On this same day, the National Physics Competition results were announced.

As expected, Jiang Yan won first prize. There were only five first prizes nationwide, and it was said he ranked second among them.

This was Yangming High School’s first time winning this award. Red banners and posters were immediately hung up, and the school’s official website homepage was covered in red celebratory announcements – it was as festive as could be.

Everyone was full of admiration and praise.

In his three years of high school, Jiang Yan had completed the entire journey in just half the time, successfully claiming the highest trophy.

The homeroom teacher and physics teacher couldn’t stop smiling, though when they thought of Zhou Wan, they couldn’t help but sigh.

Walking out of the office, though the class bell had already rung, Jiang Yan unusually didn’t rush back to the classroom.

The corridor was empty. He leaned against the window, watching his classmates on the nearby playground, their cheerful laughter carrying over, full of vibrant energy.

A rare relaxed smile appeared on Jiang Yan’s face.

He took out his phone from his pocket, turned it on, and called his mother.

“Hello?” Jiang Wensheng answered, “Ah Yan, what is it?”

“Mom, I got first prize,” Jiang Yan smiled. “I can get direct admission now.”

Jiang Wensheng was stunned for a good while, saying nothing for a long time. When she finally spoke, her voice carried tears: “Ah Yan, Mom knew you would make something of yourself, definitely be the most successful one.”

“Mm, I will be successful,” Jiang Yan said. “Mom, don’t worry.”

Jiang Yan hadn’t wanted to give his mom false hope. Even though he’d been seventy percent sure after checking the answers earlier, he’d never mentioned it to her. Jiang Wensheng’s heart was still racing, repeatedly murmuring “That’s wonderful,” “That’s wonderful.”

After a while, she asked: “Have you told your father?”

“Not yet.”

“Then remember to give him a call later, he must know about this,” Jiang Wensheng said. “You’re so successful, your father will be proud when he finds out.”

Jiang Yan laughed softly: “I know.”

After hanging up, Jiang Yan called Lu Zhongyue, but there was no answer – he was probably busy.

He sent Lu Zhongyue a message instead.

Near evening, Lu Zhongyue finally sent back a voice message, laughing and sounding very happy: “You can get direct admission now? Ah Yan, you’re amazing. What reward would you like? Dad will buy it for you.”

[Jiang Yan: I don’t want anything, Dad. Just have a meal with me.]

[Lu Zhongyue: Sure, but I’m a bit busy today. Why don’t you come to my office after work? Once I’m done with everything, I’ll take you out.]

Jiang Yan paused, staring at this message for a long time.

He had never been to Lu Zhongyue’s company before, let alone gone to find him so openly.

It seemed winning this first prize had indeed made Lu Zhongyue feel proud and brought him face.

…

After school, Jiang Yan went directly to Lu Zhongyue’s company.

Standing before the towering building, he felt aspiration in his heart, hoping that one day he too could become such a person – prominent and successful, where no one would dare look down on him again.

He walked through the entrance and told the receptionist he was looking for President Lu.

“Looking for President Lu?” The receptionist looked him over, clearly doubtful of his intentions. “Do you have an appointment?”

Lu Zhongyue hadn’t notified the front desk in advance.

Perhaps he had been too busy in the afternoon.

“No, I’m…”

Jiang Yan paused, the words “his son” stuck in his throat.

If he said that, he might be thrown out as a lunatic. Suppressing his discomfort, he said, “You can call him. My name is Jiang Yan.”

The receptionist dialed the internal line.

Soon after getting approval, she led Jiang Yan upstairs.

While riding the elevator up, it stopped at one floor and a man entered. Seeing the two of them, he casually teased the receptionist: “Little Lu, is this handsome boy your son?”

“What are you saying, Team Leader Chen?” The receptionist wasn’t offended by such jokes. “I’m still young, how could I have such a grown son?”

“I’m just complimenting you. Only a beauty like our Little Lu could have been sweet-talked away so early.” In the workplace, such slightly risqué jokes were too common.

Jiang Yan stood to the side, back straight, silently clenching his fists.

He felt angry and humiliated as if he’d suffered a great insult.

As soon as the elevator doors opened, he strode out without looking back.

Walking into Lu Zhongyue’s office, he lifted his head to see Lu Zhongyue smiling and standing up, patting his shoulder: “Well done, Ah Yan, you’ve made Dad proud.”

Jiang Yan said modestly: “It’s a pity I’m only second place among the first prizes, not first in the nation.”

“That doesn’t matter,” Lu Zhongyue said. “First prize is first prize, no one cares about first, second, or third within that.”

