Chapter 30 [Bonus Chapter for 5000 Nutrient Solution Counts]
The hall was filled with the sounds of clinking glasses and the gentle flow of beautiful classical music.
People from all walks of life were already in place, nodding and greeting each other amicably, chatting about the recent economic situation, and making all sorts of clichéd questions about business opportunities or policies.
The dazzling lights shone on every smiling face, whether genuine or feigned, making the ball resemble a marketplace where everyone harbored their own ulterior motives.
Faced with this situation, Jiang Kaile is no longer as at a loss as she was a month ago.
He sported a British-style hairstyle, wore a brand-new black bespoke gentleman's suit, and his boots were polished to a high shine as always. His eyes were less restless and more sharp, making him look much more mature and capable.
The sixteen-year-old boy was already tall enough that when he stood up straight, some people had to look up at him.
To unsuspecting outsiders, the internal changes that Jiang Kaile underwent in a short period of time were like a large-scale metamorphosis.
Not only the scions of prominent families of similar age, but even the adults were drawn to the attention, exchanging glances.
Today is a big day. The old butler was too busy welcoming guests and other things to have time to put a listening device on Xie Xubai.
Just in case, Xie Xubai changed his clothes and took the detector that Lü Xiangcai had asked someone to bring, and scanned him, Jiang Kaile, and the balcony.
Once he was sure no one was listening, he said with a hint of relief, "On my way here, I heard a lot of people talking about your transformation. Our young master Jiang is truly going to become famous today."
There were many rumors circulating outside, but in front of Xie Xubai, Jiang Kaile remained as cheerful and carefree as ever.
He scoffed at this, seeing things very clearly: "It's the Jiang family heir's reputation that's spread far and wide, not Young Hero Jiang."
By today, Jiang Kaile has finally passed through the embarrassing period of being called "Young Hero Jiang," not for any other reason than that Xie Xubai was too "annoying."
When the boy did a good deed, he would call out "Young Hero Jiang" and praise him. When he was unhappy, he would also call out "Young Hero Jiang" and tease him.
When Jiang Kaile was in high spirits, Xie Xubai would call out to him with a smile, simply because he was happy for the boy's innocent smile and couldn't help but call him that.
They had to shout it five times each morning and evening, and then shout it seven more times during class, which added up to at least twenty or thirty times a day.
The call completely captivated the already interested young man, leaving him dizzy and disoriented, and he inexplicably accepted the title.
Seeing that Jiang Kaile was looking at the ball absentmindedly, Xie Xubai reminded her, "Time's almost up, aren't you going to find Miss Jiang?"
Dancing naturally requires a female partner. Jiang Kaile refused anyone offered by the Jiang family, so she asked Jiang Xin to be her temporary dance partner.
He and Jiang Xin are cousins, collateral relatives within three generations. Under normal circumstances, there should be no problem. There have been precedents of relatives inviting him to dance at social gatherings.
Jiang Kaile curled her lips: "Jiang Xin was recently pursued passionately by the most popular guy in their department, and she seems to have a bit of a crush on him too. What would it look like if I went to be a third wheel at this time?"
"I just told her, and she said it's fine, there are plenty of people vying to be her dance partner, and she told me to worry about being all alone first. Ha—! I, the young hero, am in my prime, handsome and dashing, who is she looking down on?"
Xie Xubai chuckled and ruffled Jiang Kaile's hair.
The controversy surrounding the Queen's Heart has been making headlines and has yet to subside.
He guessed that Jiang Kaile might have heard some unpleasant gossip when she entered the venue, and fearing it would damage Jiang Xin's reputation, she stopped there.
Xie Xubai asked, "So, who do you plan to invite as your dance partner now?"
Jiang Kaile, who was full of fighting spirit, instantly lost his temper.
Forget girls, he didn't even have a single friend he could call a brother. He lacked experience in interacting with peers and said dejectedly, "It depends on who's willing. Wouldn't it be embarrassing to be rejected in front of everyone, teacher—"
Jiang Kaile looked at Xie Xubai hopefully: "Do you have any candidates you would recommend?"
Xie Xubai really does have one.
He had prepared several plans for Jiang Kaile's public appearance, and finding a female companion was one of the easier ones.
