Xu Tingsheng had turned an ordinary night special and earnt the happiness of Miss Xiang. To him, the latter was evidently a little more important.

  The seventeen-year-old Xiang Ning said she would marry Xu Tingsheng who had started entangling with her when she was fourteen. This was like the lamb finally falling prey to the wolf.

  From the standpoint of the bureaucracy, Xu Tingsheng’s actions this night had greatly heightened knowledge on Yanzhou as a part of Jianhai Province.

  Through Weibo, many people learnt about this place that might threaten Xihu City’s position in terms of total economic capacity in the future, gaining interest in it.

  And all of this was solely because of a modern pagoda called Little Pert Waist. Not only was it beautiful, it was interesting too. Being interesting is a very interesting and profitable thing, and has and will always be.

  No bureaucracy would generally do this as they were usually inflexible, rigid, image-conscious.

  Xu Tingsheng had helped with this matter, and it was apparent how this would benefit Yanzhou. Logically speaking, he should really be commended.

  Still, as compared to the ordinary citizens who only gained a lively night, some pride, and even some righteous indignation, those at another level of Yanzhou City were not calm, and showed no intention of giving Xu Tingsheng an award too.

  It was from a totally different standpoint that they were looking at this matter.

  In a private clubroom in the suburbs of Yanzhou City were gathered many elites of the second or third generation who were based in Yanzhou, or nearby, such as Xihu City, and were being groomed as inheritors of their family businesses. There had originally been another person in their circle known as Fang Chen. They were already keeping a distance from her now, though. Even those who had once passionately pursued her, or been close as sisters to her, were now similarly totally bereft of sympathy or an intention to help as they merely discussed it objectively.

  The cold, hypocritical nature of this circle had never been concealed. There was only making use of one another for mutual interest, no helping another out in their greatest time of need.

  “The Fang family’s second generation has just been wiped out, defeat seeming imminent. At this point in time, such a big disturbance on the land of Ning Garden that’s being targeted……it wouldn’t be that that trash, Fang Yuqing, is retaliating?”


  These people acted like analysts and eventually discovered to their astonishment that with the old man on his deathbed and their second generation having been wiped out, the sole person from the Fang family who might still have the opportunity and ability to retaliate was actually none other than Fang Yuqing. They, along with the entire upper echelons of Yanzhou, had previously looked down upon this person the most.

  Someone objected, “Don’t you guys feel that it’s actually not Fang Yuqing who did this, but that guy instead?”


  “That guy? By that, you mean……Xu Tingsheng? He’s really rushing to the forefront for the sake of the Fang family?”


  As Ling Xiao had said, amongst the higher strata of Yanzhou, Xu Tingsheng had influence and an appraisal that he himself was completely unclear on. He was Xu Tingsheng who had never made a misstep and lost before, the mysterious Xu Tingsheng that no one could see through.

  “What makes you think so?”


  “Whatever the case, Fang Yuqing’s upbringing is evident. A child from a family of officialdom, very unlikely not to have been influenced by China’s bureaucracy. For example, if a fight was really to occur between us lot, we would still tacitly do it under the table……no one would be so open in fighting.”


  “Apart from……that person who may truly be born from peasant roots, but some people believe actually has a deep background, Xu Tingsheng. If any one of you has carefully analysed him before, you would know that this is just his usual approach of doing things.”


  “What approach?”


  “If you put it unpleasantly, he likes to hold to ransom and make use of the will of the people.”


  “If you put it nicely?”


  “He has always firmly believed in the power of the masses.”


  “How does he do it then?”


  “Public sentiment. His emphasis, passion and control with regard to public sentiment……is very rarely seen. Also, don’t forget that he has Weibo in his hands now. Truthfully speaking, amongst us all, we who know that we are still unable to bring it down-who isn’t afraid of it?!”


  “You’re exaggerating,” Someone curled their lips and pointed upwards, “What are we afraid of? There are review committees up there!”


  “That’s exactly right. In truth, however, they generally can’t pin him down with it because he never moves head-on. Look at him this time. Did he mention that Zhicheng is being targeted? Half a whisper about the Fang family or bureaucracy conflicts? No, not at all. Yet, in him doing what he did, things will naturally come to light, no one able to conceal it.”


  “What could be his motive be then?”


