The man was startled, turned around to buy a pack of cigarettes, and then hurriedly walked to the car.
Wang opened the car door, and Xu Zhengyang was already standing in front of him.
The man's muscles tensed instantly, and he turned to look at Xu Zhengyang with a puzzled expression.
Xu Zhengyang smiled and shook his head, saying nothing. Then he turned and left.
There's no deep-seated hatred, right? It can't be that serious...
Volume 5, Spirit Official, Chapter 244: What is Happiness?
Xu Zhengyang only told Li Ruiqing about being followed.
Actually, he was quite annoyed. He couldn't understand why those high and mighty people had to be so suspicious all the time. What business was it of theirs if he got married? They should use their energy and effort to do something practical for the people. That would be much better than anything else.
If it were based on Xu Zhengyang's usual temper, he would definitely beat up the person who was following and monitoring him first, and then give them a stern warning, telling them to take it easy and not mess with him, because he has a bad temper.
However, Xu Zhengyang, through changes in his own state of mind, has eroded and integrated with the divine nature of the spirit official, and his own temperament has also changed. He is no longer as hot-tempered as before, and no longer likes to use violence to do things. In the past, he needed to use force to intimidate others, and more importantly, to show certain people that he was fearless and had powerful backers and connections.
Now, he already has the backing of the Li brothers, Li Ruiyu and Li Ruiqing, in the mortal world. Having them solve some problems for him is better than wasting his divine power by using supernatural abilities.
Moreover, if it causes a backlash from certain extremist forces, do I really want to fight them to the death?
That won't do. Xu Zhengyang believes his life is more valuable than any of theirs; it's not worth it. If Xu Zhengyang doesn't act, he won't act; but if he does, he must beat them to a pulp, make them submit, and instill fear in them!
Obviously, there's no need for that right now.
Because the other party had no ill intentions, the people who were tracking and monitoring him were only conducting some investigations and had no intention of harming Xu Zhengyang.
After hearing the news from Xu Zhengyang, Li Ruiqing sighed helplessly and said, "Zhengyang, you also said that you can withstand any investigation and they won't find anything about you, right? So relax, keep a low profile, and just ignore them."
"You...don't intend to get involved?"
"No, no, I'll give the relevant people a hint about this. Don't argue with them," Li Ruiqing quickly said. He thought to himself, "How can I ignore this? If they really push you too far, who knows what you, Xu Zhengyang, might do?"
Xu Zhengyang nodded and said seriously, "Alright, Second Uncle, if you can't persuade them, just let me know and I'll go and try to talk to them."
"This..." Li Ruiqing said, both amused and exasperated, "Alright, just live your lives peacefully, I'll handle it."
Xu Zhengyang believed that Li Ruiqing should be able to handle it well.
If Li Ruiqing can't handle this, then I'm sorry, I'll have to take matters into my own hands.
Ultimately, Xu Zhengyang still harbored some apprehension towards those who were tracking and monitoring him. He knew that while they wouldn't uncover anything immediately, given enough time, they would eventually notice some clues and suspicious points.
Knowing Xu Zhengyang's identity didn't matter. If Li Ruiyu and Li Ruiqing hadn't been unwilling to let more people know Xu Zhengyang's identity, Xu Zhengyang, driven by impulsiveness, might have even dared to directly and openly tell those important figures who were interested in him:
Hello everyone, I am a deity. Please stop searching, or I will get angry.
...
Firecrackers bid farewell to the old year, and Spring Festival couplets welcome the new spring in every household.
This Spring Festival, Xu Zhengyang's home was much more lively.
Besides Xu Zhengyang and his family of four, the entire family from the courtyard house in the western suburbs of Fuhe City was also invited over by the enthusiastic Yuan Suqin without any explanation. In her words, "It's the New Year, how remote and lonely it is for just the few of you to live there? Come and celebrate the New Year in our village, it'll be lively. We're all family now, why are you being so formal?"
In truth, Jiang Lan found living in this courtyard house quite stifling, like she was under house arrest—which, in fact, she really was. So, after seeing Xu Zhengyang nod in agreement with a wry smile, she agreed as well.
The nanny, Xiao Zhou, was overjoyed and quickly asked for leave to go back to her hometown for the Chinese New Year.
