Chapter Twenty-Five: Should I Give It to You or Not?

"Thank you for your kindness, Young Master Jiang, but our company is not well-known, and this matter..."

"Did I tell you to speak?"

Jiang Changyuan cut the chubby young man off with a single sentence.

"Mom, Dad, do you really think Ruoqing Technology is no good?"

"That's not what we meant."

The couple felt awkward; their son was showing them no mercy in front of an outsider.

"Son, the tech industry is complex. It’s not just about saying something is 'good' and having it be so. Your mother wanted to find partners in Beining City from the start; if we could have found someone here, we wouldn't have had to look elsewhere."

The subtext was clear: they had already vetted Ruoqing Technology and found it unsuitable, which is why they had turned to Linshui City.

"Mom, you must have spoken with Cheng Yuan. What did you think of his chips?"

"They are excellent. He is truly a rare talent. Currently..."

Zhong Qing stopped herself, keeping quiet about the fact that Cheng Yuan was already close to developing a second-generation chip based on his original design.

Jiang Changyuan nodded; he didn't need to ask to know the truth.

"The chubby guy’s company may be small now, and their chip technology isn't as famous as others on the market. But what if they were improved by Cheng Yuan? If you paid him or put his name on the product, do you think he would refuse?"

Although he had saved Cheng Yuan ahead of schedule by leveraging his knowledge of the plot, he knew that human nature was the hardest thing to test. He wouldn't put all his eggs in one basket. Jiang Changyuan believed there were no permanent friends, only permanent interests.

Upon hearing his words, a sharp glint appeared in the eyes of Jiang Zhengguo and Zhong Qing. People lived for fame and fortune, and if not that, then something else—his son had touched upon their true concerns. How could they feel secure without tying a talent like Cheng Yuan to their own company?

Gratitude? Gratitude is priceless, yet often the least valuable thing of all.

"Your mother and I understand what you're saying, but high-end markets offer better development, whereas low-end..."

"Dad, while the high-end market is certainly tempting, can you not see the cake waiting in the low-end sector?"

Jiang Changyuan licked his lips. He not only needed to guide his parents' thinking but also ensure he didn't arouse any suspicion.

"The high-end market is a blue-chip stock; if managed well, you can expand into foreign trade, but it isn't without its drawbacks—namely, sales volume! Conversely, the low-end market has a massive population base. If we could get our products into every household, just think how many we would sell."

"I was thinking about this while watching videos recently. I don't know if it fits our company's development strategy, but what do you two think?"

Their son's words instantly broadened their horizons. As they exchanged glances, they both saw the shock in each other's eyes. If the wealthy accounted for one percent, the high-end customer base was limited to them. But the low-end market was ninety-nine percent; their individual consumption might be limited, but the sheer volume of people made up for it.

***

With that in mind, the Jiangs decided to partner with Ruoqing Technology and planned to discuss it the very next day. When the chubby young man left, he felt like he was walking on air. Was it really that simple?

After seeing him off, Jiang Changyuan ran back inside.

"Mom, I'm running low on money. Give me another eighty or a hundred thousand."

Jiang Zhengguo, who had just been feeling pleased, immediately reached for his belt at the mention of more money.

"How long has it been since your mother gave you a hundred thousand? Are you a glutton for punishment, coming back to collect debts?"

"It’s been almost half a month, hasn't it? Besides, what kind of second-generation rich kid doesn't have a few hundred thousand or a million in pocket money? We’re the richest family in Beining City, Dad! Isn't giving me fifty thousand a month a bit embarrassing for our status?"

Jiang Changyuan pouted. Infuriated, Jiang Zhengguo strode toward him, causing the former to scramble around the room.

"Mom, help! The old man is beating your son!"

"Alright, alright, stop bickering, both of you."

Zhong Qing pulled her son behind her to protect him. With just one look, Jiang Zhengguo sulkily sat back down.

"It’s not that Mom thinks you spend too much, but we can't use money for bad things. That hundred thousand was enough for your tutoring fees. Tell me clearly what it’s for, and I’ll give it to you."

Zhong Qing wanted to make up for all the missed time in her son's life, and she was trying to lead by example to keep him on the right path. Maternal love is always selfless—unless the mother is uncertified.

"Sigh, it’s actually for reimbursing the flight tickets for Zhang Qiang and the others."

"Zhang Qiang? Is that the little guy with the dyed yellow hair?"

Zhong Qing paused, instantly connecting the dots. The yellow-haired kid?

"Honey, who is Zhang Qiang?"

"He’s one of the young men who helped me in Linshui City."

Hearing this, alarm bells rang in Jiang Zhengguo's head. To keep him from worrying, Zhong Qing hadn't told him the full details. She then explained everything that happened in Linshui City without holding back.

After arriving in Yaoshui Town, she had taken a rural bus to reach Lishan Village, where Cheng Yuan was, but the closed-off young man hadn't given her a warm welcome. The backward village had no hotels, so Zhong Qing had spent a freezing night in the wild, terrified of avoiding the rowdy, unsavory men in the village.

Just as she was at her most exhausted, Zhang Qiang and Wang Kang had arrived with their group, bringing all the necessary outdoor supplies. Facing a non-cooperative Cheng Yuan, they had simply kicked the door down, allowing Zhong Qing to bring him back successfully.

"They said they were sent by Young Master Jiang. I didn't pay much attention at the time, but now it seems my good son was helping me." Zhong Qing hugged Jiang Changyuan, her face soft and smiling.

Jiang Changyuan hadn't realized the process of finding Cheng Yuan had been so arduous. Thinking of his mother’s fate in the original book...

"Dad, get Mom some bodyguards. What if she runs into something even more dangerous next time?"

***

Feeling the hand gripping her own trembling with anxiety, Zhong Qing patted her son's hand to reassure him.

"Mom is fine, isn't she?"

"The boy is right. I’ll listen to him on this, and you can't refuse, dear." Jiang Zhengguo also looked shaken; if his son hadn't been so thoughtful, his wife would have been in grave danger. Perhaps even worse... "We should invite Zhang Qiang and his friends over for a visit. I must thank them."

"Alright."

The family of three chatted for a while longer. Thanks to his help in rescuing his mother, Jiang Changyuan’s secret stash was successfully replenished. However, he didn't want the money for tutoring fees or reimbursements; he wanted to help Zhang Qiang and his group get ahead.

The next day, during the lunch break, Jiang Changyuan left the school gates.

"Damn it, you bastards dare to tear up the bill? Are you tired of living?"

"So you want to be a hero, huh? If you don't fill this ten-thousand-yuan hole today, just wait and see how I teach you a lesson!"

In a dilapidated rented room, Zhang Qiang lay on the floor, his expression stubborn.

"We were hired for delivery work; you scammed us, so why should we pay you?"

"Just because you can't beat me, how about that?"

The scarred man stepped on Zhang Qiang's face with a cruel, sadistic expression. "Still glaring at me? Let me break one of your legs first!"

As the club descended, the door was kicked open with a bang.

"Which blind idiot is looking to die?"

Seeing who walked in, Zhang Qiang felt a chill go through his heart.

"Who are you? Who told you to come here? Get out!"

"Tsk, it's only been a few days and you don't recognize your own boss?"

Jiang Changyuan walked in leisurely, sat in a chair, and crossed his legs.

"I’m their boss. If you have any business, talk to me."

"You?" The scarred man looked him over and sneered. "Fine. They owe me ten thousand. You pay it."

"And what if I don't?"