Xu Jia:

"A Group's Violet Black Card holder?"

Xu Jia's eyes widened instantly.

Although his interactions with A Group were limited, he never managed to become one of the select few to receive their prestigious Violet Black Card.

But that didn't mean he didn't know what it signified!

From what he knew, fewer than ten people in the entire country held an A Group Violet Black Card.

Of course, this was just to his knowledge.

But even that was enough to highlight the card's significance as a status symbol.

Yet...

That very Violet Black Card appeared in Ye Chen's possession. How could he not be surprised?

"Are you saying he's a Violet Black Card holder?"

"Yes, Mr. Xu. I met him at A Group's café, and the waitstaff confirmed it. It's unlikely to be fake," Xiao Qiang responded.

"How could he possibly have a Violet Black Card?" Xu Jia frowned.

At this moment, his curiosity about Ye Chen overflowed.

"I can't figure it out either. We looked into his background before, during the acquisition of Jinzhong Village. Not only was it unremarkable, but honestly, it was pathetic! But everything that's happened since then... does any of it align with what we found? Now, a Violet Black Card has surfaced. Mr. Xu, don't you think there's more to him than meets the eye?" Xiao Qiang said.

"Simple? Could someone simple have Zhang Jingshan, the grandson of the former secretary, as his follower? Could someone simple deduce from subtle clues that Jinzhong Village in the outskirts would become prime real estate? Could someone simple develop an extraordinary product like Wuxia Cream? Could someone simple get the former secretary, a man who's followed the rules his entire life, to personally clear the bureaucratic path for Wuxia Cream's approvals?"

As he listened, Xu Jia's frown deepened.

Hearing it all laid out like that—connecting the dots—even Xu Jia, a legend in the business world, was shaken.

"Mr. Xu, do you think he has powerful connections behind him? And everything we discovered before was just a façade meant to mislead us? Otherwise, this sounds like something straight out of a novel!"

Once again, as Xu Jia revisited everything surrounding Ye Chen, Xiao Qiang couldn't help but swallow nervously.

Thinking back to Ye Chen's confidence in weathering future storms for Yi Ren Ru Xue, and his unhidden ambition, Xiao Qiang suddenly felt like he was seeing Ye Chen in a whole new light.

"Looks like it's time to reassess that guy." On the other end of the phone, Xu Jia's gaze sharpened.

Ye Chen had no idea Xu Jia and Xiao Qiang were having this conversation.

Otherwise, he'd be dumbfounded—absolutely stunned.

He could accept being called exceptional.

But speculation about some hidden powerful background?

Reincarnating as a business tycoon with assets worth hundreds of billions, returning to sixty years ago—would that even count as having connections?

At that moment...

Ye Chen, now seen as mysterious and influential by Xu Jia and Xiao Qiang, was actually just buying fruit at a shop near Jiangzhou No. 7 High School.

After leaving the café, he hadn't gone home or to Yi Ren Ru Xue.

Instead, he drove his G-Class Mercedes straight to Jiangzhou No. 7 High School.

He bought a few fruit baskets.

A couple of cartons of cigarettes.

And with over a dozen bottles of Wuxia Cream in his trunk, he headed toward the school.

However, the electronic gate stopped his car.

At the gate, a small booth opened, and an elderly guard in his sixties poked his head out.

Seeing Ye Chen step out of the car, the guard spoke, "No outside vehicles allowed on campus. It's written at the entrance!"

"Old He, can you make an exception? Let's just say I'm delivering supplies to the school."

Ye Chen grinned as he approached the booth.

Old He...

Back when Ye Chen attended Jiangzhou No. 7 High School, Old He had already been working as a gatekeeper for over ten years.

Now, ten years after Ye Chen's graduation, Old He was still guarding the same gate.

Seeing him again filled Ye Chen with nostalgia.

"You... you are?"

Old He hadn't paid close attention at first. But as he looked closer, he was startled. "Ye Chen?!"

The guard rushed out of the booth.

"Kid, is that really you, Ye Chen?"

Old He had a deep impression of Ye Chen, a former orphan student.

"Haha, it's me! I'm surprised you still remember me, Old He." Ye Chen laughed.

"Even if you turned to ashes, I'd recognize you! Back in high school, you often helped me watch the gate after class. How could I forget?"

Old He joyfully patted Ye Chen's shoulder.

His eyes then shifted to the Mercedes, widening with disbelief.

"My goodness! This G-Wagon—is this yours? Kid, you've made it big! I always said... a kid like you, with your tough past, would thrive if you made it through. Now look at you!"

As he admired Ye Chen's sharp features, Old He nodded approvingly.

"Good, good! This is really good!"

"I always told you, Old He, that you were wasting your talent at this gate. You should've been a fortune teller!"

Ye Chen chuckled as if nothing had changed from their school days.

"Old He, hold on a second."

Ye Chen walked to the trunk, pulling out a fruit basket and a carton of cigarettes.

"Here, Old He, this is for you."

"Hey, what are you doing?" Old He quickly waved his hands.

"Nothing much, just a little bribe! Can I go in to visit some teachers?" Ye Chen grinned.

"Bribe? Kid, if anyone else asked, even the Emperor himself, I wouldn't open this gate. But for you? No one's stopping you. Go on in!"

Laughing heartily, Old He took the gifts without hesitation.

Soon, Ye Chen drove onto the campus, parking near the teachers' building.

Carrying the modest gifts, Ye Chen walked into the building with ease.

On the third floor, room 306, he rang the bell.

A voice answered, and the door opened.

The middle-aged woman at the door gasped upon seeing him.

"What's wrong, Mrs. Gao? Don't recognize me?" Ye Chen smiled.

The woman turned, shouting excitedly into the house.

"Old Gao! Old Gao, come out here quickly!"