Cen Xishan’s manor in America was decorated in the traditional Chinese style, plates, plants, paintings, furniture and calligraphy all arranged according to feng shui in an elegant manner.

  He sat there in a silk robe, slowly and unhurriedly brewing tea. From time to time, he would move his hand and pass a cup to his assistant beside him.

  “This time’s Facebook investment are my personal assets. Hurry up and get my lawyer to specify on my will that it’s to be left to Xiyu.”


  Cen Xishan raised his brows slightly as he said this, observing his assistant’s reaction in having deliberately emphasised on the words ‘personal assets’.

  This assistant who was said to be an orphan was someone she had placed beside him. He had actually been fully aware of this matter all along as it was truthfully an open secret.

  Cen Xishan knew that his assistant would definitely report this to ‘that person’. He was waiting to see her reaction.

  Ever since he had met his daughter again at that press conference last year, Cen Xishan had actually been testing the waters: More than ten years had passed. From a man’s perspective, he should actually long since have become redundant to her. It seemed like the last time they met had been more than a year ago, and they had not spent the night together too……yet, there was no way of knowing if her bottom line had abated, if her crazed possessiveness was a little better now.

  While it was indeed true that Cen Xishan wished to probe her bottom line, he dared not be over the top in his movements……because he would not be able to bear the consequences.

  ‘Her’ current wealth and capabilities had actually already come to far exceed even Cen Xishan’s estimative capabilities by now.

  Still, he was fully aware that ‘she’ had already had sufficient capabilities to cause his wife and daughter to vanish off the face of the earth more than a decade ago. That was precisely why Cen Xishan had ultimately succumbed, forsaking his wife and daughter in going off with her.

  The thing Cen Xishan had been most unable to understand at the time was just why he was the one……he had generally come to grasp this afterwards, however strange though it might seem.

  Showing no desire to enjoy the tea, his assistant quickly drank it before lowering his head, replying, “Yes, I’ll get it done tomorrow.”


  “You’ll get it done tomorrow?” Cen Xishan’s eyes shone as he asked.

  “Yes,” Sitting in seiza by the side, his assistant bowed as he answered firmly.

  Some words did not have to be said for them to be understood.

  Cen Xishan closed his eyes, releasing an extremely gradual sigh of relief before taking a sip of tea. At this instant, he felt as if even the air had become freer as the pressure on him was gone.

  The simple exchange that had just transpired between the two of them had actually determined something very important.

  Regarding Cen Xishan’s intention to leave the investment for Apple, his assistant had answered ‘I’ll get it done tomorrow’-while he originally should not have the authority to answer like this, this was precisely what he had done.

  This entailed that he had no need to report this, because with how busy ‘she’ was, if reporting was necessary, it was impossible that an answer might come by tomorrow with the assistant correspondingly unable to confirm if it was doable.

  Thus, the deeper level of meaning therein was that ‘that person’ had actually long since given an instruction regarding him. Meanwhile, this instruction at least included giving the green light regarding him being concerned about Apple, allowing him to generally do as he wanted.

  “Could it be that it’s actually not just that? Could it be that I can actually also already……”


  As the thought of one whole happy family reuniting flashed through his mind, Cen Xishan immediately caught himself and perished the thought. He feared that if he thought any more deeply into this, he would no longer be able to keep control of himself……instead screwing things up.

  The scenes of more than a decade ago reappeared in his mind. That day, as his wife had gone to buy groceries with his daughter, a stranger had walked past them, a blade sliding by the back of their necks. No one had been injured with only a few strands of hair cut cleanly off, everybody fully oblivious to what had happened. This included his wife and Little Xiyu themselves, who had still been smiling cheerfully……

  Different people, different scenes, the same kind of situation a dozen times. As Cen Xishan watched through binoculars from ‘that person’s’ car, he found himself drenched in sweat.

  She asked, “How about you try to make a police report?”


  Cen Xishan dared not do so.

  He had only been a mere county-level teacher at the time as what he had experienced with ‘her’ had already far surpassed the scope of his knowledge and imagination.

