Old Secretary!

As soon as they stepped through the gate, the middle-aged man behind Zhang Xingguo immediately plastered a flattering smile on his face and greeted warmly.

Though he was a close confidant of Zhang Xingguo, his encounters with the old secretary were rare. He had always hoped to seize an opportunity to ingratiate himself with the retired leader and strengthen their personal connection.

Even though Zhang Weimin, the old secretary, had been retired for many years and appeared to have little influence on the surface, Kong Liqun knew better. The reputation and achievements Zhang Weimin had established over decades in Jiangzhou, combined with the fact that many high-ranking officials in the current Jiangzhou system were either his former subordinates or owed him favors, gave the old secretary immense behind-the-scenes influence. Kong Liqun dreamed of clinging to such a powerful figure.

Unfortunately, Zhang Xingguo, knowing his father's temperament, rarely brought his associates to meet the old man. As a result, Kong Liqun, despite his eagerness, had never found the chance.

This time, it was only because Zhang Xingguo's car had malfunctioned that Kong Liqun had the opportunity to drive him home. Originally, he planned to stop at the gate. However, Kong Liqun mentioned that he had a modern replica of "Lanting Xu" in the car. Knowing the old secretary's love for calligraphy, he hoped to present it as a gift. Unable to refuse Kong Liqun's insistence, Zhang Xingguo reluctantly brought him inside.

However.

The moment they saw Kong Liqun, Zhang Weimin furrowed his brows, and Zhang Jingshan's face was openly filled with disdain.

It was evident that neither the grandfather nor the grandson held any favorable feelings toward Kong Liqun. The old secretary, with his wealth of experience, found him insincere and cunning, while Zhang Jingshan utterly detested his sycophantic and shameless demeanor.

In Zhang Jingshan's eyes, if his father, Zhang Xingguo, asked Kong Liqun to give up his wife, the man might not even flinch.

"What are you doing here?" Zhang Jingshan asked, his tone cold and displeased, showing no regard for his father's face.

"Ahem, Zhang Shao," Kong Liqun said, laughing awkwardly, "Chairman Zhang's car wouldn't start, and he was in a rush to get back, so I gave him a ride. Coincidentally, I had a replica of Lanting Xu with me. It's not worth much, but it's quite similar to the original. Knowing that the old secretary loves calligraphy, I thought it would be better placed in his hands than with a crude person like me!"

Ignoring Zhang Jingshan's hostility, Kong Liqun spoke obsequiously.

"Damn it, I thought it was the original Lanting Xu! A modern replica that's not worth much? Who are you trying to fool?" Zhang Jingshan shot back, his distaste evident.

"Watch your tone!" Zhang Xingguo scolded angrily. "No matter what, Old Kong is older than you. You should address him as Uncle Kong! You're in your late twenties, yet you speak so rudely?"

"Yeah, that's how I speak. So what? If you don't like it, leave! It's not like I asked you to come back!" Zhang Jingshan retorted with a cold sneer.

"You..." Zhang Xingguo trembled with anger.

"That's enough! Do you have to embarrass yourselves like this?" Zhang Weimin slammed the table and reprimanded sternly.

His words finally silenced the quarrel between father and son.

"Mr. Kong, you should take your replica of Lanting Xu back. You know very well that I, Zhang Weimin, have always been against receiving gifts. Besides, I already have replicas of Lanting Xu, some even made by myself. Your gesture is appreciated, but please, take it back," Zhang Weimin said calmly, looking at Kong Liqun.

Although he had disliked Kong Liqun's ingrained insincerity from the first meeting, he wouldn't outwardly express it in a confrontational manner.

"Old Secretary, I..." Kong Liqun's expression stiffened. Holding the scroll in his hands, he glanced at Zhang Weimin, unsure of what to do.

"I told you, there's no need to play this game with the old man. Since he said to take it back, just take it back!" Zhang Xingguo waved dismissively.

"Chairman Zhang, then I..." Kong Liqun had hoped to use this opportunity to secure a seat at the Zhang family's dinner table and curry favor with the old secretary. Now, things had taken an unexpected turn.

"Just leave for now!" Zhang Xingguo, feeling dejected, had no intention of keeping Kong Liqun.

Left with no choice, Kong Liqun forced a smile, said a polite goodbye, and left with a dispirited air.

After Kong Liqun departed, Zhang Weimin turned to Ye Chen with a wry smile. "Young man, I apologize for the scene you just witnessed. Xingguo and Jingshan... I sometimes wonder if they were mortal enemies in their past lives, reincarnated to settle old scores in this one. Ever since Jingshan's mother passed, the two of them can't stop bickering whenever they're in the same room."

Zhang Xingguo opened his mouth as if to speak but ultimately remained silent, though he cast a suspicious glance at Ye Chen. Many guests had visited their home, but he had never seen his father treat a young man with such regard.

"Old Secretary, there's nothing to apologize for," Ye Chen said with a faint smile. "Father-son conflicts are common, but no matter what, the blood they share ensures that any quarrel will eventually be resolved."

"Well said!" Zhang Weimin said, steering the conversation back on track.

Turning to Zhang Xingguo, he introduced, "Xingguo, this is Ye Chen, our young guest."

"Ye Chen? Are you the one who predicted the rise of Jinlin Mansion and convinced Jingshan to buy two apartments there?" Zhang Xingguo asked with a furrowed brow.

"Yes, Uncle Zhang. It was just luck," Ye Chen replied with a modest smile.

"Luck? Do you think I'd believe that? Even I didn't hear any wind of the city government's relocation announcement until the last minute. How could you?" Zhang Xingguo said icily, his hostility toward Ye Chen apparent.

Seeing this, Ye Chen frowned, reconsidering whether he should bother pulling Zhang Xingguo out of the pit he was in.

"Luck? So you think you're the only one with real skill, huh?" Zhang Jingshan snorted. "If it weren't for the old man's connections, your construction company would've been buried long ago!"

"Enough!" Zhang Weimin interrupted sharply. "Do you really believe that making a timely investment in Jinlin Mansion was just luck?"

Caught off guard, Zhang Xingguo hesitated to respond.

"Let me tell you, it wasn't luck. Just because you lack the ability doesn't mean others do. In my eyes, Ye Chen is a standout among the younger generation—a true prodigy. To put it bluntly, even you... are far inferior to him!"

Zhang Weimin's forceful declaration wasn't just an acknowledgment of Ye Chen's abilities; it was also a subtle warning to Zhang Xingguo not to antagonize him further.