Chapter 129 A Covert Battle: A Naive Couple, Homecoming and Reunion

Jiang Xiuyuan immediately became obedient in front of Song Ying.

Zhou Jinhua's act of "selling" Shengshi has also been explained.

It turns out that Zhou Jinhua was just a penniless young man who met Grandpa Jiang while begging on the streets of Mocheng.

Seeing a perfectly healthy person begging on the street, Old Master Jiang took a few more glances and then asked someone to bring Zhou Jinhua over to inquire about the reason.

Only then did they realize that Zhou Jinhua had used all his savings to do business with his friends, but instead of making money, he had been swindled out of all his money by his friends.

Aside from the short-sleeved shirt and shorts he was wearing, he had nothing of value, and even his cell phone was eventually stolen.

Seeing his pitiful state, Grandpa Jiang gave him a job mowing the lawn at the Jiang family home.

Zhou Jinhua worked for a year.

During this time, Grandpa Jiang, having nothing to do, would stroll in the garden and chat with Zhou Jinhua from time to time. He then discovered that Zhou Jinhua was a diligent and conscientious person. He wasn't deceived because he lacked business acumen, but because he trusted his friend too much and was too naive.

There are never a shortage of smart people.

But it's hard to find someone who is intelligent yet still retains a childlike heart.

That was more than 30 years ago, when the economy was opening up and the film and television industry was beginning to take off. So Mr. Jiang gave Zhou Jinhua a sum of money and sent him to Hong Kong to study for three years.

Following Zhou Jinhua's return, the Jiang family funded the establishment of Shengshi.

Of course, this is not just about making money.

At that time, Song Ying's mother, Jiang Lan'an, was eager to make movies. She left Mocheng alone to study in the capital and had acted in a movie directed by Song Zilin.

The Jiang family's influence has always been entrenched in the Mo City area, but Jiang Lan'an is determined to develop his business in the capital.

The four ethnic groups in China were already intertwined, and each tacitly agreed to have territories that no one else could touch. The Jiang family could not directly protect their own in the Qin family's territory, so they had Zhou Jinhua establish Shengshi Entertainment in the capital on behalf of the Jiang family.

Firstly, it would give Jiang Lan'an someone to look after in the capital, so he wouldn't be isolated and helpless.

Secondly, it was also to provide a safety net for Jiang Lan'an, so that her own company could protect her if she couldn't make a name for herself.

Who knew that Jiang Lan'an seemed to be born for this job? He became an instant hit with his first drama and signed with the largest entertainment company in the capital at the time. He didn't need any help from his family and made a name for himself.

But the prosperous era was already established, and there was no reason to shut down the business, so the Jiang family let Zhou Jinhua continue.

For the first two decades, the Jiang family arranged for people to help Zhou Jinhua manage Shengshi, so during that period, Shengshi quickly became one of the three major entertainment media companies in China.

Later, Jiang Lan'an became the first female Grand Slam winner, achieving great success and gradually fading from the public eye.

He occasionally performs in stage plays or teaches classes at the Communication University of Beijing, but rarely appears on screen anymore.

Out of consideration for Zhou Jinhua's hard work, the Jiang family simply handed over Shengshi to him and ceased interfering in its management.

This was also the direct cause of the decline of the prosperous era.

But even a weakened camel is bigger than a horse; based on market value and annual net profit, Zhou Jinhua actually made a profit instead of a loss.

"I knew it! None of the companies before accepted my two-year short-term contract, except for Shengshi. Mr. Zhou, is the Jiang family involved in this?"

Jiang Lan'an inherited her father's incorruptible character. She made her way in the world through her own hard work and would never use any connections to help her daughter.

That means it's only Grandpa Jiang.

Zhou Jinhua no longer concealed it.

"The old man did indeed give you a heads-up. But he also said that he was just giving you a chance to avoid those messy unspoken rules from getting involved, but he wouldn't give you any special resources. So, Mr. Song, you don't need to worry about it so much."

That wasn't a lie.

Otherwise, Song Ying wouldn't have had such poor resources for more than half a year since entering the entertainment industry.

"So, was this sale of the company a joke, or was it forced upon you by that bastard Jiang Xiuyuan?"

Song Ying brought the topic back, and Jiang Xiuyuan quickly raised his hands.