Seeing this, Xu Zhengyang simply told Li Chengzong, Chen Hanzhe, Zhu Jun, and Qingling to all go home for the New Year. After obtaining permission from their superiors, Li Chengzong and Zhu Jun did indeed return to their hometowns for the New Year, but Chen Hanzhe and Qingling stayed behind to protect Jiang Lan and Li Bingjie.
According to local customs, unmarried women are not allowed to stay at their mother-in-law's house for the Lunar New Year.
However, villagers aren't so particular these days, and besides, these two in-laws are different from ordinary families. Therefore, the villagers naturally wouldn't gossip about them behind their backs. Instead, when they meet Xu Zhengyang's family on the street, they always offer a few words of blessing and congratulations.
However, what's somewhat frustrating for the villagers and Xu Zhengyang's family is that since Jiang Lan and the two guards moved into Xu Zhengyang's house, it's become very inconvenient for neighbors to visit these past few days.
It wasn't that Chen Hanzhe and Qingling were blocking them from entering, but rather that anyone who entered the house could feel the wary gaze constantly on them, making them feel uneasy and cold all over. How could they feel comfortable under such scrutiny?
The two families were helpless; repeating their explanations several times had been ineffective. It was a habit they'd developed with Chen Hanzhe and Qingling; they would instinctively become vigilant whenever an outsider entered the courtyard…
So, when the villagers who started paying New Year's visits at dawn on the first day of the Lunar New Year went to Xu Zhengyang's house to wish Xu Neng and his wife a happy new year, they would find a serious-looking young man standing at the door of the east room, staring at everyone like a door god.
When people come in and go out, they can't help but lean towards the west side of the platform, and some children even go around to the west side of the platform.
Okay...
In the outer room of the east wing, Jiang Lan and her daughter Li Bingjie sat on the sofa, idly cracking sunflower seeds and listening to the lively sounds outside. Although they were not used to getting up at dawn, and had been informed in advance that they did not need to get up early and could sleep soundly, they were fine with it.
I couldn't fall asleep no matter how hard I tried. Around 3 a.m., firecrackers started going off everywhere. The excitement was incredible.
It's funny, actually. At four in the morning, Xu Zhengyang and his father were already sitting in the living room, talking amongst themselves. They had thought of everything, except this one thing. On New Year's Day, it's customary to get up early to set off firecrackers and cook dumplings. But what to do this year? The mother and daughter were living in the east room.
Xu Zhengyang and his family of four were thinking that maybe they should skip setting off firecrackers this year, cook some dumplings, and go visit relatives and friends for the New Year.
Unexpectedly, when Yuan Suqin and Xu Rouyue went to the kitchen to cook dumplings, they found the curtain of the east room open, and Jiang Lan and her daughter Li Bingjie had already washed up and come out. They went to the kitchen together to help.
Jiang Lan said, "The New Year celebrations in the countryside have a stronger and more welcoming atmosphere than those in the city."
“Oh dear, mother-in-law, this is a strange New Year’s custom in this village. I’m sorry to bother you while you’re resting…” Yuan Suqin quickly said.
"No, I'm quite excited about it, and I feel really good about it."
Yes, that's true. Jiang Lan felt like she was thirty years younger, and she had returned to the freshness and joy she felt when she was a young girl.
Xu Rouyue kept calling her "sister-in-law," which made Li Bingjie's face turn rosy.
It was a novel experience for Qingling and Chen Hanzhe, as customs and traditions varied across the country, and their hometown's New Year celebrations were different from this place. So, while Xu Zhengyang and his father lit firecrackers in the courtyard, Chen Hanzhe, unusually, revealed his childlike nature, joining in to light the firecrackers and play around; while Qingling stood on the platform, displaying the joyful smile of a true young lady.
Large red lanterns hung high in the courtyard, and all the houses were brightly lit. Outside the courtyard gate, two large red lanterns with a diameter of 1.5 meters were hung high, creating a strong festive atmosphere.
When the dumplings were cooking in the pot, Xu Rouyue urged Jiang Lan and Li Bingjie to walk out of the courtyard gate and stand on the street looking westward.
Every household in the village was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, and the sound of firecrackers rose and fell throughout the village. Fireworks occasionally shot into the deep blue night sky, creating a festive atmosphere that was truly intoxicating.
