The door was tightly closed. Xiang Zhengyi stood on the balcony, his back to Xiang Zhenggang.
Xiang Zhenggang, holding a cigar, watched Xiang Zhengyi's retreating figure and asked, "Have you made up your mind?"
"You brought your whole family back just for this?"
"And also to celebrate your birthday. After all these years, it's time to let go of what needs to be let go."
Xiang Zhengyi gave a cold laugh twice. "Brother, we agreed in the past not to bother each other. After Mom and Dad passed away, you are you and I am me. We have kept our distance very clearly over the years."
So you're saying you won't agree?
“That land was given to Ciyuan, and he and Zhang Yandong are working on it. I can’t give it to you.”
"Then let's do it here."
Xiang Zhenggang knew how to make demands. As a second choice, this piece of land in the center of the lake, along with the surrounding area, although not as large as that other piece of land, was more than enough for a project.
Xiang Zhengyi slowly sat down. "Just how much did you lose?"
"You don't need to ask me anything. Just tell me whether you're going to give it to me or not."
"Dad, Uncle..."
After finishing his business outside, Xiang Jingyi personally went inside to bring the two of them some fruit.
Xiang Zhenggang saw Jing Yi come in, and the previous topic was not continued.
"Brother, I cannot grant your request."
"You only care about eating the meat yourself, and you won't leave me any soup."
After saying that, Xiang Zhenggang got up and didn't say anything more to him. As he left, Xiang Nanzhi was still arguing with Xiang Yunduan. The two of them were exchanging words back and forth, neither of them giving in.
Wei Xia was even more despicable, putting on an elder's air and reminding Xiang Yunduan from time to time, "Nan Zhi is your sister, don't take her seriously."
Xiang Yunduan wouldn't listen to what she was saying. As soon as Xiang Jingyi left, she let loose and started making all sorts of sarcastic remarks about Xiang Nanzhi, and occasionally bringing up Song Ze.
Xiang Ciyuan also came over and sat down with Shen Shixun.
Men shouldn't interfere in women's affairs, especially since they're relatives. But when Xiang Zheng came out, he heard Xiang Ciyuan say to Xiang Yunduan, "Sister Yun, you keep mentioning Song Ze. Do you like him?"
Xiang Yunduan's face was visibly flushed, as if she wanted to say something, but Xiang Zhenggang, with a stern face, said, "Let's go."
The family of three got up and left; the grand entrance they made made them leave with an equally desolate air.
"Uncle, let me see you off." Xiang Jingyi took the initiative to follow, while Xiang Zhenggang didn't even turn his head.
Why did my uncle's family suddenly come?
When Xiang Nan asked Xiang Ciyuan, the latter shrugged and said, "I don't know either."
When Xiang Ciyuan heard someone come over and tell him that Xiang Zhenggang had arrived, he thought he had misheard.
“Isn’t my uncle quite successful abroad? He’s always looked down on our family.”
“If you’re really curious, go in and ask Dad. Your uncle talked to him for so long, he must know what’s going on.”
Xiang Nanzhi held Shen Shixun's hand and said, "Next time you run into Xiang Yunduan, just ignore her. Don't give me any face either. She's a lunatic."
Shen Shixun only learned today that Xiang Zhengyi had an older brother, and that Xiang Zhenggang family was clearly up to no good.
Those who didn't attend the birthday banquet but drove straight to the center of the banquet hall seemed to be stealing the show. The so-called aunt and cousin were even more inappropriate, their words full of sarcasm and disrespect.
They came to cause trouble rather than to offer birthday wishes.
The atmosphere inside the car was tense.
"Mom, you saw it all, right? This Xiang Nanzhi always had an edge over me when we were kids, and now she's all grown up and married. Can you still say she's immature?"
"I don't understand why Xiang Zhengyi is so good to her."
"What's the use of being good? She still married a penniless nobody."
"Yes, her life is over. She still has to have children for that poor man."
Wei Xia held her hand and said, "So it's meaningless to argue about winning or losing in the short term. It's about who laughs last and laughs the best."
Hearing this, Xiang Yunduan felt a little better. Wei Xia glanced at Xiang Zhenggang and asked, "Zhenggang, what did he say?"
Xiang Zhenggang remained silent. "I will talk to him again alone."
Upon hearing this, Wei Xia already knew the answer.
"Uncle is getting stingier and stingier. He won't even give up this tiny little place."
“It’s not that he’s unwilling, it’s that he’s afraid your dad will surpass him after returning to China, and that he’ll embarrass himself in front of his children if your dad does better than him.”
"He's so concerned with saving face that he'd rather suffer than admit defeat."
Two weeks ago, Xiang Zhenggang's project abroad ran into some problems. To avoid trouble, he immediately cashed out all the funds he could and returned to China with his family, planning to develop his career in China long-term.
Foreigners' money is not easy to earn. Xiang Zheng had just finished handling everything and returned to China when he heard about Xiang Zhengyi's birthday banquet, so he came on this day to offer his birthday greetings and also to ask him for something.
After all, he felt guilty towards Xiang Zhengyi and owed him something. He thought Xiang Zhengyi wouldn't refuse this small amount, but he miscalculated.
The center of the lake was still bustling, but Xiang Zhengyi remained inside and did not come out. Xiang Nanzhi wanted to enter the house but was stopped by Xiang Jingyi, who said, "Let Dad have some peace and quiet."
“He’s always in a bad mood whenever he sees my uncle. It’s one thing if he’s not, but who sent him today?”
"An uninvited guest, arriving without permission."
Because of Xiang Zhenggang's status, no one would dare to refuse him entry.
After the banquet ended, the most discussed topic was Xiang Zhengyi's son-in-law. Everyone knew that an accident had happened to Xiang Nanzhi. They thought it was just a farce, but it turned out to be real.
Xiang Nanzhi sat with Shen Shixun throughout the banquet, and Shen Shixun, in turn, met business people through Xiang Zhengyi. He introduced himself to everyone as his son-in-law, giving Shen Shixun plenty of face.
Su Lan was busy all night. In the middle of the night, Xiang Zhenggang's family drove in to celebrate her birthday. She wanted to write a lot about it, but Xiang Jing called her over and she had to cut that part out.
Su Lan wrote down the rest without fail.
In the arena of fame and fortune, everyone left satisfied, and Su Lan, who had been busy all night, also gained a lot of views and attention.
Everyone envies the life of the wealthy and is curious about the lives of the rich. They can't get to that point, but that doesn't stop their curiosity.
Su Lan satisfied the public's curiosity about the grandeur of the city's richest man's birthday banquet.
They also secured an opportunity that other media outlets would kill for.
Xiang Nanzhi left with Shen Shixun in the same car as Xiang Zhengyi. She looked at Xiang Zhengyi without saying a word, then patted his shoulder, "Dad..."
"Um?"
Xiang Zhengyi was still a little confused. "What's wrong?"
"Happy birthday, Dad. May you be happy every day from now on."
Xiang Jingyi was the last to leave, waiting for Su Lan's team to evacuate the scene and restore everything to its original state in the center of the lake.
"President Su, we're leaving."
"Okay, drive carefully on the road."
"President Su..."
Su Lan nodded, her gaze fixed on Xiang Jingyi.
All night long, she and Xiang Jingyi barely exchanged a few words. Everyone knew she was there to film, but most people didn't know about her relationship with Xiang Jingyi.
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