  “From the surface alone, there are two levels to it. The first is to protect Zhicheng’s land. That piece of land is equivalent to him having urinated and left his marking on it, the entire nation watching on. Anyone who touches it will come off smelling bad. Second, protect the Fang family’s third generation. He’s simply accepted that the Fang family’s entire second generation has fallen. This now is equivalent to him moving the contenders from hidden to in the ring to duke it out before the eyes of all. He is not afraid of the Fang family’s swollen face to be seen. He’s letting the fate of the Fang family’s third generation be placed in the public eye, not giving anyone a chance to move against them in secret.”


  “Really mentioning the bureaucracy, this is a shameless fighting method. Our families have so many fragile things inside which are secrets that cannot see the light of day. We can’t learn from his approach even if we want to. Right, you said the surface……is there a deeper level then? What is it?”


  “How would I know? If I could see through even this, it would be I who never made a misstep.”


  “In that case, we shouldn’t be in a rush to get involved. We should wait for the reaction of the Ling and Xiao families and his next step. What do you think he will do next? Could there be a killing move hidden somewhere?”


  “Who knows? Just wait. That dude’s always been very patient.”


  This was the general consensus from Xu Tingsheng’s couple of business conflicts thus far. Still, if Xu Tingsheng himself were present now, he would definitely laugh and curse: Bullshit.

  Xu Tingsheng’s greatest flaw was actually that he was unable to keep his patience. This had been so when he had been facing Huang Tianliang previously and also when he had pursued Little Xiang Ning later. Thus, he now always liked to find something else to do after establishing his stance to occupy himself with.

  For example, this time, he would be going home the day after tomorrow in preparation for accompanying his sister in her university entrance examinations. He would let the public sentiment bubble and escalate, giving some space for the Ling and Xiao families to act.

  “What do you guys think he’s doing now?” After reaching a consensus on the topic, someone soon changed to another topic that still had to do with Xu Tingsheng.

  It was a girl who spoke, on the young side in this circle and not all that reliable too. Still, as her family background was very solid, she was doted upon greatly in her family and she was pretty, many people paid attention to and aimed for her in this circle.

  Before long, she answered herself as she smiled, “Do you lot know what Xu Tingsheng himself is doing even as you guys are busily analysing him here? He’s diligently accompanying his little, seventeen-year-old girlfriend in watching the performance. Home tutor, Little Pert Waist, Ning Garden, ‘Meeting you is the best thing that ever happened to me’.……you men, now, if any of you were half as romantic as him, I’d marry him.”


  It was as Ling Xiao had said. While Xu Tingsheng believed that he had concealed Xiang Ning carefully, she was no secret at all to the higher strata of Yanzhou who wished to know about him.

  Everyone gave her face and laughed before some guys who had burning questions or were unwilling to admit defeat began to speak.

  “To be honest, in not being able to see through him, it’s this matter that I most can’t see through. I didn’t think much of it initially. After all, it’s not like there’s no one amongst us who like young, tender ones……who knew that after looking into it, he seems to be in it for real! Also, that little girl’s family is really completely ordinary, without any background whatsoever,” A guy said puzzledly.

  “Pfft. Taking a fool as devoted. It’s actually inevitable, this. Wherever one is born is wherever their eyes are set. The most a farmer can dream of is marrying their landowner’s daughter. Much less a princess, even dreaming of a county official’s daughter is enough to shock himself awake,” Another remarked disdainfully.

  Some people agreed and they all burst into sniggers.

  “The heck you know,” That girl who had spoken earlier did not give them any face at all as she chastised, “You guys just think that because you are this way, everyone else must also be like this. Do you know what all the women of the second and third generations in the bureaucracy and businesses about Yanzhou said after all those things he did for that girl were uncovered?”


  “Hmm? What did they say?”


  The girl put on a solemn expression and held out a palm, “Accumulate merit, accumulate merit, accumulate enough merit for a Xu Tingsheng to have him dote on me from fourteen in my next lifetime,” She recited this like a high monk would.

  The guys present all exchanged looks.

  “There’s more,” Another girl happily entered their conversation and added, “It’s also said: A decade’s cultivation for a good birth, a century’s cultivation for Xu Tingsheng.”


  “There’s more……”


  The ‘elite’ women present seemed to forget their statuses all at once as they began chattering away excitedly.

  Their births had determined to a great extent that they would probably be married to these men or ones who were more or less similar in status to them. Still, they were women too. They too had likes and yearning: such was the devoted, romantic Xu Tingsheng who gave other men simply no chance.