Chapter 35: Grandpa’s Inheritance

That night, when Zhao Yunshu returned home, she was surprised to find the living room filled with gift boxes.

“What’s going on here?” Both Zhao Yunshu and Jiang Huaiyuan were stunned.

Sister Juan explained, “These are all birthday gifts delivered for Madam!”

When Zhao Yunshu opened them, she found limited-edition shawls, collector-grade pearl necklaces, imperial green jade earrings…

It made Zhao Yunshu uneasy. She specifically called Elder Qin to ask—these gifts were too expensive; should she return them?

On the other end of the phone, Elder Qin chuckled. “This shows they finally value you—and they now understand my attitude: it’s time to break ties with Lin Chengtong. If you send these gifts back, those petty folks will think you’re still holding a grudge and planning revenge. Then they’ll gang up on you behind the scenes. Since they’re birthday gifts, just accept them, give them a thank-you call, and let them feel at ease.”

“I understand, Elder Qin.”

Zhao Yunshu didn’t care about these people spending money on gifts—but the necklace Jiang Huaiyuan bought for over a million… she felt that was unnecessary.

At ten o’clock that evening, Jiang Ruotang came back from the studio, hurrying upstairs, eager to finish solving problems and ask Lu Guifan questions before eleven.

Unexpectedly, Zhao Yunshu came to him for advice—she wanted to persuade Jiang Huaiyuan to return that necklace.

Hearing this, Jiang Ruotang laughed aloud. “Mom, just keep it. In three to five years, its value will go up.”

Zhao Yunshu shook her head with amusement. “Don’t fool me. Luxury goods like this may claim to retain value, but when you try to resell them, they’ll only pay for the materials. A piece of jewelry bought for over a million might fetch no more than two hundred thousand at best.”

“That’s why Dad chose a designer masterpiece. Not only is it limited edition—it’s the work of a top-tier designer. Like how a random art student’s painting sells for two thousand, but a modern master’s painting can fetch millions. It will appreciate. Just keep it in the safe.”

The reason Jiang Ruotang was so confident was because he knew this designer was highly sought after in high society—but would tragically pass away in three years. Afterward, this very piece, “Birds and Clouds,” would skyrocket in value, selling for nearly three times its original price.

“Alright then. I don’t trust your dad’s judgment on this—but I trust yours.”

After Zhao Yunshu left, Jiang Ruotang immediately focused on solving problems seriously.

At that moment, Lu Guifan was flipping through the journals Jiang Ruotang had gifted him. Every few pages, he’d glance at his phone, wondering if Jiang Ruotang had sent any messages or photos.

But tonight, his little disciple was unusually quiet—probably because there’d been a birthday celebration at home.

Just as Lu Guifan was finishing a journal, Jiang Ruotang finally sent over a photo.

Lu Guifan thought Jiang Ruotang would be stuck on the third-to-last problem from today’s math paper. To his surprise, despite some awkward and roundabout steps, the kid had actually gotten it right. Instead, he was confused by the last two problems—the hardest ones.

Resting his chin on his hand, Lu Guifan quietly gazed at Jiang Ruotang’s handwriting, easily picturing how the boy must’ve struggled to solve these.

Jiang Ruotang had topped up his phone bill; in return, the teacher bought a phone stand just to record problem-solving videos for his student—carefully explaining each step while filming the process.

Lu Guifan didn’t explain the last two problems yet—those were beyond Jiang Ruotang’s current level. Better to master the basics first.

Jiang Ruotang opened the video—it was a sheet of scratch paper, with Lu Guifan’s hand holding the pen as neat lines of writing appeared like art.

On the first watch, Jiang Ruotang only noticed how long and elegant Lu Guifan’s fingers were.

On the second watch, he thought the man’s voice was ridiculously pleasant.

It wasn’t until the third watch that he finally realized—ah—he was explaining that hard problem I struggled with for so long.

Lu Guifan’s method was more purposeful and logical—listen carefully and you’d understand.