As far as he knew, many people had already heard rumors before the ball started that Jiang Kaile would become the true successor of the Jiang Group at the end of the banquet, and they all told their children to make sure to get along well with him.
If Jiang Kaile were to invite them to dance, it would be exactly what they wanted.
Xie Xubai briefly explained the situation to Jiang Kaile, and the young man immediately frowned, disliking this kind of behavior of forcing relatives to do things for profit.
Jiang Kaile: "Forget it, if all else fails, we'll just find someone..."
He now knows that he can't act willfully no matter how unhappy he is.
Xie Xubai looked at Jiang Kaile's annoyed face and said seemingly casually, "Look to your right, it's near the floor vase."
Jiang Kaile looked over and saw a girl wearing a pale yellow gauze dress.
The girl's mouth opened and closed, her expression somewhat anxious, as she pleaded with several young men and women for something.
After exchanging only a few words, the last few people shrugged and spread their hands, looking helpless.
"That girl's name is Li Li. Her family runs an e-commerce supply chain for agricultural products and fruits. Because she refused to become Mr. Li's one-night stand girlfriend, her recently launched products have been suppressed and smeared."
Xie Xubai said, "In addition, they are from other provinces and are in the local elite family hierarchy. After Young Master Li spoke up, almost no one was willing to help. Now their funding chain has been cut off, and they may go bankrupt soon."
Jiang Kaile couldn't stand such bullying and oppression of men and women. Hearing this, he was about to get up when he suddenly thought of something: "In that case, I should definitely not invite her. That would make her the target of everyone's anger."
There are also those arrogant fools in the upper circles who don't want outsiders to lower their standards.
If he invites Li Li, it might make her the target of jealousy from those idiots, and then it won't just be one young master Li bullying her.
Xie Xubai looked at him with admiration.
“Under normal circumstances, I would definitely not recommend you choose this girl, but not long ago, Young Master Li went too far. When he saw that the girl’s family had filed for bankruptcy liquidation and was preparing to leave this city, he used her grandfather, who was still in the intensive care unit, to blackmail her.”
Seeing Jiang Kaile glaring at him, about to get angry, Xie Xubai said, "Don't worry, her grandfather is fine. My friend sent someone to look after him. However, Young Master Li's actions have also aroused the girl's resentment and unwillingness. Otherwise, she wouldn't have tried so hard to get the invitation card to attend this unwelcome ball."
“This girl is not fragile; she has fighting spirit and awareness. So, Jiang Kaile, your appreciation is not poison for her, but an olive branch she desperately needs.”
Xie Xubai patted Jiang Kaile on the shoulder: "Whether or not you want to become her mentor is up to you."
Jiang Kaile took a breath and looked at Li Li's figure.
While they were chatting, the girl persistently approached many other people.
Whenever she had the chance to get close to those important figures, she would muster up the courage to approach them and strike up a conversation.
Some people nodded to her, some looked at her with disdain, and some looked at her with pity and sighed softly.
Jiang Kaile finally moved, but instead of going straight to the strong girl, she turned around, faced Xie Xubai, and asked with shining eyes, "Teacher, do you know why I made up my mind to attend this ball?"
Xie Xubai was taken aback by the question: "Because you want to..."
“Because of you,” Jiang Kaile said firmly.
Now that things had come to this, he no longer hesitated and said firmly, "From the moment I saw you being taken away by the bodyguards that day, I secretly vowed to become the head of the Jiang family and make sure that no one would dare to hurt you again."
"Including learning ballroom dancing, my father didn't believe you could teach me well, so I insisted on dancing to show him!"
The densely packed memos, handwritten annotations, the bulging veins on his forehead from exhaustion, and the weariness unintentionally revealed in his eyes.
Jiang Kaile saw all of Xie Xubai's good intentions.
“That girl seems to be like me; neither of us intends to compete for anything, but for someone we care about, we'd try to overcome any obstacle, even a mountain of knives or a sea of fire,” Jiang Kaile said, emphasizing each word. “So I made it clear to her beforehand that I wasn't asking her to dance to help her—”
A gentle breeze brushed against the boy's hair; his gaze was fervent and his voice was strong and resonant.
"It was to present a perfect answer to my beloved teacher."
Xie Xubai opened his mouth.
