"What did he say when he was making his all-or-nothing move in Jinzhong Village?"

Ignoring Zhang Jingshan's confusion, Zhang Weimin pressed on urgently, "Well? What did he say?"

"Uh... He didn't really say much," Zhang Jingshan stammered, still dazed.

"Nothing at all?" Zhang Weimin frowned.

"He just said it was a short-term investment with potential returns of ten to eight times, and that results would show within ten days or so," Zhang Jingshan admitted.

He didn't feel he was betraying Ye Chen by saying this because no one knew his grandfather better than him—not even his incompetent father.

The old man wasn't just known for his incorruptible integrity throughout his life but also for his exceptional foresight and analytical skills. Otherwise, why would Jiangzhou's top officials constantly visit him for advice? It wasn't just idle chatter.

Beyond that, the old man knew far more than they could ever imagine.

As a leader praised universally for his character and wisdom, Zhang Weimin would never help Zhang Jingshan to line his pockets—even if he was his grandson. However, he would certainly not let him walk into ruin either.

If something were amiss, the old man might not say it outright, but he would at least hint at it subtly.

"Tenfold or eightfold gains in ten days?" Zhang Weimin exclaimed, stunned.

The next moment, he shook his head with a bitter smile. "That madman!"

"Grandpa, what do you think?" Zhang Jingshan pressed eagerly.

"Trying to turn tens of millions into hundreds of millions in just ten days, all based on a few houses in a remote area like Jinzhong Village? If that's not madness, what is?" Zhang Weimin remarked.

"So you're saying it's not reliable?" Zhang Jingshan was taken aback.

"It doesn't seem reliable, but who knows? Life is unpredictable, and anything could happen," Zhang Weimin said ambiguously. "If the city government decides to approve the Metro Line 10 extension within those ten days, a tenfold surge isn't impossible. But the extension hasn't been finalized yet. Who knows if something will change?"

Having weathered countless storms, Zhang Weimin trusted only absolute certainties. Even a 99% chance wasn't enough for him to make a definitive statement, as he had seen too many "what-ifs."

"So you're saying it could really multiply tenfold in ten days?" Now it was Zhang Jingshan's turn to be shocked.

"I never said that. Besides, you only made that money by following him, right? So if you lose it, it's no big deal," Zhang Weimin said matter-of-factly.

Zhang Jingshan couldn't help but twitch at his grandfather's bluntness. But upon reflection, it made sense. Even if they lost, what then?

Even gods make mistakes, let alone humans. Given how Ye Chen had resolved his crises with his extraordinary instincts and actions, a single misstep wouldn't change the fact that he was a guiding light in his life.

"Tomorrow, ask Ye Chen if he's free and invite him over for dinner. I'll also call your father to join us," Zhang Weimin instructed.

"Why call him? Can't we leave him out of it?" Zhang Jingshan protested, immediately annoyed at the mention of Zhang Xingguo.

"Don't be so childish. He's your father, no matter how you feel about him. I know you hold grudges against him, but you can't deny that he has always cared for you, even if his words and methods are sometimes harsh. Also, I want him to meet Ye Chen. A genius like Ye Chen isn't someone he should miss out on knowing," Zhang Weimin said earnestly.

Of course, this wasn't his only motive. He had noticed that Zhang Jingshan was becoming blindly obedient to Ye Chen. This was a perfect opportunity for Zhang Xingguo to meet Ye Chen and, hopefully, mend the strained relationship between father and son with Ye Chen's help.

Little did he know, this spur-of-the-moment decision would avert a looming crisis for the Zhang family.

But then again, with the bond between Ye Chen and Zhang Jingshan, Ye Chen would never stand by and let disaster befall the Zhangs. This dinner just saved Ye Chen the trouble of figuring out how to help them.

Unaware of his grandfather's intentions, Zhang Jingshan grumbled, "But, Grandpa, I don't get it. That guy goes around using your name to scam people, and it doesn't bother you? Even I feel embarrassed! How can you tolerate this, given your lifetime of integrity and righteousness?"

"Scamming? Your dad may be living off my reputation, but has he ever crossed the line? Broken any laws? Your dad may lack talent, but he knows right from wrong. He's never taken what he shouldn't or done what he shouldn't. His sense of propriety has never let me down. My principles won't let me help my children amass wealth, but that doesn't mean I won't let them enjoy some goodwill that comes with being my family—as long as they don't stray."

"That said, if any of you do break the law, I'll be the first to report you and send you to prison!" Zhang Weimin's resolute words left Zhang Jingshan stunned.

In all his life, he had never heard his grandfather speak so firmly.

"Then why do you keep scolding him all the time?" Zhang Jingshan asked, puzzled.

"To keep him in line! He needs a good scolding every now and then; otherwise, he'd stray! He's the type that needs to be kept on a short leash," Zhang Weimin snapped.

"Fair enough, Grandpa. You're right; he does deserve it. Feel free to keep scolding him!" Zhang Jingshan said earnestly.

"Get lost!" Zhang Weimin kicked at him, but Zhang Jingshan dodged swiftly.

"Fine, I'll get going. Rest well, Grandpa!" Zhang Jingshan called out cheekily as he left.

"Don't forget to bring Ye Chen for dinner tomorrow!" Zhang Weimin yelled after him, laughing.

"Got it!"

After exploring Jiangzhou's bustling downtown and indulging in nostalgic street food, Ye Chen and Chen Yinuo returned home, full and content. The little girl fell asleep before they even arrived.

Late at night, in their rental apartment, Ye Chen and Chen Yinuo tiptoed into the bedroom, careful not to wake her.

As Ye Chen hesitated to speak, Chen Yinuo preemptively whispered, "Why are you following me in? Don't you have your own room?"