When Jiang Ruotang was watching it for the fourth time, a message popped up:

[Why haven’t you replied? Got it? Or still confused?]

Jiang Ruotang hurriedly replied:

[Got it, got it! Your solution is way simpler. I took a huge detour, almost circled the galaxy, and you just dug straight to the earth’s core. Master, I’m impressed. Had to watch it a few times to admire properly.]

Lu Guifan responded:

[You’re still solidifying your basics. The last two problems are a bit too advanced for now. I’ll teach you later—but don’t force yourself if it’s too hard to grasp yet.]

Jiang Ruotang obediently replied:
[Okay.]

As expected, those last two problems were like alien language to him—as if they came from a whole different level of thinking.

But that didn’t stop him from using Lu Guifan’s explanation video as a bedtime lullaby.

With headphones on, it felt like Lu Guifan was speaking softly right beside him—so clear, so close. Before he knew it, Jiang Ruotang closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

---

The next morning, Xiao Gao drove Jiang Ruotang to school.

Having only fallen asleep after twelve-thirty, Jiang Ruotang was still half-dead with exhaustion—slumped against the car window, resting his head on a pillow.

Zhao Changfeng sat beside him, shaking his head helplessly. “No idea what you were up so late watching.”

Just as they passed a commercial building, Xiao Gao suddenly hit the brakes. Jiang Ruotang’s head jerked—his pillow slipped and he banged into the window.

“Ugh… what happened?” Rubbing his eyes, Jiang Ruotang sat up, wondering if Xiao Gao had nearly hit an electric scooter that had run a red light.

But Xiao Gao sighed. “Shouldn’t have taken this route.”

“Why?”

“Today’s the launch of M Country’s fifth-gen smartphone. A bunch of young people have been lining up since midnight to get the new model. The line’s practically spilling into the street—no security or order. It’s dangerous.” Xiao Gao turned the wheel, preparing to take a detour.

As he watched the crowd outside, Jiang Ruotang suddenly thought of the domestic phone brand Xiaolan, still struggling in financial crisis.

He remembered an interview he’d seen in his past life with Xiaolan’s founder, Mr. He Changqin. Ten years later, at only forty-three, Mr. He already had graying temples as he smiled, recalling the hardships he and his team had faced building their company.

—No collateral for loans, crushed by imported smartphone brands, no market foothold, no supportive investors. Countless nights filled with tears and self-doubt, dragging themselves up from the mud.

But eventually—they rose from the ashes.

Back then, young Jiang Ruotang thought He Changqin was just one of the lucky survivors of the business world.

Later, he realized—He Changqin succeeded because he had endured longer than anyone else.

“Actually, Xiaolan phones are pretty good too,” Jiang Ruotang suddenly said.

Zhao Changfeng paused, then grinned and smacked the back of his head. “Then don’t ask anyone to line up for M5 for you.”

“Fine, I won’t.” Jiang Ruotang turned his head and grabbed the pillow again—only to smack it onto Zhao Changfeng’s shoulder.

“What the hell are you doing?!” Zhao Changfeng grumbled, leaning away.

“Hey now—you’re tall, gotta be useful for the family. Brother, let me lean on you.”

Zhao Changfeng felt a tingling sensation on his scalp. He realized that Jiang Ruotang seemed to have found his weakness—whenever he used the excuse of “being family” to take advantage of him, Zhao Changfeng simply had no way to resist.

As soon as the midday classes ended, the “extreme drowsiness period” kicked in early. Beside him, Lin Lu and Bai Yingchuan seemed to be discussing how to get their hands on the M5 phone. Lin Lu wanted to poke Jiang Ruotang to ask if he was buying one, but Bai Yingchuan stopped him.

Bai Yingchuan slowly walked over to Jiang Ruotang’s desk, leaned down with both hands on the desk’s edge, and put on a listening pose. Jiang Ruotang was sleeping so soundly that soft little snores escaped from his nose.

Smiling slightly, Bai Yingchuan turned sideways with his phone and snapped a photo of Jiang Ruotang curled up like a little octopus—his cheek squished against his arm, making his face adorably chubby.