His trembling pupils, like glass mirrors, reflected the boy's unusually solemn face. He was speechless, unsure of what to say.
He suddenly remembered that Jiang Kaile had been practicing ballroom dancing diligently for the past month, and after each session he would emphasize, "Just wait, we'll definitely impress them!"
I originally thought that the boy's courage at that time stemmed from resentment.
Unexpectedly, Jiang Kaile, filled with deep gratitude, was determined to stand up for him.
"Teacher, you don't need to be observant or attentive at this dance. You've been working hard for a month, so just sit here and relax, and watch your students become the center of attention."
With that, Jiang Kaile turned and left, his back view resolute and confident, without a trace of timidity.
Watching the boy transform from a hot-tempered and impulsive individual into such a decisive and intelligent person under his guidance, he couldn't help but feel moved and accomplished.
But never before had such a profound impact and shock on Xie Xubai as this moment.
Xie Xubai subconsciously clenched his fingertips.
Jiang Kaile is his first and currently only student, and he can't help but feel biased towards him, devoting all his efforts to the young man.
This kind of concern can be considered wishful thinking, and may even become a kind of pressure, so Xie Xubai restrained himself, not wanting to add unnecessary troubles and burdens to Jiang Kaile.
To his utter surprise, Jiang Kaile had keenly realized this and made an effort to respond.
Like a sapling, as long as it is given sunshine and dew, it can grow tenaciously against the wind and rain, eventually becoming a towering tree.
Every child is an independent individual and the future of this world.
A profound realization arose spontaneously in my mind.
Xie Xubai watched Jiang Kaile walk towards Li Li and couldn't help but pull his chair closer so he could get a better look at his student.
Just as Jiang Kaile said, he was very tired, extremely tired, over the past month.
He was already exhausted, both physically and mentally, from dealing with the Jiang family, planning everything, and teaching Jiang Kaile.
Now, he can finally relax and properly read the report card submitted by Jiang Kaile.
Jiang Kaile's entrance into the arena naturally attracted a lot of attention.
But to their utter surprise, the other party would invite an unknown girl to be their dance partner!
In an instant, all the curious and malicious gazes were fixed on Li Li. The girl felt as if she were being pricked by needles, and subconsciously pursed her lips and tensed her muscles.
Jiang Kaile noticed this and held her hand tightly, offering encouragement and support.
Then he leaned close to the girl's ear and whispered comforting words, just as Xie Xubai had done when he encouraged her: "Don't be afraid, for the sake of the people we care about."
Upon hearing this, the girl's eyes instantly hardened.
“I know,” she said.
Li Li represents her maternal grandfather and family, while Jiang Kaile represents her respected teacher.
They will surely perform the most beautiful dance and show everyone their most perfect posture.
Young boys and girls entered the dance floor and danced in full view of everyone.
They were confident and fearless, and their beautiful and moving dance moves were mesmerizing. For a moment, it was hard to tell whether it was the light from the crystal chandelier shining on them or their sincere and pure hearts that were radiating a burning light.
As the song ended, Xie Xubai stood up abruptly and led the applause.
The Jiang family then realized what was happening and joined in the applause and cheers. The applause grew louder and louder, eventually echoing throughout the entire venue like a mountain roar!
Although Jiang Kaile did not choose those young ladies from prominent families, which made the Jiang family head somewhat dissatisfied.
But thinking of his mischievous son standing calmly before all the noble families, displaying the mature and composed side he desired, the Jiang family head pressed his throbbing temples and dared not ask for anything more.
As promised, the Jiang family head officially announced to all the media as the ball was about to end: if his health deteriorated, Jiang Kaile would become the successor of the Jiang Group and would directly enjoy absolute control of 53% of the shares upon reaching adulthood!
And from today onwards, he will take Jiang Kaile with him to learn how to handle company affairs.
The ball finally came to a successful end.
After the meeting ended, the Jiang family head called Xie Xubai and Jiang Kaile over.
He looked at Xie Xubai, his attitude quite different from before, and said in a rare softened tone, "I originally thought your educational philosophy was a bit too weak, but now it seems you are right."
The Jiang family head then turned to Jiang Kaile, shook his head and sighed: "Dealing with such a stubborn temper, we really can't be impatient; we have to go along with him a bit."