"Heaven and earth bear witness, sister! I really didn't force anyone! What the Jiang family gave away is given away. I would never do something as shameless and disgraceful as asking for it back!"

"Mr. Song, you've misunderstood. The young master didn't force me. It was really my own decision to sell."

Zhou Jinhua sighed, "I've worked hard for most of my life, all to repay the old man's kindness. Now that the Jiang family doesn't need me anymore, I've long lost my drive. The entertainment industry is a game for you young people, I'm not going to play along. Besides, since my wife passed away from illness last year, I feel like nothing has any meaning. Working overtime from early morning to late at night is meaningless, staring at the company's financial reports all day long is meaningless too."

"Since living a routine life is boring, why not try a more interesting one? Retire early, travel around and see the world—isn't that much better than sitting in this tiny office building?"

Zhou Jinhua could have sold Shengshi directly.

But Song Ying is still here.

What if someone else gives it to her and then bullies Song Ying?

So he originally planned to wait another year until Song Ying's contract expired.

Who knew that it would happen just as Song Ying was acquiring green oranges.

Furthermore, having learned of Song Ying's plan from Jiang Xiuyuan, he proactively offered Shengshi his services.

"Mr. Song, if you're willing, I can offer you the world with both hands."

The Shengshi Group originally belonged to the Jiang family. Over the years, Zhou Jinhua has made a lot of money by using this business, so he wouldn't mind if it were given away for free.

But Song Ying minded.

"Since your grandfather gave you Shengshi back then, the company is yours. Even Xiu Yuan wouldn't take something for nothing, so how could I be inferior to him?"

After saying this, Song Ying thought for a moment.

"Qingcheng has a lot of cash on hand right now, and I can't come up with the full amount to acquire Shengshi right away. So, when I get back today, I'll have Peng Wenqing check the balance and do my best to make the most of the available cash. I should be able to come up with 70% for you."

"As for the rest, if you trust me, I will convert it into company dividend shares for you, and you will receive dividends every year based on the company's profits."

"If you don't trust me, I'll try my best to raise the money within three months. As for the time lost in between, I'll calculate the interest for you according to the bank's standards. What do you think?"

Zhou Jinhua quickly poured tea for Song Ying.

"How can I not trust you?"

"Then it's settled. I'll be back in Mocheng filming for the next few days, so I'll need your help looking after Shengshi for a few more days. If there are any issues with the handover procedures, just contact Peng Wen. We can discuss other matters after I return from Mocheng. What do you think?"

"Okay, okay, Mr. Song, I'll do whatever you say."

The acquisition was settled.

When it was almost time, Song Ying got up to say goodbye and left with Jiang Xiuyuan.

President Zhou personally saw him off, but Song Ying stopped him.

"President Zhou, please wait. Also, until things are settled, please keep this confidential for now."

"Okay, whatever you say!"

-

As soon as Song Ying left the office, she hadn't walked more than a few steps when Sister Hong rushed up to her and pulled her to a corner.

"How should I say it? How should I say it?"

Before Song Ying could respond, Sister Hong saw someone following them and immediately fell silent.

"Sister Hong, let me introduce you. This is my cousin, Jiang Xiuyuan. Xiuyuan, this is my manager, Sister Hong, who also has the surname Jiang."

"Hello, Sister Hong."

Jiang Xiuyuan greeted them politely.

Hong Jie's eyes lit up. She looked Jiang Xiuyuan up and down and extended an invitation.

"How old is your little brother? Has he graduated yet? Are you interested in trying your hand at the entertainment industry? How about becoming an artist in our company, just like your cousin?"

Song Ying suddenly remembered how Sister Hong looked when she first met Qin Shu.

"Forget it, Sister Hong, don't even think about it. His family won't agree."

Sister Hong still tried to argue, "If I do some persuasion, it should be possible, right..."

Jiang Xiuyuan smiled innocently, "Sister Hong, I'll listen to my sister."

"Ah Ying..." Sister Hong prepared her strategy.

"If it doesn't work, it doesn't work. Give up."

Song Ying directly dashed Hong Jie's hopes.

Even if she agreed, the Jiang family wouldn't.

Not to mention that Jiang Xiuyuan is a guy who pretends to be weak while actually being strong.

Just then, Song Ying's phone rang.

It is Qin Shu.

