Su Lan’s heart pounded. Looking down at Zhao Mingshi, she saw his earnest eyes glistening with tears, and immediately her own eyes reddened. Angrily, she said, “You knew I’d come back!?”
“Mom!”
Zhao Mingshi knelt and pressed forward, wrapping his arms around Su Lan’s legs, choking on his words: “I—your son came back late, Mom, I’m sorry. It was all my fault before; I was childish and didn’t understand.”
Su Lan’s tears fell immediately, and Zhao Shuo’s eyes beside her were also red.
A few days passed, and Jiang Luo had already put Zhao Mingshi completely out of his mind. He was buried in work, often needing to feign anger, scolding this one or that one, accompany Huo Zongzuo, and still meet friends for outings. There was no energy to spare for a Zhao Mingshi he never cared about.
Yet, whether by coincidence or design, within a few days Zhao Mingshi again entered Jiang Luo’s line of sight.
It was a sunny day—crisp autumn air, calm, perfect for golf.
Jiang Luo had arranged to play with Zheng Bin and a few young masters. It wasn’t just for fun—one of the young master’s uncles had recently been promoted to lead the local postal and telecommunications office. Jiang Luo wanted to gather intel on the separation of postal and telecom services, preparing for future investments in emerging industries.
As they played, a golf cart approached and stopped nearby.
A young man waved at Jiang Luo and the others: “What a coincidence!”
Jiang Luo looked back—it was the young master who had mentioned introducing him to the “genius.”
Upon seeing Jiang Luo, the young master immediately got out: “I was just telling Jake about you!”
Then, leading the man beside him, he introduced: “Jiang Shao, this is Jake—the one I told you about.”
“Jake, this is General Jiang, very famous in Haicheng, with a huge business empire.”
It clicked—this Jake was none other than Zhao Mingshi.
Zhao Mingshi smiled warmly, extending his hand: “Hello, General Jiang. I’m Jake, currently a senior executive at Microsoft.”
Jiang Luo couldn’t help but smile.
A few years ago, he wouldn’t have even acknowledged him—maybe rolled his eyes, thinking him pretentious. But now, after years of business and learning to put on a show, Jiang Luo mirrored the act, extending his hand with a casual smile: “Pleasure.”
The others, familiar with the young master bringing Jake, naturally said, “Perfect timing, let’s go together.”
And so they played golf together.
When Jiang Luo took his turn, he swung—sending the ball flying far. Everyone applauded, including Zhao Mingshi, smiling as he watched the ball’s flight.
Jiang Luo caught the glance and smirked slightly in his mind.
When Zhao Mingshi swung, Jiang Luo stood aside chatting with Zheng Bin.
“Weren’t you supposed to go back to Shanxi? Why didn’t you?”
“Go back to Shanxi?” Zheng Bin complained. “My dad is pushing me to marry, I’m not going.”
“I’m living it up in Haicheng, no way I’m getting married.”
“I told my dad, if you don’t marry, I won’t either. He got so mad he yelled at me through the phone.”
Jiang Luo laughed. “Mind your own business—marriage is none of my concern.”
The two of them chuckled, while Zhao Mingshi swung his club, earning applause. Zheng Bin clapped too, Jiang Luo didn’t—he had his reasons, crouched there, playing a little game with Zhao Mingshi.
Later, Jiang Luo moved to a distance, pockets in hands, calling Huo Zongzuo on his phone.
The young masters chatted, bringing up Zhao Mingshi’s software deal with Wall Street. Zhao Mingshi joined the conversation, but his gaze kept flicking to Jiang Luo in the distance.
Casually, Zhao Mingshi mentioned Jiang Luo: “Are you all familiar with General Jiang?”
“Of course,” they said. “He’s the leader of the pack.”
Zhao Mingshi kept a gentle smile.
Later, back in the locker room to change and shower, eventually it was just Zhao Mingshi and Jiang Luo.
Jiang Luo took a towel and walked past Zhao Mingshi without looking, heading to the shower stall. Zhao Mingshi tidied the clothes in his locker, calmly saying without looking back: “I heard you haven’t returned home all these years.”
“Not necessary.”