Jiang Kaile's room wasn't monitored, but it was being listened to.
Xie Xubai knew that the gentle demeanor he showed to Jiang Kaile during his teaching was quite different from the self-serving image he projected to the outside world.
Therefore, he had prepared Jiang's family head in advance, telling him that when dealing with a rebellious child like Jiang Kaile, he couldn't be forceful, but should try to influence him with love.
like?
The Jiang family head scoffed, but looking at the drastically changed Jiang Kaile, he had to reluctantly admit that Xie Xubai's teaching was very effective.
Upon hearing the Jiang family head's affirmation, Xie Xubai felt no joy whatsoever. He observed the Jiang family head's every move with extreme caution, fearing that the other party harbored ill intentions.
But no.
Perhaps the Jiang family head's health was truly failing; his eyes were filled with exhaustion, and his temples were streaked with gray, making him look like an old man in his twilight years. Apart from his own funeral arrangements, he was no longer able to care about anything else.
“Come with me. It’s rare for us to have a heart-to-heart talk. I also have something I want to tell you,” the Jiang family head said to Jiang Kaile.
This scene, resembling the making of a will, was something Xie Xubai, as an outsider, naturally couldn't participate in. The Jiang family head wouldn't allow him to follow behind either.
Watching the old man and the child gradually disappear from the Jiang family's meeting place, Xie Xubai remained where he was, recalling the Jiang family head's appearance just now. He did seem to have some kind of enlightenment before his death, rather than as if he wanted to do something bad.
But he was still worried.
Xie Xubai asked the butler if he could stay at the Jiang family's house for the night, as he was feeling a little unwell. The butler readily agreed, his open and honest demeanor revealing nothing of his unease.
So, is he just overthinking it?
Standing on the balcony of the guest room, watching the servants busily cleaning up the mess below, Xie Xubai frowned slightly.
Lu Xiangcai told him that there are generally two situations in which ordinary people are transformed into monsters.
One possibility is to glimpse the truth of the world, but this is rare because the invisible force, whether it is the world's consciousness or its rules, can hinder people's cognition, just like the narration Xie Xubai first heard.
Secondly, it can be polluted. If the environment is harsh, it will be polluted by the dark aura that arises from it. If one harbors resentment, it will be polluted by distorted negative emotions.
There may be other possibilities that could lead to alienation, but for now, Lu Xiangcai, who has seen Jiang Kaile's "true face," is certain that the boy is facing the second scenario.
Xie Xubai had just made a video call to Lü Xiangcai to ask someone to check on Jiang Kaile's condition again.
Lu Xiangcai let out a gasp on the spot, looking at Xie Xubai with eyes full of shock: "I never thought that you would actually pull the horse that was almost falling off the cliff back up. You're amazing, Teacher Xie!"
Jiang Kaile's current state of mind is quite different, which is reflected in his "appearance," causing the large areas of corruption to quickly fade away, revealing clean and intact skin, like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon.
For Lü Xiangcai, it was as if he had witnessed a miracle.
His praise came from the bottom of his heart. No matter how long he had known Xie Xubai, or how many times he had witnessed the impossible become possible, he couldn't help but marvel at the young man.
Xie Xubai: "Is there any possibility of further mutation?"
"It's hard to say, but the chances are extremely slim," Lu Xiangcai said. "To turn him back into a monster now, we'd have to completely overturn his original nature. You know your students; do you think he'd be easily swayed or broken down now?"
Having just witnessed Jiang Kaile's determination, Xie Xubai could nod without hesitation: "If the Jiang family head intends to show him the dark side of the Jiang family, then the child is not so weak."
"This is it," Lü Xiangcai said with a smile. "So don't worry, go and get some rest."
On the other side, the Jiang family head led Jiang Kaile onto a secluded path. There were few buildings around, and the pale lights shone on the road, making the place seem even more eerie and sinister.
Jiang Kaile smelled the blood in the air and thought to himself that it was finally coming. After the identity of the successor was settled, he would soon witness the evil behind the scenes of those families.
They followed the path to a large white building resembling a cemetery. The Jiang family head waved to the guards, who immediately made way and simultaneously activated mechanisms on the walls.
Just then, the old steward arrived and waited quietly beside the Jiang family head.
