk nonsense again, don’t blame me for disposing of you today!”

Fang Ziyang forcefully placed his coffee cup on the table, his voice filled with intense resentment and murderous intent. His gaze was like a repressed venomous snake waiting to strike, emitting a dangerous aura.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

“If you want to cancel the engagement, do it yourself. If you can’t, I don’t care. Being the legitimate partner of the Xie family’s heir, no matter how you look at it, I’m the one profiting. With the Xie family’s wealth, I can live a life of luxury without doing anything for the rest of my life. I sincerely won’t be at a loss…”

“As for you, forget about openly and honestly being with Yan Tong for the rest of your life. Don’t even think about inheriting anything. You’ll spend your whole life relying on a monthly allowance and pleasing me. And then, watch as I use the Xie family’s money to keep my lover and enjoy a carefree life!”

Fang Ziyang was completely shameless and spoke without fear of losing face.

Thanks to the experiences of his past life, he had developed such thick skin during his downfall.

There’s a famous saying, how did it go again?

As long as you’re not embarrassed, then the embarrassing one is someone else.

And it turned out to be true.

Even though Xie Wenxu no longer liked him, hearing him say such things made him so furious that he felt like he was ascending to heaven and descending to earth at the same time…

“Fang Ziyang, do you have any shame left?”

Xie Wenxu was so angry that he stood up, his temples throbbing.

Seeing this, Fang Ziyang was genuinely delighted. He elegantly took a sip from his coffee cup, moistening his throat, and smiled openly.

“Xie Wenxu, is there something wrong with your brain? You treat me like this, and you don’t think I’ll have the chance to enjoy your wealth, use your resources, and then take your family’s money to find a lover and cuckold you? Why would I have any shame? The one who will be the most embarrassed is definitely not me.”

“It’s you. You’re undoubtedly the brightest star in the entertainment industry.”

Fang Ziyang’s smile was radiant.

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Every aviation accident has a tremendous impact.

The crash of flight HC1325 caused significant attention and sorrow within the country. After all, half of the passengers on board were compatriots from the country. How could people not be shocked and heartbroken!

This massive news immediately overshadowed the gossip about the “Fang Family” and “Yan Tong, the White Lotus.”

The Fang family’s recent involvement in the aviation industry was also affected. Fang Yandong no longer cared about the money he had lost and urgently shifted his focus back to the affairs of the group.

This situation improved the mood of Yan Tong considerably. He secretly felt that he truly was the new protagonist of this world, blessed with a protagonist’s aura, able to turn dangers into opportunities.

Fang Ziyang was not disappointed with this outcome either. He never expected to easily bring down Yan Tong. After all, if his world truly followed the rules of a book with the existence of the “Son of Destiny,” then Yan Tong, who had successfully eliminated the previous protagonist and made a comeback, most likely had the protection of a fate aura. He couldn’t be defeated so easily.

But it didn’t matter; the protagonist’s aura wasn’t omnipotent. Just as Yan Tong had gradually eroded his own aura, transforming from an ordinary person to the center of attention and a winner in life, he could now learn from that experience, rectify the situation, and regain what he had lost.

However, although the online discussions were diverted, Yan Tong did suffer losses this time. In the future, when he pretended to be a white lotus, there would certainly be fewer people blindly believing in him, becoming a sharp weapon in his opponent’s hands.

If, in this life, Yan Tong and his group still wanted to use public opinion to attack him from a moral high ground, they would have to be prepared for the consequences…

For now, he suppressed these matters in his heart.

Fang Ziyang didn’t waste too much energy on what had already happened. There were only two months left until the college entrance examination, and most of the urgent matters had already been taken care of. He needed to focus on preparing for the exam.

Although he was confident about the college entrance examination, he had been away from school for many years. Despite his confidence, he still needed to review.

He also needed to recharge his energy to face the next counterattack from Yan Tong.

He believed… with Yan Tong’s petty personality, his hard-won positive image that was almost ruined wouldn’t be easily given up. Yan Tong would definitely find an opportunity to strike back, and it wouldn’t take long.

Rather than waiting for the scheduled time to return to school to request a leave of absence, Fang Ziyang chose to stay at home and study diligently, preparing for the next “battle.”

However, what surprised Fang Ziyang was that he didn’t have to wait for Yan Tong’s action, but instead, he received an invitation from Xie Wenxu.

[Tomorrow night at 8 o’clock, meet at the Green Island Café. I have something to tell you.]

Xie Wenxu didn’t even bother to make a phone call; he simply sent a WeChat message.

There was no persuasion, no explanation, not even the courtesy of making an appointment. It was a commanding tone.

When Fang Ziyang saw the WeChat message, he couldn’t help but think of his past self as a fool.

How could he not have realized that his fiancé was not only foolish but also so arrogant?

Did Xie Wenxu think that his identity as the heir of the Xie family entitled him to give orders and take it for granted that everyone should listen to him? Did he really believe he was a big shot whom everyone in the world had to obey?

If his calculations were correct, Xie Wenxu had only known Yan Tong for a few months at most. In such a short time, Xie Wenxu had gone from declaring his deep love to becoming cold, heartless, and completely abandoning him without any remorse.

Fang Ziyang suddenly realized how foolish he had been.

He had always believed that even though Xie Wenxu had changed his heart, he had once genuinely loved him. After all, Xie Wenxu had treated him so well in the past. He had almost lost his position as the heir to be engaged to him, giving up everything. If this wasn’t sincere, then what was?

But at this moment, he understood.

Perhaps this was just Xie Wenxu’s character when it came to handling relationships. When he loved you, he would move you to tears with his dedication. But when he no longer loved you, he could be as cold and heartless as the coldest winter snow.