Song Ying answered the phone and walked to the side.

"Hey, honey."

Are you at the company?

"Yeah, I came over to talk about something. By the way, my cousin came to the capital. We're all here at Shengshi. My grandfather asked him to bring some things to my parents, so I was thinking, how about we go back to my parents' place for dinner tonight?"

There was a pause on the other end of the phone before Qin Shu spoke.

"I'm fine with anything. Wait a moment, I'll come pick you up."

"Okay."

After saying that, Song Ying heard the door lock. "Are you home right now?"

"Mm." Qin Shu responded softly, her hands still moving. "You're leaving tomorrow, so I came back a little earlier today to spend more time with you and see if there's anything you need to buy, so I can go shopping with you."

“I packed everything before I left today. Honey, could you go to the top shelf of the display cabinet and get the painting we took from the old house last time? It’s the ‘Spring Banquet’ that Grandpa gave to Dad. Bring the painting with you to Shengshi. We’re going back to Mom and Dad’s place today.”

Song Ying originally planned to wait until she returned from filming before visiting her parents, so she could spend more time with them.

However, since Jiang Xiuyuan has come, he should definitely be taken to see Jiang Lan'an so that he can give an explanation to Old Master Jiang when he goes back.

After hanging up the phone, Song Ying told her parents about going home that evening before coming over.

Immediately afterwards, Jiang Xiuyuan appeared completely innocent.

"Sister Hong, is filming really that interesting? What you've said makes me want to try it!"

Song Ying: "..."

"Stop pretending to be a big shot."

Song Ying rolled her eyes at Jiang Xiuyuan, directly exposing his pretense.

Then he reminded Sister Hong again, "Don't be fooled by his current well-behaved act. He's notoriously unruly at home. Sister Hong, you can't handle him. Wouldn't it be better to nurture me, the future top star?"

"What do you need the future for? You're already a top star, okay?"

After saying that, Sister Hong remembered something, "Oh right. Since you're here, I'll give you a sneak peek at the work arrangements for later—after Mo Cheng comes back, you still have three commercials, four endorsements, and a gala. More than a dozen new scripts have come to us, and Xiao Lu and I have already screened them and finally picked the three best ones. Take a look at them when you have time recently, and give me an answer before Mo Cheng comes back."

After giving Song Ying a few more instructions, Sister Hong called to say that she had arrived downstairs.

-

This wasn't the first time Jiang Xiuyuan had met Qin Shu.

Previously, when Song Ying and Qin Shu were discussing marriage, Grandpa Jiang was worried that Song Ying would marry the wrong person, so he specially had someone investigate Qin Shu.

Unfortunately, they couldn't find anything at that time, so the old man came directly to the capital and even went to see Old Master Qin for this purpose. The capital is Qin's territory, and since the Jiang family couldn't find anything, they could only entrust it to the Qin family.

Actually, at that time, Grandpa Jiang suspected that Qin Shu might be related to the Qin family.

Sure enough, they were not only related, but extremely close.

Jiang Xiuyuan came with the old man, so they met once at the Qin family's house.

Although a year has passed, Chiang Hsiu-Yuan still vividly remembers the scene.

"I heard you're going to marry Song Ying?"

The boy with a buzz cut stared at the clownish wolf cub who looked even more cynical than himself, his damn competitive spirit soaring.

Qin Shu had just returned home that day and was unaware that Old Master Jiang had come to visit.

Looking at the arrogant look of the boy with the buzz cut in front of her, she assumed he was a love rival coming to cause trouble.

The moment their eyes met, the tension escalated.

The two men started fighting in the yard without uttering a sound.

One is a love rival, and they are extremely hostile to each other when they meet.

One reason was that she felt her future brother-in-law was arrogant and wanted to teach him a lesson, to curb his arrogance, so that her sister wouldn't suffer after marriage.

They all fought without hesitation, and the battle was incredibly intense.

The servants couldn't persuade them to stop, and they were so alarmed that they called for Old Master Qin to take charge.

They finally stopped fighting, both of them with bruises on their faces.

Qin Shu only suffered a minor cut on the corner of her lip, while Jiang Xiuyuan's eye was bruised and she even had a nosebleed.

It was almost the most embarrassing time of his life.