Jiang Yan smiled slightly: “That’s true.”

“Well, sit here and wait for me a while. Once I finish handling these things, I’ll take you to dinner.”

“Mm, Dad, take your time, no rush.”

Jiang Yan sat on the nearby sofa. From when he first became aware until now, he had rarely played with his phone, spending every minute studying. Now that he could finally relax, he felt at a loss, not knowing what to do.

He aimlessly browsed on his phone for a while, then took a magazine from the nearby shelf to read.

Just then, the office door suddenly opened.

Jiang Yan looked up to see an elderly man with white hair but a vigorous spirit. He was stunned for a moment before quickly realizing this must be Old Master Lu.

Lu Zhongyue instantly looked toward Jiang Yan’s direction. Old Master Lu noticed and turned around, frowning almost imperceptibly.

“Director Lu.” Jiang Yan nodded.

“Mm.” Old Master Lu said, “Step out for a moment.”

Jiang Yan glanced at Lu Zhongyue: “Alright.”

He pushed open the door and walked out of the office, closing it behind him.

The moment the door closed, he heard Old Master Lu’s voice: “You’re going too far now, even bringing him to the company. What? Planning to let everyone know he’s your illegitimate son so he can steal Ah Xiao’s rights in the future?”

“Dad, today Ah Yan won first prize in the national competition and secured direct admission. I asked him here because I wanted to take him to dinner,” Lu Zhongyue said. “After all, the child hasn’t had it easy these years.”

“He hasn’t had it easy? Has Ah Xiao had it easy then?” Old Master Lu’s authority was evident without anger. “You father and son, neither acting like a proper father or son – rather than wasting time, why don’t you spend more effort on your legitimate son?”

Speaking of this, Lu Zhongyue was angry: “What does Ah Xiao lack? I’ve never restricted his food, clothing, or spending. But he just won’t behave – I’ve resolved all his previous troubles, what more can I do?”

Old Master Lu gave a cold laugh, looking at Lu Zhongyue, and asked in return: “Him becoming like this, you think you bear no responsibility?”

This time Lu Zhongyue fell silent.

Old Master Lu pulled out the chair in front of the desk and sat down, placing his cane aside, and resting his hands on his knees: “I hear you and Little Guo have broken up?”

Lu Zhongyue’s heart skipped a beat: “Mm.”

“So sudden, what happened to her?”

Lu Zhongyue remained silent.

Old Master Lu had built his empire from nothing, and even at his age still firmly held real power – this showed just how formidable he was. Lu Zhongyue knew his father’s sudden visit to the company today meant he must have already understood everything clearly.

Old Master Lu lifted his eyelids: “I’ve said it before – you lack integrity. You need someone proper to guide you through life. Shen Lan was the most suitable person I chose for you, but you rejected her, insisting on bringing in these unsuitable people, first Jiang Wensheng, then Guo Xiangling.”

Lu Zhongyue was already well past forty.

Usually surrounded by so many people placing him on a pedestal, naturally, he felt uncomfortable hearing such disparaging words.

“Let’s not talk about Guo Xiangling. Wensheng raised the child alone – isn’t it enough that she’s raised him to be so outstanding?” Lu Zhongyue said. “Dad, you were the one who refused to let her enter the Lu family. Otherwise, Ah Yan would be your grandson now.”

“Jiang Wensheng was too calculating. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have gambled her entire future on a child. Similarly, the child she raised is the same – being too utilitarian easily leads to corrupt intentions.”

Old Master Lu said, “There’s a saying I find very apt: poor families spoil their children, and it’s hard for humble homes to produce nobility.”

Jiang Yan hadn’t gone far, just leaning against the door.

The old master’s voice was deep and steady, clearly penetrating through the door panel.

His face instantly turned pale, his sky-high pride and self-esteem feeling like they’d been stripped raw, leaving his whole body in unbearable torment.

But he couldn’t move his feet, didn’t dare burst in to question them.

“Do you know why I value Ah Xiao? Of course, it’s not just because he’s my grandson, but because his heart is righteous and he has courage – a hundred times better than that of Jiang Yan. You’re always mistaking stones for gold, and won’t believe it until you see it with your own eyes.”

“That’s why even though I saw early on that Guo Xiangling wasn’t a good person, I didn’t investigate. I waited for you to stumble. You need to fall hard before you’ll give up.”

Old Master Lu gave a low laugh: “Now even her daughter has approached you – a 17-year-old girl dares to threaten you. I don’t know what you’ve been doing all these years.”

Lu Zhongyue remained silent.