With a cracking sound, a rumbling noise came from underground, and a hidden door slowly opened on the smooth marble floor amidst violent tremors.
Dust billowed, and the stench of blood suddenly intensified.
Jiang Kaile swallowed hard, feeling fear at the unknown he was about to face, but he knew he couldn't back down.
Just as the teacher said, to defeat evil, we must first confront it. As long as we are steadfast and kind, we can overcome all obstacles.
He followed the Jiang family head down the steps, with the old steward bringing up the rear.
The dark and cold tunnel below sent shivers down Jiang Kaile's spine. He thought he would see some terrifying monsters, but to his surprise, there were none. They made it to the end without incident.
Below was a prison cell. It was unclear whether the Jiang family head had given prior orders, but all the torture instruments hanging on the wall had been removed.
Only the outlines of blood splattered on the walls silently tell the story of the cruel things that had happened here.
Jiang Kaile composed himself and looked at the only person in the cell who was bound and imprisoned.
The latter was disheveled, with a vacant look in his eyes, covered in blood and bruises, muttering incoherently, "I won't do it again, please let me go, I'll never do it again..."
This scene filled Jiang Kaile with immense grief and indignation, and she racked her brains trying to figure out how to rescue the other party.
Just then, the old butler brought over a tray with various knives on it.
Jiang Kaile thought the old butler would order the guards to carry out the execution, but to his surprise, the old man turned around and held the tray in front of him.
The Jiang family head also looked over, his eyes filled with anticipation: "Come on, let's get started."
His tone and expression were both so matter-of-fact, as if Jiang Kaile was born to do this kind of thing.
Jiang Kaile met the deep-set eyes of the Jiang family head, which resembled a skinned skull, and felt a chill run down his spine. He forced himself to remain calm and asked, "What are you going to do? I don't even know who this person is, how can I make a move?"
The Jiang family head wasn't surprised that he asked this question, and explained, "You don't need to know who this person is. You only need to know that he committed an unforgivable crime."
"Father, you need to explain clearly what exactly the sin is, and what exactly you want me to do, otherwise I'm really confused." Jiang Kaile tried to argue unreasonably.
"What else could I ask you to do? Kill him, of course!" The Jiang family head was exasperated, covering his mouth as if he was about to cough again. "This man is a burglar and serial killer. So far, he has killed 7 families, a total of 16 people, including newborns and unarmed elderly people!"
When Jiang Kaile heard the word "murderer," his mind went blank.
What followed made his eyes widen in disbelief.
He never expected that the sins the Jiang family head spoke of weren't acts of disobedience or offense against the Jiang family, but rather genuine evil? Wait, when did the Jiang family become so righteous?!
“After thinking it over, I think Teacher Xie is right. Since you want to be a hero who punishes evil and promotes justice, then so be it. You don’t have to do the other dirty work if you don’t want to. Just leave it to someone else.”
Seeing that Jiang Kaile's bewilderment seemed genuine, the head of the Jiang family softened his expression.
His eyes were gentle, his tone natural, and he acted like a loving father who had been pestered by his child for a long time and finally relented to let the child watch TV for an extra half hour: "Now, do it, just like you did before. From now on, you don't need to suppress yourself anymore."
The same as before?
Jiang Kaile felt increasingly confused, a strange chill crept up her spine, cold sweat seeped from her palms, and her face turned deathly pale.
What do you mean by "what he did before"?
The old steward, who was observing from the side, seemed to have noticed something and said to the Jiang family head with a worried expression, "Master, it seems that the eldest young master has forgotten."
"Forget about that fire..."
That fire?
"Hmm!"
Jiang Kaile suddenly remembered something, clutched his aching head, and red blood vessels slowly crept up the whites of his eyes, making them look ferocious and twisted.
His memory was a jumbled mess; he vaguely saw a cluster of blazing fire appear in his mind, spreading and transforming into a raging inferno. The intense heat distorted the air, charred the walls of the houses, and someone screamed piercingly from within the flames!
At the same time, the long-lost voice of recitation rang in Xie Xubai's mind.
That child has severe mysophobia (obsessive-compulsive disorder)...
Xie Xubai's pupils contracted sharply! In a flash, he rushed out of the room and ran in the direction Jiang Kaile had left.
Author's Note:
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com