Grandpa Jiang was secretly concerned about his granddaughter, so naturally he wouldn't say much.

Jiang Xiuyuan was beaten and couldn't bear the humiliation, so naturally he wouldn't say anything.

As for Qin Shu, he had hit Song Ying's cousin and was feeling guilty, so naturally he wouldn't say anything.

Therefore, Song Ying is still unaware that the two have already met.

So he enthusiastically introduced the two of them to each other.

"Xiuyuan, this is your brother-in-law, Qin Shu. Shu, this is my cousin, Jiang Xiuyuan. I lived with my maternal grandparents for a few years when I was little, and Xiuyuan and I were the best of friends."

A year later, the two who had once clashed met again, and in the instant their eyes met, it was as if an electric spark was rekindled.

"Hello, little brother, welcome to the capital."

Qin Shu smiled and extended her hand.

Hearing the term "younger brother" made Jiang Xiuyuan feel humiliated.

He reached out and shook hands with Jiang Xiuyuan, squeezing his fingers together, and forced a smile, "Hello, brother-in-law."

Feeling the force coming from his hand, Qin Shu pretended not to notice, his smile widened, and he increased the strength in his hand.

Over the past year, Jiang Xiuyuan had practiced his kung fu extensively in Mocheng, thinking that when he saw Qin Shu again, he could easily crush him or at least give him a taste of his own medicine.

Who knew that they would suffer a crushing defeat in the very first round?

Jiang Xiuyuan felt like the bones in his hands were about to break, but Qin Shu wouldn't let go, still holding his hand and chattering on and on.

“I had heard from Aying that you have a younger brother you get along with very well, and you grew up together. Although you have less contact in recent years, your relationship has never faded, and it is even closer than before. I wanted to meet him, but I never had the chance. I didn’t expect to meet him now. He is indeed very handsome and polite. No wonder Aying has been praising you before.”

Jiang Xiuyuan's hand was in excruciating pain, but with Song Ying nearby, he was too embarrassed to break free.

She could only force a smile while biting her cheek to endure the pain.

The end result was a flushed face and a bulging neck, with veins standing out from the jawline to the side of the neck.

It's almost like constipation.

Qin Shu was still casually delivering his welcoming remarks.

Jiang Xiuyuan was almost dumbfounded.

It was Song Ying who noticed his unusual behavior.

"Xiu Yuan, what's wrong? You don't look well."

"Is it because it's too hot outside and you're getting sunburned?"

When Qin Shu said this, he loosened his grip a little. Jiang Xiuyuan immediately pulled his hand away, wanting to scream but not daring to, so he could only purse his lips and exhale sharply through his nostrils.

A perfectly handsome guy, forced to develop large nostrils.

Just then, Qin Shu thoughtfully took out a small pack of tissues and handed it over.

"It's late July, the hottest time of the year in Beijing. Little brother, wipe your sweat and get in the car. I've turned on the air conditioning."

Jiang Xiuyuan smiled as she took the tissue, her hands covered in red marks: "Thank you."

Qin Shu smiled, a sly glint in her captivating fox-like eyes.

"You're welcome."

-

Qin Shu drove, Song Ying sat in the passenger seat, and Jiang Xiuyuan sat in the back.

Through the rearview mirror, Jiang Xiuyuan glared angrily at Qin Shu.

Qin Shu lifted her eyelids and immediately met Jiang Xiuyuan's gaze.

Lightning flashed in the mirror.

At this moment—

"By the way, Xiu Yuan, how has your grandfather been feeling lately?"

Song Ying turned around.

Jiang Xiuyuan abruptly withdrew her gaze, placed her hands on her knees, sat up straight, and instantly transformed into a well-behaved and adorable girl.

"It's great. I go for a 10-kilometer run every morning, then I practice Tai Chi, and in the evening I go to square dancing. I'm even more robust than you."

Mr. Jiang was originally a soldier.

Even after starting his business, he didn't lose those habits; he still ran ten kilometers every day without fail.

When it rains, I go on the treadmill; I never miss a day.

The same requirements were applied even to the younger generations of the Chiang family.

Therefore, all four boys in the Chiang family were quite skilled in martial arts.

Even when Jiang Lan'an and Song Huaiyan were quite busy, Song Ying, who lived in the Jiang family for three years, was forced to learn martial arts.