  Afterwards……he had gradually ceased to be ordinary, and yet the gap between them had not decreased. She had increasingly come to confound his expectations.

  “Why me?” Cen Xishan had asked back then.

  “Because I like you! I have for a long time. Now that I finally have the power to make you mine, I’m very happy,” ‘She’ had replied.

  Cen Xishan had been bemused and perplexed by that, simply unable to comprehend it.

  Afterwards, having seen a few things, he had gradually come to understand……and thereby become even more unable to comprehend it……

  Whatever the case, things seemed to be generally moving in a good direction as his heart lightened as well.

  Cen Xishan made a rare joke to his assistant, “What do you think of that future son-in-law of mine?”


  His assistant thought about it and said, “Very talented, but I can’t see through him.”


  Cen Xishan nodded, replying, “At least he’s a good person. Xiyu chose well.”


  “In any case……” His assistant started.

  “Even if he’s good, it only means anything if he’s my Xiyu’s. What’s good good for, otherwise?”


  His assistant looked down and responded in the affirmative.

  “In that case, should we give him something like a hint? I mean……as to our goal,” His assistant ventured.

  Cen Xishan laughed, “He’d really be too useless if he can’t even investigate this. Also, it’s not like I want him to come find me. What hint?! If he gets it, he’ll naturally go look for my daughter.”


  “Yes,” His assistant said, “Still, he doesn’t seem to be taking any action right now. It might appear that this matter itself was not sufficiently impactful on him. So if that’s the case……”


  Cen Xishan nodded.

  “Youngsters are easily too full of themselves……self-absorbed, unwilling to bow down their heads, putting up a struggle the more pressure you put on them……still, I’ll give him an unassailable gap.”
……

  Xu Tingsheng had indeed taken no action whatsoever.

  Hu Chen and his team had returned to China when the holiday ended. Xu Tingsheng, though, had stayed behind to help Fu Cheng as Ms Fang still needed to undergo her second surgery.

  On 10th May, Ye Qing called and told Xu Tingsheng that Zhicheng had failed to secure the plots of land it had been aiming at the auction in Xihu City.

  “The other side was very fierce in raising the bid, far surpassing the highest sum you set. And even then, they still showed no sign of wanting to stop. We had no choice but to give up,” Ye Qing said.

  “What about our backup?” Xu Tingsheng asked.

  “The same,” Ye Qing said, “The other side was clearly focused on our bids……they accepted every challenge, the false, probing moves included.”


  The two plots of land that they just had to get their hands on had both been lost as they had been targeted?

  Xu Tingsheng was rather despondent……having stayed in Xihu City for quite some time around 2011, he was crystal clear on the future development of this city and those plots of land with potential. Had they successfully secured these two plots of land, Zhicheng would have had nothing to worry about for the next five to ten years at least.

  Zhicheng had definitely had abundant preparations beforehand whether in terms of connections with the bureaucracy and society, strategy or money……yet, they had been targeted, and had just been no match.

  “Have we provoked somebody? Someone very powerful too……in all aspects,” Ye Qing enquired.

  Realisation struck Xu Tingsheng at once.

  “Just work on the plots of land that we currently have for now. As for bidding, we’ll stop that for the time being.”


  Xu Tingsheng did not explain very much about that as he soon hung up.

  “Your Dad’s luck, Apple! By attacking unrelentingly……somehow or other, he struck the jackpot too,” Xu Tingsheng thought helplessly.

  He next suddenly realised, “No wait, there’s Hucheng too! It’s impossible that he’ll just leave Hucheng alone……he just hasn’t done so for the time being?”


  He dialled Lu Zhixin’s number.

  “How’s the plan to get listed going?” Xu Tingsheng cut to the chase.

  “It’s in the preparatory phase. It’s been going very smoothly,” Lu Zhixin answered.

  “Set it aside for the time being.”


  “Why?”


  “I can only tell you that Hucheng will be attacked as soon as it gets listed.”


  “Huh?”


  “I’m certain of this.”