Lin Lu frowned and tugged on Bai Yingchuan’s sleeve, whispering, “Let’s go eat first. President Zeng’s daughter is celebrating her birthday today—she especially invited you for lunch. If we delay any longer, she’ll be unhappy.”

“Mn, let’s go.” The smile faded from Bai Yingchuan’s face as he followed Lin Lu out of the classroom.

Meanwhile, Jiang Ruotang was sleeping like the dead on his desk when an unfamiliar phone number suddenly rang. He squinted at it—was this the food delivery he’d ordered?

“Hello, could you please…”

Please leave it at the school gate.

Before he could finish the sentence, a calm, emotionless voice came through the phone:

“Hello, Mr. Jiang Ruotang. I am Dai Ming, the legal representative of your grandfather, Mr. He Daochen. May I have a moment of your time to discuss something with you?”

It was as if lightning had struck Jiang Ruotang’s brain—he immediately sat up straight.

It was Dai Ming? Why was he calling now? Wasn’t this supposed to happen after the Lunar New Year next year?

Stunned for two seconds, Jiang Ruotang smacked his own forehead hard.

In his past life, because Jiang Huaiyuan and Zhao Yunshu had only remarried after the New Year—partly delayed by his interference—Lawyer Dai had only contacted him then. The terms of his grandfather’s will included a clause about Jiang Huaiyuan remarrying.

But in this life, thanks to his help, Jiang Huaiyuan and Zhao Yunshu had received their marriage certificate six months early—so naturally, Dai Ming’s call came half a year ahead of schedule.

His heart pounded violently. Jiang Ruotang took a deep breath to calm the surge of emotions and answered, “This noon would be best. I have classes and study time on regular days.”

“Understood. I’ll be awaiting your arrival.”

A few seconds later, an address was sent to Jiang Ruotang’s phone.

He called a cab and arrived at Dai Ming’s law office. The building was in the heart of the business district—every inch of space there was worth its weight in gold. Clearly, Lawyer Dai was a heavyweight in his field.

After a whole lifetime, Jiang Ruotang once again stood in that floor-to-ceiling windowed office. Lawyer Dai sat behind his desk with the exact same posture and polite smile as before.

A secretary came in to serve Jiang Ruotang a cup of coffee.

In his heart, Jiang Ruotang silently thought: The cup will tilt, and the coffee will spill.

Sure enough, when the porcelain saucer touched the table, the coffee sloshed over the rim.

“Sorry about that,” the secretary apologized.

“It’s fine.”

The scene replayed exactly as before… Jiang Ruotang’s heart raced wildly. As expected, Lawyer Dai had summoned him here for that very matter.

Lawyer Dai took out the documents Jiang Ruotang already knew by heart and began to explain them line by line with great care.

Jiang Ruotang’s mother, He Yun, had been a famous photographer from a wealthy family. Though her parents were conservative, they doted on her deeply.

When Jiang Ruotang was six, He Yun went on a photography expedition to a remote area with several colleagues, while Jiang Huaiyuan stayed behind for a film project.

A torrential rainstorm triggered a devastating landslide and mudflow—He Yun never came back.

Grandfather He Daochen had blamed Jiang Huaiyuan bitterly for not taking care of his only daughter, vowing never to see him again.

A year later, He Daochen passed away from illness, explicitly stating that no one from the Jiang family was allowed to attend his funeral.

He Daochen had once followed his father to Nanyang to build his business empire, and his funeral was held there.

Jiang Ruotang only remembered being woken up by Jiang Huaiyuan in the middle of the night, dressed in a little black suit and leather shoes, flying for hours to that distant cemetery. Under a huge black umbrella, they stood far, far away, watching as his grandfather was laid to rest.

His only impression of his grandfather was that he was strict, cold, and unfeeling. In his past life, when Jiang Ruotang inherited his grandfather’s estate, he felt no emotion—only that the stubborn old man had no one else to leave it to.

