Chapter 25

Before Xie Xubai came, he had put in a lot of effort. In addition to the most basic lesson plan design and repeated lecture practice, he also went to Jiang Kaile's school to conduct an in-depth investigation into the boy's situation.

But the answers they received from teachers, classmates, and other faculty and staff were consistent with what they heard from the Jiang family.

"Jiang Kaile is a lawless and unruly devil!"

He beat and scolded his classmates, insulted his teachers, disrupted classes, damaged school facilities, and frequently engaged in gang fights, skipped classes, and committed almost every wrongdoing a student could do.

Moreover, these accusations are not unfounded. There are many news reports online about Jiang Kaile beating his classmate so badly that he was hospitalized, with real photos and videos as evidence.

The reporter characterized it as a bullying case in which an arrogant second-generation rich kid oppressed an innocent classmate. Under the instigation of others, it caused a great uproar and drew condemnation and criticism from netizens.

After that, Jiang Kaile didn't care whether she went to school or not, and her grades plummeted as a result.

Lu Xiangcai told Xie Xubai that cases like this must be the result of the Jiang family's machinations or instigation behind the scenes.

But don't underestimate Jiang Kaile's character or treat him like some helpless little pitiful thing. You have to know that a pure and flawless flower can't bloom in a filthy and rotten abyss.

Xie Xubai understood this principle. Jiang Kaile had displayed a volatile and easily angered temper when he came to Shengtian Group that day, so before he came, he had prepared how to deal with the situation if the other party became emotionally unstable and suddenly attacked someone.

As a result, Jiang Kaile's classroom performance greatly exceeded Xie Xubai's expectations from the very first lesson.

This child is perfectly normal.

No, it's not quite right to say it's normal; the boy's performance can even be described as excellent!

When Xie Xubai was lecturing, he was quiet and didn't make a fuss. He would take notes on his own without being reminded, and he would raise his hand to report if he didn't understand something.

He wasn't afraid to ask questions, nor was he ashamed of his temporary ignorance. His mind was constantly working, keeping up with Xie Xubai's teaching pace. His eyes were fixed on the blackboard, as if sparkling with a thirst for knowledge.

These are details that cannot be easily faked. If Jiang Kaile truly possessed such superb acting skills, he wouldn't be trapped in the Jiang family.

Therefore, Xie Xubai can believe that this is Jiang Kaile's true personality.

Original notions were also refreshed at this time.

—Hearsay and reality can be wildly different.

Little did he know that Jiang Kaile had never had any expectations for studying.

If you want to deal with the Jiang family, grades are the least important thing. Do you really think you can make the Jiang family lay down their weapons by explaining the text?

Jiang Kaile was so serious because Xie Xubai's second impression on him was so shocking, and also because in the subsequent classes, he saw the dense approvals on the lesson plan and felt Xie Xubai's genuine desire for him to learn well.

This was a genuine exchange of teaching experiences; the teacher gradually got into the zone, and the students were unusually focused.

Both of them benefited greatly from the class.

Putting down his marker, Xie Xubai looked at Jiang Kaile, who was obediently tidying up his notes, and asked, "Any more questions?"

Jiang Kaile was intelligent and had a solid foundation. In addition, Xie Xubai did not choose complicated or difficult courses, so the boy understood almost all the knowledge in this lesson.

The other party didn't say anything, and Xie Xubai guessed that there shouldn't be any problem, so he packed up his lesson plan and prepared to leave.

With the Jiang family watching them from above, he and Jiang Kaile couldn't appear too intimate.

Just as he was about to leave, Jiang Kaile suddenly spoke up: "Teacher."

Xie Xubai turned around and looked into the boy's eyes, which were slightly trembling with unease and pleading. He heard the boy ask dryly, "Will you come again?"

As soon as she finished speaking, perhaps realizing she was being too dramatic, Jiang Kaile turned her head away and said, "Never mind, forget I asked."

Just as Xie Xubai was about to say something, the old butler's indifferent voice came from the side: "Teacher Xie, you've had a hard day of teaching. The head of the family wishes to see you."

There are only two minutes left before get out of class ends. Is this person waiting here the whole time?

Xie Xubai reflexively observed Jiang Kaile's reaction.

The boy didn't turn around. He rested his chin on his hand, his face turned towards the window that was blocked by iron bars, looking quite indifferent.

When he heard the old butler calling for someone, he didn't move at all, as if he had expected this scene.