“The Zhao family—your parents—are good people. You’re their biological son; they would have only…”
Jiang Luo ignored him, entering the shower.
Zhao Mingshi turned to him: “No one here knows about our relationship, right?”
“You move so freely in this circle, people probably enjoy hearing little-known things about you.”
He added: “I’ve been curious all these years. You’re the Zhao family’s son, with such a background. Why not return?”
“I thought about it…”
“Thud!” Zhao Mingshi was pinned against the locker by Jiang Luo’s arm.
Neither showed emotion. Their eyes met directly—sharp and unflinching.
Jiang Luo spoke calmly, without threat: “Smart people don’t do foolish things.”
Zhao Mingshi stared back evenly: “In the U.S., I met a well-known Taiwanese relative of the Li family.”
“I heard the Li family had a son—crippled by Huo Zongzuo.”
“You planning to have Huo take me down too?”
Zhao Mingshi smiled. “That wouldn’t work on me.”
“I was called back by the Haicheng government as a tech talent.”
“They want me to give up my green card, return, serve the country.”
“If you touch me, and something happens to me, the government won’t let you off.”
Zhao Mingshi was fearless: “It’s no longer the 90s. Money and power don’t mean everything.”
“None of you—me, you, or any of these young masters—can just do as you please.”
“I’m also curious…”
Jiang Luo’s brow didn’t move. He leaned closer, fixing Zhao Mingshi with a gaze: “You’re doing so well in the U.S., got a green card—why come back?”
“You didn’t come back for me, right?”
Zhao Mingshi smiled: “Of course I came back. I came to reclaim everything that was always mine.”
“What’s yours?”
Jiang Luo smirked: “The public outhouse in the silk factory?” “Already torn down.”
“Or your ignorant, incompetent, vile biological parents?”
“Go look—they’re probably somewhere in Haicheng’s alleys.”
Zhao Mingshi’s expression darkened: “Yes, my birth was not good, not like yours.”
“So what?”
Zhao Mingshi faced Jiang Luo fearlessly: “At least in those eighteen years, the love your parents gave me was real.”
Jiang Luo interrupted with a single sharp remark: “Yes, love. If you care so much about love, why didn’t you cherish An Qiao’s love back then? Why hide? Even ran abroad?”
Zhao Mingshi’s face turned cold.
Jiang Luo smiled leisurely—utterly infuriating to Zhao Mingshi: “Think about her, when she finds out you’re back. She’s been dreaming of this, and then…”
Leaning in, Jiang Luo enunciated each word: “Resuming things with you, she’d—skin—you alive.”
He raised his hand, lightly but firmly slapping Zhao Mingshi: “Go far away, don’t block my view.”
…………………………
Speaking of An Qiao—here she arrived.
That night, Zhao Mingshi was in a hotel room, working on his laptop from the U.S., fully absorbed.
Suddenly, a loud banging at the door.
“Coming.”
Zhao Mingshi thought it was room service. He got up and went to open the door.
But the door was forcefully pushed open. Several unfamiliar men barged in, shoving Zhao Mingshi without explanation. He stumbled, almost dropping his glasses.
Retreating into the living room, he adjusted his glasses, and froze as he saw the figure entering—familiar yet changed.
But the man’s expression was only momentarily surprised, quickly regaining composure.
“An Qiao.”
Zhao Mingshi called her.
At the door, in Zhao Mingshi’s eyes, another figure appeared—Chen Xin. Her short hair looked sharp and neat, still beautiful. Her tailored suit exuded the efficiency of a professional.
Chen Xin stepped in, smiling at Zhao Mingshi: “Finally, you’re back in the country.”
“It’s been so many years.”
“If Jiang told me, I wouldn’t have known this big news.”
She stepped further in, another woman following—Zhao Mingshi didn’t recognize her.
She was strikingly beautiful, glancing at Zhao Mingshi, and said to Chen Xin: “Why are you still wasting words on him?”
Chen Xin sneered at Zhao Mingshi: “Old friends meeting, just exchanging pleasantries.”
Yu Dong rolled her eyes.
Zhao Mingshi looked at the two women, then the men nearby. Calm on the surface, his mind was already on high alert.