He Daochen’s estate included the copyright to He Yun’s photographic works, cash, and various real estate holdings—worth about eighty million yuan.

Ten years later, that amount wouldn’t even cover the promotion costs of a single movie. But right now—eighty million was enough to make people’s eyes go red with envy.

According to He Daochen’s arrangement, the inheritance would remain in a trust until Jiang Ruotang graduated from college—meant as startup capital and a financial safety net to help him establish himself at Huanyu Films.

Additionally, if Jiang Huaiyuan remarried and Jiang Ruotang reached the age of eighteen, the conditions for inheritance and control of the funds would also be fulfilled.

Jiang Ruotang understood his grandfather’s concerns. If he had inherited at age six, Jiang Huaiyuan—his financially clueless guardian—would have squandered it all.

And if Jiang Huaiyuan remarried while Jiang Ruotang was still a child, the soft-hearted man might have handed the money to his new wife, leaving Jiang Ruotang with nothing.

But if Jiang Ruotang was eighteen, and Jiang Huaiyuan had a new spouse, the risk of stock disputes might arise—by then, Jiang Ruotang would desperately need this money.

What his grandfather hadn’t foreseen was that Zhao Yunshu turned out to be a good person; instead, the real danger came from the worthless friends surrounding his grandson.

“Mr. Jiang, you have two options right now. One is to let the trust continue managing the funds, drawing only the regular returns. The other is to claim full control and usage rights over the estate.” Lawyer Dai paused. “My professional advice is the former. You are still young, and without finishing the college entrance exams, such a large sum might not earn as much in your hands as it would in the trust’s.”

Lawyer Dai’s suggestion was sensible—but in his previous life, Jiang Ruotang had rushed to tell Lin Lu about this fortune.

Lin Lu had said that with this money, Jiang Ruotang could set up his own film company, invest in movies starring his beloved Bai Yue, and lavishly support Bai Yingchuan—becoming Bai Yingchuan’s “golden patron.”

Eighteen-year-old Jiang Ruotang had been instantly dazzled, secretly investing in Lin Chengtong’s film behind Jiang Huaiyuan’s back.

And Lin Chengtong? He’d effortlessly drained every last cent from Jiang Ruotang’s inheritance.

Jiang Ruotang had planned to keep this secret, but Zhao Yunshu—thanks to her finance background and broad connections—soon caught wind of it.

At that time, Jiang Ruotang had clashed bitterly with Zhao Yunshu at the dinner table—slamming chopsticks, breaking bowls—but Zhao Yunshu still tried to advise him: “The Lin father and son are not good people. Better to suffer this loss now than worse ones later.”

Even Zhao Changfeng had blown up, ready to “crack his brother’s skull to save him,” slapping the table and yelling: “You’re barely grown—how can you not tell this is such an obvious scam?! And that Lin Lu—her fake sweet words wrapped around lies—you’re actually eating it all up?!”

Jiang Ruotang couldn’t bear them badmouthing Lin Lu—she was the only bridge between him and Bai Yingchuan. Without Lin Lu, he wouldn’t even know how to approach Bai Yingchuan in the future.

Looking back now, Jiang Ruotang realized how utterly foolish he had been.

Clearly starting life from the front of the race—yet managing to play such a good hand so poorly.

“Mr. Jiang, please think this over carefully. Wait until you truly need the funds to touch this inheritance. In the meantime, let it grow steadily.” Lawyer Dai’s voice gently reminded him.

Jiang Ruotang snapped back to his senses. He understood that this Lawyer Dai was genuinely looking out for him—worried that someone so young and inexperienced in the ways of the world might recklessly squander or be cheated out of such a large sum, becoming easy prey for seasoned predators.

“You must’ve been someone my grandfather trusted deeply,” Jiang Ruotang said.

“More or less,” Dai Ming nodded.

Jiang Ruotang propped his chin on his hand and asked, “Were you just my grandfather’s entrusted lawyer?”