Xie Xubai had made up his mind.

Sure enough, when he accompanied the old steward to meet the Jiang family head, the first thing he heard was: "Of all the tutors the Jiang family has hired, you are neither the most experienced nor the most qualified, but you are the most effective and the one who has surprised me the most."

“Of course.” Xie Xubai picked up the conversation naturally, his smile full of ambition. “Just as I promised you before I came, I will definitely become Young Master Jiang’s tutor!”

"Heh." A hoarse laugh came from the inner room of the study, followed by the sound of wheels rolling on the floor.

Sitting in a wheelchair, the Jiang family head gradually appeared before Xie Xubai, stepping out of the dim shadows.

For a moment, Xie Xubai couldn't help but feel a slight suffocation.

He came to the Jiang family through Lu Xiangcai's introduction. He had a brief phone conversation with the head of the Jiang family. He had never met the family but had only seen a photo of him. He was of average appearance and in his forties, in the prime of his life.

But the man before her was unbelievably old! His face was skin and bones, revealing the clear outline of his shinbone. His eyes were covered with deep wrinkles, and his skin was covered with light brown age spots. His eyes were cloudy and dull, and his temples were white.

In addition, the Jiang family head was wearing a thick fur coat and had a fleece blanket draped over his thighs, showing that he was as afraid of the cold as an elderly person.

"Did I scare you?" The Jiang family head asked kindly, his deep-set eyes wide open.

"..." Xie Xubai looked at his smile that didn't reach his eyes and quickly organized his words, "There is one thing. Before coming here, I was always thinking about what kind of demeanor the famous Jiang family head would be, but I didn't expect you to be more mature and wise than rumored. I couldn't help but be intimidated by your aura."

"Look at this!" The Jiang family head suddenly laughed and said to the old steward, "I like the way this young man speaks; he's someone who can accomplish great things."

The old butler echoed his words: "Yes, Teacher Xie is an extraordinary person. The tutors we hired before were either kicked out of the room by the young master or had their heads smashed and bled. Only he was fully accepted by the young master."

“Yes.” The Jiang family head’s eyes darkened as he said to Xie Xubai, “Teacher Xie, I also listened to part of your lecture just now. You were very enthusiastic and proactive, so I have a question for you.”

"In your opinion, what is most important to Jiang Kaile right now, studying or grades?"

If the teacher were speaking to a normal parent, Xie Xubai would naturally express his opinion on the issue by considering the student's academic performance and future personal development.

But the one asking this question now is the Jiang family head, who doesn't care at all about Jiang Kaile's grades.

"You're joking. My opinion is not important, nor is Jiang's opinion," Xie Xubai said with a smile. "What's important is what you think is most important to Jiang, after all, you are his biological father and the one who can control everything about him."

After a few seconds of silence, a loud laugh filled with appreciation and satisfaction erupted from the study once again.

"Well said!"

The Jiang family head said, "Your answer was perfect, which makes me very interested in keeping you. At the same time, you are also an ambitious person, which coincides with the Jiang family's philosophy."

Xie Xubai maintained a knowing smile.

Lu Xiangcai tampered with his resume. In that fake identity document, he was an orphan abandoned by his biological father, who suffered from the cold looks of the world since childhood. Therefore, he strived to be the best in his past studies and later work, and was even willing to do anything to achieve his goals.

If it were completely fabricated, it would be easily exposed. The clever part is that Xie Xubai really did have a biological father who abandoned him, and he also had an experience where he almost lost his scholarship at school.

His first day at work was also a disastrous failure. He encountered a fraudulent shell company, and because the partner was a rich second-generation heir, his crimes were easily exposed, and he didn't even get any compensation.

From this point on, the image of a cynical and greedy tutor from the lower rungs of society leaps off the page.

"As for studying, of course it can continue. That child is rarely obedient, so it's okay to indulge him a little."

The Jiang family head raised his eyes, revealing a sinister and sharp gaze: "But the most important thing is his attitude, his character! As the future head of the Jiang family, he is at odds with other relatives in the family, showing no regard for blood ties or kinship. What kind of behavior is this! ... Cough cough cough!"

The Jiang family head seemed to be in a fit of anger, and began to cough heavily, his back hunching over as he coughed, his cough sounding like it was tearing his lungs out. Seeing this, the old steward hurriedly poured him some hot tea.

