Xia Xiaolan had received Tang Hong’en’s assurance, and he had explained the Xu family’s situation to her.
Ji Jiangyuan’s maternal uncle worked in the Foreign Affairs Ministry, and his grandfather had spent his entire career in education, leaving behind countless students and connections across the country. With students spread far and wide, this naturally left a legacy for his descendants. While the old man was alive, the family truly couldn’t be treated carelessly. But after the old man’s passing, without any outstanding individuals, the Ji family was rather ordinary.
Others showed respect for Grandfather Ji’s sake, but since it wasn’t their capability, such respect diminished with each use.
The Ji family’s upbringing wasn’t bad, except that Ji Jiangyuan’s birth mother Ji Ya was rather stubborn and unreasonable. Everyone in the family indulged her. After spending over a decade abroad, even Tang Hong’en found her current state unfamiliar.
Tang Hong’en hadn’t said these things in front of Ji Jiangyuan. Ji Jiangyuan had returned home with a heavy heart.
These words were shared privately with Xia Xiaolan, preserving Ji Jiangyuan’s dignity.
“Ji Ya and I walked different paths that couldn’t converge. Looking back now, even without that upheaval, we would have eventually parted ways. Divorce was for the best – two people with different mindsets bound together only leads to suffering. The only person I’ve wronged is Jiangyuan.”
The conflict between him and Ji Ya wouldn’t have erupted so quickly if not for that special period. It wasn’t just Ji Ya and him taking different stances – there were countless examples of spouses turning against each other, children reporting their parents, people publicly severing ties… too many to count!
Xia Xiaolan didn’t know how to comfort him.
In her life experience, she lacked knowledge about handling family conflicts. Let alone giving Tang Hong’en advice – Xia Xiaolan was just learning how to date. She didn’t understand marriage, and Tang Hong’en wouldn’t need her guidance anyway.
Xia Xiaolan had gained an understanding of the Ji family situation.
“Uncle Tang, what do you think he will choose?”
This ‘he’ referred to Ji Jiangyuan.
Tang Hong’en was seventy percent certain Ji Jiangyuan would stay.
He had previously been unwilling to employ schemes, but the words he’d just said to Ji Jiangyuan – few twenty-year-olds could resist them. Young people all want to explore the world themselves, but Ji Ya is particularly controlling, wanting to manipulate Ji Jiangyuan’s life… Tang Hong’en’s open and encouraging attitude provided a stark contrast. Whether Ji Jiangyuan could break free from his existing shackles – Tang Hong’en had already given him a push.
He’d left the Ji household and met with Ji Jiangyuan before the family could, wanting to give Ji Jiangyuan a first impression.
Having to use schemes even with his son – Tang Hong’en felt helpless about this too.
The Ji family had forced him to such measures; Tang Hong’en himself found it hard to believe.
“Whatever he chooses, I will accept it.”
Tang Hong’en wasn’t trying to spite the Ji family; he wanted Ji Jiangyuan to have a better life.
Ji Ya’s stubbornness was an illness that was getting increasingly severe. At this rate, she would never let go of Ji Jiangyuan for life.
Tang Hong’en changed the subject, asking Xia Xiaolan what she’d been busy with lately. Xia Xiaolan told him about the English competition, “It’s probably not going to work out. Besides that, I’m planning to partner with others to start a clothing company and develop a clothing brand, right here in Yang City.”
There was nothing secret about “Luna,” and Xia Xiaolan wanted to hear Tang Hong’en’s opinion.
“The clothing industry is right for Yang City. Although Yang City doesn’t have raw materials for clothing, its competitiveness will surpass the Commercial Capital. This gap already exists and will only become more apparent in the future. Coastal cities will develop better – reform and opening up has determined this.”
Tang Hong’en had initially thought of having Xia Xiaolan register the clothing company in the Special Zone.
But thinking it through, if he only had a few years’ tenure in Peng City, Yang City would be better – at least Yang City’s clothing industry could more easily achieve scale.