After eating the dumplings at dawn, Xu Rouyue playfully persuaded Jiang Lan and her daughter to go into the east room, telling them to stay there for a couple of hours. Villagers would be coming to pay their respects soon, and Xu Zhengyang also had to go out to visit them…
After Xu Neng and Yuan Suqin stayed home for over an hour to celebrate the New Year, the younger generation had probably all come to pay their respects, so they took turns going out to offer their greetings, leaving one of them to stay home. Xu Rouyue was an unmarried girl, and she was responsible for staying home with her parents to celebrate the New Year. When children came to offer their greetings, Xu Rouyue would take out peanuts, melon seeds, and candies to distribute to them, while Xu Neng and Yuan Suqin were responsible for giving the children lucky money.
In the past, on the first day of the Lunar New Year, lucky money was only given to children from one's own family and to children from neighboring families with whom one had a particularly good relationship.
This year is different. The Xu family is the wealthiest family in Shuanghe Village, so naturally every child who comes to pay New Year's visits receives lucky money.
The mother and daughter, who had been idly sitting in the east room eating melon seeds, finally couldn't resist the lively atmosphere outside. They got up and went to the window to look out into the courtyard, watching people come and go from house to house. Children, dressed in brand-new clothes, skipped and jumped, eating candy and clutching their lucky money, their faces beaming with joy; adults chatted and congratulated each other, exchanging blessings…
Jiang Lan couldn't help but sigh. Over the years, she seemed to have gradually forgotten the joy of celebrating the New Year.
Since getting married and starting a family, when has Jiang Lan ever felt the same joy and happiness as these ordinary villagers? Even though they may have poor economic conditions and work hard every day, they can always be happy and relaxed during festivals. But what about Jiang Lan?
For decades, I've been needlessly adding pressure, resentment, jealousy, and scheming to myself every day... What am I trying to achieve?
Li Bingjie, on the other hand, was filled with joy. When had she ever seen or experienced such a strong festive atmosphere before? She happily thought that in the future, Zhengyang and I could, like these people, happily visit relatives and friends to offer New Year's greetings and receive blessings every year, right?
"Bingjie, Mom is quite envious of you," Jiang Lan said with a smile, her eyes filled with tears.
"Mom, what's wrong?" Li Bingjie hugged her mother's arm, nestled against her, and whispered.
"I hope Xu Zhengyang will treat you well. I was wrong before. This kind of life is the happiest life." Jiang Lan stroked her daughter's soft, black hair, sighed, and smiled happily. She said, "From now on, I'll come to your house every year during the Spring Festival. Just don't bother this old woman."
Li Bingjie blushed and said coquettishly, "Mom, from now on, from now on you and Dad... talk to each other more often, don't be angry anymore."
Jiang Lan shook her head and said with a wry smile, "The Li family is destined never to enjoy this kind of happiness in their lives, there's nothing we can do about it..." After a pause, Jiang Lan looked at her daughter and joked with a smile, "That's not right, Bingjie from the Li family will be able to live a truly happy life from now on."
“Mom…” Li Bingjie became even more shy.
Sometimes, for those who are high up and seem much happier than ordinary people, happiness is actually a very rare thing for them. In fact, in their busy lives and scheming minds, they gradually forget what happiness is, and the concept of happiness no longer exists in their lives and pursuits.
Blood is thicker than water.
Family ties are something that can never be severed.
So when Jiang Lan's personality changed drastically, completely overturning her previous character, Li Bingjie's feelings for her mother grew increasingly attached and intense. Perhaps, another reason was Li Bingjie's pity for her mother. Yes, Jiang Lan was pitiful, just as Xu Zhengyang had said to her directly in her office: "You are a loser, and you will always be a loser, in every aspect."
Now, Jiang Lan no longer harbors resentment or hatred. Instead, she feels a sense of pride without malice: Xu Zhengyang, I have redeemed my image as a mother in my daughter's eyes. I am not entirely useless; I have my successes too.
Of course, I need to thank you for this—Xu Zhengyang.
A god?
No, I succeeded in one more thing: you, this deity, will always call me "Mom."
Jiang Lan felt a little happy, like a little girl, and her face flushed with a smug smile.