"Ahem, ahem, alright... You can go back now. We'll let you know when to come back."

Xie Xubai remained very composed, bowing his head in agreement.

Before leaving, his gaze swept over the corner of the Jiang family head's mouth, where a trace of bright red remained.

What illness does the Jiang family head have? He is not only aging rapidly, but he is also vomiting blood.

Back home, Xie Xubai made a video call to Lü Xiangcai and told him about the strange incident.

The latter stroked his chin and pondered for a moment before saying, "It's either a backlash from evil magic or a harbinger of alienation. Families like theirs, who wield forbidden powers, have a very low chance of getting cancer."

Having had a previous experience with dogs, Xie Xubai's feelings about the two situations mentioned above were not good.

Lu Xiangcai smiled and comforted him, "Relax, relax, he's not your target. The faster he dies, the better. That way, Jiang Kaile can take over the Jiang family, and you'll be promoted to 'the Jiang family's head tutor,' gaining far more power than you do now."

This is the method for becoming stronger devised by Lü Xiangcai.

When someone possesses titles such as "World Boxing Champion," "Top Military Commander," and "The King's Man," they are bound to become strong, as the rules will bestow upon them corresponding power.

"The kind of power you're talking about..." Xie Xubai frowned.

He did feel it; after being chosen as Jiang Kaile's tutor, not only did his memory improve significantly, but his thinking also became clearer, which meant he learned everything much faster than before.

But this is only a mental enhancement; compared to those physically strong monsters, it still seems to have little fighting power.

“That’s not right.” Lu Xiangcai shook his finger, a shrewd and amused expression on his face. “The most important thing is the improvement of mental strength. You’ve only just started, so naturally you can’t see the results yet.”

"Don't worry, it will be soon. Once Jiang Kaile takes over the Jiang family, you will receive a significant promotion."

“Speaking of Jiang Kaile,” Xie Xubai said, “that child is not quite what I imagined.”

With malicious intent, Lü Xiangcai asked, "Worse than you think?"

“No, even better.” After a pause, Xie Xubai added, “It’s excellent.”

The smile on Lü Xiangcai's face faded slightly.

Logically speaking, he shouldn't be jealous of a greenhorn, but through the computer video call, he saw Xie Xubai's slender and beautiful fingers tapping on the phone screen, replying to messages from several members of the Jiang family at the same time.

I've been so busy that I haven't looked up at him since we started video chatting.

"...Isn't that unnecessary?" Even though he was the one who sent Xie Xubai to the Jiang family, Lü Xiangcai felt a little regretful. "Didn't I get you dozens of technical support personnel? Why did you need to contact the Jiang family yourself?"

Yes, behind Xie Xubai's identities as a beauty consultant, secret accountant, and private investigator, there is always Lü Xiangcai's team providing support.

Otherwise, how could an ordinary person who had never been involved in these fields match so many identities in just one month? And without making a single mistake, so professional that every member of the Jiang family praised him highly.

Xie Xubai said, "I have to learn and remember a little bit, otherwise I'll be at great risk of being exposed if I can't contact your professional team. Besides, it's safer to personally oversee this kind of thing than to entrust it entirely to someone else."

"Tell me, this brat from the Jiang family, what good fortune has he accumulated over eight lifetimes to deserve such devotion from our Mr. Xie?!" Lu Xiangcai dragged out his words expressionlessly, having perfectly mastered the sarcastic and cryptic manner of a palace eunuch.

Hearing this, Xie Xubai's lips twitched. He looked up at him helplessly and said, "Seeing how hard I've put in, shouldn't you be happy?"

"Why should I be happy? Happy that my partner is going to be poached?"

"I'm so happy—I've put so much effort into Jiang Kaile, whom I've only known for a few days, so I'll definitely do everything I can to save you when the time comes."

Xie Xubai said calmly and unequivocally, "I am already aware of this."

For a long while, Lü Xiangcai remained in a state as if frozen by magic.

It wasn't until Xie Xubai's phone started buzzing with message notifications again that he hurriedly went back and forth, his gentle, watery eyes no longer meeting Lü Xiangcai's. Only then did the latter suddenly hear his own heart pounding and feel the blood rushing wildly to his cheeks.

Lu Xiangcai quickly turned his back to avoid the young man seeing his flushed cheeks, and murmured with lingering fear, clutching his heart pounding, "...You are truly a treasure. In the future, which genius will be able to control you?"