  “Alright, I’ll slow it down then, and bolster the preparations while I’m at it,” Lu Zhixin hesitated for a bit before adding, “I have something else I’d like to tell you about.”


  “What is it?”


  “Does Old Jin still want Hucheng’s shares?”


  “.……Who wants to sell?”


  “Me.”


  “.……Why?”


  “My Dad was set up. In a few days, he lost five hundred million on the futures transaction market, and it’s still ongoing. Of all this, three hundred million came from uncertain sources. Blood will be split if I don’t help him fill up the sum. Either he kills himself, or he kills someone.”


  The difference between the futures transaction market and stocks……if no one received the goods in said person’s place, they might not be able to extricate themselves even if they were willing to make a bitter sacrifice.

  “.……” Xu Tingsheng did not know what to say to this.

  Not only was Apple’s father targeting him with this, he sought to completely kick Lu Zhixin out of the picture too.

  “Sorry. He’s my Dad, after all. I can’t just do nothing and watch him die,” Lu Zhixin said.

  “You should contact Old Jin yourself,” Xu Tingsheng hung up.

  Should he call Apple? What would he say? Because of your sufferings, or to force me to be with you, your Dad is currently going all out in exerting pressure on me. I’m not his opponent, and I can’t do that……say, could you help me get your Dad to stop?”


  How could he possibly say this?!

  “Can I retaliate? Since your Dad attacked first, it should be fine if I retaliate, right?” After making an excuse for himself, Xu Tingsheng pondered on this and discovered, “That’s very difficult.”


  From Xu Tingsheng’s estimations, firstly, that network of connections Apple’s father had definitely far exceeded his. The funds he could move basically reached a billion……USD, assuming he was that determined.

  As for him, the total value of his three companies could not even reach five hundred thousand……RMB, and it was just the estimated value, not the sum Xu Tingsheng could deploy.

  How could he attack? Using technique? The other side was clearly resolved to break technique with might, comparing whose fist was the biggest and toughest. Pure brute force……technique, in your dreams!

  Temporarily setting the matter aside, with the thought that he would just pack up and retire early at most, Xu Tingsheng returned to the ward.

  Unexpectedly, there was someone else in the ward besides Fang Yunyao and Fu Cheng. A woman from China, to be exact. Looking at her back figure, Xu Tingsheng did not recognise her……perhaps because they were coincidentally meeting far out from their birthplace, the two women got on like a house on fire as they were chatting merrily away.

  Xu Tingsheng and Fu Cheng stood by the side for a while. Unable to join in the conversation, they then promptly exited the clinic and found a place to smoke a cigarette.

  “Who’s that?” Xu Tingsheng asked.

  “She used to be the music teacher at our school. Don’t you remember?” Fu Cheng asked.

  “No, I don’t,” Xu Tingsheng said.

  “I think she suddenly left the year we took the university entrance examinations. You should have seen her before……back then, we heard she left all of a sudden without even resigning. It turns out that she actually went overseas, and it seems she’s doing quite well right now too……”


  A while into their conversation, the woman appeared in the carpark. A bodyguard opened the door for her.

  She stood at the door of her car for a while, gazing at Xu Tingsheng from far away as she smiled……

  Xu Tingsheng suddenly felt all his hairs stand on end, even though he clearly couldn’t remember having seen this person before despite searching through his memories.

  When the car had driven off, Xu Tingsheng asked Fu Cheng, “The way she looks now, is it any different from in your memories then?”


  “I don’t think so. I wasn’t all that familiar with her too,” Fu Cheng replied before considering it again, after which he said a little hesitantly, “Maybe……it feels a bit unnatural, and also, too young? ……Well, she’s rich now. Maybe she maintains herself well, or plastic surgery or something. It’s still reasonable for her to be a bit young.”


  Xu Tingsheng’s mind was instantly thrown into some chaos as a chill ran down his spine, “If she’s the person the fat nurse talked about, the one who surgically changed everything, the situation must be……murder, and completely taking over another’s identity? For what reason?”


  A slight, momentary thought about investigating was forcibly quelled in a flash.

  “I should stay away from this person. This has nothing to do with me……”