Looking at her mother's increasingly wrinkled face, which was now flushed with happiness and joy, Li Bingjie's mood improved as well.
Outside, the sky was beginning to lighten.
The number of villagers coming and going to offer New Year's greetings dwindled. Gradually, the courtyard quieted down, and the village quieted down as well, the lively sounds of firecrackers ceasing. It seemed that in that instant, the New Year... was over.
Xu Zhengyang returned from visiting relatives and friends for the New Year, a cigarette dangling from his lips, his face beaming. "This year's New Year is so much better! My fiancée is here with us..."
Xu Zhengyang was momentarily stunned when he caught a glimpse of Li Bingjie and Jiang Lan's smiling and happy faces through the window of the east room.
Then, he perceived the thoughts that Jiang Lan was having in her subconscious.
A cold glint flashed in Xu Zhengyang's eyes. Well, Jiang Lan's change of heart means she's truly changed; why should he hold a grudge?
Jiang Lan, however, felt a sudden tremor in her heart because of the fleeting cold glint in Xu Zhengyang's eyes.
She then realized that this son-in-law was not an ordinary person after all, and could not be treated with the same mindset as an ordinary person.
Volume 5, Spirit Official, Chapter 245: The New Plan
In this world, most people cannot escape their inner curiosity about the unknown.
In other words, people always like to ponder and speculate. The more unclear or confusing something is, the more they want to know what really happened... Especially when a person has absolute status and power and can know too many things that are unknown to ordinary people, they become even more intolerant of any matters or people under their nose that they do not know or control.
Therefore, it was particularly strange that Li Ruiyu's daughter married a country bumpkin with no education, background, or status, which naturally attracted a lot of attention.
Life is full of changes; how can everything go as planned?
Given their experience and worldly wisdom, the Li brothers should have anticipated this situation. However, Xu Zhengyang's unique and unparalleled identity had truly unsettled them these past few days, preventing them from anticipating many obvious consequences. They could only proceed cautiously, taking things one step at a time.
Following their overt and covert expressions of discontent and warnings, some people temporarily halted their investigation into Xu Zhengyang.
But the more this happened, the more curious and wary those people became about Xu Zhengyang, the new son-in-law of the Li family.
Currently, within high-level circles, the information about Xu Zhengyang that is widely known is so simplistic as to be almost unbearable to read:
He had parents and a younger sister; his family was poor, and he only had a junior high school education. He worked odd jobs on a rural construction team for two years, during which time he was arrested three times for fighting. On one occasion, he was detained for a week for causing serious injury in a group fight; two of the main perpetrators were sentenced (later, after the case was investigated, the two main perpetrators were acquitted and received financial compensation from the local government). At the age of twenty, he reformed and started a small-scale street vendor business. In the latter half of his twenty-first year, he allegedly joined a tomb-raiding gang, making a living by selling antiques. During this time, he assisted the police in solving a case and served as a member of the local police station's auxiliary defense team. Later… He co-managed an antique shop with Yao Chushun, a veteran in the antique industry. Amidst competition, he bought Guxiangxuan, the largest antique shop in Fuhe City, from the local government after Guxiangxuan was convicted of smuggling cultural relics and murder. This made Guxiangxuan the largest antique shop in Hedong Province. Later, he partnered with others to establish Jinghui Logistics Company… At the age of twenty-three, he suffered a sudden illness that led to severe dementia, lasting two years and six and a half months. After recovering, he continued to operate the antique shop and Jinghui Logistics Company. (Note: During this period, 40% of Jinghui Logistics Company's shares were acquired by Huatong Logistics Company, and Guxiangxuan was bought by Zheng Ronghua, the former chairman of Ronghua Group.)
There is basically nothing suspicious about Xu Zhengyang's situation before he turned twenty-one.
Only after he turned twenty-one did Xu Zhengyang rise rapidly, as if he had taken off on a rocket. He sold cultural relics and antiques, intervened in two fight cases, uncovered a wrongful conviction, and even helped solve the largest drug trafficking case in Cixian County, Fuhe City, and even in the whole country. Then he continued to make rapid progress. In just over a year, he started from scratch and became a local tycoon with a net worth of tens of millions.
This raises serious questions about how he managed to do all that.