After Song Ying returned home, every time Grandpa Jiang chatted with her via text message, he would always ask her if she had continued practicing her kung fu and if she had been slacking off.

At that time, Song Ying was young and only felt that her maternal grandfather was strict.

Looking back now, I'm so glad I learned that skill back then; it's made me feel secure living alone abroad all these years.

"Why are people doing square dancing now?"

This was something Song Ying hadn't expected.

Grandpa Jiang was always serious and meticulous in his daily life, but he was especially kind to his granddaughter Song Ying.

Dancing in public squares is something he would never do.

It's more likely to be the maternal grandmother.

No sooner had Song Ying thought of it than Jiang Xiuyuan brought it up.

"Isn't it because he heard that Grandma met a dance partner while she was square dancing? Grandpa got jealous."

Once this topic was brought up, Jiang Xiuyuan immediately started talking non-stop.

"Grandpa used to be so reluctant to admit it. He always thought Grandma's square dancing was too noisy. He said it wasn't dancing at all, and it wasn't scientific exercise either. He even wanted to get Grandma to do Tai Chi with him."

"And guess what? Grandma said his Tai Chi was too old-fashioned, so she started wearing a floral dress and dancing with the square dance team in the next neighborhood every day."

"After a while, I met an old man who became my dance partner, and I couldn't stop praising him when I got home."

"How could this grandpa tolerate it? He joined in the dancing the very next day, and now he's even become a lead dancer. He's going to participate in the square dance competition in Mo City soon."

"Sister, if you go back to Mo City, you'll see a group of old men and women practicing dancing with a loudspeaker on our lawn every morning and evening..."

Song Ying thought about that scene for a moment and suddenly looked forward to this trip to Mo City.

-

With Song Ying striking up conversations along the way, the atmosphere in the car improved considerably.

Upon arriving at their doorstep, Qin Shu and Jiang Xiuyuan got out of the car first to retrieve their belongings from the trunk.

Taking advantage of the time before Song Ying arrived, Jiang Xiuyuan, harboring a grudge, declared war.

"My sister was here earlier, so I let you win. We'll have a one-on-one match later! I'm sure I'll win this time!"

Qin Shu didn't even bother to lift his eyelids as he took things out of the trunk.

"You can't do it."

His tone was casual and indifferent, clearly indicating that he didn't care about Jiang Xiuyuan.

How do you know I can't do it if you haven't even tried!

Jiang Xiuyuan ran his hands through his temples, smoothing his blue hair, still unconvinced.

Qin Shu stopped what she was doing and looked him up and down.

"No need to try, one look is enough to tell."

"Qin Shu, let me tell you, don't be so arrogant!"

"Reach out your hand."

"What?"

"I said, reach out your hand."

Qin Shu emphasized it again, and Jiang Xiuyuan stretched out his hand with a suspicious look on his face.

The next moment, Qin Shu placed the box in his hand directly on it.

Jiang Xiuyuan never expected him to pull this stunt.

I wasn't quite ready at first and almost dropped the box, but luckily I reacted quickly and managed to hold it steady before it hit the ground.

"Weakling."

Qin Shu left with two words, then took another, larger box from the trunk and carried it away.

"Who are you calling a weakling..."

Jiang Xiuyuan lowered his voice and followed to argue, but before he could finish speaking, Song Ying, who had just gotten out of the car and was still a few steps away, spoke up with disdain.

"Xiu Yuan, did you skip dinner today or have you been slacking off these past few years? How come you're so weak? You can't even hold a box properly?"

"I didn't mean I couldn't hold on! I was clearly not paying attention! It was all..."

Just as Jiang Xiuyuan was about to say, "It's all your husband's fault for tricking me," she looked up and saw Qin Shu, who was at the front, turn around and give her a triumphant smile.

Not only that, but with her left hand holding the box, she also gave him the middle finger.

"What are they?" Song Ying glanced at him. "Don't make excuses."

Jiang Xiuyuan: "…………R^#%#^"

-

Song Huaiyan was a native of Beijing.

My family has a courtyard house in Que'er Hutong. Luckily, it was never demolished, and now this area of ​​courtyard houses has been protected.

He and his wife have always lived here and love it very much.