What satisfied Tang Hong’en about Xia Xiaolan was exactly this point – she had seized the opportunity of reform and opening up and was honestly building a business.
The building materials store and clothing company were both long-term businesses. Food, clothing, housing, and transportation will always be people’s unchanging needs, and these two industries happened to relate to “housing” and “clothing.”
With Xia Xiaolan’s cleverness, if she took her earned capital and went into smuggling, Tang Hong’en would be both disappointed and troubled.
“Don’t worry about Liu Tianquan anymore. The Cheng Rong Group has sent their young master to Peng City. Liu Tianquan is already out of favor; he’s now worried about losing his business operations in Peng City and has no time to cause trouble for you.”
The raid on the dance hall wasn’t just to give Liu Tianquan trouble – they also obtained some useful information. Tang Hong’en had passed it all to Min Province. Cracking down on smuggling was a policy the country would never relax on. The Cheng Rong Group could invest in Peng City, but if they tried to conduct smuggling operations under legitimate business covers, their smuggling business in Min Province would still be heavily targeted.
Du Zhaohui might think things were going particularly smoothly in the Special Zone. Tang Hong’en welcomed Cheng Rong Group’s investment in the Special Zone but wouldn’t tolerate them doing anything else – these weren’t contradictory!
Xia Xiaolan felt a chill listening to this. Uncle Tang wasn’t inflexible – whoever could take advantage of Tang Hong’en could only do so if he allowed it willingly. Regarding this point, both the Cheng Rong Group and the Ji family will surely come to deeply understand this soon!
…
“Who does he think he is…”
Ji Ya had been making a scene at home for half the day, exhausting everyone, even George was worn out. Finally, she calmed down only after being given an injection.
The Ji family had always been unwilling to admit Ji Ya had problems, and Ji Ya herself strongly resisted using medication for control.
If she hadn’t caused such a severe disturbance, her elder brother wouldn’t have agreed to give her a sedative.
Medication was harmful to the body; even a healthy person would develop problems from constant sedatives.
Indeed, who did Tang Hong’en think he was? With Grandfather Ji’s body barely cold, Tang Hong’en could speak so boldly in the Ji household.
“What does he mean? Can he prevent Ji Ya and Jiangyuan from leaving the country?”
George didn’t quite understand the situation in China. America was composed of states, and while government officials had great power, they were also controlled by various forms of capital. The wealthy could pressure government officials – if they couldn’t, it only meant they weren’t wealthy enough.
In capitalism, capital was naturally supreme.
George felt China was too backward, actually being able to restrict people’s freedom.
The two countries had different cultures and national conditions; Ji’s elder brother found it difficult to explain clearly to George. But if Tang Hong’en was determined to prevent Ji Ya and Ji Jiangyuan from leaving the country, could he do it? Ji’s elder brother knew clearly – yes, he could.
This was why Ji’s elder brother was furious. After Grandfather Ji’s passing, the Ji family couldn’t produce a respectable figure.
Tang Hong’en himself was now a figure of importance. The Ji family only had a face when he chose to give it to them. If Tang Hong’en turned against them, the Ji family’s reputation wouldn’t count for much… Ji’s elder brother and Ji Ya were angry for similar reasons – their pride had been hurt.
Was Ji Ya wrong to ask for divorce back then?
No, Ji Ya wasn’t wrong. Tang Hong’en was wrong for not being frank with the Ji family, watching them choose the wrong side, only to decline now.
Ji Jiangyuan was delayed at school for a while. When he returned home, he faced his uncle’s displeasure:
“Jiangyuan, your mother plans to take you back to America. I want you to leave as soon as possible.”
They should leave quickly while Tang Hong’en hadn’t yet taken action.
Ji Jiangyuan neither agreed nor disagreed immediately. Tang Hong’en’s words had laid the groundwork in his mind, and he asked in return:
“If I return to America now, the past year and more would be completely wasted. I would need to reapply to schools. Uncle, this takes time.”