Dai Ming paused for a moment, then lowered his eyes and replied softly, “I grew up in an orphanage. When I entered middle school at thirteen, Mr. He Daochen began sponsoring me until I graduated from university.”

“I see… no wonder my grandfather trusted you so much. So you also grew up under his watch.”

Jiang Ruotang suddenly remembered that in his previous life, when he invested in Lin Chengtong’s shady projects, Lawyer Dai had taken the initiative to call him, offering to review the contracts. But Lin Lu had stood by and said things like, “This Dai Ming is just a lawyer, yet he’s trying to control everything about you—such a strong sense of control, definitely with bad intentions.” Jiang Ruotang hadn’t accepted Dai Ming’s goodwill, and afterward, Dai Ming had simply stopped interfering.

It wasn’t until Jiang Ruotang sold off his mother’s works and real estate that Dai Ming stepped in—quietly buying all of He Yun’s works for a single reason: because so many of those pieces were taken at the cost of her life. Mr. He Daochen would never have allowed those works to fall into the hands of those who wouldn’t cherish them.

Jiang Ruotang asked again, “Can I… trust you?”

“Why ask that?” Dai Ming smiled professionally, looking at him with the gaze of someone looking at a child.

“Because on TV, lawyers are always the ones who exploit legal loopholes to scam people.”

Dai Ming lowered his eyes and chuckled softly. “So you think I’m like that?”

“No. When I grew up, I realized what you see on TV isn’t necessarily real. Like… Cinderella might not live happily ever after after marrying the prince—maybe she’d end up with a harsh mother-in-law. The wicked stepmother might not bully Snow White—in fact, she could protect her like her own daughter. Lawyers too—some exploit the law for profit, but others pick up the law as a weapon to protect those who’ve been wronged.”

Dai Ming looked at Jiang Ruotang, this time with a touch more seriousness. “I believe you can trust me.”

This was someone who, in his past life, had once tried to pull him back from the brink—of course Jiang Ruotang trusted him.

He was about to tell Dai Ming to handle the money just as he recommended when, at that moment, he glanced out the floor-to-ceiling window and caught sight of the sparkling river in the distance.

In that instant, something struck his mind like a bolt of lightning.

“Lawyer Dai, what’s that place over there?” Jiang Ruotang pointed toward the distance.

Dai Ming turned, squinting slightly. “That’s Chengjiang.”

“I mean the curved area that looks like a beach over there.”

“Oh—that’s Chengtan. Why ask about that all of a sudden?”

A realization dawned on Jiang Ruotang. “Lawyer Dai, can I use your computer to look something up?”

“Of course.”

Dai Ming stepped aside, watching as Jiang Ruotang frowned and typed rapidly on the keyboard, completely focused—as if working on something monumental.

When this child got serious, his expression looked exactly like his grandfather’s when reviewing documents and contracts.

After a while, Jiang Ruotang printed out a map of Chengtan, circling and marking it with a pen.

“Lawyer Dai, if I entrust you to negotiate the purchase of these houses and factories for me—can you do it?”

Dai Ming frowned deeply. “That’s just an abandoned fishing village now. Most of it’s mudflats; the houses are old and crumbling—even the fishermen have moved out. Why would you want to buy dilapidated buildings and factories on the verge of bankruptcy? What are you planning?”

Jiang Ruotang looked at him and said, “It’s October now—we might only have less than a month to prepare. Lawyer Dai, the next ten years will be an era of rapid urban expansion and technological revolution. Chengtan will become this city’s future—a place where countless luxury residential zones and tech companies will rise. I know this is hard to understand right now, and I have no one else I can trust to help with this. I believe you will manage the contracts for me—help me secure these properties at fair terms and prices.”

Dai Ming wondered if this kid had gone mad.

“Jiang Ruotang, that place really is desolate… Are you planning to get into real estate?”

“No. Real estate requires massive capital, and the returns are slow. One slip in cash flow and you’ll crash hard. My little bit of money isn’t enough for real estate. I just want to take advantage of a time gap and flip my capital quickly.”