It was simply unreasonable!

Ji Jiang Yuan doubted whether the version of his parents’ divorce he’d heard was true.

With his mother’s personality, how could his birth father have tolerated it?

No normal man could endure it. The fact that George remained devoted was remarkable – Ji Jiang Yuan felt both admiration and sympathy for him, and couldn’t help adding:

“Uncle George, Mr. Harold’s investment can’t be fake. I was present when he met with city leaders. Even now, Harold is working intensely, which is why I came to receive you both… By the way, nobody has brainwashed me. Apart from formal occasions, I haven’t met anyone privately, and no one has deliberately said anything to me. As for the debt, I don’t need reminding – I haven’t forgotten it for a moment!”

Ji Jiang Yuan excused himself and quickly left the room.

George didn’t blame Ji Ya, but he had a headache.

With mother and son’s relationship so strained, how could Ji Jiang Yuan wholeheartedly help them?

Ji Jiang Yuan should have been his and Ji Ya’s biggest bargaining chip.

Tang Hong En hadn’t remarried for years, and though not exactly old now, the possibility of him remarrying and having more children seemed slim. This made Ji Jiang Yuan Tang Hong En’s only son… Through Ji Jiang Yuan, he and Ji Ya could access considerable resources.

That domineering, dictatorial mayor would eventually lift a rock only to drop it on his own feet.

But all this hinged on Ji Jiang Yuan trusting him and Ji Ya, standing on their side!

After Ji Jiang Yuan left, Ji Ya grew angrier, and George spent a long time trying to comfort her.

Butler Allen entered:

“Mr. Harold is still in a meeting, but he invites you both to dinner. Do you have time?”

For a billionaire’s dinner invitation, one had to make time even if there wasn’t any. Besides, Harold was finally willing to meet them. George had a stomach full of questions waiting for Harold’s answers – how could he refuse?

Even Ji Ya had to maintain appearances in front of Butler Allen.

Butler Allen secretly shook his head – what kept George and Ji Ya so persistent wasn’t familial affection for Mr. Harold, but the enormous interests forged by U.S. dollars.

The wealthy wanted to become wealthier. Though George didn’t worry about food and clothing, he sought more.

Mr. Harold managed the family company, and most of the Wilson family’s accumulated wealth belonged to Harold. As long as this remained unchanged, obedient nephews like George would never want for anything.

George casually asked about the golf course, but Butler Allen politely deflected:

“I don’t understand Mr. Harold’s business matters. You can ask him yourself at dinner.”

As for how much Harold would reveal, even Allen didn’t know.

…

Tang Hong En’s nose itched.

He didn’t know he was being collectively despised by his ex-wife and her boyfriend.

One swore that even if he became a leader higher than provincial governor, she would never reconcile with such a sanctimonious man.

The other believed that after being single for many years, he still pined for Ji Ya, with little chance of marriage and unlikely to have other children.

Unfortunately, they hadn’t said this to his face. If Tang Hong En had heard it personally, he would have spit in their faces!

Who said he wasn’t planning to marry?

And where did they see any lingering affection for Ji Ya?

If asked to reconcile with Ji Ya, he’d truly prefer to remain single for the rest of his life.

Tang Hong En pulled a two-wheeled cart, following Liu Fen through the wholesale market. July in Yangcheng was nearly explosively hot, and Liu Fen, walking ahead, had sweat soaking through the back of her shirt.

This wasn’t unusual – who didn’t sweat in such heat?

But Liu Fen’s shirt was light-colored, and summer clothing was thin for coolness. Before getting soaked with sweat it wasn’t noticeable, but now the shirt clung to her skin, revealing the outline of her white undergarments… Tang Hong En only glanced twice before feeling the surrounding temperature rise again. Despite his usual composure, he couldn’t calm his mind.

Tang Hong En wanted to tell Liu Fen to rest, at least until her clothes dried somewhat, but Liu Fen walked quickly, barging through crowds, giving him no chance to speak.

Tang Hong En could only quicken his pace, walking close to Liu Fen, trying to shield her.

It wasn’t that he found it inappropriate.

How could he be picky about Liu Fen’s attire when she was working so hard to get supplies?

He thought Liu Fen looked beautiful today, the simple shirt and trousers matching his aesthetic perfectly.

Though he understood the logic, he couldn’t help feeling strange.

He wanted to spare Liu Fen embarrassment, not wanting others to see this scene, but for Liu Fen it was torturous. No matter how fast she walked, Mayor Tang stayed right behind her, their bodies almost touching as they moved forward.

This put great pressure on Liu Fen.

In the crowded space, shoulders bumped or hands touched.

Liu Fen didn’t dare look to the side as they both walked silently forward. In such crowded conditions, someone rode a motorcycle through, its roaring engine causing chaos in the crowd. People stumbled backward, stepping on Liu Fen’s foot – wearing open-toed sandals in summer, the pain shot straight to her core.

“Watch where you’re going up there!”

Tang Hong En shielded Liu Fen behind him, protecting her from being stepped on again.

Curses filled the crowd, and the motorcycle took several minutes to pass – during which Tang Hong En and Liu Fen remained pressed together.

“Are you alright?”

Even after the motorcycle passed, Tang Hong En still protected her.

Liu Fen’s face was red, whether from heat or embarrassment wasn’t clear, as she nodded randomly.

Tang Hong En then noticed that the sweaty back was nothing – her front buttons had come undone from the jostling.

Though of average height, he was still taller than Liu Fen. Shielding her, he tried to keep his voice natural:

“Comrade Liu Fen, please fix your clothes.”

Liu Fen looked down and her mind exploded.

In front of Mayor Tang…

Her mind went blank, and after several attempts with trembling hands, she couldn’t fasten one small button. Finally managing to fix everything, Liu Fen couldn’t meet Tang Hong En’s eyes.

Tang Hong En understood her embarrassment and led her to the roadside.

“It’s hot today. Let’s get some herbal tea by the road to cool down. We can rest a bit before continuing – surely we can spare that time?”

“Okay…”

A roadside vendor sold herbal tea they’d brewed themselves. Yangcheng’s herbal tea was bitter – outsiders would grimace at first taste.

But this bitter tea was remarkably effective. One bowl in the intense heat could clear a heat-addled mind.

The small roadside stall had a large umbrella and a few small stools but no tables. People usually held their tea while drinking and walking. Only one stool was free, and Tang Hong En let Liu Fen take it. After they both finished their two bowls of tea, Tang Hong En reached to pay but found a large hole in his pants pocket.

His five fingers poked through the pocket, and he found it absurdly funny:

“Comrade Liu Fen, looks like you’ll have to treat me to this tea.”

Occasionally being treated to a meal wasn’t so bad, right?

Liu Fen, who had been mortified earlier, found Tang Hong En’s fingers wiggling through the torn pocket amusing, and she laughed out loud – perhaps at this moment, the distance between Liu Fen and Tang Hong En first shortened. Liu Fen suddenly realized that even the great Mayor Tang wasn’t invincible – in the wholesale market, he too could have his pocket cut by pickpockets!