Because the courtyard is not as cramped as a high-rise apartment building, there is a small garden at the entrance, a vegetable garden in the courtyard, and a grape trellis by the courtyard. At this time of year, the grapes are turning from green to purple, hanging heavily and looking very pleasing.

Song Ying grew up here.

When I was a child, there was a swing that my father built by hand in the yard, and every spring and summer, when the flowers my mother planted bloomed in the small garden, many butterflies would flutter around.

In the evening, the family would sit in the courtyard to cool off. Each of the parents held a round palm-leaf fan made of banana leaves, with colorful fringed edges. With a vigorous fan, they could not only cool off but also drive away mosquitoes.

During the day, when you go out, you'll see street vendors with two baskets hanging from the back of their bicycles, containing brown, coarse ginger candy that costs two cents a piece.

Take a bite, and you'll find it has a slightly sweet, gritty texture.

There were also maltose candies, candied hawthorns strung on haystacks, and small milk cakes covered with a blanket on tricycles, with cold air emanating from the small boxes inside when opened.

Everything was just like Song Ying's childhood memories.

The familiar bluestone paths, the familiar alleyways, and the quaint old houses seem like two different worlds from the outside.

Every time I go home, I always forget all the hardships and exhaustion I've endured while working hard away from home.

Knowing that the children would be coming back for dinner tonight, the gate was left open. As soon as the three of them entered the courtyard and walked around the screen wall, they saw Jiang Lan'an wearing an apron and sitting under the eaves picking vegetables.

Veteran artists on screen are no different from ordinary people at home.

"Mom, we're back!"

"mom."

"aunt!"

Hearing these shouts, Jiang Lan'an looked up and his expression brightened when he saw the crowd.

He quickly put down what he was holding, got up, and walked over.

"You're here, why did you bring so much stuff? Didn't I tell you we have everything at home? You're such a spendthrift."

Song Ying said, "I didn't buy these; Xiu Yuan brought them."

Jiang Xiuyuan quickly explained, "Grandpa insisted that I bring these. They are all local specialties of Mo City. Grandpa said that he was afraid you wouldn't be able to find authentic ones in the capital, so he specially asked me to bring them over."

Upon hearing that it was the old man's idea, Jiang Lan'an said nothing more and simply urged the others to hurry inside.

As they were talking, Song Huaiyan came out of the kitchen wearing an apron.

After putting the things down, there was naturally some small talk.

Of course, the two elders mostly talked to Jiang Xiuyuan.

Fearing that Qin Shu might overthink things or feel neglected, Song Ying gently tugged at his sleeve and explained.

“Your mother hasn’t been back to Mo City for two years, so she might have talked to Xiu Yuan a bit more. Don’t take it to heart. Shu, remember, my parents are your parents too. Don’t feel awkward. They didn’t mean anything by it.”

Qin Shu knew Song Ying's good intentions.

When Song Ying learned that her parents had passed away, she told him, "My parents are your parents too. From now on, I will give you half of my parents."

After getting their marriage certificate, the two would come back every one or two months. Qin Shu also knew what kind of people Song Ying's parents were.

He chuckled softly and firmly took Song Ying's hand.

“I know, I’m one of them, he’s a guest, I won’t hold it against him.”

As he spoke, Song Huaiyan turned around and beckoned to Qin Shu.

"A-Shu, come on, let's go to the study. I just got some new square tea cakes, come and try them for me! Xiu-Yuan, come along too."

Qin Shu glanced at Song Ying and said, "Dad, I'll go to the kitchen and help with the cooking."

Song Huaiyan said, "You silly boy, haven't you cooked enough meals before? You've finally come home, so hurry up and take the opportunity to slack off for a while!"

Jiang Lan'an punched her husband: "Is this what you really think?"

Nowadays, Jiang Lan'an either acts in plays or teaches at a university, and Song Huaiyan usually does the cooking for the couple.

"The kids are all here, let me take a break for a bit!"

"Okay! I'll give you a day off today!"

Jiang Lan'an gave her husband a reproachful look, and at the same time urged Qin Shu and Jiang Xiuyuan, "Go on, you two chat with the old man. Aying and I will call you when dinner is ready."

The once quiet courtyard was now filled with laughter and chatter.

Cicadas chirped loudly from the willow branches in the courtyard.

As night falls, wisps of smoke rise from chimneys, carrying the aroma of food far and wide.