Old Master Lu finally said: “Don’t interfere with this matter anymore. I’ll handle it.”

…

After the old master left, Lu Zhongyue sat alone in his office for a long time before remembering Jiang Yan. He opened the door but didn’t see him.

He called Jiang Yan.

No answer.

*

In Jiang Yan’s life, if he wasn’t studying, he was on his way to study. When classmates went to PE class, he seized the chance to memorize texts and vocabulary. When everyone made plans to hang out, he always refused, staying home alone to study.

He had done so much, all to rise above others, all for a future where people would respect him, all to be acknowledged by the Lu family, to prove he was far better than Lu Xixiao.

But in the end?

He got just two phrases.

One was “poor families spoil their children.”

The other was “it’s hard for humble homes to produce nobility.”

He really couldn’t understand what was so good about Lu Xixiao.

Idle and lazy, getting into fights – was this what the old master meant by “righteous heart” and “courage”?

The bar was noisy with voices and pounding music.

Jiang Yan felt uncomfortable, finding the music too loud, the bass numbing his chest, but he still walked in, as if trying to prove something.

The bartender asked what he wanted to drink.

“What drinks do you have?” Jiang Yan asked.

The bartender could tell he wasn’t a regular, probably just a curious good student who’d have one drink and leave, and lost interest.

He jerked his chin toward the menu posted nearby.

Many drinks had fancy names that gave no hint of what they contained. Jiang Yan had only heard of “Long Island Iced Tea” before, so he ordered one.

The bartender mixed the drink and placed it before him.

Jiang Yan picked up the glass and took a sip.

As soon as it touched his lips, he frowned – the alcohol burned his throat, making his whole body shudder.

He paused for a moment, then tilted his head back and drank the rest in one go.

Jiang Yan ordered another drink and looked toward the dance floor, where women in revealing clothes swayed their hips. His face showed contempt; he couldn’t stand such things.

Just then, Jiang Yan suddenly heard someone mention Lu Xixiao’s name.

He turned his head.

Behind him sat a group of rough-looking young men.

The one in the middle looked familiar. He frowned, then recognized him – it was that troublemaker called Luo He.

He’d heard many people at school talk about how Luo He and Lu Xixiao had always been at odds.

Luo He had suffered many defeats at Lu Xixiao’s hands, especially last time when he’d been beaten badly. He’d never been so humiliated in his life and naturally couldn’t let it go, determined to get revenge on Lu Xixiao one way or another.

Jiang Yan listened to the group shouting and cursing with vulgar words unfit for ears.

He paused, then turned to face them.

One of the young men noticed his gaze and glared at him, cursing: “What are you looking at! Want us to gouge out your eyeballs?”

One look at Jiang Yan and he could tell he was an easy target. Not satisfied with just cursing, he spat too.

Jiang Yan didn’t move, still watching them, and asked quietly: “Are you planning to deal with Lu Xixiao?”

*

The next day was Saturday.

When Zhou Wan woke up, the sky was dark and gloomy. Opening the curtains, she saw it was raining again.

The rain brought a chill, and the flowers in the flower bed, newly planted and not yet adjusted to their environment, were battered by this assault. Many had withered, and scattered across the bed, making it look even more desolate.

Zhou Wan frowned.

The plum rain season was approaching.

She wondered if these flowers could survive until then.

She remembered when Grandmother was still in their hometown, sometimes growing vegetables in front of the house. During the dreary rainy season, she would cover them with black hemp cloth, making a simple rain shelter that could be removed whenever the sun came out.

There seemed to be a general store nearby. Zhou Wan wanted to check it out.

Before she left, at least she could take care of this garden.

Lu Xixiao wasn’t up yet. She didn’t wake him, just took an umbrella from the entryway and walked out.

…

The rain grew heavier. By the time Zhou Wan reached the general store, her pant legs were wet, and the loose strands of hair at her back were dripping water.

She hadn’t had a haircut in a long time; now her hair reached below her chest.

Fortunately, the store sold black hemp cloth, so the trip wasn’t wasted.

The shopkeeper helped her stuff a large piece of cloth into a plastic bag. Zhou Wan paid and thanked him.

She picked up her umbrella, shook off the water, opened it, and walked out.

Suddenly, Zhou Wan’s steps faltered as she looked at the car stopped before her.

The back window slowly rolled down, and Old Master Lu smiled at her, saying warmly: “Young lady, what a coincidence.”

Zhou Wan paused, silently gripping the plastic bag tighter, and politely nodded: “Hello, Grandfather.”

“Do you have time?” Old Master Lu said. “Let’s have a chat.”