His voice was very soft, and because it was a video call with background noise, Xie Xubai couldn't hear him clearly: "?"

Without much thought, Xie Xubai replied with another message: "By the way, I have another question. The information you gave me states that Jiang Kaile began to resent the Jiang family's control over him when he was very young, repeatedly causing trouble and even daring to burn down the ancestral hall, yet he still became the sole direct heir in the end, which doesn't make sense."

When Lü Xiangcai returned from the restroom, his face was covered in cold water, and he was less agitated: "What do you think doesn't make sense?"

"The Jiang family values ​​bloodlines so much, yet they tolerated such a heinous crime as burning down the ancestral hall. At that time, the head of the Jiang family was young and strong. Seeing how unruly Jiang Kaile was, he didn't even consider having another heir. His attitude towards Jiang Kaile was also very strange. Jiang Kaile was clearly exceptionally talented and could have become a very outstanding young talent with a little training, but in order to make the child obedient, he let Jiang Kaile go astray."

Xie Xubai concluded, "Simply put, if they cared about Jiang Kaile, they wouldn't have treated him so badly. If they didn't care about Jiang Kaile, why would they only recognize him as the sole heir of the Jiang family?"

Listening to Xie Xubai's analysis, Lü Xiangcai almost couldn't help but applaud him: "Very good, very good, you've got the key point."

"The correct answer is, what does an heir matter? Jiang Kaile is the chosen master of that land of the Jiang family!" Lu Xiangcai curled his lips, his smile revealing a hint of sarcasm. "As for the Jiang family, including the Jiang family head, what are they? They're just parasitic vines sucking blood from Jiang Kaile. Do they think they can bind him with kinship and the so-called title of heir? A bunch of idiots."

The chosen owner of the land...?

Upon hearing this, Xie Xubai suddenly felt a sharp pain in his head. He was already quite adept at dealing with this familiar pain, and he gritted his teeth, waiting for it to pass.

Seeing this, Lü Xiangcai became anxious: "Look at my mouth! I won't say anymore, I'll tell you after your mental strength improves."

But Xie Xubai had already thought of it. When Gouzi Ping'an and the other ghosts gathered around, a flash of inspiration struck him.

He clutched his throbbing temples, his face deathly pale, and stared at Lü Xiangcai: "The master of the land, could it be the Ghost King?"

Lu Xiangcai opened his mouth.

“You said earlier that it would be very soon, that it wouldn’t take long before Jiang Kaile took over the Jiang family and became the head of the family. I originally thought that the head of the Jiang family had health problems and there were no other candidates to succeed him, so Jiang Kaile had to take over.”

Xie Xubai said, enunciating each word clearly, "Now it seems that what you really want to say is that Jiang Kaile is about to transform into a monster, and on that land, no one can defy it, which has become king!"

Watching Jiang Kaile turn into a monster with indifference, Lü Xiangcai really didn't feel any psychological burden. He couldn't even feel the slightest bit of sympathy, since he had turned into a monster in the same way anyway.

Falling into oblivion and madness in an endless cycle—this is the fate of all monsters.

But he couldn't bear Xie Xubai looking at him with those eyes, as if he was heartbroken by his badness and puzzled by his deception.

Lu Xiangcai was the one who truly didn't understand.

Why are you so excited about him? He's a student with a terrible track record; he's just behaving well in front of you.

—You're not a real teacher either, just a deceiver who approached him for power. Since the lie will be exposed sooner or later, and the revelation of the truth might breed resentment or even hatred, why not be ruthless and pretend you know nothing and see nothing?

—Or perhaps, I'm sorry, but I'm a monster who has lived for an unknown amount of time and can no longer understand human thoughts and beliefs.

Seeing Lü Xiangcai's bewildered and somewhat afraid expression, Xie Xubai sighed slowly: "Lü Xiangcai, I'll repeat it again."

"I really, really want to save him." Xie Xubai emphasized each word, each syllable carrying his true feelings, "And I really, really want to save you too."

"Please stop doubting me, okay?"

The air fell silent, and after a long while, Lu Xiangcai's hoarse and apologetic voice finally rang out.

"I'm sorry," he whispered a promise, "It won't happen again, I assure you."

The next day, the dark gray clouds pressed together, heavy as if they were about to fall, and soon a torrential rain began to fall.

Large raindrops pelted the ground, splashing up water droplets, and a hazy mist spread out, as if the whole world was shrouded in a damp, cold, and gray fog.