Just as Yan Tong always said in the book, Xie Wenxu might indeed be a deeply emotional person. However, it was laughable… that he wasn’t a person capable of long-lasting emotions.

He changed his face even faster than flipping a page.

Nevertheless, since Xie Wenxu wanted to meet him, he would go. Since they had already torn their faces apart, and Xie Wenxu hadn’t reacted to the beating he had received from Fang Ziyang and the Xie family until now, it was clear to him with just a little thought that Xie Wenxu wanted to discuss the matter of their engagement.

Since there had been no movement from the Xie family all this time, and he was also curious about what was going on, as the engagement had been dragged on without being resolved, he was quite concerned.

…

Decision made.

On the second evening after receiving the WeChat message, Fang Ziyang chose an outfit, full of energy, and went to the café for the appointment.

He went alone and didn’t drive his family’s car.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

It’s not that he’s overly confident, but rather that he’s been alone and nearly devoid of trustworthy people.

Uncle Liu and Aunt Zhang were both fickle individuals. Despite appearing loyal on the surface, there was no telling when they might betray him. He couldn’t let these two old people have knowledge of his whereabouts.

He trusted Zhao Jingyu and Zhou Jun.

However, he didn’t want to involve his two good friends too much in the affairs of the Fang family. The college entrance examination was approaching, and Zhou Jun and Zhao Jingyu didn’t have the advantage of rebirth like he did. They needed to focus on studying and make the most of their time.

As for driving his family’s car…

Well, he had just swindled Fang Yandong and his son, so it would be best to be cautious. What if Fang Yandong and his son took revenge on his car at home? Would he be done for?

Those people were capable of resorting to such murderous actions.

Although he had some conspiracy theories and paranoid fantasies, life only came once, and he had learned too many lessons in his previous life.

Fang Ziyang didn’t dare to take any risks. It was better to be cautious without making significant mistakes.

…

When he arrived, Xie Wenxu was already waiting at the café.

Xie Wenxu still wore his usual attire of a shirt, trousers, and a nice watch. Although he was young, he exuded an air of sophistication, almost resembling the legendary “Tianliang King, the Dominator.”

However, today he didn’t seem to be in a good mood. He appeared troubled and irritable.

Seeing his fiancé arrive more than ten minutes late, Xie Wenxu’s tone and expression were displeased. The first words he uttered upon meeting were filled with anger.

“Fang Ziyang, is this intentional? You never used to be late!”

Indeed, he had never been late when meeting Xie Wenxu in the past.

Everyone said how good Xie Wenxu was to him, how he doted on him. But no one ever noticed his efforts and sacrifices for Xie Wenxu.

Everyone said that Xie Wenxu had given up his position as the heir for him, but did he not give up his own capriciousness for Xie Wenxu? In front of Xie Wenxu, he never dared to show his true self and always tried to be an obedient little kitten.

Now that Xie Wenxu didn’t want him anymore, why should he comply?

Fang Ziyang sat down directly, his gaze towards Xie Wenxu filled with amusement.

“Xie Wenxu, how did I never realize how thick-skinned you are? What level of audacity have you reached? Are you expecting me to provoke you to the point where you can’t bear it and simply cut me off? You cheated on me, and you still have the nerve to act like you’re in the right?”

If it was in the past, he wouldn’t have been able to speak so straightforwardly.

After all, despite his temper and capriciousness, he had always been taught by etiquette teachers. The upper-class society emphasized subtlety and even when scolding someone, it was done with insinuations.

But now, he was doing well by keeping his composure and not immediately pouncing on these people to kill them. All notions of subtlety and etiquette could be thrown aside. He simply didn’t have the patience for it!

Xie Wenxu was clearly taken aback by his sudden change in character.

However, he quickly regained his composure, but the blunt words had already angered him. His face turned red and black, alternating colors.

“You’re talking nonsense! When did I cheat on you? Don’t fabricate lies based on some misleading photos! Yan Tong and I are innocent, don’t you know what consequences your capriciousness has caused?!”

He couldn’t admit to cheating.

If this matter were confirmed, Xie Zheng, who had long wanted to kill him, would use it as an opportunity to remove him from his position as the family heir and tarnish Yan Tong’s reputation.

Besides, he and Yan Tong hadn’t even had a chance to progress further. So far, it had only been a spiritual connection. He simply had feelings for Yan Tong, but he hadn’t done anything. How could that be considered cheating?

Xie Wenxu didn’t think there was anything wrong with his slight favor towards Yan Tong. He looked at Fang Ziyang with anger and accusation, visibly upset.

“Fang Ziyang, can’t you stop being so capricious? Don’t tarnish everyone’s ears with your filthy thoughts!”

“My filthy thoughts?”

Fang Ziyang chuckled. “Xie Wenxu, how shameless do you have to be to say such twisted words? I should say, please don’t use your dirty values to disgust me, okay?”

“You and Yan Tong are innocent? You’re just ordinary friends? Does it only count as cheating when you sleep together? You’re destroying me for him. Do you still claim you’re innocent?”

“When your fiancé encountered trouble, you distanced yourself. But when he was in trouble, you immediately came out. Is that what ordinary friends do?”

“Xie Wenxu, stop deluding yourself with your shameless excuses…”

Fang Ziyang unabashedly exposed everything.

Xie Wenxu couldn’t find a rebuttal for a moment and his face displayed a sequence of colors—innocent, black, red, and various shades in between.

He knew he wasn’t completely innocent in this matter. He had indeed acted impulsively and leaned towards Yan Tong, harboring ill thoughts when Fang Ziyang was in trouble, thus remaining aloof.

But knowing it himself was one thing; having it ruthlessly spoken out was another.

Especially when Fang Ziyang spoke without any politeness.

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