Late at night.
At the intersection of Liangxi Town and Gusu, in a hidden teahouse.
The lighting is neither too dim nor too bright, casting a comfortable warm hue. On the solid wooden tea table, a tea tray is set, accompanied by a lit incense stick. The sandalwood incense burns, its thin smoke curling upward, floating gently with the motions of a pair of hands washing and pouring tea—a serene mont frozen in ti.
Zuo Zhiyu sits respectfully at the tea table, his posture stiff and uneasy.
Across from him sits the man pouring the tea.
The man appears to be in his forties, well-maintained, dressed in a white traditional Tang suit made of high-quality silk. The fabric is subtly embroidered with silver patterns, invisible at first glance but revealed when the light hits or when he moves. The patterns depict dragons.
His attire is luxurious, his deanor impeccable, exuding an air of effortless nobility.
In stark contrast, Zuo Zhiyu sits awkwardly, unsure of how to position himself.
This man is Yan Guanghua, the eldest son of Yan Ajiu and the current head of the Yan Family.
As the aroma of tea fills the air, Yan Guanghua hands a cup of tea to Zuo Zhiyu.
Zuo Zhiyu quickly stands up, accepting it with both hands.
He dares not initiate conversation or bring up any topics, so he simply sips the tea in silence.
Yan Guanghua watches him and smiles. "This is pre-Qingming Longjing tea. Drink it slowly. Savor it."
Zuo Zhiyu imdiately slows down, imitating the mannerisms of the aristocracy—sniffing the tea, taking small sips, and showering it with exaggerated praise.
Yan Guanghua chuckles. "It’s not that exceptional. It’s last year’s tea, after all."
Zuo Zhiyu: "..."
He awkwardly sets the teacup down, his hands fidgeting nervously, clearly embarrassed.
At this mont, Yan Guanghua pulls out two photo fras from a drawer. The fras are of the sa size, each holding a photograph.
One is a picture of Quan Feng from twenty years ago, and the other is a recent photo of Quan Zhisui, who had recently made headlines in the news.
Seeing these photos, Zuo Zhiyu lowers his head, remaining silent, his expression uneasy.
Yan Guanghua first caresses the photo of Quan Feng, wiping it gently with a tissue before placing it back in the drawer.
Then, he picks up the photo of Quan Zhisui, studying it carefully.
"This is your daughter. Quite impressive," he remarks.
Zuo Zhiyu nods hurriedly. "Yes, yes! She’s bold and hot-tempered. At ho, she flips tables and tears apart studies. I can’t control her at all!"
Yan Guanghua smiles again, his expression tinged with amusent. "When I say impressive, I don’t an that."
"Huh?" Zuo Zhiyu looks puzzled.
Yan Guanghua glances at him while still examining the photo. "You, after all these years, still only see the surface."
Zuo Zhiyu nods repeatedly. "Yes, yes. I’m barely surviving in Liangxi Town."
Yan Guanghua sets the photo fra down, tapping his finger on the picture. "This little girl is quite the troublemaker. She stirs up chaos and then slips away unscathed."
Zuo Zhiyu: "..."
Yan Guanghua smiles warmly at Zuo Zhiyu. "Don’t worry. I’ve instructed you to spread the news. The chaos she creates will only grow, and eventually, the waves will crash back onto her. Just wait and see."
Zuo Zhiyu’s face stiffens. "Mr. Yan, could you give so clarity? I truly don’t understand why we had to make Quan Feng’s inheritance public. Now that everyone knows, what are we supposed to do?"
Yan Guanghua raises an eyebrow. "What’s the point of hiding it? You can’t handle this little girl. She’s probably already figured out your intentions and even knows how to use the dia to expose her identity, waiting for the answer to co to her."
"Before, only you knew about the inheritance. You were alone and powerless. The girl is clever and knows how to turn the tables. You were bound to lose."
Zuo Zhiyu grows anxious. "Exactly! That’s what I’m worried about!"
"That’s why I told you to make it public," Yan Guanghua says calmly, pouring a second cup of tea. "Now everyone knows about the inheritance."
Zuo Zhiyu still doesn’t understand. "But what do we do now? You’re the one who told to reveal it! Now everyone knows! They’re all eyeing it greedily!"
Yan Guanghua looks at him again, his expression puzzled. "You... well... before, the girl’s only opponent was you. She stirred up trouble and then stepped aside, waiting to claim the inheritance. But now it’s different. Her opponents are all the greedy people of Liangxi Town."
"A minor girl, a massive inheritance—what a temptation! Plenty of people will want to dive into this ss, forcing her to get involved."
"With so many people, chaos ensues. Who knows what dangers lurk beneath the surface?"
"No matter how clever she is, she won’t be able to untangle it. No matter how capable, she’s still alone."
With that, he hands over the second cup of tea.
Yan Guanghua’s tone carries a hint of impatience. "Do you understand now?"
Zuo Zhiyu nods, pretending to comprehend. "I see. So what should I do now? What’s my next move?"
Yan Guanghua waves his hand wearily. "Just wait and observe. You can go now. Talking to you is exhausting."
Zuo Zhiyu hastily sets down the teacup, stands up, and bows. "Yes, yes."
After Zuo Zhiyu leaves, Yan Guanghua rings a bell. Soone imdiately enters to clear away Zuo Zhiyu’s teacup and even wipes down the area where he sat, as if erasing sothing unclean.
Yan Guanghua looks out the window with a hint of disdain.
Across the river lies Liangxi Town.
His fingers tap rhythmically on the table, and with each tap, a glint of ambition lights up his eyes.
Liangxi Town, huh?
That place has so many enemies...
Twenty years ago.
Back then, Yan Guanghua was young, the eldest son of Yan Ajiu and the heir to the Yan Family.
The Yan Family’s rival had always been the Wei Corporation.
Yan Guanghua had thought the sa, but who could have predicted the sudden rise of a woman nad Quan Feng in Liangxi Town?
This woman was remarkable. Starting from scratch, she amassed capital and quickly entered the world of venture capital.
Venture capital seed tailor-made for her. Whatever she invested in turned to gold, her vision sharp and her decisions decisive!
She also knew how to mislead, playing gas with people ti and again.
Once, she led the people of Liangxi Town and Gusu on a wild chase, leaving countless people bewildered and causing Yan Guanghua to lose a fortune. He even nearly lost his position as the Yan Family heir!
anwhile, she walked away with a massive profit.
Even now, years later, Yan Guanghua finds it both laughable and infuriating.
He had been outsmarted by a self-made woman!
By the ti Yan Guanghua patched up the financial hole and regained his position as heir at great cost, he turned his attention to seeking revenge against Quan Feng.
But she was already dead.
Yan Guanghua’s gaze falls once more on the photo of Quan Zhisui.
He smiles, picking up the photo to examine it closely. "Little girl, you’ve got so of your mother’s flair."
But alas, you’re too young, with no capital and no experience.
You’re no match for this dragon watching from across the river!
Zuo Zhiyu may not be your opponent, but I’ll sit back and watch as the power players of Liangxi Town tear each other apart.
A daughter pays for her mother’s debts.
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