As soon as Xie Xubai arrived at the Jiang family mansion, he saw the child.

According to the old butler, because of her good performance in tutoring classes and because the Jiang family head wanted to repair his relationship with his child, Jiang Kaile was allowed to leave her room and move around in the mansion's garden.

But the boy didn't seem that happy.

A cramped room is a cage, and a grand mansion garden is just a larger cage; there's no difference.

He was still dressed in the same way he had when he first met Xie Xubai, wearing a bespoke suit and his leather boots were polished to a shine.

The difference is that he is holding an umbrella, with the edge of the umbrella tilted towards a sapling that is swaying from side to side in the wind and rain.

The sapling was shaded, so the rain bypassed it and hit Jiang Kaile, soaking his clean suit and leather boots.

The person involved seemed completely oblivious, looking at the sapling's wrinkled branches and leaves, then glancing around at the lush trees, and muttering to himself, "You're so short, can't you compete with the nutrients in the soil?"

The saplings were silent, swaying in the wind, their branches and leaves huddled together.

Jiang Kaile laughed, picked up its leaves with her hand, and said mockingly with an uncontrollable self-loathing: "It's so weak, why did it have to grow here?"

"This is precisely proof of its power." A gentle and steady voice broke through the storm and came from behind the boy.

Jiang Kaile turned his head in surprise and saw Xie Xubai smile at him and wave his arm to point to the surrounding trees: "Look at these trees. They block its sunlight and absorb its nutrients for growth. It should have been a dead end, but it is still alive and well. Isn't that powerful?"

“Jiang Kaile, believe me.” Xie Xubai met the boy’s trembling eyes and said firmly and gently, “It is destined to be earth-shattering, to make a name for itself, and to grow into a towering tree that other trees can only look up to. It is just lacking an opportunity.”

"You..." Jiang Kaile seemed to understand the deeper meaning in Xie Xubai's words, but intuitively felt that it was unlikely. She forced herself to remain calm and said stiffly, "What's wrong with you today? Why are you so excited all of a sudden? Did you take the wrong medicine?"

Xie Xubai smiled but said nothing. He took out a tissue, pulled out one, and placed it on the boy's wet hair, gently rubbing and wiping it.

Jiang Kaile felt extremely uncomfortable instantly, and what was even more uncomfortable was that he didn't feel offended at all. He quickly reached out to block, saying, "I can do it myself!"

So, do you want to or not?

What are you thinking about?

"Take over the Jiang family through my own efforts."

Like a bolt from the blue, Jiang Kaile stared wide-eyed at Xie Xubai in disbelief.

After the boy clutched his head and nearly turned into a screaming chicken, the latter smiled and said, "Don't worry. I came early today, so the butler hasn't had a chance to install a bug on me yet."

"But you can't...!" Jiang Kaile's heart pounded. Even when she escaped from the Jiang family, it wasn't as thrilling as this. She quickly looked around. "But you can't say that here!"

"It's only here that we can talk. Today, Madam Jiang is hosting a banquet for guests in the main hall. Most of the servants have been called away to help, and the security guards have been called away to maintain order. This is why we have been given a quiet place."

Hearing Xie Xubai's calm and composed words, Jiang Kaile couldn't help but ask, "How did you know?"

He stayed in the room, the windows were barred with iron bars so he couldn't see outside, and he only ran downstairs when he heard the rain getting too loud.

The garden was almost empty by then, with only a few people around, but he didn't think much of it and was unaware that Madam Jiang was going to host a banquet for guests.

Xie Xubai raised his phone and waved it: "Last night, Madam Jiang specifically consulted me about any skincare products suitable for the ladies. By the way, she also picked a radiant and youthful makeup look, probably because there's an old nemesis in the ladies' group that she doesn't like."

Jiang Kaile remained dumbfounded, almost blurting out "awesome!"

At the same time, he noticed the jewelry box Xie Xubai was holding: "What's this?"

"This is the gift you're giving to Miss Jiang, to help her win first place at today's banquet."

Jiang Kaile was stunned: "Huh? I'll deliver it?"

“Of course, otherwise, without a single supporter, how would you bypass the Jiang family head and control the Jiang family?” Xie Xubai looked at him matter-of-factly, a calm and composed smile in his eyes. “And this will be our second lesson outside of class: ‘Connections’.”

Author's Note: